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Monday, January 26, 2015

Cave Point Winter {or: Distractions and Getting Lost}

I'm just going to get the words out of the way up here, and then let the pictures speak for themselves. (:

On Wednesday, I had a free afternoon and I had been thinking about going up north to just drive and listen to music. {I listened to the Traveling Suitcase's Nobody Wins and Taylor Swift's 1989, if you wanted to know.} I am so glad that that was when I went because the sky was just so so perfect, and it wasn't too cold at 27 degrees.

I took 57 north with the intention of going to Cave Point, because I don't remember ever going there. I'm sure I have, but it's been years, if ever. I took the road that heads to Whitefish Bay Dunes State Park, since I know that it is just south of Cave Point, but I got a little distracted along the way when I found a pretty abandoned house that begged for pictures, so of course I turned around. It's private property, so of course I did stay on the road. I am just loving my 10-24 mm lens!

I headed back on that road, thinking that it would loop around to get me turned around towards Whitefish Bay again, but it actually brought me back to highway 57. I turned right again as soon as I could, and after a couple wrong turns, I got onto Clark Lake Road, knowing that would bring me in the right direction and it did. I saw the signs for the state park, and just after passing the entrance to the park, I made a left, seeing a street sign that had Cave Point, but that turned out to be just a residential street with a lot of property for sale. I turned around after seeing a cute little cottage that I took some pictures of, and then I turned left where I should have gone straight from the park and finally made it to Cave Point!

The sign about dangerous conditions is no lie! The ground was mostly covered in snow, but the parts that didn't have frozen snow just had ice. That wasn't too good since I was wearing Converse. I didn't fall or drop my camera, so it was all good. The trees that were closest to the edge were bent over and frozen, and there were a few other people who were there when I was. I need to go back in the fall at least!


xoxo.

Thursday, January 22, 2015

3/52 2015

I am getting the hang of LightRoom (I think) and I love it! I have been editing all of my photos from my camera before they go into iPhoto, which is going to be overwhelming a couple times this year, but I feel less stressed knowing that they will just be ready for a watermark (if necessary) and then ready to go wherever, instead of not knowing if I saved the edited version somewhere.

Here's a peek at this past week. The last one is by far my favorite! I'll post some more pictures from that day soon! I had a blast driving and jamming out to the Traveling Suitcase's Nobody Wins album. The sky was just so so perfect for pictures and it wasn't too cold (27 degrees).


Thursday 15 January // day fifteen :: cute cute socks for the little guy!


Friday 16 January // day sixteen :: reading Pointe!


Saturday 17 January // day seventeen :: I found Tazo chai latte mix at Target, and I had to have some with the last of the chai snickerdoodles!


Sunday 18 January // day eighteen :: I love burning candles and working on writing before going to bed.


Monday 19 January // day nineteen :: I couldn't not buy these. Look at how cute they are!


Tuesday 20 January // day twenty :: books for Wednesday morning... we only ended up reading Juggling Pug because we read Frozen, which was pretty long.
{Hotel Animal // Juggling Pug // Perfect Snow}


Wednesday 21 January // day twenty-one :: found this little gem before getting lost and while getting distracted (: I am loving my wide-angle lens.

xoxo.

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

NatureBox :: January 2015

Another month, another NatureBox! I love finding one of these by my door when I get home, especially when I didn't really buy any snacks at the grocery store. Here's a look at what's inside and what I thought!


Old Fashioned Blister Peanuts :: I didn't really think that there was anything special about these peanuts, they just tasted like regular peanuts. They were good, though, and reminded me of eating at Texas Roadhouse. (Except they were already shelled.)

"We scoured the country to find extra large Virginia peanuts and roasted them using a unique 2-step process. This process causes the peanuts to "blister" resulting in extra crunchy perfection. We finished them off with a touch of Himalayan pink salt for earthy balance. Munch on them when you're on the go!"


Strawberry Greek Yogurt Pretzels :: I tried the blueberry ones last month, and next month I will be getting the classic ones. These weren't as good as the blueberry ones, but I must also admit that I prefer blueberry yogurt to strawberry.

