Babysitting

Last night, Andrew and I babysat my brother's two little ones. Ethan and Chloe were so excited to see us, and they didn't stop jumping for 15 minutes. They are such funny little kids.

But the best part of babysitting was when Chloe started asking Andrew for things and to do things and wanting to show him things. Without even being prompted, she called him "Uncle Andrew." And it melted my heart.

I can't wait to marry this man in 75 days.

Thanksgiving Day Eight

Tonight Andrew and I stopped by the mall so we could pick up his ring. Andrew wanted it engraved with our wedding date and "Always and Forever," which I thought was super sweet. He's just super sweet. My favorite part about that engraving is "Forever." Because it's true. Andrew and I will be getting sealed for time and all eternity in the temple, and I am so thankful for that. I'm thankful that I have the truth of the Gospel and that I will get to be with my family forever.

I'm so thankful that my upcoming marriage to Andrew won't just be for time. Death won't part us. I will get to be with him and grow with him for the rest of eternity, and that thought fills me with warmth and happiness. The children we have will be ours forever. What an amazing blessing.

Quarter of a Century

Well, friends, I am now 25 years old. And let me tell you, the prospect of this birthday was not happy for me. For some reason, 25 just felt old. Which is ridiculous, I know. When people tell me that they're 25, my first thought is never, "Holy cow, that is super old." My first thought is actually something along the lines of, "Sweet! Someone my age!" But when it came time for me to turn 25, it felt old.

But I have to say that the five days I have been 25 have been kind of awesome. I have incredible friends, an incredible family, and an incredible boyfriend who helped me forget that 25 felt old and mostly just made me feel loved.

Brittany heart attacked my mirror. Someone heart attacked our apartment door. My boss decorated my desk and gave me banana bread. While I was at work, Brittany decorated our living room. (Did I mention that Brittany is probably the sweetest person I know? No? Well, she is.) Andrew took me out to a wonderful dinner.

And that was just my birthday itself. Can I brag a little bit about how amazing my boyfriend is? Let me chronicle everything Andrew did for me last week. Monday: Took me mini golfing and bought me ice cream. Tuesday: Gave me Batman Begins and The Dark Knight on blu-ray because he couldn't wait one more day to give me my present. Wednesday: Took me out to a nice restaurant and then gave me ice cream while we watched The Dark Knight. Thursday: Took me to see The Dark Knight Rises and bought me a bunch of movie snacks. Friday: Made me dinner (which is a regular occurrence). Saturday: Bought me a smoothie and took me shooting (though admittedly, I was a little tired, ornery, and whiney and didn't shoot much). And he can't stop talking about the other birthday present that he's going to make me (yes, make) that will be a little late because he doesn't have all the supplies yet. Does anyone else think I'm a little bit spoiled? Andrew treats me far better than I deserve. He's basically the best boyfriend ever.

In addition to all of that, my family had a little party for me on Saturday. Everyone but one sick nephew and his mom were there, including Cora, Jamie, and Andrew. I got presents and food, and we had fun talking and simply enjoying one another's company.

The whole week of my birthday was pretty awesome. My life is so good right now. It's such a nice change of pace after expending so much energy complaining about the things that I didn't have before. It wasn't that I wasn't happy; I was just frustrated about things. But as of right now, this very second, I am happy. So happy. I'm so incredibly blessed.

I'm Going Crazy

There are 16 days until my family and I leave for California. As exciting as that is, I feel like I'm going out of my mind in preparation for it. Work is especially stressful right now. Here is a list of some of the things that I have done or still have to get done before I leave:

• end-of-the-month editing rush
• researcher grades (I have to get them done early, during [or before] the aforementioned rush)
• train on and start tracking researcher grades
• promptly ask a coworker to track some of the grades because I will be gone when they are due
• plan an editing training session so I don't have to do it the day I get back
• get my absence from the all-hands meeting approved
• report grades (this is more something I want to get done because they've been sitting in my inbox for over a month)

I know most of that doesn't make sense to anyone else. But it basically means that I have a whole lot of shiz to get done the next couple of weeks. And this is all on top of some new responsibilities that I've been getting used to the past little while (like one-on-one follow-up sessions and even a presentation for another team).

