halllloween pumpkins!

when your best friend comes to town for about 58 hours, you have to celebrate.

and since it was halloween weekend, we thought that being festive was a crucial part of this celebration.

so we grabbed a few friends, and they planned this awesome/creative/halloween-y activity. 

we drank hot cocoa, caramel'd apples, carved pumpkins, & then launched them on campus (don't worry, we cleaned up the mess after...)

and our pumpkins were so awesome, we decided it was imperative to document our pumpkin posterity with embarrassing, awkward family photos.

but really, aren't they cute?

how have you been celebrating halloween weekend?

the gluten-free life.

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Schar for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

most of you probably know that i'm gluten intolerant by now... you know, "gluten-free." 

it's actually pretty exciting that people even know what gluten is these days. i mean, i remember when i first went gluten-free, three years ago, i asked a kid working at subway if he could make me anything gluten-free and he gave me the blankest expression and replied, "uhhh... we've got five dollar foot longs!"

hilarious/depressing, i know.

so i get so excited when i see new brands of gluten-free products coming out all of the time!

one of these brands is schar. schar is the leading brand of gf foods, and they just re-launched a line of products (sandwich rolls, ciabatta rolls, and baguettes). 

the cooolest part about this brand is their Schar club. this club gives you exclusive news about new products, tips, recipes, and promotions. 

and they're giving away 2,000 free sample kits! so you can try their products before you have to purchase them... how cool is that? 

interested in this free sample? go to their website, and sign up for the club! after, go to the left-hand side and find a column that says "toolbox." underneath, you'll find the word "giveaways"... click on that link, and you'll be directed to the free sample page! badda bing, badda boom!

i'm so excited to try their baguettes... i haven't had a good gluten-free baguette since i was in italy! and i've actually never had a good one in the united states, so i'm stoked to give this a try! 

to my gluten-free readers... leave me a comment and tell me what YOU'RE excited to try from your sample kit!

friends for the weekend.

you know you've got a best friend when someone will stay up with you till three a.m., talking about life, watching ridiculous 80s movies, and taking even more ridiculous photobooth shots. 

so happy this girl is here in utah with me for the weekend.

so happy.

p.s. please note how awesome i look... photo from last spring, after shooting the longest/windiest wedding on record. woo baby.

the third year.

it has been

three

long 

years.

i'm getting to the point where i can't really say anything more than i've already said.
i am so thankful for friends who have put up with me, for good medical care, and for the continual support and love of my family & of christ. 

kyle & lindsey: engagements.

i have so many shoots waiting to be posted... i know, i know, i'm so bad these days. 

but life (mostly school) has gotten in the way. 

what can i say? i'm trying to be a good student and everything.

but i've been missing colorado a bit lately and just had to post one of my favorite CO shoots from this summer.

i grew up in the same community with lindsey and was so excited when she asked me to do her engagements. 

we had a great time talking about our big, grown-up lives and about spain...
 lindsey lived there a few summers ago-- a woman after my own heart!

we lucked out with an amazing summer evening; the weather was perfect, the grass was still green, and the lighting was beautiful!

lindsey and kyle were so wonderful to work with, and i can't wait to shoot their red rocks wedding next summer!

anna gleave photography

{denver, colorado engagement photography}

autumn.

delicious autumn!  
my very soul is wedded to it, and if i were a bird i would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.  

-george eliot

just because.

because i'm in the business of love and adore the band phoenix...

things i like about today.

-taco date with the hermano.

-beautiful seventy-degree weather that still had that fall crisp-ness to it.

-a solid score on my infectious disease midterm.

-fall colors at sundance.

-sundance, sundance, sundance!

-oh, and a successful engagement sesh, too.

-having a less-intense migraine-y day.... improvement.

-listening to a lot of shakira. 

-fun friends, the 1920s, and childhood board games.

-that whole mooovie night situation.

-one week 'till cuban best friend comes to visit!

-a clean room and a warm bed.

hey today, thanks for being great to me.

i really, really needed that.

