The Updates of all Fall Updates

I really wish I could be better at this blog thing.  But you know what?  I probably could be.  There's just so many others things I want to do!  Like watch Netflix or play the iPad.  See, important things.  So here's an update to prove that I have been busy.  Sharing is caring, right?  Consider this my need to "care" for you.

September....was warm.  Did I ever mention that?  It was weird warm.  Anyways, Kelly turned 16.  Yup, that's right, watch out on the road!  Just kidding - she's a safe driver.  I think.  Anyhow, I did a tribute post to her here...but there were some photos taken that afternoon before the party started that I didn't share.  So here they are!  

Gorgeous girl, gorgeous light!

Kelly, I hope you find your Prince Charming and don't have to kiss a frog to get there.  Because that's just kind of gross.

Moving on...

Yappy, or Kevin depending on who's calling her, actually let Steven hold her.  This is a big deal.  Yes, she is upset in this picture.  Yes, we are enjoying her anxiety.  It's like a game with Yappy - you never quite know if she will like you or shy away from you.  Although she has yet to take a liking to Steven.

Our garden looked crazy good through October (the weeds also looked crazy good and went wild - sorry, not posting that picture).  The warm weather continued to let our garden grow and through Halloween we had roses and marigolds.  In fact, the marigolds are still blooming (and it's 33 degrees outside!).  They're hardy little suckers.  

Steven's parents came to visit!  And we went to a Corn Maze.  I haven't been to one since high school and there were none to be found in Tri Cities.  There used to be several in the area, but we drove an hour away to Toppenish and found one there.  Not quite as exciting as I remember, but we had fun and all left with pumpkins!  Which I made Steven and his dad help me carve later that weekend and you can see the results of our labors in this post.  

Note to self, next time try and not get the port-a-potties in the picture.

In the month of October I also completed my very first Pinterest project - a yarn wreath.  I am enamored with it.  It took a long time, but was well worth it.  And it has held up quite well hanging out front.  I thought the yarn would get dirty and gross, but nope - still lookin' good!  I was so inspired that I made another for a friend as a housewarming gift.  The hard part?  Wrapping the whole thing in yarn.  And, because I'm picky, I didn't like the foam forms because I thought they were too skinny.  So I bought a wreath form made of straw.  Yes, straw.  And my downstairs was covered in it!  It's hard to wrap a straw wreath in yarn, but worth it for the look.  Love it!  

Ok, ribbon.  Why didn't I notice you are all wacked out?  Crazy wind.  The other tail is hidden behind - it really is there!

Speaking of Pinterest, I'm addicted.  I don't have the time to really build up my boards like I would like to, but I love the concept.  All the time while online reading blogs or looking around I find things I like and bookmark them.  Who goes back through their bookmarks?  Not me.  As a more visual person, Pinterest appeals to me because I can see all the things I've pinned in one place!  Thank you for making my life easier.  Not to mention it's inspiring.  I never would've made that wreath above if not for Pinterest.  I love being crafty and with Pinterest as my friend I will never again run out of projects, ever.

Follow me on Pinterest!  Just click the button. :-)

 

 

 

Another fun photo session came up a few weeks ago.  I've promised Katie forever that I'd take her and her friends out.  I didn't know it was going to be her and her six friends!  But it was a lot of fun.  Hard to get pictures with everyone looking at the camera and not blinking/fixing their hair/looking at their friend, but we did it!  I'm not really pursuing photography as a business right now (but if you know of someone interested I do book sessions!), it's more of a hobby.  I love photography and I love seeing my work grow.  This session was by far my best and I am so happy with the way things turned out.  I use an off camera flash, which some people think is crazy, but honestly I'll shoot both with and without the flash during the session in post process while editing 90% of the photos I keep are flash.  They look cleaner, more crisp and have better skin tone.  Anyways, enough on that, here's some of my favorites...

And what is going on right now?  Well, *alert -- big news coming*, I turned in my letter of resignation yesterday at work.  My last day will be February 23rd.  It was a little sad, surprisingly.  Which is a good thing (right, Andrea?).  If you haven't heard by now, Steven and I will be leaving our more "traditional" jobs and heading overseas next summer to live in Asia!  I know, right?!  It's been our prayer for God to bring something along that fit us well and would use our talents.  Well, He answered our prayers and we will be moving over there soon.  Crazy, crazy.  So, I'm quitting in February because there is lots to do between then and when we leave.  We will be spending five weeks in Colorado in May and June, not to mention getting our condo ready to rent and packing and transitioning.  It will come fast! 

Oh, and today?  It snowed.  Not for very long, but it did.  It was beautiful for the short time it lasted.  I was enjoying it from the safety (and warmth) of my Subaru (another thing I'll miss in Asia).  And now my garden looks like this...

I'm so ready for Thanksgiving and Christmas and holidays and family.  We are going to Arizona for Christmas this year so I will miss the snow.  But you know what?  It hasn't snowed here during Christmas for the past few years anyways.  And at least in Arizona I'll be warm!

So there's the update to beat out all other updates.  Whew.  I hope you enjoy that puppy (the blog post, not a real puppy - unless you have a real puppy then I hope you enjoy that too).