behind the lens: may so far

that face | flowers on my shirt (and the ground) | dessert table at alvi's grad party | decor at the party

behind the lens: iphone edition

my birthday outfit | dinner and some light reading after work | our little family on a hike | pretty sunset while driving to Mankato | prof show for my birthday | birthday flowers blooming

behind the lens: iphone edition

View of Lowertown from my friend's apartment

A runny Saturday made for the perfect day to send out invites

Alvi and I had not one but two coffee dates in the same day

These shoes are very uncomfortable

I had a pants party at work last week

Who does Target think they are? Frenchie gift bags? Rifle Paper notebooks? Bye, money.

forever fall

trail in my neighborhood

picking baby pumpkins

my friend's grandpa is so cute on his tractor

raspberry picking. Had to use the pick one, eat one method. 

Alvi carrying our pepers we picked

beautiful fall trees

another walk with Boyd in our neighborhood

Just thought I'd share some of my Instagrams to show you how I've been spending the beautiful fall weather this year. The grandparents of one of my greatest friends, Tom, own a farm here in Woodbury. They needed help picking pumpkins and other produce that they sell at local farmer's markets. So, obviously Alvi & I jumped at the opportunity. A big group of us gathered at the farm and picked pumpkins, gourds, raspberries, peppers, tomatoes, and apples. It was great and we were able to go home with a trunk full of goodies. 

Boyd and I have also been enjoying our walks, lately. Wish the trees stayed like this forever.  

Babel

Mumford released their new album Babel just in time for fall. Their music is perfect for the chilly weather and beautiful scenery. Yesterday I was on a walk with Boyd at one of our favorite parks in Woodbury. I was listening to my music on shuffle and Mumford's cover of Simon & Garfunkel's The Boxer came on while I watched the sunset. Couldn't have been more perfect. Actually, no I take that back. It would have been perfect if Alv was there with us :)

March an in Instant

March really flew by! I cannot believe that it's almost April.... when did this happen? I feel like I'm not prepared for spring yet. But then again, what is there to prepare for? I love spring for so many reasons: spring cleaning, colorful clothes, flowers, warmer weather, my birthday... and most importantly, it means that summer is right around the corner! 

1 Alv and I were able to enjoy our favorite view for the first time this spring

2 The beautiful view from Tom & Will's front porch. 

3 My new lunchbox. They're technically for kids but I couldn't resist! Get one for yourself at Goodbyn

4 Talking a walk with my boys

5 Why I love Minnesota

6 We went to visit the Falls in Mankato

7 How we celebrated St. Patrick's Day

8 The boys enjoying the view in Hudson, Wi

9 My favorite spot in Woodbury

10 Enjoying a pretty spring day at the St. Croix River, the border between MN and WI

11 Boyd napped all month long

12 Beautiful day spent on Sweeney's back porch for St. Pattys

February in an Instant

I may have been without a computer all month, but I have had my handy-dandy iPhone to capture some moments. February is always a great month: Valentine's, our anniversary, and spring is right around the corner. I've had a lot of new beginnings this month, which was very exciting. I'm anxious to see how the rest of 2012 goes. 

one boyd posing for a picture 

two we went to a Prof concert earlier in the month. As you can see, we were extremely close.

three boyd and I went to Indian Mounds Park, our favorite park which has fantastic views of St. Paul

four boyd and I on a walk

five had a small edamame obsession

six bought some new turquoise jewelry at Charming Charlie

seven made some hearty beef strew during the colder days

eight My cousin Vinnie (no, seriously) and his girl, Britni - we had dinner

nine Graduation celebration dinner at Mancini's, a fantastic restaurant in St. Paul. *

ten Currently obsessed with Crystal Light Mojito

eleven We had a going away party for our great friend, Max. He moved to Michigan for a new job at Chrystler! We're so proud of him

twelve I attended my first Timberwolves game

* fun fact: our great Aunt Mary Jane is a Mancini! We get spoiled there :)

* also, just noticed I never numbered a picture up there. It's the pair of TOMS. I've been working adding some lace to a plain pair of navy.

