L A T E L Y

i. enjoying the nice spring weather. (before the cold front came in.)

ii. strawberries. thats all that needs to be said.

iii. coffee house drinks. also hanging out with those two crazies.

iv. first yotty's of the summer.

v. getting nostalgic over camp. also sad because this is the first year I can't be a camper.

vi. reading all the books in the world. currently searching for Margo with Quentin. PAPER TOWNS.

vii. finally getting to spend a rainy day inside with a book.


SIDE NOTE: I'm pumped to get this blog going again this summer. It's always been a creative outlet for me photography and writing wise and I'm super excited to start putting stuff on it again. Especially sharing all the things I haven't had time to share in the past months (like my trip to Colorado). Writing, photography and summer. It's gonna be good.

H O M E

The room known was 313 is sitting empty and still, as if no one had ever lived in it at all. The walls are bare, the closets empty and the floor clear. All that's left is the ghosts of memories of activity that took place inside of it.

Everything that was once inside 313 was loaded in a car, ready to be driven home. Removed from the car and placed in an office where it will sit in boxes  half way unpacked until August, when the cycle will start all over again.

It feels good to be home, but so strange at the same time. Everything is changing, but that's just the cycle of life.

F E B R U A R Y

it was summer. it was winter. it was every season in between. february couldn't make up its mind what it wanted to be.

there were threats of a blizzard, but it didn't show its face. a snow day was wanted, but instead, a day of classes took its place.

we wished for snow, yet hated the cold wind. and when it rained it poured and not a single person was dry.

midterms came and went and the realization came that there was only two months left to freshman year.
wasn't it only yesterday that we arrived? didn't we just start our first day of classes? wasn't it just christmas break? no one will ever know where the time goes.

an ache in the soul stirred to read a book. library cards were to be had. the shelves were scanned and books were picked up. it was time to dive into new places and discover new things.

the shortest month of the year, had many things hidden up it's sleeve. February may never be able to make up its mind whether it's spring or winter, but maybe it likes it that way.



"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing." 
-Helen Keller

J A N U A R Y.

the wind blew through out fingers. the temperatures fluctuated. the weeks seemed to move slowly. the air smelled of rain. jackets were zipped up one day and then left in the dorm rooms the next. it was winter one day, and spring the next.

new books were opened. pencil tips were broken. homework was assigned. it was the start of second semester. it was the start of round two.

things began to change. maybe for a while, maybe forever. friend bonds tightened. things could only go up from here.

the road to tulsa was driven. the walls were covered in paint. the streets were lined with people. the shops held unknown treasures. the sky held all the answers. the ground held all the songs.

we learned to live free in january. and january learned to break free of the stereotype.


"Be soft. Do not let the world make you hard. Do not let pain make you hate. Do not let the bitterness steal your sweetness." 
--- Kurt Vonnegut

2012 || the moments, the memories.

Twenty twelve. It's hard to believe it's almost over. Every time December 31st comes around I think to myself "where did the year go". The last week of the year is always filled with nostalgia. Going through photographs from the past year, and remembering the moments and what was going on in each photo brings memories rushing back. This is one of the reasons I love photography. I take so many photographs throughout the year and I often forget about most of them after a blog post/facebook album, but at the end of the year everything comes back.

This year, was one of the craziest yet. The first half was spent finishing up the senior year and the second half was my first semester of college and an amazing summer has smashed into the middle. I can only look back at twenty twelve and say "what a year." It wasn't all fun and games, I learned a lot of lessons and grew as a person. Twenty twelve was the year of change and discovery with hardships thrown in on the side. Twenty twelve is now a finished chapter, and Twenty thirteen is just waiting to be written.

