Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Day 27: inside your purse

I dissected my purse.  It's like a pharmacy in there.

Day 26: a bad habit

The corporate world has me functioning on a reward system. And food/caffeine are my favorite type of reward. Bad. Habit. Real bad.

Day 25: an animal

This is gross.  And it shouldn't be funny.  But it's a little funny.  This used to belong to a turkey and I'm not sure if it classifies as a foot, leg or claw but regardless it works for my challenge, right?  The first time I encountered it I was in a rush to work and almost stepped on it.  Needless to say I was super freaked out.  What's that movie with the dead horse in the bed? It felt like that, except on my porch and not in my bed.  It felt like a sign... But later I found out my housemate placed it on our porch, not a bad guy from that one movie.

Monday, September 26, 2011

Day 24: something beautiful


Kaitlin Greene is beautiful. 

So beautiful. The wedding was beautiful. The toasts were beautiful, the food was beautiful, the families were beautiful, the dance floor was beau-ti-ful, the whole entire day was beautiful.  Perfect! And all I had was my iphone (sorry Kait, these picture don't do you justice).

Day 23: something with a good story behind it

I had Kaitlin open her wedding gift a day early, mostly because I wanted to see her reaction.  I borrowed words from Perry and wove them into a Shauna Niequist quote: "the two of them decided to start a life together.  And with God's blessing and their own very hard work, their love story will be one worth telling, one worth living and worth celebrating."  The panting is a recreation of their wedding invites.

Day 22: something in motion

Thursday nights I have s.e.m. (special education ministries) and this past Thursday we went on a hay-ride!  I have been paired with the same student for the past four years and hanging out with her is one of my favorite parts of the week.

Day 21: something you made

So, I collect cards (mainly koco new york cards and curly girl) and over the past few years I've used sticky tack to put them up on the walls of my room.  This year, with the discovery of this blog and planning a bachelorette party I came up with another idea.  Using clothing pins, rope and those wall-friendly adhesive hooks (the ones we all had to use in our dorms) I created this display for my room.

Day 20: a place you spend a lot of time

My home in Grand Haven, I'm in love with this place.

Day 19: something fun at work

This is my chair that I sit in at work. It's fun, right?

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Day 18: something in nature

I love Grand Haven. I love Sundays. I love walking on the beach. I love friends who are more like family.

Day 17: something adventurous you did

Okay, so I'm sure Ali climbed a mountain on day 17, but my adventure consisted of warm lattes, boots and scarfs, 8th street shopping, hazelnut candles, Dawson's creek and really great friends.

Day 16: a sunset

According to the weather channel, the sun was supposed to set at 7:53 on Friday.  But I had dinner plans with one of my oldest and best friends, so I took this picture at 7:53(ish) instead.  Mojitos, hummus and sushi. Mmmmm.

Day 15: self portrait

I took this picture at the end of the day, right before I went to bed.  I'm laughing at myself, in case you couldn't tell.  And the truth is, I almost didn't take a picture at all because I didn't know how to approach the "self portrait" shot.  Thanks to all the communication classes and art classes I took over the years in college, I understand that a picture is not just a picture, especially a self portrait.  Everything- from what you choose to wear, where you chose to take the picture, what's in the background, what you're doing, etc.- says something about the person you are.  Hmm, so clearly I over thought this. I blame Housel.

Day 14: your family

Although my family lives 30 minutes away, none of them where around Thursday night for a picture.  So I took a picture of this photo wall we have in the house.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Day 13: something you cooked/baked

I almost tried getting away with break and bake chocolate chip cookies for this challenge but apparently that's not considered baking.  So I enlisted the help of Emily Dunning and we made scotcheroos instead.

Day 12: something that surprised you

A few surprises to this day:
1. It was a beautiful 83 degree day.  I keep thinking, "this will be the last nice day before fall" but then another hot and sunny day comes along.
2. I went into Grand Rapids after work to see Kevin (spontaneous decision).
3. I suggested we exercise (%$*#?!) 
4. And we kept going for TEN MILES.  Ten.  Kevin casually mentioned he wanted to go for a long run- told me ten miles.  But I didn't realize he was serious until he secured his gps watch and packed energy gel into his little fanny pack/ water carrier.  An hour and twenty five minutes later I finished a half a block behind him (on rollerblades).

