I spy...

source: What Katie Ate
When oh when will her cookbook be out already?!! I'm quite convinced it will be the prettiest cookbook of all time!

"My hopes will never tread the halls of fear..."
- Aeschylus


via A Common Girl With Not So Common Dreams

I went to the fabric store yesterday.  It's been too long.  I frequent craft stores often enough that I know my way around, but fabric stores?  I haven't been to one of those in probably two years.  And I've never been without my mom.  I felt like a lost little kid.  All three sweet ladies working there watched me wander around (trying to appear as if I knew exactly what I was doing and was on the hunt for a very specific thing).  Really, I was wandering aimlessly through every aisle.  When they asked me how many yards I needed (the part I'd most been dreading), I admitted, "I don't know, my mom always does that part for me!"  I'm twenty-four.  I have got to get better about the measuring.  Whatever we're building, sewing or otherwise creating, I do the random abstract ideas and my mom always pulls out the measuring tape and pencil.  I'd really like it if whoever I marry wouldn't mind taking over that part of the creating too... but I figure I better not count on it.  Not to mention, in the meantime, I'm not sure I can always drag my mom along (such as this time).  I figured out about what I'd needed (with the woman's help) and added half a yard.  That's about how I tip too.  Numbers, I was always good with them in high school, but somewhere in college and my submersion in the written word, numerical digits became foreign and frightening to me.  It's really an unwarranted fear, I know.  And I'm trying to get over it.  I'm taking baby steps, such as filling in the actual number on the tip line rather than writing an arrow to the total.  If I do decide to go to grad school, I'm going to have to take the GRE, which includes some nice math in there.  It would probably be good for me to brush up on Algebra and Geometry regardless.  Who would guess I used to be smart.

I think I could happily spend a whole day like this... watch dusk fall and the stars come out.   I'd just need the right person beside me.

I know she annoys most everyone with her acting. But boy is she pretty. :)

Something I really appreciate about my parents: They raised us girls to do, without expectation of return.  They have both always been the friend who would go out of their way to help, encourage or keep company.   My dad pretends to be a grouch, but there's a reason why I've never met a person who didn't like him.  He doesn't really care about pretenses, and the older he gets the more he doesn't take crap.  But teasing, he takes, and gives, and takes.  And he has a great laugh.  He's rough, but always caring.  And my mom, she doesn't even pretend to not be social.  You just have to walk in the door and you know better.  You're in on all the plans, changes, and crazy day happenings.  And if you've been to our house, you've probably been teased by one of them.  You've probably also been fed by my mom.  She's always willing to help me at her own inconvenience.  We were raised to help and to care.  To be okay with taking pains to help other people, and to not do it with the expectation that others will necessarily return the favor (though obviously we love when they do). 

My mom got out of bed this morning to drive me to the bus stop.  Half awake, and still pleasant.  :)  Not to mention, she let me interrupt her two nights ago in the middle of her favorite show so that I could watch the Sounders win the Open Cup>

One of my favorite photographers: Amelia Lyon

I think she is truly talented.  As always, I'm all about a photographer's use of light and color, and she does both fantastically, not to mention her composition of photos is just wonderful.  I assume she's doing a great deal of work in editing too that I have no understanding of, but I'm sure many of you recognize. 

Watching this little doll tonight, and for once I'll even get there before she's asleep! :)  Love little Miss Finleigh MacKenna.

LBL's lending me a movie, Spellbound.  A documentary on the National Spelling Bee competitors.  He didn't really give me a choice.  He just told me I need to borrow it, and he told me I have until Friday to watch it.  "And you ought to have friends over to watch it Katrina.  Put out some chips or snacks or something.  Don't people do that?"  "I don't think any of my friends could come over tonight or tomorrow to watch it."  "Do you have friends, Katrina?"  "No."  "Well that's me.  You're my only friend Katrina.  That's why I'm lending you this."  

And this is what we refer to as the constant game. ;)

More favorite moments. :) Oh goodness. Thank you Lord for cameras to capture special moments, little moments, and ridiculous moments. :) This is indeed one of the most special, my first minutes with sweet Auri Bliss.

Two nights ago we were watching old family videos (as I mentioned), and we pulled out one old unmarked tape that had clips of Aunt Ivy and Uncle John visiting our old house in Edmonds. Elise was in Aunt Ivy's arms, just over a year old it looked, and I was just a few months myself. I love seeing those clips captured, our early history together. Having friends you've known from birth is an incredible gift and one I plan to cherish long after the birth of my own children (and theirs). Love you Lou Lou.

I'm going through my mobile uploads (can you tell?), and I came across this one and started laughing. When my old manager Aaron found out that I had never had a corsage bought for me (I'd only ever gone to the Ambassadors Balls with my dad), he had one made for me. He had them use a Starbucks sweatband as the basis. It was probably one the funniest, sweetest, most awkward things ever done for me. I died laughing that morning as we were opening the store together and he made me close my eyes and put out my wrist... and I opened my eyes to this. I'm pretty sure I wore it the better part of the morning. And THIS is a small window into why we all loved CP Starbucks so incredibly much. :)

 

This past visit to Tennessee was my first ever where I did not get to take a picture with the shark. He was inside the Opry Mall, and it still hasn't reopened since their big flood. :(

So, these pictures are popular.  And wood stacks like this are also popular in interior design.  It gives me the creeps.  Literally.  Sure, it looks cool, but have any of you ever really had a wood pile?  Because we've had one as long as I can remember, and getting wood from the wood pile is among my most courageous moments of my entire life.  Woodpiles scream: Please, you, with the 6+ legs, come dwell among me!!

This past summer, my mom and cousins unstacked, power washed, and restacked all our wood.  And while I knew I should help, I just couldn't bring myself near to the task!  I think my mom is so very brave.

