Are you wondering where all the pictures are?

Yeah, me too. I haven't had my camera out and about since I took pictures at a wedding for Lauren Mann Photography over Memorial Day weekend. It was a really great experience, and I feel like I learned an immense amount about photography and lighting over the entire day--pre-wedding, wedding ceremony, wedding reception, and post-wedding reception. I'd like to say that I took amazing pictures the entire day, but that would not be the truth. I'm still figuring out my photography strengths and weaknesses, and sometimes it's hard for me to know that I'm not where I'd like to be with my photography skills. It's hard for me to not be the best at everything I do because usually that means that I end up quitting after a while. I'm not going to quit photography; I don't think I'll ever quit my love for photography since it's been a passion of mine since I was a kid. However, the idea of me doing it as fully and completely as I would like to seems to be a further and further away ideal as I realize how much growing I need to do to become a "professional."

I am going to post a couple of the pictures I took at the wedding; however, I have not edited them at all. Additionally, they are official property of Lauren Mann Photography. I'm not sure which pictures of mine she used in the final batch for the bride and groom, so these pictures may not be reproduced or shared under any circumstances.

What does it mean to be an "adult"? (the quotes are very important!)

I have realized recently that any notions that I had as a kid of what adults are supposed to be like are completely shot. Mostly because I am an "adult" or at least I'm considered one by most standards, and I don't really see myself fitting into most cookie cutter situations that I considered very "adult-ish" as a kid.

School is out, and I still find myself with very little free time on my hands, which seems odd. Although I'm sure it's not very surprising to those of you who know me.

I am moving again. In October, I'll be moving back to Chapel Hill to rent a quaint 2 bedroom apartment that is attached to a huge mansion of a house. Mostly I hope it doesn't have mold, like I suspect my current apartment does. I am not a huge fan of moving. You may have already read that about me earlier in the blog. I've already moved once since I started this blog, and I haven't even been writing it for that long. I love my current apartment and really don't want to move; however, it's a must. I've had more issues with my current apartment in the past 6 to 8 months than I have had with any other place I have ever lived! It's insane really. (And insanity is exactly what I try to avoid...)

The general story goes something like this: move in, leaky windows, leaky windows supposedly get fixed, leaky windows still exist, leaky windows get "fixed" again, still have leaky windows, leaky windows finally get fixed about 2 or 3 months after I move in...I run into my neighbor and find out she has also had leaky windows and now has mold growing under them...I discover that I have mold growing on the bricks under my window too...they "spray" for mold but I'm not really sure what that means since I wasn't here to see the removal...my bathroom smells like sewage and they "replace" something that is supposed to fix it...every once and a while my bathroom still smells like sewage and the property manager insists that nothing is wrong (if only I could take a photo of the smell like I did of the hole in my floor)...they drill a big huge industrial size nail from the ceiling below up through my floor...then the next week the toilet floods while I'm in Winston-Salem on a field trip with my kids...apparently they fix the bathroom problem...Should I keep going?

A friend of mine is moving out of this quaint 2 bedroom place in October, which just happens to be when my lease will be up for renewal or expiration. It also happens to be around the time when I have a "fall break" for school, which of course seems like a great time to move. It's really all fallen into place too easily for me to ignore the signs: MOVE OUT OF THE MOLD INFESTED APARTMENT THAT IS 45 MINUTES AWAY FROM YOUR JOB. I'm listening. Sometimes I don't, but this time I am...so alas, I'll be moving again. I really do hate moving. I'm going to try to have a better attitude this time though. Really, I'm going to try.

Happy 2-9 to me!

I haven't quite decided if I like my new haircut or not. I like it in person. In pictures, I'm still up in the air. Anyway...here is one of the pics that I took to catalog my 29th birthday celebration in D-ham. I already feel immensely older than I did as a 28 year old. I know that's crazy, but it really does feel older. Plus, next year...that's a big one.

That's my sister. Duh. She's awesome (and beautiful, right?!).

It's my BIRTHDAY! :)

For posterity's sake, I have to record this conversation that I had with some of my students today right before lunch:

My students are milling around the classroom, washing their hands, and lining up for lunch when one of my students (we'll call him L) hands me a piece of paper that says: "Bonjour Madame!" (He's the creative, artsy type.)

I say: But L, I'm not a Madame. I'm a mademoiselle.
L says: Well, you can keep it for after you get married.
I say: But L, what if I NEVER get married?
L says: I KNOW you'll get married Ms. B. I just KNOW it.

As we are having this conversation, another student pipes in (we'll call her T):

T says: But Ms. Berutti, you're too attractive to NOT get married.

I couldn't help but crack up laughing. The best part is that T is the type of student who would NEVER say a comment like that. It was too hilarious!

Sometimes I just love my kids.