Inventory: October 2018

Before I hop in, HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my Papa Bear!! Check out a quick little love letter to him from years past here…can’t wait to call him and serenade him (badly) with my froggy/phlegmy cold voice!

Making: time this weekend to write in earnest, per yesterday’s personal call to arms.

Cooking: soups and chicken in the Crockpot – hopping back on the meal prep train with a vengeance. 

Drinking: green tea with honey and lemon by the quart trying to kick/ameliorate this heinous cold.  

Reading: “Everyone Brave is Forgiven” by Chris Cleave, and it’s luminous. (I’m on a serious World War II fiction kick right now…why has all my reading lately felt so thematically driven?)

Wanting: more hours in the day, or fewer lines on my to-do list. Either’s fine with me.

Looking: forward to catching “Waitress” and maybe “Tosca” this weekend – I caught the performance bug again after Tuesday’s spontaneous trip to “Miss Saigon” with Dave!

Playing: catch-up on life in general after the frenetic September and October I’ve had so far.

Listening: lately, to a playlist I call “morning music” that’s heavy on Norah Jones, Lake Street Dive, The Lumineers, The National, Josh Ritter, Okkervil River, Bon Iver, and The Oh Hellos, among others.

Wishing: that I was a morning person.

Enjoying: NorCal’s temperate fall weather.

Waiting: for the chesterfield of my dreams to be delivered sometime this week – hurry up, Pottery Barn!

Liking: the quiet of a blissfully empty, cool, clean, unpacked and (mostly) settled apartment.

Wondering: why I perpetually put off the un-fun tasks – I have a bunch of random shit I planned to do yesterday, didn’t do, and that I now have to deal with on Monday…oops.

Hoping: that my “Dear Evan Hansen” novel (they made it into a novel!!) comes on time YAY Amazon same-day ordering!

Marveling: at Amazon same-day ordering, duh. How lucky we are to be alive right now.

Needing: to get my ass in gear and hang my gallery wall as soon as it’s socially acceptable to wield a hammer.   

Smelling: Target’s Pumpkin Bourbon candle – I’ve already burned through a whole big jar and we’re well into our second. It’s insanely scented olfactory crack and SO cheap and festive, pick one up!!

Wearing: hilariously oversized pajama pants, thick cozy socks, and my grandpa cardigan. Very sexy Saturday morning over here.

Following: #frenchiepuppy and #dogsonswings on Instagram – the happiest inundation of preciousness, several times a day.

Noticing: silver linings everywhere.

Knowing: that I need to stop having cheese and crackers for every meal…thank god we finally have pots, pans, and a Crockpot to break the endless cycle of Brie.

Thinking: about packing for Italy – less than a month, less than a month!!

Bookmarking: Christmas gift ideas – how is it already late October?

Giggling: at what an absolute idiot I am over certain things.

Feeling: better about a lot of the stress/angst/frustration I’ve dealt with lately.

Inventory: August 2018

Making: the most absurdly complex workbook of everything I need to achieve at work, take care of at home, and plan ahead for pre-move in the next 42 days.

Cooking: hahahaha nothing lately because Dave has been doing it all. We totally didn’t have pizza rolls for dinner last night, guys.

Drinking: a Starbucks nitro cold brew, which has become my vice (my team keeps giving me Starbucks cards and I don’t hate it at all).

Reading: my way through Philippa Gregory’s Plantagenet/Tudor novels in chronological order, instead of the order they were published in – NERD alert!

Wanting: a puppy!! So badly!! It’s getting urgent!!

Looking: forward to checking out City Beer’s reopening tomorrow night!

Playing: Wordscapes, an addictive word-unscramble phone game that I am extremely good at.

Listening: at work, to the Ring Cycle all day as an excuse to not talk to anyone and just get work done; elsewhere, to Odesza’s “A Moment Apart” album on loop.

Wishing: for a puppy!!

Enjoying: our Tavour membership – Dave and I get monthly crates of craft beer from all over the country/world, and this month’s shipment just came yesterday. So fun to try new ones! (Who AM I?!)

Waiting: anxiously for Thursday – so, so ready for a long weekend at home with my whole Schwegfam and my best friends!

