Happy New Year!

I'm not holding a glass of champagne, but water instead. Regardless, I raise my glass to you - Here's to 2010 - the year of reaching our dreams, being overwhelmed with happiness, and loving more freely than ever before.

Happy New Year, everyone!

Photos 68 - 71

Photo 71 - Birch tree bark. I love how it curls.


Photo 70 - Birch tree limb


Photo 69 - Hosta


Photo 68 - Lonely, partially buried leaf.

Photos 63 - 67

Photo 67 - I love hydrangeas. I love picking a huge bouquet to grace our dining room table in the summer, but I also think they're beautiful in the winter.


Photo 66 - Shriveled berries. Looking at this photo reminds how cold it was outside when I snapped this pic. BRRRRRR...


Photo 65 - Do you see me? :)


Photo 64 - Christmas tree lights through a dinner glass.


Photo 63 - Cranberries in a vase.

Photo 62

Santa baby ... xxoo

Photo 61

There are presents to be wrapped tonight.

Photo 60

The Itsy Bitsy Yoga grads! This photo is courtesy of hubby, who picked us up from "yogi".

Photo 59

The beginnings of a nice, hot bath...

Photos 56 - 58

Can't wait until my amaryllis blossoms! I love its green color though - so vibrant!



A star hanging from the dining room chandelier.


Do I really need to explain that this is a knob?

Photo 55

A view of an antique wardrobe from the ground looking up.

Photos 53 and 54

So, I'm cheating a bit and posting two pix that I took on the same day. Hey, I was exhausted yesterday and only left the house to pick up baby stuff and a few groceries - the energy I had when I left the house was sucked out of me while I battled the Christmas shopping crowd. Anyway, here are a few from Gram's birthday party!

Photo 52

A birthday package is wrapped and ready for Gram to open!

Photo 52

I saw frost on this window when I got up at 4:30 a.m. to feed the little man. I noticed it again just a few minutes ago when I was coming downstairs - the frost re-enforces how freeeeezing cold it is outside today. I love winter, but hate the insanely cold temperatures it brings. Stay warm!

Photo 51

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE days like today - lots of snow, but then again, I'm not the one snow blowing. Don't worry, I have cinnamon rolls baking for D to enjoy when he's done! Happy snow day!

Photo 50

Playtime...

Photo 49

I was lazy yesterday and didn't take a picture. Bad me! Here you go.

More of the H family ...

As promised, more from the H family shoot...

Photo 48

I have no idea what kind of plant/flower this is, but I thought it looked pretty neat with flakes sprinkled on it this morning.

Photo 47

Over the weekend, I had the pleasure of photographing the family of a friend from high school. There was no shortage of energy and fun with this family! I'll post more of that shoot later, but for now, this is Photo 47.

Slow posting

I won't be able to post entries for the next few days. Expect to see me back here Sunday night or Monday morning. I'm going to be busy with a family photo shoot for my friend, Kristie. I'm super excited to meet her husband and kids, and also to reconnect after not seeing her since high school - 11 years ago!

Have a great weekend everyone!

(I couldn't help posting another ornament photo. Anyone who knows me knows how much I love stars.)

Photo 46

Last year, about 20 minutes after I finished trimming the tree and five minutes before our guests (it's tradition for our group of friends to watch National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation every year together) were to arrive, our tree crashed to the floor. Quite a few of my ornaments were smashed. I was reminded of the incident last night when I came across empty ornament boxes - no more wedding cake, glass guitar, or snowman holding a heart. :( But, I still have some pretty jewels, like this orange icicle that give the tree some pizazz.

Photo 45

Snow kissed morning...

perfect morning

I just have to let you know that this morning is the PERFECT morning. I'm sitting at my desk, coffee by my side, clouds in the sky, snow falling lightly, and the cooing of a little man piercing the silence in our house. Is this perfect or what? I think so! Happy Thursday everyone!

Photo 44

Every night when Little Man wakes up for his 3 a.m. feeding, I turn on the stained glass lamp in the spare bedroom and feed him there. On the dresser sits this vase. I'm not sure why, but I usually end up staring at the roots. Maybe it's because I'm tired that those roots hold my interest, or maybe it's because they actually do look pretty cool. You decide.

Photo 43

So....We brought the Christmas tree home, set it up and a couple days later found time to put lights on. I have a pic where the lights are in focus, but this better represents the chaos at our house during the tree lighting extravaganza! I say "chaos" because when you have a baby, any task takes much longer to accomplish.

Photo 42

Thanks to mom and her watering skills, this plant has been blooming up a storm! I really need to get better at remembering to water the plants around here. Someday ... :)

Photo 41

I took this pic yesterday to try to motivate myself to start unpacking Christmas decorations. The boxes made their way upstairs thanks to hubby, but are still sitting unpacked in the dining room. Maybe today is the day ... that is, if the little man cooperates!

A few more Thanksgiving moments ...

mom and dad holding hands during the prayer.


yummy and colorful orzo salad.


...the making of gravy


shelly eating her first pomegranate. notice the dispenser of hand sanitizer. we're addicts in this house.

Photo 40

The sun peeking through our Christmas tree!

Photo 39

A cute moment between great aunt and her great nephew... :)

Photo 38

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, so I especially love to host dinner this day. I took this photo while dad was leading the prayer.

Photo 37

JJ loves playing the toe game with Gram!

Girls

Over the weekend, I hung out with two very special people - my sister-in-law and niece. I love these girls very very much! I think the pictures show how close these two are and how much they love and value each other. Their relationship is beautiful! Lucky girls! Love you, D and S! xxoo