shower the people.

I’m feeling love, today, friends.

And so, I shower the people I love. with love.

Mary: Happy Birthday, lady! Happy 25. Happy done with 365. Happy new job where you get paid to do what you love. Happy summer. Happy memorial day. Happy I’m glad you’re alive and we’re friends.

Ellen: I am so proud of you in your new venture. You’re a champion of the world, and I know that getting the opportunity to get paid to write is the start of something big!

Katie: Happy belated b-day, lady. And happy back to the US, been to London, and holy crap! writing mag release is inching closer every second! I miss you every second of every day.

Nikki: Happy almost wedding. I promise to be more organized from here on out ;). Happy race weekend, and happy maybe running in clouds not pouring rain? You are awesome.

Marissa: I was thinking about you last night and sending you love vibes. It was when I was thinking to myself, “Man, I have such successful friends.”

Corelyn: I miss your face. But I have big things planned for GMS. Does that abbreviation work, by the way? I don’t know if it does. Anyways, I am excited. Hug Meg and Mary for me. Twice.

SS: I saw pregnant in heels the other day. It made me want to be rich and pregnant and live in New York. You could be my fabulous (although not uber gay) best friend and we could stroll around bossing people around looking hot. Thoughts? I miss your face and wish, poor and not pregnant, we could hang out more.

Megan, where have you been all my life? Let’s hang out soon. Rebecca, I loved seeing you two nights in a row. Let’s rinse and repeat soon. Melissa, good luck today. Jen, hope you’re feeling so excited as you leave SO SOON for such an adventure! Caitlin, thanks for bringing brie to book club. You rock my socks. Suzanne, welcome to book club and I hope we don’t scare you. Liz, thanks for always understanding that I need you to go with me on my errands because I need a second opinion, always. Courtney, Memorial Day plans worked to our favor, yesssss. Barbra, Fanboy Comics has been stellar lately. You are working so hard, and I hope we can have a girls night soon to celebrate. Traci, Marc Broussard. You, me. So excited. Jessica, can’t wait to see your new place! Cricket, I think you should reconsider joining book club, because we seem to talk about you every book club anyways. I’ll even consider reading another Nora Roberts. C’mon…. Ana, I am excited that you’re not going away this weekend because I’m selfish. There, I said it.

Shower your people with love, guys! Happy Thursday!!

Sunday is…

waking up before your alarm. ten minutes to nine. first stop: kitchen. waffles, with the neighbor. attempted Amish Friendship bread: failure leading to tomato, onion, cheese omelet. one failed waffle. five good ones. bacon. breakfast as a family, four become one. dishes with your boyfriend. a clean kitchen. house alone. breathe in, breathe out. smooth legs, smooth summer sun. strapping your yoga mat to your b a c k. a bike ride. yoga. s t r e t c h i n g. triangle pose. raise your hand if you’re having fun. giggles abound. Brett Dennen and Alex Murdoch. Amoeba music. Five new CDS. Matt Nathanson, times two. Joshua Radin. Carbon Leaf. Lady Antebellum. Love.  b a c k o n y o u r b i k e. home. a quiet house. Barbara Kingslover. finally finishing Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. summer sun still high. peppermint tea. sweatshirts. photos uploaded. PW Challenge ready to be tackled. three more recipes. hours with a friend who can make me giggle when giggling seems a cardinal sin.

life and love, all messy, most of the time.

Cotugno Style: Rules to Live By

Katie made some rules to live by.

Here are 10 of my own, reposted from her comments.

1. If you look at the phone, and you don’t want to answer it, don’t. Chances are if you answer it, you’ll be annoyed the rest of the day.

2. Unless it’s me. Then answer. (Because I usually have something important to tell you, about friends, family, Hanson, or a fruit/veggie I just discovered.)

3. Drink water. Often.

4. If you are in the bathroom in public, check to make sure there is toilet paper.

5. You will never read every magazine you want to cover to cover. Let it go.

6. Ditto to books.

7. If you find someone that makes a good sandwich, don’t move too far from them. That way, you always know a good sandwich is just a phone call away.

8. Ditto, to vodka sodas with lime.

9. Love your family.

10. If you get overwhelmed, write your worries down. Do it with a friend. With multi colored markers. Discuss them if need be. Rip them up. Breathe deep. Toss em.

Good morning, Tuesday. Coffee?

This morning, I got up early to help Corelyn get motivated. 6:10 rolled around, and my iPhone started playing Finlay MacDonald (imagine bagpipes at 6:11 am) and I begrudgingly got out of bed. I texted Cor, and proceeded to get the following things done:

– made coffee

-put dishes away

-cleaned the drying rack (does your drying rack ever get just gross? mine does…)

-cleaned dishes from last night’s dinner

-googled how to sanitize my sponge

-sanitized my sponge in the micro (only use of the micro I actually approve of)

-chatted with Corelyn for a few minutes about our evening plans

-wiped down the counters

-prepared/drank an Airborne

-sewed a hole in my sweater (because once I had it on I refused to take it off)

-put a run in my tights (which I then discreetly hid by rotating said run in)

-checked the weather, discovered ran is on its way

-made oatmeal

-packed breakfast/snacks/lunch

-packed gym clothes

-left 15 minutes early, arriving at work early, coffee FOR ONCE in hand.

Maybe I should get up an hour earlier EVERY day…

http://www.finlaymacdonaldband.com/the-band/

Monday morning: 5 Good Things

1. Soccer began again this weekend. Translation: hanging out with 4-10 year olds, Saturday morning, learning the basics of soccer. Referring, coaching, learning, stretching, loving.

2. Guys, Sam Summer is back in action, and here to stay until August.

3. Pizza night last night. Pictures to come. Including: Jennie lays  her own dough, and slides pizza into and out of oven. Success.

4. New planner. New space for planning. Planning for new things.

5. Farmer’s market: basil and rosemary plants. I cannot wait for May.

Bonus: 3 more PW recipes made. More to come.