I have also found myself with something to do every single night this week. I have had almost no time to just relax and chill. Granted, most of what is keeping me busy has been fun, and I love hanging out with my friends. But I also need some downtime. Especially so I can finish this book I'm reading that's really super exciting. I need me time.

I'm also waiting for this weekend when I get paid and when my credit card turns over so that I can finally go and buy some things that I need for the trip, like new shorts and a new swimsuit and some little odds and ends. After putting over $1,000 on my credit card in two weeks (hooray for car repairs), I basically had no money left for anything else. A pay day is much needed.

I've been keeping a running list of things that I need to remember to take with me on the trip, and it's surprisingly long. So many gadgets and their chargers. I'm terrified that I'm going to forget something that I really need.

But I guess I shouldn't complain. All of this prep work will be 100% worth it when I finally find myself in Disneyland, playing with my nieces and nephew and laughing with my parents and siblings. Not to mention that squeezed in the middle of the madness is the Civil Wars concert next week (is it really just next week? Holy cow . . . the three months since I bought my tickets have flown by).

Basically, I'm super ready for all the prep part to be done and to be on my way to 10 days of sun and fun and no work and maybe a little bit of magic.

I was the only wanted one.

Day Forty-Two: Talk about your siblings.

My siblings are kind of awesome. I am the youngest of five, though I've only known three of my siblings in this life. Here's a little bit about each of them.

Ben

Ben and his family.

Ben is my oldest brother. He's a goober. I love hanging out with him because he's always cracking jokes and using goofy voices and accents. It's fun to watch him play with his kids and see how much he loves each of them. I feel like my relationship with Ben has gotten stronger since I've been an adult, simply because he always seemed so much older, so as a kid it was sometimes hard to relate to him. It's kind of fun to see how relationships change as you get older. Ben is always willing to help me with anything I need, whether it be computer issues or advice about something that's bugging me. 

Bobby

Bobby was born a little over 11 months after Ben. Crazy, right? My mom had two kids at 20. I still don't know how her body handled that. This may sound a little cheesy, but I like to think of Bobby as my guardian angel, in a way. He was hit and killed by a car when he was 19 months old, so I never knew him in this life. But I knew him in the premortal life, and the love I have for him is just as real as the love I have for my living siblings. I have felt Bobby's presence in my life, and I know that he is interested in what I am doing. Family ties aren't just for this life. They are eternal, and no matter what, Bob will always be my big brother.

Chelly

Chelly and her two beautiful girls. (I probably should have chosen a picture with her husband in it too, but I love this picture too much not to use it.)

Chelly is my only sister (by blood, anyway). Growing up, Chelly always made me feel wanted and loved. I was always included in things she was doing, even if I was an awkward 14-year-old and she was hanging out with her college-aged friends. Anytime I was feeling down on myself, which happened more often than it should have, Chelly did her best to bring me back up. We never really fought growing up, which is probably thanks to the five-year age gap. As we have gotten older, our relationship has only strengthened. I consider Chelly to be one of my very best friends. I can talk to her about anything, and I know I will get good, honest advice when I need it. She is also hilarious, which makes her that much more fun to be around.

Matt

Matt and his adorable family.

Matt is the sibling I fought with the most. He is the closest in age to me, though there are still four years between us. We just always managed to find something to argue about. But then he would bribe me into going shopping with him by buying me food. Matt is a dork. I always like spending time with him because he's easy to talk to, and he gives good advice. He is incredibly protective of me and always has been, so he likes to know my business. Which is fine because that's how he shows me that he loves me. He's always willing to help me out with whatever I need, and he's always available to talk to when I need it. Like Chelly and Ben, Matt is also pretty dang funny. 

