oh baby

Among many other celebrations, this fall also brought it's fair share of baby showers! It was a privilege to attend a baby shower for a friend from town. Even though I didn't know another soul at the party, her family and friends were so welcoming -- I can tell her little one will be loved beyond measure! I have only known her for about a year and a half, but it feels as if we have been friends for much longer. We genuinely connected early on in our relationship, and our walks around the neighborhood are always a highlight of my day! I have a feeling we will only get closer in the future.

As part of my shower gift to her, I offered to take maternity photos in a nearby park. So on an early November afternoon, we braved the brisk autumn temperatures for some photos while the colorful leaves were still on the trees. I'm so glad they loved their photos-- I did too! 

I could not be happier for these friends as they welcomed their new addition into their family on Christmas day! He is adorable and I'm sure there will be many photos of him to add to their collection. 

Toward the end of the month, I also helped host a baby shower for my sister-in-law who is due with her first child in March. Since she and her husband live in Chicago, we decided it was best to throw her a shower while they were visiting for Thanksgiving. It was a small and intimate event -- mostly family and a few close friends -- with some fun activities that made everyone laugh. It is exciting to think that the next time we see them, their baby boy will also be here! 

With all of these little ones, we certainly had a lot to be thankful for this past Thanksgiving!

looking back

Happy New Year! 

Though I can hardly believe it is 2014. The new year snuck up on me this time. The past few months have been filled with anticipation and excitement ... we had a lot to celebrate! Weddings, showers, holidays ... all wonderful things, though they also filled up our calendar, not leaving much time to savor these moments, let alone document them here on my blog. 

So, before I look ahead to 2014 and all that's in store, I thought I would take a few posts to back up and reflect on some of the great things that happened in the end of last year.

Here's a look back on the highlights from October, beginning with my best friend's bridal shower. Our surprise was a success, and the pumpkin coffee theme suited the bride perfectly! It was fun to plan out all of the small details that helped make her shower special and unique to her.

Just a few days after the shower, the hubby and I took off for a mini vacation to Florida! We stayed 5 nights in Orlando at a beautiful resort that my family has enjoyed for years, but this time we met our close friends down there. The weather could not have been better -- sunshine and high 70's/low 80's the whole time! -- which was perfect for relaxing by the pool with a cold drink during the day, and heading out for dinner and ice cream at night! We also spent one day at Disney's Hollywood Studios, where we rode the Tower of Terror and Aerosmith roller coaster over and over! We had so many laughs. Our few days in Florida went way too fast!

More updates coming soon! I've made it one of my New Year goals to get back to blogging!