Sunday, March 31, 2013

Happy Easter


Happy Easter from our family to yours! 

We hope your day is filled with love, happiness, family, and of course delicious chocolate! This Easter we're spending the day at home relaxing and enjoying time with one another. We made a big breakfast this morning and then watched Chloe open her Easter basket with such delight and excitement. It's been a truly wonderful day so far, hope yours has been wonderful too!

Saturday, March 30, 2013

13/52

" A portrait of my child, once a week, every week in 2013. "

Chloe, such a busy girl full of wild energy and independence but oh so sweet and peaceful when she's fast asleep.

My favorite portrait from last week is of Jess's beautiful girls, big sister Evelyn and the newest, little addition to their family, Zalia!

Linking up with lovely Jodi for the 52 project!

Friday, March 29, 2013

Remembering Our Days: A Photo Journal

Thursday March 28, 2013 // A day I never want to forget.

Yesterday was beautiful, the sunniest, warmest spring day we've had so far! Chloe and I ran errands for most of the day, and in the late afternoon, after we picked up Mike from work, headed to the park to play and soak up the warm sun. We walked down to the beach and to our surprise saw that most off the ice had finally melted off of the lake. There is just something so humbling, so inspiring to me about watching the earth blossom and come alive after a long, cold winter. I am trying my best to be present in each moment, to welcome growth and change with open arms and wide eyes.

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Remembering Our Days: A Photo Journal

Tuesday March 26th, 2013 // A day I never want to forget.

A simple afternoon playing in the sunshine with my sweet girl. I cherish these days where such simple things like playing at the park make my daughters day! Though there are plenty of times when raising a toddler seem so difficult to me I wouldn't change my life for anything in this world.

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Firsts: Easter Egg Hunt


On Saturday, after a delicious breakfast of eggs, fresh squeezed orange juice and coffee, we ventured out to our local park for Chloe's first Easter egg hunt. Chloe did such a wonderful job collecting as many eggs as she could to put in her basket, and it was so fun to watch how happy and excited she was about the whole experience. After the egg hunt was over we walked around the park for a bit and then took Chloe to the gazebo where she got to meet the Easter bunny for the first time. I couldn't believe how much Chloe loved sitting with the Easter bunny, she thought it was just the funnest thing ever and didn't seem scared at all. I love experiencing moments like these as a family, to me it just never gets old!

Saturday, March 23, 2013

12/52

" A portrait of my child, once a week, every week in 2013. "

Chloe, her hair reminds me so much of her Daddy's. A beautiful mixture of brunette and blonde and when the sunlight hits it, red!

My favorite portrait from last week is of Amy's beautiful daughter, so much joy and happiness!

Linking up with Jodi for the 52 project.

Friday, March 22, 2013

Currently


I am currently....

Cleaning: I feel like I am constantly cleaning up the same messes all day long. Chloe can be quite the little tornado but as she gets older she is getting really good at helping me put away her toys and she loves to help me clean up around the house too, her new favorite thing is to wipe things down with a paper towel.

Planning: Mikes 27th birthday party! Nothing too big, just a few friends and family but his Dad is coming into town from Seattle and its been a year since we've seen him! I'm really excited but also a little nervous since planning a party can be a little stressful.

Planting: Absolutely nothing. One day when we have our own house I would love to have a beautiful garden full of different flowers and plants and I think it would be amazing to grow our own fruit and veggies too!

Wearing: Yoga pants and sweatshirts, so boring. 

Looking forward to: Warmer weather and sunny days, so happy spring is finally here. I'm also really looking forward to Tuesday, my Mom is off of work for spring break so we are going to take Chloe to the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, so excited!

HK

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Spring Goals

Image Via

Today marks the first day of spring, and to celebrate the change in season I have decided to come up with a list of goals that I would like to work on and accomplish throughout the next three months. I was inspired by Kaity after watching her recent spring goals video on YouTube and simply fell in love with the idea of working on specific goals for each season. As a new season approaches I plan to share my goals here on the blog and at the end of each season I will write a wrap-up post where I share which goals I was able to work on and accomplish during the three month period and which goals I still need to work on. I'm really excited to start this journey and look forward to where it will take me, hopefully somewhere wonderful!

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Family Goals

-- To go on more adventures as a family, such as taking Chloe to the zoo, to the city to explore, and even just trips to the park. I would like for this to happen at least 2-3 times a month.

-- Sign Chloe up for a weekly gym and music class depending on the cost.

-- Plan and throw Chloe her second birthday party in June.

-- Continue to wean Chloe from breastfeeding and start the process of night weaning her the next time Mike has a three day weekend.

