June 14 // Family Reunions.

Today was a day of Klein family reunions.

It started this morning when I found my Grandpa Charlie's Kodak Retina IIa camera in my closet (he died when I was 1 yr old so this is really special). My Grandma Amy gave me this camera last summer and I'm not sure why I never tinkered around with it then, but today I opened the back of the camera and publicly freaked out when I saw that it takes 35 mm film. (rather than something that stopped being made 30 years ago).
My dad & I jumped in the car and went to pick up some film so I could (with the help of G. Charlie's light meter) start taking photos with his camera.
It's amazing being able to use the camera that my Grandpa took all my dad's childhood photos with (and it's amazing that it still works after all this time).


The reunions continued this evening when my cousin, Lindsey and her boyfriend, Tommy, came over for dinner. I haven't seen her since my Uncle Gary's wedding 9 years ago so it was really awesome to hang out, reminisce and catch up on these past 9 years. I'm really bummed that I forgot to get a picture with Lindsey, so the cameras are all you have from me today...

("Charles Klein" is engraved in the camera's leather case)

(This is the light meter that G. Charlie used with this camera)

June 13 // Facing My Fear of Horses....

Ever since I was little, I have had a huge fear of horses.
There's something about their size and the fact
that I've been bucked off on several occasions
that has made me an anti-horse person.
BUT
Today I had to face my fear and do a horse photo shoot
in an open pasture with about 15 horses surrounding me.
The 2 above are Mystic & Diego; the subjects of my shoot.
Their owner, Lynne works with my dad & asked me
to shoot some current pics for her.
The shoot went great (after my heart stopped pounding)
& although I still have a fear of horses,
they gave me a good experience to erase a couple bad ones.

June 12 // Welcome to Springfield.

Mom & I drove to a small town called Springfield
to go Antique shopping today.

After driving into the middle of nowhere,
we turn on Main Street & start laughing at how not-so-main this street really is.
The 6 shops we came to see were all closed down (go figure).

But we could have gotten our hair done at Milady's....

Luckily, down the street we found the Antique Barn
which is big enough to fit 12 antique stores in it.
It was great.

June 11 .

Nashville doesn't believe in public restroom toilet seat covers.
Gross.

June 10 / So Long, Farewell.

Hunter left for Denver to embark on an adventure with Lenny.
My dad was really sad to see him go.
(and Hunter was sleepy?)

June 9---Lightening Bugs!

The lightening bugs (fireflies) are finally out!!
I wish I could get a photo of them flashing in our backyard (to show you what all the excitement is about) but after spending 10 minutes trying to take the photo right as they flash, this was the best I could get (they're pretty ugly up close)...

June 8---Netflix.

Since my parents have been working a lot this last week, Hunter & I have spent many of our afternoons (including this one) enjoying my 1 free month of unlimited Netflix...

June 7---YUMMM.

This is the Pancake Pantry
and no matter what day of the week
it is there is always a line that raps around the building.
The pancakes are DELICIOUS. geez person.

June 6---Spring Awakening.

Spring Awakening is in town (kind of).
Hunter & I decided to drive to Kentucky (2 hours away) today to see the play.
I wish we could have seen the entire thing,
but no one told us that the time changes somewhere along the way
& so we were 45 minutes late (thinking we were early)...

June 5---Way To Go Mom!

My mom's been working like a horse the last few days preparing for a huge test required for her new job. After feeling like she was in college again with late nights of studying & not enough caffeine, she called us today with the good news that she got 100% on the test!
WAY TO GO MOM!

June 4---More Favorites.

The difference between porches in CA & porches in TN are the screens that protect you from being eaten alive by Nashville's array of mosquitoes.

This is currently my favorite room in our house.
You get the benefits of being outside, but you don't have to deal with the nasty bugs!

June 3---That Southern Weather.

Tonight as I was jogging home (me jogging...I know, hard to believe) I stopped to watch a storm that was lighting up the distant sky. As I ironically happened to be listening to "Southern Weather" by The Almost (big shocker..) the thunder got closer and suddenly began pouring buckets of water all over me.
That is my most favorite thing about Nashville. Southern rain storms will never ever get old.

June 2---The Almost.

The Almost is one of my favorite bands, and seeing them tonight is that much more of a big deal because I have unsuccessfully seen them about 4 times over the last 3 years.

My train of bad luck began when Matt & I were supposed to see them play with Paramore in LA, 3 years ago, but for some reason canceled their set in the last minute.
Then, last summer, they went on tour with one of my other favorite bands, Envy On The Coast.
BUT,

the tour started in Seattle after I had already moved back to California,

then they played in California while I was visiting my fam in Tennessee,
and then, of course, they made their way to Tennessee after I had already left and gone back to California.

FINALLY, tonight, our schedules matched up and Hunter & I got to see them perform a rare, 1 night only show, because they're in town recording their next album.

They were awesome and the night got even better when I got a picture with Aaron Gillespie (the lead singer of The Almost & drummer of Underoath) !!! It was kind of really exciting even if I do sound like a pathetic, celebrity crazed teenager.

June 1---My New Room.

With only a 3 hour & 40 minute flight, Hunter & I safely arrived in Nashville, greeted by my mom and cloudy, cool weather (it's supposed to rain in the next few days--YAY!)

While I was gone, my dad finished painting my room, so I was very excited to come home and see it all put together. It's VERY yellow!

May 31---"On This Day...."

While Hunter, Logan & I took the kids to see "Up",

my Aunt & Uncle enjoyed their new, almost completed
backyard patio. On our way to the movie, Landon
asked Hunter, "On this day (his alternate way of saying today)
can you go with me if my have to go potty. I to yittle, I could get yost"

May 30---A Few Photos From Matt's Graduation....

(Brenda Schlenker: Matt's graphic design teacher)

(Matt's best friend, Matt Kwa & Hunter)

(Graduation party)

(To The Moon & Back performing at the party)
www.myspace.com/tothemoonandbacktwice

(Kate & Matt)

May 29---Matt's Baccalaureate Day.

Tomorrow is Matt's graduation
so traditionally, tonight was the baccalaureate ceremony.
Matt was excited as he is 1 day closer to graduating
& I was excited to see old friends from my graduating class.

(Matt & his parents)

(Matt & 2 of his best friends, Matty J. & Sam)

(My bff Mary)

(2 of my close friends from high school, Collin & Brandon)

May 28---Moving (Again).

Today was the day I move out of the storage unit & into our new apartment.
Luckily Kate was home, Hunter was visiting and Matt was done with school so I could steal them for the day to help me move my belongings...

May 27---Becoming a Professional Picture Framer

Matt saved a long, skinny, & green painted
frame from being tossed in the trash
and told me if I could find something
to frame in it, he would help me do it.

So, after packing up my dorm last week
and finding my book of Polaroids,
I decided they were the perfect thing to frame.