happy halloween!

(from bean-o-saurus and spook-a- saurus.)

just another weekend alone.

matt and dan went camping for the weekend. and again i was left by myself. good thing i had my sewing machine and of course the cuddle bug animals to keep me company.

so without further ado, a photo dump of the weekend.

matt treated me to lunch on friday before heading out of town.

saturday moring coffee in bed.

a scarf made from some very large sweatpants.

(to keep myself warm for the weekend you know...)

using my super sewing machine skills to attach a button.

break time cuddles.

very first zipper install ever. 

i didn't even mess it up once.

 walking with spooky while the sun was shining.

some lonely leftovers dinner.

(delicious squash burrito)

monday night cuddles with beans.

(she seemed happy to have two people to cuddle since matt was back.)

<3

kbl.

the grand canyon of the east.

matt and i met my parents and brother for a weekend of beautiful fall 

camping at letchworth state park last month. 

we went to one of my favorite NY wineries and had lunch, a quick tour (the tours were actually closed due to the rain but matt got us a condensed version thanks to his brewers brain), and  a tasting (where we received free wine glasses).

on our way back to camp after the winery, we were delighted to see clouds of fog rising up from the valley where the river ran. i had to stop and take a few pictures. (below is one of them, you can see the clouds in the background of the photo.)

letchworth state park is so amazing. it is 14,350 acres along the genesee river. the campground is just a chain link fence and about 50 yards away from one of the cliffs overlooking the river. while matt and i were searching for dead fall to use as firewood, i stumbled upon this cliff and was amazed to spot some deer drinking in the river. 

the leaves were not quite at their peak but the colors were still gorgeous. there are three water falls that matt, mom, dad and i walked along (and took A LOT of pictures of) on saturday and were lucky enough to have the sun come out while we were there. 

(it rained each night. blech.)

below are a few more photos of from the weekend....

i don't think that there is hardly anything better than spending time with my family in the breathtaking beauty of nature. i am thankful every day for them. 

<3

kbl.

happy birthday to me.

birthdays are my favorite. with the exception of having people sing to you. that is terrible.

this year, i was given the awesome gift of tickets to see my favorite improv actor, colin mochrie, live. the show was in ithaca, ny so matt and i decided to stay overnight to avoid driving home so late. the hotel, show and many food options were all within walking distance of each other which is always a grand experience. especially when the hotel gives you free beer when you arrive and after you are back at the hotel for the night, you decide you need to eat some pizza. having a wonderful partner who will fetch said pizza for you is key to this. especially if this wonderful partner will also wake up and walk to starbucks to get you your all time favorite... a pumpkin spice latte while you relax in bed watching terrible reality shows on the hotel cable tv.

(i got a PINK ukulele!)

on saturday, matt and i made the drive home. well, he drove while i slept. (it's ok, it was my birthday.) some super awesome friends came over to hang out and brought with them a birthday cake and some ice cream which we all shared after a very long and VERY hilarious game of cards against humanity. (it's a grown up version of apples to apples. SO FUNNY.)

sunday (because yes, my birthday is not just a day but an entire weekend) was spent on the couch with a fleece blanket and some cuddly animals and 5 movies. yes, 5 movies. it would have been 6 but we played a board game after the 5 movies. 

in addition to the events of friday, saturday and sunday i am very happy to report that i received birthday cards and even a bouquet of flowers from the most wonderful people i know. (thanks to all of you!!)

(pretty birthday flowers)

i look forward to being able to spend the end of my birthday month in the company of my parents and the camping trip we are meeting up for. (yeah camping with no bugs!)

(beans got grumpy on sunday when i told her she was taking up too much of the blanket so this is her sitting next to me and giving me "the look".)

<3

kbl.

xoxo

Phew!

restfest is over. (insert sad face here)
two days later and i am still feeling it. my calves, lower back and brain are still exhausted.
it was so much fun. 
amazing volunteers, awesome music and a crumbling yet still breathtakingly gorgeous church. 

view from below funcession stand

xoxo
kbl.
<3

 

my gramps.

i will be honest, i am at a loss for words.

i have typed so many things and then deleted them on and off all morning.

so, i will just get down to it.

today is my grandfathers 88th birthday. 

i have many amazing memories and stories of him but 

 i am going to keep this short and sweet. just like he would want it.

happy birthday grandpa.

you are it dude. 

i love you.

me and my scruffy gramps. (many years ago.)

hugs and kisses

<3

kbl

too much to do.

hello! 
so life has been kinda crazy lately. 

a weekend of camping, a week of the best kind of visitor you could imagine 
and planning. 
planning. 
planning.

let's start with the camping. 

i joined up with some lovelies i use to work with and headed for the coast.

we camped at my favorite campsite on cape ann, ma.

well, actual camp ground campsite.(this is not something i do often.)

and.... we hit the beach. talk about a good time. 

