August.

I might as well title this post “August & September” because a LOT has happened. And I’ve been so bad at blogging. I’m hoping to get back on track in the second half of this month, especially because I’ve been thinking about revisiting the blog series I started last November: “30 days of blessed thanks.” So it’s time it get back on track and get in a routine to blog about the wonderful blessings 2013 has brought next month.

So to start talking about those blessings, let’s back up to August. The first week of August M and I went on an absolutely amazing summer vacation. MOSTLY because we got ENGAGED!!!! But also because we went to the most relaxing/beautiful/peaceful/delicious/wonderful resort in Northern Michigan that I want to live in. Every day. For the rest of life. But let’s back up to the engagement. M caught me totally by surprise, and I still can’t believe it. The first night of our trip was a detour through Detroit to catch a Tigers game and eat some delicious Greek food. The second night, however, was for relaxation. We finished the last leg of the trip up north and checked into Marriott’s “Inn at Bay Harbor.” Which is just beautiful. Like picture-book beautiful. With little balconies and the bluest lake water and black & white striped umbrellas circling a pool, a hot tub and a pool bar. We relaxed in our room upon arrival and then went downstairs to the restaurant hotel for a seafood dinner and cocktails. After dinner, M suggested a walk down by the lake to check out a bonfire. I promptly resisted claiming I was too cold and not dressed for evening in Northern Michigan. But he persisted, and we went. A short walk along the lake and two Adirondack chairs later, we were seated by the lake, and all the sudden there was a ring. I honestly didn’t remember at first what M said, and I had to ask him to repeat his proposal the next morning. But it was perfect, both the moment and the ring, and we could not be happier. Just the best way to kick off our vacation.

After frantic phone calls to family and friends to share the good news, we headed inside for champagne, all smiles, and me still shaking with disbelief. The rest of the trip was just as perfect, with lots of yummy meals, beautiful sightseeing at Sleeping Bear Dunes and relaxation by the pool. I think my favorite moment (aside from the engagement, of course) was snuggling up in sweatpants right on the lakeshore, reading a book and watching the sunset. Northern Michigan is definitely a thin place.

So I guess by comparison, the rest of August and September weren’t quite as exciting. We started wedding planning, which is a whole other blog post in its own. Let’s just say I’ve discovered several insanities about the wedding industry, both in it’s expense and sheer number of options, all of which other brides-to-be seem to book more than a year in advance. Crazy town.

In early September, my cousin got married, and I was one of her maid’s of honor. It was a beautiful and perfect weekend, full of happy tears and family and beautiful weddings things. All flowers and lace and music and toasts…really a perfect weekend.

September also brought several work trips…twice to Washington and once to Philly. Which was tiring, but gave me the opportunity to see friends and catch up on my audiobook library.

August and September really rolled by. The summer just disappeared. It’s already halfway through October, and we’re starting to think about pumpkins and Thanksgiving and holiday and family. Which is really the best time of year, but every year it goes by too fast. And with the speed this year is passing by, I can’t imagine this holiday season will be any different. So we’re trying to take in as many quiet weekends as possible. Spending lots of Friday nights on the couch, getting breakfast in our pajamas and snuggling Lucy on the floor (or sometimes on the couch…I’m weak). I want the simplest things, the best things, the tiny moments to be the most memorable thing about this season. Casual evenings with friends, lazy mornings catching up on DVR and lots of family time.

Wishing you the same in this crazy pre-holiday season of fall and hoping we’ll have the opportunity to share those quiet moments together.

To being engaged!!!!

Lia

July.

When I started thinking back to July, I couldn’t really remember anything super exciting about the month, except for a failed trip to Chicago for the 4^th that we never even really started planning. But when I looked back at my calendar, we did have a fun few weeks—filled with friends and outings and a weekend trip.

The month started off a little slow. We didn’t have major plans for the holiday, and ended up having a quiet evening with M’s family and then catching a few fireworks off our kitchen deck. We went to a baseball game the following week and enjoyed the Pirates FINALLY having an exciting season (and still keeping our fingers crossed that it will last). My aunt and uncle came in from Philadelphia, and we had a nice lunch at my parents where they got to meet Lucy (after she puked up all the moss she ate in their yard right on the back patio). We went to dinner at our dear friends’ house and had close friends over for dinner at ours.

