Halloween munchkins.

Question: What is cuter than one little halloween munchkin who is none too pleased with her outfit situation?

Answer: 7 other little halloween munchkins doing the same thing!

And though there were more than a few meltdowns at this week's PEPS gathering, seeing all the babes in their halloween garb was priceless. Those squishy little bodies who kept looking up at each of us with these eyes wondering, "Why are you dressing me like this and why is everyone laughing and taking pictures?!"

And to that I say: because it is your first halloween baby girl! And around here, we love our holidays!

Happy Halloween weekend everyone!

Birthday Week

Have I mentioned how much I love birthdays?

If not, I'm sayin' so now...I love them! Another year of memories and celebrations. I was so touched by all the calls, emails, texts, messages and love this year for my birthday- thank you to everyone for making it so special.

This year was filled with a frenchy dinner made by my talented husband (in our new Le Creuset pot! it is so gorgeous- can a pot be gorgeous?!), delicious Chateauneuf-du-Pape wine, dinner and drinks with my gals, a fun night out to see "Rainn Wilson and Friends" (a.k.a. Dwight from The Office) with Dave and Amy and lots of kisses from my sweet girl.

I was a happy birthday girl.

Fall

Here it is.
My post on fall.
I will now join the dozens of bloggers out there and throw my hat in the ring, proclaiming my love for this season. Because I do. I really love fall. I love the smells, the food, the colors (oh my the colors!), the coziness and the comfort that this season brings.

This past weekend we got to enjoy fall in all it's glory at one of my favorite locations...Klicker's of Walla Walla. Much like my sweet home town, this place seems to get cuter each time I visit.


This adorable farmer's market that provides for every season...pumpkins and haystack pyramids in fall, Christmas trees in winter, just about every delicious type of produce you can imagine all summer long, an antique shop, ice cream treats...it is darling.


Our babes first trip to a pumpkin patch...and the fact that it was Klicker's seemed, well, just perfect to me.


I love these pics of her, exploring yet another something new. A new season for her and for all of us. And I love her runny nose. Not because having colds is fun (because it's not!), but because it showcases the day as it really was. I want to document and remember it just as it was. Perfectly imperfect.



Our perfect fall weekend.

"Give me the splendid silent sun with all his beams full-dazzling, give me juicy autumnal frust ripe and red from the orchard."- Walt Whitman

Some days

Some days are better than other days.
Some weeks sparkle, and others more lacking in their luster.

This week has been one of the latter weeks.

And for no one reason in particular, it's just been a little bleh. Probably mostly due to the fact that Charlotte and I both have colds (our second for the month! am I in for a long year?!), but couple that with life, traffic, stresses at work, the economy....well, I've just been left feeling a little not my usual self self this week.

But then I look at this face. This sweet, goofy, smiling face and I know that everything is just fine.




And today is Friday. A Friday that will take us to Walla Walla for some grammie time, rest and recharging. And we can't wait.

Yes, everything is fine. Scratch that. Everything is perfect...just as it is. Thank you baby for helping me remember that every day.

You say goodbye and I say hello.

Ahhhh. Goodbye week. Hello weekend.

With fall officially settling in here in Seattle, we spent our Friday night getting Pho and hunkering down for a night in. A perfect fall evening. Oh, and we were in bed by about 10 p.m. Wild party animals I tell ya.



Saturday Charlotte and I hopped in the car and headed down to Longview to celebrate another new baby in our lives. Baby Griffin is the just the sweetest, most mellow babe. Except maybe when we wake him up for a picture with other kids he's just met.

As a circle of friends gathered and cozied up around the living room, amidst the pillows and gifts and tasty treats...we celebrated this little man.

*Charlotte and the dudes.

Oh, and when I say we had tasty treats... I'm talking JOAT chocolate cake and peanut butter frosting. Yes. They might be the best things I've ever tasted.






We enjoyed our girl time. Special time together that prompted us to turn a day trip into an impromptu overnight stay. Because before even reaching the end of the road, the car was turned around...I could tell Charlotte was wondering why we were leaving the warm comfort of good conversation and great friends to drive in the dark rain home? (not that we didn't miss Daddy, but he was happy having guys night)
So just as quickly as we had said our goodbyes, we were walking back in the front door with our hellos. And there were cheers for our return. Because that's what kind of friends these gals are.


*We've moved on lately from the thumb to the middle two fingers. Rock on Miss C.

We chatted, snacked, gossiped, sipped wine and loved on babies. Perfection. And for the record, I think I made it up until 11:30 p.m.

*Our version of a college home-town favorite, Basillio's Best!

It was a weekend of lounging. The kind of weekend where exceptions are made that cupcakes are okay for breakfast (I mean, you saw that picture...)



Where we now sipped coffee, checked out the Sunday ads, and made plans for the next gathering.


Because even though there are goodbyes...the next hello is always just around the corner.

What I've been loving...

As of lately...

::Loving kissing for Charlotte from her Poppie and Tata (tay-tuh)

::Game time

::Family time (which is always accompanied by delicious food time...)

::The Bumbo chair (we're teaching her young about our love for the beautiful giants...look how much she's checking that guy out!)

::Brand new babies

::and brand new mamas

::little froggy kicking legs

::and those same little legs in tights. Because is there anything cuter than baby tights?!

::birthday puppies (yes of course he gets to eat his puppy "ice cream" treat from the red You Are Special Today plate!)

::morning goodbye kisses (okay, so I don't really love the goodbye's as much as the kisses...)

::and this face. always this sweet face.