Lazy Week

The Boo (or Boukie, if you prefer) has been gone this week.
Who?
Oh, sorry. Let me clue you in to our piano studio lingo. Those are nicknames for our piano professor. He has many more, too.

The result?
I've been slacking! Ugh! I need to be motivated! I guess everyone needs a day to relax, but not a whole week! It's not that I haven't practiced at all. (There was only one failure of a day where I only practiced 45 minutes.) I've just been procrastinating 'til the last minute.

Take today, for example.
I woke up at 7. I'm house-sitting, so I took care of all the animals (and another dog I'm pet sitting) and made it back to my house at 7:30. Then I ran. Now that was pretty close to failure. Slacking off for two weeks = bad news.
I enjoyed a healthy breakfast with Mom and sat and chatted for a while. That was nice.
I finished my essay portion of a group project, and sent it off to my classmates. That was good, too.

Next I tracked down a movie that I want to watch tonight. It was only at the Faraway Mall, so Mom and I had to drive all the way down there. (Yes, I simply had to have this movie. Wait Until Dark with Audrey Hepburn, if you're wondering.) Oops. I was supposed to be practicing piano then.

At least I worked on my stats practice test while Mom drove.
When I got home, I was simply starving. Naturally, I chose eating over practicing.

I'm meeting Angela in half and hour, so at this point, there's really no reason in trying to sneak in practice time.

So I chose to blog, of course.

Oh, bother.
I'm ridiculous.

Happy Birthday, Tali Rose!

Dear Tali,

Happy 18th birthday! I love you!

Specifically, I love that...

You're always ready to have a good time.

You find joy and beauty in small things.

You're always willing to look silly next to me.

You put up with me.

You have such a positive outlook on life.

You love children.

You're very creative. :)

You're not afraid to work hard.

You're always there for me, in the trivial and the consequential.

You're not afraid to cry with me.

Your heart beats for some of the same things for which mine beats.

You've shared some great memories and experiences with me.

You're a great page-turner.

You have a passion for vegetables and inspire me to eat more healthfully.

You like to take pictures of me while I brush my teeth in a public bathroom??? (Okay, that's a little weird.)

Moving on...

You make me do things I don't want to do when you know they're good for me.

You're a deep thinker.

But you're also willing to jump right into things without hesitation. (I also love that this was only last year!)

You're compassionate.

You love Jesus with all your heart.

I don't have a picture of that, but I'm pretty sure it's evident to everyone already.

Thank you for being the kind of friend that always points me back to the important things in life. You're far more incredible than a measly blog post can portray.

Most of all, thank you for being Tali Rose. I can't imagine life without you!

**

Learning, living

Hoping, dreaming

Wet eyes running

Or brightly gleaming

**

Hat Height

This is what happens when Tali and I "clean my room."

In our defense, this began with good intentions. I was putting away my hats and organizing them in their respective boxes. That, of course, led to a hat count. (I now have 22 in my collection, in case you're wondering!) And that led to its logical end. Why, I should stack them on my head...naturally! (The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins, anyone?) After all, I'm in need of a Halloween costume. Perhaps I could be a crazy hat woman.

No, Tali says, I'm already that.

Judge for yourself.

But remember...

...there will be a day when you ask to borrow one for a costume party.