magic.

today just calls for two posts, folks.

because for three. (i put that period there on purpose, btw. bc i'd like it to be known that these were some greeeat hours, and the fact that i had three of them was an absolute gift from the doler outer of babysitting hours).
...solid hours this afternoon, i got to tote around this 4-week
(as in i weigh 10 pounds and was born less than a monthhhh ago 4-week)-old little babe
in the sunshine,
in this sling (!),
in this city that i love
and it was just. magical.

(boys, you don't have keep reading if you're weirded out).
girls: we went on an entire downtown adventure,
including to the library (if you live in nashville and haven't been to the main branch on church street, go as soon as you can - it's absolutely beautiful), as well as to the men's bathroom at the hermitage hotel (still fully functioning/famous for its 1930s art-deco styling/gets visitors every day), and up and down many city blocks, just exploring and soaking in the sun.

twas divine.

early.

there's something delightful about starting the day before the sun comes up.
not that i make a habit of this.
but today, for example:
i rolled out of bed at 5:34,
threw on some yoga clothes,
drove 20 minutes in the dark to a heated class a friend was meeting me at,
(absoluteeely questioning my sanity and intentions here)

but then felt wonder.ful.

and after yoga, all before 8 am,
i took my car through the car wash, filled up with gas, treated myself to my a chai tea latte from the perch, came home and made some spinach/carrot/lemon/apple juice, packed a lunch (trying to be both economical and healthy these days), met a friend for coffee, watched coverage of amanda knox being brought back to the states (ah!*), received a phone call from my sister erin and her 3-year-old italian precioso, eduardo, started a new blog,
(and by started, i mean claimed the name. but it's a start. stay tuned for what it's about), and texted a few lovelies like my mom and baby sis francesca.

allll of that actually took me until 10, but you get the gist.
early mornings - much productivity.

i know myself better than to commit to this early to bed/rise business for any significant amount of time right now, but i'm curious to see what might happen if i keep it up for a week.

cheers to tuesday, chai, and the IPHONE 5,
(which was officially was announced five minutes ago. ...cnn.com is open in the next window and just flashed this news. i've been saving and waiting for this date for a longgg time.
i'm not complaining, and sometimes i actually appreciate the simplicity of my
call/text/mayyybe take a pixely picture if it decides its up for it phone,
but let's be honest. the iphone is just cool).

joy from the nash,
m

*ps. amanda knox is the american girl who was found guilty and sentenced to 26 years (in an italian prison) for murdering her italian roommate while she studied abroad in the tuscan city of perugia in 2007. i happened to be studying abroad in siena, just 40 minutes away, when all of this was going on, and it was quite terrifying.
when the initial verdict came out two years ago, (guilty), i was both shocked, sad, and just bummed bc i have always believed her to be innocent (several reasons).
i've been following this case since it opened and am SO relieved/excited for her and her family/thankful to hear that the verdict was overturned and amanda is on her flight back to america as we speak.
i can't imagine how she must feel.
something about the fact that we are the same age, studied in neighboring cities, etc. made me relate to this whole thing on a personal level.

xo.

quote for the day:
"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough and more."
-Melody Beattie

what are you most grateful for today?

drying racks and fallidays

today i bought a drying rack.
yep.
the thing that

costs money i'd rather spend on coffee or gas or a scarf or this deliciousness,

stands awkwardly in the corner of my room, just...hangin out,
and renders clothes both card boardy and more uncomfortable
than is necessary at all, in my opinion, though mom -and she's a wise woman- would have me believe differently, which is partially why i bought d.r. to begin with.
i digress.

the thing is kinddd of a joy-bringer.

because for the past two years,
every time i've washed my 'hang dry' stuff,
it's ended up strewn across
the counter, my keyboard, the couch, the stools, the chairs, hanging off door handles
(anyone?),
and things are just a bit of a hassle this way.

so cheers to my drying rack.

and also cheers to
fall, fall candles, fall smells, fall leaves, fall parties, fall air, fall clothing,
fall running, fall walking, fall photos, fall yoga, fall dancing, fall napping,
fall driving, fall holidays (...fallidays*), fall candy, fall love.
tis thee. greatest. season of them all.

what are some of your fall joy-bringers?

xo.
*click on this link and listen to my friend becca's song, "Falliday." just swell. :)

ceiling fans and dollar yogurt.

a ceiling fan brought me joy today.
during a quick nap.
in a hot room.
when i was really wishing it could get cooler.
(and then it did).

who knew?

also, the pinkberry guy gave me a small cup of yogurt for a dollar (not $4) as i was leaving
live on the green and
my parking space was literally the first one across the street from the stage.
niceties all around.

what brought you joy today?
xoxo.

"Don't postpone joy until you have learned all of your lessons. Joy is your lesson."

roadtrippin'

mmm.
what. a treat.

i spent the last two nights in the mountains of colorado with my dear friend melissa.
highlights included
-an incredible hike
-finding fresh raspberry bushes and eating some right from the plant along our hike
sources assured us they were safe. :)
-a free & public s'mores pit (what? who invented this? these should be everywhere)
-napping on the face of a huge rock in the middle of our hike
-dinner at a cozy little Italian place to commemorate mel and i's study abroad experience in siena
-playing music for/meeting some of mel's friends
-the simple act of driving across the country. there's something really therapeutic about driving across beautiful country and having time to take everything in.

other thoughts:
i love nashville, but being both home in wyoming for a bit and now here in colorado for a few days has made me think about moving out west again... or at least want to visit a lot.
i love how outdoorsy and nature-y everything is.
i totally have a mountain girl in me.

currently in a super cute and cozy starbucks in edwards, CO enjoying my first pumpkin spice latte of the season. i normally opt for local coffee shops - actually, one of my favorite things ever is visiting non-franchised, funky, independent coffee shops- but this is perfect for this morning. welcome the fall. I LOVE. the fall.

i can't believe 10 years have passed since sept. 11. 2001.
i vividly remember sitting in a student council meeting in my science classroom at mccormick jr. high watching the initial news reports and videos pour in
on a tiny tv in the corner of the room.

about to trek out to las vegas, my stop for tonight, and then to california tomorrow. got some steve moakler, ben rector and andy grammer tunes to keep me company. all great picks - check them out.

joy to you,
m