Hi friends! This week I'm taking a little break from blogging but I wanted to pop in to say hi and wish you a happy 4th of July week if you are celebrating in the U.S. and a happy first week of July regardless. I hope you are having a fabulous summer! It's really hot here but I'm trying very hard to stay positive. Just three more months to go! (Woooooo) We've been able to enjoy being outdoors in the early morning and in the shade of the late afternoon so that is definitely helping. This week I just have... Read more →

January is all about dreaming and planning for the year. In February it's time to get serious and make those dreams happen. This month I'm looking forward to spending lots of time outside and enjoying candlelight in darker evenings while they last. And if we could have just one or two rainy days I would be so thrilled. I'm trying to be very present and appreciative of my favorite time of year in order to stay positive through the hot, hot summer (I'm already feeling a little anxious about it!). + Go for a family bike ride at least three... Read more →

What a year 2013 has been! A year ago we rang in the new year with a few other very pregnant friends. This year we had an early get together with the same friends, played dominoes while our boys crawled (and one of them walked!) around and we called it a night by 7 (because you don't mess with the bedtime routine). 2013 has been incredible, joyful, challenging, rewarding, and full. I'm so thankful for and proud of all that it held. In 2014 I'm crazy excited to watch Dashiell grow and learn, to get to know myself as a... Read more →

{Blurry photos as a result of taking photos while a certain grabby baby was pulling up on the table and my legs.} Our 2013 Christmas cards are here! They're ready to head out the door and bring holiday cheer to mailboxes near and far. I'm super proud of these cards not only because I designed them myself but because I saved so much money compared to the past two years. After seeing Elise design her own adorable cards on the cheap using Overnight Prints I knew I had to try it. To get ideas for the card design and layout... Read more →

December! It's our fave: Christmas music, piping hot gingerbread coffee, wearing slippers, playing with Dashiell next to the Christmas tree, bundling up for our morning walk and then coming home to our warm, cozy house, Christmas lights all around the neighborhood. I can't get enough. In an unprecedentedly early burst of festive spirit we've already packed away fall and trimmed the house in greenery and twinkle lights. We brought home a handsome Douglas fir on Friday afternoon and introduced Dashiell to his first Christmas tree. As expected, he is impressed and makes a beeline for it every chance he gets.... Read more →

Friends! Happy Thanksgiving if you are celebrating today! I wanted to share my menu earlier but, you know, LIFE. This week has been busy but in good ways and I feel myself settling into a full-on holiday mode. On Tuesday, Chris and I were able to sneak away and see Catching Fire - what?! I took Wednesday off and spent the day getting my car emissions tested, failing(!), buying a new gas cap, passing my emissions test and then cooking away the rest of the day. An early spin class and a second cup of coffee this morning has me... Read more →

Next week, Chris and I will host our first Thanksgiving! I've noticed that at previous Thanksgiving meals we have a good time getting together with family but it seems that there's the great anticipation for the meal, we fill our plates, and eat in about 20 minutes. Then everyone begins drifting towards the football game on television or cleaning up. I would really love to host a memorable meal where we have engaging conversation and linger at the table. So, along with my Thanksgiving menu (which I'll share next week), I've been brainstorming activities and new traditions to liven up... Read more →

Last year, when I went to Erica's house for our fall crafting date, I noticed a simple thing that made her whole house feel festive. At each sink there was a fall-scented soap. Erica is my seasonal decor mentor so I eagerly asked her to tell me more. She told me that at the beginning of the fall and Christmas seasons she stocks up on scented soaps and candles. If a soap doesn't get used up during the season she just stores it under the sink to be used the next year. Genius. I went home and immediately banished my... Read more →

It was really fun to include "baby" on our Christmas cards this year. Next year we'll be wrangling a vizsla and an infant for the photos - can't wait to see how that turns out! I used our return address stamp on the front and a simple snowflake stamp that I bought at Hobby Lobby on the back. Never been a stamp gal before but Elise may have convinced me otherwise. Of course our photo shoot with Chris's sister included some outtakes...such as this gem: and this awesome photo-bomb by our nephew: P.S. A peek at our Christmas cards last... Read more →

I love the tradition of having a live Christmas tree every year. I love celebrating the beauty of nature by bringing an “ordinary” bit of the outdoors into our home and adorning and admiring it. Sunset magazine just ran a comparison of real vs. fake Christmas trees and I was pleased to see that they determined that you should "go with the real deal if the ritual and environment are your top priorities". That’s us! (They also said go with a fake tree if "you prize convenience and no-mess holidays.") This year I was especially excited to cut our own... Read more →