2016 Year in review

In some ways, 2016 is a year I want to forget (mostly because of politics), but overall it's been a good year. Life has been good to us and I am reminded daily when my kid does something that makes me proud, when my husband makes me laugh, and when I get a call from my dad and know I'm lucky to still have him here. Since it's the end of the year I've been reflecting as so many are. I've organized my thoughts on this in different ways in the past and thought about just posting my favorite pictures since photography has been such a big part of my life lately, but I figure my future self would like to read back on a few more details so here we go with my round up of the year...

Health

Knock on wood, but I feel really grateful to not be sick right now, or for that matter, for much of the year. This has been one of my healthier years and I'm guessing I totally just cursed myself, but I'll take that risk. I had a super low level virus about a month ago that didn't really turn into anything. Before that, the last cold I remember was when I came home from Oregon and Washington... and get this - it only lasted a week. My viruses tend to last a few months so this was a downright miracle for me. Jesse and I called it the "PNW cold" and were ready to move if it meant leaving behind our debilitating viruses.

Other than that, Jesse and Riley have been healthy as have most other people. My dad has had more cancer taken off his ears and struggles with arthritis in his neck, but that guy still works harder than anyone I know.

Loss

Jesse's aunt just passed away, but I can't think of anyone else close to us that died this year. Grateful for that.

I did experience another sort of loss and that was my dad selling his farm. I still grieve about this, but am also resolved about it. It is what it is. I have a lot of memories of this place and am mostly okay with that. I think the bigger loss for me is knowing that my brother, Scott, will never be able to spend time on the farm. I should have known when my brother died years ago that it would change the trajectory of this property, but I always hoped for something more for this place. Perhaps the hardest part of letting go is knowing that Scott is buried there. My dad, Riley and I went out one last time before it was sold and scattered his ashes, and even though Riley never met my brother, I was so pleased that she wanted to be a part of it. She seemed to get the importance of it and what it meant for me.

Milestones

Lets see, Riley turned 6 and asked for a flower themed party. I was happy to oblige.

Riley lost a few more teeth. After the first few, I've lost count. She also transitioned from kindergarten to 1st grade and is doing great in school. Can't think of any other milestones to report, but it seems like there should be more.

Extra Curricular's

Riley took swimming and gymnastics this year. We went through the city for gymnastics, but the classes were offered sporadically so she hasn't been in that since the summer. We are debating about if we want to go to one of the spendier places around here or find something else for her to do.

As far as swimming, we started that before Riley was in kindergarten and have been going continuously since then. She loves swim class, but at some point we weren't sure she was growing or getting the guidance she needed so we just changed to a new swim school that has a different structure. She had a smile on her face the entire time during her last class so I hope that's a good sign.

Adventures

I feel like we never get in enough camping opportunities, but now that Riley's older I'm hoping to to this more. Plus, Jesse purchased a tent in November that sits on top of the truck that he's already been camping in twice. Before this fancy new tent, we went to Fall Lake in the spring. Jesse wanted to right the wrong that I'd never been to the boundary waters, but knew that we couldn't do a full on boundary waters trip with Riley so we planned a mini trip. We planned to stay two nights, but a nasty storm was headed our way so we only spent a night on the edge of the boundary waters. I can say that I canoed there so there's that. My nature loving husband struggled with staying at a campground where you could hear far too much of your human neighbors, and I made the mistake of reading about bears that attack on the ride north, but other than that it was fun!

I made an unexpected trip to Missouri with my dad in July. My nephew had gotten into some trouble and my sister really needed the support of family so my dad and I decided to road trip to see her. I hadn't seen her in years so I was glad that we could go. I know she and her family were also grateful to see us, especially dad. Turns out, my dad went back down there a month later with my sister's other son that lives in Minnesota so they got to see him twice this summer. I thought about bringing Riley, but wasn't sure it was the right time to do so and immediately regretted it. Next time!

Jesse and I have been talking about visiting the Pacific Northwest for some time... and Jesse had already noted that he would like to move there without even have ever visited. I've had a friend living in Seattle for some time that I always planned to visit, but then another friend moved out to Oregon last year and it just seemed like the right time to go.