Check out what Ali is doing with her challenge.

Day 11: someone you love

I attended the Gathering on Sunday night and I love everyone and everything that is in this picture: I love God, I love the Chapel, I love Morgan and Krissy and Lolly (and the sibs who hold hands when we pray).


Day 10: an awkward/ uncomfortable encounter

I was seriously on guard Saturday for something awkward or uncomfortable to happen to me; I carried my camera with me all day.  The closest I got was a conversation I had with an elderly woman at a deli and in retrospect I could have whipped out my camera, taken a picture of her and ran away- but I really wanted my chicken salad sandwich- so I refrained.  I spent the rest of the day soaking in the last bit of summer I could get out on my deck.  Above is the view I had from my deck Saturday.  Notice what's missing... (the picture below was taken a few weeks back incase you aren't familiar with Grand Haven).  Lake Michigan seemingly disappeared for the weekend due to fog, super weird phenomenon... also... kind of awkward? 

Friday, September 9, 2011

Day 9: what you ate for breakfast

Vegan oatmeal cookie and soy vanilla latte.  Mmmm.

Day 8: what you read

The middle shelf of my bookcase: books I've read, books I am currently reading and books I will read in the future.

Day 7: something close-up

I love how this turned out- my favorite J Crew necklace hanging from the corner of an antique mirror I bought last summer!

Day 6: best part of daily routine

I work in the same building as my best friend and grabbing lunch with her on a semi-regular basis is the best part of my daily routine.  Usually we sit outside or head into downtown Holland to eat, exchange stories and relax.  Having her around is such a necessary break from the work day. 

Monday, September 5, 2011

Day 5: something that makes you laugh

Julia Peterson makes me laugh. 
On Labor Day, my friend Julia drove through Holland on her way back to Chicago and we got to see each other for the first time since June.  We sat outside of Lemonjello's and caught up on the first day of September that really felt (and smelled) like fall.  After a long and much needed conversation over snicker-doodles and lattes, I told her I wanted a picture of her for my blog.  She didn't want a picture by herself and sarcastically suggested she pose with the random pink moped that was hanging out next to us.  The first picture is of Julia contemplating whether she should actually do it, and the second is the execution.  Gosh I miss this girl.

Day 4: landscape

I googled "landscape" to make sure bodies of water count. They do.  This is Lake Michigan and I love her.

Day 3: something outside

Kevin and I have the same t-shirt and happened to both put it on Saturday evening after returning from the beach.  It was a funny coincidence but neither one of us wanted to change.  I honestly forgot we were dressed alike until we started getting strange looks from neighbors when we went outside together to take a picture of the lighthouse for my photo challenge.  The weather was awful and the lighthouse pictures didn't turn out well, but at least I documented this embarrassing moment (you're welcome Kevin).

Day 2: what you were doing at 7:23pm

At 7:23pm I didn't have my camera on me because I was out on Lake Michigan on this paddle board. My brother Eric and I took the paddle boards out Friday before sunset and my mom came to watch/help me carry the board pictured here because I'm not strong enough to carry it myself.  It was a great start to my labor day weekend.

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Day 1: favorite item at home

Okay, so I'm a little embarrassed, but this is my baby blanket.  It didn't take me long to conclude that this is my favorite item at home, but it did take me a while to decide if I should post it or not... because, well, I'm 22 and I still have my baby blanket.  I sleep with it every night and it's been on every trip I've ever gone on (except the first semester of college when I thought I would stop sleeping with it but then I couldn't take it any longer and brought it back after Christmas break) and I think it used to be yellow but now it's not.  I love this thing- even if it looks like a rag- we've gone through a lot together. And I think I'll sleep with it until my future husband or children throw it away some day.  Or until it disintegrates.  Whichever comes first.