priceless milestones

This 8 year old has met a goal.
A long standing goal that costs us about $1 a week.
Every week in line at the grocery, he picks out a new pack of gum, a new flavor.
Apparently it was this week's pick, a pack of watermelon HubbaBubba (no joke!) that tipped the scales.
He learned how to blow a bubble.
Squeals of delight, I kid you not.
He is now the expert and will gladly describe, in detail, the exact steps needed for you too to reach this goal.

His brother, a novice to gum chewing, is listening and studying.
I don't think my weekly gum budget is going to change.

annual fall photo shoot

When the fields turn yellow and the skies are dark and stormy I know it's time to pull out the camera and capture the boys. It now involves a little more bribery than it used to. This year I agreed to soccer uniforms and we called it good.
We missed the brilliance of the yellow flowers, that is happening right now, so there may be another shoot in the future.

on my knitting needles

I've had a bit of a knitting slump. A whole lot of started projects but I couldn't see them through to the end. I found a slipper pattern that is getting me back in the knitting groove. One gray pair down, and a purple pair on the needles. 

apples

Flagstaff is having a major apple boom. Tree branches are sagging with the weight, and people are giving them away by the bucketful, which is how we too ended up with a 5 gallon bucketful. A few days later we had two large batches of applesauce, a loaf of apple bread, and a bowlful left to ponder all the possibilities.

demolition derby & county fair

It was a hot and sunny day at the annual demolition derby. 

And then we headed to the fair the very next day. It too started out as hot and sunny day.  

And then the clouds built up and the skies turned dark, dark, dark. We heeded the warning and headed to the tent to consume some traditional fried fair food. On with the rain jackets and onward with the fair.   

This one time, in LA

 Months ago, in the dead of winter, one of my BFFs called to ask if I would meet her in LA this summer. Nothing sounded better and we made it happen. A few short days was jammed packed with art, beach, food, hiking, sightseeing and overall tourist activities.

 

I spent one afternoon alone, and found myself at the corner of Santa Monica Blvd & Rodeo Dr. on my picnic blanket with a good book. 

I scored some oilcloth to finish up my kitchen project.

Hours at the Getty and then a quick trip to the beach to dip our piggies in the Pacific. 

Good food. Everywhere. Silver Lake's Night Market.   

Hiking to see all the best landmarks :)

And some more good food.