| bridal shower favors

| christmas in south carolina

While in North Carolina with family for Christmas, we drove down to South Carolina to visit some friends at their parents' farm. We went for a stroll around the land. Everyone quickly realized that it was hopeless to wait for me because every where I turned there was something else I wanted to photograph. It was a great time with friends and a wonderful time with my camera.

Strolling about...

There was laughing

And some kissing

| taste testing

Giver's Log is a site I follow via my lovely google reader (whatever would I do without that thing?), thanks to a friend of mine who thought I'd enjoy the gift wrapping ideas (which I do!). A few weeks ago, I happened upon a post requesting taste testers. I quickly commented, hoping I was speedy enough to be chosen. Sure enough, I was!

Amber, of Giver's Log, was kind enough to mail not only one but two tasting samples to a friend's address who we were visiting in Chicago the next week. Fully intent on documenting our mini tasting party, I brought my camera.

I'll let the pictures do the work, but I will say that we really should have tasting parties more often. Who knew they could be so much fun?

If our samples were any indication, you're going to want to hop on over to Amber's shop when it opens later this month and snatch up some hot chocolate for yourself! You can read more about it here and here. Yum! Seriously, it's like Europe style hot chocolate. Swiss Miss dreams of being this good.

Carefully reading the instructions.

Notice our excellent choice in milk, for those of you in the Chicago area.

Becky, nicely stirring the first sample, as it heats up.

Whoever said sake cups were limited only to sake?

Sample number two, er, technically number 13 as they were labeled.

Our very official looking notes.

Thanks, Amber, for some wonderful samples! Can't wait til the store is open :)

| afternoon sun

We played in the fading sunlight and she did not disappoint.




on the other side of the camera, thanks to her...

adorable baby c.r.l.

One of my closest friends, E (who married C a few years back) just had their first child. They happened to be traveling out to Michigan for a wedding, so we took the opportunity to drive up there and meet them. Okay, so seeing the baby was my main motivation, I'll be honest. We only had a few hours (it went much too quickly) but I was able to snap a few shots before we left. I told E that I was tempted to just kidnap him and take him home for at least a few days, but I resisted and instead settled for just looking at the pictures an unmentionable number of times.

PS: If you think I had a thing for shoes/feet... baby feet takes it up a whole other notch, trust me. They're just so small and cute. I couldn't help myself. I really couldn't. It was like being drawn in by a magnet.

How do you not love this little foot?

And this little hand?

They're going to be great parents. (I've forgiven C for being a Michigan fan and indoctrinating his child so early. May need to buy some PSU attire in the future to combat that.)