twentyone

My sister is 21 today. Twenty-one. Eek!

Taylor is the middle child in our family, and I think God knew what He was doing when He put us in the order He did. You know how you have bookends on a shelf, and sometimes they don't really stand up unless there are actually books in between them? That's us. Casey and I are the bookends and Taylor is the book in the middle that holds it all up. She balances us. Casey and I would probably just fall over if Taylor wasn't there in the middle. 

When we were little, I was sort of mean. Not really because I wanted to hurt anyone's feelings, but because I thought it was funny. Which I guess makes me even meaner than I thought. Anyway...there is a home video that my dad took with a new videocamera, so he's really just testing it out, and my sister is standing on top of one of those big popcorn tins and smiling this hilarious smile, like she thinks dad is taking her picture. She's just standing there. Smiling. I'm laughing just typing this out and thinking about it. Then out of nowhere, I knock her off the tin and get up on it myself and start doing something ridiculous and not nearly as funny as my little sister standing there waiting for the flash. I was an attention whore. Sorry, sister. 

I'm so proud of my sister and proud to be her sister. She's beautiful and smart and hilarious and she cares about people. She loves me even when I'm being crazy or pushing her off of popcorn tins and she always tells me the truth even when I don't want to hear it. We trust each other. We know each other. We love each other. 

Having siblings has been one of my biggest blessings, and I'm so excited to celebrate my sister's birthday with them when I go home this weekend.

Happy birthday, sister. Put the champagne in the fridge. I'm on my way to celebrate!

love.

krq.

thursday's list

Well, it's officially November. How did that happen? Anyway, here's a list of random thoughts and happenings. 

thursday ten

1. I came home to a broken freezer yesterday. Everything was melted and watery and I'm waiting for our unreliable landlord to get here. He said he'd be here in about an hour 27 HOURS AGO.* Yes, that's more than a day late. Apparently he's on his way now, but I told Kyle I'll believe it when I see it.

2. One of my bfs, Kristin, survived Sandy in NYC and I want to hear all the details about it when I (hopefully) see her this weekend. Haven't seen her since July! And while I'm excited to see her and hear everything, I am truly sad for everyone who lost their homes. <3

3. Tonight, I'm going to Target to buy all the Halloween candy that's going to be on sale. Big plans, people.

4. I've entered like 12 contests to win money for my wedding. So far, nothing. I know, I'm a dweeb.

5. I love Spotify. I know I'm like the last one in the world to get one, but whatever. I like to be sure of things before I make a true commitment. Just ask Kyle. ;) JK. I knew he was it when I was 17. 

6. I really want to get my hands on the new NARS Andy Warhol collection. It looks pretty amazing.

7. I can't get over how awesome these costumes are. 

Ellie Stapleton and Bradley Hammond as Claire & Charlie from LOST

Lauren Herman as Tobias from Arrested Development

I mean, how great are those?!

8. Kyle and I saw Cloud Atlas last night, and honestly, I have very little idea what even happened. I mean, I understand the main parts, but the whole time I kept telling myself "You're going to totally get this any minute now. It's all going to come together soon." It sort of did, but it was weird. And I like weird! So I don't know…I'm still trying to decide my true feelings about it. The best part was that I snuck a container full of s'mores into the movie. And we ate them all. 

9. The only movies I can think about right now are Les Miserables and Lincoln. I mean, OMG.

10. I got a temporary job today and I'm hoping Kyle will buy me a congratulatory lululemon running jacket. No? 

To end this wildly unorganized post, here's a little Throwback Thursday action for you.

Taylor pulling my hair out

Casey without pants and Taylor rocking a windbreaker

Casey and I wearing a pair of weirdly similar Easter shoes

love.

krq.

* The landlord finally showed up and "fixed" the fridge. We'll see. 

west virginia cowboy: part three

over the weekend, i got to go to a bonfire at tina and jeff's house. kelsey was having people over and when i found out about it, i knew i had to go…not because of an obligation, but because i physically needed to be around people who understand. 

we got to talk and catch up and tell stories about corey together. telling stories about him might not seem like something you would want to do at a party, but of course we did, because, well, he should be there. he is there. his memory is all over the place.

it was good to be around kelsey and hug her and be able to talk to her about the crazy people who have really been driving everyone insane. i know kelsey and our friends who knew corey well understand that being around each other is easier than being around strangers or friends who didn't know him. it's more comfortable, for lack of a better word. 