(i would put in a picture or two but dineen someone hasn't sent me her pictures yet....)

then... a week with my sister! (and brother in law too!)

it was perfect, aside from having to work for a few days i wouldn't say i have had a better week all summer. 

i slept in, lounged around with no particular plans and loved every second of it.

we made a ton of maybe not so healthy but absolutely delicious food. (avocado fries... mmmm....)

went to a swimming hole, made some more food, drank, played a hilarious card game and went rafting.

my first time rafting. and i did not fall out of the boat! go me.

(one guy on our raft did fall out of the boat but don't worry, we saved him.)

and then....we got inked. yup, meghan actually went through with getting a tattoo. 
and she didn't even cry! (way to go megs!)

we also went to see a movie with the guys and then had some more sister time with pedicures. 

cause... that is how we roll. 

just a bit of relaxing. (what is with beans? creep much?)

matt and i have also been doing a lot of the normal stuff... 
relaxing, playing board games with friends, watching cops.

sunday night dinner and game with friends.

and... the garden is doing well. 
despite the mysterious dying of the beans and the hot pepper plants which flower but never produce any actual peppers..... 

basket for donna filled with garden goodies.
(except the wine... that is from the store.)

alright... i am off for some more of that planning.... 

restfest is really taking a lot of my time and brain power this year. 

and i am loving (almost) every minute of it!

(http://restfest.net/)

first peak at the fun-cession stand bunting!

<3

kbl

hello!

lately.... i have been thankful for air conditioning, watching the garden grow (mostly through the window) and eating ice cream. i have also been doing a bit of sewing/altering that i have put off for way too long. hope everyone is having a great summer and staying cool! here are some pictures from my iphone! enjoy!

 1. spooky the guard dog // 2. a cute tshirt of cats playing catan // 3. sharing my ice cream cone with beans

4. matt's storm trooper birthday cake // 5. an afternoon coffee date

 

6. i have bangs again // 7. nord at a local swimming hole // 8. an ice cream treat at work // 9. pattern of an adorable dress i had to have 

10. matt dancing at a friend's wedding (sorry matt, it's a funny picture)

xoxo

<3

kbl.

i saw a flower. on a mountain.

two more high peaks down! only 40 to go.

it would have been three down, only 39 to go but.... i had a blister problem. mostly due to forgetting my sock liners. we also forgot a camera so i had to use my handy dandy iphone to capture the weekend.

matt's birthday was last week so for a couple months we get to be the same age. to celebrate, we went to lake placid and worked on our goal of climbing all 46 high peaks in the adirondacks. 

we successfully conquered Algonquin (the second highest!) and Wright. 

we of course had to stop at the lake placid brewery for some ubu ale and dinner. so yummy.

here are some pictures!

 1. turning down my favorite road in lake placid. 2. pretty fields. 3. matt and i are both in love with the coloring in those fields.

                                                                         4. matt looking awesome on the way to the lake. 5. sitting on the dock. 6. NO DIVING!

 7. mmmmm.... pulled pork nachos and a few pints of ubu at lake placid brewery.

 8. the wilderness! 9. flowers, on a mountain. 10. one of the many times i thought we were almost to the top of Algonquin.

*we also noticed some bees on the summits. one of the stewards told us that they live in the ground all year long and only come out to mate. and apparently they have no stingers! wish we could get some bees like that around my house.

11. finally at the top of Algonquin! 12. view from Wright mountain.

hope everyone has a great 4th of july (i really can't believe it is july already!)

<3

kbl.

iphone and a trip home.

last weekend one of my cousins was getting married so i hopped the train to ohio.

1. trains! // 2. finally some room to myself  // 3. windmills in ohio! 

4. cutie sabrina // 5. tara licking remains of her papa's ice cream // 6. the meanie cat out of reach 

7. aahhhh.... warm pool // 8. making some wedding gifts // 9. teaching my sister angry birds 

10. sister time with pedicures! // 11. pretty nails // 12. getting ready for the wedding 

13. sharing a beer with dad // 14. first time i have eaten cereal for breakfast in YEARS // 15. BEST SODA EVER!

and of course, we had a cookout for fathers day!!! love the pictures that were taken afterwards.

hope your weekend was as amazing as mine!

<3

kbl.