I love my siblings so much, and I'm so grateful that I have such a good relationship with all of them. I don't see them as often as I would like to, but I know that they are always there if I need something. My relationship with all of them has only strengthened as we have gotten older, and I love that. I love that we can call each other friends now as well as siblings. We may still get in some arguments, but I don't think that aspect of sibling rivalry ever goes away. And regardless of any arguments we might have, I never question their love for me or my love for them. I couldn't ask for a better family than the one I have.

Getting Better All the Time

Day Thirty-Four: Something that never fails to make you feel better.

It took me awhile to think of something that absolutely never fails to make me feel better, and I finally figured it out: my nieces and nephews. I'm not sure why it took me so long to remember that, but it is definitely the truth. Whenever I'm feeling down or stressed or blah, my nieces and nephews can usually pull me out of it. They're just so dang cute! They laugh and run around like maniacs and cry and basically just distract me from whatever it is that's weighing me down. I love those little ones more than pretty much anything else.

Another thing that can usually pull me out of a rut is music. If I can find a song that displays exactly how I am feeling, it does wonders for me, mostly because it's nice to know that somewhere out in the vast world, someone else has felt the same way I'm feeling. They felt it so strongly that they decided to turn it into art. That art was then bravely thrown into the universe and found its way to me. If someone that I have never even seen feels so strongly about an emotion to put it to music, it makes me feel a little better about my intense emotions.

Reading also makes me feel better. Or, if it doesn't actually make me feel better, than it makes me forget about whatever is going on in my life. I can lose myself in a good book and simply forget about all my issues. It's a fabulous escape.

Dear Mom and Dad

Day Twenty: A letter to your parents.

Dear Mom and Dad,

Thank you. For so, so many things. The older I get and the more people I meet, the more I recognize how normal, healthy, and happy my childhood was. I am part of a lucky few who can say with perfect certainty that their parents love each other and that they never once worried about an argument turning into a divorce. I never worried about the state of your marriage. There may have been arguments, but I knew that you would both figure out whatever was wrong and that our family would remain stable and whole.

Thank you for providing me with an incredibly stable home life growing up. I always knew that home was a safe place. It was a place where I was completely comfortable. Where I knew there would be people that I loved and who loved me in return. I could bring friends home and not worry about what their perceptions of me and my family would be. You were always the cool parents who treated all my friends the same. They all loved you for that.

Dad, thank you for showing me how my future husband should treat his wife. For showing me what it looks like for a worthy priesthood holder to serve faithfully in the church. For showing me how I want the future father of my children to treat his kids. For always being so completely willing to help me out with my car or with school or with my taxes or with anything else I ever need.

Mom, thank you for always, always being there for me. For listening to me whine and moan. For dealing with me when I was tired and stressed and not thinking clearly. For showing me how to be a good mom when I have my own kids. For showing me how to be a good and open person. For teaching me how to treat those around me with love and respect.

And most importantly, I thank you both for raising me in the Gospel. For teaching me that I have a Heavenly Father. That I have a Savior who died for me. That there is a Holy Ghost to prompt me and teach me. That there is a prophet on earth today to help guide me. Thank you for raising me with firm beliefs and standards. Thank you for ever and always being amazing examples of service, both inside the Church and outside it. For living what you preach. 

I can't adequately express how grateful I am that you are my parents and that I was sent to you. I love you so much. Thank you for everything.

Love,

Lindy

Da Brown Fambily

Day Eleven: A picture of you and your family.

This is kind of an old picture (I mean really, look at my hair!), but it's our latest family photo, so it's getting posted. I truly have the greatest family on the planet. 

Merry Christmas!

A day late, it's true. But better late than never, right?