First, I have to say that I have some amazing women in my life. They are spread all over, and I sometime go long stretches without seeing or talking with them, but when we do connect I am reminded of how lucky am I to have them in my life at all. Ryann and I had barely connected in the past 10 years, but she opened her house and time to us right away. Riley adored her daughter and asked us to get a new kid so she could stay with them. Haha. #shewasserious.

Joanna also welcomed us into her home and introduced us to some of her friends that we adored. No surprise that she has other awesome friends. :) Besides the wonderful hospitality, we LOVED Washington and Oregon - especially Oregon. It might have been that we got a good fill of nature there from beach to hiking, but we were ready to move. There have been places that I thought would be nice to live, but this was the first time that I could really see myself elsewhere. I won't be moving anytime soon, but I know once I give the thumbs up Jesse will start packing.

Other adventures

Jesse went  on several trips with his truck buddies this year so I feel like I should mention that. This sort of started when we bought a Toyota Tacoma a couple years ago, but kicked into gear when Jesse talked about taking a solo trip to South Dakota. Last year, we went as a family, but Jesse really wanted to go back to camp and hike. I was a little nervous about him going alone when he'd be so far away so I suggested he connect with some of the guys he'd gotten to know on the Tacoma forum. Turns out there is a community of people who love their Tacoma's and want to share their love with like minded people. I don't think this happens with Kia Sportage drivers, but I've never actually checked so who knows.

South Dakota was the start of several trips as they have also been to Michigan and Northern MN. Apparently, there is some ice road trip being planned soon and my husband regularly connects with his buddies to work on their trucks. Another upside is that he now knows some vehicle things that he didn't know before.

South Dakota

South Dakota

Northern MN and the new truck tent

Truck friends

 Photography

So it was back in 2013 that I decided that I was going to take my photography more seriously and while it's felt like a slow growth overall, I feel like so much has happened this year. I'm still constantly learning and growing, but I feel like I have a real community of people who have this same passion and support me.

In the spring I went on the Clickin walk again, but this time I made connections. The year before was a super large group, but this one was intimate enough to get to know other people. Plus, our leaders shared so much knowledge with us. It felt like I was being mentored for free. One of the participants was a recent transplant from out of state and I love how she's been so welcoming. I've gone shooting with her and am part of a blog circle that she invited me to.

Later in the spring, I posted a picture of my dad on Instagram and hashtagged a number of photography sites and ended up winning a beautiful camera bag from Lilah Snow and will be featured in Dear Photographer's first magazine in January. I know this isn't the best picture, but I think a lot of people got the 'feels' when they saw it. We stopped at the barber on the way home from our last visit to the farm and I feel like my dad's face holds all the emotions I was feeling, and I assume he was feeling too. I felt very honored to be recognized in this way. And I never thought I would be a #hashtag kind of person, but it's really connected me to some people that I wouldn't have otherwise so I am happy that I took that leap.

This summer, I was invited to a BBQ at one of Riley's friend's house. While there, I got to know a mom of one of Riley's other friends that I'd seen around, but never talked to. Turns out she's a huge photography fan as well and she only lives a few blocks from me. I'd been thinking about signing up for an online photography class, but she's the one who really encouraged me to do so and then sent me multiple suggestions throughout the rest of the year. I will blame her for the dent it made in my pocketbook, but am also so thankful for her as it encouraged me to take yet another step in my photography journey.

In my first class, I met a local woman who I'd also recently started following on IG and she's been an inspiration as well. We recently found a couple opportunities to meet face to face, and while Jesse has his truck buddies, I can officially say that I have my photography buddies.

I also completed a couple photo shoots for family this year. I was able to do my nieces senior pictures and my nephew's newborn pictures. Honored that my family asked me to capture these special moments for them.

I finished a project 52 and have been talked into a project 365 for 2017 where I plan to include a self portrait each week. I hope to also build in something where I take more pictures of my dad. We'll see how well I follow along, but I feel like I have the support to (mostly) stay on track.

So yeah, the photography section felt like it took up a huge part of this post, but besides my family, work and an ever lasting bathroom remodel it is such a big chunk of my life. Oh! I almost forgot to mention that in the last days of 2016 I upgraded to a full frame camera and splurged on a lens that is known for being SHARP so there's that. My husband isn't one to pour on the compliments, but he totally encouraged this purchase so I know he supports my photography.

