HBD Nikki, On This Ho-Hum Day :/

Nikki walked into work this morning with what we are all convinced to be the early stages of either strep throat or laryngitis. Neither of those are any good, but I do remember clearly when I had laryngitis a few years back at Chris' office and was rendered vocally useless for nearly two weeks. Not a good time. And... it's her birthday, TODAY.

So let's focus on that instead of the yucky part. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NIKKI!!!!

yeah, november bdays!

It kind of seemed like today was bound and determined to drone on into next month. On a few separate occasions I found myself checking the time only to find that not even an hour or two had lapsed since the last time I bothered to look. And then, as is usually the case, I found myself in the midst of a task I hadn't planned on doing and racing the last hour of the clock before 5pm rolled around. Good thing, too. The "eventful" nature of the past week definitely took a hit on me and I was down for the count by the time I got home.

 

Plus, this came out today and I made a beeline to pick it up after work:  

third & final installment of the divergent series

^ Yep. Here I go again, embracing my inner teenage bookworm for the next couple of days, sucked back into the world of Tris Prior & Tobias Eaton... we at work have all agreed not to judge each other for our shared affinity for stuff like this [we'll include Hunger Games in there, too]. I'm not quite halfway through it, but that was quite a war in and of itself anyway: to devour the entire thing in one sitting? ... or.... pace myself because I've already decided it's going to be a relaxing week and what else do I really have to do? Yeah.. issues. :p

Oh, and I laughed when I saw this from Rob earlier today as he toted the meatballs back home to Illinois. [I already miss them all..... ]

car full of my favorites.. aww..

Anywho, I'm beat. It's not even 9pm and I'm at the finish line for the day.
Sleep is a poor man's remedy..... G'nite!

xo | cmd

✿ Saturday With Sydni ✿

This is how today started:

not complaining one bit.

& Then...
SOCCER PRACTICE!

soccer monster!

-- I felt like I was back in my childhood, except on the other end of it now. I've only seen pictures of me then, but they were not unlike the scene today: Sydni in her pint-sized soccer gear - cleats and all - and a t-shirt that even in the smallest size available drooped off her tiny frame. As much as I tried for the pigtail today, it looked unusually disheveled by the time we got there, which in a way magically available only to little girls, made her look that much cuter.

so cute. so. stinkin'. cute.

soccer kiddies

And some short but fun action I captured [*note to self, take an actual camera next time.]
 

^ My little [future] left-wing (:

^ Red Light, Green Light!

I just.. can't get enough. (: (: (:

Soccer practice off the checklist, we made a break for iHOP.. because it's Saturday, pancakes sounded amazing, and we had no agenda. We were already in Mason, so once breakfast was out of the way, we made a stop at Half Price Books and came out with a couple of movies, a book for Sydni, and of course: Insurgent. I couldn't resist buying it, but didn't feel like paying retail for the thing [proud consumer moment]. It's the second of the Divergent series that I started last week.

insurgent by veronica roth

And ok.. I originally planned to start the thing today, while Sydni napped or snuggled up for a movie at the end of the evening or something. No. Instead, I devoured it cover-to-cover before tonight was over. I'm still blaming Nikki for getting me hooked. It's. So. Good.

Between chapters [& Sydni's nap), we got outside for bike riding, bubbles into the sunset, and some hiking around the area. She's my little trooper!

bubbles into the sunset: i could literally do this every day.

& again, because we're spoiling ourselves today, Graeter's!

hahaha.. graeters!!!

.. And that is how we do it on a Saturday. Tomorrow we'll be on the river for a bit, but for now it's time to call it a day.

xo | cmd

First World Village Problems & Things That Are Nikki's Fault

And by Village, I mean the Village of Fairfax, where I live.
And by problems, I mean this:

renovation time!

^ Anyone recognize that? If not, well, it's the Skyline on Wooster in Fairfax. I don't know how I didn't notice this yesterday, but apparently the thing is now closed facing renovation.. until mid-October. This doesn't phase me in a major way; it is after all a chili joint and I don't eat there often enough for it to bother me... but I do feel for all of my little village neighbors who I see pulling their distinct vehicles into that place 3+ times/weekly.  Womp womp...

The good news? I found a new book trilogy on which I'm quickly becoming obsessed.

I blame Nikki...haha.

divergent!

We were discussing books a couple of weeks back and I mentioned the fact that it's difficult for me to latch on to any series; I have a very limited window of interest that is either tamed or bored within the first 20 pages of the first installment. For this reason, coupled with the fact that I'm not into many of the bigger sci-fi franchises [Harry Potter, Twilight, Star Wars, Star Trek, etc.], I've been sticking to non-series reads. Knowing I'm a fan of The Hunger Games, she suggested I try this out. I caved and bought it today.. and I haven't put it down yet. As much as I'm enjoying it though, it begs the question of why I'm so fascinated by novels revolving around steel-willed teenagers in apocolyptic landscapes...haha. Oh well. I'll have this finished by tomorrow.

So until thennnn.... g'nite (:

xo | cmd