Love and Splendor – Official Blog

miss olive at one month old!

Just over one month ago, on March 12th, 2012, Olivia Iris came into this world and changed mine forever.  Becoming a mother has turned my life upside down, and yet it has felt like the most natural transition at the same time…  For one month, I have relished every moment with this sweet, inquisitive, adorable baby girl.  Caring for her around the clock is a true joy; not once have I felt overwhelmed or burdened by this responsibility.  In God’s kindness, Olive has been a very ‘manageable’ baby so far.  She isn’t fussy or whiny — when she cries, I feel like I know exactly how to soothe her.  When she looks at me, it arrests me and I sense a deep unspoken bond.  I have told many friends that I honestly feel like I was born to be Olive’s mother.  I thank God everyday for this humbling blessing… for this precious stewardship.  I feel so grateful that I get to raise up this young lady, but I know it is a high calling.  I want to pour all of my energy and love into mothering her with grace, purpose, and intention.

With aunts Anna and Meggie, and “aunt” Michelle :)

with hapa aunties trista & kristin

As I’ve been cherishing motherhood, I have simultaneously been treasuring my role as wife.  Part of that has been sweetened as I observe Erik, my college sweetheart and love for nearly 9 years, grow as a father.  I could watch him with Olive all day long.  He has such a tenderness and silliness with her…  It melts me.  Thank you, Lord, for my beautiful little family.  I cannot adequately put into words how blissful this past month has been.

I thought I’d begin the habit of monthly “Olive Updates” to keep track of her growing and changing.  :)  While I’m writing in a daily mommy journal and putting together a baby book, it is still fun to document and share her life here on the blog, where family + friends can more easily keep up with her.  Here is a glimpse of Olive’s first month of life…

• She was 7lbs 3oz at birth — she weighs over 9lbs now at 5 weeks!  :)  That’s my healthy girl!
• She has a full head of the most silky soft hair.  It was dark brown at birth, but is lightening up to a soft sable color…
• Her eyes are still mysterious gray — we are excited to see what color she ends up with!  (Erik and I have two different kinds of hazel eyes: his are amber, mine are green.)
• She LOVES bath time and it helps lull her to sleep each evening.
• She sleeps 4 hour stretches at night — praise the Lord!!  We typically put her to sleep at 9/10p, and she’ll wake up around 1/2a, and then again around 6/7a.  It’s marvelous.
• She has long, dainty fingers… and toes!  People comment on how long both sets of digits are… LOL.
• I can quickly buy 20 minutes of time (to do dishes, eat breakfast, etc.) by putting her on her playmat.  She loves it already, and I tell Erik she’s a genius (just kidding!) because she already swats at the toys and coos in delight at them.  He says she hits them on accident while wildly flailing about.  Obviously I’m right.  haha
• She also lets mommy get a shower each day… the sound of the shower puts her right to sleep!
• She enjoys the sound of the ocean and classical music.
• She is not a big fan of the bottle, but has had 4 or 5 during outings this month.
• She hates pacifiers.  I’ve only tried them 2x, but she spits them out in anger within seconds.  I’m not-so-secretly pleased… I am hoping we can skip the pacifiers altogether.
• We have been going on walks regularly…  at least 2x a week.  This week I broke our 3 mile threshold with two five-mile strolls.  She sleeps most of the time, or sits in quiet wonder.  It’s one of my favorite ‘escapes’ and getting outside with her has been a true gift.  It’s also helping mommy get back in shape!

Some snaps via Instagram — @loveandsplendor

I clearly can’t get enough of this little lovebug!!