I'm sure there are a ton of things I'm missing here. I know I didn't talk nearly enough about how great my kid is, but I'm holding out for her birthday post which will happen in February. And I probably don't talk enough about how wonderful my husband is, but he helped me feel sane (and not alone) this year when there were times when I was so frustrated by the decisions of our world.

We had our highs and lows in 2016, but the highs outweighed the lows by far. I'm looking forward to what 2017 has to bring our little family.

Missouri

A couple weeks ago my dad and I made an impromptu trip to see my sister, Karen, in Missouri.

Casino in Iowa

Dad eating an unfortunately dry sandwich. I knew I should have made some for the trip.

My dad visited my sister a couple years ago with my sister's other son, Jeremy. I saw my sister last when she came up to Minnesota for our brother's funeral years ago, but I hadn't been to Missouri in about 20 years. When I was 18, I made my first solo road trip there and continued to visit yearly for a number of years after that. I'm not sure why I stopped, or why it's been so long since I've been back, but I'm glad I went.

My sister has moved since I last visited and now lives on 5 acres west of St. Louis. It's an idyllic spot with winding roads through wooded ridges. She has a big yard with a pool, two ponds filled with loud croaking frogs, and a small foresty area with a walking path that weaves through it. I loved it, but I knew my dad loved it even more. It almost made me want to move him out there. The only downside being that there was no place along the road for him to take his daily walk (and of course, that I wouldn't have him near me in MN).

Part of the pathway through their forest part of the yard. 

It's a long drive there and I worried that it would take it's toll on my eyes, and my back, and my head... and all those other places I tend to hurt, but I managed ok. My dad didn't drive, and I didn't expect him to, but I was especially surprised that he didn't once comment on my speed. Occasionally, he would look at his watch and calculate in his head  how how far we should be. "I'm guessing we're at about 200 miles now", he'd share and he'd never be more that 20 miles off. He only became more precise on the way home.

Some may think this is a boring drive (I used to). Iowa is corn field after corn field after soybean field, but the ditches were filled with beautiful wildflowers. I loved it and if we weren't on a mission I might have stopped to take pictures of it. Besides the wildflowers we saw all sorts of hawks and eagles flying overhead. While the roads were mostly filled with semi trucks, the skys were filled with birds. Not sure I've ever seen so many birds on a road trip before. My dad also made interesting commentary based on the scenery. "Look at all those fox tails. The cows used to eat it and it would get all bunched up in their mouths. We'd have to stick our hands in the cow's mouths to clean them up", he'd comment and then follow up with other stories of the farm.

I could tell when we were nearing Missouri because a map told me so, but my dad knew because he noticed a change in the terrain - brushier, less farmland. He is in touch with the land in ways that I don't ever think I will be, but I guess that's what happens when you grow up on a farm.

Once we got to my sister's house and said our hello's and started to unpack, we realized that my dad was missing two key medications. So after after calling a very helpful Kevin the pharmacist at Target and rushing to go get them (with my sister telling me to drive faster from the back seat, and my dad in the passenger seat scolding me for driving too fast) we headed back to my sister's house.

But on the way home my sister suggested we stop at a spot she thought I might want to take pictures at. She knew that I was starting a photography class while I was there and she and her family made every effort to allow me opportunities to photograph stuff. There was no shortage of pictures taken on this trip which might account for why this post has taken me two weeks to get together. Our stop near the river was beautiful and I don't feel like I did it justice, but I'm glad we stopped. It's a spot that I'd love to go back to, which was probably the overwhelming theme of this trip. I love where I live, but this part of country just screamed 'nature' and 'photograph me'.

Another theme of the trip: My dad always had one of the flosser/toothpick things in his mouth... and  Menards shirt on.

The plan for the next day was to have my niece, Ashley, her husband, and their three little boys come over. The morning was spent, well... not doing much, and it was lovely. It was hot there and we spent a lot of time outdoors, but it was still nice to just hang out.

We spent many of our hours at my sister's entertained by her many animals: 2 cats, 1 dog, 2 snakes (and live rats to feed them), 2 large fish tanks, and 5 birds. I think I got them all. I spent some time in the morning with the outdoor cat, FuzzyDusty, and couldn't stop thinking about how much my cat obsessed daughter would have loved to meet this cat. She was super sweet, but had a dislike of the shutter sound my camera made so I feel lucky to have gotten the pictures I did.

