Our Family Tree

Moving Day!

2010-03-15T20:50:00.001-04:00

The blog is moving:

See you there!!

German Glass glitter eggs

2010-03-01T15:09:00.002-05:00

Using this:

I made these eggs with German Glass Glitter:

I am all about Spring. And Easter { + Easter candy}. I have 2 more colors to do for the eggs. I bought the German Glass Glitter on etsy. I heart etsy.

Gluttonous Behavior

2010-02-28T11:39:00.003-05:00

February is proving to be a gluttonous month. We are either a) at home snacking or b) at the mall (shopping). On my list for the month were these delicious apple peanut butter cookies I found here at Picky Palate. The whole family loved them. Especially Scott. I made mine extra large because I didn't want to make 3 batches. I adjusted the cooking time.

Avery is earning her first "reinforcement" for responsibilities completed this week. I am doing a baseline of stars to earn. The only star she has yet to earn is: try not to whine, Oi. Her reinforcement is: earn a treat, so I plan to take the token in a small plastic bag for her to trade in at Wegmans. She has done an excellent job at teeth brushing, eating her vegetables and putting her toys away this week. Bath is still proving to be challenging. We have to continuously wipe the tub down for imaginary fuzz. I think we are do for a Scott post soon!

Home . . . Again

2010-02-26T12:50:00.003-05:00

I've been busy! Shoveling that is. We are home again. Snowstorm #4. It wasn't a "big" one this time but schools were cancelled anyway. Last weekend we brought home this antique desk for Avery. It looks great in our family room and Avery has a place to hang out, eat her snacks etc. Might make for some nice photography shots when we can get her to sit long enough. On a side note, Avery's place skills are really coming along - could be due to all time spent playing indoors this winter! Her favorite toys to date are: Duplos (legos for toddlers), play kitchen/food, lotto game, dancing & musical instraments, playdoh, and pushing her baby doll around in the stroller. I can't forget arts & crafts: markers, crayons, gluing etc. Happy Snow Day everyone!

Atlantic City here we come!

2010-02-21T19:28:00.004-05:00

{Click play - the video still plays even though the screen is blank!}

As promised, a little video of my gal pal Avery. She's so smart! While being cooped up inside this house over a very long winter for a 20mos old (and a 33yr old) she learned to play matching lotto. Perhaps she'll help us win at the slots the next time?

Surf's Up Little People

2010-02-15T13:31:00.004-05:00

Here's what we are thinking about these days:

Yes, our days at home became so long we had to break into the toy-reserves.

Notice too I have taken the "snow" off my blog. I am not taking any chances. As our pastor put it on Sunday: "please stop praying for snow."

Valentine's Day 2010

2010-02-14T08:42:00.000-05:00

{Template compliments of Willett Designs}

Photographic Textures

2010-02-13T07:00:00.001-05:00

Yes, I took the following photos!

{top photo: rose outside the Globe Theatre at the Renaissance Faire}

(bottom photo: Atlantic City boardwalk}

I applied textures Aged Wood and Retro from Shadowhouse Creations. In both photographs I first applied the Aged Wood with hard light then applied the Retro as an overlay. I used this tutorial from Matt Nicolosi to apply textures using Photoshop Elements 7. I am loving textures!

2010-02-12T13:10:00.002-05:00

Here is the sneak preview of Avery's valentines gift. Avery loves cookies; she even knows to watch them bake with the oven light on. Since we've been home alot due to weather and colds we've seen more than our share of cookies lately. I decided to buy her some felt food cookies for her kitchen instead. I came across this set on etsy from Posie and Me. It's so stinkin cute in real life! I know she is going to love to roll out these fun cookies!

On a funny note, The Lettered Cottage, a house blog I follow just had a tutorial on creating a dining room table vintage style. She even created "worm holes" in her table top. She could have saved herself some time and borrowed Avery for a meal or two. We have several "holes" in our table top from her fork. Here is the post (and it is a beautiful table).

http://www.theletteredcottage.net/2010/02/my-table-transformation-part-one.html

Scenes from a new day . . .

2010-02-11T14:05:00.003-05:00

A new day in the aftermath.

We worked hard this morning digging ourselves out!

Stop sign anyone?
Goodbye blizzard of 2010!

Blizzard 2010

2010-02-10T15:52:00.002-05:00

Guess where we live?

Almost white out conditions.

Our back deck.

The grill.

Scott has ventured outside to shovel twice. We've stayed inside. Avery keeps asking for her jacket - surprise there - hopefully tomorrow we can get out. I'm still recovering from the 24hr stomach flu (it was a grand experience) and we are hoping to keep everyone warm, safe & healthy! Thank goodness a valentine's surprise for Avery made it here before the blizzard - pictures on that later!! Videos coming later this week!

Glitter Glitter everywhere!

2010-02-06T15:39:00.002-05:00

Here's what Avery and I did {made valentines for her classmates}. . .

While this was going on {nor'easter}:

A few small bling for upcoming Valentine's Day:

Hope you are enjoying being "snowed" in!

Scrapbook Page Christmas 2009

2010-02-05T19:06:00.003-05:00

I don't profess to know much about scrapbooking, though I do love the feel of paper and fabric. I do a "birthday" and "christmas" scrapbook for Avery - 1 page for each year. Here is this year's page:

They are predicting a lot of snow this weekend. Not sure how much will really amt but my Spool class was cancelled (boo). Avery is not a fan of snow. She likes to say it but not go near it. With below freezing temps I am not sure we'll venture outside much. Waffles are on the menu for tomorrow morning compliments of Scott's waffle maker! Hoping to take a few pictures this weekend!!!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-02-03T18:53:00.001-05:00

{Ginger Rogers - taken w/ my blackberry and sweet vintage applied post processing}

The chef is in!

2010-02-01T19:10:00.002-05:00

Check out the nifty sign I made for Avery's Kitchen. We let her pose standing on a chair (creating new habits?) in her chef apron. Holding ofcourse her favorite items: the ladel and silver cup. I find paper and fabric particularily relaxing these days!

Close up of the sign: made using paper, stamps & ribbon.

Real life Nancy Drew

2010-01-31T16:39:00.005-05:00

Well, 2010 has started out, um interesting. In January I've been busy being the real life Nancy Drew. In between sleuthing I've been mom, wife, behavior analyst, housekeeper, chef, driver (I'm not sure about the housekeeper part) and not necessarily in that order :( Now that my mystery has been solved and the unsub caught (yes, I watch Criminal Minds) I can distribute my time more efficiently. My ambitious toddler and 3 work contracts will keep me uber busy. I have been keeping a running tab of all the emails, phone & house calls I have to make; I haven't forgotten. The next 2 saturdays I'll be downtown at Spool (woo hoo) and my sister is babysitting Avery on Valentine's Day so we can . . . do the book keeping for our taxes (exciting huh). I realize being really busy at this moment is just a phase and it too will pass. No judgments please. Avery is busy making valentine cards for all her classmates! It is quite a process; keeps her busy and out of trouble. I'll have an Avery update this week, promise!

