Luna Lovebug :: five years together

yesterday was a very special day for me and Luna. the first time I ever drove her was January 25, 2011. I drove the GTI to my dad's office before school that morning, and then when I went back over after school to get the keys (I was parking there because I was borrowing the car from his automotive business, which was right across from the school.), he told me that I could take "the pretty car." the Beetle had been there for five weeks getting cleaned and detailed and a new windshield, and it was previously owned by one of our traveling musician friends.

it was a Tuesday, and there was a home swim meet that night. I had this grand plan that when I first got to drive the Beetle, I would drive over the steel bridge for the very first time and go to Glas for a strawberry smoothie, so I did just that.

it was so weird for me to drive an automatic after driving a car with three pedals for the past nine months. it took me a few days to get used to that. I also messed up the driver side window on that first night because I didn't know that I wasn't supposed to roll it down, as they were still working on the door. whoops.

here's a picture from that very first day! baby Teresa at seventeen. (:

I thought that this picture was from 2011, but I guess I only took it in 2012.

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so back to 2016. I ran some errands and went over to Glas between a few of them to get a vanilla chai latte. a little reminiscing music on the iPod.

as I was leaving Target, I decided that I wanted to go to the lake to take some pictures since I had my camera with me. I drove out and parked at the US Coast Guard station, and then I walked down to the North Pierhead. the only time I have ever been down there was with my camp kids, so I was excited. however, I kind of forgot that it would be pretty icy because it's in the water and it's winter. it was sort of unsafe. I only went out about three-quarters of the way because the ice was getting worse and I didn't want to fall.

and a picture of my favorite sign at the canal station...

finally, a dirty Luna.

here's to many more adventures together!

xoxo.

3/52 :: 2016

when I decided that I would do these posts on Mondays instead of Fridays, I thought that it would give me more time to get the photos edited and into the post with words attached, but here I am, doing it on Sunday night... someday I might learn.

anyway, I took a tiny trip down to Chicago to see my friends for a couple days, so my camera made it not only out of the apartment, but also out of the state this week. (:

Friday 15 January // day fifteen :: I rarely take pictures in this room since it's so dark, but here's a look at what's on top of my dresser. shortly after taking this, one of my canvas prints fell off the wall, so that's there now too.

Saturday 16 January // day sixteen :: walls and a doorway. I don't know, I just like looking at things in weird ways.

Sunday 17 January // day seventeen :: on the road again for a couple days.

Monday 18 January // day eighteen :: a new home away from home. thank you, Chicago friends. {you might recognize the bass from photo number five on this post.} it's less of a tripping hazard in their living room instead of ours. (:

Tuesday 19 January // day nineteen :: mornings at aloft.

Wednesday 20 January // day twenty :: a giant stack of library books because I'm not good at pacing myself or theming lessons.

Thursday 21 January // day twenty-one :: reading materials.

xoxo.

2/52 :: 2016

I'm hoping to be away from the internet for most of tomorrow, which is why I'm publishing this on Sunday instead of Monday. here's a look at some more little details from the new apartment. maybe someday soon I'll take my camera outside again. (:

Friday 8 January 2016 // day eight :: things I should have been dealing with, but I just took a picture and walked away instead.

Saturday 9 January 2016 // day nine :: one of my favorite things about this apartment (okay, maybe that's being overdramatic) is that there are two nails on this window in my bedroom so I could hang my sugar skull garland! (:

Sunday 10 January 2016 // day ten :: my NatureBox arrived the day before, and it's always fun to look and see what's inside!

Monday 11 January 2016 // day eleven :: my nevermore mirror was the first thing that I hung on the walls here.

Tuesday 12 January 2016 // day twelve :: cozy. (I need to get another one of these for the other side.)

Wednesday 13 January 2016 // day thirteen :: Chimes ginger chews are my favorite.

Thursday 14 January 2016 // day fourteen :: when you nearly forget to take a picture, just take one of one of the two other living things in your apartment. (does anyone know what kind of plant this is?)

xoxo.

NatureBox :: January 2016

here's a look at what I got in my NatureBox this month! four of the six things are repeats this time. honestly, I just wish that I could go to the store and get more of this stuff because a lot of this is my favorite.

as always, I don't sit on the floor and eat, it's just sometimes easier to take pictures on the floor because of the light. exploring lighting in this new apartment, where there are only four windows.

