Weekend recap

Full & fun weekend! I got to spend lots of time with my mom & that was the best part. One of my favorite conversations with her (she's so funny):

mom: you know you're kind of a hippie now.

me: yeah i know (pause)...but I'm not totally a hippie, I still wear a bra. (insert laughter so hard tears form).road trip to duluth was fun but duluth was chilly!! Sunday we went shopping at home goods because they were having an extra one day clearance. found some bargains! new sheets & curtain sets for the house. Then homemade salsa made from the garden supply...yum! I cleaned the entire house & organized all our closets. I even did all the bedding including the pillowtop & mattress pads. I'm pretty proud of myself for working so hard =) but I'm exhausted today because I've been going too much & it's catching up with me. Last week was crazy! Hopefully this week will be better. Jay & I are creating a list of fun fall things to do this year. It's my absolute favorite time of the year...we have the usuals (apple orchard, carving pumpkins, etc.) but if anyone has any unique suggestions let us know =)

Simple Woman's Daybook.

August 31st, 2009 from the Simple Woman's Daybook.
Outside my window...

a sunny but oddly chilly summer(?) day.

I am thinking...

i want to go home & take a nap!
I am thankful for...

being able to continuously upgrade my camera equipment. lucky lucky me.
From the kitchen...

homemade salsa from the garden!

I am wearing...

black pants & a turquoise shirt.

I am creating...

my hubby & I are creating a list of fun fall things to do this year as I type this. any suggestions?!

I am going...

to have some diet coke. I need the energy today.
I am reading...

still dragonfly in amber...it's like 800 pages!

I am hoping...

my new lens comes soon.

I am learning...

to be a good cleaner & a semi-good laundry wife. (hah)
I am hearing...

michael franti =)

Around the house...
new curtains & sheets...yay!!

One of my favorite things...

finding a great sale at the store.

A few plans for the rest of the week...

ONE session this week=amazing! coffee dates, dog sitting, vikings, & lots of soccer games.
Here is picture thought I am sharing...

Road trip!!

Getting ready to head out on a road trip to Duluth with my Mama. Al's got a soccer tournament up there this weekend that we can't miss! I'm looking forward to the car ride...I'm sure there will be lots of laughing & good conversation...probably some McDonald's sweet tea too =) Hope you have a fabulous weekend! If you head out to the fair make sure to stop by the footlong hot dog stand and say hi to my hubby!

What we've been up too...

Lots of movies! when I get stressed there is nothing better than escaping reality for a few hours with a good movie, & to describe my life lately-we've been watching lots of movies !! Here are a few that we've seen this month.
The Soloist-this was pretty good! It's a bit slow paced at times but the message is good & I liked the ending. As a psych major at one point, I've studied schizophrenia in depth so it was really interesting to watch. We thought Jamie Foxx did a really good job! It is a little depressing though.

Great movie!! We were laughing hysterically (so much that I was crying at some parts) This was one of my favorites of the year...great story, great actors, great ending. You should definetly see this one!

This was just ok for me-I read the book prior to the movie & have to say it's one of my favorites. The movie however did not come even close to the book. I thought they left out way too many important parts of the book and someone who has not read the book (my hubby) would not totally understand the story & he didn't get enough information or time to attach to the main characters...so he thought it was overall very sad. I was able to look past that in the book because you are able to read so much about their lives together & really appreciate their relationship and feel sympathy for them. You really get a lot of good stories of their lives in the book. The movie is still worth seeing but it's choppy & doesn't flow very well. Bring tissues!
I don't know why but I enjoyed this movie. I'll admit it's really weird, but it's also real life. You see the struggles of a family dealing with the death (suicide) of their mother & how it touches their lives. It's depressing at times but the ending is happy & overall it made me feel really normal & good about my life!

Random Fact Friday

RFF: Mr. Man is extremely picky when it comes to clothing. I can pretty much salvage any item & find it's redeeming value but he is ridiculously particular! He only likes certain colors, textures & items to wear. It is always a hoot to take him shopping...he had me cracking up hysterically last night. I have to beg him to try on certain clothing, and he will like (if I'm lucky) 1 out of about 15 things I pick out. It's hilarious to watch him walk out of the dressing room in the items he doesn't like!! He's really into the comfortable, surfer from california vibe. I'm his hippie chic, I love vintage clothing so we go together pretty good!

