this week the home has been filled with chocolate, fresh flowers, and sweet visitors. actually — i think most of the time i have plenty of chocolate, fresh flowers, and sweet visitors — but we stepped it up a notch and made it feel official with two little, intimate gatherings. i had so much joy at both little events, while small and intimate — it was just perfect. here are a few snapshots – mostly before or after the events so i could put the camera down and enjoy food, drinks, and conversation…
i am posting the menus from the dessert & cocktails night and the saturday morning brunch so i can refer back and do it again. being 35 weeks pregnant and still doing a lot of photoshoots, there was no way i could (would) make everything, so i cheated and bought a few key desserts at an amazing local bakery & had a friend partner on the brunch – but alllll worth it!
dessert & drinks menu: chocolate flourless cake (local bakery), fresh berries & homemade whipped cream, dark chocolate brownies with dark chocolate reeses peanut butter cups chopped up inside, tiramisu (local bakery), fresh berry dessert from the best cookbook ever: Super Natural Every Day, and a few other little random yummies. wine, sparkling juices, & cocktails with frozen raspberries.
little party favors were super simple & hopefully useful, just mason jars with fresh mint
friday — no hostessing, no plans. we just enjoyed a quiet home & a dip in the pool.
saturday — swapped out the hanging tea lights for hanging fresh flowers, added a few more chairs & ready to go…
saturday morning brunch: baked oatmeal made with peaches, strawberries & bananas (variation from SuperNaturalEveryDay), fresh fruit, mango tart (local bakery), vegetarian frittata (brought by friend), chicken sausage egg dish (brought by friend). i had 3/4 of the tiramisu cake left over from thursday – so we put it in little jars, topped with fresh flowers and fresh raspberries and wa-la! instant fancy dessert. drinks: coffee, several different juices & sparking drinks, lemon/strawberry water, and mango mimosas. 
and all the left-overs are still perfect.
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i just can’t help it. i just fall in love with families during shoots. there is something about just being with a family… all together & watching them interact. the spunk, the laughter, the silliness. i had to share this little glimpse into a family that is a true treasure to know.
i looked through their pictures from last year HERE and marveled at how much they have grown up in one year. but those engaging eyes & adorable dimples just stay the same.
amazingly adorable…
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a morning working & organizing with my mom — and an afternoon at a photo shoot. considering it was a day of tasks & work — the people along side me for those tasks & work made it pretty enjoyable. and for that, i feel pretty lucky.
this is katie — she has been such a delight to welcome into our world this summer & gavin looooves her. a gem of a babysitter! we’re going to miss her when she goes back to college. we hate good-byes around here.
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on a little santa barbara family getaway. just lovely… if you have never been, it is just perfection. go someday.
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