Pretty Paper...

Remember how you were going to send out Christmas cards last year - and remember how you didn't? I'm teaming up with Kelli from CK Photo to make some badass Christmas cards for anyone who feels like beating the hustle and bustle of the holidays!

Shoot me an email if you feel like getting some more deets! abby.lynn.raber@gmail.com

Happy Thursday!

Growing Up

There are so many people that are growing up around me.

Sometimes I wonder if people think that I'm growing up?

Nearly 76.2% of my friends are married.

Out of those 76.2% - I'd say 45.333333333% are with child, having a child or thinking about children.

How do you judge growing up? Is it an age? Is it owning a house? Is it having a steady job? Is it having a significant relationship with another human being? Is it finally obtaining the house with the white picket fence and 2.5 children? Is it owning your own business? Is it traveling the world?

Whoa - this is way more serious than I want it to be.

I originally set out to write this post about my best friend and her new baby - Anna, growing up. She's two months now. Since Lauren lives in Alberta, Canada - I get to watch Anna grow up via Skype & pictures. Thank God for Skype. But, I was blessed with her getting to come home 2 weeks ago and I made the 5 hour trip to go see my best friend's baby. And of course see Lauren, Brandon, Amy & Tom - but Anna was the main event.

I think there were multiple times that I had flashbacks of meeting Lauren for the first time at Purdue. Or having flashbacks of us complaining about class, going to get Den Pops, complaining about boys, drinking (kool-aid of course), or watching re-runs of Sex & The City on that infamous purple futon. Regardless, when I step back and look how Lauren has grown into an incredible wife and now mom - I tear up. I'm so proud of her.

Okay, enough sappiness.

I designed Anna's birth announcements and tried my hand at snapping some family photos with my trusty Nikon D5000. It's even crazy to me to see how much she's grown up in those 2 short months! I can't imagine how Lauren feels!

Take a peek!

It's easy to photograph people when they are so darn cute.

TGIF, Friends!!

Grandpa Barry is 80 going on 50!

Okay, so I have two things to celebrate. I can celebrate on a Thursday, right? #1 - that I'm taking the time to blog! And #2 - I checked and I've had 14,746 views as of today. Wow. Me? People have actually looked at this 14,746 times. I don't believe it. Now, I know that is probably an extremely small number compared to eh, let's say Google!? Holy cow - I bet they get 14,746 views every second. Maybe even more. Hey, but we all gotta start somewhere. :) 

I actually made this invitation back in July for my Grandpa Barry's surprise 80th birthday party that my granny had during our annual family vacation. I can honestly say that nobody else in this world deserved a surprise party more than my Grandpa Barry. He is one of the most brilliant, warm-hearted, fear-less, silent, loving, artistic man that I know. And, most importantly - he has the best thick head of white hair - it's manly gorgeous (if I can say that?). When I was younger and used to stay the weekend with Granny & Grandpa Barry, I used to love when I would get to hang out in the craft room with him. I can still smell the oil paints and see the almost finished canvas. He knew that I was a creative soul even before I did. He knew that I would much rather make giant tissue paper flowers than pretty much anything else. Grandpa Barry is one man that I'll happily sit six hours with painting pottery at 'Fired Up' - trust me, we've done it.

Happy 80th Birthday, Grandpa Barry. Cheers to many more winery tours with you! I love you.

See, I told you Grandpa Barry had a great head of hair! And check out my beautiful Granny!