Friday, March 28, 2008

Everyone Panic

This scares me in ways that even I can't imagine.

The Growth of Walmart

Sunday, March 23, 2008

Happy Easter, Argh!

No really, I know my family is crazy. But they're a good time. We had a pirate themed Easter this year. It's a good thing Jesus came back from the dead, otherwise we wouldn't have gotten together. Two cool things occurred at said party: I stole my parents' camera for the afternoon so I took some pictures and got some old ones, and I played Guitar Hero for the first time (thanks to my awesome brother). One disappointing thing: my aunt Michelle did not make her to-die-for cheese-croissant dish/thing. I saved myself for days in anticipation!

On the plus side, in stealing the camera, I finally have a picture of the cake I made for my cousin's wedding that doesn't looking like they are shoveling it into their mouths.

I know, you all want to get married now.

Anyway, back to the Easter festivities. We brought Vivi (short for Violet), as I accidentally mentioned out loud we were going to visit my parents. She, being the intelligent dog that she is, understood and went crazy...because obviously that meant she was going too. When we got to my parents', my aunt was in full pirate costume mode and startled my dog so much that she began barking uncontrollably. Now that's a costume!

Here's an adorable picture of all of us, minus my dad, Hayley and my dog. My aunt is the one in the red stripe and crab springing from her head. I swear, the inflatable guy crashed the party.

My cousin made some bread with hummus, Irish cheese, peppers, onion and broccoli that was quite good. I don't have a picture of that because this is not a cooking blog. But take my word for it: it was num num delicious.

Seeing as we are all Lutheran (which means we think Jesus is cool, we're just not very strict about it) our prayer went as followed at dinner: "Here's to good eats, good family, yay God, let's eat!" Rather than end on "amen," we all said "yay!" I wish I could say this was planned. Shortly after dinner the real fun started. My brother busted out his Guitar Hero. Sibling bonding began.


Bet you couldn't tell we're brother and sister.

Here comes the random showing of family playing Guitar Hero.

Hayley playing Van Halen's cover "You Really Got Me"

My weak attempt at "Sweet Child O' Mine"

Heather playing "Message in a Bottle"

"Sending out an SOS!"
I'm sorry Andy, you rocked "Free Bird," but I still think Lynyrd Skynyrd sucks. Don't worry, we can still be friends.

Mike having a go at it.

Two tired girls in a picture.

Sunday, March 9, 2008

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Oh the Places You will Go


Okay, so this only took me like three times to figure out. First Picasa2: a little overwhelming at first, not going to lie. Second: once I was able to get the Html for my lovely collage onto my post, I couldn't figure out how to uncenter my writing. So I finally figured I should type in my response first, and then upload the picture. Take that, Google!

This collage of photographs represents the places I've been in the past few years and what they have meant to me. I've come to realize how much I have grown and changed over the years and each picture represents something I've learned about myself. For example, the picture of me standing underneath the Cheers sign signifies my love for Massachusetts. After searching for someplace else I might possibly want to live, outside of Minnesota (which probably isn't likely), I have come to find that I am a New England girl. I fell in love with the smell of the salt water, Boston and Salem, the history and how surprisingly green it is.

The picture of me with my friend Toni, stylishly drinking out of the double water fountain, represents the beginning of my independent wedding cake career outside of Lunds (that God forsaken place learned me something after all). We slaved together making six French cakes for her roommate's wedding, and this eventually led to me making my cousin's wedding cake. Meaghan can attest that this was quite the sight to be seen in my kitchen for two weeks (nobody be alarmed, it wasn't really a cake--I just frosted Styrofoam shaped like cake--so no one ate two week old cake). Anyway, her roommate had their wedding at a really cool place, The Soap Factory, which is this abandoned factory/quirky museum filled with paper mache walls (see photo below the water fountain), strings of aspirins and randomly placed and sized water fountains running water. This place has made me come to respect and appreciate modern art in all its awkward glory.

The picture with my cousins, just next to the water fountain one, represents how close I have become to them. We often refer to each other as sisters and I'm not sure what I would do without them. They really have become a strong support for me in my life. And they put up with, and include, me despite being the youngest and imitating Monty Python with the coconuts from The Holy Grail at both of their weddings. Sober.

The two pictures below my cousins are to show my growing interest in photography, although I'm beginning to think I am just lucky to take reasonable pictures once in a while. The black and white one of my good friend, Jenna and her husband, was actually taken on a disposable camera (professional photographers around the world are cringing, I know). The second was taken on a regular old Olympus. One day, I will venture to use my Canon Rebel and take real pictures.


The final two pictures of myself with Nathan, and with Elizabeth and Meaghan, are put in to represent how much the cohort has influenced my life. It has given me a group of friends who, despite their efforts, have similar interests, from book clubs, politics, career choices, broomball and all day...get-togethers...the day before unmentioned holidays. I love the Listening Coyotes.

Also, I accidentally created a very similar post earlier. I think I deserve double points.