halloween 2015.

halloween this year was a good time. travis even had it off! we celebrated a few times, the first being at my parents' neighborhood party. it's always fun to take remy back to my old neighborhood friends and show him off. we were so lame this year. no corn mazes, didn't even carve pumpkins. like i've said, it was an insanely busy month.


so here was the morning after i got home from portland. pretty happy to see my babe.

and here we were later in the day, after wrestling remy's winnie the pooh costume over his head. oh wait, wasn't that what he dressed up as last year? why yes, yes it was. we tried to take remy to a party at the library that required a costume. before the party, we took him to the halloween store and he flat out refused, kicking and screaming, to dress up as anything. (took him to the doctor a few days later and discovered the ear infection, which explained the insane grouchiness.) so anyway, we didn't have a new costume this year, whatev, saved $20. yeah, had to chase him down and force this on him for the party. and don't judge me, i didn't have to loosen his carseat at all to fit his pooh belly. he has his what the f look and i have my tight lipped fake smile.

once we got to the party, he was happy as a clam. found the mic right away.

and immediately stole a cupcake and licked it before i could put it back on the treat plate. oops.

this is probably my favorite picture of all time. remy standing in the middle of the cakewalk stuffing his face with a cupcake.

victory fork.

this was the next day, not halloween related, but his adorable, 'i'm thinking' face, while making a list.

 all week i wracked my brain/the internet for costume ideas that wouldn't agitate my uptight child.
this was a contender, but the thought of scrubbing off the temporary tattoos was a nightmare.

halloween morning we went climbing and it was glorious. travis even finished his first 5.11a! that's a big deal! also the gym played halloween music, which was fun times.

my brother chad, being a badass as always. he is such a fearless climber.

after climbing, we zipped over to amber at taylor d'shaw salon, who has been doing my hair for the last 7 years. she is awesome. she cuts rem's hair too. he looked pretty adorable when she was through with him.  he could have pulled off the hipster costume with the haircut.

we went trick or treating to oma's house and had lunch there. then that night we headed out for mexican food.

then, trick or treating!
the last two years we have gone in to murray and seen our parents and old neighbors, but this year we decided to stay home, and it was a good choice. daybreak at halloween was amazing! most of the neighbors sat out on their porches to hand out the candy and the streets were really well lit. there were streets blocked off for bonfires, and it was like a giant block party. the weather was perfect too.

his little bum!
(i sound like such a mom.)
(i am a mom dammit.)

he kept opening his candy along the way. i don't want to think about how much sugar he consumed.

at first he was not happy about being forced into his costume a second time in one week. he hid under the table for ten minutes before travis and i could coax/bribe him out. but once he figured out that the neighbors would give you candy for saying some stupid little line, he was all about it, running from one house to the next. "let's do it again!"

there is always that one neighbor who goes all out. this neighbor had to have spent $20k on decorations. it was crazy town. and really great!

checking out his loot.

ahhh the chocolate stuck in his back teeth.

holidays are so much fun with a kid.

also i ate all of remy's candy within two days.
i mean, i was doing my job as a mom to help my child avoid cavities and diabetes.
yeah...

portland, fall 2015

so the weekend before i went to portland, i decided to go. i'm not that great at planning things in advance; i'm more of a 'feel it, do it' kind of gal. luckily there was a steal of a deal round trip ticket on google flights. ($215 direct round trip flight people.) it was fate telling me to go.

two of my greatest friends live there, and it's portland, food-topia! beautiful city, moss, the pacific a pretty drive away, city block sized bookstore, did i mention how glorious the food is, and as i discovered this trip, tillamook cheese factory. hello!

but mostly i was having a bit of a life crisis and really really needed the wisdom, comfort, and love of my old friends who have known me through many phases and crises and laughs. i think they may have needed to see me too. :)

travis was a great sport when i was like, hey i'm going to portland next weekend, have fun with remy!


i dropped remy off early morning saturday with his grandma julie, felt the pangs of mommy guilt, terror that remy would die while i was absent, but reassured myself that i still need and deserve me time. and adventure time!

boarded a plane and sent remy a picture. and watched videos of remy while waiting to take off. the older man next to me asked about the cute kid on my phone, which led to talking about his kids and come to find out, he owns the SLC roasting co. really cool guy! we became instagram friends. i feel cool knowing a local celebrity.

after a nap, i landed and alyssa's beautiful face was there to take me to her cute apartment. we picked up right where we left off like always, never feeling any space or awkwardness. (alyssa and i met in hawaii seven years ago when we attended byuh. we've always had an easy friendship and i feel like i've always known and loved her.)


