Friend Friday! It's so lovely to see you again. The 90s pop radio station is playing on Pandora, sun is streaming through the windows (okay, clearly I started writing this earlier than I'm posting it), and I'm thinking about what's been saving my life this week...

1. More parental help with the yard, more repayment with food. My dear in-laws came over on Saturday morning for a homemade waffle breakfast (which, I am proud to tell you, I had nothing to do with) in exchange for some weeding and helping us get our raised bed (featuring tomato and cucumber seeds) in place. It was a gorgeous morning to work together outside!

Our landlords put in this bounty of blossoms that we get every year. Love!

2. Girl Scout cookies + The West Wing. My husband is in the midst of baseball season - working and playing - and so it means I get some weekend afternoons to myself. And what have I been doing? Popping Thin Mints and digging into the stories of Jed Bartlet's administration for the first time ever. I know, my late timing is pretty pathetic. But at the same time, I've savoring the "simplicity" of Sorkinese government when everything in real life politics is bordering on insane these days. Escapism at its finest.

3. Celebrating Pop-Pop's memory. It meant a lot to gather at my grandfather's grave on what would have been his 89th birthday with my parents, grandmother, one aunt and one uncle, and laugh and tell stories as the sun went down.

4. Writing group. You'll have to read this to know what happened, but let's just say I've been meditating on it a lot and the experience feels life-saving (and convicting) all at the same time.

5. The Colorful Choices Challenge! Our office just started a contest to see who can eat the most helpings of fruits and vegetables for the next few weeks, and it's - dare I say it? - fun! Mostly because there's an app that helps you track your helpings, so it feels like a bonus incentive to see your number of points go up in a day. Hey, it's the little things! And if they happen to be healthy, all the better.

Honorable mentions: a mindful meal at work, new books (Wendell Berry, Helen Simonsen, Ruth Reichl), a new journal from Jessie, breakfast with Mom at The General Muir, making plans to see a good friend when she's in town next month, National Walking Day, social media-less Sunday, exercising everyday, a turkey sighting at work today (see Instagram), the Pope's relationship advice, and finishing up plans for my new logo - coming soon! (Thanks, Grace!)

I'd love to hear your story, friends - what's been saving your life lately?