Catching Up

A week seems to go by very fast. Looking back on it anyways. During the week perhaps not so much. But another week is past and yet another weekend rolls around and I'm left to my own devices while Keith is gone on yet another away game.

This week the weather is starting to cool down, and I'm loving it. The nights are cooler, it's less humid, one day I even wore a sweater! It is so comfortable outside right now. I could just be out there all day. Today I was out at the property and I just didn't want to come back in to the city, it was so beautiful, just the sound of the grass, the leaves, the grasshoppers, and my camera lens clicking away.

Lets start at the beginning though.

Keith and I took a long drive through the valley one evening after work this week. It was lovely. Exploring back roads that we haven't explored yet, and like I've said, the weather and the late summer sun is just so lovely.

We found this guy snoozing beside the river. I was too slow to get my camera out while he was laying down.

 
It was such a great little evening drive. We do this often enough, when we can, go for a little drive down some road we haven't explored before. With the windows down, the sunroof open, and the music going it was just about as perfect as an August drive can get. 

Friday rolled around and apparently it's shower season. Within four days I have two showers to go to (first baby then bridal) which is more social eventing than I usually do in a month. I'm blessed enough to work in a place with amazing coworkers and we all have such a great time together. This Friday we were lucky enough to formally meet Mital's new baby. Raahi was adorable and handled being passed around the room like a football quite well.

Beautiful new Mama!

Welcome to the world baby Raahi! We all look forward to watching you grow.

Today I went up to visit the house. It's already been almost a month since we've last been up, and our cooktop has been sitting in the spare room and delivering it up to the house sounded like a good way to spend my lonely Saturday (and a good excuse to see the house!) Since we've been up last the siding has been installed, the cabinets are in, the walls are painted, and the (pine!) ceilings are almost all done.

Because it's getting close, I'm not going to get into too much detail quite yet (not to mention the inside still has scaffolding and construction everywhere) so I will just give everyone a glimpse of the exterior. 

It's going to be our colorful little house on the prairie :)

I'm getting ridiculously excited for the house (I know I probably say that every post). I spent almost two hours in there, taking pictures and measurements, opening up and closing all the cupboards and cabinets. It already feels like home. Even with the scaffolding and the sawdust. I grew up in a house that was constantly under construction, so maybe that's why I feel like I could settle in there tomorrow, but it feels right. The outside is cute and colorful, the inside is bright, warm, and cozy. I'm so excited to have that house as our home.

On the way home I stopped by at the property. The basement walls have been poured. The well has been finished and capped. And it's Saturday, so it was peaceful and quiet with no one working out there. I was free to wander with Nova and take pictures. I could have done it for hours. 

Beautiful girl.

After poking around the house we went to our little oasis on the prairie. 

Our "oasis" is a small old dugout. It's really gross but Nova just loves swimming in there. She comes out gross but happy. I'm ok with it.  

I love sun flare. I know it's an imperfection. I know that the people who make cameras try hard to prevent it. But I love capturing the sunlight like that. 

I love looking at a picture and going "ah, I can almost feel the sun in that picture". 

Anyway I'm a newb I've been having difficulty figuring out the camera to find my perfect flare.

Until today!

  

Oh hello f20. You look so pretty today.  

 I could have danced all night

I could have danced all night

And still have begged for more

I could have stayed out there and danced with that little sun flare for hours. But Nova got hungry and so did I so we had to call it a day. I look so forward to evenings spent wandering the yard with the camera, taking pictures of little sun flare.

Until then I will sit in my little north-facing cave and dream... and look at pictures in which you can almost feel the warmth of the sun.

Who knew?

Today feels like a brand new day.

My eyes have been opened.

My senses feel sharper.

Today my friends, was a beautiful day.

Today my friends, we purchased a Dyson vacuum cleaner

The cat of course needs to inspect everything that comes into the house.

Little does he know inside that box is his mortal enemy (all vacuums are his mortal enemy).  

Nova is not super impressed.

For the past how many years I have been using an $80 vacuum that my parents bought me in college. And it has served its purpose well. The suction wasn't great, but if I put my back into it, a little elbow grease and a whole lot of sweat I was able to get by. Near the end the hose was duct taped, the cord was taped with black electrical tape, and I would have a backache and be cranky after vacuum cleaning. So today we finally collected all our gift cards to Home Outfitters from our wedding, and went and got a Dyson.

<3

It's powerful, it's quieter, it has so many attachments I'm not even sure yet what they all do, it even has a dog brush attachment (Nova is going to looove that one) which will hopefully make shedding season better next year. (Who am I kidding, shedding season is all year round for us).

It is absolutely amazing. 

So I may have gone a little overboard.

