Vacation, Here I Come

Hello, Lovelies

In just 90 minutes (and counting down), I will be headed to vacation. My brother, grandparents, and I are headed to Virginia to visit my aunt and her family. A supposedly 14 hour drive may turn into 18(it's happened before), but I'm excited. I have just a few items left to pack and put in the car before we leave.

My grandpa, grandma, and brother will be staying in Virginia for about three weeks while I will be staying only until the 12th. On the 12th, I will be picked up by Tristan and his sister, Chelsea, and going to Maryland for a week. I am so ready for swimming in the ocean for the first time and visiting family. It will be so nice to have a long vacation out of Michigan.

I am going to miss my dad, sister, niece, boyfriend, friends, but getting away for a while and seeing new places will be really nice. I have been to Virginia once before, in the middle of winter, but never anywhere else on the east coast. I'm excited! Not to mention the awesome snack food I bought for the car ride. It was necessary.

I just wanted to let you all know what I will be up to. After the trip, I should be posting about some of my adventures for you all to read about. Can't wait. Don't forget to check out my Instagram and Twitter for updates and photos! Talk later, Lovelies

HW<3

What I Love | Shopping and Cooking

Hello, Lovelies

I thought I would try something new for my blog. Basically, it's going to be a little snippet about something I love to do or be a part of and why. My thought process behind it and what I am hoping it will lead to in the future. I would like for this new feature to be what I am thinking about at the time or go with a theme for a month or holiday. Plan on reading a What I Love post about once or twice a month.

.....

There is something that I feel every time I go to the store for grocery shopping, something hard for me to put into words. I love taking the time to think up meals for myself and family and trying to get my brother and dad to try new foods. This is not to mention eating healthier. I love having so many options to choose from. I can try new recipes, experiment with flavor, prepare something delicious and healthy. 

My favorite part of any grocery store is their produce section. Fresh, non processed food is a staple for me. A market would probably be good also, but my family normally goes grocery shopping at Meijer. For those of you who don't know, Meijer is a Michigan department store similar to Walmart. I'm not completely sure why I prefer grocery shopping at Meijer, but I can tell you this. I don't like the milk from Walmart. 

Grocery shopping now makes me think of how I will be grocery shopping for my own children and husband some day. I think of what I will prepare for them for dinner and teaching my kids to cook. 

Cooking can be relaxing or stressful, time consuming but fun. It brings me joy to be in the kitchen. I look forward to having my own house and my own kitchen in the future. I can imagine everything that I will cook and bake for my family, friends, neighbors. I am excited for when I will be able to host a dinner party. I am extremely excited for this all. When I am doing these things, I feel right where I belong. Right where God wants me to be. 

Most people my age probably haven't thought much about this at all shopping, cooking, homemaking future, but here I am. So ready.

HW<3

Summarizing My Year Away From The Blog

Hello, Lovelies

With only a few random posts in the past year, I have lots to say. LOTS.

I'll start off with saying that I graduated high school a few weeks ago. I'm done, free, out in the scary "real world". And I didn't even cry.

From graduation night. My cap reads: Strength and honour are her clothing
and she shall rejoice in time to come. Proverbs 31:25

This seems like a good of a time as any to say that I'm not going to college in the fall. I am staying in this tiny little town where I have grown up at least for now. Not entirely out of choice, but that is the way it is going to be. even with financial aid college just doesn't fit into my family's budget without a lot of future debt. For this and a few other reasons, college just didn't work out for me. I may still take some classes in the future. Technically I don't even need college for what I want to do. Photography, writing, and in the future after I'm married, take care of my family. I don't need to go into debt to be able to improve my skills in these areas and be successful no matter what everyone is telling me.

Moving on to my next tidbit, I am starting my own photography business! I want to capture important moments for my family and others. I have even started a blog as an online portfolio. Click HERE to check it out. Also, I had business cards printed. I am ready for business. If you know anyone who would like photos taken, send them my way.

This is my logo! I made it in Photoshop. Thoughts?

In the mean time, I will be looking for a part time job. It's good for many reasons. All I'll say.

Backing up to the 16th of April, I witnessed the birth of my beautiful niece, Addalynn. I love her to piece, and if you follow me on Instagram you probably already know this. ^.^ Don't worry, it didn't work as a birth control. Sorry, Dad! It was actually really amazing to witness it all first hand. God is good came to mind a lot that day.

My boyfriend and I are still together. It will be one year since we officially started our relationship on the 23rd of this month. He has joined the navy and will be leaving for boot camp January 6. I am proud of him for his decision and the thought he put into it, but I am going to miss him a lot. After two months at boot camp he has six months of training in South Carolina and then a year in New York for the program he chose. Will be missing him a lot but also thought of a blog series that will keep me going. Or at least in theory. 

What else to say right now? Um, I'm still overwhelmed with everything the past year has brought. I can't seem to wrap my head around it. I'm glad it's summer and the fact that I'll have time to relax and let it all sink in while I work on my tan. I am liking the sounds of that. My hopes are that I will also be back to daily blogging. We'll see.

 Talk later, Lovelies.

HW<3

What's in My Day Bag?

Hello, Lovelies

Since my niece was born in April(crazy that I didn't post about any of it), I have felt the constant desire to see her and my sister. I love that little girl so, so much and my sister, too. Family is really important to me even when we aren't always getting along. Anyways, I want to visit and help my sister with the baby because I know she needs a break sometimes. Not to mention that she is still going through a lot. With that said, I have made the decision to make it a weekly thing to visit for the day on Thursdays. I have done this twice so far and it is really good quality time that we get to spend together. Talking, hanging out, taking photos of the baby, catching up. It is really a great time I spend with my sister. I hope that even as we go our more separate ways that may or may not include moving out of stat that we will continue what we have started, making time each Thursday for a phone call or Skype when we can't be face to face.

So, getting to what the title of this post implies, here is a list of the essentials I take with me when I go to my sister's for the day.

1. Canon Rebel EOS T3 -I must take my camera pretty much everywhere. Especially with me to my sister's. Who knows when I might have the most perfect photo opportunity of my sister or niece? 
2. HP Laptop -My laptop is always taken with me because if I have any down time, I can edit a photo or two, make a collage, or organize photos on my computer. I have Photoshop CC on my laptop because I am starting my own photography business(different post), and it is essential for any kind of editing. Plus, I have been doing a lot of different photo related things for my sister lately, so it is just good to have my laptop...Just in case. 
3. Book I am Currently Reading -Also in case of any down time I may have, I like to have a book handy. I am almost finished rereading To Kill a Mockingbird, and I'm not sure what I will be reading next. What ever it is, it will be in my bag.
4. My Clutch -Instead of carrying it separately than my bag, I just toss it in for safe keeping. And and extra hand. 
5. Snacks -Instead of eating all my sister's food, I prefer to bring a couple snacks with me. This can be anything from an apple to chocolate covered raisins to granola bars, etc. I also make sure to eat breakfast before hand and have coffee for the super early mornings(I ride with my dad to work at 4 in the morning. Crazy!).

That's about it. There may be other little random things certain days, but that is the gist of it. Thanks for reading, and I hope to have more time to blog in the future. I have quite a lot of ideas and things I want and need to write about. Please, stick with me.

HW<3