I'll be back soon

a week long visit from my parents, a nasty cold, general uninspired-ness has left this space a little thin these last few days. I'll be back soon. I miss you and want to tell you things.

My first 4th of July celebration: Throwback Thursday

Throwback Thursday.

I don't know why throwback Thursday is a thing, but it's Thursday, Independence Day and I want to share with you these photos of my first 4th of July celebration in Hanoi. I think the year is 2010.

It was all appropriately happening at The American Club (I think), there was this military band, a buffet, Budweiser beer, circus performers that included: snake guy, hula hoop girl and monkeys on bikes.  Because, you know, America!

Little did I know this was only the beginning of all thing 'Murican...

I can not tell you the disappointment I feel for not having monkeys on bike photos for you. (Come on Lanette!)

Big Meadow Lake

Hiking Wandering around Big Meadow Lake.

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Big Meadow Lake, the details: (Because sometimes I like being useful around here)

Where: Colville National Forest. I'd say under a two hour leisurely drive from Spokane, WA

Cost: Free, camp sites are on first come first set up basis.

What's there: Hiking trails, a lake, a look out tower, 16 campsites- some with lake views, others more private, boat launch, fishing dock with benches.

 What isn't there: Electricity, garbage disposal, swimming areas (leeches!), a paved road to get there. An obnoxious camp leader- we read some reviews that stated otherwise.

Each campsite has: a fire pit and a picnic table, there's an outhouse for every section of the campsite. 

Personal recommendations: Bring mosquito repellent, although there really wasn't as many as we had expected. Bring dry fire wood (from the area), wood in the camp tends be on the damp side. Bring own water. Take a walk around the lake, highly recommended. The earlier you get there the better chance you'll have to pick your ideal campsite, not all sites are created equal here. We arrived around 12am and had plenty to choose from. Bring extra eggs to toss at the ridiculous RV with a generator. 

Pets: Yes

We really enjoyed spending the night here, but I've told you about that already.

A few more useful photos:

half the year, ice cold water, some goals

I'm only half surprised that we've hit the half year mark. It's just so like a year to swoosh on by and leave you recovering from a hot summers day. I don't really mind it. If a major life change like getting married and changing hemispheres have taught me anything, it's to take life day by day. Eat the elephant one bite at a time so to speak. My favorite day to take on is one that involves Ben, our little car and the open road, new places, the promise of stopping for a drink, sunscreen and summer. This past weekend was all of the above.
The half year mark today is challenging me to reflect on what goals I have for the rest of year. I'll share some of them:
/Get my WA drivers license already
/Run a half marathon
/Learn to take better photos
/Join something
/Something about getting a real job, but that's a little trickier to talk about today
/Have a 'Christmas in July' party.

You're very welcome July.

The Friday Distraction

I say Friday even though I'm posting this Thursday. Bookmark me, and come waste your Friday afternoon hours with these links, I invite you.

Also, talking about Friday makes me feel like it's the weekend already, and I'm needing to feel that round about now. (this week is so OVER)

These things:

Making this lemon zest cake is a priority.

Lately I've fallen in love with the Marie Antionette soundtrack all over again. It's amazing, classic one minute, indie rock the next.

Really enjoyed this post by my friend Total TamNation, I think a few 20somethings will find this oh so very easy to relate to.

Love this quote on 'wonder'. 

Soooo, I'm kind of famous. As you'll see here on this website.  I'm so embarrassed, or I should just say that right? I'm actually really amused, my first paid gig in the USA.

Speaking of my fine accomplishments, here my first published article in a while. It's about a start up craft distillery in Delaware. (See page 20-21)

I want this dress!

I adore Rachel from Smile and Wave's home, see it here on Apartment Therapy (I wish I never discovered this website)

a Beautiful post on tree planting in Mozambique.

Lastly, prepare to waste an embarrassing amount of time on 'Man Men with things drawn on them', only cool if you're a Mad Men groupie.

We have dreams of another camping trip this weekend, if nothing else we hope to find a lake to go splash around in like the locals do. Rumor has it temperatures will reach into the triple digits.

21 things I didn't expect would make me this happy: The housewife edition

Let's just say I didn't grow up with real chores like most normal kids. Well at least normal American kids. We had a cleaning lady for most of my life so scrubbing and ironing and stain removal doesn't not come natural to me.

Now I'm married, working, uhm, let's say 'freelance', and have my very own kitchen. It's been a learning experience...
Sometimes I read 'cleaning tips' in the Real Simple and I'm like "What?! I didn't know you have to clean that".

Anyway, in these last few months I've found the strangest joy in the strangest places. I always thought traveling, good food, girl talk, camping and sleeping in made me happy... I mean it does, but I didn't think new dishwashing liquid that smell of orange blossoms would make me equally happy.

Here are a few more happy makers:

1  A new pair of yellow gloves

2 First time recipe attempt success

3 Second time recipe attempt success

4 Easy Iron shirts

5 Finding that a certain clothing item doesn't have to be ironed at all.

6 Going out to eat. Nothing tastes as good as having a clean kitchen in the morning.

 7 Clean and warm post dryer laundry love. That's a thing right?

8 When I can cover an oven dish in foil well enough so that I don't have to wash it afterwards and just toss out the foil. Major accomplishment around here.

9 Successfully growing herbs

10 When dinner can also be left over lunch the next day. Score!

11 Non Stick Anything

12 The smell of bleach, the smell of success.

13 When all the socks in the laundry basket match up. This might have only happened once. IN MY LIFE

14 Making up this house rule where the bed doesn't need to be made on weekends.

15 Dusting.

16 When clothes pass the 'sniff test', less laundry to do! yay.

17 That satisfying sense of achievement  once all the floors are swept .

18 An empty trash can.

19 Finding enough quarters to do the laundry

20 Fresh flowers everywhere is a sure highlight.

21 This new shower curtain

 Isn't life just the weirdest?


 

Camping and marriage

You know, a pleasant surprise? Like buying a second hand book and finding someone left a 20 dollar note inside, a forgotten bookmark maybe. Paying for economy, getting the bump up to business class. Waking up and it's a Saturday not a work day. Buying one and getting a whole other one for free, unexpectedly!

I don't really know how this feels, but I can tell you about the most pleasant of surprises. Marrying this handsome guy, discovering how much you both love camping AFTER the wedding.
Ben and I met in Vietnam, we didn't do outdoorsy things there, we lived in South Africa together briefly, did a few more outdoorsy things but not really. Spent a year in a long distance engagement, so, as you can imagine, not much outdoors action going on there.
Till we get married, we survive the wild Northwestern never ending winter, finding a passionate love for being outside, being outside together, and more recently camping.
Ben didn't know marrying me that I'd happily deal with sleeping on the ground, brave outhouses, smell like mosquito repellant and miss a shower here and there for the pure joy of camping. We freaking love it!


A most happy surprise we have been to each other.

This is us camping rustic style in Big Meadow Lake over the weekend.

How cool are our orange chairs? Ben won them in an office draw a day before our camping trip. So bright and kind of tacky, I love them!