Next Thing On My List: HALES

20, when did that happen?

This summer I decided that there are somethings that I just need to do.
Some are a right of passage, others silly,
and still others I might never do if I keep putting them off.

20 Things to Do Before I am 20

1. Get Baptized
This was something I had wanted to do for a while and finally decided that there was not time like the present.

2. Go on a blind date
Going on a blind date was crazy!  The butterflies in my stomach before hand were unreal and we had a blast swing dancing the night away at Social Dance Studio followed by tea at Hard Times Cafe.  All in all a night I will never forget.  (& although he was really nice, it was not meant to be.)

3. Go to a concert

Jukebox the Ghost!!!
I spent a week learning the songs then our Broom Ball team went and jammed out!

 

4. Have a tea party with Becks
Becks is one of my best friends in the world and I couldn't imagine life with out her.

5. Stay up to watch the sunrise
We sure did stay up all night and although we did not see the sun actually rise we did go ice fishing that morning.

6. Become One with Nature

7. Road trip with Friends
Turned into a weekend in Duluth at a friends cabin.

 

8. Try out for something
I tried our for Fiddler on the Roof and although I did not make it... or even get a call back it was good to get out there.

9. Pay it Forward (Drive Through Difference)

10. Become a Princess
ELSA!! (For Halloween)

11. Learn how to drive a stick shift
Thanks to Josh Ochoa I can now drive a stick shift very poorly!

12. Go up the down escalator
If you want to see me act like a fool then click the link below.
Me Going Up the Down Escalator

13. Participate in the Swap A Letter, Swap A Parcel, Find A Friend: The Perfect Strangers Project
My perfect strangers, Jean lives in South Africa.  Unfortunately I found out that the South African Postal Service is on strike so I am currently waiting for them to go off strike before sending anything to her.  

14. Carve my name into a tree
This was something random that I had always wanted to do.
My Tree by Chris Rice

15. Try Something New
I had never played Broom Ball before J-term and fell in love with the sport.  Falling was a common happening for me while playing Broom Ball, I fell time and time again. We Won our last game!!!

16. Simplify My Life

As seen in a previous post I simplified my life by taking part in the 250 Things Challenge.

17-20...

So, no I did not finish the list.  There were a couple things that I did not get around to or meant to do but could not finish.  That does not mean that I have given up! I am currently learning to ride the unicycle, have plans for a Flash Mob in the near future and will get around to calling Bob Goff at one point or another. 

A little over 6 months ago I came up with a list of things to work towards.  I have never felt so driven and it makes me happy to know that I accomplished so much.  This list has taught me that it is important to work towards something but it is also important to go off script.  

For now I keeping looking at the

Next thing on my list...

6 Reasons we LOVE Fall

Fall is here! 

And while it is fun to dwell on the wonderful summer that was had it is time to move forward to a new season that brings joys of its own. 

We wanted to share some of our favorite things about fall, because fall is awesome!

HALES

1. Fall Colors

The trees come to life in the fall, as if having one last party before winter.   It brings me such joy to see the leaves change colors.  From the soft greens of summer to bright yellows, deep oranges, scarlet reds, then down to the ground to rest in an autumn mosaic.

2. Hot Tea

I drink tea year round but there is nothing quite like drinking tea in the chill of fall.  Give me Chai tea, Black tea, Green tea, add some honey, milk or lemon.  Give me tea and I will be happy.  

3. Harvest Season

After a summer of weeding, watering, and waiting harvest season is finally here! It is amazing to see how a little seed can turn into something so beautiful.  Gardening fills me with such hope! 

BECKS

1. Fall Clothes

AHhhhhhh! I love layers so much! If I could wear boots, cardigans, flannels, and jeans all year round I would. There are so many different fabrics and patterns to play with in the fall and the rich colors warm my heart!

2. Leaves/ leaf art

 I love really leaves, especially when they change colors and start to fall. Walking to class in the morning is always prettiest in the fall because of the changing leaves!

