emily drake photography

New blog post over at Emily Drake Photography!  Cute little Scarlet is turning 4!

happy birthday stuart!

Today, is my brother's birthday!!!  If you know him, you should wish him happy birthday!  If you don't know him...well, you are missing out.  not only are missing out on having awesome pictures like this with him...

but you are missing out on knowing an amazingly smart and funny man.  I credit Stuart for my respect of quality film and movies, my understanding of all the marvel comic characters and why I know more about super heroes, star trek, and star wars than my husband does.  He taught me to appreciate good humor...timing, delivery, sarcasm, and dry wit.  Stuart is brilliant and a talented writer.  He is an amazing father to two of the sweetest little boys there ever will be!

So on this day, his birthday, I wish him the happiest of days...that he gets a really long nap, a delicious cup of tea, hours of video game playing time, and that some how he would be transported to Orlando to spend time with mickey and his crew as well as harry potter and a happy birthday toast at the three broomsticks!

very good valentines

we had a great first married valentine's!  we stayed true to my promise of keepin' real classy and getting a take n' bake pizza from papa murphy's.  folks...that's darn good pizza.  If you haven't had Papa Murphy's (which I hadn't until Tuesday night, I suggest you find a time to try it out.  delish).  We got one of the "heart" shaped pizza...obviously it's a loose definition of "heart" ...but still tasty!

and I made a strawberry cake! strawberry = red/pink = valentine's day!

Josh did so good on my little valentine's gifts!  Here's yet another example of how Pinterest is a wonderful thing.  Ladies, if your friends and family don't know that you are on pinterest pinning away all these things that you think are lovely TELL THEM!  The best thing I ever did was show Josh my pinterest boards.  Christmas was great...and Valentine's as well :)  He saw that I pinned some measuring cups from Anthropologie, so low and behold...that's what I got!

he also went out on his own and got me something else too!  this is brave...apparently I'm a hard person to buy for, but he did a GREAT job!  Look at this fun vase he got me (also from anthro)...

I LOVE it!  it's the colors I am hoping to one do use in our kitchen...like a teal-y/turquoise-y blue and a bright orange-y red!  so fun!  I am continually rearranging our built-in's in the kitchen and think they make a great home on the shelves!

I was really excited about what I gave Josh...and hopefully it will start to be a tradition for many years.  I had seen on a blog I read where they made "year books" for their family...just a place to keep all memories for one year in nice and orderly fashion.  I think I've said how odd I think it is I'm not a very good scrapbooker...but I'm not.  And now that I work with so many digital pictures and files all day, this seemed to be a really good fit.  So, I headed over to My Publisher and went to work. 

And here you have the final product.  100 pages of our first year of life together! 

(front and back cover)

I was so glad Josh loved it!  and I'm excited about making one each year!

valentine's day

happy valentine's day!

I'm wearing red pants in honor of the fun and love-filled day.  red pants? I know I know...how am I not a teacher?!?!  truth is I bought them years ago and they happen to fit again!  (woo hoo!  making progress on at least 1 of my items on the "do before I turn 30 list").

My sweet husband started our first married valentine's day off with a classic little number...

yep, red roses.  can't go wrong.  classy, timeless, traditional ...love them, and him!

I found these heart "ornaments" in the 70% off christmas sale section in Target back in January.  Score for valentine's decorations.  They were normal $1...and 3 for $1 then 70%...you do the math.  I was able to get a lot for just $3.  so our mantle is fully ornamented with cute little hearts.

Speaking of classy...timeless...that's how we roll, you know...so of course tonight we are getting a heart-shaped pizza from Papa Murphy's.  If that isn't the traditional dress up go out on the town fancy kind of Valentine's Day meal then I don't know what is!  For dessert, I'm making this strawberry cake I found on pinterest:

I made the cake and icing last night so we are all set!

Hope you all have wonderful valentine's days!  whether you are dressing up or ordering pizza :)