Last weekend my big brother got married in the best little beach town. We sang, we danced, we frosted cake and we clinked Cliquot. I got to see my whole family at once and dance with my dad sweetheart style. All of my best friends made it up for the occasion, and together we filled our beach house with belly laughs and bacon breath. It was the perfect exclamation point on a truly memorable summer.
Eighth photo by Michael Collins.
The best gifts are made with love.
This weekend my favorite cousin and I finally reunited after a significant drought (3 months of separation- the struggle was real!) and she gave me some belated birthday presents, one of which left me completely speechless. A quick tear of the balloon-stamped wrapping paper revealed vibrant splashes of hand-embroidered flowers, blooming together into the ever familiar shape of two resting pointe shoes. And I do mean very familiar…these pointe shoes are my own! The portrait’s base is a photo I took of my feet on the final day of Peter Pan rehearsals back in January. Leave it to M to turn something from battered to beautiful. So much talent. They remind me of those gorgeous Jose Romussi ballerinas I fell in love with a few months ago. Now I have my very own embroidered photograph, personalized and stitched with love by one of my loves. Does it get any better?
And you know what they say, April flowers bring…embroidered flowers? I think that’s how it goes…
Today I am thankful for so many things: my beautiful and healthy niece, the rest of my loving family, my awesome and supportive friends, a job that I absolutely love, and the technology that allows us to connect with people around the world- something I seem to be delving deeper and deeper into every day. I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving full of laughter, love, turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and pie!
xx
Yesterday I held my first niece for the first time during her first hour of life. How would I describe that experience? Wonderful, enlightening, calming, terrifying, freeing, fantastic, strange, exciting, breath taking, astonishing, beautiful, crazy, unbelievable and above all things- indescribable. So I guess I’ll just leave it at that.
October twenty-second. I wanted to spell out today’s date, because well, it is a very important one. Today is the day this furry little bunny friend whose been staying with me for the past few weeks will find her new home in Newport. Today is the day my family grows by one whole person, teeny as she may be. Today, my sister becomes a mother, my parents become grand, and I assume the role of “Auntie”, a part I’ve had my eye on since the day Kara and Blake said I do. So as you can imagine, today feels very monumental, even as I sit here and calmly eat my Fage yogurt, sip my English breakfast tea and chat with my roommate, preparing for the eminent trip over the bridge to Aquidneck Island. On the inside, I’m picturing itty bitty knit onesies, bright colored rattles and saying a silent prayer that October twenty-second, two thousand and twelve may be a beautiful, peaceful fall day for little A to greet the world.
Today was my big sister’s baby shower. A “henhouse” of ladies all gathered at my parent’s house to celebrate Kara and her cute little baby bump. I mean really, could she look any more adorable with that tummy? She certainly wears pregnancy well, that one…
We snacked on fancy finger foods, sipped bubbly (nonalcoholic) punch, indulged in some delicious cake (expertly baked and decorated by my Aunt Rita), and watched Kara tear away all that pink wrapping paper, which lead to numerous rounds of awww’s and teeny-sock-admiring. Baby Emily, the adorable daughter of a very close family friend, gave my sister a run for her money for the title of “Queen of the Party”. I also got to practice my Auntie skills…snuggling, rocking, bouncing, making faces, then passing her back to her Mama when she gets fussy is tough work, ya know.
More than any of the baby snuggling, though, I am excited to see my sister become a mom. This is such a big step for her; a whole new chapter in which her entire perspective shifts and she leaves behind her life as “just Kara” for a new one where she is called “Mommy”. I just know she and my brother-in-law are going to be such stellar parents. :) Now hurry up and come meet us all, Baby A!
Today I am at my beach house in York, Maine spending some quality time with the people I love.
ps, doesn’t my daddy-o’s haircut look fab? courtesy of yours truly ;)
Setting The Barre 
