twenty-fifteen

Here I am, one month shy of an entire year since I’ve posted here. How sad is that! I love coming here, sharing my thoughts and photos, not only with you, but for myself and for my daughter to look back on years from now.

Being absent here for almost a year can only mean one thing — 2015 was complete craziness. Not only was I absent on my blog, but in a way, from my own life. My days were spent sitting at my desk in an office, working my full time job, and the majority of my evenings were a precise routine of picking up Finley from daycare, making dinner, being a mommy, and then parking my rear end on the couch to work again, this time on freelance projects, the minute Finley went to bed. It was all I could do to keep up. Nothing else mattered. It wasn’t unusual for me to have up to 20 ongoing projects at all times. Everything else seemed to had to  get pushed to the back burner. I would often tell myself that there would be no way I could maintain that lifestyle forever, especially as Finley got older and would have more “activities” in the evenings or when we, God-willingly, bring another child into this world. Plus, I just know there is so much more to life than only doing things to make extra cash.

Here’s the thing, I LOVE my freelance work, I really do. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t do so much of it. But it’s still work, and it’s still taking away from the other things that fill my heart with joy. Freelance work has slowly started to make even my passions feel like too much work — because doing something for “fun” would take up the precious time I had so little of to get my money-paying freelance work done. Even coloring (and I LOVE coloring!) seemed to cause anxiety because I couldn’t finish it fast enough and I’d always feel like I wasn’t using my time wisely enough. That is no way to live, my friends! We only have one life to do all the things that make us the happiest and bring us the most joy.

So, moving forward in 2016, it’s my goal to be more intentional about what work I add to my plate, to focus a whole lot more on me (hello, exercising and making time for eating clean!) and my family (hello, toddler swimming lessons+dance class and date nights with my hubby again!), and doing the fun things that don’t necessarily put money in my pocket. Expect to see more personal photo projects of my two favorite subjects this year too!

With that, before Finley’s third birthday in 19 days (howwwww!?), here’s what her second birthday looked like! Wait til you see how much she’s changed since then…!

2nd Birthday Theme: Vizslas+Sprinkles
“Colorful sprinkles, vizlsa kisses,  & a little girl’s wishes — Finley is turning two!”

second birthday eve

colorful sprinkles, vizsla kisses, & a little girl’s wishes — finley is turning two!

infographic giveaway!

The day has arrived, lovelies! Head on over to my POPPY blog to enter for a chance to win a custom designed infographic for your bambino!

first birthday | pink ombre + gold glitter

Ahh, the much anticipated first birthday. The first birthday party of many to come… The theme: Pink Ombre+Gold Glitter. My thought was since this was one of about two birthday parties in which I get to call the shots, why not make it lovely and do exactly what I want to do [with no regards to the baby’s interests]. You know, because before I know it, she’ll demand (in a high-pitched 3-year old voice) that she wants a “Dora” party or some other equally-awful theme (sorry if any of you had a Dora party for your daughter…) that I would have to really flex my creative muscle in order to make visually appealing (and photo worthy). Back to Pink Ombre+Gold Glitter.. At the time of planning it, I thought I was pretty creative. But then I saw all over Pinterest that every other mommy was doing the same thing…

As a photographer, thoughts of getting the right photo takes priority for every decision in my mind. (any other photogs have that problem!? It’s kinda exhausting! But great too.)

That being said, I HAD to get not only amazingly-delicious, but gorgeous, cupcakes from my favorite gal at Miss Sara’s Cakery in Hastings. And instead of dusting off my KitchenAide mixer and making a cake for Finley that she would inevitably destroy, I paid $60 for a beautiful pink ombre cake (that was a light mint color inside!). Totally worth it for two reasons: 1. It looked amazing in her cake smash photos. 2. She barely destroyed it which meant that we got to eat it!

Who knew helium was so expensive (and that there is a shortage of it)!? After making multiple phone calls to see if various places could fill balloons I’d provide or rent out a helium tank, we ended up buying a disposable tank ($40) that filled close to 50 balloons. I tied various pink & gold ribbon to the balloons and cut them at all different lengths. Cory had the duty of buying washers from Home Depot (much cheaper than party stores!) to hold the balloons down. The outcome was even more than I expected… while Cory was annoyed trying to walk through a sea of balloons, I was in awe. (Helpful hint: if you buy a disposable helium tank, do not fill balloons even a day before the event. It doesn’t last long!)