In the middle of the month, I headed out to Philly for a few days for work followed by my cousin’s bachelorette party. It was ungodly hot in Philadelphia that week, and I remember walking to the office from my friend’s apartment and wondering how she made that trek everyday without melting. The following evening, my dear from M (not to be confused with boyfriend M) and I went to dinner with my family, and it was so nice to have so many of my favorite people in the same place at once. We missed boyfriend M who was home with the puppy, but it just made me even more excited for my cousin’s September wedding when the whole family will be together.

I was nervous about the bachelorette party for two reasons: 1) It was a surprise, and I wanted everything to be just perfect, and 2) As one of the maid’s of honor and therefore host, I wanted to make sure all the girls had a nice time, not just the bride-to-be. But, it turned out perfectly. After checking in at the beautiful Stockton Seaview Hotel, we had a casual night out at a restaurant nearby for dinner and then hurried home to finally welcome my co-maid of honor to the party. My poor little cousin’s flight was delayed several hours so she ended up missing the first night, but we were happy to have her when she did arrive. The next day was the perfect mix of fun and relaxation with morning spa appointments, a nice lunch at the hotel, an afternoon by the pool, cocktail hour in the hotel room and a fun night out in Atlantic City complete with limo transportation and bottle service. We drove home the following morning, and I was really glad I elected to drive back to Pittsburgh Monday morning. Not interested in a 5 hour drive after such a long, but very fun, weekend.

The month ended with a lot of normal activity. We went to orientation for Lucy’s training classes; my brother turned 23 (which we celebrated in the beginning of August—next post!!); our dear friends had a baby!!

We had a lot of fun for a month I didn’t really remember…but I think that’s only because August has been so fabulous!! More to come!

To July,

Lia

June.

Whoops. Talk about a summer vacation. Turns out my blogging took a break for the summer, but now that school is officially back in session, I thought I should maybe get back to blogging more regularly. A LOT has happened this summer, and I can’t wait to catch up on all the fun. The next few posts will be a recap of June, July and August. Let’s start with June:

1. We brought Lucy home in mid-May, and the next six weeks were a blur of training and playing and reprimanding and cuddling. That first month was hard and frustrating, but Lucy is such a sweet, sweet dog. She’s now almost SIX months old, and a playful and wonderful addition to our family.
2. In early June, we hosted a bridal shower for my cousin who’s getting married in just two weeks. It was a quick trip to Philadelphia, but we had so much fun putting together the final touches for a shower (which included watching several questionable YouTube videos about floral arrangement). Celebrating my cousin with all of her family and friends was so special, and it made me so excited for all of the other wedding festivities this summer.
3. We celebrated a baby shower for a dear co-worker, and went out for Father’s Day brunch. I also got a root canal, which was less fun than the last two events, but somehow took up a really monumental amount of time.
4.  I went to Texas for a work trip, which was a quick whirlwind meeting and the LONGEST return to Pittsburgh ever. My flight was delayed a million hours and when we finally landed in the middle of a lightening storm in Pittsburgh, the luggage couldn’t be deboarded due to the storm. I ended up laying on the floor of the baggage claim until 5 a.m….luckily I had just bought a new book.
5. On the last day of the month, we found out some really fantastic news about my cousin and his new wife…they’re having a baby!! Couldn’t be more excited for the little love bug on his way to us this December.

More to come, and I’m so excited to be back to blogging. Lots of news to catch up on.

To looking back to June,

Lia

Puppy love.

So I haven’t mentioned on the blog a major change that’s occurring in our home this weekend. We’re getting a puppy. Yes, that’s right, an eight week old yellow lab puppy. We’ve had our deposit down on this puppy since January, but I haven’t really said anything to anyone because I was extremely nervous. I don’t necessarily consider myself a dog person. We had a dog growing up, but it was never “my” dog. Sure, I liked her and took her for walks, but we weren’t best friends. For the past four months, I’ve been thinking about my new house and my new furniture and my freshly painted walls and how frustrating it’s going to be when our puppy messes all of that up.

