Family Outing: The Chicago Bean (a.k.a. Cloudgate)

Had to go to a conference in Chicago for work. My brother lives there and my parents came with, too, so she had lots of family time while I was working. Jude and I lived in Chicago for a year after college, but Millenium Park and the "Bean" didn't exist yet back then.

Wedding Inspiration: Celebration of Love, Life, and Land

Went to the wedding of some dear friends in Upstate New York this weekend. It was one of those special days where the sky opens up and makes you contemplate all that is lovely and wonderous in this life. Katie and Alex are special people alone, but even more so together. Their wedding was a celebration of their love, the life they share, the joining of their families, and their passion and appreciation for natural beauty. I went with another girlfriend (road trip from NYC!) and we basically cried all afternoon/night. It was an emotionally draining weekend!
The wedding was on Alex's family's land.

This was the view from my seat during the ceremony. Not too shabby.

Gorgeous cakes made by a family member.

Alex's talented brother is a wood sculptor and made this installation piece for the wedding. Gorgeous.

Laughter is so important!

Just Because: Girls will be girls

Gosh, toddlers are cute. These sweet little cousins reminded me a lot of me and my own cousins at their age. And the cycle continues...

Just Because: Humidity Curls!

Taking Ruby to the Midwest during the heatwave. Living in LA makes you forget all about the crazy curls that humidity creates. Love this little mop head!

Fun Stuff: Creepy Crawlies (Jumpies)

Nothing says Midwest summer days quite like dozens of mini-frogs collected from the yard by a group of rough-and-tumble cousins and plopped into a toddler water table. 

Sweet little Anya.

Pretty Hannah.

Note that Ruby has a piece of plastic that CAME OUT OF THAT FROG-WATER in her mouth! I took it away numerous times and even tried to hide it, but it always ended up back in that water and/or back in her mouth. Oh well. We love germs.

Family Tradition: Cousins! Cousins! Cousins!

My favorite thing about having a big family has got to be COUSINS! I am so lucky to have numerous girl cousins who I adore as family, but, just as importantly, as friends. I can't even begin to count the number of obligatory cousin photos we've had taken over the years at so many different events and so many configurations of cousins. And I LOVE that we now have a whole new generation sitting around the "kids' table." Ruby had a lot of fun hanging out with her cousins in Minnesota this weekend!

We were there in the first place because my cousin Angie was in the U.S. for a month with her sweet girls, Abby and Ella. They live in Switzerland and I hadn't seen them in over 1.5 years. Ruby and I actually didn't tell people we were going and we surprised them at the family get together! :)

Party Inspiration: Stella's Dora party = tutu cute!

Ruby is lucky enough to have a cousin exactly her same age (I went into labor with Ruby the day Stella was born. Granted, I didn't give birth until two days later, but that's another story)! We went to Wisconsin to be there for Stella's big day. She had a Dora-themed party that was so much fun!

Sweet sweet Stella was a doll in her fluffy Dora outfit.