thankful list | September 2016

01. a night to veg in front of the TV.
02. Astrid's belly.
03. lunch from Meat Spot.
04. friends to watch the K-State game with (and commiserate with about the loss).
05. seeing a low-flying helicopter for the crazy story it makes (training? movie filming?).
06. a beautiful wedding. #doubletheprice (Congrats, Magen and Jonathan!)
07. a fun night with some of our best friends.
08. Astrid sleeping at the foot of our bed again.
09. a message at church that was exactly what I needed to hear.
10. a brunch date at Aquitaine.
11. knocking our errands and feeling prepared for the week. (woot meal planning!)
12. a new planter in the bathroom.
13. exploring one of Ian's project sites.
14. rediscovering our book of NY Times crossword puzzles.
15. bacon-silog.
16. Ian, for getting the rice to "crispin up."
17. Astrid's paw dangling while she naps on the radiator.
18. getting started on plaster repair in the bedroom
19. a kitchen restyle that feels like a new kitchen (with way more countertop space).
20. homemade bread.
21. Ian's amazing cooking skills (and that incredible cobb salad).
22. a quiet evening to relax and catch up.
23. an official office visit to Russo's (for party planning purposes).
24. Super Cluckin' Sunday with friends we don't get to hang out with very often.
25. good news
26. finding a good new brow stylist (after my previous one moved).
27. ice cream at the office.
28. an office book swap.
29. a project to keep me busy while Ian is away: painting our bedroom.
30. the promise of a can of paint.
31. the Chronicles of Narnia Radio Theatre and the YHL Has a Podcast to keep me company.
32. dinner with friends.
33. a night watching high school football. ahhhh, memories.
34. a freshly painted bedroom. (so good I almost forgot how hard it was painting solo. almost.)
35. relaxing after a job well done.
36. Ian getting home in time to partake in the relaxing.
37. a new L.L. Bean comforter cover.
38. a community group hangout night.
39. drinks to celebrate Danielle's new tattoo.
40. babysitting Rowan.
41. discovering Fiorella's Express (#dangerous).
42. a morning on the Cape.
43. Simple Matters.
44. a neighborhood block party.
45. meeting a friend's new baby.
45. REUNION's annual Viva La Picnic.
46. a productive DR partnership discussion.
47. a good farewell lunch for an awesome coworker who's starting a new adventure.
48. Astrid sending us off to Kansas by snuggling on the bed.
49. a good flight to Kansas City.
50. pizza and ice cream with Nathan and Sara.
51. lunch at Bourbon and Baker before diving into wedding reception decorating.
52. a surprise wedding gift from our jewelry store to pass along to the happy couple.
53. Caleb and Kate being so chill about wedding decorating.
54. a good rehearsal.
55. seeing our good friends Ben and Storm.
56. a delicious rehearsal dinner and good time with family.

thankful list | August 2016

01. a fantastic grocery store.
02. a quiet night at home to catch up on life.
03. the DR team making it home safely.
04. safety for our friends in a serious car accident (they walked away unscathed).
05. party planning at the office.
06. the annual office summer barbecue.
07. an evening chatting service trips over dinner with a couple coworkers.
08. a quiet day at the office to catch up on work.
09. falling asleep to the Olympics.
10. the weekend.
11. a morning on the Cape (Ian shellfishing, me reading).
12. the beach.
13. lunch at Pain D'Avignon.
14. Katie's ice cream (although we were sorely missing Grandma Judy).
15. progress in planning our front yard project.
16. breakfast with friends to hear DR stories.
17. REUNION.
18. Super Cluckin' Sunday with friends I've missed!
19. solid progress on a couple work projects.
20. a night to catch up around the house.
21. old friends who are now officially new neighbors.
22. assembling a mini style guide at the office (copyediting nerd alert).
23. decluttering.
24. tomatoes in our garden.
25. seeing Stu (he's famous but always makes you feel like the most important person in the room).
26. a good debrief and next steps planning with our fearless DR partnership co-leaders.
27. catching up around the house.
28. babysitting Annie.
29. a good day at REUNION, with a good message about worry.
30. a long Sunday afternoon nap.
31. tacos and deep conversation with Sara.
32. central air (thanks, Sara!).
33. watching the Great British Baking Show finale at the office.
34. despite it not looking pretty, my chocolate loaf cake tasting delicious.
35. after running around the city looking for a side table, finding a good solution for the living room.
36. babysitting for three of our favorite littles.
37. knocking out errands.
38. a walk around Fresh Pond with Ryan and the Girlbaums.
39. a breakfast date at Sofra.
40. cooking lobsters (and crab cakes) with Nate.
41. K-State Day at Fenway.
42. good dinner and conversation with a fabulous coworker.
43. an evening painting party to help our friends get ready to move in a few blocks away.
44. living so close to so many good friends.
45. discovering an incredible cast-iron skillet pizza recipe (thanks, Bomin!).

we bought a house.

