Monday, May 26, 2008

29 Doesn't Feel All that Different

So I'm now 29.

The big birthday before the BIG birthday.

To be honest, I've been having some issues with this birthday. The kind where you evaluate where you are in life and where you think you should be. By the time my mother reached 29, she had two kids and was on her second husband. Kind of strange, right?

Anyway, despite all the internal dialog and thoughts about the future, things really aren't much different.

Here are a few pictures to walk you through my birthday week...


We spent Wednesday through Saturday in Minneapolis, where Karl and I attended a workshop with one of the best wedding photographers in the world. The workshop was amazing and really really challenging. The techniques we explored were so out of my comfort zone! It definitely gave me a lot to think about.

We shot all around Minneapolis, including a trip to the sculpture park to see the famous spoon and cherry. Karl and I had to take a cheesy picture of course!

Here's some evidence of our hard work in Minneapolis:




So you can probably gather from those shots that the workshop was very much about working with cool light and architecture. As a photographer who likes to get in close and capture emotion, I was definitely *not* in my element, but I learned so much and can't wait to play some more.

Saturday was my actual birthday and we celebrated back home after picking up the dog from the kennel. Karl grilled delish steaks for dinner and we had Dairy Queen for dessert. Then I got to open my present!

Aren't they adorable? Walker has a thing for eating my slippers (he leaves all other shoes alone!) so I was in desperate need of a new pair. Karl and I aren't doing birthday presents for each other this year in an attempt to save money for medical expenses, but these were a perfect little treat! I don't care that I'm 29... I can still wear fun slippers right?

Sunday was a day of productivity around here, which included watering my pretty pot of annuals on the front porch...


I'm not good with plants, so we'll see if I can keep these guys alive for the summer. I was going for a red white and green theme but it looks like some pink snuck in there.

So that brings us to today (yay for long holiday weekends!) We took a break from the long to do list to visit with Barb and Brad who had Emily and Justin over for a breakfast pit stop on their way back to Chicago.

Doesn't that look yummy? Thankfully only my muffin was sacrificed when I tripped on the way outside. We won't talk about the tripping...or the muffins for that matter.


While we were eating, Maddie and Memphis were getting to know eachother. This consisted of Maddie trying to make Memphis play with her and Memphis responding by moving just out of her reach. They are clearly BFF in the making!

Speaking of BFF...I made Karl take a picture of the girls since it's not often we're in the same city.

Apparently when I told him to take a picture, I didn't specify a picture that doesn't make us all look exhausted! Not even black and white could save this one :)

So that's it. I'm 29. Here's to a good journey to 30!

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Few Words, Many Pictures

I don't have much to say lately. Well, I have things to say, but you don't want to know...trust me. And if you don't trust me, trust Barb who receives emails from me that make her choke on her beverage. That's my life...

But I can show you my new favorite place in the city of Appleton. Meet my wall:


Isn't is beautiful? And to think this mural has been sitting there on the side of the massage therapy building for years and I never noticed. Well I noticed now and I can't go by it without smiling.

I want to go there everyday and take pictures of all of my favorite people. And then I want to make a coffee table book, so when I'm having nights like tonight I can flip through it and smile.

Because we all need that.

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

January Flashback

So now that it seems like spring is really here to say, I'm thinking back to January. Huh?? What can I say, I'm not able to scrap in order!

I did this layout for this week's Journaler's Junction Challenge, which is to journal about food. And let me tell you, food was a big part of the Girls Vaca in Galena! Barb and Ang teamed up to cook breakfast for the group. I had my first ever pickle wrap, thanks to Brandy. We all enjoyed fried green tomatoes. And Josie addicted us all to this strawberry cheesecake fluffy thing. My mouth is totally watering just thinking about it.

And speaking of food, I've got big culinary plans for tomorrow! Babs and I are channeling our inner Giada and whipping up some pasta from scratch. Followed of course by Grey's Anatomy viewing and chocolate molten cakes for dessert.

I'm sure there will be pictures to follow...

Friday, May 2, 2008

Let's get this party started!!!

It's May!

My favorite month of the year!

Reasons why I love May:
  • In Wisconsin, it's pretty much the start of spring. (except this year. It's still cold. What the heck?)
  • My birthday is the 24th
  • Wedding season gets underway

I have a really good feeling about this month. I'm just going to pretend that it's not raining and windy outside.

What are you looking forward to about this month?