February 2014 in an Instagram

February 2014, you were full of some really big UPs!  

I mean just look what you were full of:

- Love

- Snowmageddon

- Time with family

- Adventures with The Kid

- Signs of Spring

- AMOS LEE!!!!!!

Thanks for the great times February... see you next year!

How was your February?  

Anything in particular you are looking forward to in March?

Closing Out The Year | December in an Instagram

December was a great month!  Lots of times with friends and family and traveling to Idaho and back.  December was also a time of reflection mixed with looking forward as I closed out 2013 and started planning 2014.  It was a month of ups and downs emotionally, but luckily it always ended on the upswing as I looked to each situation as a moment for growth.  

I spent a bit of time decorating my apartment and being intentional with some furniture additions.  It was entirely new for me since I've lived the past 10 years as minimalistic as possible.  I like being minimalist, and still strive to live simply and at my means, but I'm enjoying nesting in my home.  Previous to this apartment the longest I lived in one place was 9 months.  I've been in my current home for 18 months with no plans to move.  It's a lovely feeling to be happy with my home.

As I move into 2014, I'm excited to continue being intentional with my relationships, health, and finances.  There's some huge additions to my professional life that I'm really looking forward to developing, and enjoying the growing pains that I've experienced.

Cheers to a wonderful December and moving forward!

Thanksgiving 2013 Recap

This year's Thanksgiving was a special one.  From the time I was 12 and my immediate family moved to Idaho we've been getting together with my Dad's siblings and their families for the holidays.  The idea was to have a different sibling host each year, that way everyone takes turns traveling/hosting each year.  One sister lives in Seattle, another is SW Washington, and my Dad, of course, lives in Idaho.  For the first few years the kids were all young enough that the families all worked hard to get together, despite costs, weather and life interruptions, but as we all got older it became increasingly difficult to get everyone together.  While the tradition still carried, someone - a brother, sister, child, etc - was missing from the pack.

So it was very exciting to hear that everyone could make it this year!  No one had 'other side of the family' obligations or work getting in the way.  The weather looked like it was going to hold out, and my cousin who lives in the Tri Cities (therefore equal distance from everyone) offered to host, so there were no "we have to travel too far" excuses!  Everyone (that's 16 adults, 1 five year old and 1 five month old) made it!  We all stayed at my cousin's house for 4 days, and loved every minute of it.

I really am blessed to be a part of a family that can get along and enjoy each other for that many days.

My Aunt Sandy enjoying time with her Grand-niece Emerson

Uncle Rodney getting his baby time in

Joie made turkey centerpieces for all the tables

Joie "helping" Aunt Janet make pies

Lots of smiles and wine

My little brother Kalen got in some baby time too - good practice for the near future ;)

I love my niece to pieces

Joie and her Papa (my dad)

Aunt Janet, Emerson,  my cousin Jill and Aunt Sandy

Everyone together!

November 2013 in an Instagram

How is it December already?!

I mean seriously.

November was an event filled month!  It started off with my first ever art show (a month-long gallery even!) and ended surrounded by family for the Thanksgiving holiday!

Here's some of the highlights:

• My art show in Newberg
• Girls Road Trip to surprise my family over my niece's bday weekend
• Danielle and Joie visiting Portland 
• New glasses
• Spending 4 days with my whole family over Thanksgiving
• Finding out the family is growing!

Did you see family over the holiday? How was your November?

Here's to a great December!

Catching Up

Oh my goodness life has been good lately!  I've been so busy enjoying it that I didn't even realize I haven't been on here in a few weeks!  So it's definitely time I add some pictures of the past few weeks' adventures.

I found out I was going to have Veteran's Day off from work making it a 3 day weekend and I decided that it would be a good time to drive to Idaho and surprise my family.  My niece's bday was on the 8th, and my family would be having a get-together on Saturday the 9th for her.  I could easily make it that evening and have all day Sunday with them before heading back Monday morning.  My aunt who lives in Longview was free for the weekend to join me, and we discovered that my cousin and her baby girl who live in the Tri Cities was free too.

Girls Road Trip!

My Aunt Janet, Cousin Jill and her baby Emerson and Me all ready to roll!

Pit stop for a diaper change, refuel and baby cheek snuggle!

Once in Idaho I was completely unlike myself and only took pictures at two moments.  Early Sunday morning I captured these treasures with my niece (who's FIVE now! OMG)

and on the trip home snagged a pic of the state capitol building.  

Is it weird that I miss this building?

After returning to Portland I lost myself in the work week, looking forward to my sister in law and niece visiting me the following weekend! That's right, just 4 days and I'd be seeing that little munchkin again!

They made it to town just as I was finishing up work, and we enjoyed dinner and drinks downtown.  Saturday morning we woke up and headed to the coast.  Joie wasn't very excited about it at first, she insisted that going to the beach meant an encounter with sharks, but after a little time on the sand she warmed up (literally - because it was freezing at first) to it.

All three of us, happy as clams.

