My Month as Martha: Part 4

Click here to read about "My Month as Martha" February 4th

What Martha did:

• Sharpen knives, scissors and garden tools
• See trainer

What I did:

I like this one because picturing Martha surrounded by sharp objects, wildly grinding them against her sharpening stone, evokes a pretty amazing picture.

According to Chef’s Choice:

"A sharp knife is safer than a dull knife. A dull knife can slip off food and cut the user. The excessive force needed to make a dull knife cut causes the user to lose control, i.e. the knife can 'break out' of the material being cut and cause injury. A sharp knife requires little force, so it's easier to control and cuts where intended. The user is more likely to treat a sharp knife carefully."

Today I choose to sharpen my mental knives.

A sharp mind is safer than a dull mind. A dull mind can make you freak out. The excessive force needed to make a dull mind actually think causes you to lose control, i.e. the mind can 'break out' of your skull and cause injury. A sharp mind requires little force, so it's easier to control and works as intended. You are more likely to treat a sharp mind carefully.

After reading up on some brain exercises, I did the following this past week:

1. I took a new route to work. This simple change of taking a different side street changed my normally rote state of driving.
2. I ate my lunch with my left hand. This brought a heightened awareness to what I was doing and made me appreciate the food a lot more in the process.
3. I tried something new. Lucy and I made chicken tenders from the Weelicious Cookbook.
4. I did my nails in the car. You might argue this was more of a physical challenge than a mental one, but it was a challenge nonetheless. Sally Hansen Salon Effects remain my #1 fave and these french tips have me smitten:

My brain feels good. Ready for a new day. Ready for what antics Martha might get me into soon...

Follow more of "My Month as Martha" here:

• Part 1
• Part 2
• Part 3

xo Becky

My Month as Martha: Part 3

Click here to read about "My Month as Martha" February 3rd

What Martha did:

• Go to the Super Bowl in New Orleans

What I did:

Good for you, Martha, Super Bowl tickets! Do you think she painted her face? I bet if she did it was the most intricate and perfect thing you ever saw.

I was in a basement full of kids with a partially functioning TV. If it were up to me it would have been tuned to the Puppy Bowl.

I did get to sneak upstairs to drink some wine and watch the halftime show:

Beyonce was FABULOUS. Congratulations. Too bad our Niners lost :(

Follow more of "My Month as Martha" here:

Part 1

Part 2

xo Becky

My Month as Martha: Part 2

Click here to read about "My Month as Martha" February 2nd

What Martha did:

• Groundhog Day
• See trainer

What I did:

Ok, Groundhog Day, easy enough. I woke up and saw my shadow. Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow this morning, meaning we have an early Spring, woo hoo!

Lucy and her BFF, Joss ringing in the most exciting holiday of the year.

I didn't have time to "exercise" today, but we shopped for about two hours, so that counts as walking, right?

Follow more of "My Month as Martha" here:

Part 1

xo Becky

My Month as Martha: Part 1

I want to start off by saying that I have a deep admiration for Martha Stewart. She is creative, a successful business woman, has a clear vision and I'm guessing a good sense of humor.

Every month Martha's magazine opens with "Martha's Month," a calendar of helpful hints, gentle reminders and important dates. I wondered, what would it be like to follow her schedule for a month?

So here it goes, "My Month as Martha," where I attempt to mirror her calendar for February.

February 1st

What Martha did: - Give the Carriage Association a tour of the Bedford stable - Trainer

What I did: Unfortunately I do not own a stable or horses (Martha also keeps donkeys in her stable - all from Canada. I don't have donkeys either and none of my pets are from Canada, but I can be quite an ass, heehaw!). I was also not able to get in touch with the Carriage Association to whom I was going to offer a tour of my living room couch which houses a variety of wildlife.

We have three cats, of the small, medium and extra large variety:

Small: This is Norman. He is a fluffy princess baby.

Medium: This is Spencer. He likes to bite pretty much everyone except Lucy.

Extra Large: This is El Guapo, aka Fatty Booms, aka Sir Guaps-a-lot, aka dude, get OFF me!

I also do not have a trainer, but got my butt out of bed extra early and did 30 minutes of yoga using the Pocket Yoga App.

xo Becky

put some washi tape on it

This is the new "put a bird on it." Seriously easy and now... CHEAP! I needed a small table for Lucy's new dollhouse. The only table left was black and boring, so some creative action needed to be taken.