In addition to the balloons, we had various pink flowers down the center of the tables (with a gold striped table runner made out of wrapping paper). I steered clear of roses since it was Valentine’s Day (seriously, $8 a stem!? No. The roses you’ll see in a photo were for me from my loving husband who remembered it was Valentine’s Day too!). I bought a tassel banner off etsy (here) and did some DIY glitter heart cupcake toppers and a “ONE” banner for the highchair. That was pretty much the extent of the decorations.

It was the perfect little party! We mingled, drank wine, and ate hors d’oeuvres before opening gifts and singing happy birthday to the birthday girl. I totally thought I would lose it during the singing but surprised myself and didn’t. And then my wonderful friend, Amanda, put together a video of the party that was enough to set me over the edge. If I saw it somewhere else, I would think about how much I wish I had a video like that of my baby’s birthday. I’m so lucky!

As if we wouldn’t remember her first birthday well enough, Finley helped us out by achieving another milestone — pooping in the bathtub! Way to go, little lady!

Here’s a photo recap of her big day… (and don’t forget to watch the video at the end!)

infographic love

Wow. Wow. Wow. I am beyond excited & humbled by the outpouring of love for the one-year infographic I posted for Finley’s birthday. I’ve gotten so much interest in doing custom designs for people around the world. First off,  I definitely want to and am going to try with all I have to do custom orders for everyone interested! I just need to figure out the logistics of it all to ensure I can complete them, not only for each one of you, but also in a timely matter. So please bear with me for a little while longer! My hope/plan currently is to list the infographic as a product in my etsy shop as an easy way for anyone to place an order and communicate with me. I also plan to offer a mounted print or canvas of the artwork as an additional option to the digital file. I will reply back or email each one of you as soon as possible to get things rolling. In the meantime, I thought a blog post would be a good way to communicate quickly so people aren’t left hanging for long. 🙂 I have a few other ideas brewing in my head that I am excited about too… Stay tuned! And thank you, thank you, thank you for the love!! I’ll leave you with a sneak peek of Finley’s 1st birthday photo shoot…

happy birthday, baby!

It’s one of those moments in life when my feelings clash… like it was just yesterday that she was born, yet at the same time, it feels like forever ago! I will be saying the same thing on her 25th birthday, no doubt. (omg, I’ll be 55 then!) Regardless, I cannot believe my teeny-tiny-newborn-valentine-baby-girl is one year old today. More posts about my first year of raising a daughter, thoughts on being a mommy to a one year old, along with a first birthday party recap, will happen in the near future, but for now, an infographic in celebration of her big day! Happy Birthday, baby girl!

(Visit my etsy shop (or click on image!) to order your own infographic like this and more!)

one year.

One year ago today…

One year ago today, I went to work and moved all my stuff into a new office. An office with a gigantic window two feet from my face.

One year ago today, Cory had to pick me up from work early because I had a migraine with an aura in my vision so couldn’t drive (or look at a computer screen). I blamed my migraine on the adjustment to the extreme brightness from the window in my new office.

One year ago today, we went out to eat at a Mexican restaurant. A Mexican restaurant where the food was in front of us just five minutes after ordering. (in other words, it was disgusting.)

One year ago today, I stayed up late to lay on the couch and watch Perks of Being a Wallflower and I just felt “off”.

One year ago today, I took the photo on the left… And 12 hours later, began having contractions.

One year ago today, was the last day of my “old normal” life. 😉

Exactly one year later, I took the photo on the right…

If there was only one quote I believed in, it would be this:

“The days are long, but the years fly by.”

If you want time to be put into perspective, have a baby. I still can’t fully believe the baby that was in my belly exactly a year ago, will be ONE tomorrow. It’s so weird, exciting, and even sad all at the same time! She will always be my “baby” no matter how big she gets, no matter how sassy she is, or how old she is. There’s just something special about your first baby…

 

thirty candles.

because we wake up with our heads a little higher on our birthday, don’t we?

