The Garcia Family Photos

Hello friends! I have a photo shoot to share with you this evening. The awesome Garcia family came back for winter/Christmas pictures and we were blessed with snow on that day, so it worked out perfectly! Here's a peek at my favorites from our time together. 

Dear Garcias, 

You're the bomb! 

Love Kirsty

The Day We Went to the Tree Farm

This was our first time to cut down a tree. There was a long list of reasons why but at the top of that list was the fact that we just didn't want to do it with a cranky baby or toddler. So I figured this was the year to give it a go! We drove about 35 minutes out of town to Whispering Pines (with my sister and her fam) and we were soon traipsing through fields and fields of movie quality Christmas trees. It didn't take too long to find our favorite and Phil cut it down in about, oh I don't know, 5 minutes? No big deal. We left it at the side of the road (where Thomas the Train comes to pick you and your tree up) and we went off to find a tree for my sister's home.

This is when things started getting a little lengthy. The tears became crocodile and the crankiness escalated. But my brother-in-law is a perfectionist when it comes to his Christmas tree and we searched for THE ONE for a long ol' time. While we waited for Uncle Bob to make his final selection, we tried to entertain ourselves and the kids by hanging them (okay, just pretending) from the tippy top branches like a tree topper. They thought it was fantastic! But finally, that blessed tree was selected and the chopping began. This particular job required both men in the end, lots and lots of dirt plus a few bloody scratches for good measure. All in all, well worth it.

After the train escorted us and our trees back to civilization, we watched with fascination as a machine shook the daylights out of them and then squeezed them through a net, ready to hoist up onto our car. The kids and mamas enjoyed popcorn and hot cocoa while the dads readied our vehicles and we even snuck in a visit with Santa for a quick chat. It really was a lovely morning and we're very happy with our tree. I'm reluctant to think that we'll make it there again next year, what with a 6 month old and all, so I'm thrilled we've ticked this off of our holiday bucket list. :) The End.

A Maternity Photo Shoot

Here's a peek at a photo shoot that I did for my dear friend Mandi. Her photo studio is in downtown Green Bay on Broadway and she knew all the cool little industrial spots to hit for a great picture. So I traded in my usual trees and sunlight for the architectural beauty of brick, iron and concrete. My beautiful model is 7 months pregnant and I couldn't have been happier to capture her first belly shots ever (though this is baby #3). A sweet opportunity for me. 

Much love to you Mandi! Can't wait to meet this little one. :)

Maternity Style {14 weeks}

Things I'm enjoying about this pregnancy:

1. Peppermint!

2. A lesser desire to gorge on food than in previous pregnancies = slower weight gain

3. The option to nap every single day if need be (as kids allow it this time)

4. Longer hair which means as my face fills out into its unavoidable melon shape, it can be somewhat camouflaged by hair 

5. No itchy scalp or intolerance towards deodorant - good!

Things I'm not enjoying at all:

1. Hamburger!

2. I'm not enjoying my beloved foods, though I'm digging oranges and frosted mini wheats

3. Feeling sleepy and rarely refreshed, even post nap

4. No desire to leave the house at night for a date (poor husband)

5. Breaking out like I'm a teenager

{shirt & jacket - Forever 21, skirt - Gap, booties - Steve Madden at DSW}

Thanksgiving Turkey Rolls

Hello friends! Long time no see. :) Hope you had a fantastic Thanksgiving weekend and if you're not a US friend, then I hope your regular ol' weekend was fabulous too. 

On Thanksgiving morn the boys and I made these turkey rolls together, in-between watching the Macy's parade (something Elliot really loved this year and has asked to watch again several times since), whipping up some mashed potatoes, and getting ourselves ready to head to family for a humongous lunch. 

 Aren't they cute? We used Rhodes rolls, thawed them, flattened one for the body, cut a third off the second which we rolled into a neck and head shape, and the used the two-thirds left over for the tail, which we cut into feathers. Elliot loved pushing dried cranberries into the rolls and Monty loved ... well, everything! (as you can see below by his groovy posing).