Back inside, the birds entertained us. My sister and brother in law, Jack, took Splash and Cameron out one by one. Splash was a little lover and when in his cage would follow you around depending on what side of his cage you were standing on. I also got to hold him a little bit, but he likes to give you little, painful nips so that didn't last long.

Cameron is the big African Grey. He had a former home where he learned quite the colorful language (motherf'er, etc) which he supplemented with TV ads and things he learned from Jack and Karen. He even takes on their voices, and imitates the telephone and the alarm quite well. By the end of the time we spent there, he was also imitating my dad's "hey, hey..". I slept in the same room with these two and was surprised at how quiet they were all night and how entertaining they were all day. I've never wanted a bird before, but I got a kick out of these guys.

Splash

Cameron James and Jack

I was told that this bird doesn't like women and that he bites hard so it was a little unnerving to have him walking right at me, but he was more interested in my camera than in me.

After playing with birds we prepared for a BBQ with the family by going to the store, my sister cleaning out the pool and then dad buying us lunch... and me taking pictures.

I know I got a late start in life on the parenting thing (and my sister is almost 13 years older than me), but it's weird to know that my niece's middle child just turned the same age as my daughter. Her oldest is 10, and her youngest is about one and she has one on the way. She may have her hands full (she also owns a dog grooming company), but she and her husband are great parents to these boys. I was smitten with all of them, but I think 6 year old Aiden was my buddy while I was there. He kept asking me to come and talk with him about video games while he was in the pool and to take his picture.

I regret not getting a picture of my dad with all three boys.

My sister checking out how to play this Pokemon Go thing.

Cameron (yes, he has the same name as the bird) loved having his picture taken too. I'd take a picture and then he'd have to look at it on the back of the camera. Pretty amazing this for a little one, I'm sure.

The ponds

I got down low to take pictures and was attacked by a baby.

The next day my sister made us another fantastic breakfast and then we had our turn in the pool while my dad yelled at me every few minutes about how I was going to get burnt. I stayed in the shade as much as possible, but I did get ever so slightly red, but not red enough for my dad to say "I told you so". Always a dad, always a daughter.

And then Ashley and the boys came over again. There was more pool time for the boys and more requests for me to come chat with them.

Talking with my nephew.

It was hot while we were in Missouri... about 95 or more each day, but it would cool down to about 92 by 10:00 pm. I used to like this weather, but not as much anymore.We did spend a lot of time outdoors, but I was grateful for the pool and for the air conditioned house. My dad spent more time outside than any of us and said "It's nice out, it's not that hot." Yeah, okay dad.

He walked this driveway a lot.

I almost walked right into this. I walked into more spider webs while there than I have in my entire life. 

Oh, and while I didn't get any pictures, of the fish, dog, snakes, or the 2 doves, I did get a picture of of their other bird, Pappy.

He doesn't like women either. What's with these birds?

Tiger, the indoor cat, wanted nothing to do with me... or people.

On our last full day there we drove into the Loop neighborhood in St. Louis where we ate lunch, walked around in the 95 degree heat and did a little shopping.

The Loop features artists and other famous people who are from St. Louis. There were plaques along the sidewalk with names and outstanding details about that particular person.

Later that day, I headed across the street to say hi to the neighbor's horse and Shetland pony.

Oh, and my brother in law drove me to this cool bridge over the Big river just so I could take pictures. Love that they were all so willing to make sure I got some pictures.

There were hundreds of Swallows in the air.

It doesn't seem like we did a lot while we visited, but we got to hang out together and that was the whole point of this trip. I sort of regret not bringing Jesse and Riley, but at the same time I could then spend time focused on my sister and dad. Plus, now I have an excuse to go back and bring them next time.

We spent our last night hanging outside with FuzzyDusty, relaxing, talking about the past and the future. There were no distractions from the computer or the kid... it was just one last chance to connect with this family of mine. I've been so used to spending time with my dad and Jesse and Riley and my in-laws that I'd forgotten what it was like to spend time with my sister and my dad. While she and I may be very different people, she's an important part of my life and I'm grateful that my dad and I had a chance to visit with her and her family.