a pizza date with my loves...

saturday we had a little family date to eat some pizza. it doesn't take much to make us 3 happy as little clams. just give us a little sunshine, some delicious nibbles, and no specific plans for a day, and we're good to go! oh, how i wish every day were a saturday... 

^^ fake tough face ^^

i think it was especially enjoyable because of the freezing temperatures that kept us cooped up all of last week. i can't wait to see some spring!

4/52

"a portrait of my daughter, once a week, every week, in 2013."

penny: i hate to be the one to tell you this, but your parents are the ones who take you to restaurants, and stand you up on the tables so as to take pictures of you looking super cute. my apologies for any future embarrassment this brings you.

a first birthday party

last weekend we had penny's first birthday party. we were waiting until MLK weekend so that some of my family could fly down from NY to be here. it was a great little at home party, with just family and a couple close friends, complete with lots of homemade goodness. i was too busy just enjoying the day to remember to take a bunch of pictures, but here's a few i grabbed with my camera and phone. it was a "love" themed (all vegan) snacks and sweets party, which pretty much happened out of the blue when i fell head over heals for all the adorable valentines day decor out there (seriously target, you're killin' me!) oh, and you best believe these decorations are staying up until AT LEAST february 14th!

we're still eating sweets to this day, and sadly penny's biggest balloon in the world deflated just yesterday. man, was she ever in love with this thing!

3/52

"a portrait of my daughter, once a week, every week, in 2013."

penny: we had your big first birthday party this past weekend, with lots of family and close friends to celebrate. you enjoyed the heck out of yourself, and the cake wasn't too shabby either!

how i've longed for this day...

every since the day we first found out we were having a baby, i've had this image in my head of spending afternoons coloring and crafting. yesterday that image started becoming a reality! i was getting a vibe from penny that she was ready to do more then just eat crayons, so we sat down with a few sheets of paper and checked out this thing called 'coloring'. i showed her that the cute heart shaped crayons mama made weeks ago could also make some really pretty colors on a page, and she got a kick out of it! sure it only lasted about 5 minutes, and sure she also colored on the floor, but watching her proudly walk around holding her drawing was enough to make the art school graduate in me melt into a sappy puddle. people aren't kidding when they say it just keeps getting better...

2/52

"a portrait of my daughter, once a week, every week, in 2013."

penny: now that you hold the title of 'toddler' it's sweet moments like these, when i still the little baby in you, that i want to hold onto just a wee bit longer.

always learning...

around the end of last year i purchased myself a new camera. this baby here. it's my first delve into the world of DSLR (can we say late to the party!), and i'm in love! it was recommended to me a by photographer friend as a great camera to start out with, seeing as i wasn't ready to commit to a more hefty priced one. since having it, i've become obsessed with practicing. i know they say the only way to really become one with your camera is to shoot, shoot, shoot! so that's just what i've been doing. oh penny, i hope you appreciate it, 20 years from now, when you see that i've got every moment of your life documented. 

with every new thing i learn, there is the desire to know more though. i don't just want to capture moments, i want them to be as beautiful as i see them as well. that's where clickin moms came in for me. i'm now hooked on their site. i've been reading every blog post, and am thinking about becoming a member so that i can get in on the forum posts too. are any of you fine folks members? it can be a little nerve wracking to put yourself out there when you're only just learning something. but that's certainly no reason to hold back, amiright?!?! 

1/52

"a portrait of my daughter, once a week, every week, in 2013."

penny: her recent love of books makes me so happy. she'll actually pick one out, sit on my lap, and wait for me to read to her now. gets me every time.

i loved following along last year with jodi's 52 project, and was so inspired that i decided to start one myself. it's no secret that i already take one million photos of penny, but narrowing it down to just one that captures a moment i don't want to forget, now that's a little challenge i definitely find worthwhile!

penny turns one!

on january 3rd our penny turned one year old. we had our best friends over to celebrate with a perfect little party at home . penny got a few special gifts, and a yummy homemade birthday cake. it was a wonderful night!

and then the cake...

she rather enjoyed herself!

we'll be having her bigger party MLK weekend when some more out of town family can be here. she'll be a pro at this cupcake business in no time!

happy birthday you sweet little nugget... your daddy and i love you to bits!

happy new year!

HAPPY 2013!!!

2012 was one for the record books for sure! penny was born one year ago tomorrow, and having her turned our lives upside down in the oh so very best kinda way possible. we slid quite comfortably into these rolls of "mama" and "dada", and now i can't wait to see where this next year takes us. i'm never one for resolutions, but i do have some goals in mind that i'm keeping my sights set upon...

*more travel- now that penny is getting a bit older and will soon be in her big girl car seat, i see more road trips in our future. even just a little overnight to the mountains would be a perfect mini getaway. we want her to have the travel bug and enjoy it like we do.

*work towards a new career- i don't really want to talk about it too much just yet, seeing as its only in the beginning idea stages right now. but i've got plans in mind, and i'm kinda excited about them. and not to worry, monkey and squirrel won't be going anywhere. this will be more of another side project. we shall see...

*use our cookbooks more- evan and i generally do enjoy cooking and we can make some pretty darn delicious meals when we plan it out. since having penny though it's been harder to find the time in the day to sit down and browse through books for new recipes to try. i would love to be one of those people who plans out their meals for the week, does all the grocery shopping at once, and has dinner on the table at 6. i'm not going to be unrealistic here though, so right now i'll try for one new recipe a week and see how that goes!

i love how the new year brings the feeling of a fresh start! i'm excited to kick it off with some simple goals, and some long term ones in mind. i can't wait to see what you've got in store for our little family 2013. 

happy new year friends!