So one table:

Plus three rolls of washi tape purchased at Target (the pink versions photographed here since I used the green and then thought to take a picture, derr):

Became this:

Not bad for a total of $11!

Check out Elise Blaha's taped desk - another super cute way to use tape to transform furniture.

xo Becky

happy 2013!

Happy New Year!! A quick look back at 2012...

This year we watched Lucy grow into quite a young lady. She's not our baby anymore (sniff sniff).

We took a lot of walks, many to the mall across the street to ride the cars and take family portraits in the photobooth.

We took Lucy to her first Oktoberfest and I took full advantage of the costume opportunity.

I played around with graphic design more this year - something I hope to continue to improve upon in the new year.

Several of our friends got engaged in 2012 and we attended one wedding. I'm looking forward to many more in 2013!

We spent many evenings enjoying dinners with family. I'm so happy we can live here in California so close to so many people.

Lucy brought sunshine to every situation and reminded me to be creative and to always look on the bright side.

We wore Converse and took pictures to capture where we've been and where we're going.

Lucy turned two and we had a colorful painting party. All Lucy's favorite friends and family were there - including her cousin Lila all the way from New York!

I made my first Instagram coasters.

And continued my love for Instagram in general... Thank you everyone on there for your constant inspiration!

We had a ton of family dates! (my favorite)

We had our smashing, annual Oscar party.

We goofed around with friends. (You know who you are and that I loooove you.)

Dave and I spent our 6th anniversary in Napa and ate at Morimoto's. AMAZING.

Lucy started dance class. She attended a "mommy and me" class with her Granny and graduates this month to Ballerina Princesses!

I was introduced to Susannah Conway online and began her coursework in blogging and self discovery through self portraiture. I met many creative women who have inspired and lifted throughout 2012. I'm excited to be embarking upon the expanded Unravelling 2013 Project with many those same people, and look forward to the opportunity to connect with many more.

My word for 2013 is HEALTH.

Healthy body.

Healthy mind.

Healthy family.

I wish you all a wonderful year ahead!

xo Becky

craft boutique!

I've been invited to participate in my first ever craft boutique, sponsored by Leslie of Artsy Fartsy Baby! I'm hard at work and can't wait to show you what I'm making.

Come join us on Saturday, November 17th at 17 Chester Circle, Los Altos.

xo Becky

saturday: a photo an hour

7 AM Snuggles with Spencer.

8 AM

Making breakfast.

9 AM

Grocery list making.

10 AM

Coffee with my boo.

11 AM

Grocery shopping.

12 PM

Heirloom tomatoes, basil, mozzarella and balsamic glaze. OMG.

1 PM

Packing up some of Lucy's old clothes for Lila.

2 PM

Organizing Lucy's hair accessory drawer. (Can you tell she's been napping during these last two photos ?)

3 PM

Playing dress up in a new tutu for dance class.

4 PM

Painting.

5 PM

Adding the final ingredients to the slow cooker.

6 PM

Dinner! White bean soup with andouille and kale.

7 PM

Watching Toy Story with Unkie and El Guapo.

8 PM

Bedtime for Lulu.

9 PM

My turn to snuggle a cat.

10 PM

Nail painting.

I went to bed soon after this. An"early" Saturday night. Another fun day with some of my favorite people and animals. Hurray for Saturdays!!

i'll take that baby to go (part 2)

Another round-up of my current favorite on-the-go items for my babe...

1. Melissa & Doug Triangular Crayons: The triangular design keeps these from rolling off under a dark restaurant table. They're also REALLY hard to break (broken crayons = pet peeve).

2. Califone Headphones for Kids: Perfect size, personal volume control and cutey cute. These got us through a two hour graduation ceremony!

3. Green Sprouts Waterproof Pocket Bibs: I thought we were done using bibs, but now that Lucy feeds herself things have gotten pretty messy again. I like these for on-the-go because they can be wiped down quickly and shoved in a diaper bag after a meal and I don't worry about having something damp and dirty stinking everything up.

4. Swoop Bags: I have one of these on order because I keep hearing such great things about them. Awesome for traveling, but also looks like the best small toy cleanup/storage solution I've ever seen!

5. Green Spouts Snack Bags: I picked some of these up at Whole Foods and I LOVE them. Two useful sizes, washable and reusable without getting icky.

What's currently in your diaper bag?

xo Becky

movies you should watch if you love ART

Film holds a special place in my heart. It is what I studied in college, what I now focus on at work and what I consume like it's going out of style. I've always enjoyed movies, but didn't really learn to appreciate them until college. I have a strong opinion about movies, but tend to not share it because I really hate getting into arguments about something so personal. I will, however, step out of my fear of confrontation to start a new segment where I share some films with you that I really like. Hopefully you might watch them and like them too!

Today I will share three films that made the artist within me proud to be part of the artistic community.

Herb & Dorothy

Herbert and Dorothy Vogel lived in Manhattan and they loved art. He was a postal clerk and she was a librarian. Dorothy's salary went towards paying for their modest one bedroom apartment, and Herb's was for buying art. The collection that emerged was built on love, and love alone. They only bought pieces they liked - and would purchase them directly from the artists themselves, traveling on the subway, lumbering back with whatever they could carry. Their home eventually became a shrine of genius, every wall, closet, surface and cupboard packed with the works of artists like Richard Tuttle, Cindy Sherman and  Roy Lichtenstein.

"We never bought anything because we thought it was important. We bought things we liked. It's not about price. It's about feeling."

The Vogel's amassed over 4,000 pieces. Not for money. Not for fame. Not for show. Just because they loved it. This film made me feel so warm and fuzzy and deeply appreciative that such people exist.

Between the Folds

This film chronicles a group of fine artists and theoretical scientists who have dedicated their lives to the practice and study of paper folding. Yes, theoretical scientists making origami. The convergence of art, mathematics and science is something I have never seen, let alone thought about. The paper takes on a life of its own, providing artistic representation as well as concrete meaning.

This originally aired on PBS as part of their Independent Lens series. I'm a big fan or origami and I had no idea how deep and complicated it can get, nor did I realize how many real-life applications it has. For example, the airbag was designed using the science of paper folding. Beyond that, paper folding theories are being used by space programs as well as the medical and scientific communities.

This really is a film you have to see to believe. I guarantee you will never look at a sheet of paper the same way.

Exit Through the Gift Shop

This film gained notoriety soon after its preliminary screenings. Film-goers and critics couldn't figure out whether this story was real, or just another elaborate production manufactured by its director. Banksy, an elusive street artist who excels at plastering everyday objects with images that inspire and confuse, paints a new type of picture with this film. This *documentary* follows an amateur filmmaker as he attempts to attach himself to the street art scene by befriending Banksy. The focus switches as Banksy turns the camera on the filmmaker and convinces him to become a street artist himself.

Street art is a fascinating phenomenon. I clearly remember the first day I encountered true street art - dozens of Andre the Giant faces stenciled in a pathway on my college campus. Designed by Shepard Fairey, these images were tattooed across the nation.

The street art culture is secretive and  dangerous. They are criminals for the sake of art. Whether real or staged, the footage of these middle-of-the-night crusaders, armed with glue and paint, is truly romantic.

All of these movies are available on Netflix and Amazon and highly recommend them all. If you watch one, let me know what you think!

xo Becky

last sunday - a photo an hour - just because

8AMDaddy was staying at a friend's house, so when Lulu woke up we had mama/daughter snuggles in bed. I love this morning ritual SO much.

9AM

Breakfast, coffee and shopping list making time.

10AM Target! Lucy is going through a phase where she doesn't want to sit in the cart anymore, which is further complicated by her current phase of wanting to hide in the clothing racks and jump out and yell "booya!" at other shoppers. I bribed her with a cake pop from the Starbucks that's inside the store to sit in the cart. A mom's gotta do what a mom's gotta do sometimes.

11AM Out for a walk to the park we ran into one of out cats, El Guapo, aka Pappa, aka Fatty Booms, aka Sir Guaps-a-lot.

12PM Winding down before nap time, playing trains with Daddy. We got some new pieces from Ikea the day before so it was a pretty exciting moment.

1PM Decorating. We also got a new shoe storage solution from Ikea (blog post soon) so I of course had to redesign the art on the wall.

2PM Prepping dinner in the slow cooker. What an awesome invention...

3PM Iced coffee time! I recently began drinking coffee again. My friend told me, "it's a slippery slope." So true, but damn, it's just so good.

4PM MORE decorating. Framing some art with frames we got at Ikea. If you need cheap frames, it's the place to go. We got 7 big ones for less than 30 bucks.