Then, I met her. Two weekends ago, we drove the 2.5 hours to central PA to meet the breeder and to see Lucy for the first time. Oh my goodness. Sweet puppy love. I absolutely melted the second I saw her. She is the cutest fluffball of puppy…curious and scared and happy and oblivious all at the same time. We met her momma and her siblings and hung out with the future owners of Lucy’s sister and the breeder. I can’t wait to bring her home.

This week has been a week of preparation. Spending insane amounts of money at Petco to stock up on food, toys, treats and other doggie essentials. Putting together her crate. Washing the lining to her bed. Getting her tag made, and finding the perfect location for her bowls in our kitchen. I can’t wait to see her sweet little face on Saturday morning and finally bring her home.

Even though I can’t wait to see her, M is definitely the most excited. He’s wanted a lab nearly his whole life, and it was so cute to see how happy Lucy made him. (He’s probably annoyed with me for saying this, but it’s true.)

So I’ll keep ya’ll posted on how it goes. I’m sure there will be lots of challenges as first-time dog owners, but it’s an exciting next step in our life together. And for that, I just can’t wait.

To bringing Lucy home,

Lia

Girlfriends.

Tonight I’m thinking a lot about the lovely ladies in my life. I just left dinner with one of my dearest and oldest friends. We’ve been what I can only describe as kindred spirits since somewhere in the middle of 10^th grade in high school. We were in a creative writing class together, and though we had always been in the same circle of friends, we weren’t best friends. But that year we became such, and for the remaining high school years, we were basically inseparable. College took us to different places and our post-college lives started out in different states. She’s one of those people that even though I might not have heard her voice for months, I can hear her in my head just as clearly as if she were by my side. Over the past four years, I’ve had so many of those moments. Someone would say something really funny, and I’d think, “Sarah would die laughing at this.” A friend would hurt me, and I’d think, “Sarah would say something witty and cheer me up.” When I get the best news or the worst news, I know that she’s a reliable sounding board, one of the best qualities in a friend.

Until tonight, it had been a few weeks since I’ve seen her. Her fiancé works crazy hours, she’s working full time and going to school, they have a puppy, and we live about 35 minutes apart. Our lives are full, but tonight reminded me the importance of making time for dear friends.

A few weekends ago, I met one of my best college galfriends (is that a word?) in Hershey for two days to catch up. We talk almost every day, but nothing replaces face-to-face, heart-to-heart time with our closest friends. Time when we put down the phone, turn off the TV, stop multi-tasking and really listen to the needs and joys and concerns in our lives. It needs to be intentional and purposeful. We need more than text messages, Facebook and Skype conversations to have the really deep kinds of friendships my heart is hungry for.

But that takes time and commitment. Sometimes it takes money to fly across the country and vacation days off work and saying no to other people to create space in our lives for these people. All difficult things to do, but so, so worth it.

Tonight I’m so grateful that one of my dearest friends lives in the same city, and I know a hug or a girl date or even a good cry on her couch are only minutes away. But I’m also thinking about the sweet friends in my life that are far away. In Boston and D.C. and Philadelphia. I’m thinking about you and loving you for the special places you have made in my life. And I’m really hoping to see your beautiful faces soon.

To friendships,

Lia

Birthday celebrations.

Two weekends ago, I turned 26. I’m trying not to have crazy high expectations for this year, because what I really want is to just slow down. Twenty five was a year of change and uncertainty. A new job, a big move, a new house. A lot of driving, a lot of crying, and a lot of unhappiness in work and in life. Already, 26 is starting on a much brighter stage, and I’m looking forward to settling down and really enjoying life.

And this birthday was really perfect. M did a wonderful job of surprising me and splurging on really great celebrations. I usually have this problem that my birthday can’t live up to the expectations I have in my head. Normally, I don’t like a lot of attention, and I prefer to take care of others. But for some reason, I always expect my birthday to be this fantastic day where everyone in the world recognizes that it’s my special day. Not realistic. So this year, I was trying to be more laid back, and it was so much more enjoyable.

We kicked off the birthday weekend with a surprise weekend getaway. M had been telling me for weeks that we were going away for the weekend, but he wouldn’t tell me where. He said it was about 2.5 hours away. I immediately I was convinced we were going to Splash Lagoon in Erie, PA. If you’re not familiar with the Erie area, Splash Lagoon is an indoor water park at a mid-grate hotel. Horrifying, right? Not only would I be forced to put a bathing suit on my pale, pale body, but we would be dealing with germs from still water, a hotel with questionable cleanliness and probably lots of children. I have to be honest and tell you that I’ve never actually been to Splash Lagoon, so it might be none of these things in reality, but that’s how it exists in my head.

So I was really relieved when we started heading west. Until I realized that the only thing to the west is Ohio. Shoot. Nothing wrong with Cleveland, but I just couldn’t imagine anything in Cleveland that would make my birthday more special than Pittsburgh. But we kept going west. Toward the middle of nowhere. Literally. After forcing M to stop at a Ruby Tuesdays on the side of the highway, we rounded a bend at about 9 p.m. and came face to face with a horse and buggy. Lots of them. On the side of the road. We spent a terrifying 20 more minutes on the road (dodging more buggies in the pitch dark) before we spun up a tree covered driveway to the sweetest little inn, The Inn at Honey Run.

It was so darling. From the little “honeycomb” cottages set into the hillside, to the goats roaming the property, to the tiny spa cottage and the little shop of local artisan crafts in the lobby. We had the best weekend relaxing, eating, hiking and exploring the local cheese and wine shops. Such a perfect surprise.

Then on the next Thursday, we went out to dinner at a great little Pittsburgh gem called “Wild Rosemary.” I had never been, and M knew that small BYOBs are my favorite. And I had the best scallops of my life.

The celebrations continued on Friday with Lexus Club tickets to the Pirates game with my dearest friends Sarah and Sam. So glad to celebrate with them, and see the Pirates win!

Saturday (my actual birthday) was a day for relaxation. We lounged around all day and visited with M’s aunts who stopped over to see our house. Then we met my parents and brother for dinner at Lidia’s, one of my Italian favorites, before heading back to their house for cupcakes.

Such a wonderful weekend, and so much love! I’m truly blessed.

I should also mention that halfway through our Ohio adventure, we got news that my cousin had proposed to his college girlfriend! I just adore her, and I’m so, so glad she’s formally joining the family, even though she’s felt like family from day one. Many blessings.

To birthdays and celebrations,

Lia

Bread & Wine

Oh, “Bread & Wine”. How happy I am that you’re here! When I saw on Shauna’s blog several months ago that she was looking for bloggers to receive an advance copy of her newest book, I thought it was just about the best thing ever. As an avid, avid reader, the theory of advanced readers thrilled me. It’s like seeing a movie before it’s in theatres or hearing a single before it drops. It’s also kind of like overhearing a really juicy conversation or winning excellent tickets to a concert. Equal parts exciting, exclusive and just a little bit sneaky.

So you can imagine my excitement when the book arrived in my mailbox at the end of February. I promptly curled up in bed and basically read the book cover to cover. There were a few chapters that were read while sitting on the stationary bike at the gym because spending an entire weekend reading in bed seemed just a tiny bit too indulgent, even for me. So, of course, here we are, six weeks later, and I haven’t posted my review. Some of this might be due to my irregular blogging as of late, but I have to blame at least a little bit of it in my nervousness to write a review that could potentially be read by Shauna herself. I’ve felt such a deep connection to “Cold Tangerines,” “Bittersweet” and now, “Bread & Wine.” As I’ve said before, Shauna found me at a really vulnerable time in my life, and her sweet words (whether hopeful or despairing) helped me find grace and clarity. And they still do. Even though life has settled down sweetly in the past six months, I found the same resonation of hope and grace and life in this book, and I can’t wait to share it with you.

So instead of a formal review, I’ll just come right out and tell you that I loved it. I loved it for its spiritual-ness, its foody-ness, its humor and its honesty. Please, please read it. You will love it. And if you love food and cooking, you will love it doubly more. Here is a brief synopsis of my favorite “Bread & Wine” moments:

1.       The concept of “life around the table” is something I’ve thought about a lot in the past few years, but never really articulated. And, of course, there are two tables we’re talking about here. The first is the table my living room…the new one that I bought when I moved in November with its shiny wood, leather seats and painfully bare top at the current moment (note to self to finally buy a table runner). This table was a labor of love, since I had to send the set back four times before a perfect version was delivered to my dining room, but sitting at that table and eating dinner with family and friends is one of the greatest joys of my Pittsburgh life, and I’m so glad for the happiness we’ve found around it already, even in just a few short months. The second table, naturally, is the Lord’s table. Communion and nourishment in a bigger way. And just as Shauna says, life should really be lived around the Lord’s table. Whether in quiet reflection or the loudest moments of our lives, we’re aiming to live in communion with God and each other.