My sister in law pulled off the best photobomb ever ;)

We thoroughly enjoyed all the coast had to offer.  The next day we got up, enjoyed coffee and hot chocolate and hiked Multnomah Falls.

The past few weeks have been full of family and FUN!  This next week is Thanksgiving and I'll be traveling to the Tri Cities along with the rest of my family for a few days of more family fun.  It's guaranteed to be a great time, and I'm so looking forward to it!

Has anything great happened for you the past couple of weeks?

Will you be traveling for the Thanksgiving holiday?

October 2013 In An Instagram

Wow, the end of another month and beginning of a new one already.  Is it just me, or do the months seem to go faster once fall hits?  I feel like September and October fly by each year!

What a beautiful October we had here in the Pac Northwest too!  Colors everywhere and so many days with sunshine and blue skies!  I have to say though, as much as I've loved it, I've missed the rain.  I'm looking forward to the rainy season starting soon and feeling like the holidays are really here.

October was full of great experiences and many smiley days!  Here's a visual of this past month from my iPhone...

Highlights:

• Ran the Portland Half Marathon
• My Mom visited
• I brought home a new kitty
• Crunchy, colorful leaves
• Time with new adorable Little E
• Time with friends and home improvement projects
• Fall treats

How was your October?  Any fun memories you want to make sure and remember?

Portland Half Marathon Recap

Well, I did it!  I crossed another item off my bucket list and completed a half marathon in my new hometown.  The 2013 Portland Half Marathon was a great experience made all the better by completing it as a member of Team and Training again!

My mom flew into Portland to spend the weekend with me and be out on the course cheering me on. We had a great time spending time together, just the two of us, at the coast the day before, and she got to join me at the inspiration dinner the night before the race to get a taste of just how awesome this group of people are.

I didn't smash any records on race day, but I proved to myself once more that I can accomplish anything I put my mind to, and felt good carrying all my reasons for running over the finish line with me.

I'm already planning to join the group again next year and tackle the San Franciscan hills once more at the Nike Women's Marathon.  I just love the positivity of this group!!

Catching Up | End of August through Labor Day

Holy crap I'm behind on blogging!  Guess that's what happens when your life takes off on an insanely busy fall season.  Fall (September specifically) is my favorite time of year though, and I thought I definitely owed it to myself to post a little update on how it's been going so far!

First of all, my cousin Jared got married!  My family loves a good excuse to get together, drink, party, drink, catch up, drink, dance, and drink!  And what better excuse than a wedding?! (None I think.)

So we all got together at my aunt's house in Longview and enjoyed some time catching up (and drinking.)

After the wedding my mom's littlest sister, Saleen, and I drove back down the coast toward her casa in the Palm Springs area.  I posted this little update on the first half our trip - down the 101 and through the Redwoods toward Santa Rosa.  We continued on to SoCal after a few days rest in NorCal.  The weather was glorious, and the sunsets were amazing!  I got in a few runs and LOTS of swimming!

I got home on a Thursday, worked Friday, ran 8 miles Saturday morning, took pictures of this adorable family then heading east toward Baker City to meet up with my brother and cousin and their families for some Labor Day camping.  We had fun chatting, playing card games, and making s'mores with, as my niece calls them, 'smarshmellows.'  It was a great weekend filled with family, and I thoroughly enjoyed time with my niece and my cousin's baby, which I can never get enough of.

Since my return I've been working my rear off with lots of creative projects.

I'll be back soon to update more!  What have you been up to??

May in an Instagram

May was a glorious and beautiful month!  It was jam-packed full of exciting times and endeavors, such as:

• My Portland-aversary!
• Bike rides, bottom-less mimosas and soccer games!
• A new logo!
• Playing in the park in the sudo-summer evenings!
• Sunday Parkways!
• Road trip to Idaho!
• I bought a NEW CAR!
• Date nights!
• Camping at the Beach!
• And lots and lots of coffee!

Here's to an incredible June!

My Niece and I

My niece and I have.... well... um, a special connection.  We are scarily similar, goofballs and can anticipate the silliness in one another without the need for verbal cues.

Don't believe me? 
I give you visual proof:

Still need proof?
Ok, I give you video:

New Cars, Roadtrips and Laughter.... OH MY!

So something pretty major happened around here last week.... I BOUGHT A NEW CAR!!!

Everybody,  I'd like to formally introduce you to Toby...

My old car, a beautiful 2003 Ford Taurus (lovingly named Derrik by a toddler I used to babysit) has been going downhill the past year.  He hit 140 thousand miles when I moved to Portland and was close to 150 thousand when he just stopped.  He lived a good long life, and I would love to have given him a new engine and a little extra loving, but I just couldn't justify putting more money into him that he was worth. 

So Ryan and I (he loves me enough to spend a day with me freaking out over finances and new shiny objects - lots of highs and lows in a short span of time) spent a day talking with our friend Austin who works for the Enterprise lot in Portland. 
* side note - Austin is the husband of the awesome Kayla over at Fit Life Forward!  I wasn't necessarily planning on buying anything that day, but once I drove this 2012 Nissan Versa, it was over.

