...and she's off!

Some of you may not know, but today my little sister Alison moved to Caceras, Spain for the next year. She will be working for the government of Spain teaching English in the public schools, part-time (and traveling the rest of the time). This day has come after at least six months of waiting, including weeks of wondering when her much-needed student visa would arrive. My parents are vacationing in Europe for a few weeks, and conveniently Alison's visa arrived on Friday afternoon. Friday was a mad dash of scrambling, to get a plane ticket for today (Monday), arrange transportation, make packing lists, say goodbyes, and everything else you do before moving out of the country!

I just wanted to post how proud I am of my sis! I talked to her today during her layover in Philadelphia, before departing for Madrid and she said, "Kelly, I can't believe I am doing this. What am I doing?!!?!?" I could hardly contain my excitement for her, and it left me thinking all day long about how life is too short to NOT move somewhere in Europe. It's just so awesome and AMAZING! More of her comments included waiting in line in Philly for the flight and being spoken to in Spanish by several different people. She must have the European look down, because that never happened to Jeff and I! :-) Al--I am so excited and proud of you. This will be a life-changing, irreplaceable experience.

last of the summer sun

Sunday we spent the day at Cannon Beach with our good friends Eric and Whitney. The conditions were perfect...sunny, not a cloud in the sky, and 80 degrees (absolutely packed too!) We couldn't have hoped for a better day before fall comes sweeping in with the rain.

Kristen and Brian's wedding

Last weekend was the wedding of our good friends Kristen and Brian. I was one of the bridesmaids and have known Kristen since second grade (18 years??!!!?). It was beautiful and everyone enjoyed the day, especially them! The reception was at the Waterfront Restaurant, down the street from Autzen Stadium where the Ducks play...at the same time as the Ducks vs. Huskies game!! However...everything went perfectly, traffic was good, and there were no worries! What a magical day.

two little (adorable) aussies

Little Cooper, the mini australian shepherd puppy came over to play the other day! He belongs to a friend and is the same breed as Chloe but slightly bigger when full-grown. They were so cute together! It brought me back to Chloe's adorable fluffy puppy days when I saw the little guy. :-)

bachelorette weekend for Kristen

One of my closest friends for the past 18 years, Kristen, is getting married on August 30th and I had the honors of planning her bachelorette party, which was last weekend. We rented a big beach house (in Lincoln City); about ten of us girls came and had an amazing time with Kristen before she gets married! Here are just a couple of pictures...we did several fun things--one of them included going crabbing which was definitely a humorous experience we will never forget! I am so thankful for such a sweet and genuine friendship, and so excited to be a part of the wedding!

my hair still smells like campfire

WE LOVE CAMPING!! There's something about the camping food, campfires, relaxing and reading books, getting cozy, and oh the outhouse! Last weekend Jeff and I camped with our friends, Justin and Jess, at Timothy Lake up by Mt. Hood. The weather was wonderful, and it was so nice to escape to the stress-free wilderness. Our camp site was right near the lake and the water was so warm! Our biggest surprise was how much Chloe (our 12 lb. dog) LOVED to swim! She was tentative at first, but once Justin jumped in she was soon diving in after him! We were proud. :-) Jeff and Justin exercised their manliness while attempting to spear crawfish in the lake with wood sticks they carved themselves...definitely entertaining! Sometimes a weekend of macaroni and cheese, breakfast burritos, and top ramen can be a truly wonderful thing...

Brian and Kim's wedding

On Saturday, we all (Jeff's family) attended the wedding of Brian Ford (Jeff's cousin) and Kim Sedlak. It was gorgeous and such a joyful evening! Great opportunity to take some good pictures of the good lookin' family :-)....notice we are somehow all color-coordinated...

CONGRATS, Kim and Brian!

Three happy years...here's to many more!!

We celebrated our third wedding anniversary this past Wednesday. So amazing how fast time flies by when you are having so much fun and with the right person. We are blessed to have each other. Jeff took me to Multnomah Falls as a surprise for dinner at the lodge...something different and unique and it was beautiful up there! Here's to many more wonderful years.

a weekend at Mt. Rainier

This past weekend we spent with my family at a house they rented right in the woods near Mt. Rainier National Park. My parents, sis, her two friends, my cousin Adam, and us had an awesome time exploring and relaxing. I loved just being in the middle of nowhere for a couple of days! We explored the trails, took in the breathtaking views, hottubbed, wandered near waterfalls in the woods, had wine on the deck, chatted, and played games. The smells of being in the forest were perfect...so refreshing. Thanks, Mom and Dad! :-)

4th of July in San Francisco

In the beginning of July, we took advantage of our new hybrid by driving down to San Francisco for a few days. It actually wasn't a bad drive...about eight hours and road trips are always an adventure! We spent five days with Brook and Andy (Jeff's brother and his wife) who are currently living right in the city. This was a different and more authentic experience than past trips we've taken to the city, to be able to eat at restaurants and walk around neighborhoods that aren't so touristy, but more visited by locals of SF. We waited in long lines in popular bakeries, coffee shops, and cafes and were never disappointed! The weather was mostly just fabulous and sunny, tempting us to pick up everything and move here--seriously, we LOVED everything about our time there. One morning we wandered on down to the Embarcadero and spent a few hours on the pier at the farmers market, tasting yummy fruits, eating breakfast, and sampling local foods. Saturday night we went to the Giants vs. Dodgers game...we almost lost our voices screaming so loud, and yay the Giants won! What a great game--I learned how much I hate the Dodgers. We did lots of shopping in boutiques and wandering around in some of the more quaint neighborhoods such as Haight Ashbury and the Mission District. On the fourth, we took a little day adventure to the beach and enjoyed the scenery on the 30 minute drive out of the city. Can't believe how close it is! What a fabulous place to live--we want to move there ASAP! :-) Food and shopping aside, one of the best parts of the week was definitely just spending some GREAT time with Andy and Brook, catching up and laughing (often!), and doing things we all love to do together. Wish you guys lived closer!!! We love you.