Baby Penelope: One Month Session

I just can't get enough of this little one. Baby Penelope is so sweet and was wide awake for her one month photo session. Just look at those eyes!

Notes From Santa

As soon as we woke up, Lou and I would run downstairs in our pajamas as fast as possible. We would turn the corner to see the living room transformed. The Christmas tree lights twinkled, Christmas songs played in the background, and presents surrounded the tree. Crumbs accompanied the yearly note we got from Santa thanking us for the milk, cookies, and carrots (for the reindeer, of course!). Although we are grown, Christmas will always be magical and the notes from Santa will always be loved!

Although we don't get to see Chloe on Christmas, I imagine she will look just as adorable on Christmas morning as she does below.

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!

Cavie Cake

My friend Kori had a birthday last week and since she loves her pups so much I made her a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel birthday cake.

Jackson, her dog, was the inspiration for the cake. They sort of resemble each other, except I think the cake also looks a bit like a bunny!

Happy Birthday Dad!

When Douglas and I go to Buffalo, NY in a few weeks, we will stay in my parents' guest bedroom and we'll see my dad's guitar sitting in the corner. My dad has always loved music, as you can tell by the below picture! As usual, when I see his guitar over the holidays, memories will flood back to sitting around the living room while he strummed away singing "Blackbird" by the Beatles. My sister, Lou, and I would trill along and ask to play a cord or two, but would inevitably fail miserably. We would sit around in our pajamas singing and laughing until bedtime. Although my family isn't perfect, to me these moments were perfect and will always be perfect. When I think of some of my fondest childhood memories, the image of my family sitting around and singing to Beatles songs warms my heart. Thank you, dad, for giving me and Lou this memory that will always be cherished. I hope you have a wonderful birthday full of even more fond memories.

Leaning Tower of Crepes

I poured...and I flipped...and I stacked...for almost an hour! Sometimes it's true that good things are worth waiting for (and working for). When my one of my closest friends, Ryan, suggested that we make a crepe cake to help celebrate the move into his new house, I wasn't too sure what I was doing. Not only had I never made a crepe cake, but I had never heard of one either. It was a lot of work, but so worth it. The cake was about 25 crepes tall with a mascarpone cheese filling between each layer and then topped off with a nutella sauce. DELICIOUS!

A Reason to Call

She never misses a day. While I'm snuggling up in my pj's, my mom calls me every night just to say hello. We usually don't have any news, usually there is nothing new. We talk about our day and what we are making for dinner. We talk about how we miss each other and how we wish we lived in the same city. We chat about our family and her dog who is always getting into trouble. Our conversations are nothing to write home about, but I look forward to them every night. It makes me feel like even though my mom lives hundreds of miles away, we don't need a reason to talk and we don't need a reason to say I love you.

Today there is a reason to call my mom and a reason to say I love you. There is a reason for me to be thankful for everything my mother has done for me and the support she has given. Today is a day to tell her she is loved and appreciated more than she will ever know, because today is her birthday. Happy Birthday, Mom. I miss you and love you so much.

Baby Penelope: Newborn Session

A few posts ago I blogged about Liz & Chris’s maternity shoot. They were too cute and we had so much fun playing at the park! Well, a couple of weeks ago, they welcomed a new addition to their family! Meet baby Penelope! (How adorable is that name?!) She is the sweetest little baby and her hair is totally punk-rock. It is the prettiest shade of blonde/silver and sticks up all over the place….totally melts my heart. At only 8 days old, here are some of her first baby pictures. Man, I just want to pinch those little cheeks!