Backpacking Glacier, tamales, and duets

OK. First, I should clarify. We didn't backpack Glacier National Park. We tore up the trail leading to Glacier Lake, of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest near Packwood, Washington variety.

Our companions on this trip were none other than Emily and Greg Lagried, along with their new(ish) pup, Luca duca dogger. You may remember our first backpacking trip together. This one-upped that only because we were a bit more prepared and experienced, and it rained just 50 percent of the time, instead of 100. 

Big, vivid memories include our indulgent dinners, showcasing homemade tamales and spaghetti with herbs straight out of the Lagreids' garden. Two nights of epic sing-a-longs. Salami. Summer sausage. Greg's big catch! Off-roading in the 4-Runner. Packing in two bladders of wine and packing out zero. Campfires, if for nothing but the ambiance. S'mores. Quality time with dang good friends.

Driving home, Taylor and I rewrote our camping "needs" and "please don't pack this in ever again, Kate" lists. Somehow jars of salsa, peanut butter, and Nutella seemed more necessary than a lighter pack. I may rethink that next time. 

Until our next trip...

Barricade schmarricade. Let's see what this four-wheel drive can do. 

In retrospect, that pre-hike beer was a poor choice. 

Eco Vino securely snapped to the pack.

Our first trip with the Lagreids as a party of three.

Full-size guitar. He doesn't mess around. 

Note to all parties involved: Next time, let's eat before the hike. 

The boys described Glacier Lake as "brute." Just one fishy made it to camp.

Meat and cheese! Meat and cheese! 

Thanks, Em, for snapping this shot. Isn't it ironic that I was the one napping?

See the boys down there?

Happy hour on the log!

Everyone chipping in for our spaghetti feast.

My favorite part of the day...Johnny and June reincarnate.

Em took about 12 photos of Luca like this on my cam. 

I LOVE this photo.

Besties in nature's beauty. 

Dudes

Luca's not smiling because Auntie Kate needed a shower big time. Huge time. 

Doin' the Dirty (Half) in Bend

We're on a Bend binge it seems--fine by us! We love it there and can't get enough. Last weekend, we headed over with our good friends Leslee and Troy (+ kiddos!) for a quick get-away prompted by a trail half-marathon.

Leslee grew up in Bend, so we stayed at her parents' home. They spoiled us, cooking breakfast, lunch, and dinner--the best salmon we've ever eaten!--as well as watching the kids while we went out for beers and ran the race last Sunday morning.  

The beers were good. The race was brutal. But, we had fun all weekend long. Taylor got his new mountain bike, too, and he and Troy sandwiched the race with two solid bike rides. 

Any time we spend with Team Schady is time well spent.

Les got lots of pics, but I just managed to corral a quick photo sesh post-race. Matchy-matchy boys and girls!

Twinkie besties!

Troy Boy and Schady Lady

She's having a baby!

What an awesome night when four-fifths of my high school gang got together for dinner a few weeks ago. Katie drove up from Eugene, Mar was actually in town, and Kell and I--well, we're always around. After a lengthy dinner, which spanned the duration of a torrential thunder and lightning storm (girls: I'm not even going to go into detail about how the table next to us got our food!!!...not going to go there!), the girls insisted they see my not-so-set-up apartment, as well as hit up our favorite donut shop. (I'm not even going to apologize for that sentence structure.)

Katie kept insisting we Skype our missing link, Matea, down in San Francisco. She was pretty adamant about it. Since I didn't (and still don't) have the internet set up at my apartment, we huddled around a table at the donut shop and called her on someone's cell phone. There she was, cute as can be, posted up in front of her computer. We were so thrilled to see her, as it had been quite some time since our last reunion. After a smidge of small talk she blurted out some super surprising news: she and Josh are pregnant!!! We're going to be aunties!!!

Katie talked to Matea a few days before, and since she knew we'd all be together, she told Matea that'd be the perfect time to tell the rest of us. Katie had her phone ready and snapped the most priceless pic ever. We're so thrilled for the Heinemans to add a bouncing babe to their brood. Congratulations, Matea! Can't wait to see you and your little bump in just a few weeks. XOXO

Leaving on a jet plane...home before 10

Pretty Woman was my favorite movie when I was a kid, and I had a total Pretty Woman moment Wednesday, when Taylor and I FLEW to Bend for dinner. 

As a tax season thank you for Taylor and his co-worker, one of their clients took the guys as well as their significant others (enter moi!) on their jet to Brasada Ranch for dinner. Yes. We just flew away for the evening.

Originally--as in at the start of the day--we were scheduled to head to Friday Harbor in the San Juan Islands, but the weather was awful up north, so by mid-day plans changed, and we took off for Central Oregon instead. 

We enjoyed the company as well as the scenery, and the dinner was to die for. I'm not sure we'll ever get to experience anything like this again. Ever. I've been to Bend countless times, but seeing the mountains from above instead of on the horizon was one of the most breath-taking sights.

Our transportation to dinner.

A red floor-length gown would have been more appropriate, don't you think?

Mt. Hood

Flying over Mt. Jefferson.

Jimmy and Taylor in the cockpit.

Central Oregon mountain range.

It was sunny and so warm when we landed. It was snowy just a few days before. Gotta love the weather in Bend.

Brasada Ranch. So beautiful.