Quick, healthy, tasty recipe:

Pineapple-Mango Smoothie (makes 3-4 servings)
1-1.5 cups frozen mango
1-1.5 cups frozen pineapple
1/4 cup or more milk
2 containers of vanilla yogurt
drizzle of honey
a few shakes of cinnamon
Puree in blender

ps check out the backgrounds and headers from The Background Fairy. For some reason I could not get her 3 column background to upload correctly on my blog so I'll keep working on that because her backgrounds are really neat! I briefly had a header up from her site and I will plan on using them more often! My valentine's decor is from: The Cutest Blog on the Block. I could not resist!

Trains, plains and automobiles . . .

2010-01-27T08:38:00.002-05:00

Ever feel like a truck has plowed it's way through the middle of your life. I thought so.

Creative Weekend

2010-01-24T17:17:00.004-05:00

It has been a creative theme here this weekend! Avery had a school project to complete for the month of February. We were given a green heart to decorate with photographs, drawings, etc. I made Avery a few cut outs since she loves to glue and pat the paper on. All the hearts will be displayed at the Malvern School for the month of February. Avery is such an artist! We went to Michaels yesterday and bought a few new art items for her to use in her art bin! Ofcourse she picked silver glitter to shake (I am groaning just thinking about THAT cleanup). At least we'll be busy while we are inside this chilly winter.

I was also busy working on one of my new year's resolutions. I made a layer cake. Yes, it was a box mix but I did use homemade buttercream frosting (yum). I told Scott I'd bake him a nice cake for his birthday (May); he's always dreaming about cake for a midnight snack. This was a trial run. Real one will include a homemade cake batter. I got some help from my latest Williams Sonoma purchase: Tools and Techniques. I also have to give kudos to Alicia who introduced me to the angled icing utensil. I love this item! The suggestion to bake the cake at 325 instead of 350 was also a hit! The cake is tonight's dessert following a family tradition recipe for veal parmesan. I'll post that later this week!

Etsy Solutions

2010-01-23T18:37:00.003-05:00

I just love Etsy! I find the best products on there and I never have to leave my home! These are my favorite name tags for Avery's cups & personal items that we send to Malvern. We've only had one casualty so far. We usually clean her dishes in a soapy hot water soak in the sink but we have run them through the diswasher before and the labels are still good as new. You can find them at Cherry Hill Designs.

My next greatest and latest Etsy find are crotched coasters. Avery just loves to throw our ceramic coasters on the hard floors so these cute apples are a great solution! You can find all of Monika's pretty coasters at: Monika Designs.

Avery's Artwork

2010-01-17T14:13:00.002-05:00

We are scanning in all of Avery's artwork from Malvern. It will be nice to make her a photobook when she's older and really, we can't save all the paper pieces! She's become "quite the artist" says Jenny ~ her first step teacher. Avery has moved up a class (sniff sniff); we will miss Jenny ~ we all loved her! Below is her "textures collage." I've been busy with work (with 3 contracts, it is alot to juggle), and am thinking of a Lent project to start working on. I'll keep you all posted.

Here's lookin at you!

2010-01-06T20:01:00.002-05:00

We can't get enough of her wide eyes!

What a cutie!

You’re off to Great Places in 2010

2010-01-03T13:46:00.004-05:00

Rebekah, as the main author of the family blog, has been asking me when I might actually decide to post something. I’ve got a high standard to try to achieve, since she does such a great job with the blog.

I was originally thinking that writing something about how last year was a turbulent year for many people would be appropriate, and also how 2010 will be better. Then, incidentally, my daughter went over to the book bin under my nightstand this morning and reshuffled a dozen books all over the floor.

That’s not uncommon – probably a lack of supervision on my part – however I noticed that among the strategically-strewn pile was a hardcover copy of Oh, the Places You’ll Go!

We often hear the Dr. Seuss story quoted with friends and family, particularly around graduation times, since it was written as a graduation speech.

I plucked the book from the carpet, put the paper jacket back on, and then read it from cover-to-cover three times. I hadn’t touched it since…my last graduation.

If you haven’t read it in awhile (text is here) it might be worth five minutes of your time. Among a world that’s “always-on” and information-driven around-the-clock, I found it to be surprisingly simple, once again. Such a quick-read somehow captured the essence of life’s “Great Balancing Act,” while keeping the big picture of the entire journey in perspective.

One of my favorite pages was the last page. Here it is:

So…
Be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray
Or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O’Shea,
You’re off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So…get on your way!

No matter what 2010 brings you – and hopefully all good things, naturally – best wishes for a happy and healthy New Year! You’re off to great places and to accomplish great things.

-Scott

10 in 2010

2010-01-02T13:31:00.001-05:00

Greetings from 2010! Did I mention that I love new year's resolutions? I love starting tabula rasa! I am going to challenge myself to do 10 in 2010. It might be a lofty goal. But not all my resolutions are that hard! If you are feeling inspired in the blogland please link me to your post of 10 in 2010!

10 in 2010

1. Streamline my work during work hours so I have more time to spend w/ Avery & Scott!
2. Sewing classes at Spool. Alicia and I are already signed up for the February market bag class. So excited! Ps It’s downtown on a Sat afternoon, perhaps we have no plans to go home right away?
3. Expand my photography using {AV} & manual settings; textures and black & white post processing.
4. Simplify life . . . always a work in progress.
5. Save for new home in . . . 2011-2012! I am actually attaching pictures of houses to my credit card so I am reminded each time I have to have that new pair of boots to replace the several I already have.
6. Recite the Serenity Prayer until it makes sense: God grant me the serentity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.
7. Paper crafts to a few new items.
8. Expand my cooking repertoire to include roasts & dutch ovens.
9. Tackle baking a layer cake {I usually do cupcakes}.
10. Did I mention increase my savings?? {that needed to be said twice}

**The photo was done in AV w/ my 85mm 1.8 lens. The yummy waffles were made by my husband on his new wafflemaker! Avery & I love waffles!

Tom Hanks er Scott Fuhr

2010-01-01T11:41:00.005-05:00

Happy New Year!! 2010!!!!

This was going to be a guest post from my husband. But he's too busy being Tom Hanks.

Compliments of The Burbs which he got in his Christmas stocking. If you have ever heard us talk about where we live you'll understand. And he's a huge fan of Tom Hanks. My new year's resolutions tomorrow - I promise!

