Happy 32nd Jim!

Happy Birthday Jim!! You're 32 today, in case you forgot. I love you so much and I'm so glad that we are making a little life for ourselves here in Maryland. I know it's been tough. (I even skipped birthday posts for you and me last year...31 wasn't that exciting I guess.) I'm back to it though, 'cause even if I may not really be a 'blogger' anymore, I still love sharing little bits about our lives with friends and family; and gushing on and on about how amazing you are and how much I love you. I hope your 32nd year will be filled with all sorts of new and amazing things. I can't wait to see what the future holds for us. Hugs and kisses, Jenny

3 Year Anniversary

Last month was our three-year wedding anniversary and since I haven't been blogging I never posted these photos anywhere. (But seeing as tomorrow is Jim's birthday and of course I'm going to gush about him in a post, consistent blogging or not, I figured I should probably make this post now.) We didn't take too many shots this time as the "tree spot" we picked this year was our own backyard. Our backyard is pretty mosquito-ridden this time of year. Next year I think we'll walk the few blocks it takes to get to a nice park since there's so many of them in our neighborhood. I love going through these photos and noticing all the little changes. I hope we can take these photos, the week of our anniversary, surrounded by trees and nature, for the rest of our lives. 

~Jenny

Internet Etiquette, Lifestyle Blogging, and Mental Health

Last Monday (July 10th) was my husband Jim's birthday. We spent the day before grilling food, sipping drinks, playing music, and chatting with loads of new friends. Then, on his birthday, Jim and I went to our local city council meeting. Jim got up, during the questions and comments segment, and expressed his concern about the way the city government tracks and reports city wide greenhouse gas emissions. It was exactly how he wanted to spend his birthday.

I look a bit like I'm confused about his birthday activity in this photo, but in all honesty, I'm feeling guilty for not sending him an online love letter the way I've done for many years. It felt very right and important to be where we were, though.

I didn't send him Facebook or Instagram love notes on his birthday either. (To be honest, I'm very inconsistent with wishing anyone happy birthday online, anyways.) He doesn't need the expression of my love in the form of social media. He's thankful of course, but the etiquette of the internet is not something he particularly cares about.

It's gotten me thinking a lot about lifestyle blogging and internet etiquette though. The way I saw it was if the internet is your hobby then you're free to come and go as you please and you don't really owe anyone anything there, apart from your main communication and upkeep of friendships. (If I don't wish you happy birthday online, it's not a personal attack.) That's how I see it anyway. I may log out, take social media breaks, and not feel the pressure to "keep up" with it all, all the time.

What does that mean for this blog though? If you're here you're either a friend or family member looking to keep up with my life or someone who I may not know but enjoys what I write. (Either way, I'm grateful you're here.) This blog has always been a hobby that has maybe paid for a coffee or two in total over the years.

Once I started working for myself, however,  I started to evaluate my hobbies in terms of what could contribute to my income. I experimented with more "branded" blogging ideas and then I stopped blogging completely. A blog of mostly personal updates and "lifestyle" posts was a hobby I couldn't afford anymore. My mental health was suffering and I'm only now really starting to understand all of that.

After I we moved to Maryland, I thought I'd be able to jump back into this blog easily. Instead, I stopped, which also resulted in never posting our wedding photos, honeymoon photos, the photos from many of my trips to Europe, and many other things. I've said before how much I want to change that and catch up but it never happened. I got in my head, thinking no one cared and maybe no one really does to the degree I do. But as a part of dealing with my mental health, I'm going to finally get started. One of the few ways to naturally boost serotonin is remembering happy events. So get ready for my happy memories and please forgive that they are not in real time.

2 Year Anniversary

Last month was our second wedding anniversary! (and just about two years of living in Maryland) We took a walk in the trails behind SERC; Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. (where Jim works.) I've decided that every year, on or just after May 24th, we'll take some family photos. Near trees. 'Cause we got married near trees. It's gonna be a thing!

 Two years ago I got to celebrate my love with my forever guy in a beautiful park surrounded by friends and family. I really can't believe it's been two years since that day.
A bit about the "photo shoot": These photos were actually taken with my phone. My original plan had us using a nicer camera but once we got there I noticed the SD card was missing. So, I ended up propping up my phone on the portrait plate of my tripod and using the timer function. The quality is not ideal, but still, think the shots came out nice.
I tried not to get too cheesy with the poses. I mean, we only really have three. "Classic," "Looking at Each Other," and "Kissing." If we had a photographer I'm sure there would be so many more ideas. There were some really cute ones from our engagement shoot and the wedding (obviously) which I know I've yet to share here. (Getting to that this year!) ♥︎ Happy wedding anniversary Jim. I'm so thankful for you every day, I love you so much!

Guess who's 30 today!?

Come on, heard it was your birthday! Come on, heard it was your birthday! Come on, heard it was your birthday! Come on, how old are you now?

Jim!!!! You're 30 today!! Can you believe it? We've known each other for...like, 13 years now, and you continue to grow and change and get smarter and even more awesome each day. We've been through so much together and I keep loving you more and more. We've traveled the world, gotten married, and took turns following each other's dreams. I can't wait to find out what more adventures are in store for us. I love you so much!!

Love,
your wife and best friend
Jenny

(I love this fun blog tradition, check out the past birthday posts: 29 | 28 | 27 )

1 Year Anniversary

The week of our anniversary, Jim and I took some photos at Quiet Waters Park, a tradition I hope to continue. It's been a full year since we got married, packed the cars, and drove across the country. It's been an emotional roller coaster of a year at that, the highest highs and the lowest lows ever in my life so far. There's no one I'd rather have by my side through it all though than Jim. We're a team.

Our Engagement Shoot

Our Engagement shoot was done in October of 2014 at the UCLA Botanical Gardens by the wonderful Blake Green of Paige and Blake Photography. It's taken me literally years to post these here, and I explain why here.

(The original engagement ring from Japan)

(The heirloom diamond engagement ring)

Photos by Paige and Blake Photography

Happy Birthday HUSBAND!

Jim! It's your birthday! You are 29, the final year of your 20s, and for the first time ever you have a wife! I love this tradition I started two years ago of dedicating a blog post to you on your birthday. I lope you like it as well. You deserve it, and so much more. I know you sometimes feel guilty for dragging me all the way out to Maryland so you could pursue your science, but you really don't need to feel that way. I love you and I want you to succeed. Let's travel the world and have all sorts of adventures! Don't ever doubt how much I love you. <3

Love,
Your wife
Jenny

P.S. It's fun to see what I wrote in past years, check it out:  28th Birthday | 27th Birthday

Engagement Party

Our engagement party was on the 13th of July (3 days after Jim's birthday) and it was really lovely. I was very nervous going into it, our extended families had never met. Jim comes from a large family who likes to party. It was at his parents house where beer kegs, buffets, and and unlocked front doors are common whenever something is being celebrated. My family, on the other hand, enjoy small get-togethers (there are not very many of us to begin with) where we open presents one at a time over tea and quiet conversation. Needless to say, 'family gatherings' mean different things to Jim and I. However the day went off without a hitch. Our families bonded and new friendships were made. Our unrelated friends kept to their own "cool kid" table but everyone had a good time. Jim and I have been together for so many years, so even if this day was to celebrate our love and our life together, it was also to celebrate our friends and families moving forward together as well. Here are some photos from the day. Photo credit goes to Jim's cousin Jennifer DeLoach (thank you!) Also, thanks goes to the Holmquists for hosting such a wonderful party, my family had such a great time!

Jim and I with his brother Eric and my sister Amy (the best man and the maid of honor)


The wedding party! (minus two guys and one girl)