Instagram Instants

Just a few photographs that I took on my phone over the past week:

one My beautiful necklace that was gifted to my mom from Italy. two We celebrated Alvi's little brother's 21st birthday and Dave & Busters. three Wristbands for Jack Jablonski, a local high school hockey player who was severely injured during a game. four Nothing better than a relaxing bath. five New hair! six The Cathedral in St. Paul seven pretty little wreath at the Markhams eight Fireplaces are necessary in Minnesota. nine Boyd enjoying his bed ten Minneapolis skyline. eleven St Paul skyline

Instagram Instants

Nothing too exciting happened this last week, but I still snapped a few pictures on my phone. From right to left, top to bottom: 

picture 1: The long drive to my brother's house has one advantage: city lights.

picture 2: a photo from my #janphotoaday challenge on Instagram. This day was a "close up" of some beads on my mom's lamp.

picture 3: PROF TICKETS!!!! 

picture 4: the planning process of some paintings I'm working on

Weekend at Alvi's

Recently, Alvi and I began yet another long distance relationship. When we first started dating, he attended school in Winona, which is over two and a half hours away from where I was in Mankato. We handled the distance well and saw each other almost every weekend. In fact, I feel like it made us closer! We found new ways to connect and it showed us that we're strong enough to last through something that usually tears couples apart.

So anyway, this past weekend I drove down to Mankato to visit Alvi. I was so excited for a weekend of nothing but relaxing and the company of my bearded man. Boyd and I packed up the car and drove the hour and a half to my alma mater. Alvi lives with three other guys so I'm aware that their daily routine usually consists of video games, football games, more video games, and then drinking while gaming. SO, I always come prepared with plenty of activities to keep me occupied.

Above are some instagram moments that I captured over the weekend. From top to bottom, left to right: photo 1: Alvi and I had a nostalgic dinner of corn dogs and classic mac & cheese one night, photo 2: Boyd loves to disappear in the love sac, photo 3: my new journals that I picked up at Barnes & Noble, photo 4: my grocery list I compiled during the football game.

Saturday's Reading Material

Anyone else obsessed with magazines? I seriously live for them. To be honest, I'm probably solely responsible for keeping the magazine industry in business. I have so, so many favorites that I read every month. When I do sit down with my magazines I always bring along a pen and paper. You always find great ideas or things that you want to check out but never remember to. This way, I can ... take notes. I know, it sounds silly. I read so many magazines that I often forget which ones I've read and which ones I haven't. I even buy the UK Edition of some magazines just for some fresh material. (Or accidentally, thinking "Oh! New Cosmo!" and then I realize it's UK once I get home. It's happened on numerous occasions).

What are some of your favorite magazines?

wishful thinking

I'm always so jealous whenever an airplane flies over head. Mainly because I'm standing here in Minnesota, churning butter or cutting down trees (just kidding, we're not all stereotypical Minnesotans) and those people flying are probably on their way to some tropical location. In just a few short hours they'll be basting in the sun, with a fruity drink in their right hand. Complete with a bright paper umbrella, of course. Now, I understand not every one is traveling to some dream location. They might be on their way to Omaha, Nebraska but I like to imagine the latter. (note: no offense to anyone who enjoys Omaha, or Nebraska but I have beef with both the state and that exact city) 

I've done a decent amount of traveling throughout my life but I'm just not satisfied. There are so many great locations to see and people to meet! I love experiencing the different cultures and seeing how different their nature and landscape is from ours here in the North Country. 

I snapped the above picture on my iPhone the other day and added the label myself :) It's a quote that I love and agree with. Source of quote unknown. 

Even The Birds Were Bumping

By January, I usually find myself considering moving out of state. Not because I hate Minnesota, if you read my blog you know that I love my hometown state. It's because of WINTER. Winter is only acceptable November - December 31st. Once January 1st hits, I'm no longer cheery and joyful. My "white Christmas" has come and gone and now I'm ready to take down the decorations, melt the snow, and move onto spring. Doesn't spring sound nice? Flowers, sunshine, spring break....