This is the first Christmas since I graduated college that I am staying at my parents' house for more than a few days. I took the three days between Chirstmas and New Year's off of work, mostly just because I could. Provo is pretty empty, and my dad and I are already planning on eating Godfather's mushroom pizza while watching BYU's bowl game on Friday, so I figure there's no real rush for me to head back to my apartment. 

I've spent the last three days lounging, visiting family, opening presents, eating junk food, and blowing my weight in snot out of my nose. (I've been sick for two weeks now, and my nose is the last thing to clear up. It's super annoying.) I'm planning on spending the rest of the week sleeping, playing with my Kindle, watching movies, taking pictures with my new camera, eating a lot of candy, and maybe doing some shopping. Sounds like a good way to spend the holidays.

I may get a little bored, but I'm not too worried about it. I'm very much looking forward to the break from work. It will be nice to just relax and not worry about anything. Then I'll watch BYU take on Tulsa before heading home and wrangling up any stragglers in Provo who want to do something for New Year's. 

I've already had a great Christmas, and I'm sure New Year's will be fun too. Merry Christmas, everyone! I hope you've all had a fantastic holiday so far.

Giving Thanks Day 26: Christmas

In my parents' house, the weekend after Thanksgiving is always full of Christmas decorating. My dad pulls the seemingly countless bins of decorations from the basement while my mom sorts through what she has to figure out what she's going to put where (and to remember all the decorations she bought dirt cheap after Christmas the year before). Christmas music fills the house as mom replaces pictures and sets up nativity scenes. Dad goes outside to put the lights up on the house. I help with whatever I'm called to help with, whether it be putting up the tree or giving Dad an opinion on something outside.

I love how much my family gets into Christmas. There has never been a year that I can remember when Dad didn't put lights up outside or when the house wasn't bursting with nativities and Santas and snowmen. My future husband better be ready—I'm going to make him put lights up on the house and help me decorate the rest of the house. There is no negotiating. I will have lots of Christmas decorations.

The whole reason I love decorating so much is that it helps bring the spirit of Christmas into my life. I love Christmastime. I love Christmas music and Christmas trees and Christmas lights. I even love snow for Christmas, though after Christmas it could all just go away and I'd be happy. Most of all, I love how most people, regardless of religious beliefs, seem to embrace the spirit of Christmas. For the month of December, no one complains when they hear songs like "Silent Night," "The First Noel," or "O Holy Night." During Christmas, fewer people seem to balk at the mention of Christ. And I love that. It brings such a feeling of togetherness. For one month of the year, people make a concerted effort to forget their differences and be generous and kind to those around them.

I'm so thankful for this time of year when the Spirit of Christ strikes more deeply into the hearts of men. I'm thankful for the chance to remember Christ and His birth all month long. I'm thankful that I know the true meaning of Christmas and the true reason behind the magic of this time of year. And most of all, I'm thankful for Christ, without whom we all would be lost.

Giving Thanks Day 24: Mom

First of all, happy Thanksgiving, everyone! I hope you are all having a wonderful holiday with people you love. And speaking of people I love, my mom is the greatest. I woke up this morning to a house smelling of all the Thanksgiving smells you could think of: ham, turkey, stuffing, rolls, pie....It's amazing how so many different smells can coalesce into one (still good) aroma that brings so many memories and feelings.

All of this food was prepared by my mom. The entire meal, barring a couple of sides and pies. I have no idea what time she got up to get everything done, but she let me sleep until noon. She didn't roust me out of bed to help like she could have. And even after I got up, she let me lounge around in my pajamas for a good couple of hours before I finally decided to be a human being and look decent.

I have such a good mom. She has always, always been there for me whenever I need it. I can talk to her about anything. Even as a teenager when I did things I knew I shouldn't have done, I could talk to Mom about it. Even though I knew I would get in trouble, I also knew that Mom would be supportive and that she wouldn't fly off the handle. I don't think I took advantage of that blessing enough when I was younger. I know so many people that have a hard time talking to their moms about issues, and all I can ever think is how grateful I am for a mom I can confide in.