Thoughts on Thursdays...

I stumbled across Married For Life the other day in the bookstore & knew it was the perfect material & inspiration for Thoughts on Thursdays. I'll be taking passages from it to share with you here & there & I hope you enjoy them. I just love this little book. If you want to participate, post your blog in the comment section!

You only get out of a marriage what you put into it.

A young enterpreneur starts with an idea for a unique, new product. He carefully lays plans for a start-up business, calculating revenues and expenses. He meets with consultants, accountants, and attorneys. He works hard to sell the concept to banks and investors to raise capital. In time he leases space, purchases equipment, and hires employees. Finally he is ready to begin. He works hard, pouring himself into the business, determined to make it succeed. And it thrives. But does he merely sit back, relax, and enjoy the fruit of his labor? No! He works harder than ever, while conjuring up ideas for improving efficiency, bettering customer relations, creating profit.

If a marriage is to last a lifetime, it requires the same level of devotion and energy. Both partners must give 100 percent. Each must be available to the other when needed, fully present, ready to listen, to talk, to act. Both spouses must pour their heart and soul into this enterprise, making whatever sacrifice necessary to ensure success.

Yet what an investment! The payoff is a rich, healthy, loving relationship that lasts. And everyone involved reaps countless rewards. Sound good? Devote time and energy to your marriage.

Whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 2 Corinthians 9:6

Good dinner & better conversation.

Just got home from having dinner with my good friend Carrie & her adorable son Parker...who is just the cutest little boy & so sweet. We met half way in St. Paul & had some dinner at Cossetta's. It was so much fun catching up & sharing my life with her. She's also an avid blogger so it's fun to stay in touch that way too. After dinner Parker wanted to stretch his legs so we walked around the parking lot & I snapped a few shots of the two of them. She was worried because she didn't have much makeup on & I think she looks stunning in these photos. SO cute...I hope one day to be half the mom that Carrie is! She's so loving & patient. That's probably why she has such a good little boy. Thanks for a great dinner Carrie! Looking forward to our October date when life settles down for us.

I'll also be posting some more on my photography blog so stay tuned....

Look at that FACE!Carrie snapped one of Parker & I
This is sooooo not helping my baby obsession =)*Carrie I will e-mail you these tomorrow!

Random thoughts...

today i ...

.overslept. way too much.

.appreciated the sunshine & blue sky.

.sat in traffic for an hour.

.it wasn't so bad blasting my favorite song & singing along.

.thought about my saturday date with my mom with a big smile.

.got in a fight with my hubby.

.can't wait to make up tonight.

.ate at zelo's to welcome our newest member to the office.

.wished the honeydogs would play me a private concert.

.wondered if I should stop blogging.
.decided i shouldn't.

.loved unconditionally.

.actually enjoyed my job. a lot.

.wished my body would work out on it's own.

.got frusterated with myself.

.wrote down a list of 13 things I liked about myself.

.then i added one more because i'm ocd with odd numbers.

.realized i'm weird and i don't care.

.reminded myself to b r e a t h e.

.struggled to be positive & won.

Simple Woman's Daybook.

August 24th, 2009 from the Simple Woman's Daybook.

Outside my window...
a beautiful summer day!
I am thinking...
how excited I am for fall.

I am thankful for...
my perfect, precious, beautiful, incredible (I could go on forever!) baby sister.

From the kitchen...
someone else's kitchen tonight =)

I am wearing...
capris & a turquoise shirt.
I am creating...
a thoughts on thursday button for our blog.

I am going...

to read for awhile now.
I am reading...
dragonfly in amber...it's like 800 pages!
I am hoping...
I get some good one on one time with my hubby tonight.
I am learning...
new things about photography every day...yay!!

I am hearing...
silence...ahhh so nice being alone in the office sometimes =)
Around the house...

hopefully a new bookshelf soon.
One of my favorite things...
the feeling of laying down for the first time in bed after a very long day.
A few plans for the rest of the week...
finishing Al's senior pictures tonight, taking her out to dinner, 4 sessions this week, dinner date with an old friend & duluth this weekend! phew!