A look at my fabulous decade in pictures:

2009-12-31T09:05:00.005-05:00

This post is dedicated to a year end reflection (or decade end in this case). Tomorrow we can talk about our continuing good fortune, resolutions etc. I adore New Year's. Personal goals, a fresh start . . . it's all good! Now without further adieu . . .

The night I met my husband. Yes, someone had a camera!

The day we got married!

Our honeymoon in Kauai!

Our beautiful daughter when she was born!

Our lovely daughter one year later. She melts my heart every day!

Yes, I have hobbies, friends, a career, personal interests, and wonderful travel experiences but the best way to characterize my decade is the creation of my family. Here's hoping to an equally prosperous, fun-filled, always changing, and eventful next decade! xoxo

Kitchen Makeover!

2009-12-30T13:07:00.003-05:00

Not mine, Avery's! This is the pie cupboard my poppop made for my mom. It's on it's 3rd generation and it needed some TLC after being rescued from our {my sisters and I} playroom.

Before:

Before:

Before {Jen's John Hancock}:

After:

Avery LOVES her kitchen stuff. Plus all the neat stuff she got for Xmas. We just set it up and brought her into the room Christmas Morning. She went straight for the silver pots. Come on over to our house, Avery's cooking!

Makeover Process: wash, sand, kilz, 2 coats of tiffany blue, 1 coat of shiny sealant. New knobs.

Baby feet

2009-12-29T14:33:00.002-05:00

I love little baby feet!

Jennifer & Lyla: First Christmas

It's good to be related.

2009-12-28T16:18:00.003-05:00

Avery & Lyla: the good pic.

Avery & Lyla: outtake #231.

{ps. A little silver & gold for the upcoming new year! wink wink}

Post Christmas Post

2009-12-27T12:48:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas! We did and it was super busy. I did not take a lot of photos. I er, we, were chasing Avery for most of the time so no one had time to grab the camera. I was able to get a few shots xmas eve; no she didn't want to sit or stay still for that matter. The saving grace was the new tripod I got. She seemed fascinated by the beeping light on the timer for morning photoshoot. The last photo is post processed with my new florabella vintage actions. I am still playing around with them! Avery is spending lots of time in her new kitchen! I will get around to getting pics of that soon! Also stay tuned for some fabulous pics of my brand new, adorable niece, Lyla Elizabeth. And then stick around for a year end recap and some thoughts for the new year!

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-23T08:21:00.002-05:00

The official Avery media card is hosted on facebook. I could not get it downloaded on blogger or onto a cd for that matter; the HD file was just too big! Last weekend while hibernating from the 15 in of snow, I was able to snap this picture of Avery in a vintage santa sack I found at Vintage Home in Paoli. Um, she really didn't want to get in the sack so we bribed her with cookies. She still wasn't incredibly happy. The christmas paper I got from Rita at coffeeteaphotography (see link on sidebar). And yes, Avery's hair is in pigtails. It was really cute. Except I just got her hair trimmed and I am not happy how the bangs turned out. But really it's hair - it will grow back.

On a personal note, thanks friends for a wonderful year of blogging. Hope everyone has a blessed holiday season spent with the ones they love! xoxo

2009-12-19T15:31:00.003-05:00

Greetings from Longwood Gardens circa last week!! We had the pleasure of going this year with Scott's parents! And the sights were just wonderful. Sadly it was so cold outside that all my "rushed" outside snapshots were really blurred. We were going to go back this weekend but alas we are at 8 in and counting at 3:30pm! Life is winding down for the year and I am so thankful since these last two weeks have been really busy! PS This year we decided against sending out xmas cards! We couldn't get Avery to sit still on the 3 occasions we tried and we just ran out of time as well. But, expect a special media Christmas surprise in the next few days!!

It's nice to have someone else snap your photo!

Music room inside the conservatory:

Music room wreath:

Inside picture of the Christmas Tree. Longwood just does a fabulous job every year!

Hot Chocolate

2009-12-18T16:04:00.001-05:00

Avery will only drink hot chocolate from this small mug that matches mine! 3 cheers for a hubby who brought us princess mugs from NYC last year!

Winter Jolly

2009-12-15T20:01:00.002-05:00

It was a bit chilly today . . . I snapped one picture with her cute sweater on before we bundled Avery up! PS she really wanted to wear my scarf!

Virtual Snow

2009-12-09T13:16:00.001-05:00

Do you see snow on my screen?

Go to Butterflygirl Blog designs for yours!

I'm dreaming of a White Christmas . . .

2009-12-06T19:40:00.001-05:00

The first snowfall of the season! Avery was so excited and kept pointing outside and saying her version of "snow."

O Christmas Tree O Christmas Tree . . .

2009-12-01T19:16:00.005-05:00

I was inspired by my post last year and by Elizabeth Kartchner's post on photographing your Christmas Tree to show the differences in camera settings and how you can make your tree "sparkle." Elizabeth's suggestion is to go as high as you can on the ISO and as low as you can on the aperture. I further suggest to anchor yourself against a wall if you do not have a tripod. Or at least use the poor man's tripod. I shot on the aperture setting {thanks Tracey} and here are the different looks to our tree - sans oraments. All but the 3rd were shot at 35mm.

Auto

ISO 400; no aperture or speed adjustment

ISO 800; f/5.6; shutter speed 1/13.

ISO 800; f/4.5; shutter speed 1/13

The 3rd picture should have been a bit darker than the 4th picture (that was my original idea) but because I zoomed out my picture also captured a larger amount light bouncing off of the floors and walls. I was also closer to the window behind me. It just goes to show that natural light wins out everytime. For more information on this I highly recommend reading "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson (thanks Kristi). Love that book!!

Forgive me . . .

2009-11-30T13:05:00.003-05:00

Forgive me Marc Weissbluth of Healthy Sleep Habits Happy Child, for I will sin this month of December in that Avery will probably not nap or sleep well these upcoming holiday weekends. I'm going to need to recite the Serenity Prayer each night for my own sanity {thanks Alicia for doing this with me}.

Pic: Holiday Cookies Take 1.

Cha Cha Cha Changes . . .

2009-11-27T20:45:00.002-05:00

I am in the practice mode for January resolutions, changes etc . . . This blog is always evolving so I thought I would update you with the latest changes:

New Header {shabby blogs}
New Background {shabby blogs}
3 Columns {the cutest blog on the block}
Email subscriber {feedburner}
New host picture {me}

Stay tuned for some other changes blog related and not!

In the business of yesterday; I forgot to log on and say Happy Thanksgiving!! I am most thankful for {mine, close, near, far, extended} family. There is just no other way to spend your holiday season!!