I am just now coming to realize a portion of what my mom went through when I was a teenager. I honestly have no idea how she dealt with some of the stupid things I did, especially when I wouldn't listen to any of her advice. She must have been stressed out of her head for me, and I didn't even know it.

My mom has also been an incredible example to me of how to live faithfully in the Church. She has never really doubted the truthfulness of the Gospel, and that has been such a strength to me and for my own growing testimony as I grew up. I am so thankful for a loving mom who is always there when I need her. I am so thankful that she and my dad have such a strong relationship and that I had the incredible blessing of growing up in a stable home environment. I love my mom so much, and I can't say how thankful I am for all the countless things she has done for me.

After the braces came off. She doesn't look excited at all, does she?

Giving Thanks Day 23: Long Weekends

I am currently at home in Magna, sitting in my parents' living room watching random HGTV shows with my mom. It's officially the weekend, for four days. That's three straight days of sleeping in (since 8:30 church on Sunday is obviously not sleeping in), which sounds FABULOUS right now. I honestly don't even know why I'm still awake. I'm exhausted.

I love the holidays—especially when I get them off with pay. That's honestly the best part of having a full-time job, I think. And I'm so thankful for this holiday in particular. I love Thanksgiving, and I desperately need this break right now.

I'm so thankful for the holidays and the time I get to spend with my family and to remember those things that are the most important in life.

Giving Thanks Day 22: Cora

So I know this really cool girl. She's freaking adorable (unfairly so), and she has the sharpest wit of almost anyone I know. She is kind and loving and legitimately cares about people. She comes off as shy and unassuming, and then she'll come out with the funniest thing you've ever heard seemingly out of the blue. She is clever and charming and everyone who knows her loves her. She has dealt with a lot in her life, which makes her seem much older than her 21 years. She is an amazing friend who will do anything to help those she loves.

This girl's name is Cora. Cora is my roommate. She's my best friend. She's my cousin. She's my pseudo-sister.

I am the youngest in my family, so I never grew up with that innate desire to protect a younger sibling. But in the year and a half that I have lived with Cora, I have come to know what it's like to be protective of someone. To want to make everything bad go away. To want to beat the crap out of anyone that treats that person unfairly.

I love Cora more than I can possibly say. I have grown almost as close to her as I am to my own sister. Cora and I have countless inside jokes, and we frequently have conversations that make no sense to anyone else in the room. Someone will say something that triggers a funny memory, and all Cora and I have to do is look at each other before we're rolling on the floor laughing. We play off each other. We have fake arguments. We get annoyed with each other, stop talking for a night, then apologize the next day and things go back to normal.

Cora deals with me barging into her room to ask her how my outfit looks or to whine to her about something that's been bugging me. She endures my frequent complaints about boys. She goes with me to random things (like work parties) simply because I don't want to go alone.

I am so thankful that I have been able to live with Cora the past couple of years. I am so thankful that she came out to Provo for school so that I could have the opportunity to grow so close to her. I am so thankful that she enjoys spending time with me just as much as I enjoy spending time with her. I don't know what I would do without her. I love her so much and I can't adequately express how thankful I am that she is in my life.

This is kind of an old picture, but it's still one of my very favorites

Giving Thanks Day 19: Dad

Today was gameday, yet again. The last home football game of the season. It was a freaking 8:15 start time, which was abysmal. Seriously. And it was FREEZING COLD. I felt really bad for not caring more about the final home game, but BYU was playing New Mexico State. They won 42–7. It wasn't very exciting. So I went home after the first three quarters. Because my toes were about to fall off, I swear it.

Despite the game being marginally miserable, gameday meant that I got to spend some time with my dad. You could argue that your dad is the best until you're blue in the face, but I will never waver that I am the one with the best dad in the world. Which is probably the way it should be. But for reals, my dad blows everyone else's dad out of the water.

