Tag Archives: wedding

And Nearly Three Years Later…

061109The loonnnnnnngest streak of procrastination I have ever managed, came to an end last night. Around midnight last night. I FINALLY printed out all my 153 most favorite wedding shots that need to be trimmed at work today and stuck into an album.

Deadlines always help. I was supposed to get this wedding album together to give to my mom as a birthday/mothers day gift… last month. Epic Fail. But tonight, Justin and I are taking the Amtrak back to Kalamazoo, Michigan to visit her in her new house. I felt like I HAD to have the album in hand, just so I wasn’t made to sleep on the garage floor.

Having them all completed is a great feeling. And it was fun to revisit the best wedding I have ever been to.

This is my favorite of the batch! Photos are all taken by Donna Boley.

This is my favorite of the batch! Photos are all taken by Donna Boley.

Rosemary

Rosemary is one of my favorite herbs and I use it almost daily. It reminds me of Sooke Harbour, where we got married. Our room was at garden level and had tons of rosemary bushes just outside the door. The only thing I would have changed about the ceremony is my bouquet, which would have been make completely out of rosemary sprigs.

Pre-ceremony rosemary face-plant.

Pre-ceremony rosemary face-plant.

Here is this year’s plant that I got at Thursday’s farmer’s market. Its new home is an old tin canister that I had lying around. It would be nice to have a complete window herb garden planted in various vintage tins. It has been added to my list of things that may or may not ever be accomplished.

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The only problem is the orphaned tin lid. I suppose i could put a bunch on the wall and have a nice collage somewhere. Add it to the list.

The only problem is the orphaned tin lid. I suppose I could put a bunch on the wall and have a nice collage somewhere. Add it to the list.

Flags. Wedding. Armadillos.

Texans are never confused as to what state they are in. There are more Texan flags flying than the Union’s. And if you can’t see a flag, there is a five-pointed star within your sight lines.

I spy something red, white, and Texan.

I spy something red, white, and Texan.

Texans are loyal to the state first and the union second. Makes me wonder how it might be if more states were like this. And I pictured the Indiana flag flying everywhere you could fit a flag pole. Can you imagine if Indiana seceded from the Union? I’m sorry, but it is just a hilarious thought. The Texas secession doesn’t require any imagination.

My trip was not really to see Texas, but to see Justin’s high school friend, Jer, married outside of Austin. So we didn’t do a lot of exploring, but what I did see of Austin was great. It is kind of the “cool kid’s” city in Texas I suppose. I wouldn’t mind going back sometime because the food and music situation still needs to be investigated. I will be there again in June for a conference, so I might just get my wish. And it was WARM…during the day at least. And there were trees with leaves, green grass, and flowers blooming. I heard it snowed in Chicago…so Austin was a perfect escape for the weekend.

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I don't know what he is reacting to here, but I love it

I don't know what he is reacting to here, but I love it

The wedding we attended was held on the bride’s family property in the middle of nowhere outside of Austin. It was absolutely the most beautiful wedding I have been to…besides mine of course. I was the unofficial photographer for the candid shots. They had a professional photographer there for all the “real” shots that you get at a wedding, so mine just supplemented. I will not post them all, but if you are curious, click on the flower girl photo below to see the whole album.

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On our way home we spent 10 hours at the airport. We missed a nice brunch on the lawn of the Four Seasons to “make our plane.” Little did we know that the plane was BROKEN. Duuurrrrrrrrrrrr.

Things to do for 10 hours at the airport:

