My roomate from college moved to Paris with her husband the week prior to our Roman Holiday, so they surprised us and flew down to join us. It was heaven. 

This day in particular, I remember just taking it easy. We strolled through old cobbled streets, ate way too much delicious italian food, cooled off our feet in the fountain (probably not supposed to do it, but we were just so darn hot), and then took a nap in the park. It's great to travel with compatible companions. We hadn't seen each other in two years, (!!!!) so it was nice to have some low-key days.

Captured in August 2012

All photos edited with VSCO Film

Portfolio update! These are way overdue. We finished them this spring and they were printed on t-shirts (not bags! sorry for the misleading image) over the summer. I loved working on these with Kasey and Matt of Turntable Kitchen. You can buy your own t-shirt here and see them in action here!

Kasey and Matt are the brains behind Turntable Kitchen. They only started Turntable Kitchen in 2010 (sorry! this originally said 2012), yet they've been featured almost everywhere it seems. I love watching great ideas grow...bravo to you both! They are so kind and down to earth, I've loved being able to get to know them a little better since we began working together this past winter on their new Turntable Kitchen t-shirts (for sale here). They are expecting their first baby this year—so happy for them both! Thank you so much Kasey and Matt for being a part of My Better Half!

KASEY
1. Can't walk down the street without kneeling to pet every dog.
2. Loves dusk; everything looks prettier wrapped in a golden glow.
3. Once made $100 making and selling candles to neighbors in New Jersey (my early entrepreneurial pursuit!).

MATTHEW
1. Dreams of being a superhero or member of The Rolling Stones when he "grows up."
2. First live concert experience was MC Hammer, Boyz II Men, and Jodeci.
3. Makes a great lasagna.

THEIR STORY

We met on the train going to work. Matt called me his 'eye contact crush;' he was the tallest person on the train so it was always easy to spot him. After we broke the ice and chatted, we decided to grab coffee. Our first date didn't quite go as planned (open comedy night at our favorite coffee shop wasn't really ideal for conversation). We ended up not going out again for another three months but that second sushi date was when something just clicked and the rest, as they say, is history. When it cam time to move in together, we simply carried his things three blocks down the street from his old apartment on 10th to my apartment on 7th.

Thank you Kasey and Matthew for being a part of My Better Half!

Paris completely stole my heart. Basically, that's all I have to say about these. I. Love. Paris. Done! 

Today I'm excited to have Ashley and Andreas who are currently based in Berlin, Germany. She was so sweet and gave us great tips when we traveled to Berlin back in May. Ashley is a wonderful photographer. You can see travel work here, her wedding portfolio here and her blog, Chasing Heartbeats, here!

Thank you Ashley and Andreas for being a part of My Better Half!

AHSLEY
1. Believes in the power of red lipstick.
2. Her claim to fame is the blue ribbon won at the California Mid State Fair for her banana bread.
3. Thinks grandma chic style is super hip.

ANDREAS
1. Considers ketchup a food group.
2. Spends more time on his hair than Ashley does.
3. Thinks California is heaven on earth.

THEIR STORY
After their first date, Ashley wrote her mama declaring she was "done dating!", although not because the date was a home run, but because instead she thought Andreas didn't like here and she had been on a few terrible first dates the month before they met. The truth was, he more than liked her and little did she know how true that email would become. They met in a small town along the French/German border and quickly realized that life is better together—proof again that complete opposites make the best couples. They married at sunset a year ago September surrounded by forty of their favorite people at Ashley's family lakeside cottage in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. They now live in Berlin, Germany with their baby French Bulldog, Hazel Blue, and have fallen head over heels for the crazy and eclectic city they call home.

Thank you Ashely and Andreas for being a part of My Better Half!

Colin and Lauren! I met these two in college. Colin and I were in the same design program and we probably all became acquainted at some dance party or something...there was a lot of dancin' going on in college. Colin is a really really talented designer and Lauren is a super stylish, recently graduated English Literature major. They just relocated to Charleston, South Carolina for a job at Fuzzco (Colin's bio here), and Cree and I are just waiting for an opportunity to take a drive south to visit them. They are both so much fun. If you're in Charleston, I highly recommend you look them up.

Thanks for being a part of My Better Half!

LAUREN
1. At any given moment would rather be picnicking in Paris with all her friends.
2. Secretly wishes she were a famous country singer.

3. Flares nostrils when she laughs.

COLIN
1. First one on the dance floor.
2. Voracious collector of knick-knacks.
3. Is probably barefoot right now.

THEIR STORY
We met in 2008 through a mutual friend (Regan Johnson) while attending college at BYU. We bonded over our mutual love of bike riding, being vegetarian, and listening to punk rock music, which sparked a two-year romance. We had a hug party (wedding) in July, 2010 to celebrate the end of dating and the beginning of marriage, which continues to be a party. We currently live in Charleston and have big dreams of living in Nashville, Seattle, Austin, New York, and Paris, to name a few. For now we are content exploring Charleston, playing way too many board games (and karaoke), and cooking dinners together.

Thank you Colin and Lauren for being a part of My Better Half!

Photographs by Colin and Lauren Pinager

These were from our day spent at Fredriksborg Castle (back in June!). We caught a train to Hillerod and spent the day exploring the castle, the grounds and admiring all the beautiful artwork...especially the paintings of Christ by Carl Bloch. So gorgeous!

