Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest I feel most alive surrounded by trees and breathing in the fresh mountain air.
When I am not working you will most likely find me spending time outdoors, volunteering with my church and exploring this beautiful planet with my family.
This is my place to share my passion for life and to encourage you to take time to find the extraordinary in your life.
All tagged Party
Valentine's Day with a little one is a game changer. Typically, it falls during the week which makes getting a babysitter a challenge. Going to fancy restaurants with an active toddler is not as appealing as it once was with a sweet little infant who slept through the entire meal. Early bedtimes often make for quiet evenings spent at home. So instead I have made it a goal to go on a date with my Valentine some time in the coming month.
One of my new year's resolutions was to spend more time photographing the everyday moments. I typically reminder to bring along my camera when we go on an adventure, but I want to do a better job at capturing some of our quiet moments at home. These are the days I will fondly reflect on when I am old and I want to have a photographic record of some of these times spent tougher.
With a young child it is easy to get caught up in the cycle of meals, laundry, errands, cleaning repeat. This year, I wanted to make it a point to break the daily grind and really celebrate those moments where we don't just spend time together, but really connect. Baking has been one of those moments for us and it has been so rewarding to see Jasper's growth and confidence in the kitchen. He is always ready to get right in there, get his hands dirty and act like he 100% knows what he is doing. I am in such awe of his confidence and self love. Being around him makes me feel like I can conquer the unfamiliar and unknown one day at time.
This year we hosted our first annual Cookie Decorating party. I have wanted to host one of these for awhile, but Jasper's recent enthusiasm for baking encouraged me to finally do so this year. We kept the guest list short and made stacks of delicious gingerbread ahead of time. We had a fun filled morning with friends and I was reminded how lucky we are to have such wonderful friends. The amount of joy seen on these children's faces while they were chasing each other around or decorating cookies made all my efforts feel so worthwhile. Children are the best and watching your friend's children grow to love your own children is truly the best!
As a mother, it is easier, cleaner and quicker to do everything yourself, but having the patience to work side by side with your children can be one of life's sweetest memories. Teaching your children how to bake, craft etc. although endlessly messy can be some of the punctuation marks in your career as a mother. As a parent, I am constantly trying to provide diverse and enriching experiences for my child and a hands on approach to learning is the best teaching method I know. When I decided to make Jasper's birthday cake while he napped I quickly rethought that idea as I decided it would be more memorable and more fun if he could assist me instead.
Although I never dreamed of it I have quickly become THAT parent. The one who takes a million photos of their child, misses their child when they are asleep, and who talks about them incessantly to their spouse or anyone else who listen about the one MILLION adorable things he did on that particular day. I am the one whose Instagram account is littered with photos of my child and the one who often sends photos to my parents or anyone else who has chosen to stay away from the clutches of social media.
In Pemberton, BC there exists a place so beautiful it just begs to be shared. North Arm Farm is a family run business that was started by Jordan and Trish Sturdy in 1995. Since then, it has been developed into forty five acres of vegetables and fruit. One July morning, we made the trek from our home in Seattle to their farm in Pemberton. What ensued was an evening of stunning food, inspiring conversations and endless beauty. My only wish is that this farm was located closer to Seattle because I would like to spend as much time as possible in this idyllic setting.
A few weeks ago Jasper turned eighteen months old. It is hard to believe this little guy has stolen our hearts and been the center of our universe for already a year and a half now. On the eve of his half birthday, my parents came over for dinner and to celebrate our little guy. The night before I decided to make a little construction cake for our construction obsessed son. His three favorite words are currently, "dig, dig, dig"
Each year the women in our church host a Garden Party. For the past two years I have been in charge of the monthly social activities for our organization, which means I head up a small group of women to make these activities happen. For the Garden Party our theme was flowers, so naturally I spent a sunny afternoon selecting armfuls of beautiful dahlias to grace the dinner tables. It doesn't matter how many times I visit Pike Place Market I always leave inspired by the endless colors and textures of the market.
Every Summer we like to invite our friends over for an Ice Cream Social. It is the perfect party to host in the Summer because it is a simple party to put together. Based upon the decor, guest list and food offered, it can be as elaborate or laid back a party as you desire. Although we always host our Ice Cream Social in our backyard, the party could easily be held at a park, or inside if the weather does not cooperate. This year for our Ice Cream Social we served one of our favorite locally made ice creams- Snoqualmie Ice Cream.
On the actual day of Easter my mother was under the weather, so we just celebrated Easter as a family this past weekend. By postponing the festivities it was a good reminder how without my mother, the holidays are pretty much just another day of the year. Each holiday she works tirelessly to pull off a delicious meal, a beautiful table setting and the perfect gifts. And if you are lucky enough to be our little family than all that is required of us is to show up. Over the years I have come to understand and appreciate just how much effort, planning and work goes into these events. I am grateful for the traditions she has established in her home and for the role model she is to me and our children. The greatest lesson she continues to silently teach me is to work hard for the ones you love and expect nothing in return.
This we held a Cookie Decorating Party at my church. Once a month we gather as women to learn, socialize, serve and sometimes just have fun. This month it was all about sugar, sprinkles and love. Aside from decorating cookies each women was given a name tag and assigned a number. Then each women was asked to write an anonymous compliment about all the other women present. At the end of the evening each women was able to take home a stack of compliments about herself.
Growing up my parents knew how to make birthdays feel special. On your birthday you were given the thing you wanted most as a child- control. On your birthday you were given the opportunity to decide what we had for dinner and what kind of cake you wanted. Like clockwork the dining room would be decorated with streamers and balloons and a small pile of presents would be awaiting you. Dinner was enjoyed on a red plate and you were made to feel like a V.I.P. As I have gotten older these traditions have continued. My Mom still wants to know what I want for dinner, what kind of cake I would like to eat and some suggestions for gifts are always appreciated. My parents have a talent for being able to make you feel special, on your birthday or any other day of the week.
Last weekend some of my nearest and dearest friends hosted the loveliest baby shower for me and baby #2. Initially, I was a bit of nervous about being the guest of honor at the party. My typical role is hostess and I wasn't certain how I would feel being on the other end. However, I can honestly say once I was there I felt comfortable, loved and supremely spoiled. It might be all these pregnancy hormones running through my body, but upon reflection I felt overwhelmed by my friend's kindness and outpouring of love for me and our new baby.
