Shopping for bonnaroo

 Last year at bonnaroo, everyone had a camelback.  We saw them everywhere!!  We saw all different styles, but it was clear-the camelback was the way to store your water.  Spens and I decided that we better join the masses and get one.  So tonight we went shopping at Wal-mart and looked at their version of camelbacks.  We had a little too much fun trying backpacks, camelbacks, and even fanny packs on.  Don't worry, we didn't go home with the mess you see above. ;)  I did get a small off-brand camelback and Spens is going to keep looking.  We also stocked up on food and other camping necessities so we did get something accomplished.  Can't believe it's only in a day.  I need to go pack!

CSO

 I recently got the film developed from when we went to the Clinton Symphony Orchestra's concert in the park.  Told you it was right around the corner!  It's a tradition of ours that I really enjoy.  It's always so nice and relaxing to sit back and enjoy a summer evening of music.  I hope we continue to go as long as we're in the area. 

The photos were taken on a disposable camera.  Please excuse me, it was no make-up day. ;)  Also, what is up with me and pictures of flowers?  Lately you'd think they were one of my favorite subjects to shoot.  I swear if a flower is near me, I take a picture.  Not that it's a bad thing, just kind of funny.  One of the things I love about film is the surprise of a light leak, such as in the picture of the dock.  It's so popular to add light leaks and filters post editing these days, that it's fun when it happens inside the camera.

*I'm happy to report the older patrons of the symphony still think we're just as cute.*

One last random car window picture of a church we passed by.

Decisions, decisions

So I've got some big decisions to make and I keep extending the deadlines for commitment.  Though I'm thankful to have extra time, I still feel the pressure.  The worst part is I don't feel any closer to any answers.  I guess time doesn't answer all questions. :/  I know everything will work out in the end-it's just getting there, haha.

At this time I'm deciding what to do for next year, which of course will invariably affect a multitude of people and things in my life.  So far this is what I've come up with for options:

*Go to National Louis University and start school psychology program.

*Spend next year getting my master's in Special Education or Administration at St. Ambrose.

*Take a year off from school and work.

*Move to a commune for a year.

That last one is my favorite. (wink.) 

5 Years

Today is our fifth anniversary.

To many people that might not sound that long, but I'm pretty proud of us.  Not many high school loves stay together these days and not only did we make it through high school, now we've made it through college too.

The photo above is one of the very first taken of us together.  We're at the Clinton Symphony Orchestra summer concert.  We are going to go to that same concert this year-it's right around the corner.  Back then, in 2008, I remember we were some of the youngest people at the concert.  We sat towards the back and all of the older orchestra patrons kept turning around and telling us how cute we were and how glad they were that we came.  I wore a green dress that Spenser loved.  I still have it.  Oh, and we had a picnic!  I made us fajita steak sandwiches and packed grapes to go with.  Spenser brought the prettiest colorful quilt to picnic on.

Among these scattered memories, this one will always stand out to me.  We had packed up our blanket, were walking out of the park and we passed by this very abstract sculpture, just a bunch of metal half circles interwoven.  (I know, that was a terrible way to describe a piece.  sorry!)  I asked Spenser what he thought it was; what it represented.  He replied, "Courage."  I have no idea if that is what the artist was going for and I probably will never know, but what I did know was that he was for keeps.  It really didn't matter what he said, it just mattered that he had an answer.  To me, it showed his creative side, the way he can think out of the box.

I've always believed that Spenser and I live our lives as artists.  Not just in the literal sense, even though he is a musician and I both appreciate and dabble in various arts.  Rather our life is our art; the way we live is our art.  And that day at the concert back when, I had my first sense of that in Spenser.

Spenser, happy 5 years.  I love you now and forever.

Can't wait to go to dinner tonight!

a crazy birthday and a little guy...

We celebrated Adele's 21st birthday on the 21st!  (Her real birthday is the 16th.)  Becca was nice enough to have all of us over to her porch.  Since Dan left for his internship there aren't any other guys home yet, so it was just the ladies.   We had dinner and then got together to visit at Becca's.  Not only was she nice enough to have us over, she made pretty hanging paper decorations.  You know, the ones you can always find on pinterest.  She always makes things look great, she's a pretty awesome hostess.  The night was a fun one, with Adele indulging in her 21st and enjoying every moment. That is, if you couldn't tell by the picture...  ;)

 

Yesterday, I babysat for a fairly new family of mine.  I've only babysat for them one other time, but I already really like the family.  I babysit for a group of grandkids when the family's adult children come home, so it's whole gang of kids, chaos, and outdoor sports.  The grandparents (the ones who actually hire me) have the most impressive collection of Leica cameras.  The grandmother had a strong interest in photography and still does, so those pictured^^ are not just collectibles, they were her cameras at one time before digital.  Her interest in photography, specifically lifestyle photography, is still very evident in their house.  She has a beautiful photo wall that has all sorts of film photos from when their children were young.  Their den is littered with albums and photo books of various years and events from birthdays to vacations, etc.  And lastly, photos are everywhere!  I mean it.  She even tapes them to kitchen cabinets.  It's kind of a funny thing because they have this nice house, with well-made furniture, fancy décor, everything in it's place and well taken care of, and then there are these little tacked up photos in random places.  I love it and to me, it is a testament to her strong sense of family in the way that she preserves and displays memories.

 

Also, how adorable is their youngest?? :)