My year in Instagram

I was looking through my instagram account today (almost becoming an addiction). I noticed something about what what it says about me. At an earlier point in my life my instagram profile would probably show a much different year in photos. As I hold my phone in my hand and scroll through, I see a year that I am happy to have lived. It was filled with design work for old band friends and new bloggin' friends, great cups of tea that I've had, food I've enjoyed, places I've visited... but most importantly, the time that I have shared with my Wife and Daughter. Internet networking and iphone apps can be a trivial part of life, but my account is a reflection of the things that I have truly cherished this year.

I Love my Fam. Sale

Thanks to Chelsey (thepapermama.blogspot.com) I have this awesome time in my life caught in an illustration that will live forever.

The Holidays are officially here, we've been looking forward to it. I think my wife was a little premature with the holiday season, I think it starts at Thanksgiving. She's already a month in at that point. In any event, we can both agree that we are in the holiday season now, so I have a supreme sale starting today in my store. 40% off anything and everything (that is left). Just use the sale code heartmyfam

(I'm going to be doing a full updated store soon with design sales, check back soon)

Happy Holidays from Mommy, Daddy & Addy.

Visiting the Elizabethan Gardens

We are currently in Virginia Beach, Va, about to go to bed, we have an early train to catch heading back home. Right now, the sliding glass door in our hotel room is open, I can see and hear the ocean. We had a quick stop here on our way home from the Outer Banks NC. It was a fun trip, one of the highlights for me was visiting the hidden gem on the northern tip of Roanoke Island, about 15 minutes away from where we stayed. I will be showing a bunch of our trip, but for now I am going to show some of our day at the Elizabethan Gardens, it was beautiful.

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New Family, New Traditions

We aren't the types that go overboard with Christmas, just a healthy Love of the Holiday Season. We even decided that being that Addy is only 2 months old, that we weren't going to be buying presents for her this year despite the traditions involved.  I was having a discussion recently and the topic of Christmas traditions came up. The wise man that I was having this discussion with was talking about the feeling he has looking back at past Christmas Days, and the nostalgia that one can feel. The quote that really stuck with me was "now you are in charge of what your Daughter will remember growing up and your own family traditions". The next day I was in a book store and it hit me (or the shiny red cover glared at me) I want to buy How the Grinch Stole Christmas for Addy for her first Christmas. Thus a new family tradition has started, this morning we opened our first family Christmas gift and I read the story for her and my wife in my best animated voice with undivided attention. This is a feeling I will look forward to every year to come. Oh, and I almost forgot, Happy Holidays to you and yours.

Holiday Family Unit

This is the first Holiday Season for Adeline. It's always been a time of year that I enjoy. Despite the northeastern weather (the snow is pretty, but the cold is not) it really can be a great time. Having Addy here is even adding to the Holiday Cheer, and dressing her up in cute outfits for parties is a fun that I wasn't thinking I was going to have. I certainly have become that nerdy Dad that wants the 3 of us to have a somewhat coordinated get-up, and a Holiday party is just the place to execute said nerdery. I would have shown you the coordinated family unit, but I didn't get the angle right for the self photos (at least my Wife and Addy are in the photo, they basically carried the look anyway).

To My Ladies

To my Wife and Daughter: 

I woke up earlier than you did this morning, I just had to take a photo of how beautiful both of you looked, although I didn't want to leave the Mommy, Addy, Daddy sandwich. I can't really describe to you how complete my life is now, I feel more selfless each day thinking of what I can do for you. I really don't mind putting my finger in the edge of a diaper to test if it needs to be changed, not knowing what type of matter will be on it when it comes out. I don't feel that I need sleep anymore, I am at your beck and call, whether it is to burp you, change your diaper, give you a bath (addy) or rub you back, make you dinner (Mommy), let me know, I will be your pillar of strength and pillow of comfort.