On The Road Again

Hello Everyone!

I'm just writing a quick post to let you all know that I am leaving for Seattle today!!! My mom, brother, and I are hitting the road together for the first time in years! We will be in Seattle for three days, one for exploring the city, one for watching whales, and one for touring the University of Washington. We will then be heading towards home, but will pause for a day or two in Great Falls, Montana to visit family friends. I probably won't be posting anything here until after I return, but you can follow along with my trip via my Instagram account!

Bon voyage!

<3 AK

Itasca, Kayaking, Waterfalls oh my!!!

Hello Everyone!

I hope that you have all had fantabulous Memorial Weekends! For me this past weekend was devoted to testing out gear and having wonderful adventures with my man friend Bob. I tested out my Yuma pants again (see review here), my Osprey backpack, Asolo hiking boots, and my new Camelbak bladder! I will soon be writing reviews on the last three items soon, so keep an eye out for upcoming gear reviews!!

Bob and I headed up to Itasca State Park on Saturday where we spent an absolutely beautiful day hiking in the Northern Woods of Minnesota. If you have never been to Itasca, you should make plans to explore it! The main attraction, the headwaters of the Mississippi River, and the bike path on the East shore that runs by the campgrounds are often busy, but (as I learned this weekend) the hiking trails are peaceful. Bob and I saw two or three groups during our five mile hike, which is amazing considering how busy the above mentioned areas are. The entire park is worth hours of exploration, and even though I have been walking the park's paths for years, I am still struck anew by the beauty of the park with each visit. 

5 other things that rocked about this weekend:

1)Visiting Bob's family and having smores in the backyard

2) Kayaking on Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis 

3) Minnehaha Falls 

4) Freshly made Cinnamon Pull-Aparts

5) The Impossible Project film for 600- especially the black and white film! (see images below- isn't the black and white just the cat's meow?!) 

Best wishes,

AK

Better Late Than Never- The Opportunities We Almost Miss

This past Monday we dyed eggs. My mom, my dad, and I sat in the kitchen and drew faces onto chilly eggs with Crayola crayons. We experimented with melted wax and with onion dye (it makes a parchment color that is rather pretty, however the eggs also end up smelling like... well onions), and we laughed at our egg-shaped portraits. Like children we played and laughed and explored the limitations of a simple egg-dying kit. When our kit proved faulty (we had three greens), we giggled and my mom pointed out that "at least they are a pretty green." 

Then, when all the eggs were gone, we drifted through the kitchen erasing the signs of our activity. One by one we bid each other adieu and headed for the comfort of our beds. I believe we each went our own ways filled with contentment that only such a spontaneous and happy gathering can bring. Oddly enough, it was this moment, done a day behind and rather unplanned, that has become my favorite mental snapshot of this Easter. 

Always leave yourself open to opportunities such as this one. This is a lesson that I often fail on, but one that I am constantly being reminded of. The moments are often small, but they have a great potential for shared joy. 

 Sincerely ,

AK