The Accent Chronicles

Kathryn and I had been invited to go camping on the beach with a random group of people. We were suppose to be going to the West side of Oahu where they said the dolphins came to swim early in the morning. We had mostly stayed on the North shore that summer, near our campus.

We gathered in the parking lot of Food Land. Kathryn and I began socializing flirting with the new boys as we waited with everyone for more people to arrive.

I first saw him from behind. I could already tell he was attractive.

And okay, so maybe this whole time I had been talking in a British accent.

But he heard my accent and was drawn to me and we soon began chatting. I guess I did those accents because I always felt like a siren, luring men in and entrancing their uneducated(on geography and accents) minds. Men I wouldn't have normally been able to capture. I figure the people who would call those of us who did accents "weird" were really just jealous that they couldn't do them. I never did them with people I knew I'd be around a lot. Just on random nights and shopping trips and days in amusement parks. Right?

In my defense, I asked him what his name was. But he wouldn't tell me. He said he would only tell me if I told him where I was really from. Problem was I had been telling the truth about that. "Boise Idaho" I kept saying, and everyone would laugh. (I never felt guilty enough to NOT use my accents but just guilty enough to NOT blatantly lie.) These two guys showed up and started freaking out, "We served our missions in London England! We KNOW you are from there! What part of the city?! No wait, I bet I can guess what part..." While I was flattered I figured this had gone on long enough. So I drop the accent completely and said, "I am from Boise Idaho."

Pause.

"THAT'S THE FAKEST AMERICAN ACCENT I'VE EVER HEARD!" shouts one of the returned missionaries.

Really, if you were me, you would have also given up and continued on with your brilliant accent, right?

After the RM's shouted some British swear words to see if I would react, (good heavens!) everyone was finally there and we piled into cars. I ended up in a car with no-name boy. We were still flirting.

And somehow the car Kathryn and I ended up in was the car full of boys that decided they didn't want to go camping anymore, but instead they wanted to stop at some random bon fire on the beach. We had no choice. The bon fire was up on a small hill and I asked who wanted to go with me down to the ocean. The only volunteer was him. (So basically, Kathryn, this was all your fault.)

At this point in my 20 year old life I had only kissed 2 boys. I guess you could call me a little naive. So as boy and I walked down the dark beach, further and further from the bon fire, I didn't fully realize that I had somehow agreed to what was next.

He stopped me. Got real close, put his face an inch from mine and said, "Are you going to tell me where you're really from?"
A little panicked now I said, "Are you going to tell me your name?!"
And with that he went in for the kill.
And kissed me.

Dang that British accent.

We ended up watching a movie at someone's house with a huge group of people. Kathryn and I left and went back to our dorms. And I never did find out his name. And thankfully he left soon after to go home from his vacation.

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Now, now Mom and Dad and grandparents, I know this is a bit crazy. But I figured since it's been 6 years and I'm clearly not crazy (like that) anymore that I could tell the story. Obviously it's bad going around and kissing boys whom you don't know the names of. Honestly though? I don't regret it now looking back. It's just silly and I learned a good lesson from it (to watch out for the power of accents) (and to learn the names of those I kiss.) (and I know Dad, that I should have only kissed boys I was dating, or better yet, I should have just waited for Buck, right? ;) ) But life is crazy. Although, I might wait until June is married to tell her this story one day...

Sadly my accents have been shelved for a long time now. Sometimes I remember them and take them down, dust them off, and act crazy for June. (she especially seems to like my stew-pot Eastern European one best.) But it's fun to look back.

Thursday with June

Everyday is fun with June. Even a slow Thursday. Well, actually I'd say those are some of the best.

She's real obsessed with being chased (and caught)

And she is very into getting into my lotion right now.

 Here she is with her favorite bottle. Takes it around with her all the time.

Later that day we went to hang out at the grocery store. I didn't even need to grocery shop. I just let her roam. And down every isle she went. Touching each thing. (and thankfully she had no desire to pull it all off the shelf. Yet.) Crazy baby. Wish I loved grocery shopping half as much.

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First things first. Our backyard is very romantic- always giving me flowers. *sigh.

But then- IT IS OUT OF CONTROL!!! We planted some squash and pumpkins and oh. My. Star-y eyed surprise. They have taken over the entire plot of dirt!!! Monster plants!

The photo you're about to see actually makes the garden look really full and majestic. Don't be fooled. This is only a small area.

Every day I go check and see that the pumpkin plant has grown another foot closer to the peach tree.

And we thought we wouldn't be able to get anything to grow.

Ha.

But aside from it's insanity it is giving us food!

So exciting! And don't worry, there are now bags of these!

Also, the neighbors behind us have a spaghetti squash plant that has grown through and over the fence! (Seriously, how does anyone control these plants?!) So we've been getting lots of those to eat. They are growing ON the fence. So crazy.

But my spearmint plant is thriving! ( especially after I accidentally left the water on it all night... it thinks it's in a rain forest now) I'm really excited about this though because there was nothing more I loved in Armenia than fresh spearmint tea. And now it is mine to drink here!

It's been interesting. Having June is changing us. It's changing me. But not in the ways I thought it would. There was something about starting to give her our food. Not breastmilk or formula, not baby food made of carrots and water but FOOD. Everything had been pretty pure in her up to that point. I hated to all the sudden start filling her with processed crap.

But this is coming from me. The girl who thought "healthy" was only to lose weight and since I am so scrawny I would eat what I wanted. So much sugar and junk food- why not? (Okay, in my defense [as I make fun of myself] I wasn't the worst eater....) But still. I wanted to be a good example to June and teach her that food is fuel. And it can be fun. We live in a crazy time with lots of ideas about it. I just want her to not only eat healthy but to have a healthy view.

