Project Three Hundred and Sixty Five

Wow, this week went by so fast!!  I didn't even get a chance to blog anything else this week, but we did remember to take a picture every day.  :D There are some fun ones this week.  Take a peek at the complete album on facebook for a description of each day HERE.

Thanks for stopping by!  Say hi if you have a minute. I'd love to hear what your week was full of. :)

Project Three Hundred and Sixty Five

Here is another group of "day in the life of Chris and Shaina" pictures.

This was a rough week at work and with Chris being so sick, but I had a lovely visit with my mum.  I feel like time is just spinning so fast lately.  The end of August is fast approaching and then the summer will be over.  Although the weather has only now decided it wants to be summer... 104 degree heat!  CRAZY!  I'm looking forward to fall, I really am.  Hopefully time will slow down just a little and we'll be able to enjoy it. :)

a weekend with my mum

Over the weekend my mum came to visit.  She came on Friday night and stayed through Sunday afternoon and it was the first time she'd stayed overnight with us in our new house.  I just enjoy having her around.  Chris has been super sick since we got home from vacation, so he spent his days off sleeping and hoping to feel better.  So it was mostly just me and my mum.  It is selfish of me to say I was happy for that?  :)

On Friday night she got here just as I was off work and we went to Moses Lake and went out for dinner.  And we talked!!  Don't get me wrong, we talk almost every day on the phone, but we hadn't visited like that in a long time.  It felt so good.  My food all got cold before I could eat because I couldn't stop talking.  It was so good to spend time just the two of us.

Here are some of the other things we enjoyed during our weekend together.

  We had good talks, shared some tears (the good kind) and made some memories just the two of us.  I am so glad she was able to come visit.  This weekend will always be a special memory of mine.

things I learned

Today I turned 25...and in following tradition, I created my list of things I learned during the previous year.  (to see my list from the last two years click HERE)  Its a project that always makes me feel a little nostalgic, glad for the life I have, and grateful for the fact that I record so much of it here on my blog.  And so, here is my list for this year.

1. I am as strong as I remember. 
2. Surprises make the best memories. 
3. "You might not like where you are, but like where you're headed." -J*
4. Creativity helps me make sense of life.
5. Vulnerability is a strength, not a weakness. 
6. It is possible to overcome a great feeling of loss. 
7. There is nothing like falling more in love with the one who already holds your heart. 
8. I must never forget to make time for writing. 
9. There is a reason why the square peg doesn't fit in the round hole. 
10. My story is worth being told, through whatever medium my heart decides. 
11. The first step in reaching goals is setting them. 
12. It really never hurts to ask. 
13. It is important to savor the feeling of a completed project. 
14. Half-aversaries should be celebrated too! 
15. Be open to the possibility of new beginnings. 
16. Indulge in little things that make you happy...like sunflower seeds. 
17. The relief and responsibility that comes with being a homeowner. 
18. When you trust in God, give him control, and do what he asks he really does provide "all other things." 
19. I am passionate about design. 
20. Dry shampoo is magical, and so are purple streaks. 
21. I am a scanner...and its okay to not pick only one thing to do with my lfie. 
22. HULU is a wonderful invention. 
23. We really hsould go on vacation more than once every 4 years. 
24. Behind the camera will always be one of my favorite places. 

Project Three Hundred and Sixty Five

I have two weeks of pictures to share today.  I love the little glimpse into our trip that these pictures give.  Little memories captured and treasured.  I am so loving how this project is coming along...

Thanks for taking a peek.
I have decided that for the next month I'm going to try and not take pictures of food! LOL.  We're two months in and there are sooo many pictures of food.

I have found a couple of  "30-days of photography" lists on Pintrest that I'm hoping we can get some new ideas from for our project.  Now that we're back from vacation our days feel all the same again.  :P

invitations and a little peek

We are back from vacation and while I'm wading through editing pictures from the wedding and our visit to New England, I thought I'd do a little peek here on my blog.  I did a morning after brunch slide-show and these are three of my favorite images I shared with the small group of friends and family that the bride and groom had invited.

It was a beautiful day full of love, friendship and gorgeous weather... literally the nicest day Halifax had seen all summer.  This group was a blast to get to know and hang out with while taking pictures and in the days just before the wedding.  Chris and I were completely welcomed and we felt like part of the gang in no time.

Since the wedding is now over, I would also like to share today the invitations that I designed for this wedding.  They're quite non-traditional, but I think they match Katie and Cody perfectly.

These are the first invitations I've designed for someone else and the process was so enjoyable.  I based the color scheme off of one of my sunset pictures and pulled grey, purple and yellow out and sent my ideas to Katie.  It worked out perfectly because she was already planning on wearing a grey wedding dress (AMAZING!) and she ended up doing the bride's maid dresses in the purple color.  I think we make a good team, and I'm so proud of what we created together.

And let me tell you, it was a little surreal going into people's houses in Halifax and seeing these up on their refrigerators. :)

I'll share much more about the wedding once Katie and Cody have seen all the images.  And look for a post all about our vacation sometime this week.  We had such an amazing time. :)

sunday

saturday

friday

thursday

wednesday

tuesday

monday

Project Three Hundred and Sixty Five

Its been a glorious week full of hot summer days, good food, new friends (one named Ichabod), pretty flowers and great deals!!  (See on my receipt:  I saved $72.50!  dude).

We are leaving this evening for our vacation!!  First we'll be flying to Halifax Nova Scotia in Canada for my friend Katie's wedding.  I'm taking the pictures on her special day and I'm so looking forward to it.  After the wedding then we're heading down to the Boston area for the next week.  Husband is from there, so he's going to show me around and introduce me to all his friends.

While we're gone I've got some pretty posts planned with pictures from my mother-in-law's garden and a quote for each day.  It will be a fun way to pass the time.  And then when we get back I'm sure to have lots of pictures and stories to share.

Be back soon!

learning to do my hair

Last night I had a revelation!!  After getting my roots touched up (yet again! my hair grows so crazy fast!) I asked Hannah if she would help me figure out how to curl my own hair.

Yes, you read correctly.  I didn't know how to curl my own hair.
I could never make my hands do what my brain knew they should do.

But Hannah showed me and let me practice the hand motion on her cool iron until I got it down.  Then I went and bought a new curling iron (cuz the ones I had were pink and came in a 3-pack when I was 12) and tried it this morning.

I was so excited with how they turned out I just had to take pictures and include this in my Hair Diaries.  I know it might seem a little anticlimactic, but I promise...its a big deal for me! lol.

Yay for happy hair.

So I think I'm getting ready to change my hair again.  I've had the red and purple since May and its been my favorite that I've had in a long time.  But I think its time soon...

Do you have any ideas or suggestions for what I should try next? Send me pictures or links.  I'd love to go exploring and find something new.