these bridges always freak me out. just a small town utah girl.

we met up with erika, (my roommate in hawaii, like share a room roommate. nothing like really loud bedfarts the second night together to bind you for life. my bedfarts, not hers. though i have seen her drool more than once. while awake.) (another person i instantly bonded with and feel right back where we started every time we see each other.) of course we went right to jam on hawthorne to satisfy my need for oatmeal chai pancakes. and the maddie cakes too, because i needed two orders of pancakes. yeah, judgey waiter, i did. (thanks for putting up with my touristy needs erika and alyssa.)

pure glory, see.

after brunch, we went back to alyssa's so she could read our tarot cards, duh.

 mine was spookily accurate and actually really helpful in my life decisions.

we talked and tarot-ed for a few hours and then walked around the block for thai, the best pad see ew i've ever had! and then we still needed more food, because portland, and went to this really cute fancy place for dessert.

words cannot describe how amazing this mocha espresso chocolate mousse/cake/fudge was.

we drove erika home and then went back to alyssa's and i believe watched a comedian? it's been a few months so i'm hazy on the small details. and stayed up really late talking about everything, the mormon church, our lives, laughing, me wishing we were a married couple. i kid, i kid.


the next morning i finished off my chocolate cake from the night before and then needed to go for a run. i enjoy running through new places because you are able to see smaller details and quirks than driving in a car. kinda like biking. of course it was pouring rain, but i needed the run!

and then i got really lost and found a record shop with first aid kit right up front.
and freaked out when google maps told me i needed to run three more miles to get home when i'd already run three and the cake was wearing off, so i called alyssa, but really i was only one block away from home. luckily she understands the pain of directions and getting lost. she came and found me. phew.

we cleaned up and headed to powell's, the giant city block bookstore. i found this gem. and many others.

a few hours later we needed lunch, so we popped alyssa's cats and dogs umbrella and set off for tasty and alder, a trendy place with a good happy hour menu.

hush puppies and fried chicken, yes.

and then home for a rest, something about that sunday afternoon made us very tired and groggy. much talking about religion and our lives. and then of course we needed more treats.


we met erika and her husband travis. (she has a travis too! and he's really great.) at this adorable little bakery and i devoured this pink salt caramel tart. it was much bigger than this shitty low light phone photo suggests.

then a nice walk home, how i love walking everywhere and living close enough to walk to all these cute little bakeries, and read our books for hours and then stayed up talking more and more and more about religion and its role in our lives and where we are now. also monologuing for hours sarcastically about religion and its role in our lives. very healing.

the next morning we headed to a cute little coffee shop, again walking!, and had the best chai. 

portland in the fall with all the leaves changing and moss was beautiful. 

we gassed up and headed for the coast!

but first, to stop at the cheese factory for lunch! 

THE BEST grilled cheese of my life. and many many samples. and ice cream.

and coonskin caps.

then, pacific city. a truly magical place.

 climbing and exploring all day.

 we even saw a seal/sea lion. i can't remember which.

 and found this female anatomy. nice spot alyssa.

 this rock formation that looks like a ship.

alyssa at the top

alyssa at the bottom. there was a barrel roll in the middle.

 and a swarm/pack/gaggle/gloop of jellyfish!

oregon, you have stolen my heart. 

que dashboard confessional. 

then we had clam chowder with an ocean view of the sunset, drove home under a rather creepy moon, oh and we saw a forest fire! earlier in the day, just remembered it. showered off the sand, read books, talked, slept with the sounds of the train outside the window. 

the next morning was my last day in portland, and we made the most of it. woke up early to go to erika's for maternity pictures. isn't she radiant? 

loved their crib mobile.

erika, you're going to be an amazing, funny, wise, sweet mother. hurry up baby w!

after pictures, we headed to the rocking frog for THE BEST donuts of my life. they fry them to order. mine was maple. oh and THE BEST chai of my life too. and eggs, because protein.

and then to the rose gardens overlooking the city.

 and this beastly giant spider.

we read a book about polyamory and discussed at length at powells and then lunch at the food carts with erika while she was on her lunch break. indian food! (the owner/worker has a mad crush on alyssa and is mildly uncomfortable.)

oh for cute.

found this and loled.

and just like that, it was time to go home. happy to see rem and travis, really really really sad to leave my friends.

really good trip. really really great to hear advice and wisdom from two people i trust and adore. so much food. great to see the pacific again. 

til next time portland!