Maroon, Ivory and Navy

July 4th 2011

Took a spin in my little brother’s “new” 1989 convertible … my hair immediately morphed into a giant rat’s nest … it could have housed 4 families of rats I’m sure.

 

Fire Fest in my parents backyard … Mitchell and I ended up with some blankets and slept under the stars … it was bliss.

 

Enjoyed some of Mitchell’s crepes filled with American Pride … I think we ended up consuming one entire strawberry field and a couple blueberry bushes that day …

 

Made some snazzy drinks …

 

classic barbeque …

 

Made my family take this picture … you would have thought I had asked them to run outside in their underwear … its not embarrassing guys.Posterity will thank you for these classic photos.

Spent some time with this adorable human …

 

Let my slightly crazy/delusional side out to play …

 

And attempted to get a great shot of the husband and I …

clearly Mitchell LOVES to get his picture taken …

Drive By Photography Shooting

 

Shooting and editing make my heart so incredibly happy.

A few from some recent photo shoots.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Play That Funky Music White Girl

 

The 70’s.

Bell Bottoms.  Sideburns.  Afros.  Abba.  Hippies.  M*A*S*H.  Stretch Armstrong and ….

Ugly couches … but the good kind of ugly. Now it may be debatable whether or not there even is a good kind of ugly … but I believe, oh I believe.

I have a thing for old-ugly-retro couches and furniture.  I LOVE the sleek straight lines …

Yes, yes I know, they make modern couches that have a nice clean silhouette now but honestly I can’t fork out the moo-lah they are asking for those pretty little things. 

 Trust me, a beautiful modern grey couch is on my wish list … but this will have to quench my modern-straight-couch thirst for now ….

1972 was a good year.

Poor Mitchell doesn’t quite see my vision.

 

“The couch looks and smells like something from a baby diaper” 

-Mitchell

The color … yes, can’t argue with that … the smell? … a “vintage aroma” would be more accurate 

I love it.

 

Masculine Hair, Stunning Niece and Marshmallow Sheets

 

Mitchell is funny.  More than just funny … the funny-ist eva’. 

 

I, on the other hand, have hair comparable to my homeboy, JB (justin beiber). I never knew my hair would leave such an impression.  I’m pretty sure I will forever be known as the crazy aunt who cut her hair like a boy … ON PURPOSE. That crraaazzzy Aunt Erin.

You win some. You lose some.

 

 

 

 

A while back I did a little photo shoot with our gorgeous doe- eyed-avid-reader-niece Alyssa …

 

Mitchell and I celebrated back in May, being together for 2 years … 730 days … 17,520 hours … 1,051,200 minutes. Best 1,051,200 minutes of my life. 

We decided to celebrate Hotel Monaco style.

I married a model.

Just sleeping there for one night gave me a slight case of “bed envy” …the sheets,like butta’ … the comforter, so marshmallow-like … I seriously felt like the Queen of England. Maybe when Mitchell rules the world and I’m making booukobucks being a photography rockstar, we will have butter sheets and a marshmallow comforter.  Fingers crossed.

 

 

Cheers to us.  Bring on eternity.

Getting Over Our Hill

 I never had any big trials growing up, unless you consider that bad perm job I had in the 5th grade.  In fact, I remember wondering when they would show up in life and what they would bring.  We always hear that we should learn something from the hard knocks of life.  As I experience more and more of life, I realize that one of the best gifts we can receive from our trials is empathy.  I LOVE what Annie Swetchine had to say about this:  

"Those who have suffered much, are like those who have learned many languages; they have learned to understand and be understood by all."   

There are so many difficult languages to learn. Mitchell and I learned a tough language this week and I am so grateful that we were filled with love and compassion and not bitterness and anger. I know that is a direct result of so many of your silent prayers and thoughts for us.  We love you all and have felt your love in return.  We are continuing to grow and we will get over and conquer this hill.

  I have had several days to ponder and reflect and music seems to speak to me.  

 

After The Storm - Mumford and Sons

And after the storm,I run and run as the rains come

And I look up, I look up,on my knees and out of luck,I look up. 

Night has always pushed up dayYou must know life to see decayBut I won't rot, I won't rotNot this mind and not this heart,I won't rot. 

And I took you by the handAnd we stood tall,And remembered our own land,What we lived for. 

And there will come a time, you'll see, with no more tears.And love will not break your heart, but dismiss your fears.Get over your hill and see what you find there,With grace in your heart and flowers in your hair.

Evolution

I have evolved over the years.  

 

I used to have two rules when walking into a thrift store: 

Rule #1:  don't buy used 

underwear/leotards/unitards

  

Rule #2:  don't buy used shoes.

I can't quite put my finger on what made me 

change my mind a few years back....

about rule #2 that is ... don't worry ... 

rule #1 is still very much enforced.  

You better believe I buy all my unitards brand spankin' new.

I was making the rounds at DI the other day ... and I heard something whispering my name.  "Erin, Erin, over here."  I turned around and saw these loverly shoes.  Cute. Comfortable. Stylish. 

  

 

  

I mean, just look at them.  BRAND NEW.  And for 5 buckaroos. Then I looked at the size. 

11.  Oh dangit.  This was one of the few times I wished my feet were size 11.

Unfortunately my petite little size 10 feet are just a tiny bit small.
 

I bought them anyway.  

Maybe I'll just wear some thick wool socks with them.

 

 Side Note:  This next picture is the 2,349,201th reason I love Mitchell.  

He said he wanted to make dinner the other night ... and this was what he came up with. 

LOVE.

Current Events

-  Mitchell and I don't sing. 

And that is the reason why I 

actually laughed out loud when 

we were asked to be the new primary 
choristers. A tag team duo if

you will. We can now do "Head 

Shoulders Knees and Toes" backwards 

and in our sleep.

- I am surprisingly still employed 

with my temp job that was supposed to end around Christmas time.  Knock on wood.  Mitchell recently got a job as an HVAC tech with Whipple.  I love a man in uniform.

- Our neighbors thought it would be
cool to purchase an awesome 
subwoofer. 

Not so awesome for us.

- Mitchell and I were cursed with a 

curse last week. We had to throw out 

not one but TWO failed attempts at

cinnamon rolls. 

- We had a Chuck Norris Walker 

Texas Ranger birthday party for 

Craig in honor of his Texas mission

departure.  It was complete with a

Chuck Norris face garland and 

homemade fortune cookies filled 

with Chuck Norris jokes.

Mitchell's workplace party was a
breeding ground for bump its. I 
have never seen so many bump its 
all in one place, at one time.
My mouth was 

seriously ajar.

-I scored a really- nice- practically

- brand- new winter coat for $12 at DI. 

  Thrift stores make my heart leap for joy. 

It's the thrill of the hunt I tell you.