tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8719611244278621488Fri, 29 Sep 2017 09:22:26 +0000baby and kidsinspirationrecipesholidayspaper and packagingphotographyour familyDIY-ishparties and celebrationsi heart homemanhattan beach localeat and drinkparentingthe bumpentertainingsummerfor the brideexhalebloomsbeach livingroad tripour weddingspringfallpw picksdesignorganizedfive questions withvalentine'sgiveawayshttp://paperwhitesblog.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (paper{whites})Blogger522125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8719611244278621488.post-2519678623693955892Thu, 08 Dec 2016 13:01:00 +00002016-12-08T05:01:05.022-08:00baby and kidsour familyparties and celebrationsLook at this happy girl! This photo is a more than a few months old, from the Spring, so you've changed a bit since then, but it captures your spirit so perfectly. While your little hands still feel so tiny in mine, I see very clearly how much growth comes between age two and three. Your baby features have faded away, making room for longer legs, beautiful, wavy hair and eyes that look more andhttp://paperwhitesblog.blogspot.com/2016/12/happy-birthday-jenna.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (paper{whites})5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8719611244278621488.post-1962967201546879873Wed, 13 Jul 2016 08:00:00 +00002016-07-13T01:00:19.015-07:00baby and kidsour familyparenting The beautiful thing about blogging is that as long as you can hang on, this page will hang on, too. For me, this is really a space of celebration and joy, of everything from the everyday to the biggest of days, just like today. photo by my amazingly talented friend Siri Berting To my biggest girl, I want to say happy birthday. You're five! We've been counting down the days since the calendarhttp://paperwhitesblog.blogspot.com/2016/07/five.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (paper{whites})3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8719611244278621488.post-4663404123795573687Fri, 11 Dec 2015 16:53:00 +00002015-12-11T08:53:23.102-08:00baby and kidsour familyparentingparties and celebrationsJenna Bean! Happy second birthday, sweet girl. What a fun week it has been. They say time flies, but wow, does it. It's too cliche to say that it was just yesterday that I carried you on the inside, but it's true. Yesterday, you were such a baby and today, you are a little big girl. They also say that the second does everything faster than the first. I don't know if that's indeed the casehttp://paperwhitesblog.blogspot.com/2015/12/happy-birthday-jenna.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (paper{whites})5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8719611244278621488.post-2581618968837117840Thu, 13 Aug 2015 05:19:00 +00002015-08-12T22:19:33.674-07:00baby and kidsmanhattan beach localpaper and packagingparties and celebrationsMari was a huge little helper for her fourth birthday, and it was so fun planning it with her. Like her mama, she had a very clear and simple vision for her celebration: painting party with friends. With rainbows. Twist my arm. Like we always do, we started with some favorite items from Shop Sweet Lulu, designed some fun invitations and plucked all of the art supplies from Jo-Ann, much of http://paperwhitesblog.blogspot.com/2015/08/source-list-rainbow-painting-party.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (paper{whites})2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8719611244278621488.post-2969241035887937050Tue, 11 Aug 2015 04:33:00 +00002015-08-11T07:53:20.842-07:00manhattan beach localour familypaper and packagingparties and celebrationsLet's get back at it, shall we? I wanted to share a few snaps from Mari's fourth birthday celebration, but before I do, I'll let you in on my secret sauce that has put some peace back in the planning process: small parties. When I was pregnant with Mari, one of my favorite people in the world tipped me off to the rule of 1:1, when it comes to kids parties. Meaning, for every birthday, you get tohttp://paperwhitesblog.blogspot.com/2015/08/rainbow-party-of-five.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (paper{whites})3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8719611244278621488.post-2965610866706033254Mon, 13 Jul 2015 13:00:00 +00002015-07-13T07:06:29.431-07:00our familyparenting Mari girl, As I sit here in a quiet living room among some of your favorite things leftover from a full day of play, after a very full celebratory weekend, it finally hits me that just last night, four years ago, your dad and I checked into the hospital. We spent our last several hours as a twosome anxiously awaiting your arrival, riding through waves of adrenaline, exhaustion, pain and hope. http://paperwhitesblog.blogspot.com/2015/07/four.