{This Moment} A Leap Day Walk

{This Moment} A weekend ritual. A single photo (or two), capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment I want to pause, savor and remember. Hoping you had a lovely last day of February! xo

Twelve Candles

Emma's birthday began with a trip to Cafe 641 for breakfast (a banana Nutella crepe for her) where she received her first birthday gift. 

(And it was right about now that I realized that Emma was wearing the wrong jacket! )

Sleeping Queens (from Grace). The girls played a round while waiting for breakfast to arrive). 

Emma poses with the newest addition to the birthday ring! 

A perfect way to commemorate all the letters that she and her great-grandpa have written this year (plus he turns 100 in April)! 

Next gift. Something she really needed....

new goggles! \

They are pretty fabulous!

Emma loves Dolly Parton. It's her dream to go to Dollywood one day! 

And her final birthday gift: 

Hedwig! 

Traditional pre-birthday ring picture. 

Lighting the final candle. 

Officially twelve. 

After her story was read and the candles were lit the three of us took turns bestowing wishes upon her for the coming year. 

Twelve cupcakes on her twelfth birthday! 

A sweet message from one of her most favorite people in the whole wide world! 

Last night, as Emma was heading up to bed she gave me a kiss and said "thank you for making my birthday so special! I had a wonderful day!"  It was a quiet day full of all that Emma loves best (her family, yummy food, some much wished for gifts, cards/messages/texts and phone calls from friends and family). Thank you so much to everyone who helped to make Emma's birthday so very special! David and I truly cannot believe that our baby girl is twelve! One more year and we'll have TWO teenagers in the house! EEK! 

An excerpt from Emma's birthday ring story:

Twelve candles for our sweet girl. Twelve candles for twelve years of joy that she has brought our family. Twelve candles for her sweetness, her helpfulness, her kindness, her generosity, her humor, her intelligence, and her happiness! Happy birthday, Emma Faith! May this next trip around the sun be as full of magic and wonder and joy and laughter as you are! We love you to the moon and stars and back and we can't wait to see what this next year holds! xo 

{This Moment} Emma Is Twelve

{This Moment} A Friday ritual. A single photo -no words- capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. Wishing you all a weekend full of wishes come true! xo  

On Emma's Birthday Eve

We are ready for the morning! We clearly need an inner ring to hold all the previous years pieces now there there are more candles than decorations! This year's addition honors the letters Emma writes her Great-Grandpa Bill (who turns 100 this April)! xo 

Wordless Wednesday:: Emma's Birthday Eve Eve

Morning Snack

Dave and the girls spent the morning skiing at Wachusett and sent me this picture of the snack they had before their final run. Gracious, this kinda makes me wish I skied! xo

P.S. For those who aren't familiar with this delectable treat it's vanilla ice cream with maple syrup! Yum! xo

{This Moment} Tapping The Trees

{This Moment} A weekend ritual. A single photo (or nine!) capturing a moment from the week. A simple. special, extraorinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. Wishing you all a lovely Valentines weekend! xo

Happy Valentine's Day!

Valentine's Day is one of our most favorite holidays. In our family it's not about the Hallmark aspect of it (though we do love a good card) it's more about taking the opportunity to let those who play an important role in your life know how much they mean to you. Since becoming parents, Valentine's Day hasn't been about David and I going out. Instead, it's been about celebrating our family and spreading love and kindness in the world (and letting our family and friends know how very loved they are). Really, we should probably take to calling it "I Love You Day" instead of "Valentine's Day" as Valentine's Day definitely conjures up a different notion...

Our day started with Grace and I taking a trip to Dunkin' Donuts. We don't often go to Dunkin' but when we do it's for heart shaped doughnuts! 

 Belgian chocolate hearts from Trader Joe's and homemade valentines for our sweet girls. 

 Cards from Gramma Terri, Grandpa Gene and Uncle Grant for Grace and Emma. 

Emma gave this card to Grace. I'm not sure there was ever a card, or valentine, more perfect from one to the other. 

 And then there was this one! The minute I saw it I knew that he'd love it! 

David: "You mean to tell me you have more than one?!" 

Me: "Oh goodness, no! One is plenty!" 

Together since 1998. Married since 2002. Twenty-one years together, seventeen years married, two amazing girls, one incredible life! So grateful for this man, these girls, this life! Happy I Love You Day, everyone! xo