Trip to Knoxville

A couple weeks ago, we got a chance to visit one of my dearest friends. Jenny and I became friends in 5th grade and have remained close every since. Last year, Jenny and her husband, John, moved from Michigan to Tennessee. We had not seen them in a year and a visit was well overdue.

We had a fun filled weekend including hiking in the Smoky Mountains and going on a boat ride on the Tennesse River. Here are a few pictures from our trip:

October...really?!?

Fall is really here. The air is cool, the leaves are turning, and college football underway. I'm not quite sure where September went but we were on the go and took some pictures so I at least of record that it existed.

With the change of the season, I feel like a lot of changes are going on with me too. I feel like the list goes on and on but for starters...my job is bit up in the air. I'm not sure what will come with my job since I'm in a temporary position through mid-November (I think). At this point, I feel the best thing to do is pray and ask for prayers from those around me. God always has a plan and stressing about it just isn't going to help.

Also, I just feel like purging. You know that feeling when you life is over run with "stuff"? I got rid of a large amount of scrap supplies that I don't use anymore and made some extra cash. I barely notice the dent and feel like I've only scratched the surface but it feels great! Next, I want to tackle more scrap supplies and my overflowing closet and drawers. I certainly don't get this urge often enough so I'd better go with it!

I'm also trying to refocus my time and energy into more meaningful activities. I've been reminded multiple times lately how short life is and that it can be taken away at any moment. I desire to live life to the fullest and cherish everyday.

I've got a few projects that I need to get around to posting. I received the baby quilt back that I was working on and just have the binding around the edge to finish. I also finished my mini-book of our trip to Portland. Starting the project before I left was the best thing I ever could have done. Otherwise, I'd just be sitting with a stack of photos like every other trip!

I'm working on a skirt in my sewing class at Vogue Fabrics too so I'll be able to share it before long.

I'll leave you with a few pictures from our trip to East Lansing a couple weekends ago. In case you didn't hear, my Spartans beat the Irish - Go Green!!

Have a great weekend!

Portland 2008

We took a lot of pictures when we were in Portland but I thought I would share just a couple of my favorites. My neice and nephew are growing so fast and it was fun to capture them at this age. Ruby is 4 1/2 and Jacob is 3.

We haven't all been together since our wedding 3 years ago so it was really nice to get a photograph with all of us together.

We also took time to do some family pictures for John and Jenny. I was really happy with some of the great photos we took with our new camera. Enjoy!

My Feet are back in Chicago

It has been a great couple weeks with all the traveling I've been doing. Our trip to Portland was a wonderful time with family and I can't wait to get back. I just arrived home yesterday afternoon after a couple days in Vegas. It was my first Vegas experience with some fun memories. Although it was for work, I believe I got a good taste of the place they call Vegas.

I'm definitely happy to be back home though. I'm starting to get a concept of what day and time it is and look forward to the fun things we have planned the rest of the month.

Last night, we saw Mike Birbiglia at the Lakeshore Theatre. Peter and I have become fans of his hilarious stories and were really excited to see his tour bring him through Chicago. I was laughing so hard I cried. I definitely suggest you check him out. He'll be back in Chicago on Oct. 4th and has some hilarious stuff online and on Comedy Central.

Pics from Portland to come...

Bucktown Art Fest 2008

Today was the Bucktown Art Fest and I loved every bit of it! It is the first art show we've made it to this year. It seems like everytime one was going on this summer, we had a conflict.

We even came home with a piece of art! We purchased a photograph by a local photographer, David Mayhew. His work is amazing. Our photograph is of the skyline during the heavy storms we had a few weeks ago. The coolest thing is that he took the photograph from the top of Skybridge, which is the building we used to live in. It's our old view with amazing lightening and a purple sky. It is on a plaque and then matted in black and has a black frame. Looks very sharp, if I do say so myself! Here is the photograph on his site.

There were so many great artists. I love all the jewelry and photography is always a favorite. There were some great handbag and crafty vendors too.

Here were a few of my favorite vendors:

HopSkipJump - very cool personalized jewelry

Sassy Designs - great handbags, totally inspired me to make my own!

Lazy Gal

ScrappyNation - I have to be honest, the stuffed animals scare me a bit BUT they had some great little girl fashions, hats, bags, and other craftiness that was really cute.

LaurenCeleste -They have the cutest baby clothes and they were very reasonable. The items on the website are a little more but I'll definitely consider her for gift giving. I'm a sucker for baby goodies.

Karen Hoelscher Designs - more great handbags

This fair is definitely on my list of events for next Summer!

Whew!

I made it through the week! It's been a busy week but a good one.

We made it back to Chicago late Sunday night after visiting the Albrecht's in Ludington, MI. We were able to see Tyler for the first time and celebrate Kara's 30th birthday. It was really nice to see our dear friends and spend time outside the city. On our way home, we were able to have a short visit with our friends Megan and Josh. It's always nice to catch up with good friends.

On Tuesday, we were able to get last minute tickets to the Cubs game. It turned out to be a beautiful night and the Cubs ended up winning. Go, Cubs, Go!

Last night, I joined some work peeps at De Cero. Mmm...yummy Mexican. It's definitely nice to connect with the work buddies that I barely get to see. Today was another work event. Even though we had a short burst of rain, it ended up being a nice day. We took a cruise on Lake Michigan with Mystic Cruise Lines.

This week I've put in some time working on my Amy Butler Swing bag. My sewing machine and I had a tiff yesterday but we're back on speaking terms. I'm definitely looking forward to learning more so I'm not blindly leading myself through projects. I'm sure the class I'm taking will come in very handy.

As much as I hate the thought of August (and Summer) coming to an end, I'm counting down to August 28th. We'll be heading to Portland, OR to visit my brother, John, and his family. My younger brother, Caleb, and my Mom will also be joining us. I haven't seen John and the family since last summer and cannot wait to see them. Ruby is now 4 1/2 and Jacob is 3. They've grown up SO much since we saw them last. It will be great to getaway and spend time with family.

I'm still here

I've been absent a bit, okay a lot, but the summer's been flying by and I'm just trying to take in as much as possible. The fall is quickly creeping up on us. I'm feeling somewhat better now but I had a pretty bad flare which has slowed down my crafting. I just can't sit and scrapbook when I'm in pain.

I have dabbled in some other crafting things lately like quilting/sewing. I made the top of a quilt in a small class through our church. It was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed really "using" my sewing machine to make something. One of the instructors is putting it all together for us and sending it to us. It will be at least a few weeks but I'll post a picture when I get it back. It was definitely a learning experience but I learned a lot and am really happy to have had the opportunity. It gave me the inspiration to sign up for an eight week beginner sewing class at a local fabric store. It doesn't start until mid/late September so I decided to take on a simple bag project in the meantime. I'll post pictures once I finish it.

We're headed to Ludington, MI today to visit my college roommate and her family. Her little one, Tyler, is 3 months old now and Kara is turning 30! They are having a cook-out for her birthday on Saturday which will be a lot of fun. I'm looking forward to getting out of the city and spending some time in Michigan.

Two weeks. Yes, in two weeks from now I'll be in Oregon. I can't wait to see my family. I haven't seen my brother, John, and his family in a little over a year. The kids have grown SO much and I'm really looking forward to spending time with them. My Mom is coming from Michigan and my younger brother will travel down from Washington. The trip will be a great getaway and a chance to spend quality time with those so close to my heart.

Well, I've got a lot to do before we head out this afternoon. I should have some pictures to share next week!