my (vacation and) weekend in summary

i'm back! from vacation.
The vacation was lovely – as expected. Lots of sun, family time, sister talks, food (LOTS OF FOOD), shopping, swimming and all those things that a south bound vacation brings.
Highlights?
the cody simpson concert (disgusting, i know); the sun; disney boardwalk and the ESPN store; getting my 14 year old cousin to do the sister 'small mouth'; reading - FINALLY reading again!
too much to tell... so for now, i'll simply say it was great, and wonderful.
hope everyone had a great week and a bit! i'm baaaaack now :)

photos by jamie: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

day of vacation #3: when she wrote a tragic love story

this year, i challenged myself. i said to myself that i was going to dedicate more time to writing than i had in the past.... 
unfortunately, this year has also been one of challenges. and i have had some road blocks in the way of the promises that i looked in the mirror and said out loud to myself. health. heart. career. health again. but they are all things that will continue to be in the way... and things that i have started to acknowledge that i can either stop, and look at, or tie up my hiking boots, and climb on over. 
so. this year. i write. i've started a 365 day writing project.... and to share, some excerpts. 
"i prepared for leaving. the same way i prepared to arrive. i packed my bags. with everything i thought i may need. this time around. the tangible things. the things that i thought made me whole. i forgot what i was missing. (i guess i wouldn’t be missing it. if i hadn’t forgotten it. would I?). the parts that i needed. that we needed. those were the important things. the things that wouldn’t fit in my suitcase. and four boxes. they were the things like trust. and if i was really being honest with myself. love." day 44
"when she grew older | she thought about those things | those things that had worn her out | the things that coloured her disposition | and she wondered what it may have been like | had she been like the rest of them | the rest of the innocents | the ones with eyes that gave way to fresh and unspoiled souls | and she wondered what it would mean | would she ever be like them | did she ever want to be" day 36
"looking over that space | the empty land | with sporadic trees and gauzy sky | i saw what we were supposed to see | a clear sky | but with hints of reality | hints of the fogginess that clouded our thoughts | the cloudiness that ensured we had few moments of clarity | to enable that process | for ourselves | if we had that | if we really did | we’d see a wide open space | and to be clear | or honest | or whatever make the most sense | i’m not sure any of us would want that | would want that clarity | because it was all too honest | in the end." day 22
"she woke up | and stared at the ceiling for a while | looked at the specks in the ceiling where she had once used pushpins as stars | creating constellations | pretending it was the galaxy she saw above her | and not the white plaster ceiling | that she was bound to | she blinked twice | and focused on the space where the ceiling and the wall meet one another | cordially | as though they knew each other but had no interest in conversation | she lifted her arm | almost without the awareness that she was doing so | and traced the line | until her arm relieved her of the duty | when it became too heavy with the strain | the strain of responsibility and routine" day 19
"when he wrote, he wrote in one sitting | he had a penchant for the flow of writing that felt as though | it moved from brainwave to mouth to hand to paper | as though nothing in between | and when she read it, it was as though she would know what sparked his imagination | what made the tears fall | what worked to block him from the world she wanted to be part of | unlike her, he was content in his world | the world that played like a 35 mm projector on an old curtain in his mom’s living room | darkened, grainy, hazy, and echoed in sentiments of only what they chose to capture on that day in july | september | february 23rd." day 4
check the whole story out.... here. 

day of vacation #2: 'i got my heart right here | i got my scars right here'

i don't care how old this song is... or the album as a whole. i love it. forever and always. and while i'm away, i'm listening to a lot of this with my sister.... esPECially, the weeknd. perfection.
i also love the way his videos are for viewing... simple black and white photos that are all consistent with the feeling of the songs... he gets it. he's got a brand, and he knows how to maintain it, and get people hooked. i love it.
enjoy

I left my girl back home | i don't love her no more | and she'll never fucking know that | these fucking eyes that I'm staring at | let me see that ass | look at all this cash | and I emptied out my cards to her | now I'm fucking leaning on that | bring your love baby I could bring my shame | bring the drugs baby I could bring my pain | i got my heart right here | i got my scars right here | bring the cups baby I could bring the drank | bring your body baby I could bring you fame | and that's my motherfucking words too | just let me motherfucking love you | listen ma I'll give you all I got | get me off of this | i need confidence in myself | listen ma I'll give you all of me | give me all of it | i need all of it to myself | so tell me you love me | only for tonight | only for one night | even though you don't love me | just tell me you love me | i'll give you what I need | i'll give you all of me | even though you don't love me | let me see you dance | i love to watch you dance | take you down another level | and get you dancing with the devil | take a shot of this | but I'm warning you | i'm on that shit that you can't smell baby | so put down your perfume | bring your love baby I could bring my shame | bring the drugs baby I could bring my pain | i got my heart right here | i got my scars right here | bring the cups baby I could bring the drank | bring your body baby I could bring you fame | and that's my motherfucking word too | so let me motherfucking love you | listen ma I'll give you all I got | get me off of this | i need confidence in myself | listen ma I'll give you all of me | give me all of it | i need all of it to myself | so tell me you love me | only for tonight | only for one night | even though you don't love me | just tell me you love me | I'll give you what I need | I'll give you all of me | even though you don't love me

day of vacation #1: eye candy for the photographer at heart.

this week i'm spending on vacay. with my fam (most of them, anyways). spending some time in the sun. with some film. and my sister. and i garantee i'm loving every minute of it. so. for the time being... i'm leaving everyone with some random things.... that i bet i'll be enjoying some portion of while i'm away.
(because, let's be honest... i have a stack of 7 magazines, 4 books, and a LOT of photography to catch up on... that i just haven't had time to enjoy during work).
day 1?
photography.
and, because i haven't had time to enjoy, and catch up on their recent stuff, i'll leave you with nicole, erin, alex, jeff and katie's stuff. because THIS is what i'll be enjoying this week.... pouring over my faves.
enjoy....
// nicole 1 & 2 //  erin 1 & 2  // katie 1 & 2 // jeff 1 & 2
and 2 of my faves by alex: 1 & 2