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

{thoughts on thursdays update}

I've received some interest on this so I'll write an official explanation here. On Thursdays I'm going to start posting marriage-related writings & I invite you to join me. We still have SO much to learn about marriage & my hope is that by sharing thoughts we will be able to grow & learn together. If you want to participate place a link to your post in the comment section so everyone can read your thoughts, challenges, heartaches & inspirations on marriage.

weekend fun

What a weekend!! Friday night was fun catching up with Whitney over dinner & having the night to myself. I got a lot of reading done & got to sleep in so that was nice. Saturday's wedding went awesome & it was a gorgeous day. I was glad we got to spend a lot of it outside...I sure was tired afterwards though & got home late. Since I was home alone I was able to get some editing done (yay!) without any distractions. This morning I made some long over due calls to some friends I hadn't talked to in awhile. I feel like I've been neglecting some of my friends because I've been so busy this summer...sorry guys! I need to remember this & not over book myself for next year. I met Jenni for lunch & then headed to my Mom's for a family party. Jay got home & came over just in time to grill for us all & it was so awesome to catch up with my family & Bunny and Papa came too! My brother brought his new puppy Marley & he was so cute. It was really nice to spend the day with my family. I made some hot fudge & we enjoyed sundays for dessert. My Mom makes this really yummy buffalo chicken dip that is a great appetizer, especially for fall (football season!!) It's so good & has a little kick to it. If you like buffalo wings you'll love this recipe:

buffalo chicken dip

1 package softened cream cheese

1/2 cup of ranch or blue cheese dressing

1/2 cup of hot sauce (we use Frank's hot sauce)

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 cans of chunk chicken breast in water.

Serve with veggies, crackers, or taco chips.

Jay & I are having a movie night & getting ready to cuddle up in bed. I can't wait. goodnight!

Have a happy weekend!

I'm off to get dinner & chat with Whitney & then relax before a wedding shoot tomorrow. Jay is off to the cabin with his friends & won't be back until Sunday which is good, because I'll be very busy this weekend. Tonight I'll be watching the game of course! I'm really disappointed in our team for picking up Brett Farve. Yes he may be a decent player, but it still bothers me. I've never really liked him (sorry Packer fans) because he's never been role model material for me...from his addictions to drugs & alcohol & rehab to his laziness of knowing he was going to sign with the Vikings, but purposely waiting until training camp & the grueling pre-season practices were over. He's always been so hungry for media attention. Oh well, maybe he'll be able to take us to the superbowl & all is forgiven =)

Have a happy Friday everyone!

Random Fact Friday

We're back! hope you like the new design & template =)

RFF: my favorite kind of ice cream is mackinac island fudge from Nelson's in Stillwater. Mr. Man's is cookie dough.

Under construction

Around 1 pm today I'll be shutting down our blog for an hour or two so I can get our new template up & running. It's a little bit more complicated than usual so I'll be taking our blog offline for a bit...just in case you stop by & we're not here, we'll be back! Happy Friday!!

Thoughts on Thursdays...

I don't know why but Thursdays have typically been a "reflection" kind of day for me. I think because it's a day of stillness. The bulk of the work week is over & the weekend craziness/business has not begun yet. I always know the weekend is within reach. So, on Thursdays I've decided to share thoughts on the biggest challenge, journey & joyride we experience: marriage. We still have SO much to learn about marriage & my hope is that by sharing thoughts we will be able to grow & learn together. If you want to participate place a link to your post in the comment section so everyone can read your thoughts, challenges, heartaches & inspirations on marriage. Because I believe marriage is the holiest union created by God, most of these will most likely be biblical (but yours doesn't have to be!).

Jay is called to love me & die for me as Christ died for the church. He is called to love me as he loves himself & how he wants to be loved. To care for me first, to love me first. He is called to leave his family to unite only and totally to me. To me. That's a pretty big calling if you ask me. sometimes I don't even want to be united to myself.

