May the adventure never end

After our last campsite by the creek we packed up and hit the ferry back into Seattle and drove back to our apartment. It was hard. We went on the trip with a lot of questions and came back from the trip with most of them unanswered. But we did come back with a bond, a fire in ourselves, energy, and the desire to seek harder. 

We were afraid of bringing Roslyn into our lives, we don't sit still very well and we're not very scheduled, starting off our family of 3 together as an adventure helped us prove we don't have to. It may look different than we think at times or not all go as planned but we really believe she can enhance all of that not remove it. 

We had to slow down on the trip, take breaks at beautiful waterfalls, naps near creeks, walking breaks at sunset, hike through some whiny times, it all helped us steep ourselves wholly in moments and be deeply grateful when it went as planned or better. Learn to be grateful and happy even when it totally didn't. We looked deep and found more patience and how to ask for more help. Roslyn and this road trip altered us and we feel so blessed to have gotten to take it but we're also not ready for it to be over.

Thanks to all who supported us in this and pray that we can find where we should seek next.

Wine Country & Apprehension

In another attempt to escape the smoke we headed to eastern Washington. Crossing back into Washington was a bit arresting. Roslyn was asleep in the back and I was up front with Joshua reading when he pointed out the state line sign. We were both quiet as Walter passed by it. We hadn't know what we'd feel or when but this small sign made us feel a lot- sadness, scared, confusion, a tightness. Walter and our family were now very close to home, which meant our trip was very close to over. It was hard to let that feeling go even though we had a week or so left. Running from the smoke, back in our state, trip almost over- it felt heavy. We didn't really shake it the rest of the trip. We had a good time but you could always feel it, the apprehension and not knowing how we would feel to be "home."

But all those deep feelings aside we headed into Walla Walla to a winery that looked like they'd let us in. We were unshowered, not wearing heels or floral dresses, and had a squirmy baby. By far the most dirtbag people in the winery but we had a lovely time pretending to smell and figure out the wine. After that we headed to a pizza joint and then out to a campsite late in the evening.

Family of 3

We've made it to a little over 3 weeks as a family of 3! We've been on lots of little adventures around Seattle so far, had some visitors, and learned a lot about our little lady.

-She's strong and already holds her head up pretty well so she likes to sit out facing everyone, not held like a baby

-Her little arms are so busy all the time that if you don't swaddle her she can't sleep.

-She's pretty fearless and likes to be zoomed around the apartment, Josh does a bit where she launches into space, orbits for a bit, then has a zooming reentry process

-She seems curious and is always looking around, focusing on the black and white books, wanting to see it all

-She likes noise, white noise, music, Josh playing guitar

-Roslyn sleeps really well at night and fights naptime, unless she's strapped to you with a wrap. If she's in a wrap she will pass out almost immediately.

Besides having to change her outfit multiple times most days she's basically the best. We'll keep her.

We're parents

Still very weird to hear someone say we're a "mom" and a "dad". We don't really like calling each other that, still feels foreign. But daughter, we love that word. We love that she's ours and a part of our family.

She has been such a great baby so far. Sleeps in 3 hour stretches at night, we're getting the hang of this breastfeeding thing. We were a little concerned about a goopy eye and some other things so we went back to the pediatrician, she's fine, but they told us she's now above her birthweight at only a week old! She's trying to hold her head up on her own. Had a rough night recently where she seems to be fending off gas, hoping she's better this morning.

She love music, when a record ends she'll fuss until someone flips it over or puts on a new one. We've been listening to all kinds of things, she seems to like it all. She also likes to be lifted up and down like she's on a constant elevator, our arms are paying for that one. And lastly, she is already trying to lift her own head up for periods of time. She likes to be upright so she can look around and appears very observant.

Ethical Fashion

Top from Elizabeth Suzann,

shoes from Olive Thomas shoes (etsy),

Jeans from Madewell

I've been curious about how to stop participating in fast fashion for awhile. After reading about how many lbs of clothes American's throw away a year, to sweat shops, to undervaluing creativity and design (which is a problem that affects my own job) and many other problems with how I've been buying/treating clothes I wanted to change.

I was curious how to waste less, support local/small designers, and save money.

I've come up with a few answers that I've enjoyed living into that I wanted to share.

Tank top from Thred Up

Pants from TopoDesigns

1. I sell or give away my clothing, using the stuff you really can't salvage as rags. I sell to local consignment shops and Thred Up or I drop off bags of clothes at Goodwill.

