I came across this photo today...

I love this family photo because Lyle and I had only been dating for 3 months and this was the day after Chris and Amy's first date. We were doing family photos and my mom told Lyle and Chris to jump in for the last shot. Who would have known we'd all be family!

Princess Brunch...

While visiting my sisters in Atlanta this summer, I thought it would be fun to have a princess brunch for my nieces. Amy helped me put it together, and the girls loved it!

The girls ate pink waffles with strawberries, bananas & ice cream, decorated cupcakes, and then danced. Kenzie loved the pom poms I made, so she had me pull them down after brunch so she could dance with the beautiful flowers.

Here are several photos:







photos by natalie putnam

I'm so excited!!!

Lyle got contacted today for his first interview with a medical school. Yay for Rochester Medical!!! I hope we will hear from many more schools as the months go on.

2nd Anniversary...

This year on our anniversary we went to the Georgia Aquarium. It really is the coolest aquarium ever! Lyle loved the shark tank. We spent a lot of time there. We even hung around to watch them feed the whale sharks (which are huge!).

Dress Ups...

{ I love that she used an ace bandage as a shawl }

lyle's annual birthday trip to the zoo...

Every year Ly likes to go to the zoo for his birthday. This year we were in Atlanta, so we got to go with Nat, Dean, Kenzie, and Lily. It was so much fun!!!

Natalie let Dean use her Flip the whole day. He used it like a camera instead of a video recorder. Here he is telling me to say "cheese!"

Kenzie wandered off, and we found her eating french fries and cotton candy in the zoo snack bar. She scared us all!

Lovin' some beads and ribbon...

Today Lily and I made necklaces and bracelets for Lily to play dress up. They turned out really cute!



Austin had fun watching us and playing with the ribbon. I love his scrunchy nose smile!

Sunday's are artistic

Lyle and I are primary teachers at church. One of the girls in our class, Alexis, did a Sunday drawing for us. I love it! Sunday drawings rock!

Brunch, Baby!

I love putting on baby showers! This morning my friend and I did a brunch shower. The food was yummy and we had fun just socializing. Here are a few photos before everyone arrived:

Cute pom poms Lyle and I made:
The spread (quiche, cinnamon rolls, scones, fruit & dip, raspberry brownie bites, and virgin mimosas to drink):

Deano Roboto

For my Sunday drawing this week, I was inspired by my nephew, Dean, to draw a robot. I added a camera on it's head for his mom :).

Yay for Recognition...

One of my packaging designs is receiving a design award this year. First place. I rock!

Maine... Check!

This week Lyle and I took a short trip up to Maine. Maine is gorgeous!!! I told Lyle I want to move there. We went up the coast as far as Portland. We stopped in York, Ogunquit, Old Orchard Beach, and Portland. We saw several lighthouses, got funnel cakes in Old Orchard, walked the marginal way, and spent time at several beaches. We loved it! We wish we could have stayed longer. The first day the weather was perfect, and the second day it was really stormy and the water was wild. On the drive home from Maine, we stopped in Salem, MA for a few hours. We went to one of the witch trial museums, and toured the House of Seven Gables. We had a great little trip.

I love holidays!

For the fourth of July this year, Lyle and I went to Saratoga, NY and walked around the little shops and then toured the revolutionary war battlefield from the battle of Saratoga. At the battlefield they had historians telling the stories from the war and educating about the weapons. They shot off muskets and a cannon. It was pretty cool. Afterwards, we had a very American dinner of hamburgers and shakes, and drove around town watching all the different little fireworks displays. We had such a fun and patriotic day.

Oh, baby invitations

My friend, Rachel, and I are throwing a baby shower for our cute friend, Fran. I just sent out the invitations today. I think they turned out really cute! You can't really tell from the photo, but the colored lines are little hearts. I love it!

Are you listening to Harry Potter again?

Lyle has been doing a lot of painting around the house for mom and dad. He rocks!

Mom and Lyle :: Prom 2009

Shopping with Elle...

Today I went shopping with my friend Brooke, and her three super cute kids :: Elle, Kate & Grey. We have been talking for WEEKS about going to the J.Crew outlet to see if there were any good deals on their children's clothing. I have to say, J.Crew has the CUTEST children's clothing. I couldn't resist, and I had to buy this adorable little green polka dot dress (even though I don't have a little girl to put in on yet):

I bought myself this fun yellow flower headband. I am in love with cute headbands! I always feel so fashionable when I have a great headband to compliment my outfit:

Also, I just finished this quilt and I particularly like the hand quilted stars Ly added to it for me:

Another Quilt

I tried machine sewing a pattern into a quilt and I really like how it turned out. I think I will do a few more this way.

Quilting with my hubby

Ly and I are having so much fun making baby quilts to donate to the local hospital. I think it is awesome that Ly is hand quilting and loving it. I am glad I got the idea for us to spend our free time doing this project. I will post photos of quilts we particular like as we go along.

(There are more quilt photos on Lyle's blog)

check my computer out...

I have been doing some freelance design projects, and to keep track of my hours I tape index cards to the top of my laptop. My dad always teases me by asking when my computer is due back to the library. It is pretty funny.

Manahattan Birthday Weekend

New York City on Saturday was so much fun. The weather was very spring... cool but warm enough to not need a coat. It was perfect weather for a walk through central park. We got to the city and parked near times square. We got Jamba Juice (yes! my favorite) and walked all the way up the park to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. We took a tour of the museum, which I have never done. I loved it! Very informative and I saw lots of things I would have just walked right pass normally. After the museum we walked back down the park and went to Kate's Paperie. If you love paper and letterpress, definitely make Kate's a stop in the city. Afterwards we went and got some New York Cheesecake and ate dinner at John's Pizza (yummy!!!). I will never weary of visiting New York.

Lyle and me in central park with our Jamba Juices
Lyle and me in front of the Met
I loved this modern art piece. I had never noticed it before today in my many trips to the Met. Isn't it so gorgeous! The paint was the thickest I have ever seen on a painting that I remember.