Dried California Peaches :: yum. that perfectly peachy fruit flavor without all of the juicy mess.

Sourced from a family-owned orchard in California, this healthy snack is an homage to our home state. In addition to being a good source of Vitamin A and fiber, they have absolutely no added sugar. Perfect for salads or as an elegant addition to a cheese plate. Bonus points for portability and not bruising in your bag.

{I had these in January 2014.}

Strawberry Greek Yogurt Pretzels :: I'm not much for chocolate covered pretzels (is that weird? because I like pretzels and I like chocolate.), but yogurt covered pretzels are a yes. these have the fruity flavor of strawberries, and so they are a great sweet and salty combination.

We’re going Greek with these tangy bite-sized pieces of heaven. Forget the regular ol’ yogurt pretzels and opt for these instead. You’ll be glad you did. Originally food of the Greek gods, with these pretzels you can now feel like royalty too.

{I had these last January.} 

Crispy Coconut Squares :: these are so so cute! they remind me of teeny tiny rice krispy treats! there is no marshmallow in these, so they don't taste like that, but they are sweet and delicious anyway, with the perfect coconut flavor.

Send your taste buds on a tropical vacation. Or just stay home and try these crunchy little morsels of awesome. They're delicious and made from just a few ingredients like coconut (duh) and a touch of sea salt. Pop 'em into your mouth, satisfy your sweet tooth, and move on with your life.

Aged Cheddar Lentil Loops :: I've had the Salt and Pepper Lentil Loops, so of course I wanted to try these too. at first I didn't think that they had enough of a cheese flavor, but I now disagree with myself. they are perfect. I love that they are light but still crunchy, and the curls are pretty adorable too.

What do you get when the richness of aged cheddar meets our beloved light, airy Lentil Loops? A crispy, savory snack that will make you ditch the chips and wonder where your favorite new snack has been all of your life. Beware: They’re highly addicting so get ready to get loopy.

Asiago & Cheddar Cheese Crisps :: these are a repeat, this time is the third that I've had them! I wouldn't have gotten them again so soon, but they were a $2 add-on snack this month. I still love them and don't know what else to say! they're perfectly cheesy and have a great crunch and airy texture.

If you spent more hours in the kitchen, you’d whip these up yourself the night before the big party. But, who’s got the time? Luckily, you’ve got a secret weapon. Serve these simple yet elegant crisps as a smart alternative to chips and dip or on a charcuterie board for a cheesy twist. Nothing but simple, straightforward ingredients, like real cheese, butter, and a hint of cayenne pepper. Twice baked for extra crispiness and perfect for your next cocktail party spread.

{I had these in October 2014 and March 2015.}

Chocolate Quinoa Granola :: the thing that really confuses me about this granola is the dried blueberries. I just don't understand why there are blueberries in a chocolate almond granola. definitely not my favorite.

It’s time to spice up the same old boring breakfast routine of yogurt, oatmeal or cereal with this cocoa-kissed granola. Crispy quinoa makes for a totally airy and satisfying crunch, while hints of chocolate, vanilla and coconut offer a subtle sweetness that will leave you wanting more.

{I had this in June 2014.}

xoxo.

1/52 :: 2016

I guess I am doing another photo a day project. this time I'm giving myself a few days to get them edited by posting on Mondays instead of having to edit things the night before posting. we'll see if I can make it through for a third year in a row. (:

Friday 1 January // day one :: a fun morning on five hours of sleep for the second day in a row. not feeling the best after too much fun the night before. anyway. trying to get little red (aka Velvet B Mine) into some more pictures this year. xD

Saturday 2 January // day two :: old planner, new planner, and five year journal. part of my mornings. (:

Sunday 3 January // day three :: I am so in love with these bricks, as I'm sure we will see for as long as I live here. it was kind of hard to straighten out this picture because I forgot that in old buildings, not everything is perfectly parallel/perpendicular to everything else.

Monday 4 January // day four :: bedroom. <3

Tuesday 5 January // day five :: so I still haven't practiced... but I love that it sits out in the corner here.

Wednesday 6 January // day six :: I was awoken at 3:15 am because they were clearing the snow off of the sidewalks and into the street. fun times.

Thursday 7 January // day seven :: one of my coworkers gave me a couple plants because her husband said that she had too many. I love having windowsills even though I only have four little windows!

xoxo.