It is thanks to my dad that I am such an avid sports fan. Growing up, I would watch sports with him and ask him question after question until I understood the rules. I still remember watching Jazz games with him when I was little and whispering, "Yes!" when something good would happen because I was too embarrassed to react out loud. (That has since changed, as anyone who has watched sports with me knows.) I remember watching football with him and, getting exasperated, blurting, "Dad, what is going on? Explain this to me!" He always knew everything. He knew all the rules and was patient in explaining them to me so I would understand. I'm pretty sure he just enjoyed having a daughter who wanted to understand and enjoy sports with him.

My dad is also an incredible example of service. He is currently serving as bishop for the second time. He only had a three-year break between callings. But he is such a good bishop. He does all that he can for the members in his ward, and it is so apparent that he cares about them and wants to do what is best for them.

I am so thankful for my dad and for everything he does for me. He has given me countless father's blessings throughout my life, and I have been so incredibly blessed by his worthiness to hold the priesthood. I am also so thankful that I know my dad loves my mom. I have never once questioned his love and loyalty to her, and it has shown me the kinds of things I should look for in my own future spouse.

Basically, my dad is the best ever. I love him so much. I don't know what I would do without him.

Giving Thanks Day 12: Brothers

Today was gameday. BYU played Idaho at LaVell Edwards Stadium, which means I saw my brothers and my dad. Football is a bit of a family affair for us. The four of us get our season tickets together. Dad drives over to Ben's house, then they both drive to Matt's. Then Matt drives them down to Provo to pick me up. If it's an early game, we grab food afterward. If it's a late game (like it was yesterday), we grab dinner before. It's just the way things work.

When my brothers and I get together, we suddenly regress 20 years. I'm suddenly the 4-year-old again, while Matt is 9 and Ben is 13. Dad mostly just rolls his eyes as our stadium seats become weapons and insults are thrown back and forth.

Despite the verbal (and sometimes physical) abuse, I'm thankful for my brothers. They're both pretty awesome guys who do their best to do what's right by their families. It's been pretty cool to watch them figure out how to be dads. I love watching them play with their kids because their love for their children is so apparent.

As much as we might argue and tease, I know that my brothers love me, and I love them. They would do anything for me and can be very protective at times. I'm so thankful to have such a good relationship with my brothers. I'm also thankful to know that I have a brother on the other side of the veil who's cheering me on and watching over me. I may not have had the chance to know Bobby in this life, but I know his love for me is just as real as my living brothers'. I can't wait for the day when I will get to have all three of my brothers in the next life.

Ben and his littlest. 

Matt and his two rugrats. 

My big brother Bobby.

Giving Thanks Day 5: Sisters

Today was a wonderful day. Cora and I drove up to Salt Lake to meet up with my mom, my sister, and my sisters-in-law to eat lunch at Zupas (always and forever a good choice) and get pedicures. OMGosh, I love pedicures. It doesn't matter that it's getting cold and that no one will see my toes for months. I like knowing that my toes are pretty. And I'll take a foot massage any chance I get.

It was so nice to spend an afternoon with the girls. I spend a whole lot of time with the boys in my family during the fall because I go to football games with them, so it's nice to set aside some girly time too. I'm so grateful for my sisters. My sisters-in-law are so much a part of the family that I don't even think to differentiate sometimes, which is such a blessing. Cora might as well be my sister with how close we are.

Chelly, my true full-blooded sister, is simply amazing. Sometimes I forget how much I enjoy talking to her. She's always been my staunchest advocate. She thinks I'm awesome, and I know this because she tells me frequently. She tells me often that she wishes I lived closer so I could see her and my two freaking adorable nieces more often. Growing up, I learned so much from Chelly. I remember her teaching me the importance of the Sacrament. I also learned the blessings of scripture study through her example and testimony.

