piece of cake

Woops! Where did the year go? The end of every year is sort of a whirlwind for me, what with Christmas, five million birthdays (including my own!) and New Years.  So here's a little slice of cake for you, internet, whatever you're celebrating.

Here are some photos from my annual celebration chunk:

give & take

I'm slowly recovering from the coma that is the day after my Thanksgiving trip. How cruel is it that we spend one day (or more) with as much family or friends as possible, eating great food and generally living life to the fullest and just like that we're back to work? Coming back to my apartment was wonderful of course, but it's hard to snap back into the real world after such a great week.

So here are some things I'm thankful for, in no particular order:

-Playing Cards Against Humanity with your entire family, and the inevitable hilarious and terrible moment when someone has to explain what one of the cards means. 

-My mom's cranberry relish, the recipe to be shared here at a later date.

-Browsing bridesmaid dresses with my future sister-in-law

-The Ann Arbor farmer's market (say what you will, this is the best one in the world)

-Hometown team pride, no matter if they win or lose.

-Pickled peppers

-New boots

-Each and every one of my loved ones. You guys are the best.

current events

 

the invitation / boys at the altar

Since I still haven't used up any of the film I started in August (!!) I'm here today to update you with some phone photos and general talk.

Perhaps you've seen the invitation I worked on for their wedding, but back in August two of my best buddies Bill and Ben got married on Ben's grandparent's farm in Iowa. Friends and family gathered together to celebrate a super amazing couple, and after the I do's there was nary a dry eye in the house! I might be getting a little misty writing about it right now, that's how special these fellas are to me.

Of course then we all partied down and after the last beer was imbibed a few of us retired to tents and spent the night under the stars on the farm. It was SO MUCH FUN, is what I'm really trying to say.

 
fashion roundup! katie, me & alli


cute chance is cute

 
wedding prep buddies / tent in the morning

Other life things worth nothing

-Made my very first batch of jam, strawberry and sriracha flavored. Surprisingly good.

-If you missed out on my buddy Scout Vintage's pop up shop you should feel sad, but not for long, because you can shop online!

-I have been playing Animal Crossing: New Leaf NONSTOP. The addition of QR codes so you can share your custom fashions is such a great idea. In case you're playing, here are great roundups of mens & mostly ladies codes.

-Saw Gravity, was awed and very terrified.

-Read this article on the Twin Cities dating scene, rolled eyeballs so hard they fell out of my head

 

island in the sun

After traveling to Michigan (Canton -> Charlevoix -->Beaver Island) for a week and then California for a long weekend shortly after I am finally home. Being away from home for so long was pretty hard, I'm the kinda girl that likes the feel of her own bed, no matter how cheap the mattress is. Don't get me wrong though, both trips were AMAZING. 

Beaver Island has been my family's home away from home since I was a little kid. We'd go up there for two weeks every single summer... until I had an AWFUL 7 year hiatus which came to an end this summer. Along with my newly engaged brother and his rad lady we drove up to the tip of the mitten, took a ferry and arrived on this enchanted place. I keep telling people that it is almost IMPOSSIBLE to express the strange wonderfulness of Beaver Island, but it's true. It's a small town, it's an artistic community, it's a haven for wierdos... I don't know, you have to just go experience it yourself. 

We can talk about Los Angeles and my Katie-filled weekend later, but for now let's look at some photos from Michigan.

mitten jokes

 

 

clockwise: the emerland islander sets sail / dad's dilly beans & hot dogs / jake on the big rock / after fishing

the view from our deck

 

local flora / protar's tomb

don't worry, that's a bb gun

turkeyfoot

Well you didn't think November would end without a Thanksgiving post, did you? I've done one almost every year! Thanksgiving is a biiiig deal in my (large) family, and the sheer amount of food produced to feed the 18-24 folks that normally show up is monumental. My personal favorite bite is a little bit of turkey and mashed potato with a BIG helping of my mom's uh-maze-ing cranberry orange relish.

And, since there are so many of us, many games are played. This year's hits included Blockus (which I won both times, thankyouverymuch), Cards Against Humanity and the three classics: Poker, Euchre, and FOURSQUARE. We take our foursquare seriously, and let's be honest: it's the only exercise I got all weekend. Otherwise it's just eating, drinking, and quite a bit of karaoke-ing. What else could a girl ask for? Oh, some photos from my phone? OKAY.

 

 

foursquare time / 666 / jake goes back for seconds / pickled peppers on the back porch

And now, of course, my mind is already turning to Christmas. I know a lot of people don't like how early the holiday stuff comes out in stores these days... but I guess I sort of don't mind! Parties and food and lots of gold and white and blue and red? Sounds like a good time to me. Now, someone help me make a wreath.

 

wreath inspiration on my parent's porch / my beloved martha stewart christmas tree - this might be its last year, the branches are yellowing.

little dipper

Sometimes when I start telling one of my Minnesota friends about a story from my childhood in Michigan it dawns on me that Ann Arbor is a weird and wonderful place. Wait, didn't everyone have a planetarium in their high school? You mean your local businesses don't have "fairy doors" scattered throughout them to find? I guess I took for granted my life in this farmer's market loving, maize and blue sporting town.

Finally, after all my stories, I got to show Ann Arbor off to the boy this weekend! Along with my awesome brother and his awesome lady, we all joined forces at my parent's house during the University of Michigan's homecoming weekend.

Even though I didn't go to the U of M I do feel a particular allegiance to my hometown football team, and the ferocity with which we tailgate. A list of edible things experienced:

-One of the 2,147,483,648 combinations at Blimpy Burger, worth the 30 minute wait

-Cheese shopping at the behemoth Whole Foods

-Beers, pizzas and chacuterie, all created by the Jolly Pumpkin

-Drinks at Ashley's

-Perhaps one too many more drinks at a strange bar hidden in the basement of an office building with the best quality photobooth I've ever seen.

-Fried chicken, oatmeal nobakes, chips and more at a tailgate

We also made a quick visit to the Museum of Natural History, one of my absolute favorite childhood haunts. This place has all that a girl obsessed with dinosaurs and lizards could ask for, and it didn't disappoint my adult self. Weird triangle jellyfish (lower right), fantastic rocks, creepy possum-giving-birth display? yes yes yes, and all with a brightly colored/wood paneled Wes Anderson vibe. 

Three days of fun, and now I'm back in my other home. Minnesota, Michigan, I love you equally.

film club

 

Herrick the Lobster // Alli the PuttPutter

Film, film film, film photos. Go go FILM PHOTOS, tra la la. There, I wrote a song to accompany this set of photos from my camera. ENJOY.

Fire at the Domestic Partyship

Did you know my bestie Chance is in an AMAZING BAND CALLED HEVY SYRUP?

Bill friend, duck friends

 
Last morning in California // Bryan makes steak

Obligatory Cat Photo #1: Tadgh

Obligatory Cat Photo #2: Aoeife