When I saw this shirt on sale at Old Navy, I knew I had to have it (thanks for the gift card Brandi)! Not only have Shay and I visited the top three cities listed, but those are the last three international trips we've been on together... IN. THAT. ORDER. Weird, right? So as you've now figured out, Rome is next! We leave the day after Shay's 30th birthday, in exactly one week! ...
Read MoreThere’s a social media challenge making its way around the interwebs called the #loveyourspouse challenge. For 7 days you’re supposed to post pictures with your spouse and tag someone else who is married to keep the celebration of love going...
Read MorePatricia and Joe got married on July 1st, 2016 at the Cook County Courthouse in Downtown Chicago. The ceremony was simple and intimate, with just a handful of loved ones surrounding them as they committed their lives to one another...
Read MoreA few weeks ago I did a little Mother's Day photo shoot for this sweet duo. I had so much fun capturing what everyday life is like in their home. They played, they cuddled, and showed me what it truly means to have a lazy Sunday...
Read MoreI got back from my service trip to Honduras about six weeks ago (previous trip posts here & here). Since returning, the eMi staff has been working hard to QA/QC the Concept Plans our design team prepared for the CAFFIN (Centro Asistencial de Formación Familiar Integral) project in Siguatepeque, and now I'm so excited to finally share what we worked on while we were there! ...
Read MoreOver the weekend Jerry, Dina, and my baby niece, Lucy, came down from Milwaukee to visit. It was beautiful on Saturday, so we strolled (pun intended) around the neighborhood where we got the most delicious toast at Bunny and some fresh juices from City Press. After that we spent the afternoon at our cousin's house where people came from far and wide to meet Lucy. Seriously, it was quite the turn out! Then, on Sunday we went to Church and patio hopped all afternoon - IN TANK TOPS AND SHORTS. Sorry for the all caps, I got a little excited there. (Summer is coming!) ...
Read MoreAfter weeks of struggling to find the right song to accompany my Honduras video, I turned to Shay and simply said "name me an artist", and he replied "Ben Rector". When I searched his name on Spotify, the first song that popped up was "Brand New". I knew immediately it was the right fit! (And once again I was reminded of my husband's excellent taste in music, one of the many reasons I married him. Shay, are you reading this?) ...
Read MoreHappy Easter everyone! It’s hard to believe I got back from Honduras exactly one week ago! The whole experience has been a whirlwind, and even coming back to my “normal” life in the U.S. has been an adjustment I wasn’t prepared for...
Read MoreI’m leaving for Honduras in 9 days! It’s hard to believe I first posted about this trip 6 weeks ago. I'm still fundraising and have raised about 70% of my goal. The cost for me to go to Honduras and donate my civil engineering design services is approximately $2,050...
Read MoreEverything on earth has it’s own time and it’s own season. Ecclesiastes 3:1
I read a statistic once that people spend an average of 10 months of their lives talking about the weather. In some parts of the world where the temperature is predictable day to day this may seem outrageous. As a Chicagoan, this statistic is believable. In just one week we've experienced multiple seasons and drastic weather conditions...
Read MoreI went to the Phoenix Botanical Garden my first semester at ASU on an assignment for one of my architecture classes. When I was 18, I had no interest in spending my free time taking pictures in the desert. Flash forward 10 years later... I'm now an architecture drop-out, turned amateur photographer, who loves spending time outdoors taking pictures. Funny how things change! ...
Read MoreMany times when people come over they compliment me on my decor (which I absolutely love!). The truth is, all my home decorating can be credited to Pinterest, Google, and the various home furnishing catalogs that come in the mail. I'm not so good with a blank canvas or going with my gut on design decisions. But, I'm really good at identifying what I like, and then copying the look as best I can...
Read MoreI’ve never blogged about my career. To be honest, there usually isn’t a whole lot say. However, today I have something to share that’s close to my heart. It’s requiring me to be a lot more vulnerable than I usually am, but exciting things can happen when you step outside of your comfort zone - so here it goes! ...
Read MoreKelly has been one of my best friends for the past 13 years, and each year we grow closer and closer. We have been through so much together, and I'm so excited to stand with her as she says her vows to Dominic on May 21st! ...
Read MoreBy the time 2014 came to and end, Shay and I had already done a lot of chasing. For this reason, last year we decided to keep our New Year's Eve plans simple. We made last minute reservations (literally, called a BYOB sushi place at 4:00 to reserve a table...
Read MoreThis year was a Christmas of "firsts". It was the first time I didn't spend the night at my parent's house and wake up Christmas morning in my hometown. It was the first time our family spent Christmas Day at the Lake in Wisconsin. It was my first time visiting a hospital on Christmas Day...
Read MoreThis time last year we were getting ready to welcome baby Scarlett into the world, and I was taking maternity photos for my sister Brandi. Now, we're getting ready (literally any day now) to welcome another Hackel baby into the family. This time, Dina & Jerry are expecting ...
Read MoreAbout a year ago Shay and I were getting ready for our 10 day trip to Berlin & Paris. That was our 2nd big international trip, and the first time we traveled to two countries back-to-back. I learned a lot while planning and executing that trip. A lot of what we learned has since become a standard...
Read MoreOver Labor Day weekend I went camping with my husband, my brother Jerry, and my sister-in-law Dina. We spent 3 nights at the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. We camped at Twelve Mile Beach, hiked 9+ miles along 200’ cliffs...
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