the "Jen Boot"

Part of the duties at my job is trying on the shoes we will be selling in upcoming seasons to make sure they are comfortable, fit well, etc. Last summer I was brought the most amazing boot to try on...it was love at first sight. I was so in love that it became known as the "Jen Boot". 2 pairs later (thank you discount!), I'm still wearing them. My sister is a photographer and I got to be her model the other day and she took this amazing picture of the Jen Boot. When I get home from my trip I'm going to blow this up and put it in my shoe closet (that is, if I have a shoe closet...).

Role Models

My dad called me yesterday. He made me repeat after him, "I am NOT going on a mission trip. I am a short term missionary." I am quitting my job, leaving my family and friends and giving a year of my life to God and letting him do whatever he wants to do with it. I AM A MISSIONARY!!

My grandma was a missionary. She sent me this picture after my last post about travel clothes...her friend, Glenna made her this skirt and she said it was perfect for Africa! Looks like I'm going to have to call up Glenna and see if she can make me one too.














At one point I was talking with Grandma about my year of mission work and I asked her, "What if I get malaria??" Nonchalantly, my grandma replied, "Oh you'll be fine, I've had malaria twice." TWICE?! And she's still alive and kicking it! My grandma trusts God with her life and every aspect of her life...what an inspiration! My grandma has always been an amazing woman of God and has been an incredible role model throughout my life. And now I get to be a missionary like her! My year will be spent in 11 countries while my grandma spent a couple years in Nigeria, Africa but nevertheless, we are both missionaries.

Another person I am inspired by is a girl I went to college with. I wasn't great friends with Suzanne in college and I can't say we're close now, but I stumbled onto her blog yesterday and learned a great deal about the woman of God that she has become. She is so open about her faith and excited to share with everyone...I wish I was more like this! Check out her blog. I'm sure you'll be inspired as well.

So, THANK YOU Grandma Lynn and Suzanne Thompson! You have both been role models in my life...I'm excited to be a missionary like you, Grandma and to begin to share my faith like you, Suzanne. And THANK YOU to God for bringing these amazing women in my life!

Travel Clothes

Seeing as though I will be living out of a pack that I have to carry on my back for 11 months, my wardrobe is going to be extremely limited. This could be quite difficult to pick seeing as though I have a Carrie Bradshaw-style closet that is bursting at the seams. It'll be good for me, though.

I've been trying to figure out exactly what to bring...it needs to be light, something that can't get extremely wrinkly, versatile, and of course...cute! Any ideas??

Here are a few skirts I am hoping to buy...the annoying thing is good travel clothes aren't cheap! Oh well...I guess when you're wearing the same 3 skirts and 5 shirts for a year it won't matter if they're a bit on the expensive side.

The cranberry one is a Patagonia Vitaliti Skirt the black one is a PrAna Sunburst skirt. I love them both. :)

Thoughts on good travel clothes anyone?!

Shipping Season!

Shipping season officially started here in Duluth! I love shipping season...yeah, I know, a weird thing to love but whatever. So anyways, I ran Monday morning and I got to the bottom of the hill and saw a ship! The sun was rising and I thought I could get a beautiful picture so I bolted back up the hill (mind you this is 2 blocks and one of the steepest blocks in Duluth...so it was a slow bolt), got my camera and bolted back down the hill to the pier. Sadly, by the time I made it to the pier the sunrise was already over.















So, I snapped a few photos and started to head back to my apartment and then I saw the ship moving! It was coming through the harbor! Oh what a glorious morning. :) So I waited for the ship to come through, waved at the sailors (like a tourist), took a few more photos (again very touristy of me) and ran back home. Needless to say I was late to work. It's a good thing my manager is cool.

So here are the pictures I got...none of them are stunning but fun nonetheless. Oh and I have to mention yesterday was my sister's 29th BIRTHDAY! Lucky for her she's in San Diego so I didn't get to see her on her birthday. HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY SISTA!! I LOVE YOU!

the itsy bitsy spider

Matea and I had the most fun Easter drive EVER...




and let me just tell you my niece is SMART. :)

I heart your bike

So I've been a terrible blogger lately. Please forgive me. I'm working on another blog these days so feel free to check it out. It is my World Race site. Check it out here.

A while back I found these I heart Your Bike tags to stick on bikes that you like. They look like this:















My friend Karley and I used to ride our bikes to the beach on Park Point and we saw some very sweet bikes throughout the summer. When I found these tags I was SO excited to make something similar to these for this summer. Well, Karley had a birthday and her friend Mary sent her a pack of these tags!! She gave me one yesterday and I am extremely excited to put them on fun bikes this summer. Aren't the fun?!

Head Scarves

Head scarves are my fave. And they allow you to not do your hair which is always a plus. :)

And soon I will have long hair so then it will be even more fun!

Image courtesy of teen vogue