Small Miracles

I have some BIG news. This weekend I went camping. Yep, when I say small miracles, I am not kidding. I have been resisting a camping trip with Ben for a long time, for 4 years actually.

Prior to this weekend, I could not find anything redeeming about camping. Campfire smoke, disgusting. Bugs, disgusting. Sleeping on the ground, disgusting.

So needless to say I was not looking forward to our camping trip but the weather forecast was calling saying it was 95 degrees (which feels like 115) so I wanted to go to the coast where it was going to be more cool. Ben agreed; on the condition that we camp instead of staying in a hotel.

Camping with Ben turned out to be pretty awesome. First, he does EVERYTHING. He set up the tent, built the fire, made dinner. Whenever I asked if I could help he told me to just relax and read my book, which I happily did. Second, our campsite was about 100 feet from the beach and the weather was perfect. The picture above is the beach at sunset.

We only stayed one night but still, it's a start. Camping trips may be in my future, as long as I don't have to do any work.



On Saturday we decided to get a quick hike in at Munson Falls before heading home. It was absolutely beautiful and I once again am amazed at the forests within an hour drive from home. The hike runs alongside a stream and at the bottom of the trail is a great little picnic area by the stream.

After our hike Ben and I stopped at the picnic site to let the dogs run. It was there another another small (or not so small) miracle happened. Ben thanked me for going camping with him and not only going camping but also going along with my trademark positive attitude (kidding of course, I'm kind of a cynical pessimist). I did try to keep an open mind and positive attitude on our trip. So, he suggested that I think of something I wanted that he has always said he wouldn't do since he owed me one for the camping. Anything I wanted. I sat there, trying to think of something, mostly to do with some sort of shopping spree, when Ben got down on one knee and proposed. It was very sweet, romantic and very surprising. Ben had stepped up the anti-marriage rhetoric lately so I didn't see it coming at all and was in shock. Of course I said yes. Actually what I think I said was "Are you effing kidding me?", then I started crying. Classic. Leave it to me to ruin a moment.

We are very excited, I am so happy and so in love. I was in love before obviously but I am still feeling the proposal afterglow. I can't stop looking at my ring. The ring is beautiful and belonged to Ben's great grandfather. It was passed down through the family to his grandfather, his mom and then to him. We are going next week to have the diamond re-set and I will post the before and after pictures. It is beautiful now but the setting is old and unfortunately ready to be replaced.

We are looking at late spring or early summer for the wedding. It seems so far away but we definitely want a spring/summer wedding and this summer is too soon. We've decided that we will definitely be having the wedding and reception in Portland and I am already obsessed with wedding plans.

So, it was a long story about camping to get to the good stuff, thanks for sticking with it.

That's all the news for now! Oh and... Barack wins Oregon. Obama in '08!!!

Touristy Me

That's right people, two posts in one day, soak it in.

This weekend I got to spend some time being a tourist. Things have been pretty busy and we unfortunately have not been able to get out and see much of Portland.

This weekend though, Ben is on his annual Cinco De Mayo trip to Rocky Point with the boys and in a totally sweet twist of fate I had my first visitors. My good friend Stacey rolled into town the day Ben left with her hubby and beyond adorable baby in tow. I was so excited to have visitors; mostly because I miss my friends so much it hurts but also because I hate to be home alone at night. Not only did their visit provide me with some much needed company, a taste of home and a lot of laughter with good friends but it also meant I didn't have to stay alone the whole time Ben was gone (and I got to do some sightseeing). Yeah! Well, yeah for me anyway. I think Stacey's husband Kris may have regretted inviting me along. Anyone who knows Stacey and I know that when together we are unstoppable. We find ourselves to be quite hilarious but for some reason that we cannot begin to fathom, no one else finds us particularly funny. It's very strange. The only thing that could have made our jokes even funnier would have been if Cupcake (a.k.a. Carrie) had been along. She completes us and our jokes in a way no one else can.



We took a scenic drive through the Columbia River Gorge and stopped to wander around whenever something looked interesting (and thankfully Kris refrained from leaving us behind on any of those stops). We hit Multnomah Falls (the picture above) and I cannot believe that such a gorgeous place is only a 30-40 minute drive from me and that I don't go there all the time. (Again, my photography is pretty crappy). Along the scenic route are a few different falls and I can't wait to get out there with Ben and the dogs and go exploring.

We also made a stop at what is quickly becoming one of my favorite places in Portland, The Pittock Mansion , surrounded by Forest Park , with gorgeous views of Portland I am looking forward to another nice weekend so I can hike up there with lunch and my book. I can't wait to lay on the grass in the sun and read all day. If you are looking for me on the next sunny Saturday, the Pittock Mansion lawn is where you will find me.

A few of my favorite things.

Ben and I moved into our place about 2 1/2 weeks ago. After much searching we found the perfect place for us but it has been a lot of work, hence the lack of new posts.

I spent most of my day today up to my elbows in dirt planting flowers and the rest painting old frames that will eventually hang on our back patio. The back patio is a huge project but I am hoping that by next weekend it will be photo ready. When finished it will be gorgeous (it is in my head anyway). I hope it turns out at least somewhat close to the vision I have for it. Look for pictures soon.

Anyway, I told my mom I would get pictures up so here are a few of the things I am loving about the house.



1. The house numbers. Hello, are they perfect or what? They were hand made by our friend Megan, she uses reclaimed glass, and she did an awesome job. We love how they turned out and think they add something very special to the house. Megan has also made a few other things for the house that are among my favorites, some will be making an appearance in the patio photos when posted. She is incredible, check her out at tadahpdx . I see one of her marble garden balls in my future, maybe for Christmas. Ben has banned me from her house (joking of course) because I can't stop buying her stuff. I just can't help myself; everything she makes is so awesome.



2. The lilac (and my front porch flowers). The lilac is quickly becoming my favorite plant ever. It smells amazing and I find myself sitting in the living room just staring at it, it's so pretty. Today I walked around it in circles for 10 minutes just looking at it from all angles and sniffing it. My neighbors must think I'm crazy. My photography does not do it justice. It has a couple of bare spots, possibly because both Jess and I have been cutting flowers for our houses. I guess that will have to stop. They look so pretty in a vase though.

3. My new dining room table. Ben found the table in the free section on craigslist . I hate craigs list only because Ben is obsessed with it. He is constantly running around picking up cheap or free stuff but this table was a find and makes his obsession a little more bearable. It's a project (of course), we are going to be refinishing it but I just think it's so pretty even in the kind of crappy shape it's currently in. I thought I had a picture of it but I can't find it so I will post one when it's done.

I think that is all I have on the house for now. Hopefully as projects get completed I will be a more regular blogger.