Olive — I love you so very much!  Being your mommy is my favorite role.  Every bit of you delights me, and I can’t get enough of your tiny hands, your beautiful eyes, your downy hair, your sweet scent!  Thank you for indulging Mommy as I cover you with kisses (which you don’t really understand, yet).  Thank you for bringing me and Daddy so much joy in just your first month of life.  And thank you for those long silent gazes that you send my way — the ones that completely stop me in my tracks, bring tears to my eyes, and make me feel like the luckiest lady in the world.  Love you, baby girl.  <3  We can’t wait for what’s ahead.  xoxo

Enjoy your Monday!  xoxo, Angel

Hello everyone!!  It is with great joy that I make my return to the blog… I have missed writing here and sharing with all of you!  If you haven’t already heard or seen (on Instagram — @loveandsplendor), our precious daughter, Olivia Iris, has arrived!  She was born on Monday, March 12th, and I cannot begin to express the unspeakable bliss it has been to have her with us.  I look forward to sharing a little new baby update with you soon, but today I have a special look into the past.  :)

Earlier this year, Erik and I had the special experience of being photographed by my dear friend, Jose Villa.  I am so grateful that we could take these photos, which highlight such a tender, precious time in our lives.  I thoroughly enjoyed being pregnant and was blessed to have had a smooth one: no nausea, no morning sickness, no complications.  I marveled at every kick and hiccup as this child was knit together in my womb.  Pregnancy brought me closer to Erik in many ways as well… I love that these images capture the final months we shared as a duo, before our lives were altered forever.  :)

Many, many thanks to Jose for gracing us with his marvelous talent.  We had the best time on this shoot, and we will treasure these photos forever.  Here are just a few favorites…

And for those of you who haven’t seen my (now) 15-day old lovebug yet…

Hope you all are enjoying a lovely Tuesday!!  It feels great to blog again!

xoxo, Angel

Hello everyone!!  I hope you are having a splendid week so far.  ;-)  Today is a special day for many reasons.  First, it’s my birthday!  I’m not a big ‘birthday person,’ so March 7th really just means fancy dinner reservations.  haha  But March 7th took on some extra significance when my doctor told me last summer that my estimated due date was today.  You can imagine my complete shock upon hearing that.  At the time, I was still getting used to the idea of being pregnant.  It seemed all too perfect that she was due on my birthday, too.  ;-)  Although I never expected her to really arrive today (less than 5% of babies are born on their actual due dates), it was a fun fact.  Olive still has time to be in that 5% minority, if she’d like!  For now, she seems more than comfy in the womb and I’m practicing my patience, awaiting her arrival.

Today I thought I’d share some pictures from my baby shower back in January!  I actually was blessed to have three amazing showers thrown by loved ones, but this one was the largest.  My sister, Anna, and dearest friends, Michelle (of Love and Splendor) and Kristin (of Petal and Thorn), threw this shower for me, along with my mommy (excited first-time grandma!).  The design of the shower was inspired by the whimsical Joel Dewberry fabric I chose in making Olive’s crib bedding.  I was really drawn to the slightly retro patterns and totally fresh colors: saffron, persimmon, aqua and white.

The celebration all took place at one of my favorite LA restaurants: Lucques.  Their lovely courtyard patio made a charming backdrop for the festivities and the seasonal 3-course menu allowed guests to enjoy dishes like a persimmon and pomegranate salad with burrata as well as braised short ribs with swiss chard.  Food is a big deal to me so while I was not privy to the details and design of the shower, I did request that I pick the menu.  ;-)  Lucques also created a specialty cocktail and mocktail for both guests and mommies-to-be (there were 7 in attendance!) with raspberry and fennel.

Every detail was thought out with love, from handmade felt mobiles (which now grace Olive’s nursery) to a French Dr. Seuss book used as a guestbook (French is my second language).  Tables were covered with aqua patterned linens from La Tavola, and a custom game of “I Spy” was placed at each setting.  Decorations included cheerful centerpieces crafted by Kristin (a former florist) and DIY thumbtack and fabric-covered spheres.  {found} vintage rentals also created a cozy lounge for opening presents.