Christmas Amoeba's

2009-11-25T18:51:00.003-05:00

I thought we'd try to get a nice picture for our Christmas Card by making cookies with Avery. It did not go so well. Julia Child, I think not. Avery was upset with the dough. Did not want to touch it nor the cookie cutters. Not even the sprinkles. She did however want to sample the outcomes x3. That said, when they came out of the oven they looked more like Christmas Amoeba's than anything. Tis the season for amoebas!

ps we are still working on that Christmas pic!

Christmas Craft 2009

2009-11-24T19:28:00.000-05:00

Looking for a way to do an easy Christmas craft and save a little bit of holiday money? I took a yd of muslin @ $1.75/yd; washed, ironed, and tore it into approx 1.5in strips (the tearing part was rather fun). I then stamped my own holiday greeting w/ a variety of ink. The result: my own handmade and rather inexpensive holiday ribbon. I'll have to show some pretty packages when I actually wrap them. Wait, I need to shop first . . .

Nostalgic

2009-11-20T19:35:00.002-05:00

Just because I am feeling nostalgic and because I found this unedited picture of Avery taken @ 6mos . . . I thought I'd share a fantastic friday picture with you!

Potpourri

2009-11-15T15:42:00.005-05:00

It was a great weekend where everyone was healthy!!! We got lots of outside work accomplished. Scott even helped out at church for Blue Jean Sunday while I got a head start at home. Our house smelled like this all day compliments to the Queen Bee. Check it out!
I took the paperbacks off my built in book shelves to store them in our dining room side table. {I selected a few to re-read while I was at it}.

Our daughter sported her Ohio State cheerleading outfit. As you can see we are in the playroom and not actually watching the game. This is what happens when you have a toddler who loves to play all day; as long as it's with someone else. I've spent many hours "dancing" to holiday tunes and disney songs.

Homemade hamburger soup. Our freezer supply was running low and it's a staple around here. I grew up on this winter make-ahead meal; props to my mom's friend Carol! Recipe to follow pic!

Hamburger Soup

2lb hamburger
1 or 2 large chopped onion
Brown beef and onions together.

4 c grated carrot (1.5 lb)
4 cans cream of celery, mush, or asparagus soup
2 cans water (above)
1 64-oz can tomato juice
1 T. sugar
1 bay leaf
½ t. garlic salt
2 t. marjoram
Mix the above into a large stove pot.

Simmer 2 hrs. (note I will do 2 cans of soup at low fat or sodium. Avoid doing the tomato juice at low sodium). We usually have enough for a meal, 1 leftover and 3 freezer containers. You can't go wrong with this soup. Avery likes to float goldfish in hers and I like a sprinkle of sharp cheddar.

Finally . . . before I forget; the overview for the Pennsylvania Verbal Behavior Project was posted on youtube. I really enjoy what I do at work. It is truly a rewarding and fulfilling experience. I rarely talk about my work; in part it's confidential and it doesn't define who I am but rather a small part of my daily activites. Thus I try to keep my work separate from what I talk about on my blog. I think if you were to walk a mile in any of these shoes you would really feel blessed every day. Even though this video only contains a small glimpse of the classrooms, children, and staff the project serves, it warms my heart every time I watch it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCkYqW1GDdo

We are almost back . . .

2009-11-12T18:43:00.003-05:00

Stay tuned . . . we are almost back! Meanwhile, here are some scenes from a time when we weren't so run down with the flu: A lovely fall day at Longwood Gardens where the trees were in their prime of changing colors! Avery's favorites are the Topiary Garden and the Children's Garden. Enjoy!

On a side note: if you like pumpkin, I made this the other weekend: pumpkin banana bread from Gina. It was awesome and I am defrosting the other half tonight!

The Blog is on Sick Leave

2009-11-07T17:57:00.003-05:00

The blog is officially on sick leave. Thurs-Fri posts on organization, well aren't going to happen. 2/3 of our family is struck down with the flu; it's Day 3. 1 of us hasn't had our flu shot this year due to all the other illnesses that Sept-Oct brought. So while we battle high fevers, chills, coughs, sore throats, laryngitis and a host of other nice ailments our blog will be recuperating as well. Our pediatrician's office was so packed that we spent more time on the phone with them first at 11:32pm and then again the next day at 3pm. I figured it's best not to show up at that sespool of sickness anyway. There is no point to seeing my doctor either. My immune system was down due to the prednisone, I didn't get the flu shot (and there are none available), and I held a toddler w/ flu for 24 hrs. It was really inevitable. I was ready for it. I even went grocery shopping on Thursday to prepare. Not sure what to think for next week. I plan to cancel school/work if there are still fevers. No point in pushing it with the holidays coming up. And it's the right thing to do. We are just hoping our other 1/3 doesn't come down with anything. Fingers Crossed {and as Scott would say "laces out!"}

Here is a link to a one page print out on the difference between the cold/flu/H1N1. Thanks Corrine!

http://www.uetigers.stier.org/frontpage/schart1028.pdf

"See" you when we are all recovered!

The Organized Pantry

2009-11-04T14:21:00.004-05:00

Storage space is key. We turned a large walk-in closet in the office {which is off the kitchen} into a large pantry. Trust me, if I could find a way to build more storage in this closet I would. When we bought the house, this closet had rotting old wood. After a nice coat of paint, we installed closet maid shelving from Lowes. I was worried our marriage would not survive the early stages of installation. Scott would have me hold the shelves just in place and then take off to find his supplies. But never fear, we lived to install another closet. It's nice we can close off all the jars, supplies, cleaning products from curious, little hands. It's been a work in progress and still is. Note the large picture frame that hides the unsightly electrical box. {Kim if you are reading this; I've done it again. But this time I will know where to alert the fire fighters should they ever need it}. Note the recycling vinyls I got from Etsy! So we group by category, the door holds lighter weight items, cleaning supplies are on a higher shelf, pasta is in clear plastic containers and we try to replace cans when we run low so there is always some on hand. Whew I tried to cover everything but if you ever need something in our house, chances are, it's in the pantry. Next I am looking for a "Pantry" sign for outside the door! Happy Organizing!

Organization Day 2: Artwork!

2009-11-03T08:15:00.002-05:00

Display your artwork! Okay, I stole this idea from Ballards. A large corkboard placed in the dining room. I think it provides stimulating conversation at dinnertime, don't you? Avery likes to imitate her painting skills and point to the babies on the wall. It's also a great spot for all her current artwork! Once we start rotating her artwork, we are scanning in all the pieces for preservation. I mean, we can't save every copy that she marks! When she's older I'll put together a photobook of her scanned artwork. Miss Jenny says she's really becoming the little artist!

