Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Wedding Bliss... Footwear Style

At the end of September, as can be seen a few posts ago, I traveled to Massachusetts. While in the Great White North, I was able to visit with some dear friends, one of which is set to be married in the spring. I am so incredibly happy for her. However, my sadness seaps into the equation as I am not in the same state as her, which makes it difficult for me to help her with planning. Apparently she is right on time with all her scheduling. She has the caterer, reception venue, dj, church for the service, wedding dress, bridesmaid dresses... oh golly. She is just speeding along.

When I was with her, we went shopping for shoes for her wedding day. What fun. I love shopping with her!
These are the shoes that she is considering for the ceremony. A bright beautiful yellow! Her bridesmaid dresses are quite similar.

M. actually found the dresses while we were out the next morning. While browsing in a vintage shop [and I mean vintage, like items were turning to dust as soon as I touched them, note to self...] we ran across these beauties. Like, this just got real. How could you turn these dresses down?

Toms. What a beautiful brand. I here that they are comfy as well. I wouln't know [insert bitter tone of voice], I've never owned a pair. But you know what? That's okay. Because I don't have to be that hipster. M. is thinking about purchasing these lovely items for the reception. These would truly be her dancing shoes. She would the ultimate dancing queen. She would be that hip and awesome. I kid you not.

These are my dear friends M. and J. on our shopping extravaganza at the sketchy North Shore Mall. M. had to pick up a wedding present for her fiancee's cousin's wedding [that's a mouthful, eh?]. Bed Bath and Beyond brilliantly gave her an empty box because they are shipping the present to the cousins home. That way M. wouldn't look sad carrying nothing to the nuptials.

Little J. was not convinced by the bumpits. Someone doesn't know how to Jersey it up.
Three friends together forever. Or something like that. I miss them. But once again, I am so glad for the opportunity to visit with them. Lovely ladies to be sure.
Shocking. Yes. But it needed to be seen. This is our interpretation of the panda dance. Bam.

Friday, October 22, 2010

Planes, Trains, and the United States Capitol

Surprise! This post has absolutely nothing to do with planes or trains. I did take the metro into Washington, D.C., but I hardly think that counts.

What was I doing in that lovely marsh land they call the capitol of the United States? Well let me tell you. I was visiting an old roommate from college who just so happens to be interning at CNN, The Wooolf Blitzer Room, in DC. Yes, she is that awesome. No, she probably doesn't want to be your best friend. I was incredibly joyous at the prospect of once again being reunited to such a dear roommate, so you can imagine my delight upon beholding her figure traipse out of the metro system. We ran to each other while soft violin music screeched in the background, and we hugged it out. That's right. We Hugged it out.

Then, being the most adventorous individuals that we personally know [Indianna Jones is not a real person, but yes, he is more adventerous], we headed to her CNN building that she would be traveling to each and every day of her internship [I'm not sure if this is actually true, we haven't talked since].

C. was uber excited to be standing in front of her CNN building. I mean, with those Sound of Music Arms, how could you not be excited. She is probably the cutest intern in that building.

We ate at this incredibly, [and i mean incredibly], tasty pub somewhere in DC. I couldn't find it now if you asked me too. Actually. I could. I own a smart phone. I could make it happen. Anyways. It was delicious. Full of English Pub fare.

Then we traversed back the way we had come. Saw the Capitol. blah blah blah. We didn't look like tourists because we are that amazing [at least we think so]. It was just lovely out. The perfect day to be in DC with a good friend.

We finished the day out by both closing our eyes while a lady took our picture. She actually took a really nice one, seeing as most people make you really really small in the picture [why, I'm not too sure]. It is like people don't really want to see the person in the picture. Or they are just reminding themselves that we are just a small part of this huge world, and when we make a big deal out of stuff it is silly because how much does it really matter? Really? Really? There are people suffering around the corner from you.

I am done.



Wednesday, October 20, 2010

The Great White North

Now, I know what you all are thinking [all two of my subscribers], "The Great White North, do you mean Canada? The land of Beaver Tails and air so cold your mouth freezes shut when you are sipping a beer? That wasteland?"

Now, dear readers, that is not the Great White North that I speak of, so pull your mind out of the gutter and stop thinking those things about our great ally Canada! No, the place I speak of is the most frigid Massachusetts. Yes, some might consider it a wasteland in their own right, but as it is the state of my beloved alma mater, I cannot speak one distasteful word against that far left state [what? you say it is on the right side of the country?... we are not on the same page, or joke, as it were].

The end of September rolled around and the longings in my bones could not be tossed aside anymore. I had to venture/traverse/trek to that great campus. It was my destiny.

Alright, so this isn't on campus. It is on the property of my dear friends Ben and Kenny. And this is Lindsay. We hung out. It was beautiful.

My lovely friends Kenny and Ben. I spent an entire day with the two of them. And it was simply lovely. We had breakfast at a local delicious diner. I spent a lot of time with Ben playing cards and hanging out in the campus kitchen. And then at the end of the day we went to their humble [and awesome] abode and cooked dinner. I am so thankful for friends like them.
Their lovely homestead all the way up in Gloucester. Ben and Kenny are renting it from this older gentleman. The house is quite wonderful! The inside is all hardwood quite similar to my Grandpa's cabin in Upstate New York. A dream come true for the rustic modern man who wants to live in a not so modern world.
 

