Scrabble Sundays: True Love's Kiss

This week I chose to do a quote/song title from one of my favorite movies Enchanted since I'm feeling the Valentine's love. Now I'm feeling the need to watch it. I would probably fall asleep five seconds in anyways. That's what I'm off to do now. Well, hopefully. I'm not sure we slept more than like two hours combined last night with the poor guy up all night with teething/something pain. Wish us luck.

What are you guys doing to celebrate Valentine's Day? Or to un-celebrate it?

Scrabble Sundays: All You Need is Love

Taken with iPhone.

I haven't done one of these in a while, but one of the Instagram prompts for the day was words and I thought it would be fun to do one again. This is one of my favorite quotes/lyrics of all time. I figured it would be appropriate given the upcoming Valentine's Day.

Sorry to keep this short but I've got to get back to editing a few sessions and a wedding while the little munchkin is asleep. I have a post coming up this week about making your own baby food and will be doing one on self-portraits soon. Feel free to let me know if there is a post/topic you'd like to see on here!

Scrabble Sundays: Let it Snow

We don't get snow here in the Silicon Valley, California. I'm sure that some of you went all Hulk with envy as you wake up at 5 am to shovel your car out of an avalanche of snow. Before you pelt me with snow balls think about how much it adds to the holiday spirit. We have had several sunny Christmases in the 70's. It just doesn't quite feel right. The grass is always greener with envy.

I chose to write "Let it Snow" today because for some reason I can't stop singing it this season. My favorite Christmas songs are "All I Want For Christmas" and "Baby It's Cold Outside" (though it's got a bit of a predatory vibe). Still, this has been what I sing all day. What are your current songs you just can't get out of your head? Holiday or otherwise.

Scrabble Sundays: Flutter

We spent the weekend indoors feeling under the weather. I watched a lot of Taking Care of Business with Tamara Lackey on Creative Live, editing client images, and working on the website (which will hopefully be up soon!). What did you all do this weekend?

Scrabble Sundays: Love

I'm a little too tired to write anything tonight, but, on the topic of love, I would love to hear what and who you guys are loving lately? Share anything you want on the topic of love. I'm all ears =).

PS. Thank you guys for the super fun questions on last weeks FAQ post! I can't wait to answer them. I will get a post with those answers up soon.

Scrabble Sundays: FAQ

I have been getting a lot of the same questions lately (what camera I use, advice for new moms, etc) so I thought I would do a post addressing these for those who are interested. I wanted to see if any of you had any questions for me as well. They can be about anything, all I ask is that they aren't mean =).

Hope you all had a lovely weekend!

Scrabble Sundays: Escape

There are lots of things that I wish I had more time to do. We all do. A big one for me has always been to read more books. I tend to favor magazines being that I'm a big visual person and I enjoy the lack of time commitment. I still however love a great book. I just love curling up on the couch and escaping my own time and space, if but for a brief moment. I always find it interesting how someone else's story (whether fact or fiction) can sometimes help you see your own life more clearly. It's like the Windex of the soul. Sometimes you get a little bird poop on your windshield in life and you need some help seeing past it. Really deep, I know.

I'm currently beginning what I like to call "Project Forgotten Tales". I have an awful habit of getting book ADD and abandoning ship half-way through a lot of books because a shiny new book caught my eye. Shiny things often make me lose focus. So, the objective of this project is to finish what I've started. I am not allowed to pick up the new shiny new book I want to read until every book is read to "The End". I am giving myself one free pass: The Nanny Diaries. I won't force myself to endure that again (no offense if you like it). I should also read all of the books I have bought and never even touched before I buy a new one. With a new baby this should only take me about 5 years to accomplish. Go.

What books are you all reading? Anyone else have a stack of unfinished books?

Oh, and the book in the image is The History of Love by Nicole Krauss if anyone is interested. I did read that one the whole way. It's absolutely beautiful. I'd highly recommend it.

