Run Away...

How I learned to fly again.

(Special thanks to Britt Bruyea, Matt Parsons, and Papa Bear McReavy)

You told her she would be stuck forever.

Little did you know, she was holding freedom in her hands all along.

Happy Halloween

Nevermore.

La Catrina

When witches go riding,

And black cats are seen,

The moon laughs and whispers,

'Tis near Halloween.

I always fear that creation will expire before tea time.

-Sydney Smith

"A bird may love a fish... but where will they live?"

--

"Then I shall have to make you wings."

The other day I photographed a child for one of my school assignments. She played with the dogs and jumped on the trampoline and searched for the perfect apples under our apple tree.

I couldn't help but notice how sweet everything seemed to her. The way she jumped at sticks she found on the ground and laughed as she played tug-a-war with the border collie. Even when she first arrived, our jack russells were jumping all over her in excitement. Where most kids have gotten very nervous and run away, she only giggled shyly and stood by my side as I tried to control the dogs.

She reminded me of a whole different kind of fearless that I'll like to get back to.

A final farewell to Summer.

When the stars have all been counted and I stop loving you, they'll be driving buicks to the moon.

These photos are from a couple years ago, but given my new obsession with antique-looking things, I decided to bring them out again.

More found things at Chez Nous!

Today was all about found things. Who says thrift stores don't have any good clothes.

Thanks Chez Nous Thrift Boutique!

She's not the devil...

but she wears his best dress.

Dare to dream.

When I was a little girl I whole-heartedly believed that anything was possible. I believed in secret doors and creatures that aren't supposed to exist. Sometimes I would dream about flying and swear that it was real.

As I got older I guess reality kicked in. I started to only focus on real life, and I forgot to keep believing in the things that I really wanted to be possible. But sometimes our imagination is all we have. Maybe we imagine crazy things, but it's only because reality makes us too normal.

Is it so horrible to imagine, to dream, to believe? My 20th birthday is in two weeks... is it really so horrible to still want to fall down the rabbit hole?

Fearless.

I made this dress because it has been incredibly difficult to find dresses that suit my body in a style that I actually like. It's far from perfect and I'm sure there are a million things about it that a professional seamstress would have done differently, but I think I made my mother proud. She first taught me how to sew when I was four years old.

The Escape

Today has been... challenging. I woke up at 4:00 this morning because of a bad headache and never got back to sleep. So needless to say I'm a little tired. On top of that I have a sore throat and just got over an eye infection.

Today the younger of my two older brothers, Mitch, asked me to come along to Herberts, our favourite "Cowboys and Indians" store as I call it. He was picking out a cowboy hat for his trip out West next week. As kids, my brother and I never really got along. We fought over things constantly and never really bothered with the whole apology thing. I only remember one or two moments where he showed the slightest bit of affection. Helping me lead a horse out of the barn... defending me in front of teasing cousins.

We still aren't exactly best friends but things are alot different now. We get long, we ask each other how our days went... One time he offered to drive for over an hour to pick up my boyfriend from University on a Friday night because he didn't think I should make the drive alone. Another thing my brother and I never did was tell each other how we feel. I guess he still won't know, unless he decides to read my blog... but my Mom will see this so I know she'll be happy. It may have taken us the better part of two decades but I think Mitch and I are finally past the "I love you because I have to" thing. I'm glad he's my brother. And if a childhood full of sibling rivalry is what it took to get us to this point then I guess it was worth it.

Love you, Snitch.

Today I just don't feel like myself. So for now I'll be someone else.

He said to me, "If there is a heaven, I think this is it."

Happy Birthday, Grandpa. We miss you.

I remember wandering around looking for things to discover.

I wanted strange door ways and dark hallways.

This home was worth exploring for my open mind and infinite curiosity.

Maybe I'm not so big.

Here's to the things I once had and took for granted.

Good days...

Effortless friendships...

The body I thought I hated... and would die to have back.

So this is me... for now.

Today I decided to acknowledge what most of us have forgotten. I want to be silly. I want to be happy. Starting today, I want to remember all of our lost things.