Best of '12

Best of '12

uyguguygu   12.21   Comment  

2012 was a solid year. Now that it's coming to a close I have a chance to look back and reflect on some of my favorite things from this year. While there were many, many amazing things that never even made it onto this blog here are, in no particular order, five of my favorite things that happened this year:

1. Sleeping in a ghost town in the mountains

I've always been a huge fan of ram-shackled ruins, if you haven't guessed by now.  The scenery in this area is the most beautiful in Colorado, as well. This camping trip took the cake, even if our tent was broken, it was raining for part of the trip, and I ended up sleeping in the car. 

2. All of the mountain bike "W's" this year

Sometimes we call winning "Taking the W." I had the chance to race a lot this summer, in several different places. I think I won five races this summer and a series overall as well! Not too shabby and I hope to improve upon those results in 2013!

3. Easter in Santa Fe

Santa Fe seems to be our holiday town. We spent Easter weekend there this year and we also went for Thanksgiving. It's really a beautiful place, full of art and classic southwestern architecture  Can I also say I'm slightly obsessed with The Shed, the best (and most difficult to walk in if you're tall) restaurant in Santa Fe for classic New Mexican food? 

4. Driving 4,000 miles in a giant loop around the eastern half of the United States

This was the trip, as two guys I met in a hostel in Nashville told me, of a lifetime and I didn't even realize it until they had pointed it out. They had worked and saved for a year to do what I had flippantly decided to do. I was able to ride my mountain bike in 8 different states on some amazing trail systems, see both sides of my family, take my grandmother-in-law on a roller coaster, go swimming in a classic southern swimming hole in a pebbled river in the smokies, camp all by myself for the first time since before I was married, couch surf in a beautiful home filled with books, head out to Nashville's honkey tonk bars with fifteen people from eight different countries, and so on... 

5. Jessica's photo shoot

One of my favorite things ever is to take pictures. I also don't mind being in front of the lens, either, especially when you have someone as fun and patient as Jessica taking the photos. The pictures that came out of this session are deserving of framing - she is an amazing photographer and doesn't mind heading up to the archives room of the library and shooting away in front of the card catalogues! I don't think there is a better combination than libraries and vintage ball gowns.  

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

uyguguygu   11.30   Comment  

For Christmas this year JR and I are spending a little time on the East Coast, amongst the history and old buildings and horse farms...and best of all both of our families came too! 

I hope that you are having a wonderful time with your friends and family, too! 

Each of you is loved and appreciated!

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

May Your Days Be Merry and Bright!

May Your Days Be Merry and Bright!

uyguguygu   22.19   Comment  

It's been a while since I've posted - I've been convalescing from some sort of virus. As a teacher I rarely get sick...but when I do I get really sick. There's something going around at school, many of my students were out last week and some of the other teachers are also feeling poorly as well! 

That being said...it's Christmas party season around here! I love holiday parties because they give you a chance to pull out those party dresses you never get to wear. Last weekend, before I got sick, I got a chance to go to the first one of the season!

Dressing up for the holidays doesn't have to be intimidating - I always try to figure out who will be attending, I read the invite for the dress code, and I interpret it without over thinking it. Most of the time simple clothes are best.

 For work related things, particularly for J.R.'s company where he is one of the younger employees I wanted to make sure my clothes were fresh and modern but still had a sense of propriety about them to be respectful to the older ladies and gentlemen that would also be attending the event. I also knew that every single woman there would probably be in a "little black dress" or some sort of holiday colored confection so I chose to go with a creme colored dress to stand out in the sea of black. For a little holiday flair I added burgundy tights, a set of four thin bracelets in gold, carbon, copper, and silver, and grey booties. 

We shot these pictures in the dark  on our way down to the party on campus at ILIF and the halogen light was turning everything yellow - switching to black and white provided better, clearer pictures! 

Dress: Madewell

Bangles: Madewell

Shoes: Dansko

Tights: Target