Dreamy

After a week of "dreams coming true" it was challenging to get "back to reality" today.  To help with the transition, Meg and I turned our attention to wedding planning (58 days!) and took a drive to the north shore to meet with a jewelry artist about our wedding bands.  We fell in love with the adorable Jesse Danger and his beautiful handmade rings.  To celebrate our happy discovery, and this perfect summer evening, we took a walk through the streets of Salem and had a fabulous dinner overlooking the harbor.  It turned out to be a pretty dreamy day after all.

Spirit

Receiving this photo from my mom and sis tonight was such a great moment - those of us on the east coast were definitely there in spirit!  Spirit is what helped Jav get to this place.  I am grateful for the incredible support and energy surrounding my family right now.  So much overwhelming JOY! 

Support from the Homefront

What an incredible night!  Seeing Javier's beautiful performance on the finale of The Voice is still surreal.  I'm so proud of him and his presence throughout this competition.  I feel so grateful to be a part of this family. We are fierce supporters of one another, though thick and thin, and we have definitely mobilized the masses to support this talented guy!   Watching and voting with Meg, Jenna, Eamonn, and friends tonight was a BLAST! Can't wait to see the results show tomorrow!

Willow

So grateful for my short but sweet afternoon lunch with Jenna by this willowy tree on this gorgeous sunny day. 

Pancakes

Day after the Dash brunch, made by my Warrior Princess.  Blueberry pancakes fit for a champion - YUM!

Warrior

Well, THAT was the craziest thing I've ever done!  Thank you, body, for carrying me through this self-induced 5k hell-course of running through mud, mud, mud, rope climbing, wall-scaling, mountain-climbing, mud-sliding, and lots of falling in MUD.  I am so proud of this physical achievement and so GRATEFUL it's over!  (I think I'm going to be more grateful than ever for my shower tonight as well...)

Indigo Girls

My sweet doula clients gave me the most generous gift - two tickets to the Indigo Girls concert in Lowell!  It was a joyous evening of music, dancing and singing along with Meg to some of our favorite songs.  I loved these stenciled doves on the sidewalks surrounding the auditorium building - an auspicious sign for a truly peaceful night. 

Losing It

Yep, that's right.  I fit into my most favorite jeans again!  What a happy reunion we are having, after far too long. 

Snail Mail

An actual postcard in the mail from an old friend from massage school - what a happy surprise in my mailbox!  I LOVE that she took the time to write - especially since she lives only a few miles away.  It gives me hope that written letters aren't such a lost treasure after all.

Entertaining

I feel like I am so often on the go and it is so rare that we get to host people at our home.  It felt extra special to be sharing this summer evening at home on the terrace with Tammy and Angie and homemade grilled pizzas. (Thanks to my honey!)

Midnight Snack

I can always count on my two little shadows following me in to the kitchen for a late night peek in the cabinets. So much for closet snacking.

Daddy-o

Father's Day Beach Trip with all of Dad's favorites - chicken salad, cape cod potato chips, raisin brownies, and fabulous family time.  I am deeply grateful for this amazing man, his quiet strength, his generous heart, and his Irish smile.

Share

First day of our CSA pick-up - what a plentiful share!  I am so grateful for this abundant veggie goodness, and so happy to support this fabulous farm!

Spoons

Oh, the feeling of being nestled in my own bed, next to Meg, complete with Luna's chin hooked on my ankle.  Home sweet home. 

Return

This gorgeous sunset in Detroit inspired many photos, as well as heartfelt gratitude for a memorable vacation and a safe journey home.  

Hands

The girls got to enjoy some quality time with their Daddy the day after his big show.  So sweet to see Solana looking out for her little sis.  

Quiet Time

Post-bath snuggle time with two brown-skinned munchkins and Finding Nemo - divine! I am so in love with these little toes.

Balloon Animals

Sasha definitely won Solana's heart with some animated horse galloping for So's balloon horse. I love when kids find ways to bring out the kids in us.

Wake-up Call

I was greeted by the most amazing smiles from Solana and Amaia on this early morning before our long journey to California. These heart-melting little faces make waking up at 4:30AM completely worth it!

Bachelorette

Fun times with Carly for her bachelorette party - this is one gal who likes to pose for the camera, and especially enjoys utilizing props!

East West Reunion

So happy to have my Naomi in town this weekend for some quality time and bachelorette party fun!

Thunder and Lightening

I can't help but appreciate the irony.  Meg and I have been bickering like cats and dogs all week - and today, our long-awaited engagement photo shoot was rained out with some pretty dramatic thunder and lightening.  We had great seats for the storm at least - in the parking lot at Fresh Pond.  So, we popped open our bottle of wine "prop" with our dogs shaking in the back seat, and enjoyed the excitement of the storm (and a lot of laughs with our photographer, as we all got to know each other a whole lot better!)  It was a pretty fantastic night.

Night Lights

Oh, how I love summer nights on our little back porch.  Insert glass of wine, here.

Tornado Baby

So amazing how such gentle perfection was born during the chaos of a storm.  Welcome Baby Baxter, you happy babe.

Architecture Meditation

This past week I've been noticing more buildings; not new buildings, but structures that I pass numerous times a week and just never really pay attention to.  I can't believe I've gone so long without really "seeing" some of these gorgeous buildings on my weekly commute, and it's such a gift to bring my awareness more deeply into the present moment and my surroundings.  Today I fell in love with this brick building  - it lives across the street from the bank I've been going to for 7 years, and yet, I never really saw it before tonight.  I was especially grateful for the beautiful end-of-day light that blessed this sweet spring evening.

Commitment

I had the honor of being the official photographer for the wedding of an old college friend today.  Melissa and Heather had a beautiful ceremony on the grounds of my alma mater, surrounded by family and friends.  It was a joyous (albeit exhausting!) day, and I felt grateful to be a witness of their love and expression of commitment.  Thank you, Massachusetts.

Game Night

One cribbage board + four bottles of wine + six serious players = one hell of a game night! 

Mutual Foot Rubs

Reason #672 why marrying a massage therapist is so great.

Full Cup

I've never been quite so grateful for my morning coffee, and the blue sky, as I am today.

Stormy

My last birth of the spring, and it was a pretty unpredictable day.  This moment seemed to be the quiet before the storm - a peaceful momma and sky before the twists and turns of labor and window-banging, tornado-warning weather.  We all navigated through the storm and in the end mom and baby were both safely earthside.