this evening has been so very nice...

i love sonoma! for some reason, it has felt so good to be home, more so this trip than any other. i haven't seen as many of my friends as i thought i would have by now, but hanging out with my family is fine enough for me :)

claire is incredible and so fun to hang out with.. i've missed her a lot, so it's just been really fantastic getting to hang out with her some more.

erika is absolutely stunning, so smart.. i'd forgotten, sort of, how majestic she is. we went on a bike ride/run the other morning, and even though we didn't say much, i loved being with her. that must sound so lame, but i can't really explain it, and i don't think it needs defending!

paaaarrrtaaaaay!

the girls and i hosted a little dinner party last night with all of our friends, and it ended up being so fantastic. we figured having a get together, making food, taking pictures, and all of that fun stuff would be better than just buying gifts for one another and trying to find the time to make the proper exchanges. i meant to make one of those cheesy announcements last night, but i never got the courage, i guess, to do so. i don't think the friends i've made out here really realize how much like family they are to me, which makes a little bit of sense, considering they're all locals and have their own families here. but with my real family so far away, i've created my own in my head with my friends, and i appreciated it so so much to have everyone together last night. i'm such a ham, but 'tis the season, right?