Liking: many, many photos of puppies!! (Can you sense a theme developing??)

Wondering: why USPS sucks at updating delivery statuses.

Hoping: that it’s a nice weekend weather-wise in Minnesota so we can get on the lakes and go to the State Fair!

Marveling: at the ridiculous number of Dave selfies in my phone - and at the sheer variety of facial expressions of which he's capable. 

Needing: a whole kitchen’s worth of stuff before we move in October!

Smelling: Jo Malone English Pear and Freesia perfume mixing oh-so-bizarrely with the Purell I’m dousing myself with every half hour – everyone at work is sick and I just cannot succumb pre-trip!

Wearing: the softest and coziest dress/sweater/scarf combo – perfect for variable Bay Area weather.

Following: every dog-related account on Instagram and Twitter – the thirst for a puppy is getting more serious by the day, friends. Stay tuned – 2019 IS The Year In Which Dave And Lizzie Get A Dog.

Noticing: how the people who bitch the most about being busy and stressed always seem to be the ones accomplishing the least amount of actual work…hmm ;)

Knowing: probably more than I should about office politics and transitions that are coming up.

Thinking: too much.

Bookmarking: wall-mount organization systems, neutral 8x10 area rugs, barstools, floor lamps, and bookshelves for the new apartment. All I’ve done lately is furniture shop.

Giggling: at the completely ridiculous antics of just about everyone on this season of “Bachelor In Paradise,” and at the plethora of dad jokes Nate, Margaret and I have been sending back and forth for a few weeks.

Feeling: honestly, at this point? Pretty tired and ready for it to be October already…

Inventory: Fall 2017

Making: lists...books to read, things I need at Safeway, Christmas gifts to purchase, and general life to-do items.

Cooking: way more than usual lately - I think a roundup of recent recipe wins is long overdue.

Drinking: Kusmi Tea's almond green tea, which I picked up for the first time in Paris in 2015 and have restocked several times since then. 

Reading: "Salvage the Bones" by Jesmyn Ward (definitely going in the "Loved" category for November!).

Wanting: a pair of Rifle Paper Co's gorgeous embroidered Keds. 

Looking: forward to eight whole days at home for Thanksgiving - already counting down! 

Playing: Dots & Co/ Two Dots on my phone in between appointments lately - prettiest interface and a low-key distraction.

Listening: to the sound of actual real-life rain on our roof - it sounds uncannily like a snare drum, to the point where I woke up (super early) ready to chew out neighbors for thinking it was okay to play snare drum at the crack of dawn. 

Wishing: my roommates would wake up/get home from the gym so we can go out to breakfast (Stacks is calling my name...) 

Enjoying: the way my bed is at its coziest when I'm lingering in it after I've been awake for a bit...so decadent. 

Waiting: to figure out what we're doing today, hooray hooray!

Liking: so many of my recent book selections - it's been a superlative month of reading so far. 

Wondering: where on earth we're going to put all the wine in our apartment...we're seriously running out of space. 

Hoping: for all sorts of things, isn't everybody?

Marveling: that it actually RAINS in CALIFORNIA! My first California rain!

Needing: olive oil, triple-A batteries, dish detergent, and flour.

Smelling: lingering traces of last night's Jo Malone's Red Roses perfume, which I wear and get multiple compliments on legit daily.

Wearing: currently, my nightshirt...but later, Notre Dame gear to cheer on the Irish...beat Deacons!

Following: the news, of late, duh, who isn't?

Noticing: how nice freshly-washed and changed sheets feel. 

Knowing: way too much about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's engagement speculation...and totally rooting for another royal wedding soon!

Thinking: about new ski gear before our post-Christmas Tahoe trip...

Bookmarking: chicken marinades, trench coats, and training resources on segregation of duties for work.

Giggling: at the screenshotted Snapchats from our recent roomie nights watching Disney movies.  

Feeling: insanely sore from yesterday's yoga/Pilates class...hi, triceps!

Inventory: (wishfully early) Spring 2017

Making: endless lists...logistics, meal planning, future dreams, and spring clothing.

