...Back In 2012 - NYC...

back in may of 2012 my mom & i took our first "big" mother/daughter trip together.
it was over mother's day weekend & we went to a city that we both have fond memories of.
the big apple. the concrete jungle. the city that never sleeps. new york city!

my mom & dad honeymooned there together in 1983 & we visited as a family in 1996.
i've since been there for work, but it was fun to explore the city with my mom!

we met up at penn station and stayed in the heart of midtown.

we took a trip on a double decker {above} around town
& over the brooklyn bridge where we saw the NYC skyline lit up at night {below}.

we toured the central park conservatory & the central park zoo. lounged in bryant park.
vowed to come back and shop in greenwich village. ate cupcakes from magnolia bakery.
shared drinks overlooking broadway at night. saw the 911 memorial & walked the highline {below}.
went to the moma & took in the jersey boys broadway show {mom's fave part of the trip}.

our trip to NYC together is one that we will always remember. so many memories.
i am so lucky to have the opportunity to go on a trip like this & spend time with my mom.

this coming may we will embark on our second annual mother daughter trip. our destination?
washington d.c.!

...happenings...

it's been a while since i've visited this corner of the internet.

no excuses, really. just a feeling that we've been busy but not sure with what.

but i do know that i missed it. 

i have a feeling that we should start slow. and with something that's current.

last weekend we:

found a fantastic cocktail at bonefish grill & went to bed before 10:30 on friday.

had our typical dunkin donuts coffee on saturday & sunday mornings.

slept in. worked around the house.

celebrated a friend's 29th birthday & a butler basketball win on saturday.

& we took sampson to lowe's for his first ever visit on sunday.

he loved it. obviously.

this weekend's plans are on par.

being in bed early, celebrating a friend's birthday & shopping around town.

to be honest, low key weekends like that tend to be some of my favorites.

...happy halloween & happy anniversary...

seven years ago today chris & i started dating.
two years later he proposed.

so, i'm sure you understand why i'm so fond of halloween.
it's a lucky little day for me.

i love you chris.
happy anniversary! xoxo

photo from our trip to napa this past summer.

sampson turns one

my baby bear turned one this past may.
one. tear.
he only wanted two things for his birthday:
a bow tie and a frost paw treat.
so, got him both {not pictured: frosty paw}. 

sampson is the best dog. 

totally a momma's boy but prefers to snuggle with his dad at night. 

that being said, sleeps in the bed with us. 

will do anything for green beans or turkey. 

loves to play with anything that squeaks. 

loves swimming. going on walks & sitting on our new patio couch. 

can find any black sock within a 10 foot radius. 

still has the puppy cray cray in him. but we love it. 

i love you boo boo. happy belated birthday!

{picture: sampson on his 1st birthday}

mother's day in NYC

mother's day was quickly approaching.
i was trying to talk my mom into a 4 day trip to NYC to celebrate.
with a little nudging {& the fact that i had already booked our hotel} she agreed to go.

& what a blast we had.

bryant park {free yoga!? you new yorkers are so lucky!}
times square & a night bus tour
central park, the central park zoo & the central park conservatory.
the 9/11 memorial & rockefeller plaza.
jersey boys  {my mom's favorite part of the trip}.
chelsea market & the highline {my favorite part of the trip}.

tiny shops. the subway. the hustle & bustle.
outdoor dining complete with people watching.
pictures together.
glasses of wine & bakery cupcakes.
adventure.
celebrating my mom.

it was a great weekend.
happy mother's day mom!
thanks for making the trip. it was worth it.

{photo: my mom and i on the highline}

i may be back, but summer is gone

hello old friend!
it's been so long since i've stopped by.
the summer is already such a distant and hazy memory.
i have lots of it to post here so that i don't forget anymore that i already have.

a trip to NYC in may with my mom.
sampson's first birthday!
trips to the lake over long summer weekends.
lots of calligraphy orders.
concerts.
a fantastic california vacation.
my 28th birthday.
our new patio.
baby showers for friends.

it was a great summer that went by oh-so-quickly.
i have to admit, i'm not quite ready for fall.
i need a few more boat rides with a cold margarita in hand.
a couple more chances to wear my brightly colored clothes.
a few more opportunities to wear wedges and flip-flops.
another day with those warm rays of sun adding to my tan.

for now, and for the next few posts, let's pretend summer isn't already over.
please and thank you.

{photo: in huntington beach, cali on my 28th birthday. quite the perfect view.}

2x3

i spent an hour or so the other night cleaning out our junk drawer. 

it had gotten to be a disaster. a 2x3 disaster. 

chargers, batteries, pens, rubber bands, take out menus & other usual suspects. 

along with golf tees, sunscreen tubes, cameras and medication for our puppy. 

something had to be done. the drawer would barely close.

so, i buckled down. 

i took everything out & sorted through the randomness. 

some things were trashed, some stored elsewhere {where they should have been}

& some put back in the drawer itself. 

at the end of the hour, an organized masterpiece. 

i was happy while cleaning out that drawer. 

seeing the bottom of the drawer & the rubber bands in one place 

made me sigh with contentment. 

i never would have thought i would have gotten so much satisfaction 

from cleaning out a junk drawer. 

more of this needs to happen in my daily life. 

more cleaning, more decluttering, more sorting & more organizing. 

not necessarily in large chunks. no. 2x3 sections will do just fine. 

photo via