along for the ride

Week 52
December 30, 2011

It is official.
I have completed my 52 week project.
And I love it.

This project made me take photos that I would not have otherwise taken.
It forced me to document my life as I was living it.

Some photos come with stories.
While others do not.
Some photos were planned.
And some were not.

And that defines life perfectly.
Some events are planned.
Some events come with stories and a history.
But most of life's events are unexpected.
Out of our control.

We are just going along for the ride.

merry CHRISTmas

Week 51

December 24, 2011

I am a college graduate!

Week 50

December, 16, 2011

The day I graduated college!

And a few other pictures...

Getting ready to walk across the stage

Me and my friend Shannon!  So glad I met this girl!

Me and mom and dad
(December family photo)

Jody came to see me graduate too!

The last four and a half years have been such a whirlwind of emotions, trials, and triumphs.  But I am glad I went through each one of those.  They have molded me into the person I am today and I am grateful. 

{Week 49}

I meant to take a picture last week, but with multiple school projects and getting sick, it just didn't happen.  So here is week 49...a week late.

Either way--it is pretty exciting!

I am officially done with school!

No more studying, test, projects, or homework.

I am done!

Now it's time to celebrate!

WooHoo! 

Adventures of Abby and the Stick

Normally when you give a dog a rawhide chew stick they eat it in 5 minutes or less.  Not Abby.  If you give her a chew stick she plays hide and seek.  Literally.  In case if you don't believe me, take a look for yourself.

This took place in about 15 minutes.  After a while she finally ate it.  Usually she keeps them around for a few days (and sometimes a few weeks).  But she was pretty funny to watch.  Just another reason why I love my pup.  Isn't she funny?!

12 of 12 | December 2011

I can't believe an entire year of 12 of 12s is complete.  I loved this project and can't wait to do it again next year!

Once again, everyone in the house is sick.  I find it a little ironic that 2 of the 12 photos in this project are us stuck at home while sick.  But either way, I kind of like this set.  

01.  Ibuprofen and water.  The two things that are getting me through this cold.
02.  Watching TV and movies while laying on the sofa.
03.  Abby is going through a needy stage.
04.  Great words.
05.  Abby thought it would be a good idea to use my head as a pillow.  See what I mean?--Needy.  We laid like this for a good 15-20 minutes.
06.  Holiday village.
07.  Christmas card I got from my friend Mallory.  (I also go her 'Save the Date' announcement too!)
08.  Mom and I tried to cure Abby's neediness so we took her on a car ride.  We saw cows and Abby barked at them.  They weren't amused and walked away the second after I took this photo.
09.  Working on my final assignments for school.
10.  Christmas Tree.
11.  My last two assignments....EVER!!!!!! Graduation is in 4 days!  Woo-Hoo!!
12.  The Oscar movies that mom and I watched today.  Trying to complete my list by the end of the year.

22 Accomplishments: November Update

So I haven't done one of these updates in a l o n g time.  Sadly I haven't really done anything off of this list.  But life and school have been so crazy and those come first before a list of fun things to do.  
In the last 3 months this is what I've completed:


-Painted the chair for my room.  It is red and looks great!  
-Took monthly family photo on Thanksgiving.
Books: (I'm switching it from 20 to 15.  I think that is more likely to actually happen.)
-One Season of Sunshine by Julia London.  Wonderful book!  Couldn't put it down.  A definite read.
-Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson.  Good book.  Very interesting to learn so much about the icon.  Had to read it for a class over Thanksgiving break.  Read it in about 3 1/2 days.  Yikes!
Movies: 
-The Bridge on River Kawi.  Very unrealistic.  I can guarantee you that being a POW in WWII was not that easy.
-Platoon.  It didn't feel like the movie was ready to end when it did.
-The Lost Weekend.
-How Green Was My Valley.  Pretty good.  Started to lose interest in the middle though.


This is what my list looks like now:

1.  Make dinner for a family who is going through a tough time. (Dinner: January 22, 2011.  Care Package: July 21, 2011)
2.  Get back to my ideal weight.--half way there!
3.  Finish college.
4.  Get a 'big girl' job.
5.  Go a day without getting on the computer (or getting on the internet via iPhone.) (July 4, 12, 23)
6.  Send birthday cards to all my good friends. (January, February, March, July, August, September) (No friend birthdays in April, May, or June, October)
7.  Make a Christmas advent tree like this one.
8.  Fix and paint my desk chair in my room.
9.  Try 5 new foods. (Soy beans, raspberries, Apple dumpling, mango, fried pickle)
10.  Create (and do) a cleaning schedule to keep my room better organized.
11.  Take a family photo each month for a year. (January, February, March, April, May, June, August  (July), August, September, October, November)
12.  Do a 52 week portrait challenge. (Have completed 47 weeks so far)
13.  Feel more comfortable cooking, especially meats. (August)
14.  Plant tulips in mom's garden. 
15.  Make Wrist Key Chains.  Found here.
16.  Clean out my closet.
17.  (Finish the quilt I started 4 or 5 years ago.)  Make a quilt.
18.  Learn to make French Toast.
19.  Reach $2100 PCV  in my Silpada sales for 3 2 months. (February)
20.  Go on a family trip.
21.  Read 20 15 books.
  Here is the list I've read so far:

