Owen's vintage circus 1st birthday: the invitation

I cannot believe Owen is already almost one! Next weekend we are throwing a vintage circus themed birthday party for him. I have loved coming up with ideas, making crafts and planning it for him. I am so excited!


The invitations were fun to make! We purchased the elephant and little duck watercolor on Etsy. Paul and I picked out the fabric and I used my new sewing machine to sew on the bunting. My mom and I lined the envelopes and uncle Tim helped with the graphic design. It all came together just like I had dreamed up. I am so excited to celebrate with my little boy. 

Sewing project: a blanket

One of my best friends little girl had her 2nd birthday this past weekend. I wanted to get her something special for her birthday. I had not been able to decide until I found this adorable lemon fabric. Isn't it so cute? The theme of Annabelle's party was a pink lemonade picnic so I decided to make her a picnic blanket. I had not sewn for several years but am started up again. I have been doing fun projects for Owen's first birthday! (I'm excited to show you those soon) I definitely bought a seam ripper while making this blanket but was very excited with how it turned out. The best part is that Annabelle loved it! 

When I started Annabelle's blanket I was borrowing my moms sewing machine. My sister and I have been borrowing it back and forth for different little things we have been making. For my birthday this past week, when we had our family dinner, I opened my gift from my parents and it was a sewing machine! I was completely surprised and so loved. It will be a special thing to have from my parents. I have a lot of memories from when I was little of sewing halloween costumes and other fun crafts with my mom. I'm sure I will get a lot of use out of it. I have already used it everyday since I got it! 

Have you ever tried sewing anything? What have you made? I'm excited to finish up Owen's birthday projects, his birthday gift and then make something fun with the vintage fabric I got last week. If you haven't ever tried sewing you should try it! Its really not that hard! 

For my 27th birthday

He took me on a surprise trip to the city to stay at a beautiful boutique hotel. We relaxed in our room and explored around town. 

We shopped at antique stores and a mall. I found vintage hankies and tablecloths to make something beautiful with on my new sewing machine from my parents. I got some awesome green shorts and a hippie-ish maxi skirt.

He took me out to a fancy restaurant in old town for my birthday dinner. They had the most amazing honeydew sorbet they brought us in between courses. It was one of the best dinners I have ever had! It was the same restaurant my grandparents took my mother on her 21st birthday. 

Before we left town he had been running around town and working away in the back bedroom. When I opened my gift I got to see what he had spent all of his time working on. He wrote me a poem and made me a memory book with photos from over the years. He was so thoughtful and sweet. 

It was an amazing birthday! Thank you everyone for all the birthday wishes and love! 

Exploring purple flowers

Tiny hands exploring purple flowers. He is in an inquisitive stage. Taking the time to focus on a tiny flower long enough to grasp it with his fingers and bring it near his face for a closer look. Intently watching anything around him that moves, cars, animals, people, or something just blowing in the wind. 

Hamilton family reunion 2012: Pismo beach

We had a beautiful time as a family in Pismo beach California. All of my immediate family and their spouses were there and Grammie of course! Or does she count as immediate family? We had been planning the trip for months, buying "water play" items at yard sales, searching online for restaurants to try and sending text messages to each other building hype for the trip. In the end it lived up to all the hype! :)

This is what most days looked like: wake up, coffee and breakfast, walk to the beach (only a half block!), hangout on the beach while the guys boarded, clean up, walk around town, eat at a classic beach cafe, play card games at home, yogurt and an evening stroll along the board walk and pier. What more could you want in a classic california beach vacation?

I wasn't sure what Owen would think of the beach and sand. He acts afraid when we set him on grass so I wondered if he would act the same way with the sand. He loved it! Much to my surprise he didn't try to eat it! He mostly crawled around till he found seaweed or a seagull, then he would chat away with which ever one he found first. He loved us to pick him up and chase the birds. He loves birds. He takes after his grandma in that area, she is the birder in the family. He has a blast! 

I am so grateful for my family! Lets do it again next year!