Family Organization Part 1

2009-11-02T13:13:00.004-05:00

I am going to steer away from my favorite blogger topic: Avery to bring a 5 part series on home organziation. We are a two income, two person working family of 3. My daughter goes to a local school 3x a week on the days that I work, my husband works away from the home 5x a week. I feel we've made it work pretty well so far. We eat well, our place is clean/tidy, we manage play w/ work (at least enough for Avery). The only area we are still working on is finding the time to workout! But that's a work in progress for sure. One of my favorite people, Kristin, did a recent post on I Heart Ikea. I loved the grundtal stuff she had installed and decided to do the same for my own kitchen. Let me preface by saying I love the square footage in our home. I wouldn't actually go any higher for our next place. Being that we have 4 floors I would say the layout is the most challenging. We actually have a galley kitchen which is really small & narrow so space: storage, counterspace, cabinet space is an ever evolving issue. The space above our kitchen island we really needed to maximize. Especially since Avery is now into everything that is eye level or below. You really can't "babyproof" enough. My favorite is the paper towel holders that I use for aluminium foil & wax paper - 2 all time cooking & baking pieces for me. It was easy to install and yes the first time was the charm (oddly for us). Though it's tiny, the kitchen is really my 2nd office and thank goodness it now resides next to our office. Tomorrow we'll review the pantry I created over many months!

Mexican Crock Pot

2009-11-01T12:32:00.002-05:00

We love Mexican here; and we love the crock pot too! This was a perfect dish to have warming while we went trick or treating on the foggy Sat evening. It freezes great too! For our family of 3 we usually get one meal, one leftover meal and one frozen dish. Perfect for the busy, working family!

Crock Pot Tex Mex

1 lb+ ground beef
1 1.2 pk taco/chili mix
2 15 oz cans chunky mex style (Del Monte)
1 can Red Kidney beans
1 can Black Beans
1 can whole kernel corn

Brown gr. Beef, drain fat.
Add to crockpot.
Add everything together.
Do not drain cans.
Stir.
Cook on low heat 4-6 hrs.
Or high heat 2 hrs.
Serve w/ corn chips, sliced green onions, sr. cream & cheese.
Enjoy!

Happy Halloween!!!!!!!!

2009-10-31T19:47:00.002-04:00

She came, she saw, she got the loot! Above all, she enjoyed going in people's homes. Not everyone invited us in so Avery tried to slide past them anyway. Her favorite by far was Max & Sarah's where she got to play w/ Chessa. She scored big with a large shaker box of rasinettes at Dru & Betty's. By the end of the evening she had figured out to go double fisted really fast.

First Hair cut!

2009-10-29T14:22:00.002-04:00

In the beginning there was unhappiness. I don't think she liked the cape.

There were many tears shed.

Then she realized that it was just hair and it would grow back, eventually.

Not what I'd call a "sassy diva" but we managed okay. She got a lollipop, certificate, some of her locks of curls (!!!), and a picture (or 2 by me). She loved all the goodies in the store, so I think we'll be back. Thanks Sweet n Sassy (Exton, Pa)!!

Welcome to the world baby girl!

2009-10-28T13:34:00.003-04:00

My sister & her husband welcomed their first baby on Wednesday October 21st @ 11:26pm. Lyla Elizabeth weighed 7lb 11oz! Mom, baby & dad are doing quite well! I cannot wait til I get to hold her, snuggle her and ofcourse photograph her! And Avery is so excited to have a playmate!

Happy Pumpkining!!!

2009-10-27T19:42:00.001-04:00

Favorite part of the trip: moving pumpkins from point A to point B.

And rearranging the gourds.

The Alchemist

2009-10-24T19:58:00.002-04:00

My favorite book of all time. I have re-read it so many times. Note, the forelorn look is not from me, thankyouverymuch. It's been from much borrowing, ahem, you know who you are. If you are ever wondering about your personal path in life, your goals, what you believe in and the search for who you are, this book is for you!

On a personal note, thank you for all your concerns lately. I am on the mend finally. After battling much the past month with sinus infection, bronchitis, I had a sulfa allergy to the bactrim antibiotic and in the stages of recovering from that. The prednisone therapy has been going well. Slow, but well. Hopefully in the next 10 days I'll make a full recovery, as long as it will take to get out of my system. The hives seem to be gone, the rash on it's way out, swollen lymph nodes also on their way out, and the burns well lingering or at least they keep coming back. In the meantime, as I am relaxing (too much heat causes flare ups) I am thinking of re-reading. I think it's time for some new personal goals. Always evolving.

Feeding myself. A post by Avery.

2009-10-23T19:08:00.000-04:00

I am so proud I can feed myself now! The spoon is still a little tricky when I have it upside down! I have to remember to eat first then clap!

By far, my favorite is the fork. For ofcourse, I can eat my meatballs and penne, my favorite food. The parents have gotten over the mess. xoxo Avery

Wilson Farm Park October

2009-10-20T19:39:00.003-04:00

Beautiful weather we are having in the NE! After some nasty weather we wanted to spend as much time as possible outdoors while we still can! I find it's easier to take pictures while she is contained at this age ~ hence the captured smile. She LOVES the swings.

As usual. No regard for us. Mom who? I'm just going my own way.

My favorite: vintage w/ texture. Click on the picture to see the texture. She was intrigued with these.

Rita's Sour Cream Apple Pie

2009-10-19T14:41:00.000-04:00

Decadent. Enjoy!

Sour Cream Apple Pie (Rita Lesher, my grandmother)

2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 cup sugar
6 T. flour
1 tsp vanilla
¼ tsp salt
3 cup chopped, peeled apples (about 4-5 Macintosh)
1 unbaked pie shell
3 T. melted margarine
¼ cup packed brown sugar

* Beat eggs; add sour cream. Stir in sugar, 2 T. flour, vanilla, salt; mix well. Stir in apples and pour into pie shell. Bake at 375 for 15min. Meanwhile combine butter, brown sugar & remaining flour. Sprinkle on top of pie. Return and bake for 20-25 min. Cool & refridgerate.

Turning a new leaf

2009-10-12T17:23:00.002-04:00

I've been a very good blogger lately. I've rewarded myself at Homegoods. More on that on another post. I am also on a new antibiotic so that with Avery's nebulizer treatments coming to an end should mean back to a healthy household here. Let's hope! The leaves weren't at their peak this past weekend but it looked like fun nevertheless! Avery thought putting the leaf on her head was funny. She was not, however, keen on laying in the leaves like last year. The last one is my favorite. I have not nearly done as many black and whites I had hoped this year but the leaves gave the contrasting colors a nice depth. Notice her new white Nike's that she loves. Pop pop picked them out!

Longwood Gardens Early Oct

2009-10-10T09:27:00.002-04:00

It was a beautiful Sunday and an unplanned trip to Longwood. Not quite fall season with leaves changing yet but we figured Avery would have a good time. As you can see by this first picture - she spent the day doing the usual running away from us. It cause her third busted lip.