2. I've been trying to buy clothes of better quality. Real materials- wool, cotton, silk that are made with good construction. This allows my clothes to last longer so I don't have to keep replacing clothes that the wash destroys or that aren't scrubbable, I spill a lot. These pieces are usually more expensive so I don't get things like this often and I have mostly just been replacing basic pieces as my poorly made ones give out. Items include coats, jeans, trousers, sweaters, cardigans, basic staple dresses, and shoes.

Leather jacket -local thrift store

Wool sweater - Thred up

Hat- Lack of color

3. My favorite find was companies like Thred Up and Tradesy. They are like online thrift stores. The thrift stores in Seattle are heavily picked over but online they are hugeI love the idea of something someone else is done with being exactly what I'm looking for. I especially love that it means the items come a steep discount. Need a dress for a wedding- they have tons, for cheap, and for brands I couldn't afford otherwise. I also like these websites for trends. I don't want to spend a lot of money on a pattern I may not like in a year but I can spend $15 on a top that is gently used.

dress I got on Thred up for $23, original price $107.

(Also love that Thred Up tells you how much

money you saved, I blame my mom.

I love a good deal)

4. I've also been compiling a list of USA made designers that I like, designers that support ethical causes and groups, make clothing out of industry scrapes, or small handmade international shops. For about the last year I have been trying to only buy from and ask for clothes as gifts from these designers. I know it can seem like these are always expensive but I have found a wide range of designers and subscribe to their newsletters so I know when they have their change of season sales. Some of the brands below are a bit pricier, albeit stunning, but most have some really reasonably priced items!

skirt from Style Saint

cardigan from Everlane

Matterprints                                Krotchet Kids

some Current favorites:
Krochet Kids
Being Apparel
People Tree
Modavanti
Matter Prints
Temperate Co
Make it Good
AQ/AQ
Fallow
Thought
Reformation
Style Saints
Slum Love
Elizabeth Suzann
Up Down Across
Style Saint
Bluer
Albion Fit
The Palatines
Topo Designs

5. Maybe most importantly, I've also tried to shop less and not impulse buy at all. I don't go perusing stores at my lunch hour anymore and I don't subscribe to newsletters of stores I like but aren't ethical or sustainable. A really amazing tool I use to keep this in check is the Stylebook app.

It lets you put in all your clothing you own, make outfits out of them, follow how often you wear something, how much money per wear an item is, use a calendar to plan out your outfits for the month, pack for trips. I'm honestly a little obsessed! I also never have to wonder what I'm going to wear in the morning, I just look at my calendar. I can plan the whole month so that I know when I  have important meetings and need to wear my power skirt.

Besides how much fun it is- I put items in the remove category if I see I haven't worn it in 6 months. I see if I need to just rework outfits to like the item again or if it's really not me anymore. Then I grab all the items in the remove folder and sell or donate them. I've been trying to do this regularly as I define my style etc. I have a goal of # of clothes I'd like to get down to so I am seeing what I truly don't wear. I don't want to wear anything because I feel like I have to or because I didn't know what else to wear. I've loved knowing I feel like me and look the way I want in every outfit because I only save the outfits in the app that I like.

The other thing I do is bring in clothing items I think I want to purchase. I can see if I already have something like it. Does it go with my other clothes? Can I make multiple outfits with it? If I'm replacing something I look at the cost per wear. If it's really low it means I wear it a lot so it may make sense to spend more money and get a really good quality piece of that item.

tunic by Temperate Co

Necklace by local jewlry co

That is currently my strategy/take on ethical fashion. It seems to be constantly evolving. If you want to chat about it or the app I'd be 100% down to talk!

He's 28!

Happy birthday my Joshua!

 

This is probably one of the first pictures ever taken of us together. We were playing euchre in the dorms, obviously my team was getting beat.

I still feel the joy of this photo, of this time in our lives. We've known each other for 8 years and 6 months, and all I ever want is more time with you. You're the only person I never grow sick of and the only person who sees all the way inside me. I'll never forget the us in that photo and I can't wait for all the us's that we get to grow into together.

For that I'll make you a cake and force everyone to come drink in your honor :)

The nice part of Winter

 

This winter has been lovely.

 

Haven't posted much but we've been busy, just the ordinary kind of busy.