PS. I just typed this whole post one-handed (holding the baby). I've got mad typing skills. I try and tell  them to lighten up. Baddum Chu (bad joke drum sound).

Scrabble Sundays: Still No Baby

I feel like this is what I am saying all day lately. We are 4 days late now, which I am totally fine with. People are always saying that they can't believe I am moving around all of the time and that they can't believe how relaxed I am. The truth is the only thing that makes me feel anxious for him to come is everyone else. I feel like everyone we know is freaking out more than I am and that makes me want to make him come faster. It's almost like you feel like you are disappointing people every time they text and you have to text back "still no baby". Don't get me wrong though, I absolutely love that people care so much and that they are so excited to meet him, and of course we can't wait to meet him either. 

Until he decides to come I have been enjoying some time to relax and get stuff done. I will be sharing some pictures later of a little trip to Berkeley on Saturday that was really fun. I even went to one of my favorite places, the bookstore, on Sunday. It was so wonderful! 

Oh and of course, Happy Memorial Day everyone! I hope you guys had a wonderful day and weekend. I'd love to hear what you guys did to celebrate if you feel like sharing. =)

Scrabble Sundays: Happy Birthday Jeff!

Happy Birthday one of the greatest and my most favoritest people on this planet! I have yet to meet someone who doesn't like my brother. In fact, they don't just like him, they look up to him and add him to their list of their favorite people too. For good reason. He is one of the funniest guys you will ever meet. He's always wearing the most inappropriate shirts. He is the most talented writer. His wit cannot be outmatched.

Most of all he is a beautiful person. The definition of family man. There is nothing more important to him than his family and he makes sure we all never forget that. I know it sounds like I am making him sound to be too awesome to be true. The truth is he is even more awesome than I could ever put into words. I love my brother so incredibly much!! Apparently so much that I found a man just like him to build a family and spend forever with. Yes I realize that's weird. Don't judge me.

The aforementioned inappropriate shirts.

Oh, and here is one of the gifts that we got for him:

By LennyMud

I love you brother!!!! 

Scrabble Sundays: Baby Bear

I know it's not a Sunday but I have missed the past couple so here's a make-up one. I had Papa Bear help take this today as it proved impossible to get this shot myself. Or frustrating at least. He did a wonderful job and I'm proud that he not only got it in focus but got the exact framing I wanted. Way to go baby!

We are now 39 weeks, with only 6 days until his due date. It has been a chaotic last few days with lots of little false alarms here and there. I've had contractions very close together and long a few times now and then after a while they just stop. This little nugget is playing games with me. I wish he'd pick something like Candy Land or Clue instead. This one's not so much fun.

I will have pictures from week 37 and 38 coming soon. A friend of mine from college did maternity pictures of me and I love what I've seen so far! She's awesome! I'll have to share when I get the rest =)

I have also done a few family shoots recently I need to share and I will be posting a tour of my studio on Monday!

Scrabble Sunday: Happy Easter

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter! We didn't really do anything to celebrate over here. Celebrating takes energy. Something I don't really have at this point. I did however make us breakfast and help the boy make some beef jerky. That's right, my man makes his own beef jerky. How cute is he?

I get so excited for how much more special the holidays are going to become. I can't wait to do little Easter egg hunts with him one day and make him a little Easter basket.

What did you all do for Easter?

PS. I got the idea for the eggs cut out of paint chips from a design blog and can't remember where. I'm usually really good at keeping track but I failed on this one. Anyone who knows where it's from please write it in the comments. It is such a cute idea and I want to give proper credit.

Scrabble Sundays: Buzz

My mom got me these adorable little chocolates that look like bees. There are also some that look like lady bugs. She's always getting me cute little gifts like this. I go over to her house once a week for dinner and I always leave with something. I think my mom is Santa Clause.

Now if only they didn't look so cute it would be easier to eat them.

