I Heart Faces - Week 25 - Wedding Bells

I was blessed a couple of years ago to take pictures for my wife's friend's wedding. Here are the girls just moments before the "I do's."

Check out http://iheartfaces.blogspot.com/2008/01/week-25-photo-challenge-wedding-bells.html for more great wedding photos!

Master Bedroom...

I follow Kelly's blog that has home tours every Friday. Today is master bedrooms, and I thought that I would share!


Here is our room...yes, you are seeing stripes. It is a coat of polyurethane, and just subtle enough to not be glaring, but just catch your eye.






View from the door...on the right is the bathroom and on right is the closet.





Here is my favorite thing in our room...these are our wedding vows framed, beside our bed to remind us of the commitment that we make to one another.




Here is a print of the Creation of Eve...I had never see this until we went to Rome on our honeymoon- I had only seen the Creation of Man.




Here is my favorite wedding picture. (Sorry for the glare) Chris's smile in that picture gives me butterflies to this day.

Here is where Eli sleeps! He is 5 and 1/2 months and still right beside us. Honestly, it is really nice to just reach over in the middle of the night instead of walking through the house. His Arm's Reach Co-sleeper has been my favorite thing of his that we have.

Some of you know that we are moving back to Texas in the next couple of months. Because we knew that we were moving we decided not to have a nursery in our current home. However, now that we are in the process of moving, we are deciding on a theme for Eli's room. We would love to hear what you think and if you have any ideas! :) Click here to see the ideas that we are tossing around.

The Dye Family

Recently, Tif and I got a chance to take some family pictures for friends of ours. Meet David, Amanda, and Liam Dye. It was a chance for them to get some shots of their handsome six month old and for them to get some shots for their five year anniversary. Congratulations to you both on two amazing accomplishments! Thank you for letting us capture this time in your lives! As always, Tif helped me with posing and shot ideas as well as helping me in the digital darkroom. I couldn't have done it without her help...thanks, gorgeous! (Without her, it's like cake without the icing!)

David and Amanda, I hope you enjoy a little preview of your shoot...you have such an amazing and beautiful family!


















Meet Mr. Liam!

My daddy rocks...

My daddy rocks;
he rocks so much that I lose my socks.
Every day he rocks my socks.
I should get a special pair of "My daddy rocks" socks,
so that when he rocks, I will not lose my socks.














Happy first Father's Day to a daddy who rocks!
Mommy & I are so lucky to have you in our lives. We love you, daddy!

-Eli

First Swim

Awww, the joys of summer! Last night we got together with the gang for Eli's first swim. I finally got to try out my margarita cupcake recipe! We all had so much fun! I don't know what I am going to do without these ladies!

Here is Karen, Darcy and Bruce...


Aunt Jess and Eli...


Daddy and "E" getting ready for the big swim...


not crying yet!


everyone just watching the E man...

Happy baby!

Here is an underwater shot- I was a little nervous trying out the camera, but it still works!

I think we have a little water baby on our hands! He was perfect in the water!

Eventually, I took Eli out of the pool and we watched the "big kids" play!

the girls...

As promised, here is the Margarita Cupcake recipe!

INGREDIENTS

Cupcakes:

1 box white cake mix

8 oz margarita mix (liquid)

2 oz tequila

1 oz Grand Marnier

3 egg whites

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 Tbsp grated lime zest

Lime Buttercream Icing:

8 Tbsp butter, softened

8 oz cream cheese, softened

2 Tbsp lime juice (approx 2 fresh limes)

1 Tbsp margarita mix

1 tsp lime zest

5 cups powdered (confectioners’)

sugarcane sugar & fresh limes (for garnish)

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350º and prepare muffin pans.

2. Combine margarita mix, tequila, and Grand Marnier in a large glass and stir well.
3. In large bowl, combine cake mix, egg whites, lime zest, vegetable oil, and margarita mixture from step one. Stir ingredients together, then beat with an electric mixer on low to medium speed for approximately 2-3 minutes.
4. Spoon the batter into prepared muffin pans. Fill each cup/liner about 2/3 full.
5. Bake at recommended temperature on cake mix box (usually 325º - 350º) for 20 - 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.

Icing:

6. In a large bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, lime juice, margarita mix, and lime zest. Beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.

7. Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, and continue beating until smooth. If icing is too thin, add more powdered sugar, a couple tablespoons at a time.

8. Spread icing generously on each cooled cupcake* or use a pastry bag to frost. Sprinkle cane sugar around the edges of the cupcake for a “salt rimmed” look and garnish with lime wheels & wedges.

I saw this recipe a few weeks ago and I was trying to find an excuse to make it! A pool party seemed like the perfect excuse!

This little light of mine...

I'm gonna let him shine.

Here are a few pictures to show off the light of our little world...

Eli and Papa...

E and Memamaw...


Here we are at the lake...we were bored one Sunday afternoon, so we packed up and headed to the lake!

Could he be any cuter?!?





So, we haven't decided on the room theme...still. Thanks for all of your comments and ideas! We will be making our final decision soon and plan to have an unveiling party! Won't that be fun!?!

We need your help!

Most of you know that we recently purchased our new home back in Texas. We are making a slow move back through the summer, and we really want to have the rooms planned out before we "officially" move.

Anyway, we are going back and forth on the decor for Eli's room. At the moment, he is still sleeping in our room in his co-sleeper. We LOVE his co-sleeper! It is so nice to have him right beside us in the middle of the night.

That being said, we want to make sure that his new room is just perfect for him!

We have three themes that we are choosing between:

Dr. Seuss- here is a general idea of what we would be going for...

Dinosaurs- inspired by this adorable set that we found...we would be taking the orange out though...no orange. GO SOONERS!

Robots- inspired by the awesome diaper cake from Stef and Kaci and the artwork below from Megan & Mendy Winborg.

Now do you see why we need your help! They are all adorable! :)

Just leave a comment to let us know what you would do and if you have any ideas!