since corey died, it's been difficult to be around people who just don't get it. kelsey talks about this pretty often in her blog and talked to me about it as we stood in the dark outside her parents' house. it's like this feeling of anxiety that no one around you understands and you just want to scream at them "don't you know that he's gone?!" 

after the bonfire, i realized just how therapeutic it was to be with some of my oldest friends. these people are my first friends and the people who knew corey best, and no matter how far away i live or how long we go without seeing each other, they will always be some of my people.

no matter where kyle and i live, we will always know where home is, and while it might seem that being home would be harder because there are so many corey memories, it actually feels better because i feel closer to him there. i feel closer to everyone i love, not just because that's where they are geographically, but because of the memories and the sense of belonging.

home is where my people are.

home is where i can work on dealing with corey being gone after just 24 years of life.

home is where everything makes a little more sense.

love.

krq.

hocus pocus

Yesterday started off with me being so sore from my workout the day before, that it was hard to get out of bed, so i spent most of the day fighting a headache and my insanely sore muscles. I just did random things around the house most of the day, and feeling in a generally weird mood. And then I thought of something that would make me feel better.

Hocus Pocus. Obviously.

I love Halloween. Kyle said to me a week or so ago, "I have been with you for a long time and I still don't get your fascination with Halloween." Whatever, Kyle.

I always think of Hocus Pocus during this time of year, because it was one of those movies that I would watch over and over and it was always funny, and as I watched it last night, as a 24 year old, there were things that made me laugh even harder now because I actually understand them.

(as the townspeople are trying to break down their door)

Winifred (Bette Midler): Don't get your knickers in a twist! We're just three kindly old spinster ladies.

Mary (Kathy Najimy): Spending a quiet evening at home.

It's really all very creepy. I mean, they're sucking the life out of children! But I would still sing their weird children-luring song all through October.

"Come little children / I'll take thee away / Into a land of enchantment. / Come little children / the time's come to play / Here in my garden of magic." 

How effing creepy is that?! 

Throughout the entire movie, everyone consistently reminds poor Max that he's a virgin and that he lit that damn black flame candle and brought back those crazy Sanderson Sisters, when all he wanted to do was impress that hottie Allison and possibly touch her "yabbos." I'm willing to bet the being a virgin part made it all way worse. And Max's little sister, Dani, is 8 years old and usually the one reminding him and everyone else that he's a virgin. Does she even know what that means?!

Winifred: You know, I've always wanted a child. And now I think I'll have one…ON TOAST!

At one point, the witches are chasing the kids as they drive a car (how old are they?!) and Winifred flies up next to the car on a broom. She says, "Pull over! Let me see your driver's permit!" 

I find this really funny because she is supposed to be from 1693.  The sisters didn't know what a blacktop road was, didn't understand the concept of trick-or-treating and were afraid of the city bus that pulled up beside them, but somehow Winifred knows that Max needs a driver's permit. huh?

Growing up, I think we probably wore out our VHS tape we had of it, just like we did with Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, and it started to play all warped and weird after so many times in the VCR. Watching it last night made me think of my siblings and being piled up on the couch with them in our pajamas and thinking about our costumes and who will get the most candy.

Obviously I don't really dress up anymore. Kyle doesn't like it really and we never actually have a party to go to, so we just eat candy and take pictures of Brady and my cousins in their costumes and carve pumpkins. But I always enjoy this time of year. It's the one day of the year (unless you're an actor or a con-artist) you get to be someone else...a PowerRanger, a Hunger Games tribute, Harry Potter...you can be anything. That childhood love of dressing up will probably always be with me, and I'll probably always want to watch Hocus Pocus.

Get with the program, Kyle. Halloween is freaking great.

love.

krq.

crossroad

i'm at point right now where there are a bunch of different things i want to do, and i just need to choose what to do first.

i want to change my blog and/or transfer it over to my wordpress site.

i want to get serious about some wedding things.

i want to carve a pumpkin.

i want to make hot mulled apple cider.

i want to write a short story book. 

i want to figure out how to make/do cool things and that be my job.

womp womp.

i am thinking of transforming my blog/website into something more organized and detailed, with different sections and topics, such as recipes, beauty, etc. i'm just at  a sort of crossroad with where i want to go from here. 

what do you like to read about? what interests you? i'd love to hear your thoughts!

love.

krq.