#goodthings

I woke up this morning to find a few notes from Justin plastered around the apartment. This one is my favourite. When we first started dating, we were long distance and Justin used to write me little poems when he missed me and couldn't talk to me. I remember this was one of the first ones he ever showed to me, and it made me grin like an idiot reading it this morning when I got up. I'm so thankful for this boy that loves me as much as he does. So much love.

thanksgiving

After not having the opportunity to go down to Burlington for 10 very long months, we made it happen over Thanksgiving. Partly motivated by the prospect of getting my car back after my last failed B-town trip, but mostly motivated by me missing my loved ones (and my mom's cooking). My aunt and uncle came to pick me up in Waupaca Wednesday morning and we stopped at Little Fat Gretchen's for lunch. I napped from Oshkosh to Fond du Lac because I hadn't gotten much sleep the night before, and we stopped at Krispy Kreme in West Allis to get a snack before dropping me off at home.

Wednesday night I spent with my people. Bryce & Noelle are pretty much the Cristina to my Meredith if you're a Grey's fan like I am. It was so unbelievably amazing to be in the same room with them again and talk like 10 months hadn't flown by in the blink of an eye. We watched YouTube videos (this makes me laugh every time) and played with Sage before he went to bed. It never ceases to amaze me that our friendship is so strong that it feels like no time has passed at all when we get together, even if it's been close to a year since we've all been in the same room.

Thursday was the big day. So much food. So many people. So many selfies (hahaha). It was nice to see all of my family members and help in the kitchen and wave my camera in everyone's face. If I have learned one thing since discovering photography, it's that no one in my family likes pictures... so candids are the way to go. My grandma was sassy all day, my dad came to drop my car off and ended up staying for dinner, and after everyone left Noelle and Sage came over for a little bit to say goodbye before I left.

I say this all the time, but I really am super grateful for this little life of mine. I've got good humans, a passion to pursue, and things like knitting my first blanket to keep me busy along the way.

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. xo

Week 47/52

celebration... cookies are optional

I'm back in Waupaca from Thanksgiving. I got home late last night and Justin and I pretty much cleaned the apartment from top to bottom. It needed to be done, and now we just have to devise a system to keep it that way. So to celebrate a clean apartment/my homecoming/belated Thanksgiving/the fact that Christmas tree lots are starting to pop up in parking lots everywhere, I made peanut butter chocolate chip cookies. And much to my mother's horror, they are the easy bake kind that come pre-made where all you have to do is break them up and pop them in the oven. Her cookies are better, but these are much easier to make. (Sorry mom!)

Turkey Day post coming your way tomorrow morning. Happy Black Friday!

thankful

My heart is so full today. I'm thankful for my loved ones, that I got to make a trip home for the holidays, photography for being my saving grace all year round. Happy happy thanksgiving everyone, and if you live outside of the U.S., happy Thursday. 

white thanksgiving

We're having a white Thanksgiving this year, thanks to the 5 inches of snow that was dumped on us Monday night. Today I'm leaving to go home for Thanksgiving (and I'll actually make it home this time!). I'm sure I'll pop in tomorrow for a thankful post and some pictures of our festivities. I'm so excited to see my family and cuddle with my dog and get some best friend time in. Happy Thanksgiving!

let it snow

Goodbye autumn, hello winter.

We ushered in chilly, below freezing temperatures this week and they brought snow with them. It's given a whole new meaning to snapping a coffee shot on the balcony now. I need my peacoat, scarf, mittens or gloves in addition to the steaming hot cup of coffee that's never far away. I forgot how quiet everything gets when it snows, how still everything becomes. You can hear your heartbeat drumming in your ears. Hear your footsteps crunching across the grass. Everything is magic when it snows.

I love the snow right now. I'll probably love it until January, after the holidays, and then I'll start longing for spring.

Week 46/52

currently, november edition

drinking black coffee to combat the chilly mornings

watching season 6 of gilmore girls

catching up on this season of grey's

planning a trip home for thanksgiving & a reunion with my car

listening to the serial podcast... i'm so hooked

knitting more scarves

reading animal dreams by barbara kingsolver

munching on m&ms minis

breaking out the snow boots for winter walks

thinking about my younger self, and if she would be proud of me

gearing up for the holidays

hunting the classifieds and craigslist for a new place to live

dreaming up a birthday project, inspired by elise's wds speech

daylight savings blues

From the archives, November 2011

I remember the way I felt when I took this photo. Photography wasn't exciting to me anymore. I was heading into my first Christmas season at the studio, preparing me for working 7 days a week during most of 2012. Pre-burnout, pre-family meltdown, pre-Justin. I was a whole different person.

And yet... I haven't picked up my camera in weeks. I miss photography. I miss blogging. I feel the same way now that I did then. It's funny how much can change in three years and yet how the same feelings can come back to haunt us. Old ghosts ratting around in our tired, achy bones. Daylight savings time drained me of energy. While I was grateful for an extra hour of sleep, I miss the sun. I miss warmth and I miss light parties and I miss having light until at least 6 o' clock.

I'm in a funk. I have to reinspire myself, look for magic in my everyday life again. I want to make the rest of this year count.

#brbchasinglight

I've really only gotten out of bed this week to go to work and to take pictures of light. We caught that nasty head cold that's floating around so I'm predicting a lot of Gilmore Girls and chicken soup or the next couple weeks. 

Week 44/52