A New Decade

It's happening.  I'm leaving my 20's behind, and embarking into the 30's.  When did I sign off on this?  How did time accelerate to such breakneck speeds? 

There was a lot of talk about the preparation of turning 30.  A bucket list of sorts.  My cousin Ami and I decided that before we turned 30 there were some things we wanted to accomplish.  We each talked about what we had never done that we wanted to.  And then set out to check them off our lists.  Some of the things  on my list were..

hike to Havasupai..

ride a mechanical bull..

donate my hair..

lose 30 lbs. by 30..

There were plenty of crazy antics preparing for the big 3-0.  I think it's safe to say that we sent our 20's out with a bang.

So whether I like it or not it's happening. I'm choosing to embrace my 30's. I'm choosing to shed anything that's no longer important, and hold dear the people and things that are. To strive to live up to the title of this blog, and keep my life simple. I'm not expecting life to be easy, just trying to de-clutter and focus on what's important.

I'm looking forward to a new decade where I can breathe that sigh, and be comfortable in who I am, and what I have. To free myself from trying to keep up with others, or being a people pleaser, and focus on being happy. Content.

So here I am waiting to see what my 30's have in store for me.  I'm excited, a little nervous, but most of all hopeful that it's full of the people I love most and plenty more adventures.  Cannon ball!

Friday, Friday, Friday!

Have you seen this horrible video yet? It seriously cracks me up.

So I am sitting here at work with nothing to do except answer phones for the first time since I started here in January. I love the busy days. It makes the day fly by. Unfortunately I have little time for anything else.

I'm starting to get the hang of the new work schedule. I have even gone to the gym every day this week. It feels good. I feel bad I have been a little M.I.A in so many other thing in life. But for now, I think it's best to focus on my work, my health, and what little time I get with my husband. (We watched a Netflix last night. Have I mentioned I love Netflix?)

I am going to try to schedule some posts for the upcoming week, since I know it will be a busy one. We're heading to Moab for Easter weekend, and I'm getting excited. Also, there is an upcoming epic trip that I will discuss further as well.

Thanks for letting me ramble on. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

28

These three little girls belong to some of my dearest friends. They are close in age, and I feel like they all used to be tiny little babies such a short time ago. At my party they were all running around together and I couldn't believe how much they had grown and turned into big girls.

28 was a hard one for me this year. Not because of anything specific, but I think because 28 was the age. The age where I thought I would have my own little one running around. Or if not that, I thought I would be running around in my size six jeans. In shape and running marathons. Or perhaps I thought I would have my very own house.

All these things sprang into my head when I realized I hit an age that I had put expectations on myself. Now let me just say, that I am extremely blessed to be where I am right now, and it's not that I don't love my life how it is, but I think I had to adjust my thinking this year.

And as much as I would love to have my own little peanut, bean, or bug right now, it's just not the right time. I have accepted that. We're working towards it, and I think we're really close, but for right now I am happy to live with my best friend who makes me laugh every single day. Especially tonight when he acted out a 2 minute version of Black Swan that had me laughing until I was crying.

Yep, I think it's safe to say that even though I didn't know I would be here at 28, I am content. And I'm determined to make this my year.

Minute to Win it

My friends helped me celebrate my birthday this year by organizing a rad game of Minute to Win it. We had a blast. Thanks to everyone who came and made it so fun. And thanks to Bonnie and Jon for letting us tear your house apart!

It was alright though, Ella put on her heels and got right to work cleaning up after the chaos.

Everything was perfect from the food..

.. to the company.

I am so blessed to have so many great people in my life. Getting older isn't so bad when you are surrounded by those you love.

B-day Cake

I have SO much to catch up on. I have been keeping pretty busy with my new job, but am dedicating myself to scheduling posts for the upcoming week. Starting with my birthday fun. I realized my blog and really my only source of journaling is suffering, So I will see you back here Monday. Happy "Oscars" Weekend!

One Word

If I were going to sum up 2010 in one word, I think I would choose CHAOS. It was one hectic year. So my goal for 2011 is to make my word BALANCE.

A lot has changed in just these few short weeks of 2011. The biggest is that I have a new job. It is in a lot of ways way better than my last job. The only slight drawback is that I don't have all the free time to blog and edit pictures that I did before.

Part of my goal to become more balanced, is to put my priorities in order. Unfortunately last year I tried to do everything. Instead of doing the important things first and then letting the less important stuff come as I had time for it. Which really just means I was trying to do everything and was pretty much falling short every time. Which caused me to feel a lot of anxiety.

Anyway, I am going to do my best to blog as much as I can. But for now it might be a little sparse as I try to balance my life. (This week I had time to schedule a post a day.) Hope 2011 is going well for all of you. Mine has been an adventure so far. But more on that later.

Yo, Vinny!