Guests traveled from San Diego to San Luis Obispo to shower Olivia! Michelle kicked off the shower by reading a poem (“The Love of a Mother”), and the formal meal was concluded with desserts brought in by my dear friend and another mama-to-be, Melody from Sweet and Saucy Shop. After the adorable gifts were opened, each guest departed with a bottle of olive oil (“Olivia Oil,” to be exact!) to commemorate the sweet occasion.

This was one of the most joyful days of my life (I don’t say that lightly) because being surrounded by the love of my favorite women, most of them mothers themselves, was truly a blessing.  Here’s some glimpses of the day courtesy of the lovely Jessica Claire…

Happy Monday, loves!!  All this stormy weather would typically get me down, but I’m choosing to look on the bright side: I get to wear my favorite violet glossy Hunter wellies!  I’m also looking forward to a fun-filled week, with a friend’s baby shower to attend, my 34-week prenatal appointment and another baby shower for Olive!  This week follows two consecutively amazing weeks.  Just last week I took maternity photos with Jose Villa, a photographer who endlessly inspires me and is also a dear, dear friend.  I cannot wait to see the special images he captured of our family of three.  <3 Just saying that makes my eyes sparkle with tears.  (and hugs to Jose, who made this pregnant lady feel like a million bucks)  The week before that I got to spend lots of time with family, celebrate baby Olivia with not one but TWO ridiculously, overwhelmingly, beautiful showers (can’t wait to share with you!), and had the honor of being featured on Style Me Pretty!  :)  Right now my cup is just overflowing with blessings and opportunities to savor the moment!  I pray I am always as mindful as I am today of how very blessed I have been.

an iPhone snap from one of my showers — me + two of my dearest friends from middle school and high school!  and disclaimer: my drink was non-alcoholic!  it was a scrumptious raspberry fennel concoction made just for my shower, and i wish i could have one right now!

I want to spread the love today by sharing some random inspiration with you all.  Here are some of my “lately-loves”: the things and sites that have sparked my creative soul recently.

a new favorite — a whisper of gray, a muddled celery, rich guava, teal and a soft aqua.  (original post HERE — from design-seeds)

• Design Seeds: oh my goodness this website. I am obsessed!! If you follow me on Pinterest, you’ve surely had your feed clogged with my incessant pinning of color palettes from this site.  If you like exploring unique color combinations, you will LOVE this site.  Every palette is accompanied by the loveliest photo to further spark the imagination.  If you’re anything like me, you could spend hours scanning and pinning and dreaming.  And I do.

• The Hunger Games: It had been a while since I read a fiction work, so after having my curiosity piqued about this series, I picked up book one at my local library. I devoured it in 24 hours. Same goes for book two (although it was my least favorite), Catching Fire.  I just wrapped up Mockingjay a couple weeks ago, the final book in the trilogy, and loved it. I always enjoy a good futuristic dystopian novel. (Brave New World, anyone??) Watching the film trailer for The Hunger Games makes me cry every.single.time.  The casting is brilliant!  If you’re looking for a gripping read (or 3), check these out!  Dreams of the games have been haunting me for weeks now…

• Chic & Cheap Nursery: This is my latest favorite blog, thanks to the immense amount of beautiful real nurseries featured.  Although I can appreciate a lovely inspiration board, there is nothing like seeing a fully-styled real nursery (or wedding, for that matter) to really spark my creativity.  I am working on pulling together little Olivia’s nursery now and can’t wait to share it with you eventually…

• Mom’s One Line A Day Journal: I received this from my sister-in-law, Megan, for Christmas.  I’d had my eye on it for a while but didn’t mention it, and then surprise, surprise!  Meggie saw it and thought I might like it.  :)  I LOVE it.  It’s a five-year journal that has space for a few sentences (more than just one, haha) everyday.  I cannot wait to write about Olivia’s milestones and little memories once she’s here.  For now (I started on January 1st), I enjoy writing about my nursery-prep progress and the things that Erik and I are doing as we look forward to Olive’s arrival.  I cherish the few reflective moments I spend jotting notes into this journal each night.  It is something of a gratitude journal for me, as I am actively reminded to reflect on the sweetness of the day.