2.       Two of my favorite recipes came from Part 1 of the book: Steak au Poivre and Green Well Salad. Before moving in with M I could probably count on one finger the number of times I made steak. Yes, folks, that’s right. One time. And it was a disaster that I’m pretty sure a) made M terrified of me in the kitchen and b) spurred my hate-hate relationship with the broiler. But Steak au Poivre sounded so delicious and shockingly easy to make, that I had to give it a try for the sake of my meat-loving boyfriend. And it was. Aside from the fact that our steaks were probably a bit more well-done than the book suggests (due to my unreasonable fear of food borne illness, much to M’s disappointment), we were eating medium-well, but even then, we loved them. And the sauce was delicious. And if you like peppercorns, this will be your new go-to entertaining meal. And then came the Green Well Salad. Caramelized onions are my weakness, and combine them with goat cheese, pears, grapes, dried cherries (or in my case, cranberries) and walnuts…and you really can’t lose. However, the best part for me might have been the salad dressing. For some reason, the thought of making homemade salad dressing was up there with painting the Mona Lisa, but turns out it’s very simple. And way more delicious than the bottled stuff. I added Dijon mustard with horseradish to my dressing, and it was the perfect accompaniment to nearly everything I ate that week.

3.       Present over perfect. It was close to the end of the book where I found this construct that really resonated with me. I am Type A, a perfectionist, a detail-oriented person. I love to host dinner parties, but I hate messes and last minute tasks and dinner guests who don’t use coasters. And sometimes I don’t do the things I love for fear of the anxiety and craziness that comes from always aiming for “the perfect.” And I miss out. I miss out on really great conversations had with friends while there is laundry piled up on my floor. I miss out on enjoying our company because I’m huddled over the kitchen sink cleaning every dish that I’ve used. There’s only so much you can control, and being present is worth 100 times more than a perfectly clean kitchen and neatly folded laundry. No one notices if there are a few dishes in the sink or if you’re wearing the same yoga pants as yesterday. No one cares if your counters have smudges of tomato sauce or your dining room table as a few watermark rings. But people do care if you don’t make them feel like they are heard and appreciated and welcomed. So I’m trying to remember this as we entertain more and more…to welcome the company and the experience of community around the table with these dear friends and to stop worrying about the appearance of my home or the complexity of my meal. Sound, sound advice.

So friends, please buy a copy of “Bread & Wine.” Find it on Amazon or download it on your iPad, or if you’re really desperate, ask me, and I will gladly give you one of the ten copies I pre-ordered on Amazon before receiving my advanced copy. And then tell me you read it, so we can cook and chat together.

Visit Shauna at her website by clicking here: http://www.shaunaniequist.com/
And order "Bread & Wine" on Amazon here: http://www.amazon.com/Bread-Wine-Letter-Around-Recipes/dp/0310328179/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1365714550&sr=8-1&keywords=bread+%26+wine

To Bread & Wine,

Lia

Simple pleasures.

Today I give you a list of the simple things that are making me oh-so-happy today:

1. Fuzzy Water: It feels fancy, but it’s actually simple and a much needed addition to my fluid intake. I’m loving San Pellegrino Sparking Orange in a can…especially when I have a long afternoon at my desk.
2. Laura Mercier Loose Powder: I was never a fan of face powder in any form until recently. I thought it made me look cakey and “made up,” but this stuff is pure magic. It blends in so evenly and eliminates shine throughout the day with NO reapplication.
3. Fascinatinglocations on Instagram: Well, okay, I love Instagram in general, but this feed compiles beautiful shots from around the globe taken by followers. I love the updates throughout the day because it reminds me of how much beauty there is in the world, and it makes me want to travel for forever.
4. Audiobooks: As much as I love country radio, audiobooks have been my favorite commute companion now that I’m spending almost 60 minutes in my car every day. It makes the drive fly by, and I can indulge in some of the girly chick-lit that I never get around to reading in hardcopy.
5. Papermate Flair pens: As a strict follower of my Erin Condren Life Planner, I’ve discovered that these Papermate pens are by far the best utensil not only for life planning, but for work notes and love notes. So many fun colors, and they seem to last a really long time.
6. Trader Joe’s Potstickers: They come in chicken and pork, and they’re absolutely delicious. I discovered them when I lived in Virginia, and I’ve been sadly going through TJ’s withdrawal since now the closest store is about 40 minutes away. But every time I go, I pick up about 10 bags to keep in the freezer…and eat a whole bag at a time. Oops.
7. Fresh flowers: I love vases of fresh flowers in our living room. M knows this, so he frequently surprises me on Saturday mornings by running out to buy bouquets of flowers from Whole Foods and Chai lattes from Strarbucks (which could have a category all its own). I especially love all the beautiful Easter flowers this season….hyacinth, tulip, daffodil, iris, hydrangea…
8. The weird car-vacuum thing at gas stations: If anyone has been in my car, you’ll know that it’s generally not the cleanest place. There are usually napkins, crushed-up goldfish, empty Diet Pepsi bottles that have dribbled on the carpet. But there’s something really refreshing about putting six quarters in the car-vacuum contraption and sucking every last crumb/hair/dirt/particle out of the car. And then driving through the car wash.
9. Letters from old friends: I’m trying to become a letter-writer. Like a snail mail letter-writer. Nothing brings me a happiness boost like receiving a sweet hand-written note in the mail, so I’m trying to be more diligent about sending out little notes for holidays and birthdays to give my dearest friends a little joy in their mailboxes.
10. Country music: Sunny early-spring days are making me long for the summer days of windows-down, country music driving. Some current favorites: “Wagon Wheel” by Darius Rucker, “Telluride” by Tim McGraw, “Days Go By” by Keith Urban, and anything Sugarland.

To all of our happy pleasures,

Lia

April fools...but not really.

Good afternoon! Ya’ll probably think this is an April Fools joke, right? Yet another month as slid by in a mess of working and playing and decorating and finally some family time this past weekend as we celebrated Easter. The weekend was cold, but Saturday was sunny and it made me anxious for spring…spring cleaning, new beginnings, baseball season, grilling out on the deck, etc. And part of new beginnings is a renewed commitment to blogging….hopefully. I’m aiming to blog five times this week, even if it’s just a short and sweet update on the week. So here we go.

I’m particularly excited for a blog update coming later this week with a review of Shauna Niequist’s newest book, “Bread & Wine.” I was lucky enough to get an advanced reader copy in exchange for a review on my blog, and I just can’t wait to share this collection of essays with you. I love, love, love Shauna, and I love, love, love eating and community, so this book was a perfect blend of the kind of happiness she brings to my life. But that’s enough about the book for now. J

But while we’re talking about Shauna, I couldn’t help but think about an expression I’ve seen her refer to on her blog and in recent books: “thin places.” And Easter weekend reminded me how present these thin places are in my life. Thin places are the tiny spaces in our lives where the earthy meets the heavenly, where time and place seem to stand still, where the borders between us and the people we miss and the people we’ve lost seem just a bit more permeable. Easter always brings about thin places for me. Maybe it’s the mix of sorrow and joy we feel Easter week, or maybe it’s the communion with family, or maybe it’s just the promise of spring and change and new beginnings. But any way it happens, every Easter Sunday I stand in church singing some of my favorite hymns and I feel the presence of all the people I’ve been missing. Some are in far away states, some are friendships lost over the years, some we’ve lost on Earth. To me, thin places are both sad and happy. Reminders that life is precious and short, but full of joy and love. Which is just like Easter, a painfully slow and sorrowful week leading up to one of the most peaceful and celebrated days in the Christian faith. Truly, how great Thou art.

So this week, I’m getting back to basics. To cooking dinner and reading, to waking early and working out, to finding peace and calm in the midst of the lively world we live in. And hopefully spending a lot more time with you, blog, in the coming days.

To blogging and basics,

Lia

Lots of living.

