Hot day, so Stevie would try to hide below the flowers. Didn’t really work, but hey, like the effort!

We wandered the flower farm for about an hour and picked the most gorgeous flowers.

Look at this dahlia! Unbeliveably beautiful!

Our final collection.

Getting to work.

Putting the flowers to be pressed and dried.

Smooching the flowers for a week — stay tuned!

Not just about aim though — requires some thinking! Huge hit for the youngest to the oldest players. We are definitely going to purchase this game — so fun

So fun!

HOLY CRAP THESE ARE ADDICTING. The best little bit of sweetness and dessert. We love them in both dark and milk chocolate — but especially the milk chocolate raspberries. You must get. To die for. Frozen raspberries coated in white chocolate and then milk.

We went rafting down the McKenzie River with our friend, McKenzie (who during his college years was a raft guide therefore, the best friend to have), and it was so much fun. Nothing like an afternoon on the river. Such beauty and nature all around. Only problem was that I got cold at the end of the day and couldn’t get warm. Lots of rapids, lots of water splashing all around.

We went peach picking one day, and then had a bake off that same afternoon. We each baked something different — Cruzzie made peach cobbler (the best), I made peach galette, and Tusia made crumb peach bars. All were delicious.

Here is the sky right outside our house one morning when I was walking the dog. It was beautiful. In general, I love looking at the skies and the clouds, but especially in Oregon, they tend to be dramatic and breathtaking.

Annie, our nanny, has been with our family for almost 15 years. She went back to NYC this past weekend to have some vacation and time to herself. It is not lost on me how lucky we are to have her in our lives. She is a part of our family and we each love her so very much. This was our last walk together — Cruzzie will not see her before he goes to boarding school, and so he will not see her until Thanksgiving — the longest he has ever been away from her. Truly thankful for Annie — we love her oh so much.

I know how to do dutch braids on myself, but this is only the second time time I have ever done them on Tusia. That said, I think that they look great and I love the look of them.

Orange irises. How beautiful are these??? In my neighbors yard and every time I pass them, I can’t help but commenting on their beauty. So unique and different.

My most recent basket — I love the pink touches. I have made 8 of these little baskets this summer — each time I get a little better, that said, I can’t figure out how to make them bigger!!! Hopefully soon, because right now, I have too many mini baskets.

Put them in the sun to get CHARGED full of energy.

We held the crystals and just did a lot of silent thinking.

We wrote down our goals / intentions / manifestations on paper, but did not share them. Instead, one by one, we put them in the fire and watched them burn, cementing them to our memory.

Who knows if it works or what the power behind it is, but we all enjoyed the time to be reflective and thoughtful.

Afterwards, we put the crystals back in their beautiful bowl — for the next ceremony — whenever that is!

The blueberry patch is located on the McKenzie River. It is a farther drive than the farm we usually go to, but they have 80 different types of blueberries and it is all organic and super beautiful, so it’s worth the extra drive.

Another cool thing about this farm, is that you get a little backpack to help carry the blueberries and then you have BOTH hands to pick!

In action…..

10 pounds of blueberries — 25 dollars! Worth it!

We each picked a recipe. Cruzzie made scones. He has NEVER baked in his whole life and so it was fun to watch him — he found a you tube video and was watching it while he baked.

Tusia made blueberry muffins with streusel on top.

I did a galette.

Scones and you tube video.

The four different recipes (another blueberry muffin recipe, too).

yummmm.

Double yum.

I bought it with a body dry brush too — and now I am obsessed with both. They are incredible and life changing. Yes, who knew that brushing your dead skin off your body could feel so good? And then putting this oil on afterwards? HEAVEN.

In the next month, I plan to use this whole bottle! Also, the kids love to get massaged with it on their body (I am their beloved masseuse) — and never leaves greasy marks anywhere.

Drove up last week to Seattle to visit my brother and his family. Nothing like jumping in to Lake Washington as the sun set….And no, I am a wimp. Only the brave people jump in — it was too cold for me.

Pike Street Market. So touristy and so fun. Here is me and my brother.

Me, Cruzzie, and my two beautiful nieces drinking coffee.

SO cliche Seattle. So good.

Dahlias! Beyond beautiful.

Cousins — missing Tusia who was at backpacking camp. How do the kids grow up so fast??? I blinked and everyone is grown up!

I have made 6 baskets so far. It is addicting. Like needlepointing — but even better. That said, I have yet to figure out how to make a big basket or bowl, and I need help with better colors. But here is my latest basket slash bowl slash I need to learn how to make them bigger.

Is there anything better than nature in hot summer days? I love going to the river (even if I don’t get fully in the water).

Tusia was at a bkacpacking camp for 2 weeks in Jackson Hole. She camped, hiked, cooked, tested her limits and I am so proud of her. She loved every minute of it and I am so proud.

Her look at the airport when I picked her up was unforgettable.

Cruzzie is VERY happy his sister is back so he doesn’t have to go fruit picking with me every other day. That said, we loved this afternoon of picking blueberries.

They gave you this backpack to help hold the buckets so you could use both hands to pick.

We picked 10 pounds of organic blueberries. 25 dollars. What a steal. I probably ate 2 pounds when picking — they were so plump and juicy.

Nothing like Oregon summer days. Blue skies. Vineyards, beauty.Our looks are all questionable….dont judge. We have forgotten how to dress while in Eugene!

I didn’t know what to expect — I thought the green beans would be on a bush — but nope, it is a plant that you have to squat to pick.

My right arm — aka, my son, Cruzzie. He didn’t pick, rather just watched me pick and encouraged me and took care of the dog.

We collected 6 pounds of green beans! Less than $12 for all of them!!!!

Blached them and stuffed them into mason jars.

Filled them up with all the different ingredients.

12 jars!

Tada!

The box came with all the material.

Look at all the pretty colors.

This is the hard part.

But then I got better.

Finished product of basket #1.

Then on my own (without the class), I made another basket.

Still trying to figure out how to make it wider and flatter instead of a bowl.

Not yet mastered it — actually far from mastery — but loving it.

When we were in Europe, we found 52 space invaders! 49 in Paris, 2 in Menorca, and 1 in Sainte Maxima. This was the last one on our last full day in Europe! So exciting.

On day 1 of our time in Oregon, we emptied the 10 pound bags and got to work on sorting colors.

This was just one bag.

So fun for them to do, too!