I am called to respect him. Sometimes I really struggle with this. Not totally, just little instances. Why? because I've lived a pretty independent life even through the years of dating him. We dated from age 15 to 23 & then married. I've always done what I wanted or what I thought was right & made my own decisions. Living 4.5 hours apart from each other for 4 years of college didn't help either. I got used to being the boss & depending on myself. Plus, anyone who knows me knows that I am a pretty strong-willed woman =) So when issues arrise, I jump to make the decision & decides what is best, (and sometimes judge his opinion or ideas) thinking I am always right. I need to make a daily effort to let him lead our life (with my input of course ;) and to trust that his decisions are sound & valuable. I just need to respect him more. Bless his precious heart for letting me take the reins of our relationship when I feel the need & for quietly holding his tongue in the process. There'a a bible verse that refers to removing the plank from your own eye before removing the speck from your neighbors. This one hits me up the side of the head all. the. time. Instead of focusing on what he should do better, or what he should fix-I need to worry about what I should work on.

One of the biggest things I've learned about marriage is that I can't change my husband-and-he's not just like me. Just as God accepts me with all of my flaws, scars, & problems-I have to accept him for who he is and let him be the man God intended him to be. He's also not a reflection of myself. He doesn't like to read every day & he's not addicted to reality tv shows & he doesn't like fried pickles (!!). But that's ok. Just because I like those things doesn't mean he naturally does too (without my influence or his patience). and it's ok.

Marriage takes a lot of selflessness, acceptance & respect.

Happy Birthdays!!

To my Mama & Louise! they share today as their special day. I love them both dearly. Last night we had a great time celebrating.

We are patiently trying to rip our wedding dvd into a file that is uploadable so we can post it here to share. Catching glimpses of it still gives me nervous butterflies, like I felt before I walked down the aisle. I hope that we will be able to share it with you soon (if it ever works!!) So that's what we've been working on tonight.

......and we also booked a little getaway for the two of us...my (photography) schedule has been crazy this summer. I've had over 20 sessions so far & weddings galore. I'm booked every weekend in september with weddings (one weekend I have two!!) so, we thought it would be great to get away in October once everything settles down & breathe for a long weekend. You have no idea how excited I am about this little plan of ours. We are super excited to be staying at the St. Croix River Inn in Osceola, Wisconsin. This bed & breakfast has gotten amazing reviews & it looks so relaxing. Our room has a porch overlooking the St. Croix river! They serve a full gourmet breakfast in the privacy of our own room, have a nightly wine, champaign & hors d'ouerves reception, hydromassage tubs, complimentary morning newspaper delivered, room service, aveda tolietries.....you get the picture. Pure relaxation if you ask me.

The best part is that we will be there during peak fall color season so it will be beautiful. We definetly plan on hiking the trails along the St. Croix & going to nearby Taylor's Falls & Chateau St. Croix winery. We're taking Friday off work & heading down that morning....October please come fast!!

Had coffee with a girlfriend last night that I don't see nearly enough. It was so great catching up with her & hearing all the great news about her life. Can't wait to see her again soon! I catch myself complaining that I am so busy all the time, but how lucky I am to be so busy-because it means I am blessed with an abundance of friends. lucky me. Did I stress that enough? lucky me.

Simple Woman's Daybook.

August 17, 2009 from the Simple Woman's Daybook . A good friend of mine reminded me to do this today...thanks Carrie! This time I added one of my own to the list that I think I'll include from now on..."I am learning."

Outside my window...

haziness.

I am thinking...

i want to watch (disney's) beauty & the beast.
I am thankful for...

a good haircut.
From the kitchen...

chicken enchiladas tonight!
I am wearing...

a purple shirt & black blazer, jeans, heels.

I am creating...

a new blog template...coming soon!!
I am going...

crazy at work. literally.

I am reading...

dragonfly in amber...it's like 800 pages!

I am hoping...

I get more sleep tonight.

I am learning...

to let go.

I am hearing...

clicking of the keyboard keys. I need to refresh pandora.

Around the house...

big changes coming! we're saving money for a reason!

One of my favorite things...

morning walks with jay & nemo.

A few plans for the rest of the week...

coffee date/meeting tonight, celebrating mama's birthday with a mexican fiesta!!

lots of photography sessions & a wedding this weekend.
Here is picture thought I am sharing...a relaxing bath with green tea.

Happy Monday!