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (paper{whites})2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8719611244278621488.post-5710430647261332533Thu, 18 Dec 2014 19:38:00 +00002014-12-18T12:02:18.933-08:00baby and kidsentertainingholidaysour familypaper and packagingparties and celebrationsBefore we jump into the most wonderful week of the year, I wanted to quickly share a few snapshots from Jenna's first birthday party that we hosted last week. For all of you with December loved ones, you can clue me in on how to differentiate the birthday to the holiday for years to come, but with all the sparkle and twinkle in the air, pops of black, white and gold were on the menu. Just a http://paperwhitesblog.blogspot.com/2014/12/holiday-birthday-sparkle.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (paper{whites})2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8719611244278621488.post-2947234877919303885Mon, 08 Dec 2014 14:30:00 +00002014-12-08T06:30:01.968-08:00baby and kidsparenting Sweet Jenna Bean, When it rolls off my tongue, it sounds like "jelly bean," which is what we have called you since the day we brought you home. Of all your nicknames, it's my favorite because it's so accurate. Everything about you is one happy, sweet jelly bean. You don't know this yet, but you will: birthdays are such a gut check. They are good at getting us to pause and take stock http://paperwhitesblog.blogspot.com/2014/12/jenna-bean.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (paper{whites})1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8719611244278621488.post-5140322078192466437Wed, 19 Nov 2014 19:46:00 +00002014-11-20T09:09:37.677-08:00baby and kidsholidaysparentingI suppose if I wait long enough, there will be something burning in my head so much so that I just have to write it down. So, here goes. With Jenna's first birthday just a few weeks away, I find myself drifting back to one year ago so many times throughout my day, especially when there are moments in time, that each season, get repeated. Right now, for instance, as we approach Manhattan Beach'shttp://paperwhitesblog.blogspot.com/2014/11/seasons.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (paper{whites})2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8719611244278621488.post-3826287167720116294Tue, 09 Sep 2014 14:00:00 +00002014-09-09T07:00:04.785-07:00baby and kidspaper and packagingparties and celebrationssummerMari's third birthday was my favorite summer day - as it has become annually - and after celebrating with pizza and park friends, we invited over her three besties for a play date at our house, with all of her favorite things. And, at the top of Mari's favorites list is ice cream. So, we went with it. Here are some photos from her big day back in July, and later this week, I'll list out sourceshttp://paperwhitesblog.blogspot.com/2014/09/maris-third-birthday-we-scream-for-ice.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (paper{whites})3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8719611244278621488.post-3942732946399411312Thu, 04 Sep 2014 14:30:00 +00002014-09-04T07:30:01.964-07:00baby and kidsrecipessummerHello there! Anyone out there? I'd like to say I took a long vacation from blogging to actually go on vacation, but we just plugged our summer right along, blinked, and now it's September. I'm happy to say we enjoyed all things beach; shell collecting, kite flying, biking, picnic'ing, sand eating (in Jenna's case) and lots of time with family and good friends. Summer was good to us, but just http://paperwhitesblog.blogspot.com/2014/09/pineapple-coconut-cream-pops.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (paper{whites})1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8719611244278621488.post-7890410510932681706Fri, 18 Jul 2014 14:00:00 +00002014-07-18T07:00:05.189-07:00baby and kidsexhaleour familyparties and celebrationsI don't know if you can hear it, but somewhere in cyberspace, there's a giant exhale. That's coming from yours truly, from my corner of the world, where after a month of chaos, we are settling down. If in May, we were getting grounded, we spent most of June becoming totally ungrounded. Between our uncharacteristically hectic travel schedules, the four of us have not been under one roof for a http://paperwhitesblog.blogspot.com/2014/07/friday-foto-three-cheers.