PS- Pig!

I have been doing a little sewing lately. Here is a little pig I made from a Martha Stewart template. I made him out of some soft faux-suede scrap left over from one of my friend's home projects. He has a pipe cleaner tail and is nicely stuffed for squishy hugging. This particular piggy has shipped off to a new home with a friend's baby, but there may be more in the future. Too cute and fun to make!

Heat Spell

Yikes, sorry to forget the cute this week. To tell you the truth, it's practically been too hot here to use my laptop. It hums loudly and makes my wrists hot. Hopefully the dog festival photos will be enough to tie you over til next week.

No?
Ok, maybe these guys will help us to at least imagine cooling off.

via cute overload

I have also been away from the laptop because I've had a visitor! I worked the first few days this week, then on Tuesday night, my ol' midwest buddy Tressa came to visit. She's been working at a national park a few hours away and had a little time off. The weather was unfortunate, but it was a great visit nonetheless. We found some air conditioned stores and restaurants and took a dip in the pool for some relief. We had plenty of good conversation for distraction. Also, the three of us finally saw Wolverine at the discount theatre. If it stays this hot (which it will for only a couple more days...70s next week!) I might have to take in another movie. I got my hair cut today, which will hopefully keep my head a little cooler and lighter.

My stylist showed me how to work with my natural curl and tame the frizz, oh bless her.

*Please ignore the sweaty shininess...took this photo at home after running about looking for new fan shipments. The great state of Washington is still out of fans. We'll have to do with our wee fan, bowls of grapes and glasses of ice water.

Dog Fest

Nathan and I went to a dog festival here in Kirkland on Saturday for a short while before I headed to work. It was a tad hot and muggy, and it even tried to rain, sputtering a few drops in the bright midday. We mostly wandered around for a while, nothing much to report. We only saw one basset hound, but there were a few characters.

Friday Dinner

a summer salad, just the ticket to satisfy at the end of a too-hot day in the northwest.

farmers market lettuce
sauteed orange peppers and tomatoes
homemade croutons and creamy garlic dressing

i added feta cheese to mine
yum yum yum

Julie and Julia

Have you been hearing about this movie? Do you want to see it? I have been so excited about it. I already had it in my mental schedule to go once it hits theatres, and then I lucked out--my workplace is neighbor to a cinema, so we were given free passes to an advanced screening! Nathan and I went last night, and it was fantastic! How wonderful that Meryl Streep got attached to this project because I can't imagine anyone else playing Julia Child after seeing that (except maybe Dan Akroyd, who makes an appearance in his SNL Julia role!)

It was warm and funny, and oh my, the food. Go, if just to see the food. I thought it might be a chick flick (Nora Ephron of Sleepless in Seattle, When Harry Met Sally, You've Got Mail-fame wrote and directed it) but for a movie of women protagonists, it was funny and interesting enough for everyone. Nathan approved. Ok, enough gushing, just go see it.


P.S. Nathan is now done with his summer gaming class after his final presentation Tuesday night--I hear it went swimmingly! Big cheers for a job well done!

The Weekly Cute

I might have ruined the thunder of the Wednesday cute this week after posting those puppies on Monday. You might think I had my fill of French Bulldog cuteness, but I find that puppies only beget more puppy wanting. And since you couldn't be there to nuzzle their chubby little bodies....

Man on the Moon

Monday, Now Cuter Than Wednesday

Nathan is always very diligent to his work, and he has really been busting his backside over the past week for his final game presentation Tuesday. There was some last minute stressing this weekend as their deadline was narrowed down even farther, but in true form his team pulled it together right on time! I think he is relieved to have the work done and is ready to give an awesome final presentation tomorrow.

Tonight is the run through, but with the work done, we were able to hang out together this morning and afternoon. N needs to look sharp tomorrow and was looking a little shaggy (even though I think it's cute), so it was time for a trim.

Before:
(already totes cute)
After:
(cute and employable!)

Looking good, eh? I think he looks a little more grown up and say, professional? wink!

- - -

And now, I must tell you:
While waiting in the park with an iced tea during N's hair cuttery...I experienced...a miracle.

I saw a man across the lawn carrying what I immediately assumed was a picnic basket, though a very large one. I even thought to myself, how nice to see someone actually using a basket to carry their picnic lunch. And then, as soon as he set the basket down, there emerged....


