october coast

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

October is our favorite time to visit the deserts of southern Utah.  It is amazing and perfect and just really the best time to go.  We've been missing it especially this year, which is sad because we live so far away.

But we are making the most of our new tradition of going to the Oregon coast in October.
I mean, okay, it's pretty nice there too :)

last year :: cannon beach

cannon beach

 

 

 

 

 

 

We took a little trip to the Oregon coast last week.  I really wanted to have a little last hurrah before baby boy comes and things get more complicated, and I'm so so sooo glad we made it happen!  We fit so much into our trip (including a three hour stop at ikea--poor Evan!), and I hope to be visiting again soon.

p.s.  This happened while we were gone.  Even though we hadn't known each other very long, I had grown rather fond of mr. tree limb and am sorry to see him go :(  

This little sweetie has a hyperactive firework phobia.  It is actually pretty heartbreaking, the smallest *pop* will send him scampering into the tightest space he can find (usually just his fat head under the bed) and then he gets the scaredy-shakes for the rest of the night.  Boo.  So we have started heading to the mountains for the fourth of July, as far away from the fireworks as we can get.  I know, big sacrifice!  

We went to the Wallowa Mountains in Oregon and goodness gracious--that place was alarmingly green!  Our backpacking trip got cut a day short after finding out the lake we were headed to was still iced over and so we spent a chilly night sleeping between giant snowbanks.

Family photo!  We had stopped for an m&m break and Gesso decided it was time for a nap.  Don't be worried that I have a tube sticking out of my head and that Evan is looking a little creepy.

And then our camera died...

 ...good thing my phone was in the car!  We had a lovely picnic at Wallowa Lake

This place was so much better then fireworks!  You're welcome Gesso!

catching up: Lolo, Montana

We spent a few nights in Lolo (you know, Lolo?  The town where in A River Runs Through It, Brad Pitt goes to disappoint his family) while we waited for the moving truck to catch up to us.  It was super cozy (queen bunk beds!) and there was a natural hot springs across the street.  We spent a day in Missoula and ate at a cafe where I had the best tomato soup of my life.    I can't stop thinking about it actually.

catching up: fern's nipple

 

 

We met up with my big brother Nick and his wife Camilla to do some hiking in Capitol Reef National Park.  Evan had his heart set on hiking Fern's Nipple, and so we did just that.  It was a really terrific hike and man alive I miss the desert already!

catching up: river rats

Our brother-in-law Brandt is a ranger on the San Juan River and we were lucky enough to tag along on a three day trip with him.  It was kind of amazing.  Not only did we get to pretend we were rangers (hey mister, where's your permit?), but we got the insiders tour of this crazy cool place.  There were wildflowers everywhere, which made my soul sing and my fingers itch (maybe once I get unpacked there will be time for drawing? please?).

Grand Targhee

My dear mother was having a milestone birthday, and to celebrate, she wanted to have a big ski party.  I  thought that was super considerate of her!  We met up in Driggs, Idaho and had a very very very nice time skiing at Grand Targhee.  My baby brother who is at the Air Force Academy wasn't going to be able to come, but showed up on her doorstep right before they were about to leave--surprise!!  It was so great to have everyone together.  I have an unusually fun family.

Due to interesting snow conditions (dear weather, why ya gotta be so weird?  And what's up with all the rain?), we opted to spend a scheduled ski day in Jackson Hole and visited my wildflowers (EEK!!).  

Happy Birthday mama!   We love you so so much.  

Helena

 

 

 

Last week Evan had to last-minute go to Helena for work.  He last-minute invited me, and I last-minute decided to come along.  It was so nice to get out of town and I think I have a small crush on our state's tiny capital city.  Since everything was so last-minute, we brought Gesso along.  It seemed like such a great idea!  I mean, Evan would be gone all day and I would need somebody to hang out with.  And Gesso is getting more mature, certainly he could handle a hotel stay.....
After our first night, I sleepily dropped him off at a pet boarding facility.  Live and learn I suppose.

I'm not much of a city girl.  All the hustle and bustle wears me out in a way that hiking all day never does.  But I made a goal to be good at visiting a city.  I was going to work on being a flexible traveler, good at navigating traffic, people, and spontaneous decisions.   So I walked walked walked around all day, did a little shopping (for thrifted treasures and men (Evan I'm JOKING!!)), and tried to be very flexible about everything.   Not to brag or anything, but I think I got pretty good at it!

I picked up Gesso the last day that we were there and took him sightseeing.  He really appreciated all the neat buildings!!