I feel like I say this every Sunday, but dang … this weekend is going by so fast! A good kind of fast, though — time is flying because I’m having fun. 🙂 On Friday I met up with a bunch of fellow USC alumni to watch the football game {added bonus: we won!} This weekend I’m hanging out with my beautiful cousin Arianna and we stayed up way too late Friday night talking and watching the corny-yet-amazing movie Beastly starring Vanessa Hudgens, Alex Pettyfer & Neil Patrick Harris.

Yesterday I had lunch with Arianna and then went to dinner and a movie with my grandparents. We saw Captain Phillips, which was VERY intense but very good! My plans for today: go to church, meet up with Dana for a walk around the reservoir, see another new friend Emy for coffee, and a family dinner at my aunt’s house. All in all, it’s been a weekend filled-to-the-brim with friends and family time — my favorite kind of weekend!

Before I get into my goals, I want to give a shout-out to my brother Greg’s amazing Halloween costume … he and four of his friends went as the Backstreet Boys circa the Millennium Album. Every time I look at their pictures from Halloween, I crack up! Way to go, fellas. Way to bring it!

{The above picture was taken en route to a party on Hollywood Blvd … my brother said lots of people were stopping and asking to take photos with them. Hilarious!}

Here’s how I did on my goals from this past week:
– ~~write 20 pages of new material~~
– ~~submit Ph.D. application~~
– ~~exercise at least three times~~
– ~~phone dates with two friends~~
** Woo hoo! **

Here are my goals for the week of 11/3:
– write 25 pages of new material
– submit second Ph.D. application
– exercise at least three times
– finish reading Stay Up With Me
– connect with two friends

And here are some recipes I’m hoping to try out this week:
– amazing one-pot tomato basil pasta via Chew Out Loud
– bean & butternut squash chili via It’s Progression
– sweet potato pie with cranberry compote via The Pajama Chef
– vegan almond-cranberry-oatmeal cookies via Two Peas & Their Pod

There you have it! Now I’m headed off to church … enjoy your Sunday!