oh! heeey!

can we take a second and talk about how super, super, super behind i am on this gosh darn blog? obviously it's true. crickets can be heard for miles, tumbleweeds are blowing by and dust is accumulating on this little web space of mine. (and also around my house but we won't get into that.) there's nothing that states, "i'm crazy busy!" better than a blog that hasn't been updated in over a month.

instead of a million different posts all nicely organized by event- with coordinating pictures of course- here's just a teeny, tiny peek at our life as of late. and by late i mean from june-ish until now. yikes.

row 1: family date night / selling mama-made ring slings / a back-roads walk / birdie's room decor- all mama made.

row 2: pink, sparkly toes / post-bath kissies / packers #1 cheerleader / birthday celebration at a baseball game

row 3: grammy visited / mama made mock up of birdie's flower girl attire / it's still hot in 'bama but it's fall in our house / this guy is getting older and handsomer (new word)

row 4: lots of storms but no hurricanes yet / pre-bedtime story time / visit from auntie / sleep issues finally under control

not pictured: countless mosquito bites, prep for our trip to hawaii (!), countless projects that have been started but not finished, d brewing his own kombucha, keeping up with my young women girls, doing cross fit work outs, watching lots and lots of football with friends, cleaning up after a curious, mobile baby, my new part-time job, playgroups, mila is cruising and finally lovin' table foods, fighting bugs, new tires (!) and all the other day to day stuff that requires attention or randomly pops up. whew.

Touristy

D and I have almost lived at our current location for a year yet we haven't really checked out what there is "to do." We don't want to be transferred to a new station and regret not touring some of the sites that we pass everyday. First spot up: the Astoria Column. So, here's a little background:

"The Astoria Column has served for over 80 years as a beacon on the Pacific Northwest Coast. It sits in a wooded area 600 feet above sea level on Coxcomb Hill, Astoria, Oregon’s highest point. Majestic views of the countryside surrounding Astoria are the great Pacific Ocean to the west and the mighty Columbia River to the north. Snow-capped volcano, Mt. Rainier in the Cascade Range rises to the east and Saddle Mountain reaches to the sky on the southern horizon..."

 A COLUMN OF FACTS
  • Patterned after Trajan's Column, Rome, Italy
  • Constructed of: Concrete
  • Depth of foundation: 12 feet
  • Elevation, Coxcomb Hill: 600 feet
  • Height: 125 feet
  • Number of steps: 164
  • Number of cartoons: 12
  • Number of brown figures: 200
  • Length of artwork, unwound: 500+ feet
  • Decoration at top: State seal of Oregon
  • Completed in 1926
  • Dedicated July 22, 1926
  • Original cost: $27,133.96
  • Weather repair: 1936
  • Friends formed: 1988
  • Column restoration: $1 million 1995
  • Plaza restoration & lighting: $2 million 2004

Via

 Detail of the art

Via

In the process of building

Via

This monument can be seen from basically anywhere in Astoria. Although, it doesn't look as big as when you're at the base of the column looking up. (And on top looking down.) 

When I was about 4 years old my parents brought my brother and I up to Astoria while we were in Oregon visiting family. Apparently I've walked up to the top of the column before. Unfortunately the only memory I can recall is me wearing a pink zip-up sweatshirt and looking up at the stairs. 

Once D and I arrived to the base of the column it slipped our minds that we should have considered the weather first. It poured rain and hailed on us, of course. The pictures we captured were sort of depressing at first but as you scroll through them you can really get an idea of how fast, and often, the weather can change here.  (We were at the column for 30 minutes tops)

View from base of column

D looking like he knows what he's talking about.

Before we came up to this hill I had no idea this river existed. (South of column) I'm guessing it's Young's River.

View of the stairs we climbed. I admit that I had to stop a few times to catch my breath.

Why I don't let D have the camera the whole time. Half of the pictures he takes turn out like this. 

(It was freeeeezing hence the double jacket action)

At the top of the column watching the rain pour over the Astoria bridge. (Looking north)

"Hey our car!" -D

Young's River (looking south)

The rain clouds are moving quickly. (Astoria)

Young's River- again.

"Let me show you where we live." -D

Astoria Column

I have no idea what D is trying to do here.

Sun peaking out over Astoria

D showing off for a German tourist couple.

"Quick! The camera is dying! Do something amazing!" -D

My favorite picture of the day! Land on the right is Washington. The land sitting on the horizon (right, center) is where our home is.

Looking at Washington from Oregon (Northeast)

Topped off our touristy day by treating ourselves to some Urban Cafe for lunch. D is a big fan of their strawberry lemonade.