5PM High priority work - doing my nails for the upcoming week. These are Sally Hansen Salon Effects (Hiss-terical design) which are so great. No dry time and they last for about 2 weeks with no chipping.

6PM Returning from another walk. The doorstep is the only reliable place I can get Lucy to pose for pictures. Getting her to smile is another story.

7PM Din din time! I made buffalo chicken lettuce wraps. REALLY good.

8PM Bedtime ritual: bath, brush teeth, vitamins, brush hair and 2 books.

9PM Working on a future blog post, practicing my graphic designing.

10PM Turning in early, reading Gone Girl on my iPad.

'Twas a good day!

xo Becky

merci beaucoup. danke. grazie.

Two days ago I received something AWESOME. A nomination for a Reader's Appreciation Award from Allison from Learning to Shine. I'm still shocked that anyone reads my blog, let alone really likes it, so I was overwhelmed with happiness and gratitude. Thank you, Allison, I really do feel like Sally Field winning that Oscar.

The concept of this nomination is to post a quick blurb about yourself in the form of  a"Seven Things you Don't Know about Me" list,  then pay it forward to some other bloggers who also deserve a nomination.

So, here ya go!

Seven Things You Might Not Know About Me

1. I started college as a creative writing major. I had high (unrealistic) hopes of becoming a poet someday. During my fist quarter at UC Santa Cruz I took and intro to film class and fell in love. The next day I changed my major and graduated with a BA in Film and Digital Media, Theory and Criticism.
2. One of my talents includes being able to touch my nose with my tongue.
3. I was born in the UK and moved to the US when I was 5. I am STILL not a US citizen because I'm scared to take the test (and it costs a bunch of money).
4. My favorite board game is Scategories (but only because I ALWAYS win).
5. If I could only eat two things for the rest of my life they would be sushi and ice cream.
6. I've had 8 MRIs, 4 CAT scans, 2 surgeries and 3 overnight stays in hospitals in my lifetime. Hopefully there will be no more of that.
7. I am happiest first thing in the morning when my daughter climbs into bed with Dave and I and we snuggle with our cats.

Blogs I Appreciate

Corbae Cafe

Victoria delights me weekly with her insightful "Enthusiasms" posts where she shares lists of food, events, books, people and products  - things she is really excited about. I love when people whose opinions I trust recommend things. She also has many posts that get me thinking about life in a much more positive way. Her posts on such topics such as writing a personal manifesto and how cats can help you learn the art of relaxation have taught me a lot. Thank you, Victoria!

Rowdy Kittens

A few years ago I saw an episode of Design Star where they had to decorate these tiny houses that were about 7 x 18 ft. Not only did they need to be decorated, they also had to be designed as functional living spaces with a bed, bathroom, kitchen and sitting area. It was FASCINATING and I totally thought these house were just made up for this show. I was shocked when I took an e-course with Tammy and started reading her blog which chronicles her life living in a tiny house! Her musings on simple living are extremely inspirational. Plus she has super cute cats. Thank you, Tammy!

Francesca Russell

Francesca (my sister) has done something awesome. She is one of the only people I know who decided early on in life that she wanted to follow a career path in the arts and ACTUALLY SUCCEEDED.  I hope that one day I can turn to my daughter with all honesty and confidence and say, "you can be whatever you want when you grow up." My sister proves this is true and she is a real inspiration to me. She blogs about her work as a Broadway a stage manager and life as a new mama. I think the theatre world is very exciting, visceral and romantic, so I love living vicariously through her drop dead gorgeous photographs. Plus I get to see tons of photos of my adorable niece. Thank you, Fran!

paper mache

Are you listening to the Joy the Baker Podcast yet? Get on it!

One of my favorite things about the show is the camaraderie that has formed between so many of the listeners. A few months back two such listeners, Kelsey and Molly reached out to the Homefries community for title suggestions for a cooking blog share. Thus, Double Batch was born.

This gave me the idea to see if anyone might want to team up for some crafting posts. To my delight, Helen from About Abode responded and we started  sharing ideas. Not only does she love many of the same things as me - she has a 2 year old daughter named Lucy (just like me!) and is from the UK (where I was born!). A small world filled with like-minded craft lovers...

So here's the results of our Homefries inspired fun times...

Paper mache!

You all know it and it sounds so easy-peasy. When Helen suggested it I quickly jumped onto Pinterest and got all kinds of crazy ideas. Luckily she talked me down from my ambitious idea to create a taxidermy unicorn to a simple bowl. GOOD CALL.