She's probably also the only person I know who would insist on power washing their wood stack. ;)

A tribute to the LLF Moose.
A year at LLF.

Sorry, I have to do it. I have been craving a grilled cheese sandwich for WEEKS straight now. When I was in Tennessee (and temporarily off the fast), I almost ordered one from a BBQ place we visited. In the end, I felt too ashamed of ordering a grilled cheese where they specialize in BBQ ribs and pulled pork burgers. And oh my does this one look especially, special. :) Grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato bisque soup is one of my all time fall favorites - usually on a weekend afternoon, perhaps with a fire to accompany it. :) Mmm. I think it really is the tastes of fall that we all love so much. God is pretty clever to have created so many wonderful flavors that come out to cheer and warm us right as the seasons change from summer to rainy fall. 

I don't think I'd quite put it that way, but I do think it expresses a certain level of confidence and capaibility. Though, now it's so trendy. Dear male friends who happen to read my blog, you should have listened to me back when I first tried getting you to wear one. :P

I love her and that’s the beginning of everything…

F. Scott Fitzgerald

(via musingsinfemininity)

(Source: nantucketyouth)

Pie in a Wrought Iron??? Mmm. Late October is going to have a lot of cooking/baking, a lot of experimenting, and hopefully a lot of eating (assuming the experimenting part goes well).

Grandeur.

Wallflower.

I think part of why I love architecture is simply because I took it as a story, it was presented to me as the history of architecture. And of course I always fall in love with a thing when someone sits down and tells me its story. To me, architecture reflects excellence across the centuries, people willing to commit to ideals and study for years and years how to further those ideals and create something even greater. It's about advance, and commitment to the past, and creating structures for the future. It speaks of men (and women) who weren't flighty, who weren't afraid to give themselves for years to the same project. Men who loved beauty and strength and thought the details worth the toil. I love to listen to the stories walls do tell, but my favorite stories are the ones the ceilings tell, with all their whispers of reaching the heavens. Oh love, one day I'd like to sit in these places, and let them be part of our story. Alas, perhaps they'll just be part of mine, and I'll share those stories with you. Either way, they keep telling me to be content to build and build and build and not fear the slow process. To pay attention to the details, and to take time to listen to the stories others are wishing they could tell.

I don't have a lot of "comforts" at work.  The comforts that our office supplies, are my responsibilities generally.  As in Latte Fridays, which trust me I enjoy, but I also get to print out the form, make sure everyone writes down what they want (which is more of a pain than it should be and I've come more and more to the point of just telling people what they want.  No one seems to mind this oddly enough), and make the run.  Or, I started ordering and stocking the break room and fridge with snacks and sodas.  Why I decided to start doing that, I don't know.  I don't even drink soda.  But there's no going back now.  All this to say, there is one thing I consider a great pleasure and joy at work, a responsibility of mine that I have taken to the inth degree and have discovered no one gets more comfort from than me.  The moose.  He's been a reindeer, donned a bikini on the first day of summer, been a Husky, a leprechaun with pretty blond braids, he's been Lars (one of the attorneys), he's been a sunbather on Kristin's desk with a good book and a very tall margarita (he was then left hungover on the floor behind my desk the next Monday), whatever the season or celebration the LLF moose is there.  He's become a staple item for our seasonal and holiday decorations and I've been plotting the past two days about what the Moose will be for Halloween.  I think I've figured it out.  LBL says no one will get it, because he doesn't get it.  I'm really quite excited. :)

I'd like to try this.

Breakfast Pizza.

I think I've posted a photo or two from this shoot before (found it on greenweddingshoes originally), but the whole thing is sweet. The couple grew up along the west coast, and if I remember correctly ended up doing the shoot based on the items that were really in their car, and they chose the National Redwood Forest as their venue because of all their travels through.  I love their playfulness and the deep earthy colors that fill the whole frame, it's beautiful. 

Would you rather be sitting outside some cafe, or on a bench someplace on the West Bank, with your favorite coffee next to you, sometime in the fall or spring, in a sweater, reading a book... Or, on a beach someplace hot and beautiful in a bikini, reading a book..?  


 

This was the question of the day from LBL. We have a conversation similar to this once a week, where he tells me all about where I SHOULD be, and then gives me a handful of tapes and projects and emails.  : /  And then, I get to practice gratefulness for my life, and patience for the future. :)

Incredible shot.

This week is going to be a tough one.

Prayers happily accepted here.

Kristin is on vacation, and I couldn't be happier for her, or prouder of her for finally doing it.  But meanwhile, we're all a little scared here, and me among the most.  LBL goes a bit crazy when she leaves, and most often I get a double load of work, half of which I'm not trained to handle (not a paralegal).  This morning started off even worse than I expected.  I got completely discouraged and overwhelmed and freaked out - and then I got the opportunity to pray over myself, strengthen myself in the Lord, and choose peace.  So here we are. Almost two hours in to the first day.  We are going to survive this week.  I am not going to quit.  And I am more than a conqueror through Christ who strengthens me.  And furthermore, my sisters are going to have a MUCH needed vacation that will help them both press into this next season with a renewed joy, peace and passion.  This is going to be a good week.

I should be going to sleep, but I'm enjoying the family videos too much right now.  So far Christmas 2006, Family Camp 2007 and my Dad and my's 2007 road trip down the coast.  My family is ridiculous. And hilarious.  A bit terrifying.  And I love them.  Also, I was blonde once.  Twice.  Oh, and I am a smart...girl. ;)

This is the last pile of what has plegged me from the beginning at LLF.  Let's hope this time they really are the last.  Here's to the end of the Era of Closing Files.  Or at least, here's to hoping kid. ;)