 

We've done double brunch weekends, brewery night with our small group, breakfast downtown with a visit to the map store with friends, last day happy hour for a coworker. We've been climbing a lot and making so many soups, playing games, and grabbing spontaneous pizza and beer with friends. Haven't written much but this winter has been one that feels full of friends and good company. Even trying to keep up with doing abs and legs workouts together twice a week, so far so good. I've been reading lots of books and Joshua took on a new work project. Been working on a few leather projects and Joshua's been playing a lot of guitar. So save for having taken many photos, I think it's right on track to be one of my favorite Seattle winters.

 

 

21015 in review

This year I think we would label as a year of adventure!

-we went on a 2 week trip to Paris-Porto-Lisbon-Morocco-Seville-Madrid-Barcelona
-the summer started early in Seattle and we were able to go on around 22 hikes
including a week long trip with my parents to Glacier
and hiking the Enchantments
-we had 5 visitors: Nick, James, Whitney & Allison, Andy & Lauren
-we were in around 11 states this year, some being: met up for a girls weekend in Chicago, spent time in FL for a wedding, Ohio for another wedding, spend Thanksgiving in Bend
-we both turned 27 and can no longer say we aren't in our late 20's
-I am on reading the 6th Harry Potter book to Joshua and hope to finish them all this year, held 4 Harry Potter parties to force my friend to see the movies
-& celebrated our 4 year anniversary!

We can honestly say we have no idea what is in store for this year.

That is scary, exciting, and hopeful.

Thanks for a great 2015 & CHEERS to 2016!


2014 review
2013 review
2012 review
2011 review

All the Dill Pickles

I adore pickles. I have and probably will again eat an entire jar by myself in a day. My cousin and I once grabbed my grandma's jar of pickles went to a back room, polished them off, and then proceeded to pass the jar back and forth sipping the juice. After that one year my grandma bought us torso sized jars of pickles for Christmas from Sam's Club. I will eat pickles and ice cream, un-pregnant, in the same sitting. You get it, I love pickles.

I've never made them before though myself. I started small with fridge pickles, where you don't actually can them. Added a little red pepper flakes and mmm they are crunchy and fresh and I have to exercise restraint not to finish them all off at once.

dill fridge pickles:
adapted from this

6-7 pickling cucumbers; sliced lengthwise into halves or quarters
bunch of fresh dill
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp black peppercorns
red pepper flakes
4 cups water
8 tbs white vinegar
3 tbs kosher salt
1   get out 2 large canning jars and add to each: 1 crushed clove of garlic, 1 tsp peppercorns, 1 pinch of red pepper flakes, and 2 sprigs of dill to the bottom of the jars
2   then add the cucumbers to the jars and pack tightly, but do not force
3   in a bowl stir together water, vinegar and salt, stir until salt is dissolved. Pour brine into each jar until completely covering cucumbers
4   then add a few more sprigs of dill to the top of each jar
5   put the lids on and refrigerate for 2 days before opening, during the initial 12 hours of cooling shake the jars periodically to get the most flavor
they last for 2 months in the fridge

Oh my Heatstroke

I know Cincinnati, you're hot & humid in the summer, but I thought I escaped you. I ran to the opposite side of the country where humidity in summer is a max of 30% and some summers I don't even have to wear shorts. I enjoy the sunshine and warm weather and don't sweat through a shirt the second I walk out the door, I can even leave my hair down!

Not this summer, Seattle you're killing me. Yes I'm being a giant wimp. Accepted & I'm still going to whine.

2  weekends ago 97!Most places in Seattle and almost all apartments, including ours, don't have air conditioning. We hung out at our place after we dropped off the ladies until we were laying on our floor and had no other solutions to evade the heat. Of course that meant we ended up at a brewery with a cross breeze. It was delicious and much easier to want to have a conversation there. Seattle if you give me cold beers and cross breezes I'll try to stop whining.

But dinner, oh cooking in the summer is the worst. I invited a friend over for dinner Monday and strolling through the store felt hot just looking at things to cook. Then in a moment of genius most people have already had I thought salad bar! Grabbed a bunch of fun veggies and mini head of lettuce, naan, and feta spread and walked home happy to only be chopping for dinner.

It turned out delicious, filling and easy. Again, I'm sure most people already do this but I like to make things harder than they need to be so this felt like a real win for me.

