our *one* and only

i feel like i need to start this post with a confession, "forgive me father it's been two months since my last post." how do mom's find the time to post to blogs on such a regular basis (?)...ahh they have babies that sleep... well for posts so few-and-far between, they're going to need to be good ones. i think little e's first birthday is a perfect quarterly post!

i had given her birthday party some thought. i wanted her to enjoy herself as much as possible, but also knew the party was more for the adults at this age that our sweet little one. keeping that in mind, i left the hubby to do what he does so well - barbecue (and does he do it right - slow over oak fire...mmm so good) and socialize with the guests over a frothy cold one. i wanted to take care of the decor and dessert (my favorite aspect of party planning!). i was fortunate enough to have a lot of helping hands. from mom doing the beautiful belly button florals, becca picking up balloons, em keeping a watchful eye on e, side-dish preparers, set-up morning-of and clean up crew. we invited our closest local friends and family, that have a special place in e's little heart. which consisted of so many dear friends that we've known a good percentage of our lives.

happy first birthday sweet girl. you continue to astonish us with your beautiful soul. here are some things that you do, at the tender age of one, that we get a kick out of:

*call out "papa" every morning when you wake

*wave your hand across your face and say "whooowhee" when we change your diaper 

*put your hand on your chest when we say your name and ask where you are

*high fives

*say: hi, bye, mama, papa, nana, pampa, nayna, daki, emi, ana, codyyyy, e-i-e-ohhh, papaya,  manana, baba, burrriyo, daaaaug, dauyyi, baybi

*the animal sounds of: cow, sheep, horse, cat, dog, bird

*facial expressions of: bunny and fishy

*stand excitedly when mama say's "no hands." as you balance on two feet (and even take a few steps)

*crawl circles around the house

*cruise the furniture, the walls, the windows, cabinets - anything you can

*laugh as mama holds you up the mirror after your bath and we sing our funny little song

*play peek-a-boo

*give kisses and hugs as often as possible

*make others kiss (our little cupid!)

*hold mama's neck tight as you fall asleep

*wave your hands so delicately as mama sings the itsy bitsy spider

*point out the picture window at the birds and say "birrrrrr"

below are a selection of photos taken by no other, than my talented sister anna. i'm lucky enough to have a built-in pro in the family. and how happy are we that we have this special day captured.

 {dessert table}

 {yummy cupcakes by grandma lu}

 {sweet e's profile created by joe}

 {beautiful pompom's handmade by rina}

{straws make all drinks more fun}

{rosemary lemonade, pinwheels and belly button florals}

 {best bbq'r i know}

 {wiped out. confirmation it was a fun time!}

mamalade + birdseed

these delicious treats were made this holiday season. who knew that one could make mandarin marmalade while baby-wearing (although not advised - pretty tricky business) ,hence the name, "mama-made marmalade." and flaxseed gel is a new one for me. did you know adding water to ground flaxseed creates a suitable substitute for a recipe that calls for egg, when baking (1 tbls flaxseed, to 3 tbls water) and even, when kept whole and soaked with water create a natural replacement for hair gel? i love learning these kind of fun facts in the kitchen! we used the gel to bind other seeds to one another for crackers. just cover whole seeds with water, let it sit over night, wake up to bowl of flaxseed gel. combine other seeds of your liking (ours: sesame, sunflower, pepitas, spices: cumin and salt) and spread in the dehydrator...wahla, crackers!

a new chapter {my} love and merriment

with the changing of the seasons and a new year ahead, it seems appropriate to fulfill a change i've been vacillating on for several months. i'm putting, for the time being, the lovely land of wedding planning behind me. 2010 was a great year for merriment and brought me so much joy; what a spectacular year of weddings. i feel so lucky to have been a part of several special days. and i look forward to the next entrepreneurial endeavor that gives me as much satisfaction and creative outlet. for now, weddings will return to being a fantastic hobby.

the greatest joy however of 2010: our healthy and precious baby girl who has become my end-all, be-all. i want nothing more than to focus one hundred percent of my energy toward her little being. i know, ultimately, i will crave more than the rewards being a mama brings. in due time i will want to share some of my day with...well...me. but for now, while i figure out what the extra curricular activity will be, i will be one very focused mama and wifey.