Now, the key word here is USUALLY. I usually want to move, I usually hate January...

But, this winter has been one for the books. The most snow we've had so far was around 2 inches and it didn't last long. In fact, the past two days here in Minnesota, the temperatures have even reached up to 60* in some areas of the state. Something I consider a complete miracle. Every where you looked people were walking their dogs, going for jogs, playing catch, driving with their windows down, etc. ALL signs that spring has arrived. Of course, it's not spring. It's January AND Minnesota, the most bipolar state in the US of A. So, I realize that in a weeks time we'll probably have a blizzard. But, for now I'll take any sunshine I can get.

Above, a classic Atmosphere song called Sunshine.

Winona, Minnesota

This Friday I went on a small road trip (just two hours, really) to Winona with some friends. Alvi actually attending college there for about a year and a half until he transferred to Mankato, thankfully. Winona is located in bluff country on the Mississippi River that borders between Minnesota and Wisconsin.  I took these pictures on my phone just two days ago and when I posted them on twitter I said: "isn't it crazy that it's january and looks like this in Minnesota? #cantcomplain." Well, what do you know, Father Sky and Mother Nature like to play tricks with us Minnesotans because as of yesterday there is now snow covering the ground. Well, I enjoyed this mild winter for awhile.

Boyd

Ok, I HAD to make this post from my phone. I don't necessarily like posting from my iPhone but this is worth it. So anyway, Boyd dreams every night, seriously. I'm talking barking in his sleep, legs "running", nose twitching dreams. But last night was something new: He was licking something! He was asleep and a little bit of his tongue was hanging out. He would randomly wave it around like he was licking something. Probably the fridge, his favorite thing to do. I had to snap a picture (and maybe a couple thousand videos) because it was so damn cute!

Don't you love him? I do.... Maybe a little too much.

2011: A Look Back

I cannot believe that 2011 is already over! I know I probably say this ever year but, THAT was the fastest year ever. I mean, it seriously feels like I just went to Chicago to ring in 2011 and now here I am, in boring-ass Minnesota trying to decide how to appropriately celebrate the beginning of 2012...and the end of the world. (Anyone believe the Mayans?) 2011 was a strange year for me. I had a lot of "endings" and it is not until just now that things are starting to begin again for me. I ended major friendships,  graduated college, left a city that I had been living in for over four years and so much more. But, I cannot forget some great memories that I made this year. I decided to write a post looking back on some of those:

In March, I went to Puerto Vallarta with my cousin Vinnie, his girlfriend, Britni, and his parents. We spent the entire week poolside enjoying the sun and relaxation. We had stayed at the resort before, so we know all the ins and outs. I would go back in a heart beat.

I went to many concerts in 2011. Some that I attended were: Soundset in Shakopee, MN; Mike Posner in Minneapolis, MN;Atmosphere at Target Field Stadium; Atmosphere's Welcome to MN Tour in Mankato, MN; Prof in Mankato, MN, and Heiruspecs in Minneapolis, MN.

I hope to attend a LOT more in 2012.

Of course, living in Minnesota means that you live at cabins and on the lake all summer long. I'm fortunate enough to have a great family cabin, as well as plenty of friends with cabins.

Some friends and I drove to Lawrence, Kansas to visit one of my greatest friends in the world.

The first couple out of our friends finally got hitched! I'm so happy for them :)

I live in Minnesota. OF COURSE, I went to the State Fair. It's a sin not to.








And what year wouldn't be complete without a college graduation and big move home? This will be quite the adjustment but for now, it's what needs to be done. Can't wait to save some money.

I hope that 2012 brings every thing you guys wish for! Anyone do a new year's resolution? Or better yet, anyone actually STICK to their new year's resolution? I hope to this year.

Beauty

Sometimes there is nothing better than taking a drive in the country during a beautiful sunset. Of course, you MUST have Arcade Fire or RHCP playing. For some reason those are my go-to sunset bands.

Apologies

Sorry I haven't posted in a few. I'm computer-less for a couple days. I've also been enjoying views like this from my cozy fireplace and faux-fur blanket :) do you blame me?