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did you hear about the new Apple release?

I’m sure you heard about the new iPad but did you hear about the other new Apple release? We were lucky enough to get to try it out for some time before the launch…it is the iStove. All old school and shit, this stove is where it is at. Great user functionality, sleek retro design and it makes cooking SO enjoyable. I love that Apple is now delving into the home appliances line…

***disclaimer: all this info is fictional. The above stove is not actually an Apple product. Simmer down Apple fanatics, no need to start camping outside the Apple store. We just put an apple sticker on our po-dunk stove to make it look a wee bit hip.

gettin’ crafty up in here

This past weekend I was lucky enough to be invited to crafternoon. 7 ladies sitting around a table all doing a little artsy crafty project while eating treats and drinking bubbly. Some knitted, some worked on needlepoint projects, some felted balls, and some made fabric bangles. I was a little “out of the box” and painted little scenes on blocks of wood but boy did it feel good to get the creative spirit flowing in me! Not only did I dig out my paints and dust off my skills but I was totally inspired by the women around me. Yes to crafternoons. Double woot!

Disneyland!

Last time I went to Disneyland was probably about 20 years ago so going with two kiddos who have never been and who think Disneyland means going to a movie is quite the event.

The little folks agreed with me that It’s a Small World is something else. So little has changed to the ride in all these years (except it kind of smells now) and in taking a photo of the ride via instagram it looks just like it did in the 80’s. Yes, this was the ride we rode more than once.


I actually barely paid any attention to all the dolls singing at me/ brainwashing me … I was so focused on the expressions of delight, awe and wonder on the faces of the little gals!


this is the story about a sweater that gives me guilt

This is the story about sweater that gives me guilt. Not guilt as in it was so expensive and I never wear it but more so guilt in being selfish.

Here is the scene: I’m at a shop perusing the wares for 10 minutes until my man/ride rings for me and I spot this sweater on a rack but there are no other sweaters like it anywhere around. It is cute, bright and has a bow on it. But it looks a little too big and I’m not sure which is the front and which is the back and maybe it is too bright. So me thinks I’ll just hold it for a bit. Then a girl comes up to me and in very broken English she says “Um, excuse me, that is very beautiful. May I ask where you found it?” I explained that it was on a rack but without any other similar items around it so I wasn’t sure but if I found others I’d let her know. Not sure what came over me but I clung to this sweater with a vengeance! That isn’t me at all! My man rings that he is outside waiting for me. What to do? Buy a sweater I don’t need that I haven’t tried on and that I can’t return unless I get store credit (which I don’t like doing) or give the sweater to the nice girl? Selfish Ali bought the sweater. Then I get home and it doesn’t fit right and is kind of scratchy and I can’t return it (lost the receipt). So because of my selfishness I make myself wear it even though it scratches me and I look like a clown. I’m trying to teach myself a lesson. Even Ctron said “Maybe it could be a sweater to just wear at home?” Yeah it is that bad. Next time, Ali, just give it to the kind person. You don’t need a bright pink scratchy sweater with a bow on it that is three sizes too big for you.

Seriously.

A Magical Place Called Ziji Early Elementary

Once upon a time, actually once upon today, there is a magical place in the beautiful plains of Boulder Colorado called Ziji Early Elementary. At Ziji the kids are free to play, discover, explore and witness…they are encouraged and supported by some of the most loving teachers and parents I’ve ever seen…and the space around them is INCREDIBLE! Imagine a beautiful home converted into a school where every corner sparks creativity and imagination…building blocks galore, art stations that make me want to PAINT!, a library full of books and comfy couches, a yard with so much room to run and neighbors who are horses. I was fortunate to get to spend a day at Ziji capturing some of the little details of the school and let me just say the following images don’t even scratch the surface. This place is seriously magical. I want to have a kid just so he/she could start his/her schooling in a place like this!

so we went to Nicaragua

So we went to Nicaragua to photograph a beautiful wedding with really nice people. Yes, I took thousands of photos with professional gear but the ones I’m going to share are the two iphone photos I took. Why share the “crap photos” you may ask? Well, for one the “good photos” have not yet been edited and it really isn’t my job/business to share Ctrons wedding photos. But I will say that Morgans Rock is a spectacular place to stay if you are ever looking for luxury jungle camping. Think open air bungalows with an eco-friendly twist. Here is our bungalow:

The food is good/safe, the beach is private, the people are nice, the 3/4 mile uphill hike to your bungalow includes a suspension bridge and monkeys yelling at you all while you tone your butt (especially when carrying 20 lbs of camera gear), and the road to get in is long and windy and dirt filled and bumpy so you never want to leave.

Here is the view from breakfast:

While we didn’t really “do” Nicaragua the trip was great and safe and all our gear is home with us and we didn’t have bugs crawl under our skin and start laying eggs like in Costa Rica (which happened to my ma and little bro about 15 years ago…yes, that was gross and bad news). At least I don’t **think** we have bugs crawling under our skin and laying eggs. I’ll get back to you on that.

feng shui-ing it up in here

The past two weekends we’ve slowly been moving things around in our loft. Since everything (or virtually everything) in our place is on wheels it makes it a wee bit easier to move things around and see how it works. Perhaps I’ll take more photos once we get things in total order but for now here is our wall o’ shelving (tilt shifted to make it all trippy and dollhouse looking).

And if you are curious about the shelving the C-dawg made it a few years ago. Here is a tutorial.

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