"What I like about photographs is that they capture a moment that's gone forever, impossible to reproduce." | | Karl Langerfield 


JANUARY ||  the year started off in prayer and many weeks spent in waiting rooms. Being cooped up made me want to travel and that became the main topic of my January. 
FAVORITE POSTS: waiting room sunday // go somewhere 

FEBRUARY ||  February days were spent indoors and in libraries. Megan and I discovered boxes of old photos and took a journey down memory lane. I was busy preparing for a senior recital and a scholarship audition. Life seemed like a whirlwind and I was left trying to catch up. 
FAVORITE POSTS: remember when // thread of summer 




MARCH || The awkward, in-between winter and spring month. Biggest thing that happen was the Hunger Games premiere. It was the night everyone had been looking forward to. It was the first movie I ever saw three times in theater. March of 2012 will always be known as "Hunger Games" month. 
FAVORITE POSTS: flour in your face // surviving and enjoying a midnight premiere 101



APRIL || The month that spring comes. The month that kittens are born and flowers begin to grow. This is also the month, that for a senior in high school, means crunch time. ACT prep was in full-force when april came around, and graduation was so close I could feel it.
FAVORITE POSTS: on the dock // real 



MAY || Graduation month. May was a month of rushing around, making plans, practicing like a mad man and going through thousands of photos. I somehow made it through all the craziness and graduation came and went and I knew things were going to change soon. But, summer was "just around the river bend" (*grin* sorry, I had to). I was ready for those warm days.
FAVORITE POSTS: the coffee house // senior year: thoughts // graduation celebration  


JUNE || June. Every time I think about this month I can practically feel the warm summer breeze and the excitement for all the summer plans that were being made. June, not only was the beginning of the summer, but the beginning of camp season. Camp this year was phenomenal as always, and when it was over I was left feeling like a piece of my childhood was gone. Camp will never be the same for me again, but it will always be part of my life.
FAVORITE POSTS: senior week // intermediate week 




JULY || A month filled to the brim of summery things. Gatherings with friends happened often. Fourth of july we lit sparklers and watch the show of colors in the sky. Fair week we ate to many chocolate shakes and french fries and we were constantly covered in dust. My summer project of the year was 50 photos of summer. I remember thinking in July that I need to take one moment at a time because soon I would be at college away from everything at home. 
FAVORITE POSTS: fourth // fair week: 2012





AUGUST || The month everything changed. I celebrated my 19th birthday right before our family took a vacation to St. Louis. I moved into a dorm room down in Oklahoma and survived “earn your wings.” I went through so much in August. It’s hard to believe that was only four months ago... 
FAVORITE POSTS: so my sister's 19 // road trip: st. louis // earn your wings  

SEPTEMBER || I was in full college mode in September. Adjusting to the non-autumn-ness of Oklahoma and just trying to learn how college works. 
FAVORITE POSTS: dear september 



OCTOBER || College got crazy busy in October. I had just finished up Freshman Fanfare and the first music concerts of the year were coming up. Oklahoma still didn’t look (or feel) like October. I took my first trip to Wichita for fall break and had a blast. October was when I was finally grasping college life.
FAVORITE POSTS: perks of life v. ii 


NOVEMBER || I was flying home for Thanksgiving break, and ended up spending 15 hours in an airport because of a cancelled flight, but I made it home. Thanksgiving day was full of family time and food. It was wonderful to spend some time at home. 
FAVORITE POSTS: afternoon // thursday the 22nd



DECEMBER || I survived finals week and it was time for christmas break. I drove 11 hours to my home state and was welcomed with a blizzard a few days in. Time was spent with friends and family and it was a much needed break after the first semester of college. 
FAVORITE POSTS: home for the holidays // looking back: first semester 



TOPS OF 2012

SONGS            (most plays through the year)
+ hide and seek // imogen heap
+ up with the birds // coldplay
+ falling in love at a coffee shop // landon pigg
+ hopeless wanderer // mumford & sons
+ haunted // leagues

MOVIES
+ Hunger Games
+ Hobbit
+ Dark Knight Rises
+ Avengers
+ LES MIS ( go see this right now. like... go. now.)

S'long Twenty twelve, it's been a roller-coaster the past 366 days. Twenty thirteen, lets do this.

-m

2012 | favorite photographs