Loves the water!

I cannot take credit for this pic. It is all Scott.

She loves being on Scott's shoulders!

This last pic was applied with a vintage wash.

Chili with Chocolate

2009-10-09T19:36:00.003-04:00

This recipe comes from Marie at St. Lukes. She is too kind to share her recipe. We love chili and who doesn't like a little cocoa mixed in? Divine. Again, thank goodness for make ahead food. I am soon going to apply for meals on wheels if this family doesn't get over being sick.

Chili with Chocolate

1 Large onion, chopped
1 large green pepper, chopped
2 lb. ground beef (lean)
2 cans tomato soup
2 small or 1 Large can kidney beans
1 tsp cinnamon
1tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp cocoa (unsweetened)
1 can green chilies
2 TBSP chili powder

Brown onion and meat in large pot. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer 2 hrs, stirring occasionally. Serve with chopped tomatoes, sour cream, cheese etc . . .

Make ahead chicken

2009-10-08T19:33:00.000-04:00

I am soon going to condemn this house for all it's sickness. Thank goodness for make ahead meals.

Make ahead Chicken

1 lb new potatoes
2 carrots
2 small zucchini
Olive Oil
Whole grain mustard
1 bunch rosemary
Kosher salt and pepper
4 6-oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 resealable freezer bags

Quarter the potatoes. Peel the carrots. Cut the carrots and Zucchini into 2 inch sticks. Mix them in a bowl with 2 TBSP mustard, 1 TBSP rosemary, ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper. Season the chicken w/ ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper. Divide everything among 4 bags. Freeze until ready to cook for up to 3mos.

(when ready to cook) Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Remove the bags from the freezer. Empty contents of the bags into a backing dish. Roast for 25min. Toss vegetables, turn chicken, and continue roasting until chicken is cooked through – 20/25min.

Note: the larger the chicken breast the longer the cooking, but warned the vegetables will get crispier. Also note, this recipe would work best with a resealable freezer bag.

13 months flashback

2009-10-03T20:08:00.003-04:00

I snapped the photo of Avery on the right and it looked similar to a photo taken of me circa July 1977 @ the Jersey Shore. Wait til you see the uncanny picture I will have at 18mos (Christmas). You can click on the picture to see it bigger.

ps Avery's favorite word of the moment is "baby." She points to all the pictures of her around the house, labels herself in the mirror in the car and shouted it out in PBK the other day. I love it!

Renaissance Faire Part 2

2009-10-02T13:07:00.001-04:00

The only item Avery would eat all day . . .

She was enchanted by the street faire players. Spent alot of the time dancing!

A kiss from daddy.

But truth be told, we spent alot of our day doing this . . . chasing her. So we have a lot of snapshots of her backside.

There she goes again. At the end of the day, Scott asked if we had seen anything at the faire at all?

Renaissance Faire Part 1

2009-10-01T22:40:00.000-04:00

I am behind again on blog posts. Add in 14 days of under the weather, including 1 round of antibiotics and I just haven't had the energy to blog! Expect a backlog of pics, recipes etc en route! In the meantime ~ here are some pics from the PA Renaissance Faire 2009. We took Avery for her 15mos celebration and despite the chill(ier) weather and my cold we all, especially Avery, had a fabulous time. She was the talk of the towne! Her favorite by far was the children's garden. She played the instrument for a really long time. We had to eventually hide the sticks. She was the orchestra all by herself! Next it was on to the Maypole. Frustration took over in the end when she could not figure out why she had no ribbon left. But we ran around the pole enough to fill my lungs with good ole Lancaster air. Credit to my husband for the wonderful photos. Love the 85mm 1.8 lens.

Project Runway beware . . .

2009-09-24T14:23:00.002-04:00

On a dreary, rainy, chilly day a week back we decided to stay inside all day. Avery really wanted to wear her shoes all around the house. Kept bringing me the shoes til I put them on. She has her own fashion sense already. A close up in the second picture. A close up of her busted lip in the third picture. The first of 2 that week.

Our full life!

2009-09-23T14:12:00.000-04:00

This picture actually looks so much less chaotic in sepia . . . my husband and I walked past this collective mount for about a day. Til someone decided to tackle it. The perils of having a full life!

Fall preview

2009-09-18T13:13:00.002-04:00

Thanks to our friend, Sarah, who had the great suggestion for some fall pics @ Eastern University. We scoped it out for some practice shots over Labor Day weekend. It will provide some great background and fall foilage for sure! Avery enjoyed the bridge so much she went back and forth several times. Standing at the tree was definitely a hard shot; she was not keen on standing still. And finally, my favorite: looking down at me from the bridge. Avery collected a lot of acorns along the way. We still have them somewhere! Stay tuned for a cute etsy find and another delicious meal!

End of summer!

2009-09-17T13:19:00.004-04:00

Some end of summer images. We said goodbye to the pool this year (sniff sniff). By the end of the summer, Avery was taking off on her own at the froggy pool. Much to our panic. She did not want us to hold onto her. Though she took a couple 2sec trips under the water (gasp). She also got good with back floating and front kicks. The fall season seems officially here. We have a nice weekend coming up but with cooler, sunny temps. I think it's here to stay! Thanks to Elise, Charlotte & baby Owen who made our trips to the pool so enjoyable this summer! Looking forward to it next year!
*pics taken on canon point & shoot

The Laundromat

2009-09-12T18:22:00.002-04:00

Today, Scott & Avery took her sleeping bag from school {naptime} to be washed. You need an industrial strength front loader so they went to the Laundromat in Frazer. I have a special affection for laundromats. Lori & I used to take our camp wash to the one on Dixie Highway on Sunday nights; we'd treat ourselves to Arby's and vege before the campers came back. If it's an empty one, it's rather peaceful and always smells like fresh laundry.

Back to the story - The wash cycle was 35 min and Avery was in heaven the whole time. Just enough time to get her kicks. First there were buttons, and loads of them. Second there was the cart, who could resist pushing THAT around {reminds me of after Jen's wedding, Justin getting in a cart and Scott pushing him - or something to that effect}. And finally, there was the ever-popular snack time. Avery is a carboholic so anything in the snacktrap pretty much fits the bill. Not sure she wanted to leave. With all the rain the past 2 days, it's been rather boring around the house. These were snapped on Scott's camera phone. Next time we are bringing the DSLR . . . the next time someone at Malvern is ill and we want to make sure we disinfect everything!

Zucchini again!

2009-09-09T18:58:00.003-04:00

I continued w/ the tomatoes from our garden and was craving zucchini as usual to make this fabulous quiche from my new favorite foodie blog: Erin Cooks. What's great about this dish is it uses only 4 eggs total ~ that's for 2 pies! And you make one pie for now and one to freeze for later! It was so good; we all had a piece for lunch and leftover for breakfast the next day. Check out Erin's recipe Here and don't forget to review her pics. Very important to protect your oven.

