2 months later

yikes! I have been gone awhile. It has been too lovely outside to spend any more time on the computer than necessary.  I have lots of journal entries from our time outside & camping so instead so I'll share a couple of those to get a bit caught up. 
To remember...
    A stolen moment on our camping trip. We sneaked away, hands held. Along the sweet smokey river as the day ended. On a hidden path nestled among the brush. To a little rocky patch of earth meets water. Plastic mug of warm beer we shared. Your knees in my back as I leaned against them, your hand so casually draped around my shoulders. Natural. Gurgling water, the golden sheet of days end slipped over the trees. Splash of your skipped rocks into the hazy river. Glorious & peace. Sneaking back through the brush, hands held, secret. A stolen moment. 

an old excerpt from a few weeks ago. 

This morning I got to greet the dawn. My sweetheart and I roused ourselves from crumpled sheets and entangled limbs, picked the sleep from our eyes, pulled on clothes, tightened laces and set off for a 6 AM run in the park.  It was magnificent. No traffic noise, no honking cars, only feet crunching gravel, breathing, and birds waking up. Although it was already 80 degrees, the air still felt fresh and light, alive before it becomes heavy & wilted with the heat of the day. But my most treasured moment of early morning is the transformation of the sky, as the leftover grey from night sifts away leaving behind streams of purple, flecks of gold, and the softest dewy gown of orange morning.  This is where I come to life. Where my soul, spirit, body, and mind compact together into one united being that almost exists outside of myself. This is bliss. It is love. 

Them Boys.

After Aliza Came The Boys! You haven't met them yet so let me introduce you! My brothers and one of their best friends, Taylor got to spend a whole week with us. They were most excited about eating at cool places...and when I say eat, I mean eat! I have never witnessed the appetite of a teenage boy before. It is large. It is relentless. It's...alive. (said in a creepy retro scary movie-esque voice) So we were sure to include St. Louis's famed Man Vs. Food restaurants during their stay.
 

Taylor, Josh, Joseph, Matthew. We Crown Candy Kitchen'd.

We frisbee'd, football'd, fountain-splashed, & nature enjoyed at Forest Park. 

We Zoo'd. 

We Pointersaurus'd. Yes. They ate all of it.  

We Arch'd and Picnicked. 

We Anheuser-Busch Brewery Toured. 

We Union Station Explored. 

We Pappy's Smokehouse'd. Best BBQ I've ever eaten 

We Basketball'd in the Back Yard.

We City Museum'd until we were exhausted.

And we Fitz's Root Beer'd for my Root Beer loving brothers. 


Having my siblings here for 2 weeks was the best part of our summer & I miss them terribly. I hope it becomes an annual tradition.