1.  Heart of the Matter by Emily Giffin

2. Between Sisters by Kristin Hannah

3.  Marrying Daisy Bellamy by Susan Wiggs. 

4.  Borrowed Bride by Susan Wiggs

5.  The Child Called It by David Pelzer.

6.  What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

7.  Dear Cupid by Julie Ortolon

8.  The Island by Elin Hilderbrand

9.  The Beach Club by Elin Hilderbrand
10.  The Opposite Of Me by Sarah Pekkanen
11.  One Season of Love by Julia London
12.  Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson

22.  Watch every movie that made 'Best Picture' in the Oscars.
 Here is the list: I've marked off the ones I've already seen.  There are a few that I've already seen, but I need a refresher before I check them off the list.  (Too bad, I could cross off another 6 movies...)

*Note: The ones that are marked out but don't have a date by them are movies I've already seen in the years past.

1928 Wings (April)
1929  The Broadway Melody
1930  All Quiet on the Western Front (June) 

1931  Cimarron (May)
1932  Grand Hotel (May)
1933  Cavalcade (June)

1934  It Happened One Night (April)
1935  Mutiny on the Bounty (April)
1936  The Great Ziegfeld (June) 

1937  The Life of Emile Zola
1938  You Can't Take It With You (July)
1939  Gone With the Wind
1940  Rebecca (May)
1941  How Green Was My Valley (November)
1942  Mrs. Miniver (July)
1943  Casablanca
1944  Going My Way
1945  The Lost Weekend (November)
1946  The Best Years of Our Lives (June)
1947  Gentleman's Agreement (May)
1948  Hamlet
1949  All The King's Men
1950  All About Eve (March)
1951  An American in Paris (September)
1952  The Greatest Show on Earth
1953  From Here to Eternity
1954  On the Waterfront (June) 

1955  Marty
1956  Around the World in 80 Days
1957  The Bridge on the River Kwai (October)
1958  Gigi (March)
1959  Ben-Hur (August)
1960  The Apartment (July)
1961  West Side Story
1962  Lawrence of Arabia
1963  Tom Jones
1964  My Fair Lady (May)
1965  The Sound of Music
1966  A Man for All Seasons (September)
1967  In the Heat of the Night
1968  Oliver
1969  Midnight Cowboy
1970  Patton
1971  The French Connection (March)
1972  The Godfather
1973  The Sting (July)
1974  The Godfather Part II
1975  One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1976  Rocky
1977  Annie Hall
1978  The Deer Hunter
1979  Kramer vs. Kramer
1980  Ordinary People (June) 

1981  Chariots of Fire (June) 

1982  Gandhi
1983  Terms of Endearment
1984  Amadeus
1985  Out of Aftrica
1986  Platoon (November)
1987  The Last Emperor
1988  Rain Man (September)
1989  Driving Miss Daisy
1990  Dances With Wolves
1991  The Silence of the Lambs (February)
1992  Unforgiven (September)
1993  Schindler's List
1994  Forrest Gump
1995  Braveheart
1996  The English Patient
1997  Titanic
1998  Shakespeare in Love (March)
1999  American Beauty (June) 2000  Gladiator
2001  A Beautiful Mind
2002  Chicago

2003  The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King

2004  Million Dollar Baby

2005  Crash

2006  The Departed

2007  No Country for Old Men

2008  Slumdog Millionaire

2009  The Hurt Locker

2010  The King's Speech

Week 48

Week 48

November 27, 2011

Just trying to stay strong.

Week 47

iPhone

Abby is not much of a cuddler.  She likes the close comforts of being in the same room with you.  But she does not like to be held or cuddled.  Abby also does not like anything laying on her.  She likes to lay on top of blankets, pillows, paper (pretty much anything), but she does not like things on top of her.



I woke up early Saturday morning and was not in a good mood.  My stress level is off the wall.  Honestly I do not know how I am still functioning.  So the first thing I did was bring my pillow out to the living room and vegged on the sofa....all day long.

Without any help or motivation, Abby jumped up on the sofa and layed down right next to me.  I was cold so I pulled the blanket over us.  Abby didn't move.  She layed there next to me for the next hour.  She didn't sleep. She didn't move.  She just layed there.