  • Play “would you rather”: “Would you rather that Schween’s body looked like a dungeness crab with a cat head or that Porpus’s head was attached to a chinchilla body?” The answer is clear in this case.
  • Go check out the nest making abilities of the bird outside the window opposite from gate 14. Provide voice-over for said bird. Repeat.
  • Browse the gift shops. Make fun of the rattlesnake snow globes and tiny Texas vanity license plates printed with common names. Remark that you wish they had a Bort license plate. Then move to a gift shop in another part of the terminal to see if it is different. It’s not.
  • Spend nearly 100 dollars on 20 dollars worth of crappy food. Forget napkins. Wear the stains like a good bedraggled traveller.
  • Nap on the hard floor in the sun. Use magazines and husband as pillow. Get nap face from dirty airport carpet.
  • Go to the bathroom about 10 million times. Try using different stalls for variety. Wash hands until they bleed from dryness because you put your stupid lotion in the stupid checked luggage.
  • In the ninth hour, begin photographing the frightening buffet at “Wok n Roll” and the herd of armadillos at the gift shop. Argue about armadillos. Are they rodents? You’re sure? I don’t think they are. Why don’t we have an iPhone? (Update: Armadillos are not rodents. They are “the only surviving family in the order Cingulata, part of the superorder Xenarthra along with the anteaters and sloths.” How lonely for them.)

Delightful candles shaped into boot form.

Delightful candles shaped into boot form.

Wok n Roll buffet. High in price. Low in fun.

Wok n Roll buffet. High in price. Low in fun.

Orientation of the photo is wrong. But that is how I felt by this hour anyway.

Orientation of the photo is wrong. But that is how I felt by this hour anyway.

Anticipation

I don’t have to go to work tomorrow, so that means I am in charge of the whole day.

Today, I have spent a lot of time being excited about this day off tomorrow. This happens to me all the time. This “looking forward” to something makes today just as exciting, if not more. Tomorrow is idealized in my head. I have a grand list of things I want to do. And tonight they all seem possible.

However, tomorrow I will inevitably start thinking about the work week, and the excitement of my day off will be a bit tarnished. Why does this happen? I just want to fully enjoy my time in the moment. Why can’t I just live more presently? The last day of an extended vacation is always a bittersweet too. I certainly don’t feel alone in this irritating human quality. Bah!!

BUT today is fantastic because my mind is filled with the endless possibilities of tomorrow. I’m thrilled to be sitting in bed right now with the alarm set for 6:30, plotting the activities that will follow the morning coffee. I plan to document the day and enjoy it, find happiness in being in charge of myself, and not worry about it all coming to an end without my list being completely accomplished.

In the spirit of anticipation, and my love for looking forward to things, I actually looked into the past. My old photo albums (pre-Canon and pre-DPH photos) document hundreds of happy moments that I can remember looking forward to during the days that led up to the happenings, enjoying them as they occurred, and certainly didn’t ruin them by realizing the day(s) would come to an end. Documenting and revisiting them remind me that I have more of these moments to come. Thus completing the cycle and sending me off into a state of anticipated happiness all over again.

Tune in tomorrow to see how it goes.

Here are some gems that pre-date the Daily Picture of Happiness project. Get ready for some major scrolling action:

Italy. Was there for work. Can't wait to go for vacation someday. Justin hasn't been yet.

Italy. Was there for work. Can't wait to go for vacation someday. Justin hasn't been yet.


Gelato. Want. Looking forward to eating it this summer.

Gelato. Want. Looking forward to eating it this summer.


Dining alfresco. Want. (Need?)

Dining alfresco. Want. (Need?) What happened to that necklace?


Best. Wedding. Ever. (Biased?)

Best. Wedding. Ever. (Biased?)


Seriously good day. Serious fun.

Seriously good day. Serious fun.


First discovering the Meerkat exhibit at the Lincoln Park Zoo. Outstanding.

First discovering the Meerkat exhibit at the Lincoln Park Zoo. Outstanding.


Ravinia picnic food coma. Priceless.

Ravinia picnic food coma. Priceless.


Boley cruise in Alaska. (Food coma not shown).

Boley cruise in Alaska. (Food coma not shown).


How can you eat one? They are tiny. Go ahead and have three.

How can you eat one? They are tiny. Go ahead and have three.


The porch opened up in the summer.

The porch opened up in the summer.


Pink peonies in the backyard. Girliest flower ever?

Pink peonies in the backyard. Girliest flower ever?


Winery #45847587 on our 2008 northern Michigan tour.

Winery #45847587 on our 2008 northern Michigan tour.


Pure Michigan.

Pure Michigan.


Remembering that plants can live outdoors for part of the year.

Remembering that plants can live outdoors for part of the year.