life lately: june

june. you have been full of greenery, specifically in the form of romping around in the forest. you have also been full of a lot of work, hardee's & personal. i bought a domain name and am waiting for my external hard drives to get here so i can finish putting photos on it. you've also been full of a lot of growth, as a person and getting through more of this "adulthood" nonsense. june taught me how to work with what i'm given, and to not get quite so mad at the world when things don't go my way. june taught me to make my heart bigger, to look past flaws and shortcomings and appreciate what you have right in front of you.

here's to an awesome july.

dear justin

dear justin,

11 months ago, you sent me that very first email.

10 months ago, you asked me to be your girlfriend.

09 months ago, you and i were planning to meet in october.

08 months ago, you kissed me for the very first time and i knew i was yours forever.

07 months ago, you made me meet your family. (and they like me)

06 months ago, you gave me my first new year's kiss.

05 months ago, you and i cried when i drove away on new year's day.

04 months ago, you were crushed when our valentine's day plans fell through.

03 months ago, you supported me through a tough time.

02 months ago, you welcomed me with open arms.

01 month ago, you grew with me.

2 months from now, we'll have been together for a whole year.

i love you. i love you, i love you, i love you. i don't ever say it enough.

i love you.

xo, anna

wednesday adventures

I had a doctor's appointment in Wisconsin Rapids today, so Justin came with me. On our way there, we passed by this greenhouse, and I promised to stop on our way home. I've always wanted to photograph in a greenhouse*, and now I can cross something off my photography bucket list.

*I've photogarphed in a greenhouse before, but never took self portraits

 Tank: Old Navy

Shirt & Necklace: Target

Jeans: Walmart

Shoes: Kohl's

It was nice to be around flowers again. This blog is definitely lacking in the flower department lately, compared to what it is most years at this time. ;)

wrapped up in blue

Dress & Vest: Thrifted

Shoes: Kohl's

I kept everything pretty simple today because it's hot out. We went adventuring and every park we went to had a lot of people there, so we drove around aimlessly for a while before happening upon the old football field. I fell in love with the ticket booth, and it matched pretty well.

Tomorrow we have to go to Wisconsin Rapids, so I'll have a full adventuring post tomorrow!

Title adapted from "Wrapped Up In You" by Blue Jupiter

day 208

I went adventuring in the woods for my 365 today. I found some wildflowers, did some hair flips, and got stared at by some joggers. It's been sort of a lazy Saturday, but I'm enjoying the rare weekend off.

tuesday adventures

Shirt: Walmart

Necklaces: Target / Thrifted

Jeggings: Walmart

Shoes: Converse

Eyes: Naked Palette

Lips: Covergirl Lip Perfection in Rapture

We went exploring in the woods, found a clearing, experienced golden hour, still made it back in time for Pretty Little Liars & Deadliest Catch. I love our Tuesday adventures.

wtw '09

Four years ago, I had the pleasure of attending the Lake Forest Writing and Thinking Workshop at Lake Forest College in Lake Forest, IL. I met so many creative people and made a handful of friends that are still a part of my life today. That two week workshop is forever remembered on Facebook as "the greatest two weeks of my entire life."

WTW was the first time I had ever been away from home for an extended period of time. It was my first time having a roommate and suitemates. It was the first time I came out and said, "Hey! I'm not going to be a victim anymore!" after a very long and hard year for me.

The workshoppees spent 5 hours every day writing, writing, writing. The hand cramps were legendary, second only to the hand cramps I got after completing the AP English Literature exam in 2010. My notebook is still sitting within my bookshelves at home, my seventeen year old self forever embodied in its pages.

We took field trips to Evanston, Andersonville, and downtown Chicago. There was a sunrise workshop on the beach. I shot 8 rolls of film in the two weeks we were there, my trusty Minolta Maxxum XPsi never as far from me as a pen was.

I can't believe this was all four years ago already.

If I had a time machine, I'd go back and do everything all over again: writing until my hand cramped, texting late into the night with friends from home because I had so much to say, taking so many pictures, burying Stephen in the sand, playing James Bond (only the greatest card game known to man), the 5 hour long game of Uno, hiding all of my suitemate's stuff and making her believe that her mom was coming to pick her up a week early, staying up all night the last night because nobody wanted to leave.

I'd do everything all over again in a heartbeat.