so long, summer.

so long to the craziest, most adventuresome and incredible summer of my life. 

i can't believe it's over. can you?

though i'm prolonging the onset of fall by heading to the beach tomorrow (florida wedding, anyone?), 

i decided that it was still essential to live it up today.

so naturally, i took the awesome-st flight home to denver ever... an 8:25 a.m. flight that doesn't require you leaving your house before 7:40 a.m. and provides the cushiest of chairs? awesome. 

and then i spent the rest of my day with three of my favorite people on this planet. 

my mom picked me up at the airport, but i was able to ship out some shoots and buy the coolest pixar-themed stamps while i waited. really though, what's cooler than a ratatouille stamp?

theeen, we headed to lunch at noodles, where we both devoured some pad thai. yum.

and it was only natural to hit up the gap next, to pick up some (free) clothes... free clothes=so, so good.

and next it was time to meet up with my dad and watch my little benny dominate in tennis. always a party.

we concluded the evening by stopping by our favorite, little, family-owned cocina for some mexican food and returned home to enjoy the new episodes of the big bang theory and the middle. hilarious.

though my health is still a little iffy, i haven't felt this alive & happy in a really long time.

maybe since spain?
even after only five hours of sleep.

regardless, it was so refreshing... and a life saver, really.

there's something about being home with my best friends (yep, you guessed it... my family) that makes me undeniably happy. 

i'm so grateful for this little 22-hour layover at home and for the perfect end to summer 2011.

and now, onward... to the atlantic!