121 - r&r

it should come as no shock to anyone that i've been running on empty for the past few weeks. i haven't had one free, totally unplanned weekend since MAY! and most of those weekends have included large events like weddings, trips, throwing parties or holiday outings, which also require planning and preparation. needless to say, i needed to give myself a break. when reviewing my planner a few weeks ago, i saw that the weekend of august 20-22 was completely free, and i made an executive decision to keep it that way. i turned down plans with family and friends, insisting that i was looking forward to a relaxing weekend of doing nothing.

on friday afternoon (as i worked from the glorious comfort of home waiting on an exterminator to come destroy a very non-glorious colony of ants in my bedroom), i made a mostly fun to-do list for the weekend. please, you thought this type-a personality girl could get through a weekend without a checklist? be serious.

fun weekend to-do list - 8/20-8/22

-take off nail polish (accomplished)

-laundry (oops, not done)

-wash sheets (mmmhmm...and slept on clean sheets on saturday night - LOVE)

-eat ice cream (status: milkshake from dairy queen on friday, check)

-country cruise (friday night drive through the country, done)

-start working on gift for aj-dub (oops again)

-upload professional pictures from wedding to facebook (yes, and they are still fab)

-have a real housewives mini-marathon (semi-oops...the purpose of this was to clean out my tivo queue, but i had a 30 rock marathon instead)

-visit my friend at work at blockbuster (yes, and got a whole season of 30 rock for free - thanks phoof!)

-eat ice cream #2 (status: JENI'S backyard mint + belgian milk chocolate combo on sunday night with cb - YUM)

-visit verizon store (continued to feed my blackberry love/upgraded to the bold)

-grocery shopping (of course - this is lots of fun for someone who likes lists, obvi)

-pick up free august bouquet of flowers (completed - and they are beautiful!)

overall status report: 11/13 tasks accomplished, and that's after laying on the couch for the vast majority of the day on both saturday and sunday. i feel so successful...and well-rested, too. this is a lovely beginning to a work-week.

102 - signs of spring

my favorite signs of spring:

-driving in the car with the windows down

-drinking lemonade from panera (it doesn't taste the same when it's cold outside)

-busting my peeptoe heels off of my shoe rack

-wearing my light spring jacket instead of my wool winter coat

-eating ice cream on a park bench (achieved wednesday in orlando)

-picking up my beautiful bridesmaid dress for aj-dub's wedding (at least that's a sign of spring this year)

-the big 10 basketball tournament

...and if there is anything sweeter than seeing your best player drain a buzzer-beating 3-point shot to beat your archrival in the conference tournament, i don't know what it is.

the shot...

...immediate post-shot celebration with my favorite buckeye baller, david lighty...

...and the bench goes crazy! (and yes, i see you with the sling on there, mark titus.)

et for national player of the year!

go buckeyes!

46 - cravings

things i want/need asap - any combination of the below items will suffice:

okay, not all of these. i'm sure one scoop will do the trick. but omg, eating ice cream (or raspberry sorbet, mmm) on a shaded park bench is the best thing ever on a hot, summery day. if anyone wants to go with me, i'm taking volunteers. please note that i said "shaded bench", instead of "shady bench" - i would prefer not to have creepers stalking me while i eat my ice cream, tyvm.

considering i've gotten about 6 hours of sleep per night this week, a nap sounds absolutely fantastic right now. and this picture is the perfect example of my ideal nap space - on a big, comfy bed in a room that lets a little bit of late-afternoon sunshine peek in. i mean, you can't tell me that doesn't make you relax a little bit just by looking at the picture.

and if i can't happen to find a room that meets those criterion, i guess i could settle for reading and napping in a hammock, which i actually do have readily available.

let's be honest for a minute. i think saying that i want/need a glass of wine makes me sound a little bit cultured and classy (and not at all like an alcoholic, right?). although i am occasionally cultured and classy, i actually used to hate wine until about two years ago, when tc introduced me to this wonderful wine at the olive garden (principato rosato = a little taste of heaven, literally i hope). then i went to a winery last fall and bought SEVEN BOTTLES of white and rose wines. a new love affair was born, my friends. also, i can usually only drink about two glasses of wine before i want to fall asleep (as opposed to vodka, of which i can consume as much as i want and not get tired until i see my bed), so combined with my desire for a nap, one glass should probably be okay for tonight.

these would combine to make the perfect summer weeknight, correct?