AUGUST 2008
08.27.08 | A NEW OBSESSION
Actually, it's two obsessions wrapped up in one: 1. Making nutritious, delicious lunches, and 2. Making them pretty!
I first learned of laptop lunches from a friend of mine. She makes great vegan meals and snacks for her kids in them, and they always look so good! So I got four LLBs (Laptop Lunch Boxes — gotta learn the lingo), and dove right in.
LLBs are basically the American version of Japan's bento boxes, and they're totally addicting. Check out this whole passel of them on flickr.
Tonight after fixing four LLBs, I was more than a little exhausted. Then Bryni said the magic words, “We have the coolest lunches!”
Ahhh, just what I needed!
08.26.08 | A FAREWELL TO SUMMER
Today is Sonja's last day of summer. Tomorrow she heads off to the big bad world of second grade.
The next day, my babies will start Kindergarten. Hard to believe.
I'm not sad, even though I thought I would be. I'm excited for my little ladies. Excited for them to make their own friends and get invited to their own birthday parties. Excited for them to read chapter books like their big sister and enter the worlds of Junie B. Jones and Amelia Bedelia and Spiderwick and Harry Potter. Excited for them to develop a sense of themselves, apart from their sister and apart from their twin and even apart from their Momma.
So, on this last “real” day of summer, I share with you some of my favorite summer photos from flickr. Bright, sunny, colorful, full of life. Just like my three schoolgirls.
08.23.08 | MORE FROM ONP
Today I'm sharing a few more moments from our trip to Olympic National Park. Time to play blogger catch up.
The girls splish-splashing in the surf at Kalaloch.
It was so fun to watch them experience the pure joy of the ocean. I was just sure that any minute one of them would be swept out to sea, but they weren't, and the crashing of the waves was an endless source of entertainment.
Morning at our campsite.
I think a morning campfire is one of my all-time favorite things in the world. Oh and blueberry pancakes. And Ani in fleece.
The tide pool.
Just what are those starfish doing anyway?
Super-cool plant.
I love the diversity of plant life that is found in the Pacific Northwest.
My peeps.
08.22.08 | LE MARIAGE (THE WEDDING)
Wow, that wedding was so beautiful.
It was modeled after what the bride called “a hobbit wedding.”
The bride, however, looked like the furthest thing from a hobbit. Here she is sneaking a peek out the window at her groom.
And here she is, coming down the aisle with her handsome dad.
And here's the lovely couple. The entire ceremony was presented in English and French. Très romantique.
The decorations were simple and sweet...
...and charming and romantic.
Of course the children were cute. Here's the ring bearer...
...and the flower girl.
And I couldn't resist taking a couple photos of my own cuties.
Kathleen and David met in Nepal, hence the prayer flags hanging from the porch. Aren't they beautiful blowing in the breeze? I hope they carried all my prayers for this sweet couple up to the heavens.
Félicitations, Kathleen et David. Je t'aime tant.
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.