Cooking: tonight, this chicken and autumn vegetable sheet pan bake. Hopping back on the Whole30 train (mostly) after a weekend of debauchery and ALL THE CHAMPAGNE. 

Drinking: vanilla almond "Get Clean" tea from the Republic of Tea. Obsessed. 

Reading: “Catcher in the Rye," finally! 

Wanting: movement on certain fronts that are stalling out kind of frustratingly. 

Looking: for opportunities around every corner.

Playing: "Dear Evan Hansen," the "La La Land" instrumental soundtrack, and Mendelssohn's Scottish Symphony interchangeably all the time. 

Listening: See above. 

Wishing: that moving wasn't such a drag (our lease is up 5/31 and I'm already dreading it!).

Enjoying: weekly lake walks and brewery dates with Kelsie.  

Waiting: for April the Giraffe to have her baby (omg I'm so embarrassed that I got sucked into this circus). 

Liking: the week I have shaping up - two Guthries, a concert, and the opera! 

Wondering: when the heck I'm going to, you know, sleep this week. 

Hoping: for lots and lots of good news, and that the gym isn't crowded at lunch.

Marveling: at the springlike forecast we've got coming in Minneapolis, awww yissss.  

Needing: to not eat the whole box of Thin Mints I bought yesterday in one sitting...wish me luck!

Smelling: the lovely odor of heavy-duty Eucerin hand cream, delish.

Wearing: the world's most perfect $25 black ankle pants (thanks Old Navy!)

Following: Gavin Kaysen's new restaurant, Bellecour, on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter - so excited for our 3/31 and 4/29 reservations! 

Noticing: how much bigger an iPhone 7 is than a 5s and struggling with that adjustment (new phone, finally, hooray!).

Knowing: how lucky we are to be alive right now (SHAMELESS HAMILTON REFERENCE). 

Thinking: about the future ooh OOOH.

Bookmarking: flights to the West Coast in June (so excited for Theresa's wedding!).

Giggling: at Emily's Napa photos, which she finally shared yesterday.

Feeling: incredibly excited and optimistic and hopeful, and that's just lovely :)

Inventory: Fall 2015

Making: an excessive amount of notes for my weekly Monday morning insurance seminar.

Cooking: later, for dinner, probably a frittata or maybe a quiche if I’m feeling wild.

Drinking: the last pod’s worth of my Pumpkin Spice Keurig coffee.

Reading: To Kill a Mockingbird, with the intention of proceeding to Go Set a Watchman afterward even though I’ve heard it’s terrible.

Wanting: to get back to Toronto someday and actually spend some time exploring that gorgeous city. 

Looking: at “Kate Middleton” Google results, as usual, oh god I need a life.

Playing: hooky to work from home.

Listening: to my insurance class, but later to this amazing playlist from Eva’s engagement party.

Wishing: for absolutely everything in Anthropologie right now.

Enjoying: our very extended, very beautiful fall here in MN.

Waiting: anxiously for Ohio State and Hartford and Boston and London trips.

Liking: this amazing recipe for kale, white bean and meatball soup that my mom made last night (which I can’t wait to re-heat for dinner forever thanks to her generous policy with leftovers).

Wondering: whether I’ll be able to get last-minute tickets to the Minnesota Opera’s production of “The Magic Flute” in a few weeks.

Hoping: to sneak down to the gym over lunch.

Marveling: at this morning’s insane fall-back sunrise.

Needing: to go get all my artwork from Paris framed, mounted, and added to my gallery wall.

Smelling: my new lavender shampoo and my apple pie candle.

Wearing: my pajamas, still, tee hee!

Following: French chateaux on Instagram (Favorites: Versailles and the Chateau Gudanes).

Noticing: the birds in Loring Park on their pilgrimage south.

Knowing: way too much about different levels and technicalities of personal insurance lines.

Thinking: that I need more clever retorts to the Fantasy Football smack talk currently dominating my workdays (currently 6-2 and tied for second, awwww yesssss). 

Bookmarking: bridesmaids’ dresses for Eva’s wedding, woo hoo!

Giggling: at my insurance class instructor’s insanely thick New York accent.

Feeling: excited and giddy and a little apprehensive and a lot hopeful.