Happy Thanksgiving!

This year, my family spent Thanksgiving in Key West. A few days in the Conch Republic was a perfect Florida Fix. I'm thankful for margaritas, live music, Hemingway cats, conch fritters and my family.

I'm also thankful: for my friends, who are spread across the country and call just to say hey. For my sweet boyfriend, who makes me laugh and can hang pictures perfectly without measuring. For everyone in Michigan being so friendly. And for butternut squash, coffee, blogs and you!

Happy (belated) Thanksgiving!

Bear Spray & Bakeware

(Florida: Home, Sweet, Home)

I'm off to Florida to watch my cousin get married.  I'm so excited to spend the weekend with family and drink on the deck of a beach house.

The happy couple are registered at Crate & Barrel and REI.  Anyone that registers for Bear Repellent Spray and bakeware are good people.

Good. People.

Space Shuttle

(Courtesy of dno1967b)

Today marks the end of a 30 year stretch.  The final space shuttle launches.

I have such fond memories growing up on the Space Coast of Florida.  Sitting on top of the car, pulled over on the side of the road, to see the launch.  Watching the smoke trail climb higher and higher until it finally disappeared.  The sound of my Dad’s radio set to KSC’s Launch Control.  Feeling the “boom” of the boosters hitting the ocean.

And while it was an expensive program, it's sad to see the shuttle program come to a close.  Manned space flight isn't ending - but it's taking a new course. NASA has other projects in the works, like deep space exploration.

Until then: Here's to you, Atlantis STS-135.

Over Christmas, I stayed up until 2 am with my Dad talking about the first moon landing.  He explained the complicated logistics behind it all, much to my confusion.  So, to illustrate, he set up a diagram of all the pieces required for space flight...using Christmas candies.  Daddy, you are the smartest person I know.  And that Dos Equis guy has nothing on you.

Palm Tree Christmas

As the rest of the East Coast is looking at a White Christmas, and my cousins brave the wintry mess of European airports, we are looking at 65 and sunny.  But 65 in Florida is cold - my brother has been sleeping in a beanie, and I saw a girl out shopping yesterday wearing furry lace up boots.

Whatever your weather, I hope you have a lovely Christmas Eve that is merry and bright.

(We make pizza on Christmas Eve and watch movies.  And then I toss and turn all night because, even though I'm grown, I can't wait for it to be Christmas morning.  And I jump on Connor's bed until he mumbles "okay, I'll get up...")