Thanksgiving A la Mode

I want these crust cutters soooooooooooooo bad! The only thing better than pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving is pumpkin pie with autumn leaf crusts.

I'm dreaming.....

....of an Apple Christmas.....

The Joys of Fall

Don't these just look like fall to you? I just wish I looked better in flats.

all i want for christmas 2

all i want for christmas.....that I probably shouldn't have and I probably won't ever get

Click here to see why.

all i want for christmas

love is in the air

...everywhere I look around.....

Mark Weinberg & Liz Hansen

Lyndee Litchfield & Nathan Gubler

Megan Hall & Gavin Wiswell

Kristina Smith & Ben Coplin

Melanie Shea Egbert & McKay Rogers

Congratulations to all the happy couples!

Ps. I still have one weekend in June without a wedding.....any takers?

Art

I found this post inspiring.

In some ways it reminds me of this

Thanks for sharing O!

Photos

I am not even going to pretend to be a good blogger - or writer......or photographer. So there you go.

August 2009 - Life on the Water

Summer Sunset

San Diego

Somewhere in Boston

Maui Waui

Fish out of Water (J.Crew)

January 2010 - Crystal Cove

Up In the Air

Cruisin'

Laguna Beach

Chuckarama

23 years and 4 days ago, I had a dream that my mom (who was prego) was going to have a little boy. The dream was so vivid and clear I can still remember the pram we pushed up a cobblestone street and my baby brother tucked inside the blue and white blanket puffy blanket. I woke up surprised by my dream. I had been convinced I was going to have a baby sister. I jumped out of my bed and ran into my parent's room to tell my mom that after months of disagreeing with her, I thought she's was right - I thought she was going to have a boy. As I burst into the room, to my shock, I found my uncle Steve in place of my parents. The surprises didn't stop there. He told me my parents had gone to the hospital in the middle of the night and my mom had had a 7 lbs. baby girl! Claire Elise Olds - the pride and joy of my life.

She started out as Elizabeth and then she became Claire and then Mowgli, Roo, Chuckawalla, Chuck, Small Fry, and Baby. She has so much personality one name just won't do. Claire has never been timid or shy and will do just about anything. If it equals fun she is in. It is one of the things I adore about her. But what I love even more is her loyal tender heart. She is one of the sweetest people I know. I am touched time and time again by the tender things she does for people and the loving way she treats them. I will never forget one time when I was really sick in high school and I couldn't leave the couch for days. She came and laid next to me on the couch and just rubbed my head for hours on end. She couldn't have been more than 10 yrs old. It is one of my sweetest memories.

Beloved Light - that is Claire.

Love you Baby!

The end.

Brando

How appropriate that the next name out of the hat would be Brandon. I love Brandon (but I think Mini likes him more). Brandon is one of the sweetest people I know. He just loves people, which makes him very easy to love. I think one of my many favorite things about Brandon is that I can always count on him to yell, "Love you!" when he walks out the front door. That and that you can count on him to laugh at anything and fall asleep within a matter of seconds. Brandon is definitely one of a kind, and definitely a keeper.

proof heather likes him more :)

Mini

Heather "Mini" Warren. Oh how I love thee! When it comes to Heather, I might be a little sappy. I may or may not (may) tell her 10 times a day how much I love her. But how can I not?She is the best roommate I have ever had. Heather was an answer to my prayers and a huge blessing in my life.

Things I love about Mini:

1. She is pint sized (but likes to claim her height in heels as her actual size)

2. She has the best facial expressions in the world!

3. She is friends with everyone.

4. She is a good friend - she makes all of her friends feel like they are her best friend.

5. She is thoughtful, kind & loving.

6. She loves Diet Coke as much as I do.

7. She is sophisticated, fashionable, refined and VERY funny!

Love you Mini! Happy Birthday!

Markel

Mark L. Weinberg (Mark+ L. = Markel....get it :) Sorry Mark!

Mark is seriously one of the coolest people I have ever met. I will fully admit I grossly under-rated him the first time we met. I had no idea what was hiding behind those Gucci glasses, and camera lens, but by a lucky stroke of fate I invited him to go on the first annual "Drop It Like It's Yacht!" Catalina trip and he has been one of my best friends ever since. Mark is one of the most fun, adventurous, talented people I know. (don't believe me just look!) He may like to answer texts & gchats with one syllable words, he may take all of my friends and relatives to the Clinton Street Bakery and not me, but he is still my favorite.

He's a part of the family.

My Mother

Oh mom! I will fully admit I am biased, but my mom is a pretty amazing woman. As I have grown up, passing ages at which I remember my mother, I am in awe of the experiences she has had to go through very young in life. I remember her at my age now, just having her second child and having recently taken another child into her family to raise. She approached every experience with joy and a smile. No matter how hard a situation got, or how bleak the future looked, she always found the silver lining. I learned so much from her love, and her faith in the Lord.

Grammy

My Grammy is one of the most beautiful people I know - inside and out (it is a close competition with my mom). I mean just look at her! She radiates beauty, love, grace, elegance, joy, kindness, virtue.....

I think the best way to describe my grandmother is through the poem "My Symphony." I know no one who exemplifies the virtues described better than her.

Love you Grammy!

Sara Pauline Wait Garff

So up until now I chose the people I wanted to feature at random, but this weekend I was called to remember how much I love Sara Wait. Through a random encounter I met someone who had known Sara in high school. As we were trying to figure out if we were talking about the same person, he kept saying "She's blonde right? She is really sweet and kind. Yeah, I just remember he being so nice, so sweet." I couldn't think of a better way to describe Sara. She just exudes happiness, kindness, thoughtfulness and enthusiasm. I absolutely love Sara. She is the best friend a person could ask for.

Christina

This is Christina & Matt - one of the cutest couples ever.

Christina was one of my first roommates in New York, and what a blessing she was. I adore Christina. A cool Korean, hipster, advertising-guru, graphic designer. Christina always knew about the coolest things period. The coolest things in New York, the best restaurants to eat at, hot new music. You name it she knew it. She is just plain hip - with no pretense whatsoever. AND she makes the best Korean food on earth. I love her and miss her.

Miss Julie

I have worked with Julie on and off for almost ten years now. Not only is she the best co-worker anyone could ask for, she is the best aunt, friend, wife, person I have ever met. She amazes me with her cheerful loving approach to life. She treats her nieces and nephews as though they were her own children (they each have their own room in her house) and she treats her friends like family. I can only hope that in my lifetime I can be half as kind or as thoughtful as Julie.

One more thing I love about Julie.... When she finds a pair of shoes she likes she will buy them in all the colors available, and sometimes she ends up doing this:

Tommy

I love this guy! I could go on for days about how much and why, so if you want to know just ask...or come hang out with him for 5 minutes. Love you Dad! Happy Birthday!

Melanie Bean

Melanie is Pierside Ward's best kept secret. Anyone who hasn't discovered that secret is seriously missing out. Mel may appear to be quiet and reserved but she is one of the funniest and one of the most thoughtful people I have ever met. Life is better just for knowing her.