...

I guess this all could have gone into one post. But I'm trying to hit at least one-hundred posts by the end of the year, and I need to get cracking. Even if these first few are random ramblings, they're going to count.

Basically, I am woefully under informed about the world, American history in particular. Even though I've had consistently amazing history teachers (Turner, Shoe, Segall! the fantasticality of those three and their different methods!) I've been recalcitrant in properly absorbing everything they've told me. I totally need to relearn about all of the American wars and several of the important American presidents. And I need to learn more about the world, too - the Ottoman Empire, the colonization of Africa, the rise and fall of the Soviet Union, Vatican II, the social status of women throughout the world, polytheistic religions, oh god so much!

So if anyone knows of a great historian or an anthropologist or someone who explains information really well, holler at me!

Also, who the hades doesn't know what band Sgt. Pepper refers to? (I just finished a rather ridiculous rerun of Project Runway. Oh my goodness, Tim Gunn is fountain of fabulousness!)

Training...I guess

I almost forgot! My mom and I are going to start training for a half marathon soon. If we go through with our plan - and I really, really hope we do! - then I will most definitely be traveling farther away from home than the KP! I'm going for a run tomorrow. Let's see how that goes. I've heard running is sort of an art form - or, at least, that's it's more than moving your legs faster than normal. I think the marathon is about thirteen miles, which is totally doable (in my mind) because that's less than five laps around Greenlake. I don't know anyone who runs around Greenlake five times at once, but then again I don't know many "runners." I'm just super thrilled to have something to work on between the end of my summer courses (at UW) and the start of by fall courses (at Bellevue College). Philosophy and international relations await my in the late days of September, but for now I'm a running reader!

Picnics

Picnics are jolly good business. Alas, the picnic season is almost over in Seattle and as of yet I've assessed (personally) only one decent picnic location in the Greater Seattle area. And does it even count, because that picnic location is Downtown Park in Bellevue? At the start of the summer I thought I'd at least make it to Gasworks Park. Ah, well. These next two or three weeks promise to be more adventurous than the rest of my summer combined, at least in terms of travel. Where shall the winds carry me? Hopefully a little farther than they Key Peninsula, which is lovely but which I have experienced more than enough of for the time being.

Something borrowed, something blue...

During the first week of August my family and I attended the wedding of a "Bible Study kid", Karli Johnson. I got a chance to debut my new haircut while wearing a little black dress and my favorite colorful pumps ever! I didn't stand a chance against the bride, though, who looked absolutely sensational. Because I am me, I used the wedding as an opportunity to snap some photos!

Kettering family photo

Dean Johnson, the bride's father, has a wonderful habit of dressing us as SNL's Guido Sarducci at weddings. Because this was Dean's daughter's wedding, Guido made a special appearance, and a brought along a retinue of bodyguards. He told the wedding guests that this one was named "Mario."

I wish all the best to the wedded couple, Karli and Zach Zarcone.

Chopped off six inches!

Towards the end of July, Seattle experienced the most dastardly heat wave in its recorded history. I hate to put my hair back in a ponytail, so instead (to air out the back of my neck) I chopped off six inches of hair!

I went from this...

To this!

All in all, I took off about six inches. It's the shortest my hair has been since the sixth grade!

"...Oh, say can you see?"

The last time I posted was around the 4th of July. My parents and James were in Hawaii, and since I staid home for classes I headed down to the beach for the holiday. I got to spend time with my uncle, aunt, and three wonderful cousins as well as fellow beach family and longtime family friends, the Pinneos. As an added bonus their son Luke had recently returned from Peru (where he worked at an orphanage!) Luke is great with kids, and he spent the whole weekend playing with them.

That night we set off some fireworks and roasted s'mores. It was a fantastic weekend, and I'm so glad I got to spend it with family! Here are some pictures.

Matthew the fisher

Paige the sparkler

Luke the climber

There was an amazing sunset that night

Aunt Jessie and Matthew!

Uncle Brian giving us a "sparkler" lesson

One of our better fireworks!

Returns

So, obviously (and once again) I've been terribly remiss in keeping up posts. To be fair I've just finished with my classes at UW, and I don't start classes at BC until late September, so I should have more time to document my latest and greatest! That is, if you're still listening!

I have been a bit busy over the past eight weeks, so I might as well post some of my adventures! All my best to you good readers!