around the web :: 28.8.2015

I started this for last Friday, but then I forgot to finish it and post it... oh well, here it is now. (: clearly life has been busy and crazy. I can't believe the summer is almost over! (though it's still peak season here for another two months.)

I am so blessed to consider some amazing musicians to be a part of my family. Delaney Davidson was one of the first ones that I was introduced to, the summer that I turned sixteen. he's a traveling man based out of New Zealand, so I don't get to see him all that often, but it's always wonderful whenever I get to see him. Delaney shared this video for You Don't Want Me Around from his newest album (which comes out in a couple weeks) on Facebook, and it reminded me that I'm a few albums behind on his music! not only is he an incredible musician, but he also makes some really great visual decisions. this video is even more special for me (and my music family) since it contains footage of the second line parade for our dear Chris Aaron. {watch on YouTube here}

one of my favorite food bloggers to follow is Joy the Baker. even if her post for the day is something I would never eat, I look at it anyway because her photographs are so gorgeous. doesn't this decadent toasted marshmallow ice cream cake with salted caramel look amazing?

Seth Meyers is the best.

ha! I could definitely use some of these.

so these aren't all accurate for me, but a lot of them are!

xoxo.

44/52 2014

oh, what a week. it was so wonderful to have some of my dear friends here, and I now miss them so much. it's funny how having them here for such a short period of time becomes so normal, and then once they leave, it's devastating. I just need to focus on all of the fun and the love, and it will be okay.

Wednesday 29 October // day three hundred two :: if you've been around here for a while, you may remember my friend Delaney. a few of us found this squirrel, and we were quite fascinated by the fact that he was just sitting on the windowsill. apparently he was scared because he didn't know where his mom was.

Thursday 30 October // day three hundred three :: a little violin with Julia before dinner.

Friday 31 October // day three hundred four :: Ruby brought everyone some paper straws for Halloween.

Saturday 1 November // day three hundred five :: not the greatest picture since it was taken on auto, but this is the perfect reminder from our second line parade.

Sunday 2 November // day three hundred six :: pumpkins outside the apartment. when I returned home from work, they were all spread out by the doorway.

Monday 3 October // day three hundred seven :: finally changed the calendar.

Tuesday 4 October // day three hundred eight :: newest books. {104 Things to Photograph // Hyperactivitypography from A to Z // Women in Clothes}

xoxo.

birthdays past

tomorrow is my 21st birthday! I was originally going to do this post for tomorrow, but then I realized that it's "flashback Friday," so I decided to post this for that instead. (:

we'll work our way backwards, since those pictures are more embarrassing...

I worked at the motel on my 20th birthday, and then Abi and I went to a Todd Carey concert! before I went to work, I had lunch with my parents and grandma at the Inn at Cedar Crossing. I made some delicious cupcakes, and I wrote about my birthday here.

on my 19th birthday, I had camp in the morning and we went to the Coast Guard station. the past two years, we've gone back there for the camp closest to my birthday. on this first year, I read Dr. Seuss's Happy Birthday to You, which is my favorite book of his. I probably went out for lunch with my mom and my camp co-counselor, and then for dinner, my parents, sister, and grandparents went to the Cabin. before dinner though, we stopped by the motel two visit two of my lovely bosses (one of which sang me a birthday song) and to see the new ice machine that was purchased that day. we joked that that was my birthday present. (;

{the tiara - which I skipped for my 20th birthday - was something that I had to buy for senior year homecoming court. best $19 I ever spent, as it was used for a couple birthdays and Halloweens, in addition to the two days for homecoming.}

my eighteenth birthday was also a camp day. I have no idea what we did for camp that morning. my mom and I had lunch with my co-counselor at Glas, and then that evening, I had dinner with my sister and parents at the Inn at Cedar Crossing. It started pouring and I had to take my dessert to go. it was a mint chocolate cheesecake, in case you were wondering. this was the day that I purchased the Beetle, and I also went and paid for my first semester of college!

for my 17th birthday, we had family over for dinner and red velvet cake. I also invited pat, melanie, and Delaney, and we took these wonderful photos which make me smile every time I see them.

before the party, I had to teach my class at the Y, and earlier in the day I had lunch with my parents and my supervisor from the Y at Fatzo's (where we used to go all of the time back then), and my parents gave me the gold ring that I wear every day. my mom wanted my dad to be the first to give me a diamond, so my sister and I both received rings for our 17th birthdays.

my sweet sixteen was a bust, but at least I was wearing a Juicy Couture polo. my aunt painted a beautiful painting for me, which is finally hanging up in the entry to my apartment. it sat on my bedroom floor for nearly five years. {you can see the painting here}

a few days before my 15th birthday, I went to Hands On Art Studio with a few of my friends and we painted ceramic flip flops and the first letter of our first name. my parents and I went to British Columbia just after I turned 15, so we just did a family party the day before, and on my birthday, my dad had "Happy Birthday, Teresa!" scrolling on the sign at his office.