-- To go on more dates alone with my husband.

-- Take Chloe to story time at our local library on a weekly basis.

Health and Beauty

-- Paint my nails more often ( much more often ). A little silly I know, but it makes me feel pretty and more feminine!

-- Keep up with my hair, no more going a whole year before getting my hair done!

-- With warmer weather quickly approaching I would like to make it a priority to go on a walk with Chloe at least 4 times a week.

-- Add more smoothies, fresh squeezed juices, salads, and fruit and veggies to my diet.

-- No more pop. I don't drink pop all that often but I would love to kick it out of my diet completely!

Creative

-- It has been my dream and goal for so long to become an aspiring photographer. Just recently I purchased my first dslr camera and am completely in love with it! I am making it my mission to become a better photographer and to learn how to shoot in manual. I'm watching videos on YouTube, reading articles and books, taking pictures as often as I can, and I'm hoping in May I can take this e-course taught by Erin Wallace.

-- To continue taking portraits of Chloe for the 52 project.

-- I really enjoy writing and just recently have been feeling much more confident in my ability to write, but I still don't do it as much as I would like. My goal for this spring is to write 1 - 2 full length posts on this blog each week.

-- Find more artist to interview for my Inspiring People series. If you are an artist that would like to be featured on my blog please feel free to email me at beforeverlovely@yahoo.com, I would love to talk to you!

-- Create a Flickr account for my photography and pictures of Chloe.

Friday, March 15, 2013

11/52

" A portrait of my little one, once a week, every week in 2013. "

Chloe, I could never, ever get sick of her beautiful smile and the sound of her sweet laughter. When I look at my daughter, and I mean really take the time to just stare at her, my eyes well up with tears. She is so special and perfect to me, so full of love and wonder. To think, this beautiful, little soul came from her Father and I's love, I can think of nothing more incredible, more humbling then that. 

My favorite portrait from last week are of Tahnee's three beautiful children, simply stunning!

Linking up with Jodi for the 52 project!

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Glimpses of Spring


" Is the spring coming? " he said. " What is it like? ".....
" It is the sun shining on the rain and the rain falling on the sunshine.... "
- Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden

Spring is quickly approaching and I couldn't be more thrilled. I long for the days of sunshine, and warmth against my bare skin. I am ready for the change in season. To watch the earth blossom is such a beautiful, humbling thing.

Saturday, March 9, 2013

10/52

" A portrait of my child, once a week, every week in 2013. "

Chloe, my blue eyed little artist. After her painting dried I hung it up on our bedroom door, every time Chloe walks past it she stops and smiles and says " wow ". I love how proud and excited she gets when she creates something beautiful all on her own. She fills my heart with so much happiness!

My favorite portrait from last week is of Ann's  two handsome boys, Samuel and Sebastian. The way she captured the sunlight in her photo's is truly incredible! 

Linking up with the lovely Jodi for the 52 project.

Thursday, March 7, 2013

Currently


Chloe is currently.....

Eating: Not as much as I'd like her to be, she is just so picky. She'll eat eggs, yogurt, blueberries, strawberries, grapes, peanut butter, chicken, and that's really about it. I wish I could figure how to get her to enjoy food so much more but nothing I'm doing seems to be working.

Drinking: Breastmilk, water, and fresh squeezed orange juice, sometimes she'll have a smoothie too.

Listening: Well more like watching, but she has a few favorite children's learning songs on YouTube that she absolutely loves and knows all the words too!

Reading: Her new favorite book, Polar Bear, Polar Bear, what do you hear?

I am currently.....

Eating: Nothing to special these days, in fact our meals have been kind of boring.

Drinking: Fresh squeezed orange and tangerine juice from one of our favorite grocery stores, Mariano's.

Listening: A few days ago while listening to the radio I heard the song Fix You by Coldplay and have since had it on reapeat!

Reading: I finally got my very first dslr camera a few weeks ago, so I have been reading a lot of articles on digital photography. 

Thinking: About how excited I am to finally be getting my colored and cut this evening. It's been over a year, that's way to long!
HK

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Song: Fix You



" Lights will guide you home
and ignite your bones
and I will try
to fix you. "

Monday, March 4, 2013

Firsts: Haircut

-- Chloe's first haircut, 20 months old. --

On Sunday Mike and I took Chloe to get her very first haircut at a little place in the mall called KidSnips. Chloe did such a wonderful job sitting so still and patiently while the stylist trimmed her hair. I think Chloe looks so adorable with her new bangs and sweet little curls. I cant believe how much more grown up she looks now too, oh it just makes my heart ache!