Sedona and 60th birthdays

There are so many times I feel like I have to thank the whole damn universe for surrounding me with these people I call family...and even more so, thankful that I actually want to spend all of my time with them. Just the other weekend my Mom turned 60 (still don't know how that's possible- in my mind I think she'll always be 35 or so) and my sister and I wanted to do something extra special. We knew we wanted to do Sedona, so we searched hotels and house rentals until we found the perfect place, via Airbnb. It can be hard to accommodate all 9 of us, and we're the kind of people who would prefer to stay in one big place together, rather than split off across a hotel, so this little spot was perfect. On a side note, remind me sometime to tell you the story of the one hotel room in New Jersey. Cra-zy.

So anyway, we ended up booking "The Roost" at Sedona Sacred Rocks, which is a former Buddhist Retreat turned healing center. Very, very cool and right up my Mom's alley. Our hosts Meaghan and Stephen were so warm and inviting and made the weekend so special. My Mom, sister, and I actually participated in a few of their ceremonies too. The place is surrounded by hundreds of miles of national forest and the overall feel is incredibly serene and peaceful, so even just sitting on the back porch made you feel good. It was the perfect way to ring in my Mom's 60th.

The whole weekend was full of lots of food (Simon's Hot Dogs, our favorite), walking, hiking, and just enjoying each others' company. 60 is such a big year, and with all my Mom has been through over the past decade it was pretty great to be able to move into a new chapter surrounded by all of the people we love.

Happy birthday, Mom! We love you.

July Sprinkles Bring August Babies...

This past Saturday my dear friend Veronica hosted a "baby sprinkle" for Charlie and me, which is just like a baby shower, but smaller; a sprinkle rather than a full on rain shower. hah. I loved the idea because I really believe every baby should be celebrated, but I did feel tacky having a second shower for the same sex, like I did with Henry. This was a nice way to get my closest friends and family together, and even though I wasn't expecting any gifts at all, they all brought something small for the little guy. So sweet. We did brunch- Veronica's mother-in-law and my friend Marilyn made the most delicious frittatas, and Veronica also served fruit salad, donuts from our beloved local donut shop, and a green salad with chocolate olive oil dressing. So good. And as a really wonderful surprise, Veronica ordered a triple-layer cake from my favorite baker, and then handed out bags of saltwater taffy for favors. I'm telling you, she needs to go into party-planning- it's a talent! I'm so grateful to have such a kind, generous friend like her and Saturday was such a testament to what a great friend she is. My sister also helped to plan it, and I'm so thankful for her sweet heart.

The brunch was at 11am, so we all got to spend a few hours talking and just being together. After the week I had it was pretty amazing to look around and feel so loved, and be surrounded by so many friends. It was a good reminder that even when things might not be so great, life goes on, and that there's always something good right around the corner. In my case, I have a sweet boy by the name of Charlie waiting for me. I was too busy spending time with everyone to take too many photos, but here are a few to check out. Happy sprinkle, little guy!

Lauren's Baby Shower

What a wonderful morning we had on Saturday! It was my sister Lauren's baby shower, and my Mom and I had a great time putting it together. Lauren's due on January 9th with little Lucy, so she is getting ready to pop any day now! It's so neat seeing her on this journey, and it was a very special day honoring this new life we're about to welcome into the world.

It was such a fun group made up of Laur's best friend, friends from work, and both sides of the family. Since it was 11am we served brunch- mini quiches, yogurt parfaits, mini breakfast pastries and red velvet cupcakes, muffins, and assorted chocolates and fruit. Lauren isn't much of a baby shower game person, but we did play one where we tried to guess the circumfrence of her baby bump, and we also all filled out the "For Lucy" sheets I made. I plan to put them all in a keepsake book for Lucy, alongside a photo I snapped of each guest.

Details:
"I Love Lucy" banner from Unicorn Parade
White cake stands: Martha Stewart via Macy's
"For Lucy" sheets: I made them - I'd be happy to send the editable PDF to anyone who would like it.

And here are some photos from our fun day: