Happy Valentine's Day!

I couldn't get my Christmas card act together (after all, I had a big birthday party to plan!) so decided to send out a Valentine's Card instead. Millie took the photos and Erin pulled together a card for me to send out to all of Tilley-Gray's little buddies. I love how it turned out!

I have a hundred names for her, but from the start, she's been our little nugget. 

Such a sweet photo of our darling girl.

 Hope you all have a great Valentine's Day!

xoxo

Take a Chance on Love

Carmen Johnston, a garden designer and founder of the garden event company, Nectar and Company, created this stop-motion video on how to create three DIY bouquets for Valentine's Day. From the adorable couple, to the styling, to the music, this is such a treat for Valentine's Day!

An adorable  reader (thanks Ivey!) sent this video over thinking I would love it, and she was right! 

Mom + Daughter in Paris

We went to Paris two years ago, and on the very last day, we lost our camera. (you can read about our adventure here) Devastated, we still have our memories and a fantastic excuse to go back to Paris soon. 

Seeing these pictures made me think that the next time we go to Paris, it will be even more magical with Tilley-Gray along our side. An Oklahoma City mom and daughter were visiting Paris and hired Dublin based photographer, Doreen Kilfeather to document their day. Are these not so precious? 

Paris is such a special place to me that I would love to have family photos taken there.

Would you hire a photographer while vacationing with your family? 

Valentine's Day Gift Guide

Valentine's Day may just be a Hallmark holiday, but I love any excuse for flowers, candy, and a healthy dose of pink. It's right around the corner, so if you haven't already bought your Valentine's presents, here are some of my favorite Vday gifts.

For the littles

Melissa & Doug's Pots and Pans  Maybe these will keep her out of mine!

Converse Sneakers Double tounged just like I had when I was little

I Had a Favorite Dress  A book that I'll enjoy just as much as Tilley-Gray will

Pink Quilted Jacket  A sweet little classic that would match this one I've been wishing for

For the boys

Shotgun Shell Cufflinks every daddy of a little girl needs these

Sole Cruise Bike Gray's bike got stolen last year and it's time for a replacement!

Vans Sneakers My high school boyfriend wore these, and I still think they are so cute

Duke Cannon's Big Ass Brick of Soap 

It's tag line says it all: If you enjoy activities like drinking American beer or using power tools, then frankly, this is the only soap meant for you 

For the girls

Eberjey Gisele Pajama Set A much needed replacement to my current sleepwear

Tory Burch Backgammon Set We've been playing on a set his parents had in college, so it's time to update!

H by Hudson Horrigon Boots These would be perfect with Spring's floral dresses

Jacquie Aiche Alphabet Ring Stacking a T and G for my two favorite people

Tilley-Gray's Surgery + Hospital Stay

I know I told you all I would be back on a regular basis, but I've been focusing on my sweet little family and making sure that Tilley-Gray is as healthy and happy as she can be. 

Tilley-Gray had surgery last Friday unexpectedly and we were in the hospital for three days. I have never been so scared in my entire life, but she is doing better than we could have ever imagined and we just feel so blessed. Our family and friends were tremendous through their support and prayers and what could have been something horrible turned out to be only a very infected lymph node that her body could not fight. The IVs were the worst part (she had a total of three), and let me tell you, when the anesthesiologist  took her out of my arms for surgery, I was just about to pieces. Thank goodness for such great family and friends. Our families visited and brought food and coffee, friends sent balloons and little doctor kits for Tilley-Gray, and the doctors and nurses were patient with our questions and made all of us as comfortable as they could.

Tilley-Gray with her new doctor's kit 

Walking the halls was her favorite thing to do while we were there when she wasn't in the playroom. I couldn't resist capturing her little diaper hanging out of her hospital gown. 

I can't imagine what it's like to have a child that is chronically sick. We were only there for three days and it felt like an eternity, but we made the most of it and our friends and family made our stay much more comfortable. If you have friends in the hospital or know a child that is there, here are a few things that helped us during our stay. 

A Care Package

We have such amazing friends, and they came together and brought  us a care package full of bottled water, healthy snacks, dinner, and a bottle of wine! I told one friend what was going on and she relayed it to our closest friends so that I wouldn't have to make so many phone calls. 

Coffee and Food

The coffee at the hospital is pretty awful and when your child is in the hospital, the don't feed the parents. Our hospital's cafe is closed on the weekends and I was so worried, I didn't even think about eating. It was great to have friends that took care of that for us. 

Slippers

Tilley-Gray had to stay in a hospital gown, but I was so glad I had these slippers for her. 

Moisturizer and Chapstick

I never noticed how dry the air was in a hospital, but by day two, our skin and lips started peeling because it was so dry. Kiehl's lotion was heavy enough for the dry air but didn't break us out. 

Toys

Tilley-Gray had to stay hooked up to her IV for the first day we were there, and wasn't too happy about not being able to walk around. Books, puzzles, movies, and fun flash cards helped us keep her happy. 

Hopefully you won't ever have to stay in the hospital, but if you do, these things should make your stay more comfortable!

Present

I read the book, My One Word, at the first of the year, and after prayer and a lot of thought, my one word is present. I chose the word because after you strip away all of the "noise" that I'm surrounded by, the most important things are the people that are around me and giving them my full attention. This means disconnecting more often, being patient when things don't happen as fast as I would like them to, and savoring my time with my sweet little family.

We spent an afternoon with Mille Holloman a few weeks ago and I love how these photos turned out. I can't believe Tilley-Gray is already fourteen months!  I'm so thankful that we have a friend with such a gift to capture these sweet little moments.

Have any of you read the book, My One Word? I'd love to hear what word you have chosen!