I should be packing...

... But I'll share these photos instead.

 Hashtag Northwest is Best!

Camping Big Meadow Lake. A free camping site close to the Canadian border. We camped here last year too. (Because free and trees and yes)

Summer to do list:

Oh hi! Disappeared on you for a bit there. Mostly because I've been going through a weird phase where I think every written sentence sounds stupid and pointless. Not fishing for encouragement (well kind of), because I know it's just a phase and I'll get over it and continue to ramble on.

I've also recently started my new job. All I can say so far, is that I feel like I'm exactly where I should be, and I haven't felt that way in a loooooong time. I hope to write about my experience in unemployment/under-employment/free lance/ 'dunno what I want to be when I grow up' soon. It's been a difficult and useful phase and I finally feel like I'm on the other side.

Just as a disclaimer, I refer to the above in terms of career path. I can assure you, I'm most definitely married to the right man and am at total peace about living in Spokane. Although, I really should write a post about the very real 'post-visiting-your-home-country-depression' something I wasn't expecting to deal with, but then did, and now I'm okay.

Woah, I actually just showed up today to share my summer to do list. Welcome, welcome gorgeous Northwest Summer, I was totally made for you and you for me. I promise you won't hear me complain about the heat. I love the heat! Also, it's just not acceptable to be one of those people who complain about the weather at all times.

This Summer will look a little different than our first care free, newlywed, newly immigrated summer and I can't tell you that I've had time to be sad about that. I'm so ready for the 'to-do' list that lays ahead. Moving boxes, puppies, office hours! Let's do it!

This summer I will:

-Do my best to introduce more watermelon to daily life. Ever since Pinterest taught me that I could scoop my watermelon with an ice-cream scoop I've been obsessed.

-Diligently watch every  Cesar Millan episode for new dog ownership tips.

-Also find the new member to the family to apply above mentioned tips. 

-Wear my new bright orange lipstick like it's nobodies business

- Embrace the after work hike. I want to go back here often.

-Weekend camping. Duh. It will take a few months to build up leave again, so we'll need to embrace the weekend quickies.

-Gardening and composting, because that's what you get excited about after living in balcony-less, big-windows-opening-less apartment for so long.

-Paint my front door yellow.

-Move into house with yellow door.

-Try a new ice-cream flavor until the end of July.

-Try to remember to wear sunscreen. Drink more water. Eat more salads.

-Run in the mornings before work. I did it this morning for the first time and now feel superior to all, also, it will very soon just be too hot to go in the afternoons... and I'll need to keep running if I want to justify all the ice-cream flavors I NEED to try this season.

-Find and purchase a grill for our backyard and BRAAI, BRAAI, BRAAI (bbq) ALL THE THINGS!

-All of them.

One last thing: YAY summer!


Photos are all from my iphone, edited with Vscocam. Follow me on Instagram here, it's fun I promise.

Friday thoughts

A few recent thoughts:

"It's summer! It's summer! It's summer! It's summer!"

"Apartment Therapy, why can't I quit you?!"

"I should probably write a post here about how we're buying a house"

"I should also probably write a post here about how I (finally after months and months of passionate patience and tears and frustrations) got a job that I'm really, really excited about starting next week"

"Shall I clean the house today and take photos of our first apartment together"

"Shall I post those pictures here?"

"It's summer!"

"When will we lift the ban on 'dog adoption websites' so we can find our third member of the family?" 

"Really loved this piece on 'happiness' as shared by Cup of Jo. Happiness is not the end goal, and I'm over the pressure of trying to be happy all the time, wholeness is better."

"What will I find in my planned Goodwill shopping tomorrow morning"

"Because I should find more modest clothes"

"Because my new job will not appreciate skinny jeans"

"I love skinny jeans"

"Hoping I win Katie's Russian Treats giveaway. Hoping you don't enter so my chances are better, or hoping you win and will share your bounty with me" 

"Am I the only person in the world that thinks 'The Goldfinch' is overrated and boring?"

"It's time for some Jane Austen next"



What's been on your mind lately? Happy weekend.