So we have been pounding it with the fresh fruits and veggies. (June's a baby and not the biggest veggie fan. But she does love squash. Which is convenient, since we have a million of those.) I've been making desserts with coconut milk and chia seeds! Who am I? I am starting to make my Armenian bread more.
 

First loaf with the wheat flour experiment.

For us, and I know every family is different and knows what is best for them, but for us we want to teach about moderation and balance. That you don't have to fear foods. Sure we have been eating healthy and trying to cut out the processed stuff more but that does mean that we didn't roast marshmallows and then eat them for family night? No. Does that mean that I don't have the stash of fruit snacks for emergencies with June? no. Does that mean that we are going to stress when we go out to eat? Not get some fast food on road trips? NO. If the majority of the time we are being pretty healthy and doing our best I don't see why we need to stress about enjoying certain things sometimes. You know? Balance.

I think that enjoying life will mean being healthy and treating your body the best you can, whatever that may entail for each person. So that is what we are working towards. But I also think that enjoying life means not feeling trapped by fads and ideals that seem fancy. So we will work towards the balance. I am not saying that we have this balance, but I'm excited to keep trying- I have truly been changing and it feels awesome!

Another way I have been changing is with exercise as well. Again, I thought it was only for weight loss- which feels silly to say now, but its true. Now I think a lot about when I get older and how I want to be able to still chop my own wood like my great Aunt does at 89 years old. I want to enjoy retirement. I want to be able to help serve others. I need my body and health for that.

June and I go on walks. We both enjoy this. She even HAS to get out for a good half mile and push the stroller herself. Crazy baby. I ran my first mile the other night!! (honestly I have never run a mile outside before. Sad, I know.) But then my other friend told me that since I am such a fast walker that I should just do that! haha! Her aunt speed walks marathons I guess and is really in shape. I liked that. Buck and I will probably never be hard core exercise and gym people but we can be healthy and active. I just need to do something. I have also found that I really enjoy bike riding. So there's that too.

I know these things can be kind of precarious to talk about so openly. But I only mean this is a fun positive way. It's just been crazy to see a change in me, one that I know is going to last.

Although, winter will surely kill my walks. Because winter kills everything. Like gardens too! So sad.

So, any good recipes? Ideas? Ways to deal with winter? Thoughts? . . . comments at all? ;)

Tuesdays with June

A little peak into some of our backyard play times. Please stay longer summer!

Yes, we put our tent up in our backyard.

And a photo of June being cute. Oh wait, that's every photo.

And this photo isn't from Tuesday either but it goes with the theme of the tent... and June being cute.

Hiking

Buck really wanted to take June on a little hike. Lucky for us we live somewhere crazy where there is amazing nature and hikes so close. Uncle Ben came along too- with his dog Dakota. It was a fun time, June is obsessed with dirt and rocks and she loved it. She walked the whole 1st half by herself.

 I'm not really a landscape photographer but it's crazy that this is 20 minutes from my house!!

The most spoiled baby with attention. Although the dog wasn't giving in.

This photo KILLS me. Models for life.

Berries

The other weekend I got to go berry picking again! We went to the same place in September last year so it was fun to go again. This time I went with my sister and my friend Alicia. We got so many raspberries for so cheap! I know there are a lot of cool things to do with them but in the end we have just been eating them fresh- all 2 1/2 pounds! haha. Okay and I put some in the freezer for smoothies later. But still. I think raspberries are my all time favorite fruit.

And we got to pick free flowers on the way out!

Sunday with June

Sunday fun day

Anniversary Celebrations!

To celebrate two years of marriage we decided to do something different from the normal nice dinner and maybe hotel. In fact, we decided something for the rest of our anniversaries to come- every year we are going to do something on the day of our anniversary (or weekend) that we have never done  before together. Fun right? We are off to a good start. Without even planning this last year, we went on some roller coasters together, which we hadn't done yet together. So this year we decided that it was time that we went camping together! So that's what we did- just the two of us. (hey, we got pregnant fast and had a baby our first summer. What do you expect?)

We got a great spot and ended up not having any neighbors around us.

Aside from this guy:

 

Finally using our tent outdoors!

I tried to make things a little romantic by making it a candle light dinner

With our super fancy (Buck insisted) "hobo dinners."

Then that night,

we had chocolate covered strawberries and homemade non-alcoholic mead (due to ancient honeymoon traditions. Seemed fun)

The next morning

We went on a little hike

And camping was a success! It was fast but worth it. Thanks to Erin and my friend Alicia for watching June over night!

The actual day of our anniversary, Tuesday, we still wanted to celebrate a little bit. So we saved presents for that day.

Buck got me some rainbow roses that I have been freaking out over since I saw them last year.

 ... and I got him a pirate balloon.

Okay but I also got him some other rad gifts. And he got me some awesome gifts too. Like these plates!!!

Amazing right?! Come visit us for dinner!

He is also working on printing up my blog. He has to take it year by year because, well, I have a lot of posts. And he has to go through each post and organize it! So it's a labor of love. But I'm really excited.

Then a friend volunteered to watch June and we went and got some Sushi and Buck spoiled me with a little shopping.

We also read our journals to each other. Not sure what I'm talking about? Read last year's post.
 And we ended the night slow dancing to our wedding song- Moonlight Serenade. So dreamy.

Great year and great ways to celebrate!

(and I'm already scheming what we can do next year. Horse back riding?! Roller skating and a drive in movie?! Scuba diving?! Gambling? ;) Read a novel? The possibilities are endless.)