Halloween-ish

I thought I would be festive this whole weekend and wear some sort of costume-y get up while I was out and about, against Joel's wishes (he couldn't quite grasp the concept of a whole Halloween weekend).  That all changed though once snow was on the ground and my mind was grappling with the fact that it was still indeed October even though it felt like January.  However, an invite to a kid friendly Halloween party brought out the festive spirit again and the candy and orange frosted cupcake consumption began.  



I usually think of good costume ideas on November 1st and forget them by the following year.  This year I was pretty pleased with myself when I found a photo of a golfer costume online and realized that Jonah had everything (besides the argyle socks) in his closet.  I got men's socks at Target and just cut off the foot for instant baby leg warmers.

We spent the morning visiting great grandparents and aunties at work and when Jonah went down for his nap I went about my normal routine.


Staring blankly out the window...


and doing laundry.




When Jbear woke up he helped carve the pumpkin.


And took a bite out of it.


My son had no interest in collecting candy, which is great because I would obviously eat it all, but he actually went as far as taking a piece of candy out of his bag and throwing on the ground.



I can't believe these next photos were exactly a year ago!


Jonah was a baby hipster or the youngest American Apparel employee.  (I told you I can't think up costumes).


I am very aware that I do not use this blog to post flattering photos of myself.  If you're okay with that then I am too.  The wig I am wearing here was labeled as a sexy bob... ha... sexy... yeah right!

I hope you all had a fun Halloween!!!!


sexy bob wigs can be very itchy.

Friday Lovin'

Chelsey from The Paper Mama is doing 50 DIY Days of Christmas.  I can't believe I am already this excited for the Holidays this year.

I actually made one for Jonah after I saw this living room fort.

Chocolate toy cars.

I never realized how long 2 minutes can be.

Awesome Halloween wreath.

First I have to learn to dance like this then I can teach my kid.

I don't know what happened to me.  For years I would balk at music on the radio and listen to Radiohead, Bjork, Ryan Adams, Feist (to name a few) and now I am in love with this guy and this song... and maybe even this song (mostly the spanish parts).  What is happening here?!!!

Don't forget to enter the Shabby Apple giveaway going on now!!!

I can't believe this was just a little over a month ago and tomorrow we might be getting snow.

Have a great weekend!  I still have to find something to wear to a Halloween party, but my prop box is coming in handy.  

Shabby Apple Giveaway! CLOSED

Guys, I'm so excited for you all today.  I was given the opportunity to offer one of my very awesome readers a chance to win a beautiful piece of jewelry from Shabby Apple.  Have you gone to their site?  It's amazing and chock full of vintage-inspired jewelry and dresses.  They also have a Shop by Body Type and Style Advice section.

The piece up for grabs is The White Rabbit's Time Keeper necklace.  I think pocket watches are interesting and lovely.  (My friend gave her husband a pocket watch when they were dating and almost 10 years later he still carries it around).




I love the details of this necklace.

I perused the site to see what I would wear this necklace with and came up with these two adorable dresses.  I like the idea of a long necklace with a boatneck dress.


Snow Melt and Oh La La


I would also wear the necklace over a long sleeve scoop neck top with this particular skirt.

For a chance to win, The White Rabbit's Time Keeper you must visit and follow Shabby Apple on Facebook.  (Leave one comment letting me know you Liked them on FB)

For bonus entries (leave one comment for each bonus entry):

1.  Follow Shabby Apple on Twitter.  

2.  Visit and Follow the Shabby Apple blog.  

3.  Follow Thatgirl Photography on Google Friend Connect or Bloglovin'

4.  Tweet about this giveaway linking back to this blog post.  

That's 5 chances to win!  ( Make sure you leave a separate comment for each entry)

Giveaway is open to U.S residents only and will remain open until November 1st (11:59pm EST).  A winner will be chosen at random the following day.  

(I wasn't given any compensation to write this post, all words and opinions expressed are mine.  I am just excited to have the chance to offer you guys something really fun).

Congratulations Elizabeth!!

balm for a mom's (of a toddler) soul

Did you want to get bombarded with photos of my kid?  Because that is exactly what this post is.  My once incredibly chill kid has suddenly realized he has wants and needs RIGHT THIS SECOND!!!  Sometimes he can sit in his room and go through books for, what seems like, hours and then he's demanding I give him another banana or else my poor ears are going to pay for it.  All that time spent, when he was a newborn, reading up on how to take care of an infant when I really should have been studying how to handle a toddler.  I nannied for so many years, for many different families, that I thought I had toddlerhood in the bag.  Not so.... not so.

These photos help remind me that having a toddler is a pretty fun adventure (some of the time- I'll write most of the time when my ears stop ringing).  


















I don't know what he is doing with his lips but it kills me anyway!

Come back later this afternoon for something super fun.  Alright, I'll just tell you... it's a giveaway and you're going to love it!!!  

Gina's Adorable Baby Bump:: Connecticut Maternity Photographer

Even though these photos were taken just 3 weeks ago it feels like it's been ages because Baby A is already here!!  I wish I could describe how exciting it is for me to reconnect with Gina.  It's so amazing getting to see someone whom you've known since you were 12 years old become closer and closer to becoming a mother.  Gina and AJ are going to be amazing parents and fill their baby's life with so much happiness and laughter.

