New Year's Eve

How I spent New Year's Eve:

1. Dropping off about two tons of dry cleaning that has been piling up for weeks and weeks.
2. Going to a garden center with Grace and checking out a potential fiddle leaf fig tree for my living room.
3. Eating at Wildfire restaurant with my two best friends (my sister and cousin Jenny)
4. Taking the long way home and chatting, joking and laughing with Sophie.
5. Hanging out on the bed with my two girls and Darren.
6. Ringing in the new year by drinking wine on my bed with my hubby.

It doesn't float everyone's boat, but for me it doesn't get better than this.

I'll leave you all with the best thing that happened to me this year:

Grace, born July 2010

Merry merry

From our family to yours...wishes for love and peace this Christmas.

It's a wrap

I was up to my eyeballs in giftwrap and ribbon last night, but I'm halfway done!  I'm seriously reconsidering the virtues of giftbags now.

On a related note: I would love to take a class on gift wrapping.  Maybe I'll check out youtube for some tutorials.

5 months

Grace, 5 months and 6 days

These days Gracie has rolled over, grabs objects (and hair), drools like crazy, and loves to hold her feet while she's lying on her back.  She's our roly poly little piglet.

Up on the Rooftop

'Tis the season of recitals, and tonight was another one.  Darren and I have really made a point to come to every one of her school and extracurricular events to show Sophie our support.  Plus, I love 'em...bring them on!

Sophie is the one wearing green leggings in this video below:

Eating during the afterparty.  I made those cookies!

First Dance Recital

I don't mean to brag or anything, but....Sophie had her first dance recital today and she was awesome!  We've been so incredibly busy preparing for a holiday party lately that we neglected to mention anything about her upcoming performance to her.  Today, we got her dressed and she assumed that we were just going to her regular dance class.  On the way to the recital, she fell asleep in the car.  When we arrived, we barely got there on time and I dragged her in from the car, peeled off her coat and left her with her teacher.  A few minutes later, Sophie groggily walked onto the stage in front of a couple hundred people and when the music started...she danced!  No crying, no shyness...she was all business.  That's my girl!

Posing at home before the recital.

  
Unfortunately, the video quality is horrible and the glare of the lights makes it almost impossible to see her.  She's the second dancer from the right and she did a great job!  We were so proud of her.

Can't Complain

...when this is what I spend my Fridays doing...

Gingerbread Houses

Tonight, we started a new family tradition for Christmas of making gingerbread houses.  My sister brought over gingerbread house kits and Sophie and her cousin Bodhi each made their own.  Sophie had so much fun doing it and she was quite proud of her work!  I am so glad that she enjoyed it.  It's going to be a yearly event for my girls.

Intense focus

A work in progress...

The finished house!

Very proud

Sick Day

At home with two sick kiddos today.  Even on days like this, I still feel like a very lucky mama.

California Rustic

Although this home is in Atlanta, I consider the style to be California Rustic--clean, contemporary, simple and rustic. Inspirational.

all images from A Life's Design (a great design blog with gorgeous images!)

Snapshots

 These past 10 days has been incredibly busy with family events, and unfortunately I haven't had a moment to keep this journal updated.  Here is a potpourri of my life, in snapshots:

Grace and I waiting for my sister to be done with her haircut at Vidal Sassoon.  I overslept and missed my own appointment.

Sophie trying to pray at our family Buddhist temple.  We were there to commemorate my grandfather's passing, four years ago.

My cousin Ashley from New Jersey came, as well as many other relatives from (literally) across the country to honor my grandfather.  A yearly tradition in our family.

 

Sophie hanging out outside the Buddhist temple after the ceremony.  I loved her red capelet.  She insisted on throwing a wrench in my perfect outfit and bringing the pink purse, but it was cute.

Sophie and Darren waiting outside.  They were both really patient throughout the long ceremony!

One of the rare pictures of my two girls together.  My awesome, awesome aunt and her family babysat for us so that we could watch the latest Harry Potter movie.  I have a great family!

Sophie at her Oma's house for Thanksgiving.  I was so proud of her--sitting quietly at her end of the table and feeding herself the entire time.  No ipod necessary this time!

Grace at Thanksgiving.  She's growing into such a pretty girl.

The girls chilling with their dad on our bed.  Watching TV, what we do best!

Family Naptime

One of my favorite things is when the weather is beautiful on the weekend, the house is quiet and still, and my family is napping peacefully...

Sophie really really really loves books.  See how she falls asleep?

4 months

The pediatrician said it best today: "She's a big girl."

Weight: 16 lbs 3 oz (94%)
Height: 25.5 inches (90%)

These days she's laughing, cooing, babbling, grabbing at objects and leaning forward.  Not quite completely weaned yet, but we're working on it!

Luxurious

image via Atlanta Homes & Lifestyle

Oh bedroom, how do I love thee! I especially love your bed, which can be found for quite a reasonable price here.

Grey

I've long been drawn to monochromatic grey looks, especially in design.  As a neutral, it's incredibly flexible and can result in so many different moods.  Nuances of grey occur when it is subtlety blended with blue, black, or almost any other color.  And despite its dismal reputation, grey provides a great backdrop to accents of yellow, pale pink, purple or fuchsia.  Here are some great grey rooms, courtesy of House Beautiful.

Elephantito

I'm always on the lookout for kids' clothes that are unique and ironically, the places to buy cute and imaginative clothes online are becoming more and more plentiful...my latest discovery is Elephantito.  They're having a great sale right now for Thanksgiving where all regular priced clothes are 30% off!  Here are a few pieces that I am eyeing for my girls:

This dress is sooo Sophie...

Feathers Dress w/smock, $34.50

And I can't forget my littlest one, Grace!  I can buy these for next Spring...

Baby Tunic w/Bloomer - Teal, $23

Bouquet Bloomer, $18.50

Elegant Kitchen

I first ran across this kitchen on A Life's Design and immediately fell in love.  If I had limitless resources, I'd redo my kitchen in Carrera marble like this one...pure elegance!

 

 

 

images via Traditional Home

'Tis the Season

Grace, 3 months

I received the proofs of my Christmas portraits today!  It's that time of year again...

Party In a Box

With two little girls, much of my social calendar is filled up with children's birthday parties, both as a guest and a host and planner.  I love the idea of a handmade party, but it's been very time consuming to come up with ideas (or steal from other blogs) and then source and make all the decor (never again, candy necklace garland!).  The Acme Party Box Company seems to be a great solution.  Started by a couple of women who love throwing parties, this company offers all the decor, favors, and activities I need to make my party smashing.  Above is the circus-themed party...I love that it includes quickly degradable bamboo plates and stemware, plus vintage toy centerpieces for decor.  I will put this little resource in my back pocket for my future parties!

all images via Acme Party Box Company

Black and White Pumpkins

I stumbled upon this post a little too late for Halloween this year, but now I'm dying to do this to my pumpkins for next year!  Naturally white pumpkins (as in the second picture, below) are a little expensive, so I will be using a little white paint and a good black Sharpie to recreate some of the looks below!

all images via Apartment Therapy

Happy Halloween

There are few things I love more than holiday traditions. We never had many "things" as children, but my parents always provided rich experiences about which I still often fondly reminisce. This is what I want for my own kids, and it's why I was so happy this year to begin one of our own family traditions of pumpkin carving for Halloween. I hope that one day Sophie and Grace will look back on these times spent with their dad and I, making jack-o-lanterns on Halloween day.

My Pooh Bear!