What I used...

• Newspaper
• Flour
• Water
• Mod Podge
• Frying pan
• Plastic wrap
• Spray oil
• "Decorative" paper

What I did...

1. Tore strips of newspaper into 1 x 12 pieces
2. Mixed 1 part flour with warm water until it was a soupy glue
3. Covered the bottom part of a pan with plastic wrap and sprayed lightly with oil
4. Dipped each piece of paper into the glue, ran between my fingers to release excess moisture and applied to my mold

I applied four layers in all, letting them dry in between for about an hour.

Note, I live in California and it was 90 degrees, so my drying time was pretty quick.

After everything was dry and sturdy, I trimmed the rough edges down with some scissors. I decided I wanted to decorate my bowl with more text rich paper. I cut 2 x 2 inch squares out of an Alice in Wonderland book and applied them with Mod Podge.

The end result was cute and simple. I filled it with photos to display by the entrance of our apartment.

Ta da!

Who wants to share a craft next???

xo Becky

six years ago today

Six years ago today Dave and I got married! If you ask most people about that day they will remember this - it was 105 degrees!

Photography and images hold a very special place in my heart for so many reasons. On this day in particular because I can look back and see exactly what I remember...

For starters the setting was AMAZING. We were married at Hakone Gardens in Saratoga, California which is gorgeous. If you saw the movie Memoirs of a Geisha you might recognize this scene which was filmed there...

Dave and I spent many of our first dates visiting the Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco, so these gardens had a very special meaning to us.

My dress was simple, white with chevron detailing, a low back with ribbons trailing in the back...

And I rocked a serious side ponytail...

This is one of my favorite pictures from that day. Dave and I on the bridge after the ceremony, and one of our flower girls Alyssa, caught off to the side photographing us...

Every time I look back at our wedding photos they retell the story over again for me...

Eudora Welty said "A good snapshot keeps a moment from running away."

These moments for me will never run away...

A beautiful day, filled with beautiful people in a beautiful place.

Happy sixth anniversary Dave.

xo Becky

...Most photos in this post by Tess Marie Photography...

DIY felt hair clips

Thank you Sarah for coming up with the idea for me to make hair accessories!

Here's a few inspired creations - easy, medium and hard.

1. Cut out a simple oblong shape and a smaller rectangular piece of felt.

2. Pinch the bow together and secure in the center with hot glue.

3. Wrap the rectangular piece around the center and secure with hot glue.

4. Glue the finished bow onto a hair clip.

Easy peasy!

1. Cut long 1 inch strips of felt.

2. Tie a knot at the end.

3. Start wrapping the felt around the knot, occasionally twisting the fabric and securing with hot glue.

4. Tuck under the end and hide with glue.

5. Cut out some felt leaves. Make them big enough to use as a base to glue all your rosettes.

6. I decided to jazz up my leaves with a little thread.

7. Glue it all to a large clip or headband.

Booya!

1. Cut small squares - mine were 1 inch and 1/2 inch squares.

2. Cut each square into a wide, flat bottomed petal.

3. Pinch the petals and secure with hot glue.

4. Glue the larger petals around the edge of a 2 1/2 inch circle of felt.

5. Repeat by filling in the gaps between those petals with the smaller ones.

6. Make little snips all the way round a 1 inch circle of felt. Fill the center of the flower with a bit of hot glue. Place it on top of the center of the flower.

7. Use a pencil or chopstick to push the center of the circle down into the flower.

8. Secure your hair clip with hot glue. I also stitched mine on since I was using a small clip.

Voila!

Not bad. I only burned myself once with the hot glue gun.

Thank you to the following for your inspiration:

Ruffles and Stuff

Emily Sparks

It's the Little Things

xo Becky

saturdays with instagram - my current faves

Lots of crafting materials, following Susannah Conway and FOOD on my mind this week!

Have a great weekend.

xo Becky

saturdays with instagram - my current favs

 

...making jam with Niki, Joss and Lulu...

Trucks, babies and NAILZ!

a party for a 2-year old

I LOVE planning parties! Setting the scene in my apartment for an event is like a magical adventure for me where I imagine all sorts of fantastical things. Sometimes it's not always possible to pull off the picture in my head, but I'm always happy when bits and pieces of it come together. I started early in the year gathering ideas. Pinterest is a dream for this, just click, save, come back a few months later and think, "oh, yeah - THAT!"