Happy New Year, everyone!!  On this first Friday of 2012, I wanted to share my goals and decisions for the upcoming year.  Instead of “resolutions,” I like to call my annual list goals and decisions because I feel it separates the wishful/hopeful ideas from the firm decisions I resolve to make.  My sweetie Erik preached a great message last Sunday on making resolutions that stick.  One major key is your commitment to consistently, frequently reviewing the things you resolve to do.  I hope that my blog will be another source of accountability for me as I press forward with the following goals & decisions….

In 2012 I endeavor to…

• Write daily in my new “mom” journal.  More on this later… but I have already started and am really enjoying the simple habit of penning short & sweet notes to my little girl.
• Send more snail mail.  It is sheer delight receiving letters & packages in the mail (thanks to my dear friend, Jules, who recently sent me such a thoughtful and unexpected package!!).  I hope to spontaneously send little love notes and goodies to friends and family throughout the year.
• Blog more.  I LOVE blogging (and writing in general) and hope to share more of my inspiration, heart, and life with you all here.  Thank you for all of your amazing support + comments, which spur me on!
• Become an intermediate seamstress, sewing fun projects for the home and even little clothes for my baby girl!

In 2012 I WILL…

michelle, me, anna — photo by our dear friend amelia lyon

• Continue to seek and serve Christ with all my heart.  I want to further deepen and enrich my relationship with my Lord and Savior — this is the most precious, valuable, worthwhile relationship in my life and I intend to treat it that way!
• Prioritize my family.  This is sort of an “always” resolution, but with my firstborn daughter slated to make her arrival in a couple months (!), I am further devoted to cherishing my husband and child.  After years of thinking I may never be able to bear a biological child, I am ready to fully embrace the immense blessing that I have been given in this little girl.  I don’t want to have any regrets about how I spend my best time and energy.
• Give greater planning + coordinating responsibilities to Michelle, Anna, and the other talented ladies that make up the Love and Splendor team.  These girls have done numerous weddings for L&S without me present, but now it is really time for them to shine.  I look forward to watching them blossom with additional roles as lead planners/coordinators on a number of weddings this year.  Although many may equate Love and Splendor with *me* personally, we truly are a team here and I could not be more proud of and thankful for the women I work alongside.
• Learn how to make a killer apple pie (Erik’s favorite).

Fairly simple, right?  What are some of YOUR goals and decisions for the year ahead?  From your grandest dreams to your ‘smallest’ decisions, I’d love to hear about them…  Thanks for letting me share mine!

Enjoy a lovely weekend!  I am DYING for it to be next week already, as I have tons of excitement in store.  We will be sharing an amazing wedding with you next week (after it is featured on a favorite blog), and I’ll be updating you on my 32nd (ahhh!) week of pregnancy.  I also have two baby showers next week!  I am so humbled by the sweet ladies planning both showers and cannot wait to celebrate my daughter with so many of my favorite ladies.  <3

xoxo, Angel

I’m not sure how we got here, but we’re here — it’s the last day of 2011!  I, for one, couldn’t be more excited for the new year ahead.  2012 promises to bring some amazing and exciting changes to my life, including the birth of my first child… Olivia!  I look forward to continuing to share my life & passions with you here on this blog.  I just want to take a moment to thank each and every person who takes the time to stop by my little piece of the web.  Some of you are here to follow my wedding design + planning work, while others are simply friends (new and old) who like to keep up with my life.  I truly enjoy writing for this blog, reading your comments, and interacting with my readers.  Thank you again for your love and support!

