these days

These days I've been

:: listening to the Serial podcast like every other 20- and 30-something Millennial in the country
:: making Christmas lists, but not yet checking them twice
:: fawning over pictures of my fresh-from-heaven niece
:: managing our road-trip preparations through All the Lists
:: continuing to power through the now-streamable Gilmore Girls
:: starting a new Christmas-themed cross-stitch sampler
:: loafing around in faux-fur-lined, sequin slippers
:: paying a doctor copay to be told that our resident toddler "just has a virus"
:: sneaking Trader Joe's dark PB cups from my baking cupboard
:: stocking up on all the snacks from Trader Joe's all in the name of our upcoming Oregon - Utah road trip
:: smearing Nutella on all the toast
:: calling Josh when Asher gets dressed and says, "Me look good!"
:: scheming to get a babysitter so I can go see Mockingjay
:: enjoying making our way through Doctor Who ("About time," says all our Doctor Who - fan friends)
:: jamming to the Pentatonix Christmas albums
:: drinking all the cocoa

It's been a lovely November, really. I can hardly believe Thanksgiving is a week away. We're headed to Utah so that our family can all be together with Emily and her new baby. We're road-tripping there, which means 13 hours in the car with a toddler. We're also driving down with Josh's parents, so I'm crossing my fingers that four adults will be sufficient to manage one toddler on such a long trip.

I have all the laundry and all the cleaning to do before tomorrow night, not to mention all the packing. So, I'll sign off. I hope your Thanksgiving is so lovely and that you're surrounded by family and wassail and rolls. All the rolls.