right about now (the one where february appeared out of nowhere)

How is it February already? I should not be surprised, but I am.

It feels like a good time to take some inventory, with some random bits of life happening in my world, right about now:

loving: the weekends. Trails on Saturdays, dinner with friends. Heck, I just love that I have weekends at all.

reading:  Barefoot Contessa Foolproof by Ina Garten.

I do love Ina. Her recipes are elegant yet rustic, and this cookbook is a great sampling of some of her best. I want to try the Easy Tomato Soup very soon. (It has Grilled Cheese Croutons? Oh, I didn't notice.)

excited about: a couple of trips that are on the horizon. First up is the beach next weekend. Do you know of anything more peaceful than the beach in winter?

It is abandoned, sleepy, and cozy. I just adore it.

missing: this grin.

No surprise there.

trying to: understand how I thought a free fragrance sample that I received in the mail was for women, when it was really man-smell. That fatal spritz lead to the headache of the century.

enjoying: these boots by Bronx I bought a couple of weeks ago for wicked cheap.

Let it be known, January is the time to purchase boots.

using: the My Fitness Pal app (again). It's time to start food journaling (again). Darn you, accountability.

wearing: some simple stud earrings that the lovely Kari gave me for Christmas. They are perfect for a casual, comfortable Friday.

waiting on: all of my tax documentation to get here. I'm ready to send in this return, pronto.

planning: Super Bowl festivities. Lori and I host a party where the menu is themed, based on the two teams competing. This year is A Tale of Two Coasts, and menu planning has been a challenge, to say the least. Stay tuned for a recap of that deliciousness.

singing: along with Ben Rector. He's so mellow. I'm liking "Hide Away," "Loving You is Easy," "When a Heart Breaks," and "She Is." Incidentally, he has this YouTube rendition of "I Wanna Dance with Somebody" that is so fun.

needing: Manti Te'o to get out of the news. Did you watch Katie Couric roast him on her show last week? Oh, it was a train wreck. Painfully uncomfortable.

learning: about King David in a new Bible study we are starting.

Have you done this one? I am expecting great things.

listening: to my wise friends for counsel. I love that when I solicit their advice, they speak truth into me with a fresh perspective. Everyone should have people like that surrounding them.

wishing: my friend Lori wasn't about to move away. Do you remember when you were little, and friends would move away? You don't want to think that happens when you're a grown-up. But it does.

doing: some research on ottomans. I need to soften up my living space, and this style is speaking to me.

Now to figure out how to do this on the cheap.

praying for: my brother and his family, as they will learn very soon the place they will call home for the next few years. I am so proud of them; this is an exciting season!

dreaming of: a friend's family home. (I really did have a crazy dream about that last night.)

What are you up to right about now, on this February 1st?