Christmas Card Photos.

Oh, Christmas card photos. An event that is equally fun and painful. Babies can be unpredictable, and mine seems to have a short fuse when it comes to me coaxing him (pageant mom-style), "Smile, baby! Smile! Can you smile for mama? SMILE HONEY. DO IT."

But I love the idea of getting some really great family shots of us once a year, so its something I am going to try to continue. I take a zillion photos all the time, but it was so much more relaxing to work with a professional (ha, duh) and get to just *be* with my family while Leidy Beltran did her thing. I did my best this year to make it a fun experience for Everett, by packing an arsenal of snacks and toys, but we lucked out so big because my bro-in-law Joshua showed up at his parents house unexpectedly (where we took our photos) and entertained Everett from afar. Made faces, jumped around, sang goofy songs, threw a tennis ball around. He pulled out all the stops. Joshua is officially a magical baby wrangler and Everett adores him to pieces. The talented Leidy snapped away and we got some sweet family photos of the three of us, just being ourselves, which is the part I loved about it most. We had the setting sun working against us, but she managed to get some shots that I absolutely love. In fact, you will probably get sick of seeing some of these before long, because I will definitely be updating my site in the new year with some of these shots.

Thank you, Leidy Beltran! And Joshua! Now I'm off to finish stamping these Christmas cards :) Merry, merry, friends!

Labor Day Weekend Snapshots.

It's official. Labor Day is over and so I shall henceforth invoke a week-long sobfest and gnashing of teeth, mourning summer's bittersweet goodbye to us all. I mean, technically we still have a few more weeks of this insanely hot season, but let's be real. White is over. Lounging at the pool? Over. Ice cream cones? K, I will probably milk that one a bit longer ( <-- bahahaha MILK!!!) But in all honestly, as sad as it is to watch summer fizzle out, I am so excited to welcome the Autumn season with open arms. It feels like a really good time for a shift in the weather, for my family in particular, because we are truly beginning a new season in our lives. New home, new routine and schedule, Stevie with a new job role and Everett at a new school and everything just feels new. I always love fall because the weather is boss and it means my birthday is soon and I can pull out all my old friends (AKA boots and scarves) and the lack of humidity is just SWEET AS PIE. But this fall feels especially one-of-a-kind in our little home because we are making everything ours for the first time, as a family of three. It feels really good. And really grown up. Which is weird. But a really good weird.

I hope your Labor Day was tons of fun, filled with barbecue and swimming in someone's pool (hopefully yours!) and playing outside and staying up late and perhaps even having an adult beverage, too. We did equal amounts of goofing off and working like dogs. The house feels like a never-ending beckoning of "HELP ME", but we are attempting to draw a few boundaries and trying to have a bit more fun, too. I mentioned last week that I haven't been having all that much fun lately, even though I am really happy to be in our new home. Enjoying the abode and having fun aren't necessarily the same thing though. And thankfully, we decided to be a bit more intentional and have fun during this holiday weekend. Stevie went to play golf and I had a gal's day out, going out to lunch and getting a massage and drinking something called a volcano bowl (!) with my pal Kelley. BEST DAY EVER. We also had a relaxing meal at my parents, swam in their pool, admired their foliage (things have really grown since we moved out!) and I even took a nap. A NAP GUYS. We also chowed down on some killer pulled pork sandwiches (I'll have the recipe up here later this week) and did a TON of working in the yard, sawing off trees branches and chipping them up into mulch. And perhaps planting some tulip bulbs. Because I am out of control in my yard. OH. And my garden is showing signs of life! The tiniest little chutes you ever did see have sprouted and I almost cry every time I walk out there to water them. It was a good weekend friends. I hope yours was, too :)

Adieu, dear summer. You've been a delicious, delightful time.

Love you, Mom.

Love you, Mom.

She woke up early to fix your breakfast before school. Fed you. Bathed you. Changed your dirty dirty diapers. Made a big whooping deal about your birthday. She was never upset when you woke her up because your tummy hurt. She laughed when you played dress up in her closet. She was always at your school play, your chorus concert, your big game. She came early to bring snacks. She helped with your homework, ordered pizza for you and your friends on Friday night, and let you go to that really awesome concert downtown. Because she trusted you. Although it didn't stop her from calling your cell phone A LOT. She took you shopping for prom dresses. She let you cry on her shoulder about that dumb boy who didn't deserve you anyway. She slipped a twenty in your hand when you were going back to college after being home for the weekend. She helped you move time and time again, coming behind you to clean the bathroom while the boxes were being transported to the truck. She let you travel the country, the world, and didn't let her worries about you being so far away affect her ability to let you go. But she sure did pray. She smiled through her tears on your wedding day. She held your hands while you were pregnant, answered every question when you asked "How bad is this gonna hurt??", and was by your side when you finally, exhausted, welcomed your wiggly, darling baby into the world. She was always, she is always, and will always always be there. For as long as she has breath in her body, she will give all her joy to your existence.

