Recipe for a great day?

Sleep in.
Eat cookies for breakfast.
Read scrips.
Go biking with roommate Sarah.
Eat a mango and cookies for lunch.
Clean the kitchen still wearing Spandex.
Go shopping at Wal-mart.
Outdoor Yoga with Amanda.
Eat lettuce dipped in Balsamic Vinaigrette. Also, Swedish fish.
Yard work.
Shower.

It is absolutely essential that you do not shower until you have spent the entire day smelling awesome.

On Babysitting

Last week I spent a couple of days babysitting my cute cousins. My brother John even came and hung out with us for a little while. After John left, Cousin Mack (maybe 4 years old?) said,

"I wish you and Cousin John could stay with us for six days."

Melted my little heart right then and there I tell you what.
(And don't worry, the picture is from last year, I didn't chop and perm and lighten my hair since you last saw me).

Geico

This morning I was thinking of this commercial. One of my favorites of all time. Enjoy!

California

Tomorrow I'm headed out with my good brother James to California. In honor of the trip I searched my iTunes for songs with California in the Title. They included:

California Girls by The Beach Boys

California by Copeland

California by Jordan Faux

California by Josh Ritter

New York to California by Mat Kearney

(All good songs)

I was originally going to post a line from each of the songs, but then on one of the lyrics sites was an ad for the new Owl City CD: All Things Bright and Beautiful.

And it came out TODAY! And I didn't even know about it until TODAY! And I am going on a road trip to California tomorrow armed with musical listening possibilities that include a new Owl City AND a new Death Cab for Cutie CD. Hello, happiness. Or, should I say, Hello, California? They are the same.

Thank You In the Manner of My Summer Thursday

Dear Foothill Drive in Provo,

Thanks for being the kind of hill that I still have to get off my bike and walk up at the end. It's nice to know that I have a mega-challenge to combat semi-weeklyish. One of these days, I'm gonna make it all the way up you with my feet on my pedals, and then we will be good friends, even more so than now, if you can believe it.

Liz

Dear Backyard,
Thanks for being something I haven't had for a couple of years. Now that I do have you, I love you. You inspire me to spend more time with lawn chairs, blankets, good friends, good books and guitars, all of which I need more of in my life.
Liz

Dear Malcolm Gladwell,
Thank you for writing the most fascinating, enlightening, incredible, well-written nonfiction I've ever come across. You make me feel smarter and awesomer, all the while entertaining me. You rock. Also, your hair is not too shabby either.
Liz

Dear Construction Worker,
Thanks for lending me your hand like a perfect gentleman as I tried (perhaps slightly less gracefully than originally intended) to step over the newly poured cement curb. I was flattered. Also, I loved it when you teased me that I got cement on my leg. Turns out it was just grease, but luckily my legs are used to that, what with the biking and all.
Liz

Oh, this has gotta be the good life. This has gotta be the good life. This could really be a good life, good life.

That was pretty much the line of my thoughts this morning as I took the above (very blurry) photo. Nice little climb, that.