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (paper{whites})0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8719611244278621488.post-4180972406561899477Tue, 15 Jul 2014 16:04:00 +00002014-07-15T09:04:38.676-07:00baby and kidsparentingThis post has been a long time coming, and it's all about babe, just fyi. When I was learning the solids ropes with Mari a couple of years ago, I thought about sharing the process for how she got fed; in other words, not so much on the making of the food, or the tools and equipment used, but how it layered into our day with an ever-changing newborn schedule. The hardest thing for me, with bothhttp://paperwhitesblog.blogspot.com/2014/07/solid-mechanics.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (paper{whites})0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8719611244278621488.post-2326690423435349149Sun, 13 Jul 2014 14:00:00 +00002014-07-13T07:00:01.346-07:00our familyparentingDear Mari, Today's your big day! And you're not such a babe anymore, are you? Three sure feels good. It also looks and feels so very grown up. {photo by Jenna Beth Photography} My wish for you today is that you feel the joy that I feel every time I look at your sweet face, or when I see you looking at your sister's sweet face... or when you squish her cheeks like everyone does to you. Thank http://paperwhitesblog.blogspot.com/2014/07/happy-birthday-baby.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (paper{whites})2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8719611244278621488.post-5038393002049167065Tue, 08 Jul 2014 05:03:00 +00002014-07-08T06:43:27.921-07:00baby and kidsDIY-ishi heart homeorganizedSix months later and just days before my oldest turns three (THREE!), our girls are in a groove, co-habitating/sleeping and it's working, I'm so happy to report. And, even on days when it's not working so great, Jenna and Mari's room is still my favorite place on earth. It's a perfect blend of peace and pop that just plain makes me happy. When we were gearing up for baby no. 2, our doc http://paperwhitesblog.blogspot.com/2014/07/big-girl-room-for-two.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (paper{whites})1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8719611244278621488.post-1690314390822420311Fri, 20 Jun 2014 14:00:00 +00002014-06-20T07:00:06.172-07:00baby and kidsbloomseat and drinkinspirationpaper and packagingparties and celebrationsIf you're in the market for some party tips, here's the how-to with links from Jenna's baptism, starting with the decor, like these most perfect tissue paper fans from Shop Sweet Lulu that are my new favorite party tricks, simply because they are so simple to pop up, and bunched together, well, they're just fun. I also included the party menu, with a few recipe links. What I find I do http://paperwhitesblog.blogspot.com/2014/06/friday-foto-my-favorite-party-tricks.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (paper{whites})0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8719611244278621488.post-6558668734391377371Tue, 17 Jun 2014 14:00:00 +00002014-06-17T07:00:00.230-07:00baby and kidspaper and packagingparties and celebrationsJenna's sweet baptism day looked and felt so similar to her big sister's a couple of years ago; just as meaningful, happy and special, in all senses. Here are a few photos from a very small celebration we hosted at our home following the ceremony. Filled with the sound of little feet and lots of giggles, we really did repeat a few of our favorite party tricks, like lobster and shells and http://paperwhitesblog.blogspot.com/2014/06/jennas-baptism.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (paper{whites})0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8719611244278621488.post-4206703950879117624Fri, 13 Jun 2014 14:00:00 +00002014-06-13T07:00:02.409-07:00baby and kidsparties and celebrationsphotographyPeony pictures are sweeping the socials, aren't they? Well, when in Rome. This beautiful bunch was from Jenna's baptism, which we celebrated in May. If you're a Trader Joe's shopper, this gorgeous, poufy flower is nothing new to you.  I've been putting together a post on our little celebration for way too long now, and I'll be sharing it with you soon. It it wasn't really intentional for http://paperwhitesblog.blogspot.com/2014/06/friday-foto-coral-peonies.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (paper{whites})1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8719611244278621488.post-4201663707694541405Wed, 11 Jun 2014 19:15:00 +00002014-06-11T12:16:06.596-07:00baby and kidsinspirationour familyparentingOh my, is anyone still out there? The selfish reality is that I started this blog as a creative outlet for myself, and I was reminded yesterday via Instagram - and specifically - a hand calligrapher's instagram feed whom I started following just because her handwriting is mind-blowing beautiful - "remember why you started." What Molly at Plurabelle did was simplify a lot of thoughts that have http://paperwhitesblog.blogspot.com/2014/06/setting-table.