For my last post of 2011, I thought I’d share some snapshots of what we did to celebrate Christmas last weekend.  It already seems like Christmas was months ago…except for the fact that our tree and decorations are still up.  ;-)  We always keep them up until post New Year!  Here is how we spent Christmas Eve + Christmas, celebrating with family and remembering the birth of Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior…

On Christmas Eve… We spent the day at Hearst Castle, had lunch at Linn’s in Cambria (YUM) and went to an intimate Christmas Eve service at church.  Dinner was at delicious Ciopinot, a fabulous seafood restaurant in San Luis Obispo.

rounding out at 30 weeks!

lunch at Linn’s is a MUST.  the entire menu is great, but i highly suggest the dungeness crab + gruyère panini and a slice of their famous olalieberry pie, à la mode, bien sûr!

On Christmas Day… I made a huge breakfast for Erik and my parents (mom + Raj), we went to church, and then we had supper + more celebrating with Erik’s family.

I made Thomas Keller’s leek bread pudding for breakfast (among other things) and it was INSANELY delish.

at Erik’s parents’… Erik got me an adorable Hello Kitty keychain USB drive.  ;-)  I’ll never grow up!

And the day after Christmas… we had a casual lunch celebrating my Dad’s birthday!

you can just glimpse some of daddy’s scars in this picture, from 2009 when he had not one but TWO experimental neurosurgeries.  everyday with my dad is a gift.

and finally, a glimpse of some Christmas cheer from our home…

our tree :)

It was a fabulous time…

Tonight we are hosting a dozen friends here at our house.  :)  The plan is to ring in the new year around a beach bonfire, have a slumber party, and then wake up and go to church together.  ;-)  I’m sure there will be campfire singing + s’mores somewhere in there.  To tell you the truth, I’m not sure if this nearly-31-weeks-pregnant lady can handle staying up til midnight!  LOL

I wish you all a very Happy New Year, filled with new adventures and joyful memories! See you in 2012!!!

xoxo, Angel

UPDATE: CONGRATULATIONS TO DEBBIE, the winner of our giveaway!!  Thank you to everyone for entering, and we’d still love to hear more of your holiday memories if you’re out there reading.  ;-)  xoxo, A+A+M

Hannukah has begun and we’re only a few days away from Christmas… I know I’m not alone when I say I LOVE this time of year.  As I anticipate the warm family gatherings to come, I thought I’d stir up some nostalgic warm fuzzies with my Love and Splendor girls.  :)  I asked Anna and Michelle to send me their personal lists of Christmas memories: the things that are quintessentially tied to their holiday celebrations.  After you have some fun peeking into their memories, we want to hear from YOU!!  At the end of the post we’ll share how you can receive a special sparkling package of goodies straight from us.  ;-)

{ anna’s list }

• peppermint mochas
• Christmas lights
• ringing of the bells (Salvation Army)
• Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas”
• fun wrapping paper
• ugly Christmas sweaters
• nativity scenes
• Christmas movies
• exchanging Christmas cards
• Christmas outfits for puppies :)

{ michelle’s list }

• advent calendars
• annual family Christmas picture
• white elephant gift exchanges
• A Christmas Story… “Ralphie, you’ll shoot your eye out with that thing!!”
• egg nog
• sugar cookies & gingerbread houses
• smell of wreaths and trees
• Christmas songs on KOST 103.5
• midnight mass
• giving back to those less fortunate

{ angel’s list }

• warm roasted chesnuts
• Ferrero Rocher chocolates
• Thymes Frasier Fir candles
• red velvet truffles
• “O Holy Night” — my favorite Christmas song
• hand bell choirs
• Christmas eve at Erik’s aunt house, celebrating festa dei sette pesci
• buying stocking stuffers at the 99 cents store :)
• “wearing” our Christmas stockings on our feet after we’ve emptied them
• Miracle on 34th Street — my favorite Christmas movie

me and my buddy feivel on a Christmas many moons ago :)

 

Now it’s YOUR turn!!  We can’t wait to hear about some of the things that remind our readers of the holiday season.  Tomorrow (Thursday!) at 12 noon PST we will pick a random winner and send you a special box of surprises.  It will include fun things we all love, like nail polish, sweet treats and more…  Let us surprise you.  ;-)  To enter, simply comment below with the THREE of your own random holiday “memories.”  Like our own lists above, we’re looking for specific items that jog your memories, not fleshed out stories.