4 Year Anniversary

photo by the amazing Samantha's Studio, website here

For my birthday this year Joshua wrote me a letter, a five page letter. He's a beautiful writer and able to express all that my heart feels in words. I'll never be able to capture my feelings on paper the way he can so I'm going to steal how he started off the letter:

"I don't know what to say about how I feel about you right now. I am thinking back over the last near-decade we've know each other and there is just so much. You are so much more than I ever expected to get out of life"


I love you my Joshua, and thank goodness you accept my show of love, affection, appreciation, admiration & excitement that I find in you and our marriage in forms other than words.

S'mores Brownies

My mom used to make these for all of us.
 One time she asked my younger sister if she wanted to make s'mores brownies with her...
...she responded, mom how can we make more if we don't have any...
...mom, not some more brownies, s'more brownies...
...sister still deeply confused until my mom actually showed her the ingredients
It was adorable and luckily the brownies were made, and then engulfed.

Brownies may be a favorite dessert of mine, nothing beats licking all the brownie batter out of the bowl, Nothing!

 

Pondering what to make for our potluck this week I realized I'd never made these for all my out west friends. So I went for it, but wanted to try making it all from scratch because on Monday nights I get crazy ideas and halfway through realize that they are in fact crazy but it's too late. Me and the group of people that demolished these though agree they are probably worth it. Also all of the pieces can be made ahead of time to help.

S'mores Brownies:

Brownies:

1/2 cup butter
8 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar; lightly packed
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup flour
3 tbs cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup dark or semisweet chocolate chips

1   in a small saucepan melt butter, then stir in chocolate chips until all melted and incorporated
2   remove from heat and pour into large bowl and let cool for about 5-7 minutes, preheat oven to 350 degrees F
3   mix sugar and brown sugar into chocolate mixture, then mix in eggs one at, mix in vanilla
4   then fold in flour, cocoa, and salt only until mostly incorporated
5   then stir in additional chocolate chips
6   pour into a greased 9x9 baking dish and bake for 30-35 minutes, a toothpick should come out clean









































Bourbon Marshmallows:

1/2 cup warm water
3 1/4oz packages of gelatin
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup water
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbs bourbon
confectioners sugar or cornstarch for dusting

1    spread oil with a paper towel inside of a 9x9 baking dish and then sprinkle with confectioner's sugar until covered and set aside
2   pour warm water into large bowl and sprinkle gelatin over it so that all the gelatin is touching the water's surface and let sit
3   in a saucepan place sugar, corn syrup, salt and water over medium-high heat and stir until sugar is all melted
4   then stir in vanilla and then let sit undisturbed on heat until candy thermometer reaches 240 degrees F, soft ball stage
5   remove mixture from heat and let bubbles dissipate some, fix mixer with whisk attachement
6   then start mixer with gelatin mixture in it on low and slowly drizzle the sugar mixture down the side of the bowl into the gelatin
7   once all the sugar mixture is incorporated start to turn the mixer up to high and whisk for about 5 minutes so that the mixture is sticky and fluffy white and the mixture forms thin ribbons when lifted. Then whisk in the bourbon
8   immediately pour mixture into 9x9 pan evenly and using a wet finger smooth out the top if need be
9   set out at room temperature, uncovered for at least 4 hours, or overnight, then cut into cubes

 

Graham Crackers:
from here

1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup whole-wheat flour           
1/2 cup untoasted wheat germ (found in stores that sell grains in bulk bins)
1/2 tsp salt 
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup butter; room temp
3/4 cup light brown sugar; lightly packed
2 tbs agave syrup or honey       

1   in a large bowl mix together flours, wheat germ, salt, baking soda & cinnamon
2   in another bowl beat together butter and sugars, then slowly beat in flour mixture until incorporated
3   on a floured surface turn out dough and separate into 4 balls
4   roll out each ball to be about 6"x9" rectangles about 1/8" thick, then cut dough with pizza cutter or knife into about 1 1/2" x 3" rectangles, pierce each cracker a few times with the tines of a fork
5   place rolled out dough in fridge for 30 minutes
6   preheat oven to 350 degrees F and bake crackers until dark golden brown on top, 10-12 minutes
7   remove from oven and let cool at least 5 minutes, then break the crackers apart as desired

Assembly:

1   place oven on broil and cover brownies with marshmallow cubes
2   broil until tops of marshmallows are golden brown
3   remove and top with a layer of graham crackers
4   use your perfect little lines formed by the crackers to cut adorable s'more brownies out for everyone