November is here. The year is almost gone. I mean really!  It feels like my year is flying by. When I think back to May (about this fabulous trip I can’t get over, ITALY) it feels like it was FOOOOOOREVER (Sandlot style) ago. Does anyone feel like I do? Do you remember little things, little moments around you or even things you used to love or how you used to be? My goodness! It is hard to remember who I was three years ago, my thoughts, my feelings on things.  Doing things I never thought I would or changing as a person.  A couple of weeks ago, I shot a wedding and the maid of honor’s speech was one of my favorite. She talked about how her and her friend grew up together, they knew each other so well and no matter what came into their lives, they have been there for each other. What stuck with me was when she mentioned what she admired most about her friend. No matter how much life changed, no matter the up’s and the down’s, even when her friend grew as a person and changed, the best thing was that her values and beliefs on what matters in life remained the same. She said, her friend knew what she deserved and what she would never settle for.  How strong is that.  Sometimes our lives change so much we lose ourselves, we forget what we wanted, what we said we would strive for and walk away from. I am sure somewhere along the way I lost track and then I found my way back to me, THANK GOD. I do believe I have held on to what I know I deserve. I do think what I wanted for my life is what I have always set out to do and never apologized for it. I know holding on to the past is not good, but when it comes to growth, I believe it is. I like to see where I have been and how much I have changed. I like to see my growth over the years, for example, who I was at 22 compared to who I am now.  At 22 I was finishing up college in Chico, I liked wine from a box for heaven sake, seeeeeeeeeeee… change is good. I laugh at those memories where me and my roommates gathered to watch the Bachelor and drink box wine when we should have been studying. I love to see that my taste for wine has grown, reality TV… umm not so much. So embarrassing. At 22, I carried a point and shoot every time me and Ivan or me and my girlfriends went out, but at 22 I never thought I would do photography. I never knew I would do this and love it so much. Anyway, I want to remember right now, a time where life was flying by but I was holding on to me, to us (me, Ivan and Roxy), to what I want and value. I wrote a right now post the year I started this blog… might be a new thing I start for myself, so I remember where I have been and were I am going.  Soooo life keeps going, I can’t slow it down right now, but I want to remember this time.

What I am obsessed with right now…

 I would starve without Eat 24 when Ivan is not home. OK that is a bit of an exaggeration, but they bring me Bossa Nova this is why I love them so much 🙂

 

my nook.

Pumpkin butter, so delicious! Trader Joe’s is just awesome.

Bravo. Don’t judge me.

RED. Taylor Swift. Again, don’t judge me.

 

Happy Friday!