5 French Bulldog Puppies!!!!!

My mouth fell open and it took all I had to keep myself together. It was one of those moments of complete joy and awe, the likes of which are rarely seen. Naturally, the puppies drew quite a crowd.

Once Nathan joined me and the puppy crowd tapered off, I could no longer stay away. Fortunately for all the man was very friendly and generous. One little girl cradling a puppy was told twice by her mother that they had to leave before she whimpered and put the puppy down. Girl, I feel ya!

Perhaps I should have saved this for the Weekly Cute, but I could barely contain myself this long. Like a mad person, I am left wringing my hands, staring into distant nothingness muttering, Yes, it will be mine! however in a less terrifying, more pathetic, puppy induced fashion.
Is this little, chubby being pure happiness? I think so.

Sisters

These two radiant women are my older sisters, and today is their birthday.
Don't they have a glow about them? I'm very lucky to be the Evans baby with the marvelous siblings to look up to. They might be finding this particular birthday kind of scary, but I think they make it look easy.
Happy Day! xo

The (imposter) Weekly Cute

So this is not how I normally do the weekly cute, but this photo (via now voyager) made me so happy this morning!

I don't have that much of a problem adding one of our own species to the cute list either, do you? I'll not get into the habit of it.

...ok, and for good measure:

Happy Wednesday!

Bastille Day Nostalgia

Happy Bastille Day!

I miss you, France. It was on some whim or hunch that I decided I could not pass up the school trip to Paris and Avignon three summers ago. I am so thankful that I could go. We were in Avignon over Bastille Day, an ancient walled city the Popes called home for a century. The portion of the city inside the walls is quite small, easily walked from end to end, and is teeming with people during the summer's Avignon Festival of performances. At dark the people started to hurry away from the city center and we followed them. National Pops played and fireworks began to burst overhead just as we emerged through a broken opening in the wall to the crowded shore of the Rhone. It was a magical sort of evening.

Vive la France!

August Plans

hello gaby, via flickr

Mark your calendars, we're coming home!
Nathan and I will be Ioway from Mon Aug 24 - Tues Sept 1.

Here are some things we're looking forward to:
1. celebrating our mamas' birthdays!
2. seeing Schnitzel the cat and meeting the new pup, Scooby
3. eating a tenderloin (nathan)
4. eating dutch letters (both of us)
5. good times with the fams!
6. seeing a couple old friends?
7. cleaning up old stuff, tying loose ends (me)

Can't wait! It will be a fast week as always, but it will be nice to be home.

Happy Friday

Who's ready to dance with me?

This looks like the most fun ever.

Summer Jumper

I'm not sure I could pull off this look, but with the right pair of legs (you know, the kind that go for miles) I'd hop into this Topshop jumper featured over at Camp Comfort. This look was put together for A Day in Paris, and I certainly would have appreciated this breezy, easy outfit for the few days I was there--it was HOT. And, those shoes (also Topshop)...a little bit menswear, a little like a sneaker, a little sock hoppy--want 'em!

How badly I would like a Topshop nearby!

The Weekly Cute

Let's take a nature walk through our own neighborhoods, shall we? They have amazing tails, sweet faces, and they reside just outside your door. Squirrels. Also, they are funny, make cute clucking noises, and can often be found with a nut. To watch a squirrel forage and hide a snack is particularly satisfying, perhaps because it seems silly and a little precious that something so cute also has everyday diligent, dismal tasks to perform (like little people). Unfortunately, it is not advised to bring them indoors, or you know, touch them. If you successfully catch and tame a squirrel, however, I highly advise dressing him in a mini sweater. If you do not believe me, I have included a photo to prove my point.

photos via.

Our Fourth

We celebrated Independence Day this year by going over to Bellevue to see the fireworks. It was a very busy place. The lines for kettle korn must have been over 100 people long all night. Nathan treated us to egg rolls and a sno cone. I liked going out to celebrate (this is somewhat unlike us). If we go next year, we will remember to take a blanket.

Cake and Champagne

'Twas invited over to a friend's last week for a simple evening, chatting over a homemade red velvet cake and champagne. I have good friends.