I thought it might be fun to (attempt to regularly) share some things that make me happy. Maybe you'll take a moment to think about some things that made you happy today... or last week. Maybe this will get me to pay attention more to when I'm happy. Maybe I'll share something that you didn't know about and then it can make you happy too. Or maybe this idea will end up being lame. Or maybe it won't. ;) Here it goes...
polar bears | a few weeks ago my niece and I participated in a really fun class at the como zoo called "Polar Nights and Northern Lights". It was an overnight class -- so yes, we slept at the zoo, but the polar bears were securely tucked away for the night. ;)
elvis radio | I recently discovered Elvis Radio on my satellite radio. All Elvis, all the time! I also discovered that if I'm crabby when I'm driving, I just need to turn on Elvis Radio and within minutes I'm car-dancing to Elvis. You truly can't help but feel happy.
lawn mowers that start | I learned that running out of oil (my fear, so I keep adding oil), can be as bad as putting in too much oil. Opps. So this week I learned all about draining oil, spark plugs and air filters. And I successfully fixed the mower. And I won't make that oil mistake again!
canoeing | this past friday I took my annual canoe trip with my friend Jandeen. (Well, we call it a trip even if it's just from Taylors Falls to Osceola.) :) I love that this has become a tradition for us! And this year we had perfect weather. Everything about the day was perfect.
air conditioning | I think this one speaks for itself.
I didn't take very many photos on our zoo adventure, but here are a few. It was so cool to be at the zoo without crowds of people. It was almost like the animals were happy to see us. Oh, and that's Jocelin pretending to be a polar bear -- she was kind of a bear at bedtime. ;)
polar bears | a few weeks ago my niece and I participated in a really fun class at the como zoo called "Polar Nights and Northern Lights". It was an overnight class -- so yes, we slept at the zoo, but the polar bears were securely tucked away for the night. ;)
elvis radio | I recently discovered Elvis Radio on my satellite radio. All Elvis, all the time! I also discovered that if I'm crabby when I'm driving, I just need to turn on Elvis Radio and within minutes I'm car-dancing to Elvis. You truly can't help but feel happy.
lawn mowers that start | I learned that running out of oil (my fear, so I keep adding oil), can be as bad as putting in too much oil. Opps. So this week I learned all about draining oil, spark plugs and air filters. And I successfully fixed the mower. And I won't make that oil mistake again!
canoeing | this past friday I took my annual canoe trip with my friend Jandeen. (Well, we call it a trip even if it's just from Taylors Falls to Osceola.) :) I love that this has become a tradition for us! And this year we had perfect weather. Everything about the day was perfect.
air conditioning | I think this one speaks for itself.
I didn't take very many photos on our zoo adventure, but here are a few. It was so cool to be at the zoo without crowds of people. It was almost like the animals were happy to see us. Oh, and that's Jocelin pretending to be a polar bear -- she was kind of a bear at bedtime. ;)
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http://www.krystenhalek.com/2010/08/things-that-make-me-happy-sleeping-with-the-polar-bears.html
My main motivation to pull this image out of the "archives" (and scan it) is because this little guy, Brady, is graduating from high school this year! I've known Brady's family for over 20 years. Starting in high school they became like a second family to me. They did so much for a girl they had no obligation to, and I'm forever amazed and thankful. I was living with Brady's family the summer he was born, the summer before I left for college. So to think he is graduating is crazy. :) I think this photo is how I most picture Brady though. You know how you can freeze someone in time (even when you've seen them since).
This photo... I had signed up for an Intro Photography class just because I wanted something more in my life, something fun - I didn't have any thoughts or expectations it would be more than that at the time. I took this image for one of our class assignments. I've always felt this was my first "real" photo. At the time I didn't know where I would go with photography - that I would go anywhere and certainly not what form that would take. But funny enough, looking at this photo, it was always in there and somehow I knew it all along. I should have paid more attention and saved myself a little time. ;)
This photo... I had signed up for an Intro Photography class just because I wanted something more in my life, something fun - I didn't have any thoughts or expectations it would be more than that at the time. I took this image for one of our class assignments. I've always felt this was my first "real" photo. At the time I didn't know where I would go with photography - that I would go anywhere and certainly not what form that would take. But funny enough, looking at this photo, it was always in there and somehow I knew it all along. I should have paid more attention and saved myself a little time. ;)
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http://www.krystenhalek.com/2010/05/my-first-real-photo.html
When Doug Mientkiewicz played for the Twins I was a huge fan. I didn't cross the line to stalker, but let's just say I was definitely a fan. :) So needless to say, I was sad when Doug had to leave the Twins. I kind of kept track of him as he moved from team to team. Then he fell off the radar. Well, I heard this past week that Doug is officially retiring from baseball. I hope it's not too sad for him. Since I was thinking of him this week, I thought it would be fun to pull out some old photos from my "doug mientkiewicz days" to share. (These were pre-digital so I had to scan them; please excuse the quality).
Fenway, August 11, 2002.
Spring Training, Ft Myers, 2003.
Fenway, August 11, 2002.
Spring Training, Ft Myers, 2003.
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http://www.krystenhalek.com/2010/05/doug-mientkiewicz.html
It's Brandi Carlile time again! I'm sitting here trying to come up with new ways to express the awesomeness that is Brandi Carlile -- but really you just need to experience it for yourself. And lucky for all of us, Brandi is coming to the State Fair Grandstand on August 29th! Tickets go on sale this Saturday. If you go to the concert (and you should) I'd love to hear what you thought of it. Seriously, you will love it! Hopefully I can get some new Brandi photos at the show (some of you will recognize these photos from the old blog).
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http://www.krystenhalek.com/2010/05/have-i-mentioned-that-i-love-brandi-carlile.html
Happy Birthday Jos!
Today my cute, smart, funny, kind, strong, resilient, energetic, creative, vegetable-hating, ketchup-loving niece turned 10. I'm so proud to be her auntie.
p.s. I love an excuse to celebrate with balloons and these photos make me love balloons even more!
Today my cute, smart, funny, kind, strong, resilient, energetic, creative, vegetable-hating, ketchup-loving niece turned 10. I'm so proud to be her auntie.
p.s. I love an excuse to celebrate with balloons and these photos make me love balloons even more!
2 comments so far
Annamay says:
I love these pictures! I can't believe she's so old! I remember when she was your baby niece....
(04.09.10 @ 11:33 PM)
Nancy says:
Same here... I remember her as a very young toddler... she is so cute!
(05.25.10 @ 11:10 PM)
http://www.krystenhalek.com/2010/04/happy-birthday-jocelin.html