Here is a sneak peak from our time together!

Gooses, Geeses (Forget about laying gold eggs-I want them to not scare me)

You have no idea.. there were thousands of them... all of them hungry.

I drove past this pond accidentally and made a mental note that I wanted to go back there with my boys and a camera.  However, when we stepped out of the car and immediately stepped in goose poop I knew it was going to be an interesting evening.  Actually it wasn't that interesting I just couldn't believe how scared I was of all the geese.  I kept screaming at Joel to get Jbear out of there because I thought one them might bite him thinking he had food.

Then I calmed down and proceeded to take way too many geese photos.








some ducks to break up the geese photos




taking a little break from all the squawking... possibly contemplating the meaning of his little goose life.



I did manage to take some photos of my child too.


So serious!


I honestly don't understand the silly hand gesture but the completely serious face.


This last photo reminds me of a pre-teen who doesn't want to wear his coat but keeps it half on when parents are looking.  Is it already starting??  Which also reminds me... with Jbear getting close to 2 how many times can a mom hear something stupid regarding, "Terrible Twos" ?

Now I'm singing this. 

we be picking pumpkins

I don't know what it is about this particular autumn but I am going nuts for pumpkins, gourds, and potted mums.  These photos are from our 2nd pumpkin picking outing.  Last couple of years it was about cider doughnuts and apple cider but I haven't found cider doughnuts yet.  Jbear fell asleep in the car kind of early but when I waved a cookie in his face he woke up and got excited when he saw the GooBaa (goat) hanging out a few feet from our car.






I love the papery looking texture of this pumpkin.




We got one (or two or three)









We ended the day at our little cousin's birthday party where they had a really awesome swing attached to a high tree branch.  And my kid loves swings!!!

More photos coming, I think I am too sore to do anything else.  My sister in law and I went to a Zumba class together last night and it kicked my butt.

something new

I can never go wrong with this station on Pandora.

I can't wait to get this book. (link via Mighty Girl)

This recipe is so so good.  I added pepper to the squash and some honey for the butter.

Mandy wrote up a week's worth of comfort food recipes.  I definitely want to eat this and this too.  Maybe I'll actually make them one day.

I just love Feist  Jodi and I are going to see her live in less than 2 weeks (it's been over 3 years since the last time we saw her perform).

A S'mores bar!!! Check it out here and here.

I've mentioned my love for Zumba(tm) a few times.  I've been so busy lately putting together routines, finding inspiration everywhere- I even have a Zumba inspiration board on pinterest.  One thing is for sure, this Beyonce song is going on the playlist.

I definitely hope to get some more blog posts up next week.  I have a whole weekend home and I'm looking forward to getting stuff done (bedroom cleaned up, photos edited, photos posted, convincing my sister in law to come to a Zumba class with me).  Tonight, though, is date night but since I have a lot I want to save up for it's just a night in with some food shopping, Joel cooking me something delicious (I hope), ice cream and a movie from Redbox... or Grey's Anatomy on netflix.

Have a great weekend!!!

I knew it... but I can't take all the credit.

I took maternity portraits of Gina a few weekends ago and I will be sharing some of those images shortly but her baby shower was just a few days ago and one image is begging to be blogged.  Gina was a huge part of my adolescence in so many ways.  The hours I spent at her house fill my mind with so many memories.  Seeing her mom for the first time since graduation was so heart warming and there was so much excitement in the air because her only child is having a baby.

I asked mommy and grandmother-to-be to get close to one another for a photo and this is what they did.  When I was snapping away I could just tell that this was going to be my favorite image.  I told them to pose a certain way but this is what they did instead and I couldn't be happier.



I love every thing about this photograph!!!

cleaning up these tumbleweeds....

It's not like I don't have stuff to blog about... it's nonsense mind you but I would still like to blog about it.  However, my love for Zumba is taking over all my time.  Right now it's all I think about!  I am trying to work on my choreography and take as many classes I can and not feel like passing out.  I really hope I can start teaching soon.  Regardless so many other things are going on right now- good and bad but mostly good!

This weekend was great.  Joel, Jbear and I drove to my college campus and walked around where I used to live when Joel and I first dated.  I also went to a baby shower for a friend that I've known since middle school.  A little photo location scouting was done and a 60th birthday celebration for one of Joel's uncles ended our fun little weekend.

This is what I wore on Saturday for our date to see 50/50.  I wore the same thing to the baby shower minus the knee high socks and black wedges instead of my boots.

Dress: GAP, Belt: TJMaxx  Tights: Target,  Socks: Sock Dreams,  Madden Girl boots: DSW,  Feather Necklace: Buenos Aires,  Bracelet: F21.


Every nice weekend I say that I want to drive around and find new places to take photographs but we never do it.  Finally we did the location scouting part but not the taking photographs part.  J and I snapped a few photos to check the lighting, etc.



I basically pretended that Joel was a little kid when I was taking his photo near this tree hence his really silly smile.



I have SO SO SO many photos to blog- I hope I get to them before the year is over.  I also need to invest in a few more external hard drives- seriously so many photos!!!

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend!!