Irons in the Fire

Lately I've been turning this...

into this...

...and eventually into this.

Also, turning this...

...into this...

...or this... 

...or even this...

...and eventually into this...

...causing my living room to often look like this.

All to help this.

Don't Knock It Till You Try It.

This is how we enjoyed General Conference this year:

We watched it via the wonders of the internet in April; however, we huddled close to our laptop to watch. This year I had the epiphany to use the monitor and external speakers to make our viewing more pleasurable. Since we'd invited a neighbor to join us, I figured it wouldn't be appropriate for the three of us to cuddle up close around the laptop again this year. So long as we don't have tv, this might be how we roll Conference Weekend.

September Seattle Trip #1

We decided to head to Seattle for Labor Day Weekend to see the city and to visit my dear friend, Kara. She and I were roommates forever ago and have managed to stay close despite spending majority of our friendship in different time zones (including three years while she lived in Tokyo, Japan!). I had to work Saturday morning for a couple hours so after I was done we headed off to the west for our weekend get-a-way.

It was a beautiful drive...

The hops were ready for harvesting.

The fields were green and evenly planted.

We passed several semi trucks with loads of crates. Some had labels letting us know they were full of Washington apples.

On Sunday we joined Kara at her new ward and found out she's in a different ward by one street. I thought that only happened in Utah and Idaho?!?!

Monday we headed into downtown Seattle...

Our destination:

(A different way to keep track of which level you are parked on.) 

  

Thankfully the first part of the day was not super busy with people, eventually it was obvious that others had the same idea for Labor Day we did and we headed back to the car when the crowds became too much and we'd seen and purchased all we planned.

While there we rode the pig (who Dan later found out is named "Rachel"), bought some spices, admired the items for sale, shopped for souvenirs, listened to street musicians, admired the flowers in the market and along the tops of the buildings, tried not to spit on the windshields of cars driving below us, watched cheese be made, waved at the crabs, and admired some unique light fixtures. Sadly we were unable to watch the famous flying fish since they were closed for the holiday. :'(

  

  

One of the required stops while at Pike's Place Market was for French pastries. We made our way there and Kara was thrilled when she began seeing the store's bags in shopper's hands because that meant they were open! We stood in line with the instructions that we were to order something. There was no waiting in line then saying, "I don't really want anything." Kara was not standing for that!

 

Since she'd bragged about their chocolate filled croissants, I tried one. It was fabulous!!!! When I got home I kept hoping there'd be another trip in the near future to Seattle so I could go get more of the delicious chocolatines! Dan ordered a piece of rhubarb tart and said it was yummy too. Guess we'll be adding LePanier to our list of must stops whenever we are in Seattle.

 

As vacations usually are, it was much too short of a trip. We look forward to another drive "over the mountain" to visit Kara and see the sights of Seattle. Hopefully in the very near future and even with some sense of regularity.



Only Don't Be Frightened!

Here's a little something to tied you over until other posts are finished:

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