¡una vez más!

so, you guys are awesome.

really. i feel so lucky that people find my thoughts interesting enough to follow my blog and keep up a bit on my life/business.

so i just have to ask one more thing of you.

remember when you were so great and watched my contest entry video last week?

welllll, youtube didn't count my views... all week.

so now i'm stuck trying to play catch up.

so if you can do me a huge favor and watch my video one more time, i'd appreciate it.

i also want to try and get some dialogue going in my comment section, so please leave me a little comment on youtube... tell me your favorite part of the video, where you'd live if you could study abroad, ask me anything about spain!

and i'll be forever grateful.

maybe i'll do a little giveaway in the next month or so to prove how grateful i am for you all :)

thanks so much!

so, without further ado...

booted.

i know i am a littttle bias, but i kind of think that i have the most precious dog in the world.

he's taken a bit of a beating over the last few years... remember this?

though his tail looks basically normal these days, the poor little guy has been getting cysts on his paw.

he's been limping around for a few months now, 

and after numerous courses of antibiotics, 

the parents texted me this photo last night:

he's got a boot!

apparently, it has treads on the bottom, and it looks like a little tennis shoe.

they say he sounds like a peg-legged pirate, wandering around the house. 

at least this time he avoids the cone of shame... right?

wouldn't it be nice?

this warms my heart.

tell me it didn't make you smile... i dare you. 

lovely traditions.

because my life currently consists of library sessions lasting until midnight, i thought i'd tell you about something a little bit cooler.

something czech.

while  in prague, we came across this little bridge.

tradition holds that right after wedding, the two lovers lock up their love on a bridge and toss the key into the river below. 

that way, their love will last forever...

eternal love, if you will. 

i think this idea is really, really romantic (and you know i'm not huge on romance.)

and i'm thinking that someday i'll lock up my love in europe with some handsome man.

juuust give it a few years/decades.

what do you think?

faj.

this guy is just the coolest.

especially when he's drinking coke light in costa rica.

yep, i'm aboooout ready to go back.

familias are forever.

amazing amigas.

two notable facts about my awesome friends.

devaun is beautiful and gave me a shout out on her blog today. it made me smile, annnd just might help me win my contest. (speaking of which, maybe you should go leave a comment on my spain youtube video? i'd reallly appreciate it, and will stop begging in about a week!)

i was lucky enough to have a diego's date with devs today... it was only the best.

whit is also beautiful and worked so hard to plan this amazing service project for the weekend.

i was lucky enough to participate in her project, the byu experience, where college-aged kids with cognitive disabilities got the chance to come to byu and get the college experience-- including the cheerleaders, dance parties, cosmo, & the theater ballet company!

i loved seeing whitney interact with all of the kids and really am grateful for the chance i had to learn and be involved, as well.

happy friends = happy weekend.

falllllling in love.

you guys! 

guess what i ate yesterday. 

pumpkin spice frozen yogurt. 

yeah, i said it.
pumpkin spice + frozen yogurt + dark chocolate chips. 

though i'm not looking forward to the coooooold winter, 

i'm loving the fall colors, the pumpkin flavors all around, and the cozy sweaters.

what are you loving about fall?

p.s. this is my six hundredth post. what?!
i feel like i just started this little blog a few months ago!  

sueños de españa.

where is your favorite place in the world?

i have a lot of "favorites." 

but one place i've been missing a lot lately (especially because of the whole video contest situation) is, of course, españa. 

right about now, i just want to get lost in the prado

and have an elevator dance party with devaun.

i want to go running in the parque

and eat a giant spanish tortilla with a mcfit helado for dessert.

i want to walk the cobblestone streets of alcalá 

and have endless, hilarious lunch-time conversations with blanca.
i want to be in spain...
and maybe bring my family along this time.

really, though. is that too much to ask?

photo taken in ávila, spain ® anna gleave photography 2011.

i need your help!

to my wonderful readers,

   i've delved a bit into the realm of video and entered a contest... i know this is a little bit out of my comfort zone, but i am happy with the way it turned out. and so i need your help in making it to the second round! i need the most views and comments on my youtube video to make it through, so if you could do me a huuge favor and watch my video, share it with your friends, or leave a comment, i would be so, so grateful! i'm also loving all of the feedback!
 so, without further ado...

i love spain. 

now, do you understand why?

bridal showered.

remember how one of my closest friends got married yesterday?

well, last weekend, i had the chance to get together with her sister and throw a bridal shower for her! 

it was so much fun.

we decided to base the shower off of her colors and her preppy style, and put blueberry muffins, caramel apples, pumpkin bars, fruit, & chips on the menu. 

you know, a good little mix of sweet & salty.

we devoured these, played some awesome/hilarious games (thanks, caitlin!), and chatted.

it was a night of laughter (and calories).
need proof?

again, i'm so grateful for my wonderful friends...

and it might seem cliche, but it really makes me happy to see them so happy.

really.

love you, laur! 

my best friend's wedding.

today, i got to be in one of my best friend's weddings AND shoot it... all at once. 

it was a crazy day to say the least.

i've never run around that much in three-inch heels in my life.