I'm really not that peppy about Monday but I thought maybe I could persuade myself to get excited. I made it through the morning workout though!! After trying to convince myself back to bed this morning, I finally just got up & tried not to think about my warm bed I was leaving. I have to admit it felt really good to get a good workout in before leaving for the day. I am tired, but we stayed up late talking & I'm not as tired as I thought I would be. This is good news for me.

We had a really fun weekend with Jay's Mom...one of the highlights being a Summit brewery tour in St. Paul. We got all the history on Summit, found out how beer was made, & toured the brewery...very interesting & lots of fun. Then we each got to try 3 beers. Lets just say the boys loved it. It was a hit! The best part is that it's completely free. My favorites were the Hefe Wiezen & the Oktoberfest. Both were delicious. Be careful though, the Oktoberfest is 7.7% ABV! That's pretty strong for me.

After the Brewery we headed to the Mall of America for some shopping & dinner. Living in Two Harbors, Cheri doesn't get much shopping variety....so I know she had a great time shopping at the largest mall in America! Sunday Jay & I got up and had a date day. We got some lunch and then headed to the Twins game for the afternoon. Too bad the Twins couldn't pull it together & win against the Indians.

After the game I was needing some motherly & sisterly bonding time in a major way. Luckily, they were thinking the same thing! I had a few missed calls from my sister during the game so I went over to Mama's & hung out with them for the night while Jay ran some errands for us (grocery store, etc.) He's so good to me. Tonight I'm having coffee with a friend & then we are headed back to my Mom's to celebrate her birthday !

Positivity

....I finally broke down & agreed to work-out in the mornings with Jay. I always admire him (from the bed) as he gets up with dedication every day to work out in the mornings before heading into work. He has amazing discipline & he always keeps himself in shape. It's time for me to join his team. I'm soooo not a morning person & I have to admit I've had a pretty bad attitude about committing to it....so I need to think positive. I know I can do it with some motivation. Wish me luck! Tomorrow is my first morning session =) I better go get some sleep!

Las Vegas

Here are a few pictures from Las Vegas. What a great trip!!

The Venetian awesome light show!
Beatles cover band
Paris. Can't wait to go to the real one next summer!!
hippie nation =)

too bad we couldn't get any pictures of Cirque Du Soleil ....what a great experience!

Random Fact Friday

RFF: Best. Band. Ever.(we think) Nothing beats a live acoustic concert by OAR.

Link me!

Sooo a funny story...but a little background first. I have two facebook accounts-one for my photography & one personal. Ok so a few days ago I get a friend request for my photography account & I always accept them because I'm assuming they are interested in my work. I always check out their profile just to see who they are etc. Well this particular person's profile was a spitting image of my personal facebook (which is private). When I say a spitting image, I mean she copied word for word my interests, activities, quotes, ect.! It was the weirdest thing & a little creepy...but also kind of funny....I'm really not that cool I don't know why someone would want to copy me. hah! She had taken the quote from our blog header which was the main tip off because I created & made that quote up about our lives....not just some random quote I found. What I can't figure out is how she got information from my personal account (the two aren't linked in any way) because it's private unless we are "friends" -which we weren't. Very weird! Anyways, that brings me my next request =) please link back to my site if you take anything from my blog to share. While all the ideas may not originally be mine, I do change them to be my own & they are unique. I always try to give credit where it's due & would appreciate it in return. Thanks guys!! =)

I can't believe it's already thursday!! wow this week is just flying by. Last night on a whim Jenni & I went to the Melting Pot for dinner. It was so delicious but left us both feeling stuffed (but satisfied) It was a nice choice because it was really a treat & we were able to eat slowly & get a lot of talking done =) Tonight I have a session in a field (yay!!) and then I'm getting a much needed haircut. After that it's time to prepare for the weekend and all the festivities happening. Today is the thursday farmers market on nicollet mall so I think I'll grab some fresh fruit & vegetables to make some yummy food over the weekend!

Sacred.

Jay & I finally started Sacred Marriage together...we have heard so many good things about it & we ordered it months ago but never cracked it open. The message of the book asks the question what if marriage is designed for God to draw us to holiness instead of an instrument used to bring about our own happiness? This really hit me deep, because naturally as humans we are always looking for others to fulfill us & make us happy & that is why we are continually searching-because it starts (& ends) with God. It puts the meaning of marriage in a whole new light. I am so lucky that I have a husband who desires to grow in our relationship & more importantly strive for a relationship with God. When I got home tonight, he met me at the top of the stairs, barely holding back his excitement to share his day with me. I silently smiled & thanked God for him as he told me all his news for the day. He sure is wonderful. On that note, I'm off to bed! More feedback on the book to follow!!

