mya turns three

This is our good little friend, Mya. Mya's mom is my good friend from college and they're living in Saint Louis for a few years. These are sweet times for Lisa and me, because we're able to watch our daughters grow up side by side in a (mostly) love (sometimes) hate relationship. (You know....they're three.) So we have a few more years of celebrating our kiddos' birthdays in the same city. Lisa did an excellent job planning a party with plenty of hands-on projects and a surprise visit from Cinderella who came to read the girls her story. I haven't really pushed the whole princess thing with Huntleigh, so I was kind of surprised that she was so enthralled with Cinderella. It was fun for me to see her that way. Happy Birthday, Mya. We love you!

art in the windy city

Just a few highlights from our whirlwind trip through the Art Institute of Chicago and our view from the John Hancock Observatory. We ate dinner at this great little eatery with my friend Susan. The couple days were fun, fast, and freezing. And we stopped at Ikea on the way home, of course.



Hopper. This picture is for Josh, since it's one of his favorite paintings.


Seurat.


This city is awesome.

chicago....when it's freezing cold

Yes. I am. Crazy, that is. A couple days after I landed back in StL, I hopped in the car with my good friend Shannon and drove to Chicago. Yes, we drove through that snow storm on Tuesday. Yes, we had an infant with us. Yes, I drove safely. It took us almost 8 hours to get there. (Now, that's crazy.) I know there are those out there who think I'm an aggressive driver. (Is that the word you use?) Shannon calls me a "confident" driver. I think my mom might use a different term. I got my driver's license in New York, remember, and that's where I learned to drive. I brought that with me to the Midwest. Anyway, I don't mind driving in snow. I prefer it to driving in heavy rain. We were safe. And I'm blogging because we're back here in the Lou.

We took a girls' trip and it was fun. It was really just a bit over 48 hours of time away, but it was great, nonetheless. Chicago is such an amazing city. It's even amazing in 12 degree weather. It's just a slightly bit more difficult to tolerate when you are walking everywhere. The sky cleared for us on Wednesday morning as we were walking down Michigan Avenue. We walked through Millennium Park and spent most of our time there taking pictures of ourselves in Cloud Gate. Just like every other tourist. But whatever. I'm partly from Chicago. Okay, well, the suburbs. Does that make me a tourist or a repatriate?

Cloud Gate


architecture sampling on Michigan Avenue


Shannon with baby Ada strapped in the Baby Bjorn

Friday with Lucy

I love this girl.





strolling on the boardwalk.

Friday with Hunts

Pool time....in a heated pool, that is.


"motorboat, motorboat...step on the gas!" Thanks, KT.




icing our pre-Valentime's Day cookies

beach

It was finally warm enough for us to visit the beach...in our jeans and jackets. It was gorgeous, nonetheless.



Hunts wrapped in my scarf


beach feet


my awesome mom




Lulu, double-fisting the clementines

just chillin'

escaping winter

My mom and I are currently in Florida with the babes. While Josh went on his first international business trip of 09, he suggested we get out of town too, which always makes the time go faster. It hasn't been as warm here as I thought and I packed totally wrong for the girls....I fixed that with one quick trip to Old Navy. But it's been nice to be outside and play on all the new playgrounds and be out of our Saint Louis routine. Here we are at the pirate ship park.





Ahoy mateys!


Hunts and Yia Yia

one.

This is my one year old. Her birthday got totally neglected this year other than the several renditions of "Happy Birthday" that were sung to her throughout the day. Poor girl. She'll never remember. She'll never know that we're just celebrating her birthday a month late. And when she discovers this when she's older and blames me for how I love Huntleigh more than her, I'll tell her that's true. No. I'm just lazy. No. I forgot. No. We had lice. (Lice sucks. Have I mentioned that?) She can blame them, the boogers.

I love this cracker-eating, easy-going, independent, strong-willed sweetheart. She is a child full of joy and life and has an amazing personality, even at her young age. Happy Birthday, Lucy Lennox.

the maynors

My friend Melanie asked me to take photos of their vow renewals right at the turn of the year and here are a handful of my favorites. It was such a fun event to observe from behind the lens of my camera, as well as emotional. They had a great balance of reverence and light-heartedness. I found it to be a very refreshing thing to do, renew vows. I'm already planning how Josh and I can do it for an upcoming anniversary.

the awesome cake


the bride


the flower girl and first daughter


the flowers


the processional


grayson, their son, who grabbed his guitar during the ceremony


worshipful and radiant (and sleepy)


the first dance to "Groove is in the Heart", complete with routine and everything


the timeline of their lives together


sparklers for celebrating