It seems like just the other day my sister was teasing me, saying I was a whole decade old on my 10th birthday (I cried). Fast forward twenty years and here I am — three decades old. Thirty years old. I’m not going to lie about my age or be sad that I’m 30 — heck no, I’m pumped! There are so many adventures I have to look forward to for this decade the next three decades of my life. Tim McGraw said it best… “The next 30 years will be the best years of my life… Raise a little family and hang out with my wife husband.” (Thanks, Tim.)

My day started out pretty ordinary with a couple minor set backs… the ice machine got clogged and when I opened the door, ice crashed to the floor; and after getting a few blocks from home, I realized I forgot my work computer and had to go back. Looking on the bright side, driving back home meant that I got to get another good look at the biggest birthday card ever!

happy 30th baby momma 🙂 (thanks, baby daddy)

I took the detour to work in order to make a stop at Starbucks for a super healthy Peppermint Mocha (Seriously, like Christmas in a cup). My co-workers brought in breakfast for a little birthday celebration and gave me a pink, glittery card with a unicorn on it. 🙂 For my “birthday lunch”, Cory and I made the best of the gorgeous, mild-temp day by going for a walk instead of out to eat. While on the trail, we passed by an older couple who were also walking hand-in-hand. They smiled at us as we did the same, and said, “After so many years, we still got it too!” as the woman swung her husband’s arm up. So cute. It’s amazing how a little walk on your lunch break makes you feel…

30th birthday baby bump+birthday walk

When the clock struck 5p, I headed home and saw these pretty packages waiting for me on the counter:

If Cory and I started gift wrapping business, I think we’d be millionaires. My husband’s got mad wrapping skills. He wrapped the striped one out of a Coach bag and even makes bows out of ribbon (I can’t make this stuff up!). And since we didn’t have any tissue paper, he decided to go green and use plastic Target bags (they actually looked kinda nice!). The pretty package’s contents..?

birthday goodies.

I kinda lied. It was actually just the racerback tank and a lulu gift-card, which I promptly spent before going to dinner. Much to my sadness, they only had one pair of red Wunder Unders left, one size too big. Cory had looked to buy them for me too, with no luck, before settling on the gift-card. I think it was a blessing in disguise because the Studio Pants are to-die-for. (I maybe wore them for five days straight over Thanksgiving weekend.) I had been wanting to purchase these for awhile now but always opted for something else. So glad I finally own a pair! I also have a feeling the fluorescent yellow ear warmer is going to come in handy this winter too.. If only it were at Welch Ski Village like most winters! (Due to my tendency of falling at least once when I’m out skiing + my off-balance center of gravity, I figured I better steer clear of the ski hill this year.)

We were in and out of Lulu just in time to make it to our dinner reservations at La Grolla right on schedule (this is very rare for me). As the server was walking us to our table, she stepped aside, much to my confusion, as I thought she was giving me the pick of tables in that area. Soon enough, I saw the Peines and then my sister and Nick, my cousin Rachel, and my cousin[in-law] Jake waiting for me as they said “SURPRISE!”. I was completely and utterly shocked. I had NO idea this was about to happen, which was a surprise in itself because I typically have a pretty good inkling when something [like this] is up. Cory pulled it off and I was overjoyed! Funny I didn’t get teared up given all the pregnancy hormones… All smiles (and probably a blushing face—not a fan of being the center of attention in a group of people)!

surprise!

(On a side note: That’s what I look like when I’m not prepared for a photo? Yikes.) We enjoyed some amazing food over great conversation and when the plates were cleared, a server placed a little plate with a cupcake+candle in front of me, and then in front of everyone else. BUT, they weren’t just any cupcakes… No, Cory had ordered them from our favorite cupcake lady who also made our wedding and baby cupcakes—Miss Sara’s Cakery. Best husband of the year award!

