Travel.

I love to travel. But almost more than I love to travel I love to pack/plan to pack for travel! Packing is just the greatest. Putting all your excitement into what earrings you're going to take with you is fantastic! I never write down all the things I learn each time I travel and I make the same mistakes- taking the sweater that wrinkles- every time. So next time I've vowed to do it perfectly. Research!


Like reading other people's packing lists.


The savvy travelers list.


And on accident a pinterest board.


And Buzzfeed's packing lists. Also this helpful diagram.

MISC.

This weekend: finishing a baby blanket for a mama who's already dilated... got to get on that! Finishing Christmas shopping, cuddling with kitten katten, and zucchini bread. Sounds like a plan to me! And packing to see Heather in a couple of weeks. Hurrah! Finally!

Currently reading a book about rowing with all of Kitsap County. So far Joshua loved it and I'm on page 18 with no complaints!


Do you love Outbreak? I'm not about to watch it with the mess in Liberia but I love Outbreak.


Nate Berkus fabric at Joanns. I cover everything.


Sparkly bracelets.


Interesting post on Volvo.. my first two cars were Volvo's and when we have disposable income my car will be a Volvo. I like there design best and now that I've read some things about their safety I'm all in.


I will be buying this rug.


A nice TED radio hour: happiness. The section I heard was on being in the moment and not letting your mind wander all the time.

Mom the Builder.

I have one tiny collection that started somehow and will most likely never end- jars. All matching. My mom is not helping the issue (what a good mom) and now they've taken over my counter. My tiny two square feet of counter. SO, good mom built me some shelves. I'd say she helped me build some shelves but I knew how to do nothing! I don't love the brackets but I love that all my jars lined up so neatly!

Now to figure out how to take decent photos.
In sad news, we finished 30 Rock. Worst ever.

Secret: All my jars but two. It's out of control.

Nature.

We went camping last weekend! We went to Olympic National Park (which is enormous) and camped at Staircase. That's the very bottom of OLP but there are almost a million acres of park! We learned about mustelids and old growth forests from Ranger Jeff every night and went on meandering hikes and   soaked our toes in the river. It was the only damp weekend of the summer (our luck) but it was still great fun. Nothing like sitting around a fire with family. The only thing missing was a twangy guitar and someone singing from Three Amigos! 

Wise camping words.

6/12

One of my goals for the year is to try 12 new recipes... you know, one a month. Today I completed recipe 4! But now I'm on a roll and I think I'll pound out another couple couple this month and be caught up no problem. Cooking/baking/mixing drinks together is surprisingly fun!

Anyway, I made this cake, which if you use regular flour requires only a couple of new ingredients to make. It wasn't quite at pretty as hers but I don't think it would make one of those pinterest fail posts either!

1. Starbucks hack.

2. This recipe is bananas!

3. Potatoes (the only repeat request from Joshua so far).

4. CAKE!!!

5. Chicken.

6. Spritzer.

I'm pretty sure there is one more that escapes me... ah well. More cooking. Also, I understand that drinks are slightly cheating but I'm not even bothered. I'm making bread tonight and will one day brave this cake. It's a recipe from Rich Table and it's the best cake I've ever had. EVER. With peaches and homemade ice cream and I need to be back in SF to eat it every night. After we got home I googled olive oil cake and their recipe came up! It's Christmas! For olive oil cake.

Dishtowels.

Anyone else love dishtowels? Come on, I know you do! I've decluttered our house pretty successfully but I haven't cut one dishtowel out of rotation! Having thirty dishtowels means you can stop using them when you should, not when you've done a load of laundry. Completely worth it.

I bought a Nordstrom one (ridiculous I know) and next month I'm adding these pretty 50th anniversary towels to the collection (they are camo and fantastic). If you are going to bring things into the house they should be beautiful. Cue my hatred of our trashcans. But settling takes time- maybe forever.