Category Archives: Featured

My Posse

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Eight years ago, I was freshly single, just starting to get used to sleeping in a painted cinder block  dorm room with noisy neighbors, and full of optimism. My classes were new, my surroundings were new, all the people around me (except for my roommate, who I was friends with for years) were new, and there was a vending machine in the basement. I remember that it had TGI Fridays Potato Skins. To this day, every time I eat those, I get flooded with all these college memories.

One afternoon, I was walking down the hallway to the bathroom and this girl called out through her open door. “Hey,” she said, “do you know how to connect to the internet?” This was before I met my husband, so I thought I knew everything about computers. (Now I realize I know a smidgen.)  Luckily I knew enough to get her internet working. I couldn’t figure out how she could be a senior, though, and not know how to connect to the campus network. I soon found out that she was a freshmen, which was a weird discovery, because she did not come across at 18. She seemed so much more mature than that.  (Now I realize I was just immature.) It’s funny to talk about now, how I thought Chrystal was older than me. It’s probably why she got the RA job and I didn’t even get the second interview…

It’s probably a really good thing I didn’t get the job as the RA. I probably would have gotten fired anyway when they found out that I was attacking my roommate and slamming her skull into the bed frame while video taping it. Okay, so that was an accident. She didn’t get hurt bad. She was the one who kept rewinding the tape and laughing! Poor Marra. She got really good grades throughout college, so we know that incident didn’t cause any damage. I wish I still had that video…. I don’t think I do.

At the end of freshman year, Chrystal’s high school friend Shell starting hanging out with us more. Shelly and I started a little tradition of smuggling Taco Bell into the movie theater and watching flicks dirt cheap with our student discount. One time they had to kick us out of the fancy shmancy McDonald’s in Lake Geneva because they were trying to close and we were still talking. Good times…

The following year, we recruited a fourth member into the Benson Posse (we lived in Benson Hall). She moved in and became the resident ninja, photographer and president of sass. Only Jennifer could get away with so much.

I graduated from U-DUB-DUB!!! in 2005 and unfortunately we don’t spend 20 hours a day together anymore, but we still make an effort to keep in touch and stay involved in each other’s lives. You can make new friends, but you can’t make new memories. We have a ton of history together and that is what bonds us together.

Pumpkins and Puddles

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Yesterday I decided to dress Mr. Micah up in his cutest duds and take his picture for his monthly photo shoot. I’m always running late on his monthly pictures. He’s been 17 months old for a couple weeks already! I am embarrassed to say there are a few months missing from this tradition. We may have been busy or I may have just let time get away from me. Either way, I couldn’t let this month slip away without me getting a few good shots of my little buddy. He is growing so fast!! Yesterday was also the first day of Autumn, so I broke out Micah’s favorite sweater, corduroy pants and fuzzy dog shoes, as well as a ceramic pumpkin for kicks. It had just rained, so we had to watch out for puddles and mud, but as it turns out, Micah doesn’t go for the puddles and mud anyway! (Not yet…)

I love the way that fall gently tumbles in so subtly, you hardly notice it until all the trees are on fire and you’re scrambling to dig out those sweatshirts from the closet. It starts with cool afternoons and cold nights, shorter days and wind bursts, cravings for hot chocolate and apple pie. I’m looking forward to all the things that come along with the new season: apple cider donuts, pumpkin pie, bonfires, hayrides, crisp mornings, long sleeved shirts and chili. Every season has so much to enjoy.

Guess Who Got Her Wish?

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In my last post I mentioned how I wanted to do some updated pictures of my friend, Chrystal. Well, tonight I conned her and two of my other dear friends into a field by my house and got my wish. (Doesn’t that sound bad? Haha!) And seriously, this is one of my favorite portraits out of all the ones I’ve ever done.

There will be more once I finish editing…

Ps. Today was the first time I shot in RAW+basic JPG and I. LOVE. IT. Don’t be afraid of RAW. Doooo it. Do it. Do it. You will fall in love with your camera all over again. If you don’t know what the heck I am talking about, click here.

Self Portraits – A Little Practice

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So I was reading one of my new fave photography blogs, A Pioneer Woman Photography, and I became inspired to get a little more practice doing self portraits. After all, if you can take a photo of yourself, without looking, you can probably take a photo of anyone, right? I really have shied away from doing self portraits for two reasons: it’s hard and who wants to look at me when they can look at Micah instead?

So here are a few I have done in recent weeks:

Have I ever mentioned how much I love that window in my living room? It’s perfect for taking pictures!

Also, I think I always claim that my favorite color is green, but deep down it’s still pink like it was when I was 5.

Also, I’m looking at my figure in that last picture and thinking how much l love the comfy-ness of my post-baby body. I’m thin again, but I’m a little squishy. Doesn’t it just look cuddly, though? Micah loves to sit in my lap and stick his finger in my belly button. Of course, he just loves my reaction, too, because I’m so ticklish. I’m happier now with my body than I was before I got pregnant.