I LOVE THIS CAR!!!

Toby and I went on our first road trip together this past weekend.  I packed him up and we drove to Idaho Friday to visit friends and family.

It was a pretty great weekend with my favorite munchkin (my niece Joie).  Much laughter and good times were shared.  I'll be blogging more about my photoshoots and adventures later this week!

Any major and/or exciting news happening in your world this week?  

I'd love to hear about it!  Share in the excitement in the comments below!

Me | The Paper Mama's Self Portrait Challenge

The Paper Mama is having a self portrait contest where a participant will win an Instax mini 8 camera!  I love challenges and thought I'd play along!  This contest isn't based on photo quality, it's completely random, so I decided to post a picture of me from Saturday night that I snapped after getting ready for an all-girls Valentines party (recap post to come!).

So here I am, plus 10 random facts about me...

1. I am 30 years old, but most days I feel 16.
2. I don't have any kids, but I've nannied, babysat and worked with youth organizations since I was 12... so in my heart I've had many children and love them all as my own.
3. My niece is the number 1 person on this planet that I would do anything for.  There's not a day that goes by that I don't think about and pray for her.  I can't wait to see her turn this world on its edge as she accomplishes many a great thing.
4. I have completed a full marathon, a few halves, a century bike ride, hiked the Grand Canyon and want to train for a triathlon next.
5. I had no idea how easy it was to love until I let my guard down.  It is the scariest thing in the world, and completely worth it.
6. I could go the rest of my life without ever having another beer, cocktail or glass of wine, but take away my coffee and I just might kill you.
7. Although not the most attractive ensemble in the world, I could wear yoga pants and a hoodie every day.  Most comfortable outfit ever.
8. I was born in Southern Washington and raised on a chicken farm until the age of 12.  My family then moved to Idaho where we owned a dairy heifer ranch.  My family still lives in Idaho, but I moved back to Portland this past summer.  I miss them very much, but for many reasons, it was the best leap of faith I have ever taken.
9. Having been raised a farm kid, I know the meaning of hard work, and do not take it for granted.
10. I am a photographer and am blessed to see light and shadow and love everywhere.

Want to play along?  Head on over to the Paper Mama and link up!

December in an Instagram

Family visits for the holidays
Cheering on a good friend to Half Marathon glory
Visits from Boise friends

New and renewed hobbies

Mustaches

Hugs

Musical evenings

Snow!

December was a great month filled with lots of fun to end the year!  How was your December?  

Are you looking forward to 2013?  I am!  I feel like this is going to be a great year filled with lots inspiration, hope, peace and love.  Here's to a fresh start!

30 Day Posting Challenge | Day 11 - My Family

Let me start by saying, "MY FAMILY IS AWESOME!!!"

Seriously, I love them so, so much.  I was blessed with a very loving and supportive family, and I'm so proud of how close we've stayed over the years.  Whenever I talk with someone who isn't close with their siblings, or have had a falling out with a family member, it just makes me so sad.  I can't imagine what my life would be like without their constant input and feedback on my life.

So anyway, here they all are... LOVE YOU GUYS!

My Dad and Mom

My older brother, Jed; his wife, Danielle; and my niece, Joie

My younger brother, Kalen, and his wife, Brandie

My sister-cousin (we are cousins but close as sisters) Jill and her husband Blake

My sister-aunt (technically my aunt, but we're more like sisters) Saleen and her girls, Echo and Willow.
not pictured her husband Rhett

Who are the members of YOUR family?

Want to join the 30 Day Challenge?  See the list here!

July 2012 Recap. Instagram Style.

pancakes | brunch

voo doo donuts | running

fireworks | moving

settling | coffee

dates | nannying

niece time | wedding fun

reading | flowers

more pancakes | bacon

the goonies!

July was a great month,

Here's to many more!

Emma's 5th Birthday & Catching Up with Family

Living in the Portland area gives me the opportunity to reconnect with family that I haven't seen in years.  Growing up in Southern Washington I was surrounded by cousins, aunts and uncles and not a holiday passed where I wasn't surrounded by family. When we moved to Idaho, the 5 of us (my mom, dad and 2 brothers) were it.  Christmases suddenly seemed very small and Thanksgivings were eerily quiet.  Over the years we've visited family here and there, but somehow always missed out on seeing my cousins on my mom's side.  Suddenly people who I was very close with all during childhood had been absent for over 14 years.

This past Friday night I was able to see quite a few of them!  My cousin Leah (the most adorable person you'll ever meet) has a little girl named Emma (who is quite adorable herself) and she just turned 5.  I met up with the fam at Red Robin to help celebrate the birthday girl.

Here's Leah and her big girl, Emma.

The birthday girl with her mom and dad.

Emma and her Godmother, Auntie Pearl.

Emma and her Auntie Stephanie (another of my long-lost cousins.  I can't believe how grown up she is!!)

Singing "happy birthday"

Leah's Dad (my Uncle Toby), my Grandma and Emma.