Okay, that was my mom.

But I bet yours was something like that, too. At least, I hope so.

This year is my first Mother's Day. I can't believe I'm allowed to be a mom. I can only hope to measure up in the tenderest way, because I have incredibly large mom shoes to fill. Well, not true. She has dainty little feet. But her footprint over the journey of my life has been immeasurable, innumerable with oodles and oodles of loving tracks. Inexplicable. She has given me her life's blood and her hearty Hungarian laugh. Her full cheeks and strong thighs. I am the mother that I am, because she was the mother that she was. I will probably screw up a lot, but she taught me that having grace for myself is one of the best gifts I can give to my family.

There is no perfect mother, but I would like to argue that she is. Close.

I hope you give mom your whole heart of love today.

A little more about my mom here.

When Two of Your Favorite People Meet.

When Two of Your Favorite People Meet.

This happened a few weeks ago. Technically there are three of my favorite people in this picture, but Stevie and my dear Aunt Shirley know each other well. But it was the greatest privilege for me to witness my son meeting the snazzy, savvy, sweetheart that is my Aunt. Somehow my heart managed to melt a bit more. I thought it had done all the melting it could possibly do.

My Aunt Shirley has been a life-long inspiration. Not only is she overly-accomplished with an impressively long resume and all the accolades of the world, she is a woman of endless compassion and unparalleled conviction. She's basically Mother Theresa, serving all her extra time for others, and encouraging her students to join her many efforts. If I could emulate her character a tiny little bit at the end of my life, I would gladly call myself blessed and be done. And her joy! I don't know anyone who is more positive! Well, she and my mother-in-law can duke it out, because they are the two most positive people I know. FYI It's a really beautiful thing to be surrounded by practically blind positivity, by the way. Makes you feel like the world is your oyster. And why wouldn't I want my darling boy to be surrounded and influenced to believe that (because it's true!) But her kind of positivity isn't blind. It's fierce, statuesque, absolute in it's hope for what is the best kind of good. I am so lucky to have this woman as my guidepost, looking out for me, correcting me, smiling her big gorgeous, mischievous smile at me. Oh that Italian broad.

I hope your holiday weekend is filled with family time that makes you feel uplifted, full of hope, and encouraged beyond measure. Because that is a treasure not to be diminished. And if you don't have family like that? Well, then BE the family that does that. We have such a few precious days on this Earth. If you have the opportunity to be a person like Aunt Shirley to a little person like Everett, DO IT. The impact will be a pulsating, rippling, life-changing kind, and really, what else matters? Not career. Not money. But a little person being shaken by absolute love, acceptance and sheer hope for the future? Well, you could say that's kind of what this holiday weekend is all about.

Happy Easter, friends.

The 1st Day: Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, Friends!

Oh, there has never been such a time as this! I hope this day is filled with so much love and joy that your heart practically bursts. I pray that your loved ones find unity, even in matters that always seems to divide. I pray that all the wishes in your heart, no matter how big or small, are acknowledged by those who cherish you. I pray that you can pull your loved ones close, smell their hair and feel their skin and soak up the reverent moments you have with them. I pray that you can articulate all the words you feel for them. The wonderful reasons why you adore them. I pray that if you are far away from the ones you love, you have the opportunity to take a moment, look up at the sky, and know that they are blanketed by the same good God above who loves you immensely. I pray that this holiday marks a turning point into the best year of your life yet. May this day be cozy, silly, sweet and most of all - memorable. I really do wish that for you.

I want to thank you for reading along with me over the course of this year. It's been a stellar journey and all your encouragement and support has been so appreciated - more than you will ever know. I hope this blog continues to be a little corner that you visit every now and again for a bit of inspiration and a good laugh. I am going to be taking a few weeks off from the blog to enjoy some much needed time with my little family. You can still find me here, probably over-exposing my joyful antics. I look forward to even more fun & rewarding content here on the blog in the new year. See you in mid-January!

All Photos by Rachel Koontz.

From our little family to yours, Merry Christmas!