It amazes me how well she knows me.  She is a dog.  She can't communicate.  She can't understand what I'm saying.  Yet she knows my personality.  She knows when I need to be comforted.  And she knows exactly how to do so.

I love this dog more than words can say.

Week 46

First hot chocolate of the season.

Yum.

Working on homework.

(Not fun.)

Acorn Cookies

I made something from Pinterest!

Acorn Cookies!

They were very yummy.

I brought them to both of our Thanksgiving dinners.

And we didn't come home with any.

I'd call it a success! 

Even though these cookies were easy, they were a little time consuming.

Having to unwrap a bag and a half of chocolate kisses is a lot.

Ingredients:

1 bag of Hersey kisses

1 bag of nutter butter cookies

1 bag of chocolate chips

Directions:

Melt some chocolate chips in the microwave.

Dip Hersey kiss into the melted chocolate and attach a nutter butter cookie.

Dip a chocolate chip into the melted chocolate and attach to the other side of the nutter butter cookie.

Note I put them in the fridge before I added the small chocolate chip on top.  This made the chocolate harden and made it less messy.

Week 45

Week 45

November 12, 2011

This past weekend me and 2 of my friends went to Chicago.

We had a wonderful time.

Full of girl talk and laughter.

I love this picture.

It sums us up perfectly.

52 Week Update | Week 44

Week 44

November 4, 2011

Another day, another outfit, another life lost.

12of12 November

I don't normally do this for my 12 of 12s, but I thought a background story might be needed...

The last 18 months have been hellish for me.  For those of you who don't know...my dad was diagnosed with cancer back in May 2010.  You can read the story here.  That experience in itself can (and has) turned my world upside down.

But it didn't stop there.  In August of 2011, my dad's younger brother died unexpectedly in a bicycle accident.  It was the first time I ever saw a dead body--and to make things worse, he died due to head trauma, so you can just imagine what that looked like.  You can read his story here.  Then on November 1, 2011 my grandfather, mom's father passed away.  This is the first grandparent that I have lost and I am so sad that he had to be the first one to go.  (Not that I want any of them to go..but you know what I mean.)

They say that bad things happen in threes.
I thought those would have been them.
But what happens if the bad keeps going?

On Thursday, November 10, 2011 I spent 4 1/2 hours at the hospital while my aunt (dad's older brother's wife) was having surgery after finding a brain tumor the size of a tennis ball.  We are still waiting for results, but it does not look good.

And though all of this I am a full time student.  I commute 1 hour each way to and from school.  I am taking some really tough classes.  And I am getting ready for finals.



The reason I'm sharing all of this is to help you imagine how badly I needed to get away...even for just one weekend.

And that is just what I did.  A really good college friend and I went to Madison, Wisconsin to visit another good friend.  (She moved there this past summer after graduation.)  While we were there, we traveled to Chicago for a day and met up with more old college friends.

The trip was amazing.
Definitely needed.
A time to escape, even for a little bit.

So I give you my November 12th.
Not just a fun little vacation.
But an attempt to renew the soul through friendship and laughter.

01.  Chicago!
02.  Typical us.
03.  Sailboats on Lake Michigan.
04.  Flying High.
05.  Outside of Willis Tower.
06.  The view was amazing!
07.  Me, Mallory, and Jody at the top of Willis Tower.
08.  Sitting on the Sky Dive.
09.  The view...looking straight down to the street.
10.  Met up with 2 more friends, Afra and Ulli at the bean.
11.  Sunset at the bean.
12.  Driving back to Madison, Wisconsin.

A 52 Week Update...

Week 41

October 14, 2011

Lots and lots of studying

Week 42

October 20, 2011

(This photo was taken exactly 2 months after Uncle Bobby died.  Wasn't planning this--just an interesting fact.)

Week 43

October 27, 2011

To make a long story short, this was taken the night we put my grandfather on hospice.  Even though I knew his life was coming to an end, I did not think he would leave us as fast as he did.

I will miss him very, very much.

James M. Hower, Sr.

September 21, 1921-November 1, 2011

Scavenger Hunt Sunday: October 30, 2011

Macro

This isn't as 'macro-ish' as I would have liked, but I do really like the bokeh effect going on.

Found Texture

The texture of the clouds on Thursday night's sunset was amazing.  (Btw--this was SOOC.)

Home

Obviously not my home, but it was someone's home.  Dad found this itty bitty (can't really tell in this picture) nest in a bush by our garage.  It was very well hidden.  And it looked so peaceful.

Cover

Part of my 52 week project.  Story of this picture to come later....

