Bucket List...Be A Pin Up Girl!

by Anne Ripka-Payment

Let’s start out by saying I am all about lists; lists keep me organized, on task and help me feel like I am productive.  So it doesn’t surprise anyone that I have a long “Life” list aka a "Bucket" list.  I started this list when I feel I was at my lowest point in life.  I was going through a divorce, my career came to a standstill and to add to it I was not very happy about being me.  I was about 100 pounds overweight and exhausted all the time. The guilt I felt because I was not healthy enough to run and play with my kids made it worse.  

I needed goals so I created this list…

#1 Find Love ~ after a rough first marriage dissolved, Rob walked into my life.  I used to say to him, “You are so wonderful, I don’t understand why you would want to be with a train wreck like me” he would then tell me, “You are not a train wreck, your just a little fender bender”. He kept every promise he made, He is definitely a keeper!!  He gave me the will power to tackle item # 2 on my list

#2 Get Healthy ~  I have always been what people refer to as “Big Boned”.  After I had my first baby I started to notice I couldn’t lose the weight…I fluctuated from 220 pounds to my highest of 261 pounds. I did Weight Watchers, joined gyms (and actually went). Nothing seemed to work, and having 2 more babies on top of that probably didn’t help…. I wanted Rob to be proud of the woman he was with, and my children needed a mother that was healthy enough to keep up.  I wanted to feel good in my own skin, and confident to take on whatever life threw my way.  That’s when I made the appointment at the Allina Bariatric Center.   I would NEVER say it is the easy way out, but maybe the less frustrating.  Within six months I lost about 80 pounds. After that I stopped counting.  I had energy, confidence and it's funny how people treat you differently.  Dresses were fun to wear again, and the Goodwill was my new best friend.  Going down a size a week, there is no way I could afford a new wardrobe a week…

A year later I am at my lowest weight since 6^th grade.  138 pounds and rocking life, another new addition to our home now is on his way.   I decided then to dig out my List and start where I left off.  I needed some quickly attainable goals and I needed to feel sexy again. Glancing through my list #12 caught my eye..be a Pin-Up girl…Classic, fun, full of life, vibrant…All the traits I was looking for.  I have always loved the Retro/Vintage look and believe that in a previous life I must have been a Bettie. Just when I was about to move on to another number, Boom chukka lucka…my friend post pictures she had taken at a local studio…This is exactly what I am looking for…I contacted her and she raved about the experience and how much fun it was…I had to do it!

I contacted Grinkie Photography on Friday and Christi responded right away and by Tuesday I was with Avis getting my hair and makeup done and super excited to get this done…I had no idea what to expect, and maybe my expectation where a little bit low but wowsers…Either the camera and Photoshop are Miracle workers or I am capable of looking amazing.  I felt like my personality shined through.  Christi made everything that I was feeling on the inside shine through on the outside.  I wore 4” heals, strapless SHORT dresses and Avis gave me make-up and hair tips that were easy enough to handle at home.  They made me feel like I was kind of a big deal!  I do so much for everyone else in my life, so I appreciate the “it’s all about you” attitude.  She understands the day to day demands that are placed on women, being a mother herself.  She embraces the fact that women come in all shapes and sizes and don’t necessarily wear a size 2.  She makes sure when you leave her studio your experience is something to rave about. 

Here's one of Anne's pictures from her Pin Up shoot. We love it so much we use it in some of our ads.

I am not one to promote or push anyone into doing something they are uncomfortable with.  Like I said, this was on my list and I needed to get my VaVa Voom back.  Don’t get me wrong the next day, I was tired and looking worn again, the difference this time is I have the pictures to prove that I can be the stunning vibrant Pin-up girl I feel like inside.  Thanks to Christi and Avis at Grinkie Photography My Bucket list just got a little smaller!!