Baby . Will . Part Deux

The holidays have been a lot of fun this year and one of my favorite moments was a visit with my friend Shannon and her son Will. You might remember Will from a previous post when I took pictures of him in July. Such a cutie when he was about 4 months old...
Well let me just say that he is even cuter now that he's almost walking, kinda talking and full of laughter.
Not only is he army crawling, but he's standing with a little help...I can't believe how fast things change. It reminds me why photography is so important in helping to capture the special moments in life.
But thankfully some things don't change.
Will still likes to make his cute pouty lip that you saw back at 4 months old...
...and at 9 months...*smile*This time both Shannon and Mike were around so we were able to get some pictures of the two handsome men in Shannon's life.
Can you say gorgeous family?
I was hoping Will would be at the stage where he was *sort* of walking so that we could grab photos like the ones below. And to my excitement, Will did not disappoint...
Will, Shannon, and Mike...you are such a beautiful family. Thank you for allowing me to document your joy and love. I hope to see you again very soon.

holiday party

This past weekend was a lot of fun. It was exhausting, but so worth it. Friday night we celebrated the last night of Chanukah and prepared the apartment for the excitement of what Saturday was going to bring.
And what Saturday brought...was a lot of people. Family came over that afternoon/evening to celebrate the holidays in our new home. Our last piece of furniture arrived--our couch--early that morning so we had some time to hang a few paintings to really bring our living room together. Here's my brother breaking in the couch while his girlfriend, Alissa, and I worked in the kitchen on getting things ready for appetizers and dinner.
My parents came over a bit early so that we could all have time to exchange gifts. And at the request of my Mom, here's a 2009 portrait of the family...
We've learned that the smaller sized birds cook better, so Ryan found the perfect sized pans for us to be able to roast 4 chickens at the same time in our oven for the 17 people who were coming over for dinner. They were a huge hit and super yummy.
Alissa and I both love chocolate and had a corner dedicated to it for everyone to enjoy. I baked fudge and she introduced me to a delicious gingerbread truffle recipe that I'm so excited to try. My mouth waters ever time I look at this photo. Let's just say the plates didn't stay filled for long. So good...
It has always been a dream of mine to be able to host my own family get together and our living room is just long enough to be able to fit two long tables to seat about 12-16 people. And a drumroll please...so far, the largest number of people in our home since we moved in a few months ago.
From my last post, you'll probably remember that I tried making latkes for the first time this year. I decided I needed another small challenge to make the cooking interesting for this particular party. (Little did I know that making over 50 latkes in one evening was challenging enough!) So, the night before the party, I decided to bake my Grandmother's famous sour cream coffee cake--a favorite of mine. She gave me the recipe at my bridal shower along with a pan to cook it in. I was really nervous about messing it up and at the end I was so proud of how it turned out. I can't wait to make it again.
Thank you to everyone who came and who made our first family party a night I will never forget. I can't wait until the next one :)

Happy holidays everyone...May you be surrounded by lots of love and laughter this holiday season.

8 days of lights...

This year we have the blessing of celebrating Chanukah in our new home with friends and family. We're hosting our very first family gathering next Saturday with a pretty large group of people, so in preparation, we asked a few friends to come over last night to "test drive" some of the recipes we're going to cook next weekend. We had a really wonderful time with great conversation and some delicious wine and food.
I've been a bit obsessed with finding decorations that are both Chanukah and Christmas friendly for a more generic holiday spirit. And you can't say no to sparkly centerpieces with pretty lights...
or to cute snowmen...
We started with some appetizers and a Chanukah candle lighting. The funny part was that we had Christmas carols playing in the background with a few Chanukah songs peppered in (ie Adam Sandler's Chanukah Song). The juxtaposition was pretty funny and we had a good laugh.
I've never been focused on decorations before for other dinner parties. For some reason it just feels different in our new place. And after everything I was really happy with the final table spread and loved how the colors worked together.
The really fun part for me (besides the great company at dinner) was spending the afternoon cooking the dinner with Ryan. We work really together in the kitchen and were responsible for our respective projects and the food came out better than I expected.
Our asparagus appetizer was a huge hit.
Ryan was in charge of carving the chicken. We use a delicious recipe from our favorite cookbook: The New Best Recipe Cookbook. Everything we've ever tried from them turns out super yummy. If you're ever looking for a great Bridal Shower gift, this is one I would definitely recommend.
And I was in charge of the potato latkes. I was most nervous for this part of the night because I've only ever watched my Mom make them and have never made them on my own before. We took her recipe and decided to just go for it. I called her in a bit of a panic right before I started, but after that it was smooth sailing. I was splattered with oil a bit, but what's Chaunkah without a few latkes burn marks? :)
Overall I would say the night was a huge success and I feel a lot better about our party next Saturday for our families. I love hosting and can't wait for more dinner parties in our future.

