Thoughts of Noel

The joyous Christmas season is upon us.

Before you grow angry because I dared bring up that holiday season too far in advance, let me explain something to you. This is pertinent information by the way.

I absolutely, positively, adore the Christmas Season!

No joke. None whatsoever. I truly love the hustle and bustle. I love the baking, the decorating, the creativty, the whole Jesus thing, family, presents [giving and recieving], the colors, and general merriment that abounds. Don't get upset by my love for the holiday, embrace it.

Yesterday I purchsed some holiday-esque items.

This twine is perfect for wrapping presents in a totally adorable way.
Purchased at Anthropologie.

These stickers will be used with the twine. They will look positvely lovely together.
Purchased at Paper Source.

I am thrilled that Christmas is right around the corner. I am already listening to Christmas music and compiling a shopping list. I know that I am not the only one in the world excited by such things. So don't mock me.

Okay, mock me. It won't penetrate my Christmas spirit in the least!



Something Different

Maybe it's the Annapolitan in me that just loves this picture so much.

Or maybe it's my love affair with sepia toned prints.

Either way, I would love to hang this on my future wall in my future home.

Same for this beautiful collection of black and white snapshots.

I read that the photographer of these prints [his name escapes me right now] was one of the first people to incorporate movement into their model photo shoots.

I just love it.

Especially the one with the woman stepping off the curb. The height in her bounce expresses life and vitality to me. Either that or the wind is about to sweep her away.

Ray's Birthday Edition

My dear friend L. is just adorable and thoughtful. I was just explaining to my mother last night how lucky I am to have such a friend. The only difference I could ask for is if she would give me a million dollars a week. My sister chimed in at this point saying, "I would be happy with a million dollars every two weeks!" We are the classy types on my family.

But I digress.

L. has done it again. She baked the most delightful looking cake, miniature style, for our friend Ray's happiest of birthdays.

Stunned with her masterpiece, Ray could only but pose for a few pictures where in he accepts the gifts that L. bestowed upon him. The shaking of hands truly made the cake his own. It was if he was accepting the keys to a great and delicious orange city. A miniature city though. Not a real sized one. Like Rome, New York size [reader, you may be confused by the Rome, New York reference. do not fear. i speak not in confusing terms on a general basis. what i mean by this is that Rome, New York is not two different places that I speak of. instead it is one small, sleepy town in upstate New York that boasts a Walmart and Aldi's Bargain Food Store].

 Then Ray quickly consumed the cake sans utensils as the parking lot of Main Ingredient does not boast a utensil stand.

Happy Birthday, Ray!

May all your greatest wishes come true [except for the whole flannel becoming the staple piece in every single persons wardrobe wish... not gonna happen]!

The Two "J"s

Alright, so I'm starting this whole thing on the wrong foot. I promised "J"s, but instead I am presenting a "L". Please don't hurt me. I simply wish to honor the one who actually took the pictures. It is rather difficult to take pictures one handed [although it can be most definitely done]. 

What a lovely lady.

Our first picture was fairly normal. We can be normal. I give you scouts honor.

The problem with the above statement is this: Who is Scout? And why am I giving away her/his honor? It can't to To Kill a Mockingbird's Scout because she is purely fictional [sad, but oh so true]. Perhaps it is in reference to a scout [see below].

scout 1 (skout)

v. scout·ed, scout·ing, scouts

1. To spy on or explore carefully in order to obtain information; reconnoiter.

2. To observe and evaluate (a talented person), as for possible hiring.

Okay, really? No. This just doesn't make sense.

So this ensued:

Madness I say! Who let these crazy animals out of their cages?

I do miss J. though, and I look forward to the day that we will live in the same abode and have crazy dance parties at 2am just because we can [in all reality that won't in fact happen. i love my sleep simply too much. to give it up just so i can dance? i would have to be bitten by the dance bug pretty hard. or it would have to be a really bug bug... i digress]. Come home soon, J.!

Some final images for your enjoying pleasure:

So there was this one night...

 Downtown Annapolis really does have a lot to offer, especially if you are willing to do stupid dares for a dollar. Let me tell you, a world of excitement and idiotic behavior will open up right in front of your unbelieving eyes. My sister is plagued with this disease known as, "Can't let a dollar slip out of my fingers"-syndrome. It is really quite sad. But then again, who's showing off her skills via crab walk around State Circle? Not you. Not you at all. 

I'd like to find the silver lining in this picture for a moment. L. looks super cute. She looks really put together aside from the whole being on the really disgusting sidewalk thing.

 As you can clearly see, this whole opportunity opened up just a crazy amount of communication between coworkers/friends/adopted parents [L.'s adopted parents, not mine]. When in doubt, or looking for some bonding experience, dare someone to crab walk in a public place. Believe me, it truly works wonders on an outing.

 

Unless of course, there are already waffles involved. Which in that case, there is no need to make the night any better. With waffles bonding experiences are at your proverbial feet. 

 

 But if doubting that this "hang out time" isn't quite as fun as you had made it out to be [you liar, you], just look for the oh-so-subtle "this is awesome" hand gesture.

Phew, this evening has not been a waste of maybe bonding experience. 

AND WHEN IN DOUBT:

Just give them a Guinness. 

[the only reason i know how to spell that is because of the glass P. is holding]

[my bad] 

More More Fashion Baby

Alright, maybe I can't call this "fashion" exactly... But wait! Some reader out there is shaking their head violently side to side as a way of disagreeing. Let's look up the definition, shall we?

Here are a few different definitions for our viewing pleasure:

1.The prevailing style or custom, as in dress or behavior: out of fashion.

2.Something, such as a garment, that is in the current mode: a swimsuit that is the latest fashion.

3.The style characteristic of the social elite: a man of fashion.

Little J., I would argue, goes along somewhat with the third defintion. Hers is the style characteristic of the artsy [if that's what those kids are calling it these days].

Opinions? Does Little J. have a fashion sense?

 

A few face shots to show the range of emotion that she possess... her range is about the length of the Appalachian Trail in Georgia. Not very long compared to how much more there is out there. She's learning though. And heavens knows I can't teach her anything. I just take the photos. She does the posing all on her own.

Just one for your viewing pleasure with the other girls. Little J. has definitely practiced her posing more than these sweet chicks. Is that a good or bad thing though? Little J. is just a home schooled, thirteen year old.

She practiced her jumping in the air pictures. The face needs some work when she is in action. It is much harder to keep everything pulled together when there is motion involved. practice-practice-practice.

This final one is definitely my favorite. I want to lable it "that strange girl in school who is being talked about behind her back for her weird fashion sense but who actually has a more forward approach to fashion in the world and doesn't care what others actually think of her because she is far to awesome and cool to let that matter in her life." This is why I am not allowed to lable my photos.