this blog will now be devoted to the happenings in our family. in other words, my love and merriment. here i will share topics related to our daily going-ons: our sweet girl, culinary experiments, design ideas, new homeowner projects (perhaps family and friends' weddings now and again) and everything in between regarding our lil'family of three z's. excited to begin 2011 with his new blogging-journey. stay tuned...

tom + clarissa :: saúde

around this time of year, we're reminded of the things we have to be grateful for. after coordinating the wedding this weekend for my dear friends clarissa and tom, i was given a clear cue that good friends are one thing i'm so thankful to have in my life. isn't everything just better when those friends you love dearly are involved? there were so many events that occurred leading up to the nuptials that could have thrown some into a whirlwhind, but not with those participating saturday. all worked out the way it was supposed to and resulted in nothing short of a fabulous celebration. 

the ceremony and reception took place at el capitan state beach. you may think it a risky location for december knot-tying, but this bride and groom are lovers of the ocean (one an avid sailor and the other a marine scientist) and the location was too perfect to pass up. on this chilly and blustery day the guests, appropriately dressed in fashionable knee high boots and long textured coats, warmed up before the ceremony with passed caipirinhas, butternut squash soup and  pumpkin empanadas.  the vows were taken seaside, just past the pre-ceremony reception. we all intimately huddled together to keenly listen in on the sweet words carefully prepared by the bride and groom.  after the i do's, the guests headed up to a group camp site, on cliffs edge, that was transformed into a rustic-chic dinner party. animal print blankets and pillows were positioned just-so on picnic tables that surrounded fire pits...for late night cozying up by the fire. bare bulbs were strung to create a canopy over the dinner tables and bossa nova played live. pure joy put together a delicious meal, jessica foster, a guest and well known santa barbara confectioner, provided the delectable after dinner treats and dj fab provided the non-stop brazilian beats. clarissa performed a special flamenco tribute to her new husband and more than one talented dancer took center stage to showcase their samba moves...

saúde to tom and clarissa as you sail off into the sunset.
a shout out to chantal, alec, diegas, amy, mike, shawn, vanessa and dawna!

35 to 5...Parents

with football season underway, i can't help but think of this year's anniversary in terms of a sports game. my parents have been married 35 years, yesterday (congratulations mom and pops!). my hubby and i mere rookies, bringing up the rear with 5 years under our belt . i feel so proud of my parents. they've put in dedication, passion and effort season after season. they do it all while remaining friends and executing their team challenges with grace. i aspire to face the future matches with my partner in life, with the same fervor. none of this chip eating, couch slouching, empty yelling approach, but instead a get-up-on-your-feet, chest pumping, hand slapping - tackle each day with gusto, kind of lineup! i look forward to the next 30 years and 30 years after that...married to the love of my life. and hats off to all the other long standing records we're surrounded by.

T: together E: everyone A: achieves M: more.

we celebrated 5 years this month at bouchon restaurant, downtown santa barbara. i have longed to try this cuisine for almost a decade. often recommending it to visitors, but never going there myself. i thought this to be the perfect occasion. (brides take note, they have a private dining room, the "cork room" that is so intimate and perfect for a small rehearsal dinner). our meal and wine were outstanding and the service exceptional. they even greeted us with rose petals on our table for our celebratory dinner. we were so satisfied from dinner that we couldn't possibly have dessert, so our waiter brought out a complimentary and delicious fruit plate complete with a candle. above and beyond! thank you bouchon.

