08.15.08 | THE DAH-CIFIC OCEAN
As you can imagine, my dryer vent is full of sand.
Since I visited you here last, we've been to the Washington coast and back, we spent time in Seattle and Spokane and I started my new job at The Policy Institute. Phew! It's been crazy and wonderful.
Today we're taking off for the Flathead Valley for my niece Kathleen's wedding to the sweet Frenchman David LeChable and my mom's 70th birthday party. I hope to see you here again soon!
More pictures of our trip are at flickr.
08.05.08 | ABUNDANCE
Today I feel abundantly full. Full of life. Full of love. Full of hope for the future. As the cherry tree outside our home bursts forth with fruit, I'm bursting forth with joy. I haven't felt this way in awhile. It feels good.
I'll be back with you after a short vacation. We're heading out to the ocean for a few days. I can't wait to hear the surf, smell the air and just absorb the simple beauty of the Pacific's endless horizon. Be well, friends.
08.02.08 | PART ONE: WRAPPED IN RIPPLES
It's not completely done, but I had to show you my pretty girl wrapped up in our pretty ripple blanket. (If I do say so myself.)
All of the crocheting is done, but I still need to lose about 100 pesky ends. Maybe I'll commit to LOSING all those ends while Eric and I continue our “Lost” marathon in the evenings. That makes sense, doesn't it?
PART TWO: LOST
Eric and I are so totally addicted to “Lost.” Finally. We tried to get into it at the beginning of Season Three, but could not understand one iota of what was going on. A polar bear? What?
This summer, though, we've watched it from the very start through netflix, so we're totally in the know. I honestly don't know how people waited a whole week to find out what happened next. Torture, pure torture.
If you're a fan too, you have to try Sawyer's Nickname Generator. My first nickname was “Stretch.” I think that must have been because I said I was tall, but it doesn't fit me very well. The second was “Moonbeam.” Much better.
08.01.08 | MORE FROM THE LI'L GARDEN
I planted these fancy asters last fall. I thought they weren't going to make it after the deer feasted on them at the end of the season, but they came back strong and beautiful.
Here is the lavender, which I also planted last fall. I just love these blossoms.
Ah, the humble potentilla. We trimmed this bush quite aggressively last fall, and I can't believe the difference it made. I'm not even sure it flowered last year, and this year it's flowering like crazy.
And here's a bunch of pansies. They just keep flowering away week after week. I think I'm going to plant about a billion of these next year. Their smiling faces make me happy.
07.29.08 | HARVEST
We cut some lettuce and spinach from our container garden the other night. We had quite a little harvest! My favorite was the spinach. I think we let the lettuce go a little too long as it was a tidge on the bitter side.
Of course, everyone had to have their turn helping with the harvest. One...
...two...
...three!
07.27.08 | A QUOTE
Overheard recently, while the girls were playing:
“A Bryni's gotta do what a Bryni's gotta do.”
Indeed.
07.25.08 | ANOTHER CONVERSATION
Sonja: Mom, what's a nerd?
Me: It's the opposite of a cool person.
Sonja: What's a cool person?
Me: Someone who's popular and confident and awesome.
Sonja: Like Daddy!
Me: Exactly.
07.24.08 | A CONVERSATION
Ani: When do you start your job, Mom?
Me: In three weeks.
Ani: Good for you!
Me: Thanks, Ani.
07.22.08 | PART ONE: SLACKER BLOGGERR
I've been such a slacker blogger lately. I'm so sorry. When I read that on other blogs, I get seriously annoyed, especially if I love the blog. I don't WANT them to be too busy to give me all the blog goodness I need from day to day, dang it!
Another thing I hate to read on other blogs? “There is a lot going on here.” But sorry guys — There is a lot going on here these days, and it has left me little time to blog the way I really want to.
One of the big pieces of news is that I got a job, peeps. Seriously! I'm pretty excited. I'll be working as the project coordinator at The Policy Institute in Helena. I am so grateful for this wonderful opportunity and can't wait to get started.
Another big recent event around here is that Eric and I have been drastically changing the way we eat. I've been working on portion control (actually measuring and weighing my food), and Eric's been reading up on the negative effects of eating animal proteins in large amounts.
We're thinking about leaning toward a vegetarian diet, and maybe even vegan, which I can't even believe is coming out of my typing fingers right now, but it's true. I feel absolutely fantastic and am experiencing a bit of a spiritual renewal as well, which is very exciting. Like I said — A LOT going on!
I will try to keep on blogging though, because I love it, and I love you, and I love this whole wonderful bloggy world.
PART TWO: SYMPHONY UNDER THE STARS
Despite the craziness around here, we have gotten out and about a little lately, and one of our excursions was to Helena's amazing Symphony Under the Stars.
This year, the event featured Buzz Aldrin of the Apollo 11 Space Mission. Yeah, one of the guys who WALKED ON THE FACE OF THE MOON! There he is in the off-white jacket, narrating the free event, which drew a crowd of more than 18,000. What a great Montana tradition.
Here is the Carroll College scoreboard through a fence in the evening light.
And here is the sun, slowly setting behind the mountains.
07.18.08 | THE FRIDAY ARCHIVES: JULY 2006
This was the summer vacation we took two years ago with my mom to South Dakota. Here the girls are saying hello to a 100-year-old tortoise at Reptile Gardens. We were there during record-high heat. At times it reached 120 degrees. Yeah, very hot. Ridiculously hot. Africa hot.
Here are the girls looking in the fun mirror at Reptile Gardens. (Ani wasn't really that short. Or maybe Bryni wasn't really that tall. I don't know.) They had to wear the hats to keep the scorching sun off of their faces, but the hats also just made them hotter. Look at Bryni's rosy cheeks!
Also, notice the Junior Ranger badges from Jewel Cave National Monument. We were so happy to escape the oppressive heat for an afternoon down in the caves.
And here they are at the incredibly beautiful Mount Rushmore looking more than a bit bedraggled, but still cute if I do say so myself.
07.16.08 | BIGHORN CANYON
Last weekend, we traveled to Billings, where we spent a few days with Eric's family. On Monday afternoon, Eric's parents rented a pontoon boat and we cruised through Bighorn Canyon near Fort Smith, Montana.
It was a lovely, sunny, summer day, and the canyon was peaceful and beautiful.
I got these colorful shots of the marina.
And these of the girls, enjoying the ride.
Granted, they don't really look like they're enjoying the ride, but they were. Trust me.
And here are the five Severtson cousins in all their cuteness. These girls have so much fun together, and it's always so hard to say good-bye.