I have no recollection of some birthdays before this, but I know that I went mini golfing at Egg Harbor Fun Park {which has really expanded since then} with a friend on my 13th birthday, and I had a cake with horses on it for my 12th birthday.

I went to Hands On Art Studio for my 10th birthday, but that time we painted glasses instead. everyone else painted champagne flutes, and I just did a tumbler.

I'm sure that the blog will be birthday-themed for the next week or so! (:

xoxo.

numbers

Erin did a fun post about her life in numbers, and I contemplated doing a similar post. Then Halie did one too, and I knew that it would be a really fun idea! Thanks for the inspiration, ladies! (:

112,696 :: number of miles on my Volkswagen Beetle

0 :: number of times I've been outside of North America

1305 :: number of songs on my iTunes

5 :: number of times I have seen Delaney Davidson in concert

8 :: number of cameras I have owned

1 :: number of tattoos I currently have

12 :: number of Geri X cds I own {plus a few more just on iTunes}

4 :: number of schools I have attended

22 :: number of black shirts I own + 1 black sweater + 2 black cardigans + 1 black hooded sweatshirt

55 :: number of Lip Smacker lip balms I own {some of these are the same flavor in different packaging}

95 :: number of profile pictures I have had on Facebook in a little more than seven years

22,909 :: number of photos currently in my iPhoto {the main reason I back my computer up every month}

4 :: number of pairs of boots I own {also the number of pairs of heels I own}

16 :: number of letters in my full name

3 :: number of hotels I've stayed at in the past five months

4.1 :: number of years I have been with my current job

{I would have counted all of my books, but they are all over in a bunch of different boxes and places right now.}

xoxo.

10/52 2014

This week began with the end of my vacation, and then it turned into a crazy weekend and upcoming week at work! Here's to hoping I make it out alive next Sunday evening! (:

Wednesday 5 March // day sixty-four :: I think that Spoonbridge with the Basilica of St. Mary in the background pretty much sums up my day.

Thursday 6 March // day sixty-five :: I miss this view from the 21st floor.

Friday 7 March // day sixty-six :: IKEA presents for the motel.

Saturday 8 March // day sixty-seven :: smoothie making. spinach and strawberries.

Sunday 9 March // day sixty-eight :: my copy of Sally's Baking Addiction came in the mail while I was gone! the book about Betty Crocker is from the Mill City Museum, and I think my IKEA sheepskin rug is going to become a great photo backdrop.

Monday 10 March // day sixty-nine :: it only took me three and a half years to frame this Delaney Davidson poster. I need to find a better mat though.

Tuesday 11 March // day seventy :: lunch on a pretty plate.

xoxo.

Summer Bucket List {revisited}

summer is nearly over now, and it's almost time to go back to class :( back in June, I wrote up my summer bucket list. let's see how I did!

{from last night at Door County Boat Launch}

1. go horseback riding - I knew that I wouldn't be able to do this one, but I really wanted to!

2. go a month without shopping - hello July spending freeze

3. attend a few concerts {Delaney Davidson, Chris Aaron & Friends, Todd Carey}

4. eat watermelon

5. read/finish some books {Bloom by Kelle Hampton; The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, translated by Richard Howard; Paris, My Sweet: A Year in the City of Light (and Dark Chocolate) by Amy Thomas; Adulting: How to Become a Grown-Up in 468 Easy(ish) Steps by Kelly Williams Brown}

6. have ice cream at Wilson's - Firecracker on July 4th

7. mess around with PSE a little more and learn something new!

8. work on learning to play the guitar! - hahaha that never happened

9. watch the sun set on the water - um. I tried. at least twice. once I was in the wrong place to watch the sun actually set, and the other {last night} it turned into a thunderstorm.

10. blog more!

if I could have one super power...

If I could have any superpower, I would want to be able to transport myself from one place to another, instantly.

For instance, if I had a day off, I could just transport myself to Los Angeles or Paris, or I could visit one of my friends in Hawaii or New Zealand, or wherever any of them are playing on tour.