I'm not all that into theme-ey things, although sometimes (like my Oscar parties, hello?) they can be cool. I wanted the theme to just be LUCY. If I had to draw a picture of what I think "Lucy" means, it would be an explosion of happy colors - yellow like daffodils, pink like cotton candy  and blue like the sky on a perfect day. There would be pretty things galore - flowers, balloons and music in the air.

This is a snippet of this year's inspiration board:

1. I loved the art idea that I saw on jandjhome. The party that her sister put together was super cute! The boxes she lined up like easels looked amazing. Lucy loves art and I knew painting would be a huge hit amongst the kids and fun for the adults to watch.
2. Bunting cakes! I pinned one of these randomly like 4 months ago and now I'm seeing them everywhere. A few of my favorites are on Design Sponge, Bump Smitten and Joy the Baker. I fell in love with bunting the moment I laid eyes on my crafty sister's nursery. Can you believe she sewed that all herself!? Fracking cool.
3. I loved this party spread on Sweet Designs. So summery and pretty. Perfect for a little girl's birthday party!

And so here was what I was able to pull off from the picture in my head:

1. Rather than find canvases or boxes that I thought might be really expensive, I just got a roll of paper from the teacher supply store. It was super cheap and easy to put up as well as clean up.
2. Cake! It came out really cute and I splurged by buying the cake and then decorated it myself.
3. The table also looked good. The party was scattered with mason jars filled with goodies inside as well as outside where I mixed tempera paint with water for the painting wall.

I thought the party was awesome (despite being 95 DEGREES that day). Here are my takeaway tips:

• Buy the cake: I know I tend to over-plan, so I made some shortcuts that cost me a little bit more money-wise, but saved me a great deal of mental sanity. If you're good at baking - go for it, but I had to have some "real talk" with myself. Buying the cake was totally worth it. It tasted and looked amazing and I didn't stress myself out the night before the party worrying over a possibly burnt, ghetto-looking cake.
• Take the weather into account: I knew it was going to be hot so I thought about ways to make things slightly more comfortable. There was a wading pool for the kids which was easy. We also borrowed extra patio umbrellas, didn't serve any heated food and had a fully stocked drinking station:

• Don't BBQ: This sounds crazy as I type it because I LOVE barbecued food, but this only applies in this very specific situation... On super hot days - when you would rather not have smoke enveloping your yard - coming from a hot grill with small children running around - when you're hosting a bunch of people - and would rather have your husband co-host than stand over a grill thinking about sausage. Otherwise barbecuing is 100% a must in my book because it's yummaroo.
• Serve easy food: In addition to splurging on the cake, and because of the no-go BBQ, we got finger sandwiches from a bakery. All the other food was either open and serve, brought by guests or prepared in advance; like fruit salad, crackers and cheese, cookies, cucumber salad and chips and dip - not to mention all the little treats in the mason jars like strawberry Pocky, lemon pirouettes and vanilla filled wafers.
• Combine store-bought and handmade decorations: I started buying bunting garlands at Target several months ago when they popped up in the store. Almost every time I went (which is like twice a week, ha!) I would buy another until I had about 10 to line our long fence on both sides as well as hang inside. The rest of the decor was all me - just simple ribbons and raffia tied onto things and then the cake embellishments:

Lucy had a super fun time. The day ended with her covered in melted chocolate, stripped down to her pull-ups.

It was a great day.

xo Becky

lucy turned 2!!!

Last week Lucy turned two years old! It's crazy town to think about all of the huge milestones and events that we witnessed this year:

Your first converse, developing your wacky sense of humor, cultivating your appreciation of music, being naughty (on purpose!), going trick-or-treating...

Going down the slide on your own, appreciating rock, drinking your first beer (just kidding! - this was homemade root beer at you first Oktoberfest!), becoming an artist and your first trip to the beach.

I can't believe this was you one year ago:

Now you are a spunky little toddler who can dance, play with bubbles, tease your cats, bang the drums, watch Puss in Boots, run around, swing too high, search for ants, play pretend, sing along to almost anything and say I LOVE YOU.

I love you, too my Lulu Bean. You are my heart and my joy.

xo Mama

Stay tuned for pics and tips for a 2-year old birthday party!

saturdays with instagram

 

This week I loved pictures of kids - particularly my niece! Food (tea, pizza, popsicles, beer!) and shoes and cats, oh my!