10 month photo shoot

As always great pictures taken by my friend Carmen. We did this shoot at Discovery Park in Magnolia and I love them all. With age the pictures of Isaac just get funnier and funnier. Of course he just started walking so he kept taking off from the shot! It was really cold and Isaac's face kept getting redder and redder and then he go more and more unhappy :) So great to have these memories, we are so lucky to have Carmen!

teepee

This was Isaac's birthday present from Peter and I. It was a joint effort along with the help of my mother the actual seamstress and I am not good at sewing and almost insures a mental meltdown. I design and she implements. The perfect combination in my book. It was quite the evolution since I cut it out wrong and now has scalloped edges. It adds character and my favorite part is that it was made out of our wedding aisle runner. I hope this teepee gets many years of use outside and in. 

Peter engineered the poles by drilling holes for the string. The genius part he figured out how to prevent the poles from slipping on our hardwoods by using balloons from Isaac's birthday party. Each leg is a different pop of color. An easy solution and it even looks cute that made me very happy!

 The best part, Isaac's doggies and bears have a home.

great take homes from a wedding

This past weekend we road tripped it to Chico, California for my cousin Augie's wedding. We had a great time and Isaac enjoyed the hustle and bustle. He ate lavish food, did a little dancing on the dance floor, and made a friend named Odin. We had a great time spending time with family and I enjoyed helping my Aunt Coleen put together the flowers for the centerpieces. Below is my aunt dancing with the groom. We also had to stop for a great photo opp. in the mountains of Northern California!

  

 The icing on top of the cake was being able to bring home candlesticks that my uncle made for the rehearsal dinner and a huge bag full of lemons from his lemon tree in his yard. Aaah lemons.... a great centerpiece and the base of all things yummy. I've made lemon lentil soup, blueberry lemon sweet rolls, and last I think I will squeeze the rest into lemon juice and freeze them into ice cube trays.

These sweet rolls are amazing, they are the Pioneer Woman's recipe. Well worth the work and the calories!

photo inspiration

My mother-in-law gave me this yellow cake plate for Christmas. Today Isaac and I are eating lunch at the dining room table. I glance at the hutch and feel inspired by the pop of yellow to snap a photo. Here it is!

brown bear first birthday

Isaac's favorite book is Brown Bear Brown Bear What Do You See? We start reciting the book and he gets really excited. Often times he will then go looking for the book and start flipping through the pages. I had such a good time planning this party and making his decorations. Most of the credit I owe to Pinterest!

 

 

 

 

Baby I is ONE! We had family and close friends with baby's Isaac's age come over to celebrate. Isaac loved having people over and was going...going all afternoon he skipped his nap completely and was happy as a clam. He got spoiled with presents and ate two whole pieces of cake. He didn't make much of a mess, I think he was making sure it all got in his mouth! He loves his new toys!

the windy city

We flew to Chicago to be with my sisters for Thanksgiving. Although flying with a baby is far from a "vacation" it was well worth it to see my sister's new house and spend time with them. Isaac loves his aunts and Uncle Karl! I left my Iphone on the plane so many pictures will never be recovered from the trip but Peter and Karl snapped a few.

Isaac's first time in claw foot tub at Greta's house... lucky boy!

Isaac loves his Uncle Karl!

We thought this sign was appropriate for our first plane trip with Isaac!

The amazing view from Greta's work in the John Hancock building!

One of the residents at Greta's work owns the horse carriage company in downtown Chicago. We saw her when we were touring Greta's work and she asked us if we wanted a free horse drawn carriage ride, "um YES!"

This was taken in Geneva the suburb that Karl and Greta live in. We could walk to this park from their house!

This was taken after we ate amazing Deep Dish Pizza with the Swenson family and John and Linda Brorson, Karl's parents. So great to see the Swenson boys...it's been too long!

I'm sad I didn't get any pictures of the sisters! Aaah what were we thinking? Also no pictures of Sonja @ The Little Goat because everything was still top secret since it hadn't opened yet so no pictures were allowed. I also miss the great pictures I got of Karl and Greta's house that were on my phone :( Next time! Such a great trip and we can't wait to go back!

recycled architectural drawing wrap

I have to credit to Peter for this one. A few years back before we were married he wrapped his Christmas presents in his old work drawings. GENIUS! Let's see it encompasses all of my requirements. 

1. Simple
2. Free
3. Original
4. Green/recycled

The past few years I would ask him for them too late and he would have just thrown out a bunch. But this year I remembered early enough! I think it has something to do with having more time on my hands these days without having a full time job...well OK just a different full time job.