"What’s your favorite way to enjoy Greek yogurt? We love the creamy treat on its own but we’re loving it even more in these crunchy pretzels! Inspired by the delicious sweetness from fresh strawberries, you’ll want to stock up on our other flavors in classic Greek yogurt as well as Blueberry!"


Ancient Grain Granola :: As we all know, I love granola. However, this one just kind of fell flat for me. It didn't really have the vanilla flavor mentioned in the description, and it had a little bit of an almost savory taste to me.

"Ready for a pick-me-up? Whether it’s for your morning meal or a second breakfast, grab this power-packed Ancient Grains Granola for the ultimate vanilla-coconut crunch. Quinoa flakes, kamut and spelt make for a yogurt topping so deliciously satisfying you’ll be sure to want more for that afternoon treat… or for a third breakfast."


Roasted Peruvian Corn Kernels :: Yum! These are super crunchy and really good! I've had a couple different kinds of corn kernels from NatureBox, and I think that these are my favorite because they are airier and lighter than the other ones, so they aren't as hard on my teeth.

"Peruvian corn is a large kernel corn from the Andes and it’s especially popular in Central America and South America. To enhance these corn kernels’ nutty flavor and sizable texture, we’ve roasted them to golden brown perfection and added just a touch of sea salt. Serve them with an ice-cold glass of lemonade and share with your favorite people!"


Lemon Almond Biscotti Bites :: I guess I saved my favorite two for last! (: These are so lemony, and have the perfect texture and crunch. They don't have a lot of almonds, but I think they would be too crunchy if there were more.

"As you prep for a long day of travel, you load up your devices with new dance tunes and your favorite podcasts. You've got your itinerary and that handy carry-on luggage. Now, just stop by your neighborhood coffee shop for a cup of green tea to go with these lemon-flavored, almond-kissed Biscotti Bites."

xoxo.

Thursday, January 15, 2015

2/52 2015

Do you ever feel like life is a never-ending to do list? That's how it seems right now, like I'm just checking things off before moving on to the next thing. I'm wishing that the weather will be nice on Monday so that I can take advantage of a free day and take some pictures up north. Here's a glimpse at the past week.


Thursday 8 January // day eight :: Sherman Sherman!


Friday 9 January // day nine :: new luggage!!


Saturday 10 January // day ten :: there's a bounty on my heart


Sunday 11 January // day eleven :: bedroom glimpse.


Monday 12 January // day twelve :: to do stack.


Tuesday 13 January // day thirteen :: snowing, again.


Wednesday 14 January // day fourteen :: my calendar arrived yesterday right as I was going to work, but it's up on the wall now! only took two weeks into the year (; {calendar here}

xoxo.

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Not Once

It has been so so long since I linked up with Kiki {and Amanda this month} for the Circle! This month's prompt is a little game of never have I ever.

Turns out I did this once before, almost two years ago. A couple things have changed since then, but here it is if you'd like to take a look.

Let's just dive in because I'm watching Parks & Rec and can't think of anything else to add to this giant rambling!

Never have I ever...

...eaten sushi, and I have no plans on changing that any time soon.

...flown by myself, but that's going to change soon.

...driven a Mini Cooper (but I really want to!).

...not laughed while watching Parks and Recreation.

...stayed "in the lines" while painting my nails.

...changed a diaper, which is a bit awkward when I have to work in child care.

...been to a professional sports game (NFL, NHL, etc.).

...worked out in a gym.

...mowed the lawn.

...been able to wear lip color because it never seems to stay on. someone teach me! (:

xoxo.


THE CIRCLE LINK-UP

Thursday, January 8, 2015

1/52 2015

Let's see how many times I put "2014" instead of "2015" (;

2015 has been wonderful (but really cold) so far. here's a little peek into my week.


Thursday 1 January // day one :: back to the beginning.


Friday 2 January // day two :: lunch.


Saturday 3 January // day three :: woke up to snow! I was glad that I took this picture when I did, because soon after, a bird or something landed on it leaving some dents.


Sunday 4 January // day four :: I have lived here for eight months, and this is how empty my living room is. also, I got a new wide angle lens!!!


