I Make A Few References To Our Birth Experiences In This Post And Believe Me, You Should Be Grateful You're Getting An Edited Version. There Really Isn't Any Dignity In Childbirth, Is There?

Oh, Friday!  You're here at last!  Are the rest of you feeling a sigh of relief knowing the work week is behind us?  I'm so happy to be at this point.  I'm wrapping up my big staging project today and it feels so good.  It's funny how when you're in the thick of something challenging it seems like such a burden and you think, "How did I even get myself into this?"  Then, when the project is done and you're happy with the results, it's like you can't even remember the hard times, you just feel pride and relief and you start hoping you'll get a chance to do it again.  Kinda like having a baby, really.  Your memories never fixate on the vomit trays, the 36 hour labor, or the need to sit on an inflatable donut for three weeks.  You just remember the overwhelming love and the joy of meeting your child for the first time.  

The pain tends to fade quickly in life, doesn't it?  It's a good thing - or we wouldn't make a lot of progress in any arena and quite possibly, could have gone extinct long ago.  It's proof that good overpowers bad - I'm going to try to lean on that for some confidence during the hard times.  Oh, Enlightened Self, where are you when I'm standing alone in the pantry polishing off an entire baguette?

On to the weekend! 

We're looking at another couple days full of lacrosse.  This weekend we're at the Jamboree and we can't wait for it.  Our tournament in Steamboat was fabulous and was made even more enjoyable by the delicious sangria one of the moms from our team prepared and discreetly served at our evening games (it seems the teams we've enjoyed the most in our youth sports career have all had cocktail traditions for any game after 3:30 p.m.)  I don't have her exact recipe, but she said it was almost identical to Emeril Lagasse's version.  So I hopped on Google and found it just for you.  Try this, it is really lovely.  All the flavors come together so well and it's not too 'wine-y'.  Goes down a bit too easy, if you ask me, so you might want slip in a glass of water and some pita crisps and hummus in between rounds.  And by all means, please do have another.

Emeril Lagasse's Sangria

Ingredients
1 (750-ml) bottle red wine
1/4 cup brandy
1/4 cup orange flavored liqueur (recommended: triple sec or Grand Marnier)
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 orange, thinly sliced
1/2 lemon, thinly sliced
1 unwaxed apple, cored, and cut into thin wedges
1 (750-ml) bottle sparkling water, chilled


Directions
Combine everything but the sparkling water in a large plastic container or glass pitchers. Cover and chill completely, 1 to 2 hours. When ready to serve, add the sparkling water.

I'm wearing this today:

I'm gonna try to make these Anthropologie wide legs work today.  And look!  I'm wearing the Kimberley again.  I'm starting to concern myself with the attachment I have to this necklace.

gratitude:  toasted nuts, lists, honey-scented lotion, a car with large storage capacity

thanks and love.