Simple Woman's Daybook.

August 11, 2009 from the Simple Woman's Daybook again. (she does it every Monday, but I just do it when I feel like it =)

Outside my window...
a hot & hazy day.
I am thinking...

what is Jay doing right now?

I am thankful for...

toe nail polish.
From the kitchen...

kitchen's closed today =)
I am wearing...
a purple t-shirt, jeans & flip flops.
I am creating...

a new playlist.
I am going...
to go home & enjoy my free night =)
I am reading...
Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldan
I am hoping...
the day goes by fast so I can be on my way.
I am hearing...
david gray sing to me.
Around the house...
it's kind of messy today!
One of my favorite things...
real laughter (the kind that hurts your stomach)
A few plans for the rest of the week...

enjoy every busy day!
Here is picture thought I am sharing...simple but beautiful.

"There was just enough heat to enhance the value of the breeze, and just enough wind to keep the whole sea in motion, to make the waves come bounding to the shore, foaming and sparkling, as if wild with glee."~Anne Bronte

Outlander

A few pages into this book & I was snoozing....but I kept reading because I hate leaving books un-read. Half way through the book I could not put it down, and began to think, what have I gotten myself into? I'm hooked...and of course it's a six book (soon to be seven) series. I will warn you to keep reading when it seems like it's a dud, because it does start off slow but the end is worth it! From the back of the book: In 1945, Claire Randall, a former combat nurse, is back from the war & reunited with her distant husband on a second honeymoon-when she innocently touches a boulder in one of the ancient stone circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach—an "outlander"—in a Scotland torn by war in the year of our Lord...1743. Hurled back in time by forces she cannot understand, Claire's destiny is soon inextricably intertwined with Clan MacKenzie & the forbidden Castle Leoch. She is catapulted without warning into the intrigues of lords & spies that may threaten her life ...and shatter her heart. For here, James Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior, shows her a passion so fierce & a love so absolute that Claire becomes a woman torn between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives. I loved it mostly for the love story. It did take some getting used to the Scottish accent & some of the parts of the story were disturbing (they were pretty barbarian back then!) & some parts I could have done without, but that's with every book right? Overall it was really entertaining & I am already on book 2.

Fun weekends

We got back from Las Vegas yesterday and had a fun trip together....cirque du soleil was amazing! We decided that was the best part of our trip. We also had some really good dinners & relaxation by the pool. I'll post some pictures later. Our flight was delayed & we got home later than expected so I took yesterday off to have a day to myself. ahhh it was bliss. It was good to get back home again and relax. I had a photography session with some good friends, did a few things around the house, answered some client e-mails & then finished my book. The day ended perfectly. I got my hair done & met Jay for margaritas & mexican food afterwards.

This week is super busy! I have another session on Thursday & then Friday Jay's Mom is coming into town for the weekend. Friday is also the first pre-season Vikings game!!!! can't wait to watch that. We've got a fun weekend planned for Cheri's visit so we are looking forward to that. I'm still tired from the weekend so we are going to lay low & rest up for this coming weekend. It's already Tuesday though & I know this week will go fast. We've had some fun back-to-back weekends lately....that's what summer is all about!

Because she's just that cool...

sister meets AP. jealous.

Investments

*note-this post might get long & annoying. Feel free to leave now & come back later =) I'm going to rant about a few things that have been bothering me lately...

Life moves quickly & I can't figure out if people really change drasticly or if I just grow wiser & see them in a different light? Or maybe it's both? Whatever it is, there is an air of negitivity that's starting to bother me. I find that some people are in a constant state of negativity & judgement. What happened to tolerance? I never understand why people waste their energy on the negative aspects of life. And what about the people that you put so much energy into & you can tell they really only care about number 1? Or they keep in touch when they need something from you. I have realized that I put way too much into certain relationships without anything in return & it's time to make a change. I am too nice sometimes & I know I get taken advantage of. I really care about my friendships but I can only go so far on my own, because it's a two way street. If you aren't going to invest in me than I'm going to stop investing in you...because I know I'm worth it. I constantly see loved ones hurting in this way too. I wish people could just take a breather & realize that treating people that way only makes them feel worse about themselves in the end.

