My May

There is something about spring that always brings a fresh perspective.  As the trees bloom, I can't help but reflect what is blooming in my own life.  Kicking off the wedding season, dreaming up what 2016 might hold, discovering a personal project that is filling my cup to the very brim and taking a course called Family Tapestry, which dives into what it looks like to bring family into the creative process.  Learning to hold that space where I let go of control and just embrace the process, even if the result isn't what you imagined.  The result this month is the most lovely of fragments to hold and keep, and I am just gushing over these spring treasures!

Detail from my first wedding of the year, early this month.  

I have had a small obsession with the breathtakingly beautiful and short-lived floral of spring in MN.  Nothing like a change of color to spark new inspiration.

No Words.  This is my favorite picture of all time. 

The lake.  Maybe it is a Minnesota thing, but every home, every sacred place, every deeply embedded sense of belonging is marked by a body of water.  

The lake, and some playing around with nighttime photography. 

Getting myself in images more and more.  Not because I just love posting pictures of myself.  It is actually the opposite, it is hard.  But how can I ask someone else to strip down to the heart of themselves in front of my lens if I don't know how that vulnerability feels. 

My March

Wearing my heart on my sleeve sometimes looks like an oversensitive mess...take today when I'm the girl blinking back tears and throwing out curse words in her car in the parking lot.  But I wouldn't change a thing, because being sensitive to the world can also bring in so much light.

I posted that on Instagram a couple of weeks ago and it most perfectly sums up my month.  There has been plenty of tears and plenty of laughs.   As one friend said, while we devoured chocolate cake, "sometimes it is about the little things". 

Day on a cold lake, adventuring with friends.  Does it even matter if the fish are biting?  Life is good. 

A lot of this day was spent sitting in a hospital, listening to grandma tell stories. And before my eyelids close from exhaustion, I still want to share. Because my grandma places her hands on her heart the same way I do when we really pray. Because IVs have always made me scared.  Because she is forever trying to make sure I am getting enough protein.  And because it's important to take images simply because all of this matters.

The Story of Me Project submission for March

Creating save the dates for my sister!  Oh my!  Add creating beautiful personal wedding details the list of things I love.  My mind is spinning with ideas, I am picturing a little shop filled with watercolors, and chalk art and customizable invites!   I am loving the "off season" as a time to dive into these other creative outlets. 

A relaxing weekend with the sister, so many good conversations and fancy coffees. 

My February

It is nearing the end of the month, and it has certainly held some great celebrations with friends.  But this is about the everyday, and there really wasn't anything glamorous in February's days.  I really felt I had nothing interesting but I started writing anyways.  Things that happened in February.  

Rich got sick.  I am one of those people that always seems to catch the cold that is going around, but Rich is not.  So when he experienced the flu early this month he was pretty certain it meant he was dying, or according to the internet had some sort of crazy disease.   (I also got it a few days later as well as my sister, who unfortunately picked a bad time to visit)  Not the best start to the month. 

Surprise, my car is totaled.  What I thought was a little parking lot fender bender last month, turned into quite the unfortunate adventure.  Turns out if you ever want to get real bummed out about the world and how it functions, try being forced into car shopping.  Start by evaluating your entire life, and how you can try your best to live simply, and then realize you completely depend on having a vehicle, and you're killing the planet.  Fun day. 

Our Christmas wreath is still up and it is my favorite.  Yup.  Makes me smile daily.

I remembered winter is pretty!  Snow came!  And I fell back in love with this season.  Those big fat snowflakes and the winter light, amazing!

Maybe this all is ordinary.  But these are the little pieces of our everyday and here is where I choose to gather them up.  It's funny how the act of just writing these down revealed something.  Maybe it's not all grand and extraordinary, but lets be honest, we share enough of the glamorous on social media.   So instead, maybe there is something inspiring in coming to the conclusion of taking down the mask and deciding I think I'll just tell the truth.  

Slow snow days.  Kind of loving this curling up business.  

I wish I could say this was me grieving my car because I feel the expression is right on!   But actually this was my monthly reminder to get in front of my own camera thanks to The Story of Me Project.   Even if I am stressed, and my hair is a greasy mess, and there is hardly any light left, this project is about being seen, and this month it was about SHOWING UP, regardless.  

Because I never want to forget this. 

Nothing like a new season, to see something in a different way!  Hey lovely snow covered city, I kind of like you.