Monday 5 January // day five :: so I really like trying kind of weird yogurt flavors (like the caramel one that I actually love), and when I saw a cinnamon roll one, I had to try it! it actually tastes like a cinnamon roll, and I really do like it.


Tuesday 6 January // day six :: I finished reading Only Earth and Sky Last Forever before going to work.


Wednesday 7 January // day seven :: I spent the afternoon baking and reading and watching Say Yes to the Dress, and then later painted my nails.

xoxo.

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

2014 :: Year in Review + Goals for 2015

From one of my first posts of 2014, the words of the year were adventure and acceptance.

"adventure: That's part of the name of this blog, right? But there doesn't seem to be too much adventure. I've got at least one thing in the works that will fall under this word, but hopefully I will be able to make more room for more adventures this year.

acceptance: Life is all about change, and sometimes it's hard to deal with those changes. This year, I will accept what I cannot change and make the best of it."


As far as adventure, there were a few of those, the biggest two being a solo trip to Minneapolis and moving into my first apartment. I didn't do as many spontaneous things as I wish I would have looking back. And acceptance? That's a hard one. Life really is about change, and this year did bring quite a few changes that I am still working to accept including, but not limited to, my parents' divorce and the death of a friend.

Here's a look back on the past year.

{view all daily DSLR snaps here}

January


I rang in the beginning of the year with a sad instagram from work about how I spent a lot of the past year both at work and alone. I didn't exactly mean for it to seem as sad as it did, so that kind of caused a little problem. In all honesty though, this year was a bit of a struggle at times, and I kind of wonder if that was some foreshadowing of that.

The polar vortex gave me a couple extra days off of work, which was a weird thing for me. It also looks like I wasn't always needed for my classes at the Y and I took a couple shifts in child care.

some posts
*a little drive in Door County
*some notes on happiness
*January NatureBox
*January Instagrams
*January Spending Freeze

February


February included having my sweet friends come for a week and there were some new faces this time around, including at least one that I got pretty attached to. My parents divorce was finalized which was a pretty strange thing for me to come to terms with. It’s weird because when you’re little, you think that your parents are going to be together forever, but then sometimes something just changes. Valentine’s weekend was spent with those dear friends. They are the lights of my life. I finally received my college diploma after finally completing the last piece of paperwork for my internship {oops!}. I went out one night to see WIFEE and the HUZz Band, Purgatory Hill, and Thy Dirty Deuce for Wifee’s birthday and musiclessly slow danced with one of my favorite gentlemen before leaving that night. I started looking at apartments. I also got new glasses!

some posts
*Twenty While Twenty Halfway Progress
*Ten on Ten
*J'Adore VoxBox
*February NatureBox
*February Instagrams

March


At the beginning of March, I headed out to Minneapolis for a few days to just relax. I took a lot of pictures, visited a few churches and a museum, and went shopping at IKEA for the very first time. I taught my first Wee Read and Wiggle class! I celebrated working at the motel for four years and went to a Geri X concert. I signed the lease for my first apartment!

some posts
*Minneapolis posts
*10 Things I Like About Me
*March NatureBox
*March Instagrams

April

{the saturation got messed up on the roses picture when it was uploaded months ago, and I am too lazy to try to fix it}

The whole month of April and the second half of March was spent living in the house that I grew up in alone, which was one of the strangest things I have ever done. Summer camp planning started for the year. Easter was celebrated at my grandparents’ house and my adorable cousin played the ukulele that belongs to one of the second cousins. This was the first month of the year that I didn't have a day off.

some posts
*numbers
*preschool teacher musings
*April NatureBox
*April Instagrams

May


I moved into my first apartment in May! I obtained my bartender’s license, which has yet to even be used. The biggest purchases of the year were purchased this month: a washer and dryer and a queen sized bed. I started trying to plan my birthday party. My mom and I went up north on Memorial Day just to hang out and take pictures and such. I got my second tattoo on the 29th.

some posts
*Twenty While Twenty nine month progress
*Door County summer bucket list
*Memorial Day
*May NatureBox
*May Instagrams