Chelly also taught me how to do makeup and my hair and took me shopping all the time (even though I usually hated it). She invited me to hang out with her friends, even though I was five years younger than everyone else. I remember being 14 and hanging out with a bunch of Chelly's college friends. Nobody thought it was weird because I was invited—I was never the annoying little sister who was shooed away. As jealous as I was of Chelly's looks (because she's absolutely gorgeous), she never made me feel inferior in any way. In fact, she was usually the best at building me up. She always made sure to let me know just how beautiful she thought I was and how much she loved me.

All of my sisters are incredible people, and I'm so incredibly thankful for the sister I got to grow up with. I have the best sister in the entire world, no battle.

Those glasses are the best. 

Grandpa

Day 24: A photo of something that means a lot to you.

These pictures sit on the bookshelf right next to my bedroom door. I love these pictures. They're my homage to Grandpa Newman, one of the very best men I've ever known. I took the one on the far left one Memorial Day when I was visiting Grandpa's grave. I'm not entirely sure why I took it, but it turned out really well, so I printed it.

I absolutely love the middle picture. I know it's small so you can't see it really well, but that's Grandpa holding baby me. I'm fast asleep, and he's just looking at me with so much love in his eyes. It's the only picture I know of with just me and Grandpa, and I think the first time I saw it was in the slide show at his viewing. It was the picture that made me break down, but I love it all the same. I can just see how much Grandpa loved me, and it warms my heart.

The third picture is one that my uncle took. They were putting an addition on Grandma and Grandpa's cabin, and that little bird kept flying in and getting stuck. Grandpa had an affinity with birds (he talked to them frequently), so he kept catching it and putting it back outside. I love this picture because it exemplifies William Newman. He was a hard worker and a skilled craftsman. He used those hands to build his house, to make wicker chairs, and to fix anything that needed fixing. Those hands were calloused and worn. Yet they could also be gentle enough to hold a little bird and get it to safety and nimble enough to sneak a tickle attack. 

I miss that man so much. He was full of laughter, love, and happiness. He gave the best hugs, and I can't wait for the day that I get to feel one again. I love you, Grandpa Newman, and I'm so glad I'll get to see you again.

The Whole Fam Damily

Day 17: A photo of you and your family.

Well here they are. The whole family, in their usual forms. There are now nineteen of us (including Cora, who has become an adopted sibling of sorts). I have three siblings, all married, and nine nieces and nephews. My family is the best. No, really. My brothers may drive me up the wall sometimes and the kids may be a little crazy, but I wouldn't have it any other way. My parents are the greatest parents in the world, my brothers are my protectors, I can talk to my sister about anything, my siblings-in-law might as well be blood related, and my nieces and nephews are the cutest little kids you will find anywhere. It doesn't get much better than that.

Soups, Sandwiches, and Fantasticness

Day 10: A photo of your favorite place to eat.

I love Zupas. That's all there is to it. I would go there multiple times a week if I let myself. It's perfect for all times of the year. During the winter, I get a sandwich and some soup. In the summer, I get a sandwich and a salad. And it all tastes fantastic. I haven't tried a soup or salad that I haven't liked. (There have been underwhelming sandwiches, though, I must admit.)

Another good thing about Zupas is that it makes me think of my sister. The last time we went shopping together, we were on our way to Wendy's when we passed a Zupas. Chelly about peed her pants and turned the car around so we could eat at Zupas instead. And every time the girls in my family go get pedicures, we end with a trip to Zupas. 

There's never a bad time for Zupas.

Being Thankful: Day Twenty-Seven

Though today didn't contain quite as much lazing about as I would have expected, I have had my share of doing nothing this long weekend. I watched movies and lots of sports and ate tons of food. I didn't have to cook or buy any food, which is always fantastic. I slept late and enjoyed the comforts of my electric blanket in the freezing temperatures.

I am so thankful that I could go home and just veg for a few days. I love spending time with my parents, and I got to see some of my nieces and nephews. I love holidays and days off so I can just have some time to do nothing of importance. It's fantastic.