#2

Create a soundtrack of my 30th year...month by month style.

It's no secret that I love music. And one of the best things is hearing an old song that brings you back to a certain time and place, experience, or person. I will forever remember laying in a farm house in Tuscany listening to Maroon 5's Songs About Jane on my discman. (I carted that discman and CD cases across all of Western Europe!)

I often pop in old camp mixes on mini road trips and am transported back to a time when the only things that mattered were sewing felt banners, putting up tents while blindfolded, and one-match fires on the beach.

So to commemorate my 30th year, I will collect songs throughout the year. 

Songs that are popular. 

Songs that cheesy. 

Songs that speak to my soul. 

Songs that I love...however fleeting.

See my soundtrack here and do not judge me for my awesome taste in music.

    

Midwest Recap: Episode 1

I've been home from my Midwestern tour for a week now and I think I have finally had a chance to process everything.  At times it seems like the trip never happened.  I had been looking forward to it for an entire year and though we enjoyed every single second together, it seemed to be over as soon as it had begun!

Now...I'm sure you've been waiting on the edge of your seat to view all 400+ photos of the Midwest but I will spare your corneas and give you the Cliff Note's version.

_____________________________________________

After zero hours of sleep on Sunday night, I got up at 4:30 am to make a sunrise flight to Detroit, Michigan.

Found M waiting for me at baggage claim and together we went to find my name twin...instead we found free cupcakes!

Eventually A found us!

We trekked across the middle of the mitten to Kalamazoo where we toured and ate and drank.

On Tuesday, we headed to Holland (MI not The Netherlands) to frolic in the ocean-like waves of Lake Michigan.  We stayed at the most gorgeous cottage ever and walked miles on the beach.

On Wednesday, we toured a tourist town and ate lots of chocolate

Yes.  Those are chocolate covered potato chips.

climbed a mountain

and took a dune ride which was less dune buggy and more sand roller coaster.

We ate, we drank, we were merry.  And we drove around on a golf cart in the rain.

Our last night in Michigan we had an amazing sunset

and watched from the pier as the thunderheads gave us a lightning show.

to be continued...


   

D&O Get Married: Part 2*

The men were dashing.

The ladies were beautiful.

The bride and groom were sublimely happy.

It was a beautiful day, hot in the sun, perfect in the shade.  We sipped blue margaritas and home brewed beer as we waited for the ceremony to begin.  The guests gathered on a grassy hill and were regaled with the story of D&O.  The couple exchanged vows and the Officiant photo bombed all of my pictures.

As a group, we walked over the river brook and through the woods to take wedding photos next to the soon-to-be (organic) veal cutlets laying down in their little plastic doghouses. 

The venue was inviting...twinkle lights, flowers, and mason jars galore. 

We dined on fajitas and blue margaritas...churros and spice cake (which was delicious even though I only ate the frosting...no that's not weird). 

D was in charge of cutting the cake for our table and he did a stand up job.

The dancing commenced while the wine flowed.  A conga line ensued.  W requested the best song of the night: Party in the USA...yes Miley Cyrus.  Don't hate...everyone was on the dance floor, singing at the top of their lungs, celebrating life and love. 

The most unique request of the night: Dick in a Box...complete with hand motions.  There's just something wonderful about a bride and a groom singing "One. Cut a hole in the box" in front of their parents and family members that is super special.  The night concluded with O's very own Top Gun moment.

Other highlights:  Hanging out with very tall people.

Dapper looking men fully respecting the required man distance. 

And gorgeous new friends.

Congrats D&O!

* Part One here.

D&O Get Married: Part 1

Since I am wrangling pipsqueaks today, the proper wedding recap will have to wait one more day.  In the meantime, I bring you:

D&O Get Married: Part 1

A photo essay more about me and less about the actual wedding.

K and I skipped out on work Friday to drive into the woods.  Before we left civilization, we stopped in a D'Angelos parking lot to wrap gifts out of the back of her car.  Classy, I know.

We checked into our swanky digs and got ready in record time.

D&O got married.

We blew bubbles.

Did I mention there were BLUE margaritas?  There was also wine.

Who wants to hire me as their wedding photographer?  I think my portfolio speaks for itself.

I slept for maybe an hour and tossed and turned so much I got tangled in the covers.

But the next morning after three extra strength Tylenol and a field trip to Dunks (where I made a mess obviously), I was as good as new.

We took a driving tour of NH (a.k.a. we got lost) on the way to a BBQ in the rain were I drank hot chocolate (it was freezing) and tried not to act like a zombie (probably unsuccessfully).  Drove home, got in bed, and slept for 11 hours.

TO BE CONTINUED...

 

Let's Pretend It's Christmas

The closest I've ever been to a flash mob type of situation was sitting at the Dub on a Sunday afternoon before St. Patrick's Day.  (In the Boston vicinity St. Patty's Day is a HUGE deal.)  S and I were sitting there minding our own business when an entire bagpipe and drum band (complete with step dancers) start funneling in with 75 of their closest friends.  We were treated to a jig or two before they ordered all the Guinness that was on tap.

Today I was in need of some cheer.  I found that cheer in the form of a musical flash mob performance of one of my all time favorite holiday songs.  Just watch and you'll see.



How brave was that first girl?  You have to have guts to look crazysauce for 10 whole seconds before people realize what is happening.

   

BP Recap Just In Time For Cinco de Mayo

Glitter.
Margaritas.
Dancing.

The 12 hour affair began with a bowling themed engagement party.  And by bowling themed I mean we wore rented shoes and rolled big balls down wooden alleys at pins.  I was on a team with bowling sharks and although no one was particularly taking the bowling seriously, ALL of my team members broke 100 points while I managed a meager 67.

While bowling we ate, drank, and watched a gaggle of 12 year old girls do the "Cha Cha Slide".  Everyone signed a bowling pin for the happy couple and had a champagne toast.  In an effort to redeem myself, I harnessed my powers of estimation and guessed how many photos D had taken of O-town during their relationship.  I guessed 400 and the answer was 397...Vegas anyone?  For my awesomeness, I was rewarded with this:

I don't drink beer so I let the others have at it but I am def. saving that jug!

Fast forward to several hours later and the girls hit up a Mexican restaurant for some margaritas and food.  I was peer pressured into trying guacamole for the second time and I still didn't like it.  Everyone was dressed in their disco best for the evening festivities and I made friends with an older gentlemen who inquired about why we were dressed so strange.

After dinner, we headed to The Donkey Show (no not that kind of donkey show) in Boston.  It was a disco themed event that told a somewhat altered version of A Midsummer Night's Dream.  O-town danced on a platform with a guy wearing Converse, soccer socks, and tiny shorts and M got to ride through the "car wash" during the show!  We bathed ourselves in glitter, rocked disco ball necklaces and danced until last call.  In short, it was a pretty fabulous evening.

Sadly, I left my camera at home but here are some of the "official" photos from The Donkey Show website.

FYI:  That is glitter not sweat.

Best quotes of the night:

"Can you find the guy with the margaritas?  He is skinny and surprisingly attractive for a small man."

(To the limo driver) "Just to be clear, I am not offering you pot right now."

  
 

Seattle Mini Done At Last!

Way back when (in October) I started a minibook to chronicle my adventures in Seattle for M's wedding weekend.  I visited with my England ladies and got to travel a new city with them.  This adventure involved a suitcase and a hotel instead of a backpack and an airport bench but it was just as wonderful.

I have finally finished (minus one page) my Seattle minibook and I am so happy with how it came out.  (I'm also happy that my internal monologue loves to end sentences with prepositions.) 

Here it is...it's like 3 million pages so feel free to scroll.