Last weekend, I had the wonderful opportunity to photograph the engagement photos for my friend Rachael, and her fiance, Mike. I was very nervous, but excited! Luckily, we all had fun, and the spot chosen for the shoot was so beautiful. I am so happy with how the pictures turned out!

It’s really fun to take photos of people that are so obviously in love – it gave me the warm fuzzies. Here’s a few of my favorite pics from the day:

What do you think??

I was super excited to hear this song on the radio the other day, and I just had to share my love for R&B ‘slow dance’ songs:

Love it!!

Ohhhhhh Al Green. Yep.

Tim thinks my Boyz II Men obsession is a little weird, but that’s okay.

…AND YET!!

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT!? I was so close to Hugh! Probably the closest I’ll ever get…for now. Just kidding, Timmy!!

I did have to throw an elbow to get this close. I wish I’d brought my DSLR and the zoom lens, so I could get even CLOSER photographs! Phooey.

Saturday’s Hardly Strictly Bluegrass was 5 kinds of fun.

Marco’s first music festival! It was awesome! He was the cutest boy there.

Dude! Fried pickles with Sriracha sauce! Sooo good.

Marco just loves banjos.

Gillian Welch was great; some of you may know her voice from The Decemberist’s latest ‘The King is Dead’, or from the “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” soundtrack. Anyway, her voice carried over the park, and even from our position we could enjoy.

Next festival: I’m wearing makeup. I LOOK LIKE A GHOST.

The evening kind of ended badly, with Tim, Marco, and I walking across the entire city to get to our car (towed). No lie. Golden Gate Park to Mission Street next to the Bay Bridge. But…even that couldn’t exactly bring me down. LOL

Quick recap of my birthday dinner! Holy mac, can’t believe I’m 27 already.

Heck yes, I wore a tiara.

Check out my shoes!!

Favors for the guests! Mason jars filled with gummy bears, Dutch caramel wafers, English toffee, and madeline cookies.  I decorated them with ribbon and mini-chalkboards (yes, I gave out chalk, too!)

My birthday dinner took place at the 1515 Restaurant & Lounge in Walnut Creek. Food was good, and the cocktails were excellent.

I told them to act natural. Good spies they’d make, eh?

Adrienne couldn’t make it this year, so Justin acted as a placeholder. Personally, I think he should’ve worn the heels.

Adan and Tim lookin’ fly in their new suits

I had a wonderful time!! The restaurant was very cool inside, and though the food wasn’t amazing, it was good and I really liked their house-made hummus. Ooh and their onion rings were delicious!

For dessert, I’d brought cupcakes from Sift; Stud Muffin (Lagunitas beer and brown sugar cake, caramel buttercream frosting topped with bacon and fleur de sel) and Pink Champagne (raspberry and champagne cake with buttercream frosting).

We didn’t end up getting home until almost 2 am, but I was happy tired.

I love birthdays.

So

Pretty much…my kid is huge.

And awesome.

Coolest shirt in the West!

Yesterday was my OFFICIAL birthday, and it was fantastic!! The past week has been really enjoyable, and filled with so much love that I could burst.

Example: the balloons at my desk when I arrived at work this morning (thanks to my lovely coworkers):

and the flowers that were delivered (thanks to Timmy):

Two more days of birthday fun…can’t wait to share more fun details!

 I have to share some recent, adorable pictures of Marco. It will make your day, I swear

Getting ready for a bike ride

Marco pointed at this Panda pillow-pet (he loves those darn things! he has a frog and a puppy already), and signed “Please”, so of course I bought it for him (bad mommy). Anything that makes him this happy is so worth it.

I am a very fortunate person – look at that smile!!! (Hells yeah he’s sporting his Giants pajamas! It brought them luck!!)

 

Wednesday night I attended the long-awaited concert at the Warfield in San Francisco. Unfortunately, Tim could not join Micaela and I in enjoying the beautiful music! He had to work really late on a phone issue, and couldn’t make it.

I started listening to Iron and Wine after I saw the movie ‘In Good Company’; the song “The Trapeze Swinger” plays during the end credits, when Topher Grace is running on the beach. After almost 10 years of enjoying Sam Beam’s music, I finally got to see him live! It was a very exciting event for me.

I couldn’t take my camera with me, but I do have a few iPhone pictures to share:

He changed up some of the songs, so that a slower tempo song became upbeat, more jazzy… Sam told us audience members that he didn’t want to just give us the songs we could listen to at home. I agreed and disagreed; I fell in love with the sounds on the album, but I did enjoy his new versions of some of my favorites! His voice was AMAZING! All appreciation I had for his recordings became heightened by the knowledge that he sounds just as good, if not better, live.

The last picture is of Mr. Beam singing “Flightless Bird, American Mouth” without accompaniment (other than a few spare notes on his guitar). I gotta tell you: I felt shivers in my spine. It was so freakin’ awesome. Thanks to Adrienne for keeping an eye on my boy while I attended the concert!

Marco’s birthday AND birthday party were a beautiful success. I cried, we all laughed, and I smooched Marco about 100000 times. I have a 1 year old child! Wow.

He looks so much like a big kid now!

Carrot cake cupcakes with low-sugar cream cheese frosting! I made these for Marco’s classmates and teachers. The recipe for the frosting called for cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and 1 whole box of powdered sugar! Ewww! I put in half the sugar, and the flavor was perfect for the carrot cake. I may share with you my super-secret-but-not-very-complicated carrot cake recipe. But I might not. We’ll see… LOL

Marco’s party was a lot of fun! We had about 28 people at our house, and they all wanted to talk to, cuddle with, and kiss the birthday boy, and Marco was a total champ! He even took a few steps for his family and friends. I’ll post more pictures of his party later.

