{ Ready for Fall Outfits }

I got this web ad the other day, and I fell in love with the girl's outfit. I've been trying to think of creative blog text to accompany this image, but everything seems lame. So here you go. I'll just let the premature-season-arrival-announcement speak for itself. I really am looking forward to fall though, and I thank Jcrew for turning my thoughts that way.

{ Hiking Delicate Arch by Full Moon }

Yes. It was as sweet as it sounds. Not only was the arch totally beautiful by full moon light, but it turns out arriving at 3am ensures that you are the only ones there to enjoy it. There were plenty of dimly-lit photo opps free of other hikers, and we were free to lay under the arch and stargaze as long as we liked without feeling the need to give other hikers a turn.

The weather was perfect (no jacket necessary), and the full moon afforded plenty of light so very little headlight action was needed. So nice. And, bonus! We saw several little frogs along the hike. I doubt our day-hiking counterparts get to see those little guys in the hot sun. However, something tells me that seeing frogs at 3 in the morning may be slightly more exciting than it would be to see them at reasonable hours of the day.

I developed a strange affinity for cairns on this trip. I think they're pretty, not to mention totally useful -- two of my favorite criteria for rating things on my likeability scale. Who doesn't love things that are useful and good looking?


Me and Mr. Matt Cobabe before the hike -- the night mode on my camera does a great job of lighting subjects in the foreground, but, as demonstrated, the background is kind of invisible. It was red rock. And I'm pretty sure the bathroom was off to our left.


Me and Tara relaxing on the rim of the bowl before hiking over to the arch.


A shot of the group on the rim of the bowl -- compliments of Matt and his super awesome camera. The time exposure captured enough light to make it look like day time. We had to hold still for 30 seconds to get this shot. From left: Jordan, Tara, Brian, Adam, Matt and me


The view looking up while laying under the arch. This was my favorite view of the trip. The arch was mammoth and completely awe inspiring. Big things always make me feel so...little.

The white specks in the sky are the stars. Again -- thanks Matt for your awesome photo.



More sweet long-time-exposure photos from Matt


I made the hike with this sick-looking sprained ankle. Don't worry -- I got this beauty last Monday while I was walking outside to take down my hammock. Little to my knowledge, the sidewalk to grass conversion area can be pretty treacherous. ew. I rate this sprain a 6 on the severity scale. It barely hurts at all when I walk, but it kills on the surface when I touch it. Weird, huh? I really need to start doing ankle-strengthening exercises.

{ Pump up the Volume }

Sometimes I just don't think music can be played loud enough. It's only with certain songs when I'm in certain moods, but I definitely feel it. It's like I want to hear it with my whole body, but it only seems to reach my ears. So, headphones in place, I find myself turning up the volume throughout the song until it hurts, which in turn forces me to turn the volume down a smidge, only to find myself dissatisfied at how soft it is and start the volume-increasing cycle again. I know my little ear drums are going to suffer, but I just can't help it.

The song of the moment, which often causes this phenomenon, is Welcome Home by Radical Face. It gets me almost every time. Thank you Dave Blackwell for introducing it to me.

{ 4th in Seattle }

It just so happened that the 4th of July (my favorite holiday) coincided with the baby blessing of my new little nephew (Mojave James Schmidt, pictured above)! So, happily, I was in Seattle for the 4th, with my brother and his family. Needless to say, the trip was awesome. My brother and I are pretty similar when it comes to having maximum fun with minimum stress (and my brother is always such an awesome host), so trips to Seattle=stress-free enjoyment for me. Holidays full of good music, awesome around-town activities, and plenty of the outdoors. Not to mention some of my favorite people. I mean...how can I not love it? These are four of my favorite things all wrapped into one vacation spot. Perfect.

This trip's highlights included attending the annual Seattle "Milk Carton Boat Race," hiking to a picturesque lake about an hour outside Seattle, roasting marshmallows over an outdoor firepit, racing my brother on foot to the grocery store (despite my giving up half way there because I was laughing too hard) and chilling with my awesome-beyond-awesome niece on a half-sunken log at the lake mentioned above. Here are some photos for your viewing pleasure...


Friday morning this was the view out my window in Provo. The balloon festival is so fun to wake up to. My flight for Seattle didn't leave till noon fifteen.


Lunch at the Space Needle after I got in.


Me and my brother climbing on the sculpture in front of the Space Needle. Andy tried to get me to climb into the tube over my head, but it was a bit too sketchville.


My brother's backyard. Totally pleasant, and he doesn't even water.


Milk Carton Boat festival -- I think the rule was all the flotation needed to come from empty, resealed milk cartons.


My brother, his wife Chele and my niece eating and drinking the free food at the festival.


I took this of my brother and niece while we were walking back to the car from the festival. cute sauce.


This store was on the way to and from the boat race. If ever you have any needs for all those times you are planning to travel into space, this small store right outside Seattle has you covered.


My sister-in-law Chele and my niece Anza on our hike to a lake on Monday. How stinking cute is her mini backpack!? Everything is cuter when it's little.


A view on the hike.


My niece in front of the lake we hiked to...aforementioned log in the background.


And the real thing. We spent quite a bit of time on this log. Walking. Sitting. Filtering water.


The lake from view of the half-sunken log.


My brother, sporting the Moby and my two-week old nephew on the hike.

{ word appreciation }

I was realizing today just how much I like the word seamless and what it represents. Two applications came to mind during my thinking.

1. An article of clothing lacking seams.
Who doesn't like seamless clothing? It's comfy. Contains no itch-inducing hems or tag-attachment places. Just the thought of putting on a seamless, tag-free, soft cotton t-shirt makes me happy.

2. Being orderly, smooth, and complete in conversation or when conveying an idea.
One of my favorite things is when I have the ability to convey myself clearly and concisely without loopholes. Having a seamless, bundled thought that I can present as a complete idea package, with everything there to be easily understood. It's just so fulfilling.

Yes. Seamless is a great word. great.

{ Facelift }

Nic knacks got a facelift today. Same great Nicki posts, just in a slightly different package. Thank you, work, for being slow today.