We had a pretty birth filled weekend with celebrating my brother's birthday, our cat's birthday and attending an 8 hour childbirth class. Perhaps that should have been my scrabble word for the week =)

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend and it continues through the week!

Scrabble Sundays: Spring

Though it has been officially Spring for a little bit now it finally actually feels like Spring here. We had an awful storm (I was almost blown away- at this size) the first week and then a record breaking heat wave the next. I could have sworn that our high rent in the Bay Area included awesome weather. I was beginning to contemplate asking our landlords for a refund.

Roxy and I took a walk to enjoy the sunshine today. Let me try that again: Roxy and I took a waddle today. I have been waddling 2 miles or doing prenatal pilates 4-5 days a week since I got pregnant. Usually as you do exercise it's supposed to get easier. It is quite the contrary when you are carrying an extra growing load in front. I'm starting to get pathetically slow. I'm pretty sure there was a worm that almost inched us out today. He ate our dirt though. Don't worry they like it.

Scrabble Sundays: Knit

Through this pregnancy people often ask me what things I'm craving. I respond with a list of the few uninteresting times I've wanted something. Then they look disappointed that I didn't say a peanut butter and pickle sandwich. When I really think about it though it's not food that I'm craving. I am dying to create. I want a DIY sandwich with extra crafting on top!

I always hear that it is around this time in pregnancy that women begin to nest. Well we will be moving two months after Baby Bear arrives. This means there is no nursery to decorate (though I have planned out exactly how I want it). Instead I am dying to just be able to create little things for him. I want to knit him a blanket, sew him a patchwork quilt, make some cute embroideries, create a scrapbook. Really the list is endless. With only so much time to go and plenty of other things on the to-do list I doubt I will be able to tackle even half the list. If I can create even a couple of things for him though I'll be a happy girl.

What are some of your current cravings?  

Scrabble Sundays: Lullaby

 I keep thinking about what lullabies we will serenade Baby Bear with as we rock him to slumber. With my last family I nannied for I always sang "Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight" by the Spaniels (also from Three Men and a Baby) before nap-time. The kids love it and sing it too. I absolutely love that song and will definitely continue that with Baby Bear. My favorite lullaby is Kenny Loggins "Return to Pooh Corner". It gives me chills every time. Such a sweet song. "Danny's Song" I have always loved a ton but it has definitely been striking a chord lately being that we are having a boy. And with Billy Joel being my favorite artist of all time I'm sure "Lullaby (Goodnight, My Angel)" will be a staple. I have also been singing him Amy Grant's "Baby, Baby". Not really a lullaby but I heart it.

What are some of your favorite lullabies either from when you were a child or with your own child? Any recommendations for CDs or songs to play the baby while he sleeps?

Scrabble Sundays: Baby Books

I have spent the entire weekend inside with my nose in these books and researching on the internet. We have been reading a lot of the Baby Bargains book which has been super helpful in finding out what to buy. A big thanks to Deana for recommending it! She also handed down a lot of these books to me. What a sweetheart!

Though extremely helpful, these books should come with a warning that they will make you very paranoid. I swear that pretty much everything you do and eat can cause harm. It's a bit overwhelming. As a result, I've been eating really well and exercising 4-5 days a week. What ever happened to this being the time I get to eat whatever I want? The plus side of this is of course that I haven't gained a ton of weight. Hooray for small victories! Though, I would really love a donut right about now.


XOXO,

Tenley

Scrabble Sundays: Je Taime

This is the start of a new weekly post I'll be doing on Sundays using Scrabble letters. Because honestly who doesn't like Scrabble? The letters are so much fun to play with!

With Valentine's Day being tomorrow I obviously had to do a little love themed image this week. We are working opposite schedules tomorrow so no plans for us. What about all of you? Any fun date nights planned?

Wether you are in a relationship or not I hope you all have a great Valentine's Day celebrating it with whoever you love in your life. Dog, cat, parent, friend, etc.

XOXO,

Tenley