OMG GUYS IT IS XMAS SEASON!!! (and none of these photos are related to that fact)

December 10, 2014 Amelia Klaus

Hello lovelies!!

I hope you are all having a fantastic start to your December! If you are still chugging away at finals, I wish you good luck- you are almost done!! Christmas is my favorite holiday, and as such I have taken it upon myself to decorate the apartment and sing Christmas carols at the top of my lungs. Today, however, I am not going to be sharing Christmas. Instead I am sharing a special roommate bonding day that occurred right before Veterans day.

We had a long weekend (read: excuse to procrastinate on homework), and it was a lovely sunny Seattle afternoon. One of my roommates and I didn't want to study (see above), but didn't really know what to do with ourselves. It was then that I remembered someone telling me that I needed to visit Golden Gardens Park when I had some time. So, in true impromptu adventure style, we pulled up the bus route, grabbed supplies (aka: my camera), and hit the road.

After and hour long bus ride through Seattle, we hopped off the bus and began to meander down some stairs. And then we went down some more stairs. And then, when we were wondering if the stairs would ever end, we went underneath the railroad tracks and Golden Gardens was spread out before us in a glorious mixture of sea, sand, and stunning mountain vistas.

In true Nodak-Has-Spent-Basically-No-Time-Around-Large-Bodies-Of-Water fashion, I immediately stripped off my shoes and socks and ran into the surf. It was refreshing and a bit chilly and I loved every minute of walking in the sand- I was so enthusiastic about it, in fact, that I convinced my roommate to shed his shoes and socks and splash along the waterline with me. We wandered the length of the beach and back, and were graced with one of the most glorious and never ending sunsets I have ever seen. It was so fantastic that it deserves(and will get) a post entirely devoted to it.

So this is Roommate Bonding Day Pt. 1: Sand, Surf, and Sunsets that Never End. Hope you enjoy!!

Till we meet again,

Better Late Than Never- The Opportunities We Almost Miss

April 28, 2014 Mia Klaus

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 ,

A Belated Review: 2013

January 15, 2014 Mia Klaus

Hello my wonderful readers!!

Happy (belated) NEW YEAR!!! It is 2014! How crazy is that?! Is it just me, or has this year flown by?! I am super excited to see what 2014 has in store for us, but as I look forward I am also compelled to spend a moment honoring all of the wonderful (and perhaps not so wonderful) moments in 2013.

This year:

I bought my first Iphone and, subsequently, posted my first image on Instagram.