I never thought I'd be so excited about house cleaning.

Mind you that's what I said when I discovered Swiffer dusters too.

All by myself...

... don't wanna live, all by myyyyself (I'm a wuss when I'm alone). 

Keith has been gone for a few days now. He was able to tack on a couple extra days to go see his parents when they were playing in Edmonton yesterday. I'm happy for him that he got to go see everyone, but sad for me that I'm stuck husbandless for a couple days.

Exciting news on the Little House on the Prairie forefront though, the hole for the basement has been dug! I went out and poked around a little bit.

There's a hole in the prairie, that I look forward to calling home.

The alfalfa on our property is going to drive me crazy.

But it makes for some pretty pictures...

Until I declare war.

I've been spending most of my down time looking for house inspiration online. We really don't want to be spending much on furniture, so I've already picked out a few items from Ana White to build once we're out there. It's amazing what you can do with some two by fours! I'm so excited to be a busy bee once we're out there. For now I'll sit here and dream about it.

One of the best things about moving out to our acreage is that Nova will be able to be an outside dog again. Not that she'll never come in, but she won't be living in the house full time, and the hair situation in the house will hopefully significantly improve.

Because right now it's driving me crazy.

I just can't keep up. I vacuum and 20 minutes later there's balls of hair in the hall again. I'm starting to give up.

Going crazy!!!!!

The cat says yuck!

Nova says "whaaaaat??"

 
Please notice how grey everything in the house looks. Because the windows face north onto the street whatever light does come into the house is very cold. And it just makes my impatience for the new house increase every time I think about it. Which is a lot.

It's been rainy and grey outside today, which is likely why I'm feeling all sorry for myself with my north facing windows and balls of hair on the floor. The sun came out for a little bit later this afternoon though and I got to spend some time in the yard with Nova and the camera.

Happy dog outside!

My chubby feet.

Fresh corn from our neighbor (I ripped it off the stalk myself!)

By the time I peeled my corn it had started raining again. The good news was that the corn was absolutely delicious! And it got me all excited to start planning my own garden for next year :)


I know a lot of people say it's good to spend time alone. And I'm not a social butterfly as it is and enjoy having my quiet time to myself. However it's day 4 of no hubby and I'm ready to have him home again so I can ramble to him my plans of gardens and homemade coffee tables.

So until he gets home I'll go distract myself with a list of all the things I want to grow next year.

To Allison

This last weekend I drove out to Canmore for my soon-to-be sister-in-law's stagette. We had such a fantastic time. A gorgeous group of girls out in the mountains, we hiked, we did a scavenger hunt through town, had a lovely dinner, and played charades until the wee hours of the night in a beautiful mountain condo. In all it was perfect. And I couldn't have thought of a better way to celebrate Allison's last few weeks as a "single girl".

I was the official photographer of the weekend and am just so happy to have captured some of these beautiful moments for someone I love so much. 

 

Beautiful beautiful bride to be.

Because all good parties get started with glitter glue. 

I loved watching Allison and her sister, they were adorable. 

 Allison and the piggy puppet she had to talk through when speaking with strangers.

All the girls got tutus. Because that's way cooler than t-shirts. 

Watch out we're taking the mountains by tutu. 

 

Next was time for the hike. I love hiking with these girls. Everyone is always so fun of energy and seems to just bounce along the trail, laughing and talking wayyyyy too much.

After a picnic feast we headed off into town for some fun.

Strutting down main street like they own the place. 

Canmore is a lovely little town. It feels so small town and cozy. The arts festival was on this weekend and the entire place was bustling. I totally want to go back just for the shopping. So many neat little stores. 

Found in a beautiful little bookstore. I have to agree, there's something about owning actual books, CDs... that just feels way more right than the digital versions. (Says the one who writes online, ha!). 

These little booties made my ovaries skip a beat. I MUST go back for a pair of these.  

And a few crazy stagette pictures... (because I just can't resist)

Protesting against bacon in a public place.

I think it's worth explaining - Allison owns a teacup potbelly pig, WallE. He's small and spotted and adorable and pretty much like her child. So the pig theme was carried out throughout the weekend. 

 

A lovely condo for a gaggle of lovely girls. 

Again, I couldn't get over these girls. 

So beautiful.

 Sisters!

To Allison:

I have not always made things easy for you. I was the stereotypical awful little sister that every girl should fear getting when they start dating a guy. I am overprotective and I love fiercely. But you made it through my scary mean phase, and now that overprotectiveness and fierce love applies to you as well. I cannot put into words the happiness I feel in my heart that you and Markus are getting married and spending the rest of your lives together.

<3

I absolutely love love. And being able to celebrate Allison and Markus's love this summer is... beautiful .