Hey ya’ll. It’s been awhile, yet again. The end of winter seems to be both flying and creeping along. When I think about freezing in the wind, shoveling the snow off our walk (alright, let’s be honest, M does this most of the time) and hunting for a missing glove nearly every morning, it seems like winter has been here for a hundred months. But then when I realize it’s already March and that I’ve been back in Pittsburgh for five months (and living in our house for four), it barely feels like this winter passed at all.

I think I’m thinking about this because of the glorious weekend we just had. The weather was unusually perfect for an early-March weekend, and the company was so sweet and much-needed. My cousins came in from Philadelphia for a weekend of fun in Pittsburgh, which has literally never happened before. I always have the best weekends visiting them in Philly, so I was nervous that my city wouldn’t live up to the fun and excitement. But as the weekend was closing, my cousin’s fiancé commented that the weekend was just full of “living,” and I couldn’t agree more. We did so much living this weekend. He’s a recap.

• Friday night started with a pizza and beer-fest cozied up in our living room. The fire was crackling until we got too hot, and we spent the whole night chatting and watching quality reality television like “Catfish” and “Shark Tank.” It was the first time some of them had seen our house, and the first time everyone had seen it with furniture, and it was so fun to see everyone gathered around our coffee table with snacks and drinks.
• Saturday morning we woke up and headed into Oakland for breakfast at “The Porch.” “The Porch” has become one of my new favorite brunch spots for several reasons. First, their farm bread is the kind of homemade deliciousness I wish came out of my oven on a daily basis. Their seasonal menu utilizes greens and veggies grown on their rooftop garden, and the mimosas have some fantastically fresh OJ. Finally, somehow it’s never crowded. I guess that’s what happens when you put a semi-nice brunch spot on a college campus. It’s either too expensive or too early for 90% of the local population. But just perfect for me.
• I should mention that the sky was absolutely sunny and perfect and even though it was only 60 degrees, the boys were comfortable without jackets and it was so refreshing to be outside without being painfully cold. We strolled around Oakland, rode to the top of the Cathedral of Learning and relived college years with my cousin and his girlfriend who spent four years at Pitt.
• We then headed down to the Strip District, which I’m now convinced is one of the best hidden gems of Pittsburgh. Most people probably don’t consider it to be hidden…but for some reason, I never think to go down there. We started off at a whiskey distillery for a tasting and a cocktail, which was fun but reaffirmed my dislike for the liquor. The girls meandered through the markets and stores for a little shopping and stocked up on fancy popcorn and coffee before meeting the boys at a rooftop deck for an afternoon drink. We must have sat outside for hours drinking hard ciders and beers, playing silly word games and planning a family vacation for 2014. It made me endlessly grateful for the wonderful family I have and the unusually close relationship I have with my cousins. Even though I’m more than 300 miles away for most of the year, our weekends together are filled with a really unique kind of happiness, and I’m so glad that our “extended” group loves one another just as much.
• After going home and relaxing in front of the TV with hors devours and more coffee, we got ready for dinner and headed out to “Tamari” for sushi and cocktails. Dinner ended up being a little longer than we expected (though it yielded a free lobster roll, which I think we all agreed was just fabulous), so we ended up going back home for a round of Battle of the Sexes and more drinks. Even if you’re a board game hater like me, promise me you’ll give this game a try. I think it’s hysterical, and every time we play, I end up with tears in my eyes from laughing so hard at some of the conversations that take place. (Hint: imagine four boys trying to determine what a specific make-up brush is used for or the purpose of various stemware. It’s worth it. Trust me.)
• Sunday morning dawned VERY early; especially considering we lost an hour due to daylight savings time and we didn’t go to bed until close to 4 a.m. We groggily headed over to my parents house for breakfast, which was much needed (and I was very glad I wasn’t tasked with feeding eight people myself).
• We said goodbye in early afternoon and stood outside on my parents back patio wondering how this day was even warmer than the last. I told M that we had to delay cleaning up our house and drag the patio furniture outside for an afternoon nap. No excuse not to be outside in this weather. Luckily, he agreed and we spent two beautiful hours on the back deck before having dinner with his parents.

What a perfect weekend.

A perfect weekend that quickly deteriorated into a not-so-perfect work week, but I’m focusing my sights on the weekend and looking forward to our next family get together.

Until then…

To happy family,

Lia