I was in the Webster Groves area around lunchtime so my friend Melissa met me for lunch.  We didn’t have to think too much before deciding on Milagro Modern Mexican.  Today I tried the Tortilla Soup and the Chicken and Chorizo Quesadillas.  YUM!

The day was spent rehearsing pieces for a Young Composer’s Concert tomorrow night at the Community Music School, followed by teaching.  Luckily there was also time for lunch and coffee.

This was at a cute little coffee shop in Webster Groves.  I can’t recall the name and I’m just too tired to google it.

Now I’m relaxing at home.  LONG day!  Tomorrow is much the same, but longer.

Oh, and in one month exactly we are getting married.  Up to 60 official yeses!  I can’t wait to see everybody (and you know, get married to Chris and all that jazz.)  I would be more excited but I am starting to worry that there are tons of things we are forgetting.  It seems we are basically on track, just need to get started on the programs mainly, but I’m just worried we’re forgetting something important.  And the rsvp deadline was today, so hopefully in the next few days (week) we’ll really be able to get cracking on fun stuff like seating charts and such. 

Last night I was over at Vanessa’s and she wanted to get a fire going in the fire pit.  It didn’t work well enough though—maybe the wood was a bit damp?  After about 45 minutes of trying we were just too cold and gave up.  I was freezing!

What are your big plans for the weekend?  If you’re a musician, probably a ton of church gigs or other concerts!  If you’re not, maybe shopping or something fun?

Everybody is weighing in on my makeup pictures 🙂  I notice no one has mentioned my hair… (please don’t.)

To put things in perspective, I did this myself (and this photo is edited already, by the wonderful Sarah Crowder).  I’m wearing what I considered to be a ton of eyeliner, and it basically disappears.  Now, Chris isn’t wearing any makeup, and honestly, I think his eyelashes and lips disappear (yes, but would I want to marry him if he wore makeup…hrrmmm…).

It’s amazing how many different opinions people have!  What that means (to me) is that I can’t lose.

Next question:  Should I wear a veil or not?  I have a little hairpiece that came with my dress.  Are you married?  Did you wear a veil?  Do you have pictures to share with me?  (You can email!)  Also pictures of you and your makeup are welcome!

Remember how the other week we ate dinner at our rehearsal dinner venue?  It was delicious.  We learned today that they changed their menu, and neither of the entrees we tried (and loved) are available anymore!  Hopefully the new menu will be as good…we were initially disappointed, but ultimately I’m sure it’ll be wonderful.

Do you like bacon?  Do you like peanut brittle?  Click here for bacon peanut brittle!

30 days of Thanksgiving:  (did I already do this today?  I can’t be bothered to check—I should stop posting twice a day, huh?):  I’m thankful that tomorrow is Friday and I have a facial AND a Twilight mini-marathon planned (with friends!) after work.  We are going to watch the 1st and 3rd movies.

I went to see a friend’s new baby today.  I found it very interesting that her baby weighed less than my cat.  Yes, it’s true!  She said the baby was about 11 pounds, and my cat is approximately 13 pounds.  BOOM.

Did I ever tell you all that one of my best friends is pregnant?  Laura (of Laura and Jon) is due in April.  They find out what the baby will be next week.  I’m hoping for a herm!  (Just kidding.  I’m hoping it’s a giraffe, or perhaps a kitten.)  If you are obsessed with hermaphrodites, like me and my sister Leslie are, you should be sure to read Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides.  It’s wonderful! 

(The thing that’s awesome about "herm" is that it is both short for hermaphrodite and a combination of him and her.  Just delightful all around.)

(PSA:  Do not do a google image search for hermaphrodite cat, unless you are prepared for the results.  Sign that I am tired.  I was not prepared.)

Unrelated:  Chris and I just did a count on our wedding guest list and realized we may end up SHORT of our original estimate.  I guess we’ll just have to see.  I guess people don’t really like us after all.

30 days of Thanksgiving:  I’m thankful for my wonderful friends and family who are able to attend my wedding! 

Do you all make to-do lists?  I love making lists!  I have a little notebook in my purse at all times and write stuff to do in it.  No task is too big or too small for the lists, though big tasks generally get broken up into parts.  I usually make different categories "wedding," "teaching," or "household tasks." 

