Our Last Week at Home

The summer sped by, as it always does. But, the last week and a half allowed us to spend quality time with family and do things we really enjoyed. Cory spent his last week backpacking with his brother, Jer, and I spent my last week at home with mom. Both of us had a great time.

Mom and I took a mosaic art class and each created a mosaic mirror. They turned out awesome. I would post a photo, but I left it at home this summer. We also went to see Mama Mia! which was a blast. There was a woman sitting next to me who was a devout follower of anything to do with the show because she could not contain herself the entire time we were watching the movie. She was seriously fanatical. I've never seen anything like it. She would suddenly leap from her chair, clasp her hands together and whoop. Then, she would laugh hysterically. Then she would say something like, "Oh, I just LOVE it!" or "Sweeeeet!" or "Niiiice." Seriously, throughout the whole movie, this is what she said and did. I am not even exaggerating. As we were leaving the theater, I told mom that "somebody REALLY enjoyed the show" and we could not stop laughing for the next 20 minutes. We had appetizers and drinks at the Matador, then went to visit Devin's (Amanda's brother) new apartment overlooking the Ballard Locks. Mom and I also got some more good walks in down by the water, some Happy Hour nibbles and drinks at Anthony's, our weekly viewing and voting of So You Think You Can Dance and just enjoyed our time together. Also during that week, I went on the Seattle Food Tour with Flo, a good friend of mine since middle school. The tour just started a little over a year ago and was fantastic. Such a fun local thing to do. We sampled about 30 different foods and drinks, learned a little history about Pike Place Market and left wanting to do another tour. There's always next summer . . . Last, but not least, I stocked up on all my scrapbooking gear because this year, I'm getting SERIOUS! I am GOING to finish my wedding and Egypt albums. And then some. I must.

This post wouldn't be complete without a few family shots. It was just so wonderful seeing dad (if only for a few days), gpa and Grammie. Mom has better photos and do not laugh or comment on my sunburned face (from our climb on Rainier).




Meanwhile . . .

Jeremy and Cory went on a five-day backpacking extravaganza in Gifford Pinchot National Forest. They had intended on hiking some of the high country in the Goat Rocks Wilderness area around the Pacific Crest trail, but again, were denied due to the freakish amount of snow still hanging around for late July (trails were still completely buried at 4600 feet when Cory called the day they left!). With “Plan B” in effect, the boys hiked up the North Fork of the Lewis River, passing the falls area and then headed up Quartz Creek. For four nights and five days, the boys hiked and frolicked among the trilliums while honing their bear and cougar dancing rituals respectively at night around the campfire. The routines still needed a bit of work as they only allowed these magnificent creatures to be heard but not seen, thus allowing the boys the opportunity of not going through a precious pair of clean boxers prematurely. Then again, if that happened, they would have to rename Quartz Creek. At the end of their backpacking trip, they were greeted with a smashed window back at the parking lot. Niiiice.