Week in review: Courtesy of iPhone photo stream

I promised I would come back and blog. Promised. I refuse (at least for now) to ignore blogging just because nothing elaborate and exciting is happening. Although it probably is and I just don't want to tell you.

ANYWAY, I recently saw this slideshare on social media trends for 2013. A few things jumped out at me, but mainly the fact that more and more, pictures are telling our stories through Instagram and Pinterest. I have found more and more lately than when I'm telling a story, I often accompany it with a photo I took on my phone. Whether it's how my hair looked on my wedding day, what my grandmother's hometown in Germany looked like or what I found in the grocery store - I always find myself pausing in the middle of my oh-so-intrigueing tales to say, "Oh, oh, bare with me. I have a photo to show you," as I scroll through my iphone photos. I can ask my sister for advice on a purse, or get my husband's approval on dinner. I've found that I use it as the proof, the evidence, to my stories.

Ok, get to the point. Here's my week... month.. whatever in pictures. So exciting, I know.

Some things I knitted for a coworker who is expecting.

Our brief March Madness setup at home:

My beautiful passport photo that I freaked out about and showed to everyone.

Drawing/graffiti on the wall at the West End bar at Drake. Made me laugh.

I often use my phone to screen shot funny things I want to share. Like these hilarious pictures of when Tom Hanks found a kid passed-out-drunk on a table.

And a lovely comparison of what my husband sees from his balcony in California, where he is for a conference ...

... and what I see from my window at work today.

(sorry upside down - can't figure it out).

Did you enjoy that? Want me to keep doing it? I promise not to post super interesting things like this:

I hate it when this happens.. why haven't I deleted this?!?!

Anyway, what's up with you?

Dinosaurs wore green... sort of

Look at me actually keeping my promise and coming back here to blog.

What did you guys do this weekend for St. Patrick's day? I remember in college when we were so stoked to go out and find green beer. Today, not so much. And I won't even say I feel old for being lame. I just know what that green beer does to my system and ...  I'll pass.

Instead of drinking ourselves silly, my sisters, myself and my husband all went to the Science Center of Iowa to see Sue the dinosaur.

Here's a not so good picture that shows off her huge stature.

And here's a MUCH better one. This one really says, "RAWR" to me.

It was all pretty sweet and I recommend you go check her out before she leaves Iowa in May.

Also, Ryan and I have turned into tasmanian devils on our home today. We are in full-on spring cleaning mode and we LOVE IT! Old magazines, old clothes, old purses - GONE! We're filing all those loose papers and tossing anything we'll never touch. Feels great!

What do you do with things you're getting rid of? Does it all go straight to Goodwill? Do you straight up toss it all? Or, do you insist on selling every last dime's worth of it?

I am planning on doing a few things. First, my little sister gets her pick of anything she wants. Then, what I can I will donate to my animal shelters (blankets, toys, etc.), then Goodwill, THEN the trash (if it can't be recycled). Do you have any fun tips for what to do with life's leftovers?

Where have YOU been?!

Uuh, this is awkward. It's been nearly two years since my last blog post. I did give up on this blog, but had a random itch recently to give it some more love. I love reading (cough, stalking) everyone else's blogs and yearn to pour my own story all over you. I'll sum up my past two years in a few words and pictures. Then maybe in a few days we can get back to the grindstone and start exploring some obligatory nothingness.

Sound good? Enjoy.

We bought a house in 2011.

We got married in May, 2012. That one was pretty fun.

I had a pretty killer bridal shower party for said wedding.

I got a tattoo of said anniversary.

We went to Europe for our honeymoon.

I bought a bike. Rode the High Trestle Trail in the rain.
Combined with other factors, lost 30 pounds.

We hosted our fourth Thanksgiving dinner.
Our guests got to enjoy this.

I went to the Detroit Auto Show (partly for the Iowa BMW Club).

I also bought a new car, got a new job, landscaped the crap out of our yard, got new glasses for driving, I started judging high school speech competitions. I volunteer at two animal shelters, attend church every week, currently going through a Bible study. I'm planning an all-journalism reunion for April at Drake. We gained some new friends, lost some to the heavens and each day I get more happy with my life.

Whew.

I honestly think the Niki from 2 years ago would be very, very pleased. I cannot wait to see what will happen in the next two! I certainly have a lot up my sleeve, so buckle up!