June


June brought the lights of my life back for a week, and then summer camp started right after they left. I made sure to document every field trip that we took the kids on with a picture on instagram because I love that map on there. I took a drive on the backroads and found some cows near Fish Creek. I had a concert field trip for work, which was an interesting experience.

some posts
*apartment tour
*Volkswagen problems
*June NatureBox
*June Instagrams

July


July was very much like June, in that I worked a lot with both the motel and camp. I went and saw my friend and her daughter, who was about a year and a half old at the time. Luna’s catalytic converter was replaced.

some posts
*a look into my purse
*another Door County drive
*July NatureBox
*July Instagrams

August


Summer camp ended in August, which always comes as a shock to my co-counselor and I. I even helped out with a gymnastics camp one day, which was an interesting experience. I turned 21, and had my birthday party with WIFEE and the HUZz Band at the Florian II, which is a supper club in Baileys Harbor. The party was a week after my birthday, so between my actual birthday and the party, I went and had a manicure and pedicure for the first time in a few years. the end of August brought a lot more hours at the Y, as my supervisor and I had to move allllll of our camp stuff out of the room where it has been for years so that it could be redone a little bit to be used for fitness classes. I watched Frozen for the very first time as I started to catch up on Disney movies from the past few years.

some posts
*birthdays past
*camp birthday
*21st birthday
*Twenty While Twenty {20 books}
*Twenty While Twenty revisited
*21st birthday party with WIFEE and the HUZz Band
*August NatureBox
*August Instagrams

September


September started with Labor Day of course, which was my last day off before working 110 days in a row between the two jobs. Sometimes a day of work was really only a class or two at the Y, but it can be disruptive in that I can’t get away and really take time to myself. My mom and I took a day trip down to Kewaunee to have lunch with my grandma and we visited a salmon hatchery. Luna’s brake pads were apparently really worn down and were replaced at the end of the month.

some posts
*Labor Day
*fifty questions
*September NatureBox
*September Instagrams
*September randoms

October


October began with me getting back into going on walks and getting back in the pool (where I swam a mile), but it was pretty shortlived. The middle of the month had me going out to help ring in a dear friend’s birthday, and then finding out less than 24 hours later, on that friend’s birthday, that one of our nearest and dearest passed away. I was filled with regret when I realized that I didn’t even take the opportunity that I had to see him play when I saw him less than two weeks before his passing. Some of our friends came for his memorial a couple days later, and thankfully many more of them were in for the week of Halloween.

some posts
*abandoned bricks
*we lost Chris Aaron
*October NatureBox
*October Instagrams
*October randoms

November


November brought the motel from crazy craziness to dead silence, which was pretty eerie, but things have picked back up a little bit. I got my hair cut for the first time in eight months. Thanksgiving brought time with family and I got to hear my almost-three-year-old cousin say my name for the very first time. Some friends were in town that weekend, so we went out to see another friend perform at a local bar.

some posts
*a nerve-racking moment
*November NatureBox
*November Instagrams

December


December was busy getting ready for 2015 while finishing up 2014. One of the most special experiences was getting to see pat mAcdonald in a solo acoustic show. After working 110 straight days, I had a day off, which was productively spent running errands and doing things at home like baking, cleaning, and Christmas present wrapping. That was Monday the 22nd, and my mom came over while I was painting my nails and we used FaceTime to watch my sister get married. Christmas Eve was spent at my grandparents' house in the evening after a lovely lunch with my aunt. I went to Mass and lunch with my mom on Christmas, and then I worked that afternoon, followed by ginger lime martinis with a few friends. A few days later, I met up with some friends from high school for lunch. New Year's Eve was a wonderful and super long night with WIFEE and the HUZz Band, and some surprise friends!

some posts
*nicknames
*Christmas 2014
*New Year's Eve
*December NatureBox
*December Instagrams

Goals for 2015

*join GoodReads {done} and keep track of all of the books that I read
*import photos to LightRoom and edit them before importing them to iPhoto
*take at least one DSLR photo a day {again}
*buy a new lens {actually done 29 December 2014}
*floss teeth every other night

xoxo.
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