the hills are alive.

i'm so good at NOT blogging, it's really a shame that i try and break that cycle.

i need to just take the leap and not put so much pressure on myself to be this awesome blogger, when in reality, i just want to show off fun stuff i find.

ANYWHO.

we got this notebook in at the store recently, and it caught my eye. now i can't wait to buy it.

{she climbed until she saw composition book. $5.95}

i know, i know, we all need another cute notebook like we need a hole in the head, but there is something about this that really strikes me.

firstly, it's nature-y...which, i love. (in my head i'm really nature-y.) as a result, it reminds me of camp, which is always ideal/essential on rough days.

secondly, i feel like it really speaks to how i approach many things in my life. i climb until i see. i have climbed, i do climb, and you damn well know that i'm climbing in my future. and even if you're not to the top, even if the peak seems eons away, the view doesn't seem all bad from here.

thirdly, this notebook reminds me of one of my greatest accomplishments. it also happens to be the inspiration for my hypothetical future tattoo -- which would be the longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates of the peak of mount whitney. i backpacked the west side of whitney with a group of diabetic 16 and 17 year olds in summer 2004. at 14,505 feet, it's the highest peak in the contiguous united states. we did it in ten days, hiking over 110 miles. when we started, my pack weighted nearly 90 pounds, and i think it was the sixth time i had ever backpacked. not too shabby, eh? it was truly one of those "i'm just flattered to have been asked [to be staff on this trip]" moments. it was so much fun, and so challenging, and an experience i look forward to repeating. soon.

when cancer is over, i'm doing it again.

so, here it is...the hypothetical tattoo:

36 34'42.9 N

118 17'31.2 W

it will be in honor of past accomplishments and future goals.

now i just need to figure out all those "minor" details including how to get over my crippling fear of needles and whether or not i want to commit to something for the rest of my life.

man, for a notebook that's only $6, i've done a really good job of justifying the purchase.

(the website for the parent company, compendium, has some really cute books and paper goods on it.)

i love this city.

every time i come around the big curve on the 101 and see san francisco's skyline, i fall in love all over again. today is gloriously sunny and i have the next three days off.

that means: brunch.pedicure.shopping.cleaning.camp programming.itunes organizing.crafting.flea market.graduation parties.airport.mary.probably total aussie chaos.

all in san francisco sunshine.

hard to complain about a weekend like that.

national go-on-a-field-trip month.

some of my favorite field trips of all time. in no particular order.

Oakland A's game.

Cardoza's Pumpkin Patch in Petaluma. (Now known as Tolay Lake Regional Park.)

San Francisco MOMA.

Italy. Florence, Rome, Siena with a quick, unexpected bonus day in Paris.

Camp Cazadero.

Academy of Science in San Francisco.

Easy Coast. Washington DC, Philadelphia, New York City.

Dylan Beach.

Exploratorium.

pretty pitchers.

these hot summer months call for proper hydration. 

i have found some beautiful pitchers lately, and i'm really digging the white.

found on pottery barn.

found on west elm.

found on macys.

found on gumps.

woody

inspired by a potential camping trip this weekend, i think it is more than appropiate the share one of my latest obsessions:

wood grain.

i bought this great packaging tape today, and i can't wait to get some more designs. i'll have to find more excuses to send packages now. (not that i'm complaining.)

found on tapeswell.

love. love. love.

found on miniot.

as usual, pottery barn hits the mark. i wish that i could find a good spot for this in my apartment:

found on pottery barn.

keeping squeaky clean never looked this good.

found on gianna rose atelier.

and it's (k)not wood just fuels my fire.

take note.

these new moleskin volant mini ruled notebooks are my new favorite thing.

perfectly sized, wonderfully blank and amazingly durable.

i'll take one in every color.

found on moleskin.