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (paper{whites})1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8719611244278621488.post-5227508604484391674Fri, 02 May 2014 14:00:00 +00002014-05-02T07:00:02.067-07:00exhaleparties and celebrationsphotographyThe bonus of hosting a gathering at your house is enjoying the leftovers, like this giant balloon from Shop Sweet Lulu that I filled with some DIY heart confetti. With her second child on the way, we sprinkled Krisa last weekend, over a very casual Sunday morning brunch-with-the-girls. It had been a really long time since I hosted a gathering, of any kind, and it felt so good to have the house http://paperwhitesblog.blogspot.com/2014/05/friday-foto-always-looking-up.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (paper{whites})1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8719611244278621488.post-3858394588648169461Tue, 29 Apr 2014 14:00:00 +00002014-04-29T07:00:01.036-07:00our familyour weddingphotographyWe had such a great anniversary. I can't believe it has already come and gone, and we're moving on to more celebrations ahead, like baptisms and birthdays. Such good stuff around the bend. But, before I let this milestone fly by, I wanted to share with you this snapshot of our first five years. I nearly thought I could just copy Minted's genius Heart Snapshot Mix and do this on my own, but http://paperwhitesblog.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-first-five.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (paper{whites})1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8719611244278621488.post-218598140839683422Fri, 18 Apr 2014 14:00:00 +00002014-04-18T07:00:02.194-07:00our familyphotographyYou and I are more than you and I because it's we. e.e. cummings Five years later, this photo captures the very best moment of my life. It is the photo I wake up to and the memory I day dream about. Rooted right here on the steps of our church and the porch of our faith, this picture very literally symbolizes the happy and hopeful foundation from which we stepped in union, into the great, big http://paperwhitesblog.blogspot.com/2014/04/friday-foto-five-years-later.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (paper{whites})1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8719611244278621488.post-4118594593791725025Fri, 04 Apr 2014 14:00:00 +00002014-04-04T07:00:00.089-07:00DIY-ishphotographyspringThis isn't really a new photo, but it's about that time of year, isn't it? I have to admit that I feel so accomplished just remembering to dig up last year's post on our little all-natural easter egg dying experiment so that I can attempt it again in a couple of weeks. It's making me feel a little ahead of the game in a week that was both challenging and rewarding and definitely fried my brain.*http://paperwhitesblog.blogspot.com/2014/04/friday-foto-easter-egg-repeat.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (paper{whites})1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8719611244278621488.post-4085293577349834305Wed, 26 Mar 2014 16:02:00 +00002014-03-26T09:02:09.205-07:00baby and kidsour familyparentingI had big plans to share some photos and details on Mari and Jenna's bedroom this week, but I'm saving it for next. The reality of my maternity leave coming to a close has thrown me a curve ball, so I'm going to try to hit and run with it. It's so hard moving from one phase to another, isn't it? Just when the going gets so good with your baby - they're smiling, responding, talking, loving and http://paperwhitesblog.blogspot.com/2014/03/back-to-reality.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (paper{whites})3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8719611244278621488.post-8631300966729175912Fri, 21 Mar 2014 14:00:00 +00002014-03-21T07:00:07.116-07:00baby and kidsDIY-ishi heart homephotographyGetting artwork framed is so satisfying, isn't it? I have had these cheap and chic generic Aaron Bros. Euro clip frames sitting in a closet for months - since the holidays, in fact - and am finally ready to get them hung up on the walls this weekend. I'm most excited about getting the birth announcements framed - that is something that I've wanted to do for Mari since, oh, 2011. It took two http://paperwhitesblog.blogspot.com/2014/03/friday-foto-framed.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (paper{whites})1