It truly was a fabulous 30th birthday [despite being the only one to toast with a glass of ice water]! A gigantic thank you to the husband I’m so lucky+blessed to have in my life and to my great friends+family for joining in on the surprise dinner party on a Monday night.

sisters+cousin margaret

More birthday goodies I was spoiled with…

they know me so well. 🙂

Lululemon Vinyasa Scarf (I’m in love with this. It’s SO soft and cozy!)

Adorbs Chevron mug. I’m all about the chevron craze!

Q+A 5-year Journal. A question each day that you answer 5 years in a row. (My birthday [November 19] question: When was the last time you checked social media?)

Pretty-looking & pretty-smelling candle. (I love candles but never want to splurge on the cost of the best ones so to get this was a real treat! Now to give in and actually burn it…)

Lululemon gift-card! It’s currently burning a hole in my pocket…

Beautiful Cyclamen flower/plant. I have successfully kept three plants alive for almost a year… Think I can add a 4th to the list!?

fashion friday [maternity edition II]

I’m hoping, like a little kid on Christmas morning, that I get the red Lulu Wunder Unders for my birthday (hint hint, hubby). After this week, I’ve realized I pretty much wear three different pants leggings and they are all in the darkish color range (black, navy blue, jeans, dark grey). I need a little color in my life!! Bring on the red. Don’t get me wrong, I couldn’t be happier wearing leggings every. single. day. BUT, I feel boring. Maybe that’s why I found this shirt at Target oddly cute and actually paid money for it.. Swans aren’t boring! Why am I drawn to this stuff? Cory hasn’t seen it yet, but I can’t wait to hear what he has to say about it…

it’s a swan.

Just like eating anything sweet these days, wearing stretchy pants is addicting and I can’t stop. I just don’t find it necessary to annoy myself all day by wearing something uncomfortable. As long as I keep it creative up top, I think I can get by with this behavior for three more months. What do you think? And it’s not like new shoes ever hurt anybody either (shoes I want, but don’t have… yet).

yay, shoes!

Back to fashions of the upper body — the head. I’m not one to wear my glasses very often but I have this weird obsession with glasses in general. Love them. [I need to get over the fact that I feel like I’m wearing a shield the minute I step out into public with glasses on my face and then will be fine and would probably wear them more often.] In celebration of my 30th birthday and the three month countdown to meeting baby K (it’s very easy to find great+logical reasons to buy myself stuff), I got myself a little gifty-gift. Been wanting SALT frames for a long time now and finally snagged a pair. 🙂

pretty, right?

And, a little looksy at some maternity fashions from the last two weeks. I might as well crop out my legs next time (although I already look legless in a few of these photos!). We all know what’s going with that half of the body (in case you’re confused: you know, the legging obsession). A couple new hairstyles might be on the agenda as well…

33 candles.

Sommmmmmebody in our household turned 33 today (hint: it’s not me or Lucy)! I remember when I used to think that 30 was so “grown up” (heck, I thought that if you were out of college, it was kinda old). Now I know—it’s not. And 33 isn’t either. We aren’t old! Life is just beginning. Happiest of Happy Birthdays to my love, my husband, my baby daddy!

It always seems like birthdays end up being just another day, but when you’re the one with the birthday, you always [secretly] hope it will feel more special (am I right?). So last night I decorated our kitchen in white streamers and baked vanilla cupcakes with homemade chocolate frosting and colorful sprinkles, complete with two #3 candles in a couple cupcakes to surprise him when he got home from work after midnight. I also wrote a giant Happy Birthday message on our chalkboard wall so he would see it when he walked in. 🙂

Tonight we are going to celebrate over dinner (sushi by request of the birthday boy) and cupcakes for dessert, he’ll open his gifts (although, his real gift comes in February!), we’ll watch+feel baby koch kick and squirm around inside me (coolest thing ever!), and the rest of our plans are yet to be determined… Perhaps an intense game or two of Jumbling Tower??

Here’s a photo recap of birthdays passed since the year I lucked out and met this handsome fellow when he was just 28 and I was 25 (weird!). 🙂

2008 | Dinner at a german restaurant

2009 | Dinner at Oceanaire

2010 | Happy Hour at Busted Nut

2011 | Dog park with Lucy

Happy Birthday, baby daddy!! Make a wish and remember…