it's not too late for a resolution

2012 has been designated as my Year of Adventure.

I vow to wander aimlessly.
Breathe slowly.
Run quickly.
Sing from a mountain.
Scream in a cave.
Swim confidently.
Look up when I fly
as death isn't down.
Grow things from seeds.
Sketch in the sands.
Eat something odd.
Jump to the Earth.
Say wise words.
Become a person worth knowing.

perfect sense

sing of flying

dream of lyrics

whistle a mountain

see a tune

feel the ocean

swimming in love

smell the rain

touch the roses

GoooOOOOoooooal!

the other day I had the pleasure of photographing my good friend's baby, Liliana.

now, Liliana is part of a soccer family. her cousins play soccer and her mom is in to it because her dad is an avid fan... he coaches, plays, and has accumulated toys and outfits for Liliana that represent his favorite team.

so of course, soccer made it in to our shoot!

but "don't worry" her dad says to me afterward... "I'm not going to pressure Liliana in to doing anything she doesn't want to do". well dad... it looks like you don't have to pressure her at all. she is all over it!

I give you... Liliana... future futbol star!

Houston doesn't have a problem

revisiting customers is awesomely awesome. despite how short the meeting may be, it's like an entire catch-up conversation AND a photo shoot at the same time. like I said, awesomely awesome.

since their wedding last summer, and their family shoot in December, Rochelle and Kevin now have a son, Houston. they were so kind and patient on the day of our shoot... I was able to finish the morning training for my upcoming triathlon and then race on over to their place right after - thanks guys!!

of course, Houston has the Converse kicks... from his dad, as well as his mom's eyes. ; )

my sneak peek for you... Houston!

hail, lightening, and a wedding!

not too long ago I had the pleasure of attending my husband's cousin's wedding.

which just so happened to be in Copenhagen Denmark. and I have to say, those Danes have a very unique way of celebrating a marriage!

it was an intimate wedding of less than 60 people... in a cottage off a secluded highway somewhere near the water. Sweden was in the distance. lawns were long, open, green, and decorated with clusters of trees. it was humid and hot - making an ice cold beer a beverage of choice.

after a short, sweet, and chairless danish / jewish ceremony we were served cake and champagne. and then appetizers and alcohol. and then dinner. 4 courses of it. the food was amazing. the company was entertaining. the evening was hearty. we sat at the table for about 5 hours. between dinner courses there were toasts - lengthy and heartfelt ones requiring projectors, handouts, instruments... it was quite an experience. the night ended with a record rain storm for the area: 6 inches of rain in 2 hours... accompanied by thunder, lightening, and hail.

memorable... to say the least!

while I was not the photographer for the evening, I did snap some shots prior to the ceremony and throughout the evening.

Congratulations Jenn & Rasmus!!

zzzzZZZ

so I'm sitting down, minding my biznatch, and thinking of my friend that just got married last weekend - she looked so beautiful - and about this other wedding I will be attending next weekend, and a different wedding I am working at in 2 months, and yet another friend's wedding happening that same month when I realize - there are 5 different kinds of tissue in this airplane bathroom!!! FIVE!

that's just nutso.

tissue for the toilet,

tissue for my butt,

tissue for my hands,

tissue for my nose,

and - well - tissue for the ladies.

maybe I am in the wrong business. I mean, that still leaves lots of other body parts without the tissues they rightfully deserve.

I digress.

after all that tissue pondering, I now sit in a perfectly fitted chair and desk for my height, in a nautical themed unair-conditioned (but really should have installed that) hotel overlooking the Sydhavnen in Copenhagen, Denmark.

and now, after traveling all this way, I know what I would sound like with a mouthful of marbles: I'd be speaking Danish.

out of all the languages I passed through during my last European voyage, Danish was the most difficult - and that holds true for me still. maybe it's because locals think I'm local so they speak to me in Danish... while I stand there too dumbfounded to even feign a nod and a "yah". they don't seem to mind so much though. I simply respond with "uhhh - eng elsk?" to which they giggle (because frankly I'm just stupid), repeat in english, and then I compliment them on their watch. done.

since I'm currently lacking the brain power to string together beautiful sentences for your amusement, please settle for simple statements that sum up the Copenhagen experience thus far.

breezy

Queen Margrethe

boat shoes

outdoors

blonde braids

beach soccer

expensive

construction

cobblestone

stripes

camels with matching guns*

in other news...

...I don't care if you did nothing but stand there in the bathroom stall. WASH YOUR HANDS AFTER, you nasty

McNasty.

...Air Canada finally considers itself International at SFO. dummies.

...mexican food - not so good in Denmark. also? not so mexican.

...what was the first thing I did upon reaching my hotel on ~almost~ the opposite side of the world?

*just checking to see if you were paying attention.

"Mae espera - voce corta seu proprio cabelo?"

there is nothing that can make a Monday feel like a weekend...

*except for (maybe) a gigantic pearl tea at 2pm. with that obnoxious-sized straw, it not only reminds me of napping on my front lawn in the sun with the perfect infrequent breeze that prevents me from sweating while wearing short shorts and a wife-beater...

but also of being a kid sitting on the front porch sipping a Big Gulp while my dad and I take a break from pulling weeds.

stickers protrude out of our socks and the double-laces of my purple high tops. pieces of a dandelion are stuck on dad's mustache. a weed-wacker runs in the distance somewhere. the phone rings inside and mom answers in english but proceeds in portuguese... must be grandma. our springer spaniel, Clover, after snatching some figs from the tree rushes over wagging her nub of a tail - oblivious to the inconvenience of heat; sweat; as well as the feel-good of lemonade and a cool breeze.

oh summer.

I never really thought I was one of those crazies that preferred it but - I realize now how much my brain misses it.

in other news...

...there is absolutely nothing wrong with using such words as Beautiful, Stunning, Amazing - no one can take them the wrong way. so, say them.

...summer dresses would be more fun to buy if the stores would remember to remove the security devices. jerks.

...riding in my 2nd Tour de Cure in just 4 weeks! want to make a donation?

http://main.diabetes.org/goto/KathleenLindenmuth

...Dear Black & Decker, I curse you. Hugs, me.