a birthday quote

Today is my birthday, and I'm so thankful for my family and friends that bring so much joy to my life.

~image credit unknown~

happy 100th julia child!

I opened up Google this morning and saw that today would have been the fabulous Julia Child's 100th birthday. As someone who grew up watching her cooking show and who owns several of her cookbooks, I think Julia Child is wonderful. I loved her witty back and forth with another master chef, Jacques Pepin. I adore Julia's attitude, her determination. I found this lovely graphic from the Etsy shop, Unraveled Design. Isn't the message something worth taking to heart? Happy birthday Julia!

If you'd like to see more from Unraveled Design, check out this shop at: 

http://www.etsy.com/shop/unraveleddesign?ref=shop_sugg

You'll find all sorts of beautifully designed graphics with wonderful quotes. 

flowerful friday

This spring, the flowering trees seem particularly gorgeous. Here are a few shots I took recently. Hope you enjoy!

Happy Friday!


And, happiest of birthday wishes to my husband -- I love you!!

so long 33, hello 34!

Another year has flown by and today is my birthday! Birthdays are always fun, but I think the excitement of a birthday when you're a kid just can't be matched by birthdays in adulthood. My mom did such a great job of keeping my "baby book" full of photos and details. Just look at the page from my 3rd and 4th birthdays. Didn't she do an amazing job? 

30 years ago.
I still love puffy sleeves  :-)

A big thanks to my mom and dad - respectively our family's record-keeper and photographer.

black & white photography

I wish I could say that I took these lovely black and white photographs, and unfortunately, I don't even know who to give credit to for these images. I love all things colorful, but there is something completely timeless, crisp, and dramatic about black and white photos. I found these on Pinterest and Tumblr - both of which are endless sources of inspiration for design, style, art, or really whatever it is that interests you.

isn't this amazing? 

three little kittens -
aren't they adorable?!?!

I love this feeling!

ps. Happy Birthday to my dad!  He's the reason I love photography.

sweets for my sweet

Today is my husband's birthday so, of course, there was much reason to celebrate! I managed to bake him little cakes for the occasion and since it's just the 2 of us so a big cake wasn't completely necessary. I made angel food cake topped with chocolate ganache and blackberries. I'm admittedly not the best baker (too many rules to follow!) but in the end I was pleased with how these little cakes, almost like petit fours, turned out. They were quite tasty too!

the ganache glistens, doesn't it?

chocolate and fruit,
a perfect combo!

the birthday boy with our little Nino,
a curious on-looker

I do love the glow
from a birthday candle

Happiest of birthday wishes to my wonderfully loving husband.

a new year for me

Today marks my entrance into the world! I'll be celebrating with friends and family over the next few days (why take just one day to celebrate such an occasion?!). Doesn't one's birthday seem to be the appropriate time to express gratitude for what one has in their life? I'm so thankful for all I have - the family and friends who've help shape my life, the many lessons I've learned and various places I've been fortunate enough to travel to, and the tangible things I've been given and worked for. I am a very lucky birthday girl.

I thought it might be fun to dig out a few photos from my 1st birthday - we were in Thailand then. I think, like most 1 year olds at their 1st birthday, I looked a little confused, probably not all that sure  about what was going on. To me, what's so sweet about these photos is the happiness and love you can see in the faces of others - my beautiful mom, my charming & ridiculously adorable older brother, my feisty and generous great-aunt, and my most gentle and beloved grandmother. Oh how I wish the latter two were still here - they were remarkable women; I learned so much from each of them. And as different from each other as they were (they had completely different approaches to life) they had shared qualities - their senses of humor, their loving embraces, their exuberant laughter, and their tenderness to me. I miss them immensely, but know they are with me in spirit everyday and especially today.  

 32 years ago...

Great Aunty Nancy on the left, an intense look of
curiosity & concentration on my face and
a little help from my mom and brother!

my beautiful mom,
a little, confused looking me,
my grandmother, the kindest woman
you'd ever meet, and could my brother be
any more adorable?

Here's to many, many more birthdays for all of us!

an ideal man

Today we celebrated my dad's 65th birthday! I remember like it was just yesterday when he turned 40, and I sat on his lap as he blew out his birthday candles. To me, the past 25 years have flown by, as I'm sure they have for my dad too. I'm blessed with a dad who is an ideal man - a man possessing great integrity and generosity, a thirst for knowledge, and a spirit full of laughter. I have seldom seen anyone who when taken by something really funny, can get their entire body so fully involved in the laughter  (mental picture: a clap or two of the hands, a least one kick of the knee, and lots of head bobbing - it often ends with him laughing so hard there is some concern he might choke...which is a whole other matter). Regardless, it's a great feat to witness. The laughter is of course always contagious and always welcome.

Happiest birthday wishes to my dear dad! 

the birthday boy's cake!

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light and reflections

We celebrated my mom's birthday this evening.  There's no happier light than that of birthday candles!

happy birthday Mom!

and a special toast for you