nothing much

Don't have much to report in these neck of the woods.  This last weekend Oly and I drove with Julee and Zoe to visit the boys in Kettle Falls.  It's quite a drive... like pretty close to Canada... about 4.5 hours in the car with little dude :)  He did pretty good for a boy who only wants to RUN RUN RUN.

Just a few pics to share --

1. Steve and Oly at the sampling station, right after Oly bounced his poor little face off the chip seal :(  Poor buddy.  Note the bloody nose, fat lip, and bruised forehead.   Wasn't his first digger, nor will it be his last I am sure.

2 and 3. Olaf is eating his grilled cheese and milk in the truck.  He REFUSED to wear hearing protection so there was no way I was letting him out :)  [well he was actually asleep for the first 2 hours] We were up at a gravel pit shooting all of Rene and Julee's sweet guns.  It was SO MUCH FUN!  I actually got the hang of the 22 handgun.  Hoping that someone posts some of the close up shots on FB so I can repost them here so you all can see just how redneck I am becoming.  Just kidding, you already know! 

Yay, Monday is OVER!!

Wondering if it will snow tonight??

fall days

Steve hasn't been home for more than 24 hours since Labor Day weekend (3 nights, mostly spent sleeping)... boo.  But I did just find these pics from that weekend when we had our lovely guests the Sorensens over for 3 days of rain rain go away... and good fellowship, talks, lattes, garage sales and wine.  Yum.

 

 

Stopped over at the folks place this last week when my car was sputtering/stalling/in bad shape so Dad could change the spark plugs... ended up going to the mechanic instead :)  Luckily, $350 later, I have new spark plugs, wires, and valve covers.  Apparently I am lucky my car didn't kaput at a stoplight 6 months ago with the condition of my spark plugs.  Who knew all the cylinders firing at the right time depended on 4 little pieces of metal?  Anyway, caught these pictures of Oly while Grandpa was looking under the hood of the Subaru.

Started my FIRST FIRE in the fireplace Thursday night... IT.WAS.AWESOME.  Felt like fall, winter, cozyness... I loved it.  Only wishing Steven was here to share it with me... just a few more weeks and he will be!

I have thought multiple times since Steve started his business and traveling so much... WAIT A MINUTE - I GOT MARRIED SO I DIDN"T HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS!  Aka car breakdowns, cutting and putting up my own Christmas tree, plumbing backups and the creepy roto rooter man, shoveling mountains of snow, frozen pipes, chopping kindling to start a fire, attending weddings solo... but you know, I think it is just making me stronger and tougher.  You just learn to deal with it, and find people to help you out.  And BOY do I have more respect for single moms/dads, and those who have spouses deployed in the military...  it's not easy doing it all on your own.  YOU GUYS ROCK.   I don't know how you do it.

Happy Fall weekend folks, hope it is FANTASTIC and you are enjoying watching and feeling the season changing!

laugh.love.live

Last Friday (7.ten.09) was Steve and my 5th anniversary. We don't have a ton of money at this moment in our lives so we kept it simple, and did something we haven't done in a LONG time - went climbing! We hit up XY crack after I got off work. I was quickly reminded how I am alternately exhilarated by, and terrified of, climbing. (really it's the falling)

This would be right before the falling takes place.

This would be after the falling takes place... Yes I am flexing. Yes I realize that is an impossibly small bicep. Whatever.

It was AWESOME to get outside and PLAY! Picking up Olaf all the time has definitely toned my biceps/triceps, but has done absolutely zip zilch nada for my finger and hand strength. Hence the falling and scraping of the elbow seen above.


After a quick wash-up in the Icicle River down by 8-mile rock, we headed to my favorite Leavenworth restaurant, South, for a nice romantic dinner. Apparently I momentarily forgot that in a (very) small town there are no private romantic dinners.... but we had a GREAT time eating supper with Dave and Christie, and their friends Becca and Andy, Becca's parents, and their other friends Jen and Andy Barber. While listening to live local music, outside, white lights above... It was great. We were happy to spend the evening with eachother, good friends and a lot of laughter.

Love you hub.
You make me smile.
And make me feel good about myself.
You take care of me and Olaf.
And everything else. (Exept the bills. and cooking. i do those)
I. LOVE. YOU.
!!!

weekend

We were so happy to have Steven home for the weekend! We drank coffee (me and Steve, not Olaf), talked about cast iron woodstoves and pendant lights, ate a home-cooked meal, saw our good friends the Cohens, and went for a walk together with the dogs.

Olaf got some quality daddy time in too. It was fantastic and needed, as always. Apparently after this 7th straight week of work in Tri-Cities, Steve will be home for at least a week, yay! My "honey do" list has begun...

mini steven

Oly looks just like his daddy - everyone says so :) I think maybe he has my eyes? Color anyway. Every now and then he scrunches his face just right and I think he looks like my dad, but most of the time he is a Steve look-alike. I think it's very cute.

So I am thinking that he can't possible look any MORE like Steve... but I was proven wrong! He finally fits into his peewee sized carhartt overalls - and the effect is quite adorable if I do say so myself! Steve had to put his hands in his pockets, but he left them there and just enjoyed hanging out like a real man. Since (also like his father) his torso is long but legs are short, he will have rolled up pants for awhile I think.