Elliott's 3rd Birthday

Happy Birthday, Elliott! You are 3.

Between trips to Ithaca and Southern California, we planned an impromptu 3rd Birthday for Elliott with friends and family. Just good food, friends, babies, and a kid's swimming pool full of bubbles :)

Birthday 2013 and 2014

Today is my 29th birthday! I went walking with my boys and planted seeds - giant sunflowers for Elliott, Cerinthe major 'purpurascens' for the bees, and a seed mix to improve soil and insect populations....should be good. Tonight, we planned to go to Yogurtland as a family, but a few hours before we went, I uncharacteristically mass messaged my local friends to see who might want to join us. I was very happy I did; it is great to celebrate with friends and this year I wasn't able to host my annual mushroom themed birthday party potluck due to tiny home/ongoing remodel/new baby.
A picture from tonight:

And some pictures from last year's mushroom party:
My dear Adam made something of his own volition for the potluck! (Pastrami and cheese on toast)

The famous mushroom log cakes. This year's flavor combos were hazelnut with orange marmalade filling and almond with cardamom filling.

An early shot of the mushroom potluck...

Thank you friends!

At 29, I am now older than my older sister ever was: Briana died almost 3 years ago, right before her 29th birthday.

Birthday Yardwork

For my 28th Birthday last week, Adam and I and some friends fixed up our yard!
Before (actually, during):

After:

I was tired of looking at the giant yard debris heap built up from last year (below),

and wanted more flat, usable space in our slightly sloping backyard...so, I decided to use the logs and sticks as walls for terraces, supported by re-bar. It worked quite well. We used every scrap in the debris heap to build and shape the terraces. Now I just need to finish the top with plant-able soil/compost and we are in business!

In just 2 hours, we made 2 "terraces" on the right side (above); and then Adam and I spent the rest of the day making  one on the left side (below); making a compost area using a pallet; and washed the Argosy. It was amazing.

Thank you, friends! We could not have done it without you!

We (Cydney) also found a secret egg nest of 16 eggs! we water tested them and they were all good :)

 Elliott had the time of his life running around with our friend's daughter, digging in the mud with shovels, and eating jelly beans.

I love how it turned out; you wouldn't guess how drastically it has improved my quality of life...and the chickens'.

Friends and Antiques

Friends and Antiques always go well together :)

Today, i spent time in the cute town of Snohomish with some childhood family friends. We browsed the many vintage and antique stores including the Star Center Antique Mall. Marisa and Chanel were hunting for blue glass Mason jars and silver candle sticks - which they found. I am always hunting for cheap and cool furniture, but didn't find any.

I did find this beautiful green floral print linen table cloth ($20).

Today, my favorite things were these old steamer chests with drawers and hangers! Then you can pack all your clothes and have a mini closet when you arrive. These chests bring a new, positive meaning to the phrase "living out of a suitcase."

.....I don't think you can fly with them, unfortunately.

I also had my eye on this lobster pull along toy for Elliott, but didn't get it ($35).

I fell in love with this beautiful, silk chiffon Edwardian/Titanic Era style dress ($225). I love the emerald color and attached capelet!

I did not buy, but took some photos to remember :)

I should have bought these 6 cups with saucers (only $6!)

I like the colors of this wool embroidered bedspread:

Here is a pretty fern gate - I would love to have something like this someday.

batik print banner!

The first success in my new mission to complete my nearly 100 unfinished projects....

It's a celebration banner made from beautiful batik scraps made by my friend, Annalisa, from my visit to St John, US Virgin Island. When I was working at the the textile studio there, this seemed like the best way to capture the bright variety of color and design in Annalisa's batik. These are all on retired bedsheets from Maho Bay Camps.

Darrington 4th of July

For our second trip in the Argosy, we drove north to Darrington at the Northern end of the Mountain Loop Highway. We arrived the night before the 4th of July and met our friends, Stephanie, Gabe, and their little Stella.

We camped at Cold Creek at the start of the Mountain Loop Highway. There was a beautiful, wide riverbed full of moss covered rocks:

We ate fish salad for dinner and Elliott discovered Otter Pops (love his hand position...zen moment):

The next day we ate crepes for breakfast filled with ricotta cheese and sliced oranges.

Then we headed out for a hike. Gab and Adam wanted to climb Green Giant Buttress, so Stephanie and I took our time on the approach since we had babies and then wouldn't have to wait as long for the men to finish.

Unfortunately, by the time the boys got near the base of the climb, they realized there wouldn't be enough daylight to finish the route, so they decided to wait for us and eat lunch all together.

Gabe set up a rope to help us cross the stream while Adam walked along the trail toward us to make sure we hadn't turned around.

The hike was through thick bush and trees along an old mining trail. We saw old water pipe and machinery from their operations.

A nurse log:

Crossing the stream was fun!

The view from the other side was gorgeous:

What a wonderful place to eat lunch:

Elliott enjoying the river rocks:

We watched the Darrington town firework show from our Argosy in the high school parkinglot:

In the morning we were on the road early to get back to work (after figuring out how to dump our black water...)

To many more adventures.....

Ingalls Peak III

Our first trip in the Argosy was to Ingalls Peak - one of our favorite places to hike, climb, and camp.

Here is Adam, driving the Argosy:

Our huge windows make for great views of the Pacific Northwest. I think my favorite part about the Argosy is driving around looking at everything. It feels significantly different than in a car :)

Elliott loved being forward-facing for the first time. He stared at Adam, who was driving, for about 20 minutes.

Dinner in the Argosy is usually quesadillas, beans, guacamole, chips, and salsa or fish salad.

This time to Ingalls, we met up with Adam's friend from Elementary School, Tim Starr and his wife, Kelly. They have been travelling the country with their trailer and skiing for the last few months. Luckily, it worked to meet up with them while they were stationed at Mt. Rainier.

In the morning, Adam and Tim hiked ahead of us so they could climb the South Ridge of Ingalls North Peak. Elliott and I hiked with Kelly, and it was fun to get to know her.

Elliott and I at the pass with Mount Stuart in the background. Yes, I hiked like an idiot with this shoulder bag. It was easier to carry Elliott in the Ergo, but it has no storage...

Elliott wore his fleecy layers:

Ingalls lake beginning to melt:

A sneaky goat came up behind us:

For breakfast we ate a giant fruit salad: