I'm pretty awful about making plans on the holidays. I'm not sure why. I owe it mostly to being inherently lazy and more inclined to want to veg out and shut down for a few days, rather than pack every hour with activities.

My sister Kate is just like this. Just last night we were discussing how it is that anyone could have geared themselves up to go out after working all day. Kate Shea and I would rather sit around and do nothing almost more than anything. Most people don't get it; I know The Boy doesn't. He's a planner. The man has the most active social life of anyone I know. I was over at his sister's the other day and she and her husband explained to me that they're so inclined to just sit at home that last year they didn't even realize it was the 4th until waaaay later in the day, despite having gone out to the grocery store earlier in the afternoon.

They are my people. Clearly I should be dating them. Although they are newlyweds and I don't think they'd want me cramping their style, no matter how much we all like each other.

But The Boy and I have reached certain compromises to make it all work. As of this moment, he is at the gym ("We're going to be eating a lot of food today!" was his rationale, and I'm all, "Hey! Pass the chips!") and will later ride his bike back over here so we can commence with the lounging. And the grilling of hot dogs. And the eating of the potato salad. And the drinking of the 312. I'm sure we will at some point venture out for another bike ride, or, more likely, a walk with Glinny, but it is even more likely that I will convince him that the best idea in the world would be to watch "Law & Order." Because we never do that.

In my defense, I'm actually sitting here doing some work, because like many workaholic people who get a day off, it's a perfect time to accomplish those tasks that get put on the back burner, those things that when completed, will make me feel whole and right and good.

Besides, I've got so many plans for the rest of my week - of which I will be off from work, but of course checking in - that I think it's fine to be lazy today. Tomorrow I'll finally be painting my bedroom, so I can stop staring at those awful peach walls. Glinny and I will hit dog beach a few times, dinner with Ali for Guatemalan food, the Sox game with Jen and finally, my sister's wedding reception.

My little sister Devyn got married in April. She and Cory flew off to Jamaica and had a lovely wedding and honeymoon together, all rolled into one. Saturday is their wedding reception back in J-town. I'll be honest and admit that I can't for the life of me remember how Cory and Devyn met, only that once she had she was totally smitten with "some high school football coach/teacher." The first time I'd met him was at my gram's and he'd just dyed his goatee blond for some school-related fund raiser/bet.

Cory is the strong, silent type at first, until you get to know him a little better and then he's all jokes and funny voices and, most importantly, football statistics. This guy's love of the Bears is a little frightening. And awesome. He makes my sister happy, and as a bonus, he helped to give us all this little guy, Baby Chase, who helps make our family complete. I don't talk about my nephews much - Chase has an adorable, brilliant cousin named Aidan - but they've changed our family completely and I can't get my hands on either of them fast enough when they're in my presence.

So The Boy and I head to J-town Saturday for the party, and I've promised him a rousing after-party because you can't get married in Joliet and not have a huge drinking bash at some bar until the wee hours. Kate says Devyn's got it all worked out.

Posted by Erin at 10:53 AM | filed under: Odds and ends