Christmas-time always puts me in the mood to bake.  I know I’m not alone on this one.  :)  While Thanksgiving conjures visions of a dinner table overflowing with savory treats, Christmas celebrations frequently star sweets.  I have participated in a number of Christmas cookie exchanges over the years, and this year is no exception.  I’m excited to see what the ladies at my church have created this year!  For my contribution, I almost always lean on this recipe for my VERY favorite cookie — a cranberry orange cookie dotted with chopped walnuts, drizzled with a tart citrus glaze.  I first “discovered” this cookie in college, when a friend made a variation of them.  I’ve since found many similar recipes online.  So, I can’t take credit for the recipe… only for introducing you to it!!

These cookies are my idea of baked good perfection.  :)  They have a lovely balance of tart & sweet, and an ideal texture balance as well (softer cookie, chewy cranberries, crunchy walnuts).  I can eat them by the dozen!!  My best friend, Kristin, came to visit this past weekend.  She tried a few of these cookies and agreed… they are highly addictive!!  I hope some of you whip up a batch of your own to see for yourself how wonderful these cookies truly are…

Cranberry Orange Cookies with Walnuts ~ Yield: 4 dozen

{Ingredients}

• 1 cup of butter, softened
• 1 cup of white sugar (I prefer turbinado sugar when available)
• 1/2 cup of packed brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp grated orange zest (or more, if you’re wild for oranges like I am)
• 2 TBS of orange juice (I use fresh juice from the oranges I’m zesting, rather than a store bought juice) — I used Cara Cara oranges, an incredible variety with a blush-tinged flesh and incredibly juicy sweet flavor with hints of cherry, blackberry and rose.  YUM!)

the cara cara orange

• 2.5 cups of AP flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt (I use pink HimalaSalt)
• 2 cups of chopped dried cranberries (dried currants would be a perfect alternative)
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (I typically add 3/4 cup instead… LOVE walnuts!)

{Instructions}

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a large bowl, cream your butter and white + brown sugars until smooth.
3. Beat in the egg until thoroughly integrated.
4. Add your orange zest and orange juice and continue to mix.
5. In a separate bowl, combine flower, baking soda and salt.  Add this mixture to your wet batter.
6. Mix in cranberries + walnuts, until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
7. Drop the dough by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheets (I swear by Silpat liners).  **Make sure to give the cookies some room… at least 2″ apart on all sides.  They spread a bit.
8. Bake for 12-14 minutes in the preheated oven, until the edges are just golden brown.
9. Remove cookies from the sheets and cool on wire racks.
10. For the glaze: mix all three ingredients together until smooth.
11. Spread or drizzle glaze on the tops of the cooled cookies, and wait until glaze is set before storing cookies.

egg + orange juice + zest integrated

the finished dough is fragrant and beautiful, dotted with the ruby jewels of cranberry and specks of pretty orange zest

ready to devour!!  xo

Enjoy!!  xoxo, Angel

Hello everyone!!  I can’t believe I can say that I am officially finished with the Love & Splendor 2011 wedding season!  It has been a phenomenal year and I am truly proud of, grateful for, and humbled by what we’ve been able to accomplish.  A million thanks to Anna, Michelle and Jessica (the newest L&S team member!) for the love and dedication they pour into every wedding we touch.

