Bits + Pieces

-- Bits and pieces from my birthday weekend --

This past weekend I celebrated my 27th birthday. It was truly one of the best birthday's I've had in a long tine. An entire weekend spent with the ones I love, playing in the warm sun, and enjoying delicious food. I feel so blessed for this life of mine, so far from perfect but filled with an immense amount of love and passion. I'm proud of the progress I have made over this past year, becoming more of the woman I long to be, slowly letting go of the fear and self doubt that has held me back for so long, too long. I am very excited to see where this next year takes me!

Here's to another year!

Family | Uncle William

-- Chloe and her Uncle William --

2012: Our Year In Pictures

When I started writing this post I wasn't exactly sure how I wanted to display a whole year's worth of photo's, but then as I was reading one of my favorite blogs - Diapers and Skinny Jeans I become so inspired by Kate's year in review post that I finally settled on making a collage of some of my favorite pictures and fondest memories of the year. I cant help but smile while looking through our year in pictures, I feel so incredibly blessed for all these wonderful memories me and my little family have made together. It's so easy to get lost in the stress and shuffle of everyday life, to forget the pleasure and beauty in simplicity. This was a powerful reminder for me, that my life is filled with so much beauty and fullness, so much more then I even let myself see. I want to really work on spending less time complaining and more time pouring my whole heart and soul into the people and passions I cherish most in this life.

Welcoming The New Year

Happy New Years! 

I hope everyone had a wonderful, safe New Years Eve filled with lots of love and laughter. Our's was wonderful and spent at home this year. Chloe went to sleep around 9 pm so Mike and I welcomed the New Year together cuddled up on the couch with a warm blanket and a glass of champagne, it was truly perfect!

With the new year among us I have been reflecting a lot about what this past year has meant for my little family. 2012 was a really big year for us, filled with growth and change and an abundance of blessings and struggles. We watched our little baby blossom into a toddler, Mike got laid off from his job, we took a leap of faith and moved back home to Chicago, Mike got a new job, and for the first time in over five years we have gotten to spend the holidays and birthdays with my side of the family. We have laughed, cried, yelled, fought, loved more times then I can even count, and though there are many things I do regret and care not to remember from this past year I am forever grateful for all the wonderful memories my family and I have made together. 

My hope and wish for 2013 is that together as a family we would grow in love, follow our hearts, and chase after some big dreams.

Once again a very happy New Year dear friends, I truly hope this year is your best one yet!

On My Heart: Connecticut

Image Via

It's been three days since the shooting in Connecticut. As a human being, and as a Mother my heart breaks for those sweet, innocent children, and the teachers that were taken away from their loved ones on that incredibly sad autumn day. I cant even begin to fathom the pain that, that community is going through right now, and I pray I never have to.

As I hold my little girl tight in my arms I feel humbled and blessed beyond belief that she is here, warm, and safe, and healthy. To think of something like that ever happening to her brings tears to my eyes. My heart aches for those parents who's children we're taken away from them on that day. No one should ever have to go through something so devastating and tragic.

Our love, and prayers, and thoughts go out to all those affected in the community of Newtown. May you take comfort and refuge in God's great arms.

Thankful

Since I can remember I have always loved celebrating Thanksgiving. There is something so warm and comforting about surrounding yourself with the ones you love, laughing and reminiscing about all that you have to be grateful for. These past few years have been incredibly difficult for Mike and I and life has been far from easy but I am so grateful for where we are today. 

On this thanksgiving I am so very thankful for:

:: My sweet little family, Mike and Chloe are my soul and heart. There are not enough words in the world to describe how much I love them both and how grateful I am to have them in my life.

:: To finally be back in Chicago, for now I know that this is were I belong.

:: To be celebrating Chloe's second Thanksgiving at my Grandma's house with the rest of my family this year.

:: Friends and family both near and far. I am so grateful for all the wonderful friends and family that make up our life and even though some of them are far away I will always hold them close to my heart.

:: Mike's love and dedication to his family, everyday he works so hard to support Chloe and I and everyday he loves me for who I am and is such a loving, strong, wonderful Father to Chloe.

:: Simple pleasures, like enjoying a hot cup of coffee alone in the early morning light, kisses from my sweet Chloe, watching her blossom and grow, sleep, and cuddles, and laughter on a Saturday morning.

:: Blogging and this wonderful community of woman and Mom bloggers that I feel so honored to be a part of.

:: Creativity, inspiration and the freedom to do both.

:: God's unwavering, unconditional love for me.

:: Beauty, and art, and photography, and music, and words.

Thank You, Thank You

Thank you all so much for the sweet comments you left me on my last post.

Your love, support, and encouraging words mean so much to me! I am beyond grateful to be a part of this wonderful community of Mom bloggers! You are all truly beautiful and inspiring woman, and though I haven't met you in person I am so grateful I have gotten a chance to know you through blogging.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you, thank you.

My Grandma's Birthday

Yesterday we spent the evening at my uncle's house to celebrate my beautiful Grandma's birthday. We had such a fun night filled with good food, laughter, and cousins. I feel so blessed to be living in Chicago again with my family. To be there yesterday to celebrate the most, amazing, beautiful woman on her birthday makes my heart fill with so much love and joy!

Chloe Madison's Garden Themed First Birthday Party

Well I cant believe it, we survived Chloe's first birthday party! Everything turned out better then I could have ever imagined and I am so forever grateful to everyone who celebrated this special day with us. Chloe is one loved and adored little girl!

The Decorations

The colors we used for Chloe's party were pink, yellow, purple, orange, and Tiffany's blue. We decorated my Grandma's backyard with lots of balloons, streamers and this beautiful banner  from Etsy! We also used a few different types of flowers throughout the party as well to add to the garden theme.

The Guests

We were so happy that we were able to celebrate with all of our family here in Chicago. I loved having both my family and Mike's family together and Chloe got to meet her Uncle George and Aunt Debbie and her cousin Aaron for the first time. Unfortunately it's pretty difficult to be the host and the photographer at the same time so I wasn't able to get a picture of Chloe with each family member but I tried to at least get a picture of everyone there! 

 

 

The Food

Mike was amazing and grilled hamburgers and hot-dogs for the party and a few people also brought side dishes to share with everyone. We had homemade macaroni and cheese from my brother William, a beautiful fruit salad from Sara, my Mom's famous anti-pasta salad, sliced watermelon, Aunt Debbie's baked beans and corn, and brownies.

Everything was so good!

The Cake

We got two cakes for Chloe's party from a grocery store called Mariano's, a small(ish) smash cake just for Chloe and then a big sheet cake for our guests. Both cakes turned out so well and tasted amazing!

When it came time for everyone to sing "happy birthday" to Chloe I got so emotional thinking about the day she was born and how amazing it has been to watch my baby blossom into such a beautiful little girl. It took a lot for me not to break down and cry right in front of everyone!

The Gifts

Chloe received so many wonderful gifts from all of our family and friends.  Thank you all so very much!

After everyone left and my Grandma's house was clean again we headed home. Chloe was beyond tired and fell fast asleep the moment we got in the car. When we got home I was able to take Chloe out of her carseat, snapped that picture below, walk up the stairs to our house and then walk up another flight of stairs to our room where I laid her gently down in the bed and there she slept peacefully for two hours before waking up!

Hope you loved her first birthday party Chloe, I cant wait to look at all these pictures together when you get older!