seattle.

seattle.

we make our way out there every summer. and love it.

 

this guy on the left was hoola-hooping, plaing the guitar, and singing "mrs. jackson." he was my favorite.

 

athenian inn. another tradition! (also where they filmed part of the movie Sleepless in Seattle.)

 

leaving the dock and back on the ferry....it was windy:)

jefferson.

jefferson beach, washinton

ireland

i just returned home from my first trip (ever!) out of the country. 

i went to ireland.

i fell in love.

i want to go back.

i shared these photos over on my photography blog, (along with a few others) but just love them too much not to share again:) 

enjoy!

26 miles across the sea.

confession:

i have lived in southern california my entire life.

i had never been to catalina until two weeks ago.

i know. embarassing.

BUT i can make up for that by having really cool friends. (one of which happens to be a pilot!)

darren and i flew out to catalina with our friends lauren and dean.

i documented.

so so fun.

i feel like a very small part of my life has been completed. how had i never been before???

favorite place in the world.

there's a small little house in a small little town in the evergreen state.

its my favorite place in the world.

my favorite memories...

my favorite smells...

favorite sounds...

favorite homemade jam from home grown and picked raspberries and blackberries...

i even welcome every mosquito bite. (and believe me...there's a lot)

 theyre all part of the memories.

they're all bundled up into my childhood summers and tucked away neatly in this little house waiting for me each time i come back.

(this "favorite place" is oma and grandpa's house, by the way. :)

my mom, brother and i cheated this year and snuck a trip up before summer came. just a quick trip.

it wasnt long, but its enough to hold me over for a few months.

love.love.love.

be back this summer.

in the city.

my friend Sandy and I made a spur of the moment decision to take a drive to San Francisco.

i guess its not really just "a drive." its more like a journey. a long journey.

our day started out in traffic...

and then moved right along.

Sandy's boyfriend's family was nice enough to let us stay the night at their house. They had the best/bounciest/most comfortable inflatable mattress ive ever slept on!

the next morning. poor car.

we headed to the city!

rode the muni...

gave my last two dimes to the funny silver man on the streets.

did a little sight seeing...

made a little stop at Ghirardelli. of course.

which made us hungry...

then it was time to go.

after getting on the wrong bart....

.....and taking the wrong bart again....

and not knowing what was happening...

....or where we even were...

...and coming to the conclusion that we just arent meant to be city girls...

we made it back to the car. (!)

we drove. and drove. and drove. and ate. and drove.

and late last night made it back home.

so. fun.

thanks sandy!!

EDITED TO NOTE: other details of our trip include but are not limted to the following:

-a cow/bull at the gas station. yes. all by himself. he was huge.

-a scary "man" in the back seat of the car after we left the said gas station.

-an "amusement park" we found on the side of the freeway. it was a construction zone. I might have been tired?