I also can’t believe that I am now 24 weeks pregnant!!  Doesn’t it seem like I *just* announced my pregnancy on this blog?!  I am very blessed to say that the Lord has continued to sustain me and this pregnancy, and our beautiful baby GIRL (!) is looking perfectly healthy.  Praise God!  I thought I’d give you all a little sneak peek on what I’ve been up to in the baby department… Truth be told, wedding season kept me from doing too much, but I am looking forward to spending most of the next few months ‘nesting’ and preparing for the arrival of our daughter.  :)

• I am still feeling wonderful and am thanking God for that every day.  I am eating normally, feeling energized and active, and am enjoying baby girl’s kicks, which get stronger by the day.  (Erik also felt her kick for the first time last Saturday!!  I have been feeling her since October 8th.)
• Erik and I have just about settled on our daughter’s name.  I will share it when we’re 100% sure… ;-)  I am already calling her by the name on a daily basis, and it just solidifies how I feel about it.
• I have been writing (monthly) in a baby book!  Thanks to my dear friend Julie, I have had a Ruby*Love baby book since I announced my pregnancy.  It is a gorgeous and stylish folio to write in, and I looove using it to keep track of milestones and memories.  You can check out their selection in their Etsy shop — I’m a HUGE fan.
• Erik has been taking a pic of me (almost*) every single night to chronicle my growing baby bump!  I purchased a stretchy maxi dress just for this purpose, and I wear it every night for some continuity.  I cannot wait to see the little slideshow he will put together when we are at the finish line!  It’s crazy to see how I am growing every.single.day.
• My parents have generously purchased baby girl’s stroller (we got the UPPAbaby Vista) and crib (the Oeuf Sparrow Crib in white).  Is it crazy that I want to take the empty stroller out for a spin?  LOL  The crib will be set up later this week and I’m looking forward to seeing our empty nursery evolve into a warm, inviting and playful space for our daughter.
• I am going to embark on making my own crib bedding!!  I’ve selected four gorgeous Joel Dewberry fabrics to use.  Wish me luck — I am by no means an expert/experienced seamstress!!  Here is a look at them:

And some belly pics… (Thank you to my sis and Jasmine Star for taking these; I always forget to snap them when I’m out and about but am thankful to have these precious photos!)

18 weeks – @ a rehearsal dinner in Malibu

19 weeks – @ a whimsical wedding in SLO

20 weeks – @ rehearsal supper in Santa Fe, NM

20+ weeks – on the plane coming home from New Mexico! 

It is mind-boggling that in 16 (or fewer!) short weeks, I could be holding my little baby girl.  I cannot wait to meet her… Until then, I continue to covet your prayers for the pregnancy and future delivery.  With how difficult it was for me to *get* pregnant, I feel pretty lucky that *being* pregnant has been pretty ‘easy’ on me thus far.  ;-)

xoxo, Angel

Hello everyone!  I hope you are having an absolutely marvelous week!!  My week is best summed up in one word: whirlwind!  I have been wildly busy gearing up for an intensely detailed, over-the-top fabulous wedding this weekend (so SO excited to share this one with you down the line).  My darling client gifted me with a sari last week and I am honored to wear it!  (The last time I wore a sari was for this special wedding in 2008.) I am also in the midst of finalizing invitation suites for two of my clients.  (Quick shout out to my amazing graphic designer Kristin who works miracles!)  I wanted to check in with all of you and share another little glimpse at my life lately…  Some of these pics are over a month old (!) but still worthy of a share.  :)

delicious pupusas (and shrimp tacos, seen above!) from the Vchos truck with my lovely client, N

summertime steaks

a neat snap Erik captured at our city’s centennial celebration

a heartfelt ceremony

a tiny sneak peek at this weekend’s wedding, courtesy of my friends at r. jack balthazar

And for those of you who are curious about my pregnancy, I am now beyond the 11 week mark!  I can’t wait to see the little gummy bear again this coming week.  I’m still feeling great and am slowly but surely regaining some of my energy.  I have been extremely blessed by my thoughtful clients who have already spoiled me (and the little gummy bear!!!) with little gifts.  It is wonderful to see how much this child is loved already.  Thank you all for your continued prayers and encouragement!

Next week look forward to another giveaway (woohoo!) as well as some great Love & Splendor features in the press.  Enjoy a beautiful weekend!!

xoxo, Angel