Among everything else I'm doing. I am also photographing and editing like crazy. Did I mention I'm busy? I am currently editing pictures for a family I shot last weekend. One of the members is Vinny here. (He looks like a Vinny doesn't he?) I was cracking up as soon as I saw him parading out of the car like he was going to scope everything out and make sure it was on the up and up. I'm hoping after this weekend my life settles down and I can finally enjoy Christmas and get in the spirit of things. I fear lately I have been coming off as a bit of a Grinch. The good news is it's almost the weekend. And we get to celebrate my favorite person's birthday.

November is almost over!

I have been running around like crazy. Photographing, celebrating an early Thanksgiving with my family, prepping for our annual Christmas party, and getting ready for Thanksgiving with Bob's family.

I will be in and out this week. Here's the cute family I shot Saturday. The weather was crazy, but we had a blast. Happy Monday. I'm excited it's a three day work week!

Halloween Nostalgia

(That's me on the left with the cheeks.)

Last night I was at my parents house working out. Afterwards my brothers kids paraded around in their Halloween costumes. They were darling as a leopard, Cleopatra, and even Frankie's kid? Whatever that is. It got me thinking about when I was younger and so excited to dress up.

My mom always found or made me the best costumes. One year she made me a Rainbow Brite costume that was the envy of all the kids my age. (I wish I had a picture.)

This year I'm not sure if I will dress up, maybe just paint my face. There's just something about Halloween that seems to be for kids. As an adult it's fun, but never as memorable as when I was a kid running from house to house collecting candy, and parading around at school in my costume.

This year I am rededicating myself to Halloween. I'm determined to make it fun and memorable. I've already made finger cookies and delivered them to unsuspecting people. But more on that later. I love this time of year. It's the perfect weather outside, and a dollop of excitement in the air.

I'm just sad that before we know it, it will be Thanksgiving, Christmas, and then the New Year. Time sure has sped up since I've been an adult. And next year I will be 28. 28? When did that happen? Shouldn't I be finished with school, have kids, and driving them to soccer by now? Oh to go back to the "Rainbow Brite dress up days". Well back to work, and being an adult.

My October To Do List

Yes, I was a blog slacker for the month of September. But now that it's October, I am feeling the excitement of the upcoming holidays and Fall weather. So excited in fact that I have composed a little list of what exactly I would like to accomplish this month..

01. Buy some mini pumpkins and turn them into cute little candle holders. (That Martha sure is one smart cookie.)

02. Open the windows, let that Fall breeze in, and do some Halloween decorating.

03. Watch a spooky movie.. not scary, just spooky. I'm not a fan of scary. I'm thinking something like Invasion or Identity.. just something to put me in the Halloween spirit.

04. Four words.. dinner in a pumpkin. (Ever since Bonnie introduced me to this yummy tradition five years ago, I have been wanting to make it.)

05. Carve and decorate me some pumpkins.

06. Sleep with my windows open, and go for walks outside at night when the weather is crisp.

07. Dig out my favorite clothing. Scarves, jackets, hats. I'm excited!

08. Listen to Monster Mash and Dead Mans party.

09. Drive with my windows down. There's something about not having to be air conditioned that I love.

10. Take a drive up the canyons to snap some Fall leaves pictures. (I can cross this one off my list. Aubrie and I decided to head up a couple days ago since the word on the street is that the colors won't be there for long. But more on that on Monday.

Happy October 1st everyone!

Whirl Wind Summer

Sorry I have been a little M.I.A. as of late. The Summer tends to be a crazy time. I just got back from a girls weekend in Park City, and next weekend we are wrapping up our summer get-a-ways with a Labor Day trip to a cabin in Idaho with family. I have loved Summer and all of its fun, but I'm also getting excited for a little Fall weather.

I will be back tomorrow with the August wrap up. I seriously can't believe it's almost September. Happy Monday!

My workplace..

Last week I had an opportunity to use three very different lenses at work. A wide angle, a macro, and a fish eye. So I thought this would be a great way to introduce you to where I work. The place I spend my time eight hours a day, forty hours a week, one hundred and sixty.. okay I think you get the idea.

I spend a lot of time at RepliColor. It's a professional photography lab, so I am surrounded by photography. I think that's a big part of the reason I have grown to love taking pictures, editing, and designing so much.

So let me show you my surroundings through my eyes and my camera..

Welcome to Replicolor. My name is Caitlin, and I'll be showing you around.

First let's take a walk outside..

My company recently changed locations. We are still in the city, but in more of an industrial area. That's okay, even though I look out my window to see this, I still have a great view of the mountains, and the funny guys out back at the Ferrari dealership trying to do tricks on their bikes, and occasionally biffing it. It provides me with plenty of entertainment in the afternoons when I tend to get a little bored. Back inside we go..

Plenty to see, let's keep moving. Lot's of textures, and details to take in..

Would you care for a taffy? They're fresh from the Taffy Town down the street. In fact on my way into work sometimes I can smell the flavor they are making that day. Grape's my favorite.

Well this is where I leave you, I better get back to work. Thanks for stopping by!

The lady on the horse.

Bob and I were checking out at Walmart this weekend, when the cashier said..

"Your hair. You look like that lady on the horse."

I didn't know what to say so I just smiled and said thank you. Then she persisted with..

"You know who I'm talking about right? The lady on the horse."

I looked at Bob, like maybe he knew. We both just smiled awkwardly and said we weren't quite sure who the lady on the horse was. The cashier then said..

"Gwen... you now Gwen.."

I interjected with Stefani? Although I knew in a million years no one would confuse me with her, and further more, had she ever even been on a horse?

That's when it came to her. "Guinevere."

I said thank you, even though she never said anything like "Your hair is so pretty, it looks like Guinevere's". I assumed it was a compliment, though a strange one. We thanked her and left. When we got out of ear shot, I just burst into laughter. I don't know why it struck me so funny, but I was dying. Maybe it was because she referred to her as the lady on the horse, as if that was something we would all know right off the bat, or maybe it was just a bizarre conversation. But it was the highlight of my evening.

Happy Monday! The sun is shining, it's a beautiful day. In fact it might be the perfect day for a horse ride.

My will..

So tomorrow we are hopefully going to figure out what in the world is happening with this belly of mine. As I was filling out my medical history form, it asked if I had a living will and testament. So if during this endoscopy for some reason they find a small alien camping out in my stomach, I guess I better be prepared.

Since I don't have time to get a real will in place, this will have to do..

Bob can have my hippo collection and the pink tree to remember me by.

My family can have Bob. (You'll have to share with the Selle clan, they are pretty fond of him too.)

And my friends can have my entire magazine collection. (That will make Bob happy since he is always yelling at me to throw them all away.)

Well that was easy. See you guys Monday... maybe ;)

Happy April 15th

I have been feeling ill as of late. Well really for the past month or so I have been feeling sick to my stomach. The doc says he needs to shove a camera down my throat to do some investigating. Hopefully this gets solved quickly.

Though I have been feeling pretty down and anxious about all the stuff that is swirling around in my life, (ie: car accident drama, nausea, neck pain, physical therapy) I am trying to stay positive. Some good things that are off setting the bad crap..

- We are officially booked for a camping trip in Zions.

- Our office is all set up and organized.

- Bob has a job over the summer. (Thanks to some very great friends.)

Not to mention I have a really patient husband, and a fantastic support system of family and friends putting up with me. Hopefully after the endoscopy next week, I will be back to my normal self. And can kick this Eeyore funk.

Happy Tax Day!

Pop Quiz

While hiking on Saturday, Caitlin was..

a. behind the pack for the entire hike
b. wheezing, and wishing sweet death would take her
c. stopping as often as she could to "take pictures"
d. all of the above

(Maybe these pictures can help you decide..)

Now you see me..

Now you don't.

Boring.

Last night I had dinner with this cute mama, and this cute mama to be. We were talking about how boring we have gotten. And how tired we get lately. Well I feel like they have excuses. I mean one has a baby. And the other one is pregnant. So it's probably hard to get wild and crazy. But what's my excuse?

I don't have one. I remember I used to be able to stay up until three in the morning and it wouldn't even faze me. And I thought getting dressed up and partying all night was fun. Now it sounds like a chore. It's not like I'm 86 and my joints are hurting. I'm only 27.

So does this mean I will be boring for the rest of my life and continue to get more and more tired and boring the older I get? Because I'm telling you right now that at this rate, I am going to be 30 and trying to make it to the Sizzler for early bird dinners.

Maybe it's time to join a fight club or train to climb Mount Everest? On second thought, that sounds like too much work.. maybe it's time I just embrace the 90 year old in me, and take up needle point. I hear it can get pretty intense with those sharp needles. And I am clumsy enough to make it interesting I'm sure.

Hi, my name is Caitlin, and I may be addicted to blogging.

Confession: I miss my blog. I miss posting adventures, anecdotes, pictures, randomness.

Confession: Lately I haven't felt like blogging. My life has been chaotic, and boring all at the same time, and I haven't felt inspired.

But lately I feel like life is getting back on track a bit. And I am hoping to get back to posting more often. Maybe not every day. (I wouldn't want to bore you.) But I am feeling a bit more inspired. Maybe it's the sun that's peeking out from behind those clouds. Maybe it's that my work is at a new location, and lets that sun in more. Whatever it is, I like it.

So your google reader may start to see more from simplycaitlin. It may just be random babbling, but at least I will be back to journaling (my spell checker is demanding this isn't a word, but that's not going to stop me from using it) , since I am the worst at keeping a real journal.

Any who, just thought I would share my thoughts. We're headed to Moab this weekend, and can't wait! I need some time to recharge. I will be back Monday with loads of things to talk about I'm sure. Hope every one's weekends are fantastic.

p.s. Do you have google reader? It's the bomb.

Just one of those crazy months.

Sorry I have been a little M.I.A as of late. There has been a lot going on, and not much time to blog about it. I plan to rectify that soon. So much to talk about and pictures to post. In the mean time, I hope all is well with you. Happy almost Friday!

Never thought Monday could look so good..

It was a hard weekend. But we got through it. And even managed to celebrate my birthday and Valentines. Thanks to everyone for the birthday wishes and support. I'm glad it's a new week. Happy Monday!