i can smell it already.

i've been neglecting this blog, but not on purpose. work has picked up in the office and i'm barely pushing through the last few weeks of school. what is it about this time of year that makes the days a lot harder to get through? all i've been wanting to do is stay in bed, wrapped up in blankets with a warm z on one side and a snoring emi on the other. ah, if only...

although, i have a 4 day weekend to do just that. only, it won't be just that because it's thanksgiving and you know what that means. yup - total chaos and then maybe a day to recover from food coma. z's mom flies in thanksgiving morning and get this - she plans on making 3 of her infamous apple pies straight off the plane before heading down to carlsbad in the afternoon to feast away with z's brother, sister-in-law, and her family. i don't know how she's going to do it, but i know better than to doubt her.

we've never spent a great deal of time with marisa's family so it's something new this year. come to think of it, i haven't seen her family since the wedding... 4 years ago? it shouldn't be too awkward as is the case when there's massive amounts of food involved. food always seems to make for a warm, friendly environment and good conversation. i've been scouting various thanksgiving recipes online and now my stomach can't wait for it - we're both very much looking forward to thursday.

on another note, i haven't decided if i'm up for doing black friday this year. i took advantage once when buying an mp3 player for my sister, but i didn't stand in line for hours, waiting for the store to open. on the contrary, we happened to be passing by a best buy and wandered in without any real intention of getting anything. but with the lack of funds this year for christmas gifts, i'm considering it. i think target and jc penney (or just the mall) would be my top picks, but not all stores have released their lists yet. let me know your experiences with black friday and what kind of deals you managed to get... and if it was worth it. (be honest!)

it might be quiet around here for a while, at least until i'm done with finals. this semester really did a number on me and it doesn't help that i'm getting lazy and unmotivated. hopefully i'll be a little more focused after the thanksgiving weekend. or maybe i'm just kidding myself. in either case, know that i'm still here, just taking a hiatus.

hope you all enjoy a safe, warm, loving thanksgiving holiday. eat lots. love lots.

xxoxoxox