Reese's First Birthday... Better late than never!

For Reese's first birthday celebration I decided to throw a "tiny party" with everything miniature. Between working full time and raising a very busy little lady it was hard to accomplish all my "dreams" for the party, but I think it was pretty cute nonetheless. My mind went crazy thinking of all the "tiny" things we could decorate with, eat, and include in the theme! My mom and I made the cutest mini invites and with the she and my Gramma's help we made mini pennant banners, a mini party hat, and a lot of mini party pom-poms. We rented big tables and chairs, along with mini tables and chairs from our favorite rental place, had a mini bounce house, and served lots of mini food! On the menu were mini burgers and buns, mini bow-tie pasta salad, mini veggies, mini crackers and dip, fruit salad, and lots of mini snacks! I also made a mini dessert table with mini reese's pieces, mini gummy bears, mini caramel apples, mini cupcakes, and mini peanut butter cups. Guests left with mini party favors for the kids filled with cute mini toys! I was so wrapped up in the festivities that I hardly took pictures, but here are a few!

{The Birthday Girl, sitting in her new mini chair!}

{The mini favors}

{Mini pennant banners were hing throughout the house, this one in our foyer... It says "Happy Birthday Reese"}

{Mini cupcakes, with mini flags, made by moi}

{Dessert table, and Reese's own mini cake!}

{Mini burgers}

{Attempting an "all kid" picture on the mini chairs...}

{Bday girl in the bouncehouse!}

{Reese eating her cake}

{Reese and her two BF's, Aislinn and Xavier}

I got lots of ideas from other blogs for the menu, decor, invites, etc. and will have to do another post with all the links!

ONE!

Hard to believe this was life one year ago!

And today... (well, this was actually a few weeks ago, but look at this big girl!)

What a year we've had! The first days were full of nervousness and getting to know each other, sleepless nights, many feeding issues which led to many emotional moments. The next few months we started to get the hang of things and of course it was time for me to go back to work and time to adjust again. The next months full of so many changes and milestones for our little girl. Now we have made it one year and it's gone in the blink of an eye. All those initial troubles seem so far away and all I can think of is how much I love this child. She has taught me more about myself in one year than I have learned in the other 27 I've been on this planet. She is my best accomplishment and I'm so proud we've made it here in one piece. She is the sweetest, funniest, smartest little ball of energy and I blessed to be her Mama. We are so lucky!

Happy 1st Birthday,

Reese Delaney Clark!

I LOVE YOU!

Precious Memories

A couple days after our Santa Cruz trip we got news that my Grampa wasn't doing too well. It was an easy decision to pack up and drive to visit he and my Gramma for the weekend. We had a great time visiting with my Grampa, hearing all his stories from back in the Navy and looking through his photo albums of all the tours he went on. Reese loved climbing up on his walker and they would play peek-a-boo together. I was so glad Reese got to spend some more time with her only Great-Grampa! I think Reese cheered him up some too! They have a wonderful backyard with tons of fruit trees and flowers, so Reese enjoyed taking wagon rides around to see the sites. Grampa even came out a few times on his "Cadillac" to tour the yard with us. My Grandparents are so special to me, its hard to describe how important this trip was. It is one that I will remember forever and I am so glad I snapped a few shots of Reese with each of them.

{A few shots from their pretty backyard}

{Reese in the wagon}

{Reese, Mama, and Great-Grampa!}

LOVE LOVE LOVE

Grampa on his "Cadillac"

{Sweet Great-Gramma and Reesie}

{Tyler serenading Grampa with some old cowboy songs}

Love you both Gramma and Grampa!

Mother's Day in Yosemite!

It's become a Mother's Day tradition to go to Yosemite. A few years back it started as a marathon one day trip to and from the valley, trying to pack in all the sights in a day. This year we decided to make it a weekend trip so that kids and babies wouldn't have to spend so much time cooped up in the car. We drove into the valley early Saturday and spent the day stopping at all the sights! Waterfalls, meadows, rivers, lakes, mountains, wildlife... it was quite the adventure! Reese did great and adapted well to naps and meals in the car, sleeping in a hotel, and hiking around. Overall it was a great trip, Im already looking forward to next year when Reese will be toddling around!

{Mom with my nephews Devin and Ethan}

{Reese and I overlooking the valley}

{Reese and Grammie!}

{Yosemite Falls}

{Just hiking around!}

{The boys at Mirror Lake, looking up to Half Dome...

And at lower Yosemite Falls}

{Above: Four generations of girls!}

{Below: Reese and Grammie again, and Bridalveil Falls}

Baby Shower!

A couple weeks back we got to celebrate the upcoming arrival of Jackson, the new bundle Mary and her husband Ryan are expecting in December. Mary and I have been friends since kindergarten so it's exciting that we are becoming parents so close together! I'm looking forward to meeting little Jackson and I know he and Reese will be close friends! It was a fun afternoon full of family, friends, and adorable baby stuff!

{The Cake}

{Decor}

{Mary and Jackie}

{Mary, Julie, Reese, Jackie}

{Jackson blankie}

{Baby wolfpack onesie}

{Kathy, Mary, and Joy}

{Kellie, Katie, Mary, Julie, Jackie}

{Mary and Julie}

Congrats Mary and Ryan! I know you will be amazing parents and Jackson is one lucky little man! Can't wait to meet him!