Jen's Baby Shower

2009-09-07T08:24:00.003-04:00

Avery had a great time!

My grandmother was looking & feeling better! Go Nana!

The theme of the day (& nursery) was lady bugs.

Jen + a gift!

Jen and all her fabulous college friends who came to celebrate the day with her!

(Ps click on a pic to see it larger; click & copy to download pics. All pics are resized to 4x6 or 5x7.)

Tee-peed

2009-09-06T14:55:00.004-04:00

We were tee-peed. Early this morning while Scott was showering and I was checking email (gasp). We are pretty sure we know who the mastermind is. All arrows point in the same direction. We were able to salvage most of the toilet paper, which we have now put on a shelf.

They're having a baby!

2009-09-02T19:43:00.002-04:00

And we couldn't be happier! Avery's getting a cousin sometime in October! We were all in town for my sister's baby shower and I snapped a few pregnancy shots ahead of time. I can't wait to meet my niece though I may not get down there til the holidays (work is keeping me busy with travelling this year). But a two month old will be fun to photograph! Congratulations again; love ya!

So eager.

2009-09-01T13:16:00.002-04:00

She was so eager this morning to leave the house, which is no different than any other morning. She took the lunch bag all by herself and kept on trucking. It was so cool this morning so the first day of Malvern School outfit did not go as planned. But aren't the Mary Janes so cute? I shed a tear but according to Jenny, her teacher, the day has gone smooth with only a few fusses on Avery's part. I wonder if she'll be this eager tomorrow? Please do not tell me they grow up so fast.

Woman overboard

2009-08-31T19:29:00.004-04:00

These are some random thoughts. I really just need to make a list of all my new posts and photoshots because I really am backlogged. These past two weeks we've been busy getting ready for the first day at Malvern School. Bags packed, bangs trimmed, items labeled . . . This pic is one of my new favorite items - a splat mat from an etsy seller - Chalky Doodles. I just love it. At the end of the day it wipes clean or you can shake it outside. I've even seen the Libman mop man mopping it down (before he mopped himself to the center of the room).

Avery's new favorite toy is the Little People House. I took a chance and bought it since she likes manipulatives so much and turns out she LOVES it! I am going to buy stock in little people. It's a great new playskill for her! The other day I found "the mom" hanging out on the balcony rail. I feel my life is like that sometimes & lately with starting back to work, running a household, taking care of a toddler. Even the ultra-organized persona in me is starting to get overwhelmed. No, the mom did not jump and it's nice to know that Avery "gets me." The good thing is, fall = change and good things are happening for us all the time.

Another day at the beach

2009-08-24T13:44:00.001-04:00

Avery doing her sprinkling imitation.

Very into the water bottle we brought. Signing "drink" like crazy!

Piggy Bank

2009-08-22T18:33:00.003-04:00

I guess there is something Avery wanted to buy?

The best of friends!

2009-08-21T19:13:00.002-04:00

Becks & I have been friends for years; circa 7th grade? So it's only natural that our babies would be the best of friends too . . .

In all fairness this was pre-nap where neither of them wanted to pose for the camera! No worries; we are already planning a 2nd playdate!

Tete-a-tete

2009-08-20T19:25:00.001-04:00

We had a litte tete-a-tete vacation. I always take a picture of my feet of where we've been. I have quite a collection of feet!

We saw this amazing house:

We got our exercise:

And as always with Scott, we got FREE. That's right. The infamous Dole Pineapple Whip was free. No lie, we were next in line on a sweltering day and a guy from behind the counter says "do you want this?" of the very item we were going to order. Ofcourse Scott asked "for free?" He says sure. Scott took the item and ran before he changed his mind. I'm adding this to the list of free hotel rooms, dinners, drinks, massages, clothes, and various office supplies he's gotten for free over the years. The worlds best husband!

Who doesn't love a Dole Whip?

** images were taken with the canon powershot and not the SLR. I missed the SLR; though it was nice to be camera free for a few days :)

How does your garden grow?: Creamy Tomato Soup

2009-08-19T18:59:00.004-04:00

Inspired by the large amt of tomatoes that we grew and were running out things to make I used Ina Garten's Back to Basics recipe for creamy tomato soup. It was a hit for everyone! It did take me a bit longer this first time. I also scooped out the seeds and put it through the food processor rather than the food mill since I had a little one tugging on my skirt the latter part. It's very zesty so I think I would reduce the amt of red onion the next time; and yes, there will be a next time!

Too sweet . . .

2009-08-15T08:47:00.002-04:00

Though I have a million other posts backlogged; these were too sweet to pass up right now. Just took them yesterday. Each day she's more and more like a toddler (sniff sniff). PS in the last shot she was not happy w/ standing among the flowers, hence the good grief picture.

Panoramic View

2009-08-14T13:05:00.003-04:00

Ever since my photography class, I've been so excited to try out photomerge and panoramic view. I just haven't had too many opportunities to do so. The above pic is a photo merge from 4 photos to get a sweeping view of the scene. I had to take several to get the water just right but photoshop did a pretty good job! Overall post processing included an "overexposed" color pop. More about our trip later! PS click on the photo above for a more dramatic view!

Cute at 2 weeks!!!

2009-08-10T12:45:00.004-04:00

These are pictures of a friend's beautiful new baby: Baby Owen. I can't believe Avery was that little ~ 2 weeks!! I was so excited to take pics of a newborn. I was so sleep deprived when Avery was that little, turning on the camera was an accomplishment! I have to think Elise would agree w/ me, the "photo session" will be memorable. Imagine, myself, Elise, Owen, Charlotte & Avery all hanging out for a photo session . . . Elise and I just needed to grow a few more arms and it would have been easy-peasy . . . PS I have pics at the end of the day, Avery looking oh so tired on the grass and Charlotte trying to escape via the wooden gate!

Just Dance . . .

2009-08-04T19:28:00.004-04:00

Apparently Avery has moves. Her favorite these days is Lady Gaga. Specifically "just dance" and "poker face." Kelly Clarkson's new one is a close 3rd. Maynard & Julia ~ if you check this out, know that Avery will not be a disappointment. Kristin - your young student has nothing on Vivi. Bring it on anytime. The arm waving was first and the "bounce" just started. We have "dance party" pretty much every day, twice a day. Gives me good exercise too. This is alternated w/ "hairdresser" a new playskill where Avery brushes my hair and then stands back to admire. My job comes equipt w/ many advanced playskills! Will post a milestone update w/ my next post! Enjoy!

