Currently

Snoqualmie Forest, Sept 23, 2012.

CURRENTLY...

Obsessing over:  How cuddly BB has become.  He wants to be held all the time and I love it.

Working on:  $75 photo sessions with Grace.  October 6 and November 10, 2012.  Need photos?  Do it now!  This is a steal of a deal!  

Thinking about:  The future; What our lives will be like a year from now.  I'm also thinking about achieving some more of my 30 before 30 list and getting antsy about it.  I think that since I wrote the list in summer time most of the tasks are summer-oriented.  Summer is running  out so I'll have to wait until NEXT summer.  Patience is not my thing.  Also, "go to a sold-out mega concert" ... what was I thinking?!  I dont want to spend $200 to see ...well, anyone.  Most of the bands I like are $25/show or less.   I did see Kings of Leon at The Gorge but I guess I forgot about that when I wrote this list.

Anticipating:  A trip to Nashville to visit my sister!  YAY!

Listening to:  A lot of Johnny Cash.  Like, constantly.  Also, Fiona Apple's new album which has a title that is run-on sentence and I'm not going to go look it up.  Also, Smashing Pumpkins and Taking Back Sunday because these are two concerts I will be attending in October! (If one of these is sold out I am totally crossing #25: Go to a sold-out mega concert off my list.)

Drinking:  Just water.  And still too much coffee.

Wishing:  That I had gone on my overnight hike last weekend.  I had such a great hike planned and it would have been so much fun.  

AND, my favorite links this week:

• I just discovered Fab.com (thanks to Holly! SHOUTOUT!) and I got these deer earrings.
• Sheinside: A website with fun/wacky/affordable clothes.
• I love everything about Our Vintage Home Love but this Autumn table decor and industrial vintage table?  Get the heck out.  I am going to become a squatter in your home whether you like it or not.
• Mallorie's pizza looks so good!  It's not your typical Margherita pizza.  Zucchini, Lemon pepper?  Yes, please!  YUM!
• Melissa's Build a Fort Kit!  I made a fort with BB this morning and he didn't want to get in it.  I hope he gets over it because forts are the best!

Will you please join me in this fort!?!

Balance and Normalcy

I'm so glad Dan is back.  Although, he's leaving again soon.  I've noticed that there's a pattern when he's back.  The first 24 hours are bliss and we're all just so happy to be together.  Then there are responsibilities like laundry and paying bills and three very busy lives converging.  It requires collaboration and compromise, something that neither of us have to think about while he's on the road.  We're still trying to figure out how to live this life, two and half years later.  Just when I think things are great and running smooth, something happens.  Something like... BB gets a temperature of 104°.  [Note:  BB is generally okay and super, extra cuddly so we're handling it okay, too!  I love the extra loves.  Just hoping we adults dont get sick, too!]  I am always trying to find balance and once I've found it, I coast through life in a haze of "normalcy" and then I realize, "This isn't normal.  And this is also kind of boring".  Life is a struggle and it always will be.  Stuff happens.  Things out of my control.  I have to realize these things will happen with or without me.  I will find balance when I am at peace with the fact that I cannot control everything.  I'm a work in progress and I would especially like to thank these two special men in my life for being patient with me.  ;)

Crystal Mountain Gondola

This weekend, instead of doing an 11-mile overnight hike in the Cascades like I said I was going to, we stayed home.  Turns out, the kid was sick and I was probably too sick to go spend the night in 55 degree weather.  So, we just layed low on Saturday but I was determined to cross something off my 30 before 30 list.  ANYTHING.  I went to the craft store but I couldn't find a pattern I like and none of the fabric was on sale.

On Sunday, I remembered I had a free pass to ride the gondolas at Crystal Mountain.  Dan was on his way home from tour and I needed to get out of the house to keep myself from going crazy in the anticipation of his arrival.  So, I packed up BB, some snacks, and our plaid shirts and puffy vests and we drove up to Crystal Mountain.

The drive was gorgeous and the ride was really fun.  I was disappointed at the top to find that the recent forest fires had severely smogged up the view.  We have snowboarded up there so it was interesting to see the slopes not covered in white snow.  The ground is thick, chunky gravel and the kid could not crawl around like he wanted to (no, he's still not walking) so I put him in his Moby wrap.  We ate some snacks and took a little walk.  After spending my life at sea level I forgot how much of a wuss I am in altitude.  My heart was pounding after climbing hills while carrying this 20 pound kiddo!

We stopped on the way home and I went on a shopping spree. It was like I hadn't shopped in ages... oh wait, I havent.  I crossed one thing off list:  #19, Buy a ridiculously expensive pair of shoes.  I got boots that reminded me of the boots I got in London years ago that I had to throw away last winter because they'd run their course.  These are great replacement and will hopefully last longer.

The best part of the weekend:  Dan is home!

Ruthy [& Parker] : Part III

We completed Ruthy's photo series with little Parker Penny!  This three part series was inspired by a photo series I saw on Pinterest via this blog: Baby Space.  Part 1:  the newly pregnant woman with a positive pregnancy test; Part 2:  the baby bump;  Part 3:  the baby!  

Parker is in a harness, as you might notice in some of the photos.  Ruthy wrote on her blog: 

The last 14 days have been a journey; mostly filled with awe, wonder, love and joy--mixed with moments of fear, frustration and heartache. I sometimes still can't believe I have a daughter. I look down at this blonde haired, blue eyed girl and think how did she come from me? She has a peaceful spirit--I feel blessed so far that she's not really fussy. We've had a couple of rough nights, but for the most part I'm getting adequate sleep and she sleeps between 3 and 4 hour stretches. The harness and her hip dysplasia are by far the most challenging thing I've dealt with. I've cried tears of anger and frustration over this contraption that I should be thankful for. Every day is getting better, though. Each day I seem to be able to maneuver around it a little better and cry a little less. I pray over her body every time she nurses that God will perform a miracle and heal her hips - and my heart.

