Adventures in So. Cal - Day & Night

As I mentioned in my last post, I took a couple of field trips while visiting my relatives over Thanksgiving. My brother and his wife took us to the Huntington Gardens, where they're member and gave us the highlights tour. The weather was perfect and the Gardens (and art collection!) are lovely. I'll let the photos speak for themselves.

That evening we when to the Festival of Lights at the Mission Inn in Riverside, where I met my quota for palm trees and fireworks:

I made it back to Portland just in time for the first snow of the year.

Just the thing to put you in the Christmas spirit!

Giving Thanks

So after a week and a half of work at the new job (by the way, I'm working at a Community Development Entity -we're helping people through building business and bringing development to low-income areas - it's very cool), I was allowed to take a day off of work to take a 5:30am flight to Southern California for Thanksgiving.

Yes, the weather was nice (65°F!). Yes, I enjoyed my In-N-Out Burger on the way back from the airport. Yes, the food was excellent. And yes, Mr. Cleaver ran into a cactus. But the best part of the whole trip was this:

photo courtesy of my big brother Luke

I got to meet my little cousin. I got to learn a three-needle cast off with Jeanine. I got to go through my grandmother's quilt collection. I got felting tips from Zoe Ann. I got to hear about Alexis's wedding plans. I got to talk about living in the Midwest with Ray and got to know my sister-in-law better. I talked photography with my brother and Mr. Cleaver spoke French with my Uncle's mother. I tested the law of probably with my grandpa on the Roulette wheel in the "man room" and walked the Huntington Gardens with mother. I learnt that most of my family reads this blog (Hi Family!) and got to see the lighting of the Mission Inn with all of the population of Riverside.

In a word, my trip was wonderful. 

And I couldn't be more grateful.

Anniversary Trip

As you know, last week was Mr. Cleaver and I's one-year anniversary. As part of our celebration we returned to the site of our "first" date: Bradbury Mountain. We call it our first date now, but I use quotation marks because at the time I didn't realize it was a date. This was not the first time I went on a date and didn't know it either. That probably tells you a lot about me right there. But I'm more than happy to call it a first date in retrospect. 

It was a beautiful day. The color was in it's early stages (it's peaking gloriously right now), but it was beautiful nonetheless.

Oh and stay tuned this week for a new sewing project reveal and a surprise!

Been a Mrs.

Today Mr. Cleaver and I have been married for a whole year. Happy Anniversary Mr. Cleaver!

And a big thank-you to all of the friends and family who support and love us.

(All of today's photos were taken by Amy Root-Donle.)

Local Eating, Vacation Style

I've been a bit lax in posting this week (it's been one of those). But I've been wanting to post a few photos from the honeymoon back in October and as fall is quickly ending, now seemed as appropriate time as any.

Today's theme: the best of eating locally in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom.

Cider and syrup. It doesn't get any better than that.

Except for maybe the Maple Syrup Candy...

It's Official!

I have to admit I was the tiniest bit worried, since my brother officiated as a minister of the Universal Life Church and got ordained via email, but it looks like the State of Maine thinks I'm okay to be married for real.

Sadie Sadie

I am a married lady.

Marrige is, I think, a little like New Year’s - you get a kiss and a whole new chapter of your life begins.

A new husband, a new family, a new name -- as good a time as any to start new things.

A blog for instance.