Our home buying story is later than I meant it to be (#storyofmylife) but it feels appropriate to share it exactly one year after closing on our first home.

thankful list | July 2016

01. a quiet day in the office, heading into a long weekend.
02. brownie chips for my birthday breakfast (thanks, Oaks!).
03. Ian's birthday gift: a 3D printed planter he made himself and a pencil cactus.
04. lunch at Roxy's.
05. an afternoon full of my favorite stores (Niche! David's Tea!)
06. a drive along the Charles River with the windows down and Mutemath blasting.
07. ice cream at Toscanini's.
08. an evening at the Middle East to watch our friend compete at air guitar.
09. a great morning at REUNION.
10. time to prep for our birthday slash Independence Day party without too much stress.
11. time with so many people we love dearly.
12. Ian's new grill, for cooking up great burgers.
13. watching fireworks in Waltham (we were so close, I had firework bits in my hair).
14. getting home in time to watch the Boston fireworks on TV.
15. heading back to Brookline to celebrate a friend's birthday.
16. snacks from Sofra.
17. a great DR teambuilding meeting.
18. Follain.
19. REUNION's Live It Out event (we spent the morning working along the Charles River).
20. the Live It Out afterparty picnic.
21. hors d'oeuvres at Branch Line.
22. Astrid's cuteness.
23. a fancified laundry area, thanks to a new rug and trash can.
24. lunch after church with a good friend.
25. an evening hanging out with our community group.
26. construction signs for the new office chicken coop.
27. outdoor movie night at the office.
28. dinner with the Drs. Hu (who we don't see as often as we'd like).
29. Shake Shack and successful errands.
30. a DR team sendoff at REUNION.
31. brunch with a new friend.
32. ice cream.
33. a beautiful evening walk through Christian Science Center.
34. a successful DR trip packing party.
35. ending up with all the trip supplies despite a few snafus.
36. dinner by the water with our new friend.
37. seeing the DR team off at the airport (we did it!).
38. a much needed date night at our beloved Orinoco.
39. a friend's birthday party at Sweet Cheeks.
40. those biscuits.
41. old friends moving in down the street.
42. after a fiasco with a clothing purchase, getting everything sorted out.
43. Ian, always.

thankful list | June 2016

Life felt a bit overwhelming in June, so I'm clinging to this list a little harder.

01. an amazing community group
02. lunch along the river with Ian.
03. all the water fowl that hilariously at my leftover bread.
04. a successful day of errands.
05. a (more) complete capsule wardrobe (flipped to summer!).
06. Super Cluckin Sunday.
07. a Russo's fueled cooking extravaganza with friends.
08. a good DR team meeting.
09. a quick breakfast with Kelly.
10. a good dental appointment.
11. shopping at the Brookline Trader Joe's, for old time's sake.
12. strawberry fusilli with homemade basil.
13. a mostly painless trip to the vet for Astrid (just a minor ear infection).
14. our explosion of ferns.
15. a final weekend on the Cape before our family officially moves.
16. Roxy's on the drive.
17. hanging out with Pfluff and Ming.
18. our first trip to Martha's Vineyard.
19. peonies.
20. crab cakes.
21. warm sand and ocean waves.
22. ice cream at Katie's with Grandma Judy.
23. compost planning at the office.
24. yoga.
25. a great late night chat with Micki.
26. after one of the craziest mornings at the office maybe ever, time with family.
27. Ian (happy birthday!)
28. rest.
29. a new house in the Denver area.
30. lunch at Centro and Finding Dory with Micki and Grandma Judy.
31. a grapefruit rosemary spritzer.
32. time to plan a belated surprise birthday party.
33. brunch at The Kitchen.
34. strolling on Pearl Street.
35. the guys (and kitties) arriving safely in Colorado.
36. brunch as a family (Em, we missed you!).
37. my dads (original and in-law!).
38. old photos.
39. talking to Grandma on what would have been Grandpa's 95th birthday.
40. a comfortable bed.
41. the movers (so we didn't have to do the heavy lifting).
42. quality time with Ren.
43. time for Ian and I to sneak out to see Finding Dory (yes, again).
44. made beds and a (somewhat) put together kitchen.
45. the almost two years of living so close to family.
46. safe flights.
47. not getting stuck overnight in JFK.
48. our own bed.
49. G and H's attempts to coax Astrid out from under the bed.
50. the joy of 1600+ balloons in the Sasaki Gallery.
51. a quiet evening.
52. Ryan and Kelly, for all their help in pulling off Ian's surprise birthday party.
53. pulling off the surprise part (because I'm a terrible liar).
54. all the friends who helped make it amazing.
55. strawberries, especially in Smitten Kitchen's strawberry summer cake.
56. an all-afternoon Sunday nap.
57. clean laundry.
58. Astrid.
59. The Hulu app on our TV. game changer.