{shaken} mint limeaid.

Two weeks ago my fabulous friend Cristina and I spent a Saturday morning at the Salt Lake City farmers market. It was a crowded mess of people, but an amazing display of produce, crafts, and food! I had the boys with me, so keeping them happy was my priority. I promised and gave into treats, knock knock jokes, and the threats of holding hands to keep us all together. The sun was hot, and beating wildly on our heads most of the morning-- so when the boys begged me for a drink, I had to oblige.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw 3 hippies shaking up mint limeaids in mason jars and pouring them into cups. At $4 a pop, they were a bit pricey, but there was nothing else around! My first sip proved to be so satisfying that as soon as I got home, I rushed to the store for limes and mint. After a quick ramble around my pantry for an old mason jar-- I was in business and mixing limeaid for myself for less than 25 cents a serving!

I don't have exact measurements, but I replicated as best as I could and the results were just as refreshing and tasty. If you decide to make your own, you might have to experiment a bit to get the flavor just right...

First, I cut up about 4 limes, juiced them, and cut them into quarters.

Then, I put about 4 lime quarters in the bottom of my mason jar, along with a few sprigs of mint:

Then I added about a quarter cup of lime juice (maybe a bit less, maybe a bit more... I did it all by eye instead of measuring cups).

Then, I filled the jar with ice about 3/4 of the way up.

1 or 2 teaspoons of sugar

Last, I filled the jar with water, just past the ice. I topped the jar with the lid (tightly!) and did a little:

After I poured it all into a glass (everything, limes and mint included) I added a paper straw and sipped to my hearts content. Mmmmmmmm....

Fun, quirky, and delicious! My new summertime favorite!

don't rock the boat {baby}

While we were in Tahoe, we decided we couldn't leave without exploring the lake. So, after plunking down a pretty penny-- we bought 4 hours on:

One thing I found out about Jeff early on {as with any pilot} he has a need for speed! Why did I expect a leisurely tour ride while I climbed aboard the SS BREAKNECK? Who knows. But with Mario Andretti behind the wheel, I suppose I got my moneys worth.

First things first!
In the beginning, we took it slow. Lunching and lounging around Emerald Bay. The weather was supurb. The water was gorgeous! We lazily waived to the onlookers standing by on the sand. Fabulous! While bobbing around the island in the middle of the bay and looking for signs of Tahoe Tessie, we found that it was the perfect opportunity for an impromptu boating lesson. Both boys loved getting their turn behind the drivers wheel.

And then, we all hunkered down while the real ride began. We zipped and zagged from Emerald bay to Zephyr Cove to the crystal blue Sand Harbor.


But:

Our ride out to Sand Harbor was incredible. How could you not love crystal blue swimming pool-like water, nestled between pine trees and a sandy beach.
And, I am always amazed that you can see:

with a pinch of salt.

On the way to Lake Tahoe, we drove right through the:

What a crazy thing! They look exactly like snow... confusing to the brain on a warm summer morning.

The first chance we had, we parked the car and walked around.
They were crunchy, but soft... and the salt stuck to the bottoms of our shoes.

We told the boys they could run and run and run. And of course, they did. I stayed behind and snuck a little taste, just so I could say I did.

Mmmmmm. It was well, salty.

Looking over the vast landscape, the radiant white blinded your eyes, but up close you could see the:

Fantastic and delicate. Sparkly and beautiful too.

Some of the salt even followed us home I am sure. It had a way of finding itself back into my camera bag somehow!

i'm back, for a while...

We've been in Tahoe.
Camping.
Enjoying life.
You know, summer stuff.
But, I'm back now... for a while. We have another trip planned soon, and I can't wait.
I've got quite a job getting all of my pictures ready for the blog.
I'm trying!
I realized that I never finished my train story.
I will!
I have some juicy posts lined up.
For now, you get one picture.
It's my favorite from our Lake Tahoe adventure.
It's my youngest, and his face reads abundant joy.
That's the way summer should be.
Shouldn't it?
So far, this has been an amazing summer.
I am one lucky girl.

finding inspiration in abondoned trains.

Last week, we drove to Ogden to visit a friend.
Can I tell you just how cool this friend is... she brought us to an abandoned train yard.
This friend knows me all too well.
My love affair with rust.
My delight in all things old and vintage.
My camera had a hay day--- so much so, I didn't even get around to editing all of the photos yet! (And, I'm planning another photo session in the fall in the exact same location.)
My heart was beating double-time.
Thanks Nikki!

More tomorrow... along with my exciting story of finding a sleeping passenger among the trains!

sizzle, sizzle, pop!

I hope you had a:

Ours was full of:

Mixed with a bit of:

And, of course...

I love the:

I love being free. I love you, America.

making snowballs in July.

When we set off on our hike last week, we never thought we would find snow, much less-- be able to play in it. What an odd feeling to be making snowballs in July. My brain didn't know what to think!
My feet were chilly, but it felt good after sitting in the sun. Hiking in the hard packed snow patches was a different story. They were slippery and wet, a tricky feat!

As the trail wound around we found ourselves many times in the middle of a grove of Aspen trees. One of my favorite.

Finally, we made it to our destination! Stewart falls. A mighty rush of snow melt.

After the hike, we drove back down and decided to explore:

It wasn't hard to talk Jeff and my oldest boy onto the ski lift. My youngest, a totally different story.

What a fantastic ride. We enjoyed the warm glow of the:

It was mighty:

And, we got to swing our feet... ever so lightly. (Don't rock the seat!)

Perfect day.