To give thanks...

I love Thanksgiving. It's probably one of my favorite holidays. It's a 'warm' holiday. Family and friends gather together around colorful, yummy food. And everyone gives thanks for something that made their life particularly special this year. Life can get so hectic sometimes that you pass through time without stopping . and thinking . about what truly matters and how truly blessed you really are. I got a bit of an early start on my 'giving thanks' thoughts this year. It's been wonderful. I feel lighter and happier, less stressed out. And warmer. A light has been turned on inside and I hope to hold on to this feeling as long as I can.

I don't kid myself - it's been a tough year. Full of ups and downs, stress and uncertainty. But when I actually sat down to think about it, there are a few constants in my life that I know will always be there for me. And I give thanks to that.

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday with their loved ones. And I hope you find your something to give thanks for this year. And I hope it makes you smile.

And the excitement builds...

Friday, November 20th has been a day that has been highlighted in my calendar for months now. Months!

I'm so excited for Friday. And not just because it is the start of the weekend. I'm so excited for Friday because New Moon is coming out and I've had my tickets for weeks...and I've been patiently waiting for this day forever. Well, maybe not forever, but it feels like a long time...

I'm not doing the "midnight showing Thursday night" excited, but I am "there an hour and a half early, waiting in line outside (even if it's raining) on a Friday night, so I can get good seats" excited.

And if you haven't seen the amazing trailer yet, here's a great site that I love to visit to watch trailers and hear first hand from the directors, writers, and actors what it was like to be a part of their film.

http://makingof.com/happening_now/media/the-twilight-saga-new-moon/the-twilight-saga-new-moon-theatrical-trailer/49/590

Go Team Jacob!!

Maya Angelou Quote

Sometimes when life gets tough I look to artists to help get me back on track. That and a really good sweat at the gym. Thankfully I had both this weekend and I thought I would share the quote that guided me through a tough week.

Because sometimes you just need a little help.

"I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow. I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights...
I've learned that making a "living" is not the same thing as making a "life."
I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.
I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw something back.
I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.
I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one. I've learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.
I've learned that I still have a lot to learn.
I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." — Maya Angelou

Wedding . Alefiya & Vladimir

Alefiya and Vladimir's wedding was amazing. I can't begin to express how much it meant to have been a part of such a memorable day. It was colorful, thoughtful, playful, and joyful. And so full of love. The excitement and energy surrounding the day overflowed as they joined their lives together in front of loving and caring friends and family. And boy could the group dance!

Did I mention how beautiful the colors were?! The saris worn by the bridesmaids were bought in India. The embroidery was stunning and the fabric glowed in the light.
A friend did an amazing job with the girls' flowers. I love the texture and the beautiful fall colors.
Alefiya had her dress made in India and had a lot of help from her sister. Pictures were emailed, texts were sent back and forth and in the end, boy was it worth it! Every stitch was impeccable and clearly done with a lot of care. It was one of the most beautiful pieces of artwork I've ever seen.
The girls got ready with hair and makeup in what is now my home. We didn't have any furniture yet, so we thought it would be a great place to take some "getting ready" pictures.
Drumroll please...
Dear Alefiya,
You are so beautiful.
The handsome groom waiting for the girls to arrive at the ceremony site. I loved his orange tie.
Alefiya's parents patiently waited for her to arrive :)
Alefiya's sister and her daughter.Her father making the trip down to get her......and then giving her away...Their ceremony was thoughtful and funny and heartfelt.
I love laughter.
Married!
After the celebration we walked around the park together for some pictures:
Let the party begin.
Amidst all the fun, there were some very touching moments throughout the night. Especially during the speeches.
Alefiya and Vladimir: Thank you from my whole heart for bringing me into your world and sharing such an amazing day with me. I will never forget it.

May you always have love and laughter in your life. And lots of dancing.