I guess this could get complicated with time zones though...

If you could transport yourself somewhere, where would you go?

{this song came on while I was writing this, and I thought it was pretty appropriate.}

xoxo.

{everyone else has some really good posts, so click above and go read them!}

{I will be skipping the next four weeks of 52 Weeks of Blogging with a Purpose since they deal with motherhood and I am not a mother.}

God Bless America

a few days before July 4th, I still didn't know what I was going to do for the holiday, since I had the day off. we usually go up north for the parades, and sometimes we have been in them. I ended up going up to Egg Harbor with my mom for lunch at Casey's BBQ, and then we watched the parade in Egg Harbor. after the parade, we drove up to Ephraim for ice cream at Wilson's!

I found some old pictures, so this is going to turn into a long post! (:

lunch at Casey's {the last two years, we've been the only people eating inside when we were there}

yum yum yum!

we each got a pulled pork sandwich, and we split the fries

me & my mom (:

Stanley Cup! {not sure if it was the actual one, or a replica though}

part of the UW marching band, and the reason I have no other pictures from the parade

WILSON'S!!!!!

regular flavors {oh how I wish this wasn't out of focus}

seasonal flavors. I changed my mind at least three times. haha.

love their shirts! also, all of the college kids who work here are amazing. totally on top of all of the craziness. they rock!

always a jelly bean on top! (:

Firecracker: strawberry ice cream with pop rocks

throwback starting now! (:

{2008} before the Baileys Harbor parade

I think this was the last year that we were in the parade, but I honestly can't remember. we probably did both parades, actually. my dad and I were on the Harley, while my mom followed on her moped. if we did another year or two of parades after this, it wasn't on the Harley. it was a pretty warm day {I mean, it was July}, and the parade was so slow, so the motorcycle kept overheating. if I remember correctly, we spent quite a lot of time just coasting. it was really annoying.

{also 2008}

later that evening, my parents and I met up with my grandpa & grandma, uncle, aunt, and two of our dear friends, and we rented a pontoon boat. we went for a ride and watched the fireworks on the water. right after we rented the boat, we ran into this bridge and broke something on the boat...oops.

{2009}

in 2009, we spent the night before the Fourth on Washington Island. my dad played {as in music - guitar to be precise} with some of his friends at Nelsen's Hall Bitter's Pub on the evening of the third. there is a bike parade that anyone and everyone is welcome to be a part of on Washington Island on Independence Day. we watched that and then crossed back over on the ferry {pictured above} to the "main island" to see the parade down in Egg Harbor.

{2012} parade view in Egg Harbor

ugh. we had the worst parade view last year. and it got only got worse towards the end of the parade when they had more family members join them.

{2012} Delaney helping my grandpa put the fish on.

later that evening, we had a fish boil out at my grandparents' house. my grandparents hosted my parents and me, uncle, aunt, baby cousin, and our friends Delaney & Liv.

{2012} if only I had waited another half second before pressing the shutter...

Liv got to throw the oil on for the boil over!

{2012} now this is my favorite kind of concert (:

after we all ate, Liv and Delaney "sang for their supper." they even did "Hotel California," per my grandpa's request. my baby cousin was so enthralled by Delaney; it was adorable.

{2012} once it got dark, I finally shot off the firework that I received for my 17th birthday {nearly two years later...}

pat mAcdonald & melaniejane gave me a "Bat Out of Hell" firework for my birthday in 2010, and I finally got around to using it nearly two years later.

{2012} Delaney and Liv both each did a set at Beach that night

Delaney and Liv were both playing at Beach that night, so while my mom went to the fireworks in town {which got rained out}, my dad and I went down to see them. it was the first time {aside from earlier at my grandparents' house} that I had seen Liv perform, and she was incredible! I have seen Delaney many, many times, but it was the first time that I had seen him perform in a venue with dancing space. well, for his last song, he did a waltz. if you have never seen him perform, one thing that you should know is that he is an incredible looper. Delaney set up his looping, and then he went around and started pairing people up for the waltz. it was a mini family reunion of my musician friends at the show that night, so Miss Meaghan got paired with our friend Jamey, Anna was paired with some guy I don't know, and my dad was paired with Ruby. after pairing off a few couples, Delaney came and got me. I had no idea what I was doing, but his advice was "one foot, and then the other." he was going to pair me with some random dude, but the guy didn't want to dance, so Delaney found pat for me and we waltzed. I love my crazily wonderful life.

xoxo.