Other highlights from the day:

- Lost my purse...and a sweet lady found it for me.
- I got a crazy case of the hiccups in one of the exhibit rooms...they echoed really loudly. Embarrassing.
- Spent way too much time exploring inside the rhododendron bushes. We just love those things.
- Have I mentioned how much I loved Copenhagen?

Thanks again Brittany and Paul for the recommendation! We loved it!

All photographs edited with VSCO Film.

See more photos after the jump!

So I don't generally take submissions, but when Shauna of Something's Hiding In Here sent me a link to Dan and Hillary's company Kin Ship, I knew they'd be a perfect fit! Kin Ship is a boutique home goods brand based in Louisville, Kentucky. In their words, Our goods are inspired by starry nights, peeling paint, mountain air, reclaimed keepsakes, labors of love, and early mornings. I love that. View their beautiful goods on their website here, and learn more about this duo through their online journal here.

Thank you so much Dan and Hillary for being a part of My Better Half!

DAN
1. Loves romantic comedies.
2. Has been to all 50 states, except Alaska and Hawaii.
2. Goes through a (big) bottle of Sriracha every 2 weeks.

HILLARY
1. Loves mornings.
2. Wanted (still wants) to be a trapeze artist.
3. Has no interest in high heels.

THEIR STORY

Hillary was working on an issue of Bejeezus, a magazine she sometimes makes. Dan liked said magazine and, on a whim, sent in a drawing of a pirate. Hillary was way into it. They met a few weeks later at an art show at his apartment. They became fast friends, largely because they both like to get stuff done. Hillary calls Dan "Pumpkin." He calls her "Pickle." They are in love.

Thank you so much Dan and Hillary for being a part of My Better Half!

A cute outtake and credits after the jump!

I first became acquainted with Angela + Ithyle after they launched this video for the The Girls With Glasses Show. I think I played it probably 18 times in one day...then made the connection that they were the creators of this masterpiece and I secretly labeled myself their biggest fan. I was hooked! They are a directing team based in Los Angeles, California, and their films have been shown worldwide. In their own words: Angela and Ithyle work well together. They like taking pictures and making little films better than they like ice cream and puppies. Which is great because they could never make a living out of eating ice cream with puppies. So true! To see more of their lovely work, click here. And to check out their blog, click here!

UPDATE They just celebrated their first anniversary yesterday! Happy Anniversary you two!

Thank you Angela & Ithyle for being a part of My Better Half!

ITHYLE
1. When he was 10 he made his first film. Horror Genre. He still can't eat Catalina dressing.
2. He lived on a school bus until he was 4.
3. He used to put up his mohawk with egg whites and beer.

ANGELA
1. When she was 10 she had a tree-house, only no tree. (Stilts-house)
2. She has a recurring dream about angry whales.
3. She has the world's largest small scissor collection. (unofficially)

THEIR STORY

Angela and Ithyle met on a job where she dared him to finish her biscuits and gravy and he said "no". She though, "gee, this is not an individual with whom one can compete in breakfast competitions." She liked that in a person.

Thank you Angela & Ithyle for being a part of My Better Half!

Photographs by Angela + Ithyle

We're back! I feel like my life has been a marvelous whirlwind since July—and now we're all settled in our tiny home in quiet Ann Arbor, Michigan.

It's been an amazing summer. When I think about the adventures we've been able to have these past couple months, I feel so blessed. I feel blessed that my work allows me to work from anywhere...Switzerland, Germany, South Africa...you name it! I feel blessed that my sweet husband works hard in school so he can get awesome internships that enable us to spend our summers together experiencing new cultures and customs. And I feel blessed that we have Ann Arbor to come home to each fall (although this may be our last). We're always sad to leave our summer adventures behind, but happy to be in our cozy home among our books and bikes. We have so many stories and photos to share through the travelogue, I just need to find the time.

Cree took this shot of me yesterday afternoon. We've begun another year of teaching early morning seminary, so as long as the weather is nice, you'll probably see us here....same spot....every Sunday, preparing lessons. It's amazing how quickly we fall back into our routines.

Happy Monday!!

Oh my goodness! It's been forever since I've done a 'My Better Half' feature. I'm so behind! I suppose that's what travel does to you. :) This week I've planned to do another marathon of My Better Half posts and there are so many really wonderful couples lined up. I can't wait to share their stories with you!

First up is Natalie of natthefatrat.com and her better half Brandon. I met Natalie briefly this past winter and have since had the pleasure of getting to know her more through her blog and instagram feed (@natthefatrat). She and her family live in New York City, and she makes being a new mom in the city look like a breeze (all while looking exceptionally stylish). To see more, click here!

Thank you Natalie and Brandon for being a part of My Better Half!

NATALIE
1. Has a thing for redheads.
2. Used to design product packaging for a power company.
3. Sang jazz a cappella in a Portland club on summer in college.

BRANDON
1. Positively hates having his picture taken.
2. Prefers the out of doors and wore his grandma's Birkenstocks all through college.
3. Has a velcro Eddie Vedder wallet he'll never throw away.

THEIR STORY (as told by Natalie)
On our first date we ate tamales and stayed up till 5AM talking. On our second date, three months later, Brandon impulsively pulled the car over in an empty parking lot to stammer his way through telling me he loved me for the first time. In between, we fell in love over email while living a time zone apart. He asked me on our first date where I'd live if I could pick any city in the world. I immediately said "New York!" He nodded his head and said, "Okay then." We currently live in NYC with our own little redhead named Huck, who is the perfect combination of Brandon's cool-headedness and my ability to get into mischief.

Thank you Natalie and Brandon for being a part of My Better Half!