The other thing that's been bothering me is the state of turmoil the world is in due to our politics & our president. I am so sick of people putting others down or making judgement based on their political views. I hate partisan politics. Who are you to judge someone about what they believe anyways? Somebody may not believe in the same things that I do, but I don't think they are a lesser person because of it & I certainly don't hate them. Isn't that what America is all about? the freedom of speech, choice, beliefs, etc.? Just a little food for thought....

Thank you to the people that invest in me. You know who you are & I love you for that. I hold you all dear to my heart!!

Simple Woman's Daybook.

If you know me, you know I love the simple things in life. So my post today comes from the Simple Woman's Daybook.

August 4, 2009

Outside my window...

sunshine & skyscrapers.

I am thinking...

i want to curl up & read a book...or take a nap, or have a baby.

I am thankful for...

my bff.

From the kitchen...

some delicious hot fudge is brewing!

I am wearing...

a pale yellow vintage shirt, jeans & flip-flops (office attire is rough ;)

I am creating...

a surprise for my darling husband for this weekend.

I am going...

to vegas on friday!!

I am reading...

outlander by Diana Gabaldan

I am hoping...

my grandma gets better really quickly. and jenni's grandpa doesn't suffer.

I am hearing...

the air rush through the vents by my desk.

Around the house...

is where I love to be. homebody.

One of my favorite things...

getting together with my friends I'm seeing tonight.

A few plans for the rest of the week...

housewarming party tonight, family dinner tomorrow, possibly lunch with an old friend Wednesday, editing, editing & more editing & vegas on thursday.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...an outdoor dinner party in a field!

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

This was a quick read but started out slow. I will warn you the entire book is written in the form of letters, which I didn't know prior to picking it up. It got more & more interesting as I got further into it & the ending was great. It was not at all what I expected but was a good book overall. Very sweet & innocent. It's about a Secret Society that formed during the German occupation & how it changed their lives. It tells stories of Germany & the war. From the back of the book: January 1946: writer Juliet Ashton receives a letter from a stranger, a founding member of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. And so begins a remarkable tale of the island of Guernsey during the German occupation, and of a society as extraordinary as its name.

Catching up

Last weeks time off did me well. I was able to get caught up on all my sessions, finish archiving my photos & organizing my cds. The un-interrupted time was just what I needed. I found some awesome leather cd holders on clearance at office depot so I snatched 5 of them....and they worked perfectly. It feels to good to have all my photos in order! I spent a good part of the day cleaning & organizing & then Al & I went to see the movie 500 days of summer in Uptown. Great movie! We loved it. Surprising twist at the end but still very good. We came home & ordered some pizza for dinner with mr. man.Jay was out of town Saturday through Sunday for his districts softball tournament, so I spent a lot of time editing my last few sessions & finishing that up. I shot a maternity session for Emily & Colin on Saturday & it was really fun to be able to see them & catch up on their life & baby news! Thanks you two! I've even finished editing their session because I had the evening free (amazing, I know!! hah) & it's nice to stay caught up. On Sunday Jay planned a surprise date for me which entailed lunch at Cossetta's & the Titantic exhibit at the Science Museum. It was so much fun! we shared some pizza at Cossetta's & really enjoyed the time together. The exhibit was amazing-so many cool artifacts & personal stories. We got to "board" the ship, & were given tickets with real passengers names & information on them. It was weird to think they were real people. It was really neat because at the end you got to find out if you lived or died. It was a great date & ended on a perfect note....ice cream :) Thanks babo!!After we got home last night we checked on our flights & itinerary for our trip this weekend. Jay's dad & stepmom bought us tickets to Mystere by Cirque Du Soleil (or Circus Solley as Jay calls it....HAH!) for our anniversary. It looks SO cool! Can't wait to get out of here and get a break & we are looking forward to the short week. Our first time in Vegas!!!! Hope everyone had a great weekend.