This is my current notebook, courtesy of Jordan from food, sweat, and beers. Right now my list has things on it like "email Sheila about rehearsal dinner choices," "cruise excursions," "ceremony, readings and such."  Basically I’ve checked off all non wedding related tasks by this point (other than printing out a few things for new students this week!) so that means I’m almost all caught up on work items. 

Of course, that doesn’t include my email inbox.  Sometimes I’ll put an item on the list like "return emails" or "return phone calls" but that’s really a cop out.  I often return emails right away unless it is something elaborate or unpleasant.  I will leave emails in my inbox until they are no longer relevant, like for a gig, and then the equivalent of checking off an item on the list is archiving the email.  It’s so satisfying!  Phone calls are similar, I try to return them right away but occasionally something gets lost in the shuffle. 

What made me think of my to-do list this morning?  Well, it occurred to me I hadn’t checked it in a couple days so I wanted to see what I might get done today.  I’m thinking that email about the rehearsal dinner can be sent later today (after my run) and I can probably do some cruise excursion research as well.  Of course I also need to do some cleaning…I rarely put that on the to-do list unless there is going to be company or something (i.e. a cookie exchange party) coming up.

Yesterday morning’s boot camp class has left me with sore biceps.  It was a fun class and a great addition to my fitness regiment (don’t you love that phrase??).  I think I’ll go back again, and use heavier weights—I used the 5 pound weights but I should have pushed myself a bit more and used 8 pounders.  Since only my biceps are sore, that is telling me something.  What exactly, I’m not sure.  I’m not a fitness expert (nor will I become one, it’s not on my to-do list.)

Doesn’t the phrase "to-do" start to look really odd after awhile?

Today I am thankful for Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto.  I forgot how absolutely, sublimely beautiful the second movement is!  That moment where the pianist changes keys and the principal cello (Danny Lee in this case) plays a drone…and the whole thing just MELTS.  Then there’s the transition into the third movement…oh yes.  Oh yes.

The man was a genius.  And the Emperor Concerto isn’t even my favorite piece that he wrote (that would be String Quartet op. 132 or the Violin Concerto).

Yes, I just screen capped my own tweet during the concert.  To be clear, I wasn’t playing.  I was listening.  I wish I were playing. 

I don’t know why I get so excited about Fridays.  As you know, I work weekends.  So it’s not as if Friday kicks off this fantastic two day binge of fun and relaxation…it usually just means a very tired Saturday is almost upon me followed by a Sunday consisting of too much working out.

That’s the plan at least!  I’ve been running around all day and I’m finally sitting down on the couch.  (OH yes.)  I am waiting for Chris to get done with his concert and then we are hitting up a friend’s housewarming party.  I made cake batter blondies.   I should stop telling people how easy it is to make those because they will be less impressed when I bring them to parties.

Today was a rest day.  As a result (or not) I was starving all day!  I ate an entire burrito from Milagro for lunch and was famished by dinner (leftover pasta with meat/mushroom sauce, yum, yum!).  Maybe it’s because of all the working out I did yesterday?  Tomorrow I am planning to go with Jen to her infamous boot camp class.  I’m sure it’ll be super easy for me since I’m in such great shape.  After that:  wedding, recording session (ocarina!), and then the Symphony concert.  It’s nice to have these busy days, make me feel more useful in life 🙂

I think I’ve settled on my Thanksgiving desserts.  Caramel Apple Cheesecake Pie (can’t wait to meet Natalie next week at the relay) and Pumpkin Bread Pudding.  Less than two weeks away.  I’m looking for a great recipe for the bread pudding that uses pumpkin bread.  I have one I’ve used which is great, I’m wondering if there is something out there that’s even better.  Suggestions?  And I’m sure I could just substitute pumpkin bread for any bread, but really I’m looking for tried and true here.  Thoughts?  Because I have a killer pumpkin bread recipe.  Laura sent the Thanksgiving dinner menu to me.  Oh my goodness.  I need to start fasting so I can eat a bite of everything. 

What are you doing this weekend?  Any fun plans with friends or mud races?