Roux also celebrated her first birthday (May 26th), and she was happy with her very own tuna cake!

ALSO!! Our garden is doing very well, and we’re finally getting lawn in our backyard! It’s so exciting to see the green shoots. Proof of my gardening skills:

My very own strawberries! Small, but delicious. I feel like a real farmer! LOL, not exactly…but it is fun to grow my own food.

Speaking of food, I almost forgot to mention my big decision: I decided to become a full-fledged vegetarian! After 3 1/2 years of a mainly meat-free diet (chicken only – no fish, fowl, beef, or pork products), I finally took the plunge. I’ve been ENTIRELY meat-free for 2 weeks now. It’s a little difficult, but I managed! I didn’t give up dairy products, though! More power to the vegans out there, but I love cheese too much.

Phew! That’s what I get for slackin’ on the posts!

What have you been up to?? I hope you have wonderful weekends!

Dear Marco,

First, I have to tell you: you are the most beautiful boy in the entire world; not to mention the smartest and sweetest. I love absolutely every detail about you, from your perfect toes to the funny wisps of hair on top of your head.

born May 27th 2010 9:27pm

You have your own odd sense of humor, and I love to watch you come up with your own private jokes.

You’ve recently discovered the Count on Sesame Street, and you give yourself giggle fits trying to imitate his halting, Transylvanian laugh: “AHA HA HA”.

I love that when you see me coming through the door of your classroom to pick you up, your face bursts into a joyous smile.  You bounce up and down, or race across the room to get to me.

I love that you think I’m hilarious when I dance my routine to ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ (the one choreographed especially for you during your colicky days; a modern mix of ballet, air guitar, kabuki theatre, and some full on hair swishing/head banging), and that you smile big when I sing to you.

You’re super-ticklish under your armpits, and your Daddy and I take full advantage of your tickle spots!

I hope that I don’t come across too harshly when I have to tell you ‘No’. I’m sorry that sometimes I get frustrated with your inability to fully express what you need, and I hope you forgive me; I’ve never claimed patience as a virtue, but just know that your mother loves you and tries her best. I know you are learning words in your own pace. Already, you say ‘Mama’, ‘Dada’, ‘agin!’ (again) and ‘Moarrr’ (more)

You blew a kiss to me today; I caught it and put it away for a cold night. I might have wept a little.

You’re officially considered a toddler now, because you’re 1 year old, and have taken your first steps. Today, on your birthday, you stood, and took 4 steps towards your daddy, and 2 steps towards me. ALL BY YOURSELF.

I love you.  I kind of worship at your feet, you little angel, so take care not to throw graham crumbs into my hair.

Happy birthday, my Marco Amadeus.

The remainder of my wonderful Mother’s Day…

First – my outfit!

Dress: Derek Heart
Belt: vintage
Sandals: Preview, purchased 2009
Scarf, worn as headwrap: vintage

After a stop at Whole Foods for supplies, the three of us headed to Downtown Sonoma for a picnic. There is a pretty park right smack in the middle of the main square, and lots of sweet little boutiques to peruse. A few restaurants that I want to try, too!

Marco loves avocado and mango

After the picnic, we wandered around the shops, and checked out some local sights.

We headed back home so Marco could take a cozy nap. After a rest and an episode of ‘Poirot’, we went to Firewood Cafe for dinner, and YoBelle for frozen yogurt!

I filled my cup with Plain and Fresh Strawberry yogurts, and added kiwi, strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries. Tim ordered Yellow Cake Batter, Cinnamon Bun, and Plain, mixing in peanut butter cups, cheesecake bites, and brownie bites.

Tim made funny faces, and I let Marco press the shutter button on my camera. He is a good photographer

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Today is also a milestone; May 9th 2011 marks the 8th year since Tim and I had our first date.

(not from our first date, but this was taken the day he first kissed me)

I am ridiculous. Somehow, Tim puts up with me. I love him in ways I never imagined, and can’t think of anything about him that I would change. Okay….maybe he could pick up his dirty socks, and rinse out his cereal bowls after use. But aside from those minor details, he’s just what I need in my partner. He’s been an amazing father to Marco, and I hope that Marco inherits all of Tim’s beautiful qualities, his intelligence, his kindness, and his wonderful natural scent (seriously, I could smell Tim’s neck all day).

I love you, Tim!! <3

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P.S. Did you enter my giveaway? Ends Friday, May 13th!!

Today was my first OFFICIAL mother’s day, since last year Marco had yet to make his appearance.

I still have to upload the pictures from my camera, so here are the iPhone photos.

Yesterday, Tim sent me to get a relaxing manicure and pedicure:

My new O.P.I nail polish color, Mermaid’s Tears, from the Pirates of the Caribbean 4 collection. My fingernails were painted You’re A Doll, which is a discontinued color. I find it is actually pretty similar to the Steady As She Rose, also from the POTC 4 collection.

This morning, I woke up to this:

Donughts and Chai, brought to me by Tim and Marco!

Marco, in the best pajamas ever.

Present from Marco

I shared a bit of doughnut…Marco thought it was quite good

Morning cuddles! Pardon my appearance.

Drum roll, please….

Lookie lookie!! My Mother’s Day/8 year anniversary present from Tim!! It’s a beautiful sterling silver rose-shaped ring, with diamonds in the center petals. OMG I LOVE IT!!! It was a complete surprise, which is even more amazing…I can usually sniff out a secret!

More pictures/updates to come!

HAVE YOU ENTERED MY GIVEAWAY YET?? GO HERE TO VIEW THE DETAILS!!