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This month was jammed packed with amazing things! We hosted our 3rd annual 4th of July cookout. (which I didn't blog about.) We crammed 20 something people into our < 800 sq.ft apartment because if you haven't heard, Florida is now the most wet place in the U.S. Seems like it anyway, and it poured all.day.long the 4th. We watched fireworks the weekend after the 4th because of all the rain, and I forgot to share my pictures of that! I hosted a baby shower for my favorite person ever, Angela. (and haven't blogged about that either, YET.) Then we celebrated Dakota's birthday a few weeks early with a bakery themed party! (it just happened last weekend, so no, I haven't blogged about that either. ha)

I feel like I suck at blogging about events and things we do, but really it's not that at all. It's that I'm so busy having so much fun with my family that I sometimes forget to pick up any camera besides my phone. It's convenient, and sure, I wish I was more thoughtful about using my real camera but I don't want to be only enjoying the party behind the lens. You know? I actually do happen to have pictures of all of this that I just haven't shared yet, so....I will get to work on that immediately. 

Happy Friday! 

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According to Instagram, this looked like a good month, and I'd have to agree! These are one of my favorite posts to do each month. Also, July 1st? I cannot accept that the year is already half over!!

A few things that are apparent to me about this month: I tried a lot harder than last month. Also, I made quite a few dresses! Which means only one thing to me, all in all, it was a good month! 

April seemed to be a good month for a lot of people, but I am glad to say goodbye! Even though it seemed to go by super fast, it wasn't my favorite. I kind of slacked big time on taking pictures this month. Because it was such a hard month, I didn't find myself reaching for my phone to capture little moments as much as I would have liked. This month will be different! Even if life is hard, or I am feeling uninspired I will make a point to capture beautiful things.

 

FEBRUARY ACCORDING TO INSTAGRAM

 I love Instagram. It has sparked so many friendships, fulled so many craft ideas, and brought me countless bouts of inspiration. Last year I tried to commit to a 365 project and failed half way through. This isn't one      of those. But I do (usually) post at least one, if not two, photos on Instagram daily. Truth be told, I kind of love taking photos more on my phone than I do my actual camera because there are so many fun editing apps, beautiful filters and magical light leaks to be had! How about you? Are you a die hard DSLR user or an iPhoneographer? 

Photo Challenge Updates: week 6

We have all been super sick since last week. Bean and Dakota were sick first, and around Thursday I was feeling "it" in my throat, and by Saturday I started feeling pretty awful. When I get sick, I get sick. One of my favorite, but least favorite things is that my voice almost completely disappears. I hate talking, but I love that when Bean pinches my nose I sound just like Marcel the Shell! I'd like to think this is one of my more redeeming qualities. 

Anyway, I realize that I missed a few posts that I normally love to do: Songbird Saturday and the Photo Challenge updates. I did schedule a playlist for Saturday, because I had to be up before the sun for our craft show (more on that later!) but it didn't post. So I'll save that for next week and share my photo challenge updates with you! 

52 Weeks of Instax:  I chose to use my Instax mini this week, not only because I'm still intimidated by the Instax Wide, but also because it is a lot easier to put in my bag! We were getting cupcakes at one of our favorite places for Dakota's half birthday. She didn't waste any time getting that cupcake, because I snapped this as soon as Bean put the plate down! 

Photo a Day on Instagram:  1. Dinner // 2. Buttons // 3. Sun // 4. Front Door (I skipped this one, on accident of course!) // 5. Self Portrait // 6. Makes You Happy // 7. Inside Your Closet

This week was by far one of my favorites! Now excuse me while I go *attempt* to take some NyQuil and crawl into bed. Hope you had a great weekend! xo, Meghan 

Photo Challenge Updates: week 5

52 Weeks of Instax: Maybe this one is a little better, because the image isn't so blurry? But not so much better in the fact that, well, you can't see anything! Except the tree/skyline. Maybe they make a "How to shoot your 210, for dummies." 

January/February Photo a Day on Instagram: (@ahoynative) Number one is from last week (technically two weeks ago) because I couldn't save that image. The prompt was "what's in your fridge". 2. You, again. // 3. Your view // 4. Words // 5. Hands // 6. Stranger // 7. 10AM

You can see the previous weeks here: week one // week two // week three // week four

Are you participating in any type of photo challenge? I'd love to see! For me, it feels like a mini accomplishment every week being able to look back and see that I finished it. It's also nice that I will be able to potentially put this who year into a book, with Instagram photos. It's a nice way to stay on top of everyday life, when I normally wouldn't think to take a picture of whatever the prompt is. Love that! Sorry this was posted late, I didn't have my laptop yesterday. Happy Monday! xo, Meghan

Photo Challenge Updates: week 4

52 Weeks of Instax:  This picture, again, is out of focus! It's very hard to take close up pictures. I hope by next week I will have a decent one. I took this on Saturday. Bean and I took a little road trip to visit our wedding location (!!!!) (I'll talk more about this later!) and the town it's in happens to have the cutest/quaint/yummy 50's style diner called Izzo's Soda Fountain. We went there when I was pregnant and had the best chicken philly's, and so of course we had to go again. I tried to take a picture of how yum it looked but I have a feeling that this isn't very appetizing!

This week on Instagram: (@ahoynative) 1. Something Old // 2. Guilty Pleasure // 3. Something You Made // 4. Colour // 5. Lunch // 6. Light // 7. Inside Your Fridge (would not load on web.stagram so I'll share it next week!) 

I feel so exhausted tonight! I'm going to curl up in my soft blanket and watch svu with Bean. Happy Sunday! XO 

Photo Challenge Updates: week 3

52 Weeks of Instax: You're not getting tired of seeing these, are you? No? Well good! Because I'm having so much fun doing them. This time last year I was probably half way done with my 5 double packs of instax film! I wasn't kidding when I said I couldn't do the challenge because I used all my film in the first month! This week's photo is a sad attempt to capture the adorable bows I created Thursday night. (You can find them for sale here) Like I said last week, I'm still getting used to the camera so the picture is slightly-okay a lot-out of focus! Side note: I read a lot of reviews and posts about the 210 being hard to use, and for some reason I blew them all off. I kept blowing them off when I first got it, because it was so easy to capture people on film! However, I am biting my tongue now because it's down right HARD to get an image up close or of something other than a person!

This week on Instagram: (@ahoynative) 1. Morning // 2. Water (Somehow, I forgot to do this one!) // 3.Something you bought (or need to buy, in my case!!) // 4. Sweet // 5. Someone you love // 6. Reflection // 7. Your shoes

Hope you're having a lovely Sunday! xo, Meghan.

Photo Challenge Updates: week 2

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52 Weeks of Instax: Week two and I'm still going strong! I really wanted to take a picture of my cute tights, socks + boots combo today, but I'm still getting used to the Instax Wide...so you have a picture of my feet that I tried to make look better by writing on it. I'm breaking all the rules...! --- Also, isn't that fabric lovely? Bean took me to pick out some fabrics from Hobby Lobby on Saturday night  (Dakota was staying the night with Gigi!) and this was one of them. We came home and realized we had no idea what we were doing, but we did manage to thread the machine, improperly, and stitch a few lines. Sewing is so intimidating!  

This week on Instagram: (@ahoynative)  1. Your Routine // 2. Childhood // 3. Where you sleep // 4. Close Up♥  // 5. Whats in your bag // 6. What you're reading // 7. Happiness

This is turning out to be super fun! I wish you the most happiest of Sundays! xo, MB. 

Photo Challenge Updates *new Sunday feature*

So instead of participating in one photo challenge this year, I am participating in two! One being 52 weeks of Instax, and the other being #photoaday on Instagram (@ahoynative). I thought it would be fun to share the photos from the week here each Sunday. It will also help me remember to take the Instax ones if I have a place to share them! 

52 Weeks of Instax: I got this beautiful and lovely sewing machine from my sweet mama for Christmas. It's one of my goals this year to learn how to sew with it. I've had a lot of fun pulling out old fabrics I've held onto (in hopes of one day getting a gem like this) and creating a super cute/inspiring area that I'd like to work in. You can't see it all in this picture, but I'll share the entire space soon. It's so fun to look at! All I need to do now is get in gear and learn how to use it. Isn't she just the cutest little machine you've ever seen? Sorry, I'll stop gushing now, I'm kind of geeking out about it still. 

Photo A Day: (January) It's been fun to be challenged each day to take pictures of random things they tell you to. It's also really awesome to look through everyone elses' photos and see what they took and how they interpreted the prompt. 

Day 1. You// Day 2. Breakfast// Day 3. Something you adore// Day 4. Letterbox// Day 5. Something you wore// Day 6. Makes you smile// Day 7. Favorite// Day 8. Your Sky

Are you participating in any sort of Photo Challenge this year? If you're on Instagram, I'd love to follow you! Happy Sunday! xo, Meghan.