Have y'all seen the leaf art on Instagram and Pinterest lately? Well I couldn't resist breaking out my hole punch when the first leaves hit the ground! You could also use the little dots that get punched out for some natural confetti!

3. Apples

 It seems that in recent years apples have been overshadowed by their lovely friend the pumpkin. Don't get me wrong I love a good PSL (pumpkin spice latte) and some pumpkin pie! I just love apple cider and apple pie a little more. There is something so magical about going to apple orchards and picking your own apples too! I have been dreaming a trip to a local orchard a lot lately!

(Also we know it's not quite October yet, but we just can't resist this quote!)

“I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.”
― L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables    

HALES and BECKS

Letterboxing In The Great North

On one of our many adventures in The Great North; my family and I wandered into a little shop that was surrounded by cabins.  Barb, an earthy woman, greeted us as we looked around.  Upon reading the hand written sign that said Carve A Rubber Stamp and something about Letterboxing I turned to Barb with wild curiosity I asked her how the sign.  Her eyes filled with excitement as started to explain while pulling out a big box of supplies.

She went on to explain that that Letterboxing involves a waterproof box hidden in a scenic location containing a rubber stamp and notebook.  Pulling out a piece of paper she showed us that a person uses a series of clues to find where the boxes are hidden. Once found, the finder will stamp the box's notebook with his or her personal stamp, and use the box's stamp to mark their own personal notebook. Letterboxers collect the stamps from boxes all over the world. Barb compared it in some ways to geocaching.

A quirkier version of geocaching

As I sat there carving away at my little rubber stamp I asked Barb how she got to this particular lodge.  Standing there in her hand knit green sweater she told a tale of after growing up in Duluth and meeting the love of her life in her 20's.  Soon after they got married and she followed him up the very lodge that I sat in.  7 kids and 30 years later here she was. 

My first real experience with Letterboxing left me (and this little rubber stamp) running along an over grown trail beside Loon Lake just outside the Boundry Waters or BWCA.   I tried to read and decode the buzzard and oddly specific clues telling me to go left at the fallen tree and something about a nice picnicking area where I would find the little box all the while wildly swatting at the hundreds of blood thirsty mosquitoes.  It took me 4 times longer than it should have to find it but when I finally did I screamed with joy and quickly stamped my stamp in the book and vise versa.  I walked away with twice as many mosquito bites as before, totally worth it!

Can't wait for my next letterboxing adventure! 

Making my mark on this world one stamp at a time- HALES

A blog, a business, a friendship

Hey Friend!!! Welcome to every which way with Hales and Becks!

 Becks and I have been friends since Jr High and became fast friends.

If I remember right the first thing that Becks ever said to me was something along the lines of, "Was is cold in Alaska?" then I replied, "No it rained a lot..." And that was it, that we our first conversation (rather short, but anyways.)  And here we are now almost 7 years later entering into our sophomore year of college! 

In this search for finding what we are called to do we came up with the grand idea to start writing a blog together! 

So basically between the two of us we come up with some pretty creative (and sometimes crazy) ideas. You can count us in with the dreamers so to say, but we also want to be doers! So prep accordingly because we are going every which way, sharing the things we love with you! 

A blog, a business, a friendship.

Celebrating the start of our new adventure over scratch cupcakes! 

(Mmmm... We love cupcakes!)

HALES

I could eat scones all day (I'm not sure if that is a problem or a blessing)

One day I hope to learn to ride the beautiful red unicycle that is currently sitting in my closet!

Hang on little tomato by pink martini is my favorite song.

I love the rain but don't believe in umbrellas (West Coast raised)

 BECKS

Goats are my favorite animal

Haiku's are the only form of poetry I can write 

I love the color yellow 

and baking cookies!

All we really know is that we want to glorify God in all we do.  Like most women our age we are trying to figure out our calling.  Whatever this is, we are excited for the adventures to be had and the friends we will meet on the way.  Who knows where this road will take us while keeping our hearts and minds open to Gods plan for us.

Join us as we begin another crazy adventure going every which way

HALES and BECKS