My beautiful friend Lindsay made an appearance at the humble, rustic abode. Staying with us for only a short time [ministry obligations on campus, pshhh], I was glad for the time that I did have. We frolicked, ate, and frolicked some more. Perfect for the leprechauns in us.
Getting ready for dinner. Do I trust the boys with knives? Not really.
 But then again, they probably shouldn't trust me with a knife.
Beautiful and delightful details around the ol' homestead.

One of my personal favorites.
Our beautifully set table. This would be the perfect picture for a cute little home and country magazine. What? You don't take amatuer photographs you say? Well that's just lovely... just lovely. I didn't like those magazines anyways!
Kenny himself popping up out of their cigar spitting hole. Disgusting. Although, very clever. That way they don't have spit all over their deck. Apparently this hole was built because a tree used to grow up out of the deck. They have since demolished the tree [sad], but the legend lives on! Kind of. Alright, no legend lives on. It's totally false.
I will leave you, friends and comrades [sounds slightly Soviet Union circa 1950], with this last picture. Their property is absolutely, positively gorgeous. The sun was setting behind the trees giving a glow to the landscape, lighting the darkest corners for just a moment more before darkness enveloped the under lit area. The brush, the layout, the little details all came together for a beautiful ending to the evening.

Thanks Massachusetts for having me. I'll be back...

Monday, October 11, 2010

Sweetie Pumpkin Pie...

So Kimmy is not in fact a pumpkin, at least not in the literal sense. In the figurative sense, she is every little bit of a sweet pumpkin pie. Just adorable through and through. She has her moments [as does every single person i know], but her parents are doing such a lovely job raising her little cuteness.


 The other day I had the distinct privledge of lunching with this small one. We grabbed lunch at Subway. Please listen and laugh at her sandwich order which always befuddles the sandwich makers to no conceivable end.

White Bread
[okay, that doesn't sound too terrible]
Salami and Turkey
[Could be worse]
Pickles
[this small child eats pickles day and night]
Black Olives
[it's getting grosser]
A LITTLE bit of Mustard
[ehhhh...]
Ketchup
["excuse me, did you say ketchup?"]

No lettuce, no cheese, no tomatoes. Just pure weirdness all around.

Buuuttt... Kimmy LOVES this sandwich and can eat an entire six inch.


 I met Kimmy four years ago when her parents brought her home from China at the beginning of December. I was one of the first people to meet her at the airport. She was cute, and she didn't really like me when we first met.

However, that January I stayed with her family for two entire weeks. I spent the night a lot and generally just lived at their abode in order to become acquainted with the little peanut.

 Being Kimmy's nanny was my job for three years. I spent the night at her house once a week while her parents had date night, and then spent two other days with her a week.


Basically me and Kimmy were tight.

Then I went to college... [oh the woes of New England]

And I came back.

And all of a sudden she was super cute and very grown up [not that she wasn't cute before obvs]

Now she is turning five. whattheheck.

Seriously, I'm not a parent. I shouldn't feel nostalgic for small children yet.

 But I do.

I love this little munchkin a lot.



[Kimmy's ill attempted gang sign. It didn't work out great]

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Dream a Little Dream...

With September [now October I 'spose] comes birthdays [sorry B. and M. for missing yours!] and fall sports. Neither items are mine personally [December Baby], but that means I have the distinct priviledge of photographing both events.

I'd like to use the word "priviledge" lightly, because honestly... none of these chumps are paying me the big bucks to document their childhood experiences. Which is fine, I guess.

The birthday girl herself. Our baby is a teenager, and a geeky one at that.
J.'s delicious birthday cake. I say it is delicious because I baked it and made it look delightful. Sorry to those who thought that the strawberries are real. Purely decoration my friends.
 Now we move onto the really exciting items of interest.
Soccer, the world's favorite sport is played by my own dear sisters. I also use the word "dear" lightly. It most definitely depends on the day and what mood they are in.

M's sweet soccer skillzzzzz...

While her eyes are closed [how is she kicking the ball without seeing? crazy mental abilities?], please do notice her rippling muscles.

I have to be honest here, I could probably kick* my seesters multiple butts in this glorious sport. Whenever I watch their games I get incredibly frustrated by the general lack of skill of the field. I start yelling. Parents start getting mad. There was that ill fated incident where I had to get tar and feathers removed from my body [i'll probably not share that story with you... ever]. My seesters play in a recreation league. I need to get over myself.

Can we please notice in this picture not the fact that she isn't even on the ground, but her crazy awesome shorts.
[We can tell that she isn't on the ground because her foot doesn't touch her shadow... that's right. Who's the scientific genius now?]

*Side Note: I could most definitely NOT kick my seesters butts. My legs don't even go that high.

The fans are far too enthusiastic, let's be honest. But it is an honorable gesture.

And one last note before I leave you with this "lovely" fall weather [it has been raining for the past two days], M. is the top scorer in the soccer league this year. That's right. I trained that...

["that" implies my seester. let's not be confused...]