but i wouldn't have changed it... it was so fun to share lauren's special day with her and to get to capture all of the fun moments, as well.

we laughed, and danced, and ate delicious food, and took pictures... literally until the cows came home.

friends, love, & eternal marriage are really, really excellent.
congrats to the newlywed ruppers! 

september madness.

do you want to know how crazy my september was?

this may not seem like a lot, but considering i had a fairly large operation five days before the month started... yikes. 

throw in a fight with allergies and an upper-respiratory tract infection in there, and you've got trouble.

but guess what?!

i survived.

and isn't surviving (what you believe to be) the impossible one of the greatest feelings?

that being said, maybe i'll start taking it a bit easier this month...?

yeah, you're right. that's unlikely. 

happy apples.

so i helped throw a bridal shower for one of my closest friends last weekend. 

since it was officially october, i just had to make some caramel apples... had to start the season off right, you know?

these particular apples are a favorite of my friend... and they were a hit! 

i've had a couple requests for the recipe, and they're so, so easy to make... so i figure i'll share the simple little steps it takes to throw together these bad boys. 

apple pie caramel apples

ingredients:

6 granny smith apples

a tub of microwavable caramel (or caramel squares)... i know, realllly fancy

1 package cinnamon graham crackers

1 package white chocolate chips

6 popsicle sticks

baking sheet

cooking spray

instructions:

1. wash and dry apples while caramel is melting in microwave (follow melting instructions on package). roll apples in caramel using popsicle sticks until they're evenly coated, then let the excess drip back into the caramel bowl.

2. roll caramel'd apples across (crushed) graham crackers so that they're completely covered. make sure to do this immediately after dipping the apples in caramel, or else the graham crackers won't stick.

3. place apples on baking sheet.

4. melt white chocolate chips and drizzle on top of apples. 

5. enjoy! 

*this is not a gluten-free recipe, but it can be easily made gluten-free by purchasing gf graham crackers, then adding sugar and cinnamon to the crushed graham crackers. voila!

what's your favorite way to eat a caramel apple?

party rock is in the house tonight!

so remember when i wrote this mushy post about my awesome little brother?

well, i realized that my older brother's birthday passed without me even acknowledging it... 

my work in florida that weekend totally threw me off my game.

and since i know he secretly reads this blog (and LOVES it), 

i think it's time to give my favorite twenty-three year old a shout out. 

it's been an adventure growing up with an eighteen-month older brother, to say the least.
people would (and still will) always ask us if we're twins, or if we're dating... an awkward set of extremes, no?
growing up, sometimes we loved each other. sometimes we bickered a little too much. but we have always been there for each other. 

will has helped me through some of the hardest times of my life and has shared some of the happiest times of my life with me.

living in spain with him this summer was one of the coolest things we've ever done. 

i mean, there's nothing like watching a real madrid soccer game with your futbol-fanatic brother, right?!

he's so smart, talented, and good-hearted...
and when i say he's smart, i mean he's so smart. like, that reads-war-and-peace-for-fun kind of smart.
he's someone i've always looked up to.

aaand he's also a dancing machine.
play "party rock anthem," and he's out of control!

so here's to your 23rd year of life, guillermo. hope it's theeeeee best!

how to deal.

sometimes, life doesn't make too much sense.

bad things happen to good people.
they happen every day. 

i received some bad news today.
you know, the kind that changes your life in a lot of ways.

it's really quite unfortunate and still is a bit difficult to grasp.

but, i know that it isn't the end of the world.

things will work out. they always do.

more than anything, i just really needed a hug today...
and someone who'd listen.
and i was able to find a few lovely souls who stuck by me and did just that.
i realized (again) that i have some amazing friends and a reaallly amazing family. 

and after a baby quesadilla, a few very appreciated visits from friends, and some long talks with my parents, 

everything felt more okay. 

and my friends even brought me pretty flowers.

did i mention that they're awesome?


life is hard.
but, life will go on.

style shoot, parte cinco.

so i am excited to fiiinally share the final installment of my spain shoot from the summer.
audi and i decided it could be a little bit adventurous to take on the most all-american, girl-next-door type chica and get her waaay out of her comfort zone. 

we wanted to go with a blend of boho and grunge to give her that (clean) "urban jungle" look.

annnd we weren't disappointed with the results! 

aubs really ruled the camera with those stunning blue eyes... she was such a natural! 

don't believe me? see for yourself...

hair & makeup: audriana turley
styling: devaun sheppard
top: gap
jacket: forever 21
shorts: kohls
shoes: bcbg
accessories: boutiques in spain

all images ® anna gleave photography 201l.