If you're the praying type please keep Ruthy, Andy and Baby Parker in your prayers.  I have faith that Parker will be healed and that brace will come off.  We're so happy that she's here and that mama and baby are doing well!  Love you!

Click here for Part II   |   Click here for Part I

Instawalk

Tomorrow at 5pm, Tacomans are meeting at @BluebeardCoffee to do an "Instawalk" around town.  They will post photos of their beloved Tacoma.  Check it out at #instawalk and #instawalk253 on Instagram and Twitter!

 

All photos by LMR Photography.

Letters to Everything

Boots!

Brittny!

Dear boots, I'm glad you're back!  I like fall but what I really like are my fall clothes.
Dear Brittny, good luck in Berlin! I am proud of you and I will miss you so much! Skype dates all the time, please!
Dear Dan, I am so sorry your van broke down!  I am in such great awe of your fans that have donated to help you get a new transmission in "Big Red".  You are loved by many.  (But mostly by me).
Dear little sister, you are almost to Nashville!  Drive safe, please!  I cant wait to visit you in your new town!
Dear BB, I am so sorry you had to get six shots and a TB test today but you took it like a champ!  You are such a strong boy but I still love your cuddles.  You are so funny and I love hanging out with you!
Dear coffee, I've been kickin' it with you much more frequently than usual.  Sometimes I get headaches from too much or too little.  I think we need to take a break or at least see each other less often. K, thanks.
Dear nailpolish, please stop chipping.  I am way too OCD for chipped nails.
Dear 1987 BMW, I wish you had keyless entry and cup holders.  You're very cool but you're so old. Kind of like Tony Hawk.
Dear $99 jogging stroller, I thought you would suffice but alas, I think I need something fancier.  I would love to jog more but this town's old roads are too treacherous for a cheap thing like you.

30 Before 30 : Progress Report

I have yet to fully cross anything off my 30 before 30 list.  HOWEVER, this weekend I will be crossing off #29: go on an overnight hike.  Originally, I thought I would do this with Dan or even Dan and BB (that would be insane, right?) but I'm going alone.  It will be a 24 hour, silent, overnight trip in which I plan to hike 12 miles at Crystal Mountain.  I'm looking forward to the peace.

I wont be bringing much since it's only 24-hours.  I will be wearing lots of clothing.  Even though it's been warm here in the city, the mountains will be cold!

I've also been watching some Marilyn Monroe films.  (#15:  Watch every movie that stars Marilyn Monroe).  I've seen many of her films already so I decided to start with Bus Stop which was one of her first dramatic films.  She wanted to be taken seriously after a long stream of "dumb blonde" roles.  Overall, she was not a great actress but she's so charming and captivating!  I'm so intrigued by her life.  She spent most of her life in foster homes and beat many odds to become a model, actress, singer and mega-star.  She's an inspiration, despite her personal problems and untimely death.  I'm looking forward to getting to know her more through her films.

Marilyn Monroe on the set of Bus Stop.

Buddies

BB had a great time at Jackson's photo shoot.  These boys are only 5 days apart!  When they get together it's just a lot of awkward face-touching.  I hope that's how they always interact.  Even when they're 30.

Jackson

Jackson is a year old!  I cant believe this baby boy is a 28-pound walking toddler!  Seems like yesterday I was visiting his parents in the hospital.  We took some photos at an old dairy farm.  The pedal car was a gift from grandma.  What a sweet boy.  Looking forward to watching you grow up, Jack!

Look how grown up he looks!

"I'm over this!"

Just Write

I feel like I've been documenting events and birthdays for the past month and I haven't gotten a chance to just write.  I've had so much on my mind.

Dan left yesterday for southern California.  Some days I want Dan to quit touring. The desire comes usually on the first day of a tour and again the last couple days of a tour.

We do very little to prepare for tours. It's almost like we pretend it's not going to happen. We tend to live life one day at a time, which can be endearing and fun but not when it's literally hours before Dan has to leave and he has no clean underwear.

We haven't had a date in weeks.  We have been so consumed with our kiddo's birthday, visitors, and his touring schedule that we just didn't get one.  I really didnt want him to leave yesterday.  I was in a sad state.

After work, I got BB from daycare and took him to the park for milk and cookies (formula and Arrowroot crackers) and a few rides down the mini-slide.  I took him home and cooked up some homemade pizza while he played with his new birthday toys and we had a fun dinner which had him screaming and nomming with delight over the food I had prepared for him and I had to stop and be thankful.  Thankful that we have a safe park to play at, thankful for the sun, thankful for happy baby who loves the dinners I cook for him.

Even though I am missing my husband very, very much I have to remember that Dan is missing out, too.  That even though I'd love to be in California with him, he would love to be home with us playing with blocks while mama makes pizza.

This is our life.

So, it's just me and BB for a couple weeks, folks.  We're going to make the most of it!

1st Birthday Party Photobooth

There's not much to do at a first birthday party besides take pictures and you know I love a photobooth!

I painted the backdrop myself.  It's supposed to be the forest from the book [Where the Wild Things Are].  It took a lot longer than I thought it would and we love how it turned out so we're going to find a way to hang it in BB's room as a wall tapestry.  For the party, we couldn't find a place in our yard or under our covered patio with even light so we ended up nailing the backdrop to our house and took the photos in FULL sunlight.  Thus, the shadows and squinty eyes.  But I love them, still!  Without further adooooo.... Here are some of the photobooth pictures from his party!