too long. too old. HA!

It's been too long since I've posted something for you. I do have an excuse! I've been in NYC celebrating my 24th with my "old college buddies" who are scattered around Brooklyn, the Village and the lower East side. I had an amazing time catching up with everyone and walking around the streets with my newest addition to the camera crew....my Holga. It was my cheapy present to myself that arrived right before I left for the airport and I am so anxious to see how the shots came out. I've been shooting strictly digital for a number of years now and must admit I'm VERY accustomed to an immediate result. How did I ever manage to take pictures before? Faith, I guess. My new, little camera was a hit at the birthday parties as it looks like something from a G.I. Joe episode. I'll include a picture later.

For now I'll leave you with a cool piece that I think fits perfectly with the "getting older" birthday theme I've got going on here...and to top it off with tying it into this past weekend, I found it on the New York Times. Enjoy!


Living My Life Faster - 8 years of JK's Daily Photo Project from c71123 on Vimeo.

a FABulous evening downtown

Wow. What a fantastic dinner party! My ol' friend Lizzie threw a dinner party at her place last night to celebrate her 25th birthday. She's had a lot to celebrate lately and it certainly showed in last night's festivities. Dips, dumplings, chicken and biscuits greeted guests as well as her always welcoming grin. I was really impressed with the way she handled all of her guests and made sure all the food was prepared perfectly. I certainly would've been a frazzled mess, smoke detector buzzing, food in flames and my guests finding the nearest Olive Garden. When did we become big kids? So, thank you Lizzie for a fabulous night! I got a chance to meet some new faces and see a few familiar ones, too. You pulled it off and were fantastic! Happy happy!



Tanner and Jenny enjoy some of the delicious appetizers Lizzie prepared. Sweet potato dumplings! MMM.



Lizzie's guests milling around to awesome jazz or calypso or whatever that awesome music was.



Lizzie, Tanner and Jenny being fab with a glass of champagne.



Lizzie and her mom, who was looking great! and Lizzie's new boyfriend, Andrick.



Why is it everyone always hangs out in the kitchen at parties? Jenny's mom looks a bit suspicious, what's she up to? :)



Time to open presents!



Jane has the champagne pass down pat.



Roomates Lizzie and Van Horn look a tad surprised - did you not see me coming? :)

Thanks again Liz!

Up next -- Haunted Forest with Charlie!

Charlie is 5!

Time to get caught up a bit. My step-neph Charlie rang in his fifth year with a great party at his new home. There was tons of cake, balloon popping races, bobbing for apples and of course...presents! He even got a cool grabber toy (see below) just like the one my brother got when he was a kid. Awesome. Can I be 5 again?





Charlie is looking fierce with his cool, new grabber toy.



Charlie wants to compare digital cameras with me...I wish mine was as compact as his.



Hardcore competition in the apple bobbing game. These kids weren't kidding around.



Such a ham...



Uh oh, someone popped all his balloons...



Charlie getting crafty in the bobbin' for apples game...



The boys completely took over the game. Can you tell we have some sport fanatics here?



Nice... looking pretty pleased with himself.



Breaking out in a funky apple bobbing dance...the girls aren't impressed.



Nice bob, Dylan.


Coming up next...Fourth of July Fireworks! (yeah, I'm really getting caught up now)