Avery exposed

2009-08-03T09:41:00.000-04:00

To continue practicing my photography, we got Avery out running along the sidewalk. She was happy to do so (if you have been following my latest facebook info). I've been practicing the rule of 3rds quite a bit, trying for new angles. It does get harder during the recent mobile phase, as others have warned me. Okay, we are getting ready to go on our first trip away sans Avery. Nervous but excited!! Ofcourse this whole week has been Avery focused - today it's the library and pool. And ofcourse I am taking her to the beach for a whole week later in August. So she'll be in heaven since she LOVES the beach. Stay tuned for some pics of baby Owen, pics of our trip and more stuff!

Just because I love the close up so much I did a different post processing! Love it!

Beautiful summer day!

2009-07-29T19:07:00.004-04:00

We took some photos of Avery's friend Jack last week. She took charge of the cheerios while I took charge of the camera. The colors and scenery in their yard couldn't have been more spectacular! All the wood w/ the greenery made for a fantastic background! Oh and being photogenic helps too! We were able to sneak in a couple of rounds of baseball. Thanks Jack for being such a trooper!

Strawberry Buttermilk Gelato

2009-07-27T20:08:00.003-04:00

I made this summer treat last week and we've been enjoying it ever since! Avery especially enjoys it!

2 cups water
2 cups sugar
5 cups quartered strawberries (4pts)
2 cups low-fat buttermilk

Combine sugar and water in large saucepan. Bring to a boil, stir until sugar dissolves. Pour into large bowl, cool completely. Place strawberries in food processor/blender & process until smooth. Add strawberry puree & buttermilk to sugar syrup, combine. Pour strawberry mixture into freezer can of an icecream freezer. Note the final step I altered since I do not have that item. Instead I put it in a freezer safe container. It dishes out more like sorbet than gelato.

Avery's first boo boo.

2009-07-25T08:57:00.002-04:00

1 year later, Avery's first official "boo-boo." Knee scrap from running outside. We broke out the bandaids, bacitracin and wet wipe. She seemed unphased by it all! Ofcourse as long as she has her snacktrap w/ cheerios . . .

Path of destruction . . .

Finally, in addition to a fascination w/ toilets, Avery loves the wastecan. Why? Well we taught her to "clean up." And as my fellow behavior analysts would nod their heads, this skill has been overgeneralized. So before we take out the trash, we must inspect all of our er "items." PS the items in the picture were brand new!

Brigantine July

2009-07-18T13:54:00.001-04:00

There is nothing our Avery likes more right now, than the beach (except maybe our trashcans and toilets which come in a near 2nd and 3rd). She is having too much fun!

Beach Days

2009-07-17T13:58:00.000-04:00

Chive Risotto Cakes

2009-07-16T19:36:00.003-04:00

I'm all about making meals that we all can eat now so I am not serving up several meals a night. We also said goodbye to the high chair and hello to the booster seat. Avery loves sitting with us! This also means we had to rearrange a few things in our home - but more on that later! Avery absolutely loved these chive risotto cakes by Ina Garten. You can find it in Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics cookbook or on several foodie bloggers like Erin from Erin Cooks. Erin's pictures are so much nicer looking than mine. Once you go Panko you'll never want to go back :) Enjoy!!!

Mug shots!

2009-07-15T20:05:00.002-04:00

Here I am in my red, white and blue!

I am trying something new. In lieu of a watermark on my pictures, which was becoming a tad cumbersome w/ all the little free time I have; I've instead added a copyright clause with a direct link to email me for permission to use any of my photos. Thank you!!!

4th of July posted on the 15th of July

2009-07-15T19:57:00.003-04:00

Finally getting around to posting the 4th of July pics . . . sorry!!!! Our day was fantastic! Beautiful weather and Avery enjoyed herself beyond belief! Loved the parade, loved the picnic, loved hanging out w/ family & friends . . . there was lots of young kiddos there this year and she was taking everything in!!

I am officially a toddler!

2009-07-14T19:53:00.005-04:00

Who's in Your Wallet?

2009-07-07T20:11:00.004-04:00

Albeit it's an annoying commercial, especially with David Spade. But let me back track a minute which brings me to this special post. Last week, Avery and I were having some downtime and watching Bounce - you know Gwyneth Paltrow and Ben Affleck (pre signifcant others). At one point in the film, Ben's ponders a life with a full wallet . . . full of people, not materials. I took a look at my own wallet and it got me thinking the most important item I pull out is my picture of Avery. Who are the people in your life that make a difference? What do you value? What does it mean to have a meaningful life?

Who's in your wallet?

Balsamic Chicken

2009-07-06T20:50:00.002-04:00

Avery pointed when this chicken dish appeared on Giada, okay, she perked up, but none the less, I had all the ingredients on hand with a few variations: I've started buying boneless, skinless, chicken thighs at Whole Foods. They are tasty and a little bit better for your wallet. I like how they cook really nice at a higher temp too. Very moist. I skipped the sesame seeds and parsley but everything else was the same. Excellent choice for the whole family. It was a great leftover too! Note: I did a 400 oven setting for 25min since it was boneless.

HeidiStitch on Etsy

2009-07-05T19:52:00.003-04:00

If you haven't already noticed, Avery is sportin some pretty cute hats! They are made compliments of the very talented Heidi at HeidiStitch. You can view and bookmark her site @ HeidiStitch on Etsy. We also have a very cool pair of seersucker clam diggers that I am hoping to get a picture of this weekend. Stop on over and visit her shop and feel free to convo her as well!

Thanks again Heidi xoxo

Vignette style

2009-07-02T13:39:00.003-04:00

I love coffeeteaphotography for all their helpful & FREE tutorials & actions for both Photoshop and Photoshop elements. I just tried out Rita's new tip on creating a vignette or burn effect. Go to her website here (and bookmark it for sure) and follow the directions. See my sample below!

Church photographed in Cape May, NJ w/ 85mm 1.8 lens.

I've won I've won . . . a major award!

2009-07-01T22:26:00.003-04:00

Check out the 2 awards my very talented husband received this Spring! He writes in the public relations department for his company; and he does a very good job! I can attest these are genuine and very heavy awards.

(top) Hermes Gold Award for Blog Writing & (bottom) Communicator Award of Excellence for Blog Writing.

PS I've fielded a few questions how I get the pics & wording to line up so neatly: I always select large photo center and I upload the photos first in the compose section and type around the pics. There is no wrap around this way. Once it's in you can edit photos and add more in the HTML section.

Scenes from a 1st Birthday!

2009-06-30T13:59:00.002-04:00

She could not have been happier! PS I MADE the crown!

Holidays

2009-06-28T18:28:00.002-04:00

In honor of the 4th of July, we will be hosting a new background design {for a little while}. Go to AquaPoppy Designs for yours too!

PS Our birthday weekend was a blast! Can't wait to post pics and share with you!