Tree

I love fall trees!

Liked up here.

Pawsitively Great Grand Opening

A few weeks ago I was given the opportunity to photograph the Grand Opening event for Pawsitively Great, a new pet grooming company.  I met them when I photographed the Big Brothers/Big Sisters dog walk back in May.  I'm so glad they remembered me!

So I don't bore you, I picked my top 5 photos from that day.

Izzy.  The sweetest dog ever.  She hung out with us all afternoon.

Leo.  He is a puppy and so well behaved.

Leo's sister (I don't remember her name!)  She is very talented.  Abby definitely couldn't do this!

Two of the ladies that work at Pawsitively Great had babies 4 days apart.  I couldn't help but share this little treasure.  So precious!

Secret Garden by Bruce Springsteen

Because I am frustrated with school...

Because this is my go-to song to calm me down....

Because this song is for me...

A (Somewhat) Happy Tuesday

There were many times in the last year where I felt like things were just holding on by a single string of thread.  My family's bond was stronger than ever but we were trying so hard to survive and to overcome our biggest obstacle, fighting cancer.  (And I am happy to say things are going great there.)  During that time I moved home to be closer to family.  I don't regret that one bit, but some friendships didn't develop quite like I wanted because of the distance of our homes.  I stayed in school as a full time student, but my grades suffered a little bit.  Taking 2 hours out of my day just to drive to school and drive back home is a lot.  It is precious study time, or family time, or friend time that was wasted.

Yes, my family will always deal with the life of 'after' the diagnosis.  Yes, I am still in school...taking even more hours than last year.  Yes, I still commute to school, taking 8 hours out of my week just to sit in the car.  

But things are seeming to come together a little bit.  I don't know what this change is.  Maybe it is the fact that I've grown up a little.  Maybe it is just timing.  Maybe it is just the path I'm suppose to follow.  I don't know what it is, but I am glad that it is happening.  

This week is the half way point in the semester and things are insanely crazy busy.  In the next two weeks I have three papers, five tests, and two projects due.  All in eight class days.  And I can't help but think...How is that even possible?!  And sometimes I wonder how I will make it through the next two weeks.  

But then I'm reminded about the good things that are coming about right now in my life.  

Spending time with my family and making memories.  

Celebrating another birthday and another year of life for my dad.

Making plans with high school friends.  

Making new friends.

Reminiscing a wonderful weekend.

Hoping for another great weekend.

Restoring friendships.

Planning trips.

Seeing graduation in the horizon. 

Those are the things that help me get through the rough weeks.  Days full of hope, days full of potential, days that are beatifully unexpected.

"The word LISTEN contains the same letters as the word SILENT."

~Alfred Brendel

12 of 12 | October

To be honest, I was hoping this month would look a little more fall like, but there is only so much you can do when you are in school all day long....

Here is my October. 

01.  Abby taking a snooze when I woke up.  I love this sweet pup!
02.  Getting ready for school.
03.  Just starting the 1 hour drive to school.
04.  Bought my cap and gown for graduation, which is in 2 months!!  Woo-Hoo!!!!
05.  Self portrait with my cap.  (I needed an extra picture!)
06.  Today was the perfect fall day.  Unfortunately I was in class all day long.
07.  My school notebook.  This thing is pretty heavy and we aren't even half way through the semester.
08.  On Wednesday I stay in KC and have a girls night with my friend, Jenny.  We went to Price Chopper to get a few things for dinner.
09.  Dinner.  Chicken fried rice--yum.
10.  Gracie, Jenny's sweet dog.
11.  Girls night always comes with a little Revenge.
12.  Me and Jenny.

Scavenger Hunt Sunday | October 8, 2011

Landscape

A photo I took while photographing a wedding.

Color Wheel

Black and White

I know this doesn't follow the typical black and white photo, but I had to leave it in color because I loved the little spec of green grass in his mouth.  It was there the entire photo shoot and I thought it brought a lot to his personality...I'm assuming.  (I'm counting this as black and white because the cow is black and the background is pretty much white.  I figured that counted!)




 

Food

Recipe found here.

Blank Space

Week 40 | October 7, 2011

In the blank space and vast openness of a pumpkin field.





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A Trip to the Pumpkin Patch

For my 52 week portrait project this week I wanted to go pick pumpkins.  This is not a tradition for us by any means.  And to be honest, I felt like a little kid for wanting to do this.  I don't think mom and dad were into the idea very much, but I wasn't going to go out there by myself so they got dragged along.

And it turned out to be a wonderful little trip.

I enjoyed it.  Mom enjoyed it.  And dad enjoyed it.  Our Friday turned into a fun new adventure.  A memory made.  (And possibly a tradition in the future?!)