поздравление adrea + alan

what a beautiful site to see, my dear friend adrea and her debonair beau, alan tied the knot yesterday. from the perfectly chosen date of 10.10.10 to mother nature's sublime weather of 85 degrees, it was truly special. set inside the mural room at santa barbara's county courthouse and a reception following at the covarrubias adobe, the setting (and the couple!) were easy on the eye. dinner family style, with long tables partly under a grapevine covered trellis allowed guests to feast in the filtered afternoon sunlight. grapefruit margaritas to quench the insatiable. string lighting and moroccan lanterns hung from the trees and lit the intimate space as the sky turned to night. the adobe door open leading to a small cool space where the desserts and delicious cake were on display among a candle lit mantel and cocktail rounds. a sweet speech by dear ian, father of the bride, with an emphasis on just how "happy" he was for this special day, his adoring daughter and his new son-in-law (it brought joyful tears to the eyes of many). amy, the maid of honor covered all the bases in an eloquent speech recounting the history of her friendship with adrea. a great dj, brian, that spun old lp's allowing me to reminisce of yesteryear shared with those close friends i was celebrating with; neneh cherry - buffalo (!) remember that one? or the goodies of pulp fiction's soundtrack. more than anything, what stood out most was being with dear friends, my sisters and husband as we joined in celebration for adrea and alan's santa barbara nuptials! congrats my dear friend! i'm so happy the two of you found each other and love!

katie + dave = wyoming wonderland

where do i begin (brides you may want to take notes!)? i have been to several weddings (even planned a few!), but never have i attended a more fabulous week of wedding events. picture the vast land of wyoming, snow capped tetons, quaint town of jackson, winding rivers and wildlife. then picture a gorgeous bride (my beautiful cousin katie), handsome groom (dave) and several handfuls of genuine and friendly guests and "wha-la," the best wedding celebration ever! below are details from this grand affair, along with a few photos captured along the way...

the welcome dinner was our first introduction to the double l ranch, a private residential community set on acres of some of the most picturesque land i've seen. the nuptials took place on this property four days after we arrived.

the second evening, a western chic rehearsal dinner, just outside jackson, q's roadhouse. it was so well done it could have been the wedding! during cocktail hour a line dance coach and prop-filled photo booth occupied guests, if they weren't busy feasting on the delicious passed apps or filling their glasses at the bar. the dinner menu, family style platters of ribs, tea brined fried chicken, steak, pulled-pork beans and cornbread filled our tummies. for dessert a sundae bar, fire pits bordered with haystack benches for marshmallow roasting and s'mores making...the entire evening was decorated to perfection. it was over-the-top. thank you merritts! (a little birdie tells me images of the rehearsal, taken by their amazing photographer jessica claire will be featured this month on style me pretty)!

the wedding day was nothing short of spectacular! a few sprinkles moistened the earth right before the processional began. moments later sun shone between white cotton ball clouds casting rays of warm light for katie's walk down the aisle. the ceremony was short and sweet before katie and dave were whisked off via horse drawn carriage across the covered bridge to the reception.

upon arriving at the reception, servers passed huckleberry martinis, champagne and old fashioned mini bottles of coca cola. a fun cocktail hour activity was a wishing tree with mad-lib esq well-wishes for the bride and groom. 

oysters on the half shell and an array of the most delicious passed hors d'ouevres: bite-size lobster macaroni and cheese, ahi tartar in a flavorful veggie filled wonton, figs with a dollop of blue cheese and drizzle of honey, prosciutto wrapped figs, pulled pork sliders, and crostini topped with goat cheese, mushroom and delicately drizzled with truffle oil. my mouth is watering recounting the foodie-details. check out the menus from this fabulous caterer, maho hakoshima.

in lieu of favors donations made to the humane society and flip-flops available for those late night sore toes that come with a fun-filled wedding. guests were also offered carriage rides to see the sweeping views of star valley. 

once inside the tent, dinner was another fabulous food experience. a live band with three piece horn section kept the party-goers dancing, followed by some pretty tasty butter cake and a fireworks show that was comparable to our city's own display. i overheard a few guests mentioning their enthusiasm for the "late night" sliders, french fries and mini milk shakes...(katie, you thought of every detail!)

brunch on sunday, along the river was the final event of this fabulous wedding week. i couldn't have asked for a better time...visiting with our wonderful family the ciccarelli's, seeing yellowstone and the outdoors (thanks chris for playing tour guide) and above all celebrating the happy marriage of katie and dave. congrats you two!  
see the photos by jessica claire now posted on "style me pretty!"