P A R K || L O V E

Over the weekend we took Abel to the park. It is getting MUCH cooler out & we are enjoying the last of the outdoors before cool turns into freezing & we are indoors & cozy for 4-6 months. 
Abel isn't sure about the park yet. He is still deciding. We've been a handful of times & he's responded different each visit, however, this last trip I think he was almost convinced that it is a good time. He loved the swings this time around & was still VERY skeptical of the slide. My favorite thing to watch him on was the see-saw, because he looked like such a big boy, fingers gripped tightly around that metal bar... 
He is such a sweet spirit. Quiet & calculated, such an observer & so intense about everything he does. Every look, every touch... watching him take in the world is truly amazing & it blows my mind that we all started in the same way. God is so cool.
Aside from all the wonder that is the park... I noticed how much more he loved being there when Chris came along. Abel is a mama's boy through & through, but when it comes to adventure... he knows where it's at. He associates fun with Daddy & Mama is home base, the nurturer. Makes sense to me. I loved watching them together & I definitely want to squeeze in as many more park days as we can before the snow flies on the reg! 
Anyway, I hope your week is as wonderful as you wish it to be! This week has been cooooold & dreary & i'm in Heaven. Tomorrow is Halloween & one of the people I miss MOST from charlotte is coming to stay for the weekend, & i think i'll carve a pumpkin tonight! Happy Day before Halloween! xoxo
^^^those teeth are killin' me,  we've officially got 7 people!
^^^& then we set a timer & took a billion family photos... this was the best we got, i'll take it!
^^^fall is truly beautiful.
^^^my heart & soul, all wrapped up in one picture

costumes & cocktails

    last weekend we celebrated my older sister's birthday! 
    ash & i threw her a masked cocktail party & it. was. fun.
    good food, good company & the perfect amount of sparkle & glitter to make it a wonderful night!           
    everyone looked so good... & if you're a regular around here, you know that i really appreciate a  
    themed party & LOVE when people aren't afraid to go all out... this was no exception! 
    ashton & grant were gracious enough to let us host at their beautiful home. we had cheese & wine,     
    german chocolate cupcakes, spiked apple cider floats... yummm. 
    taylor had a great time & i  know felt so loved by all of her guests, & ash and i had a great time   
    planning it from start to finish!   
    sisters... they are simply the greatest. there's not a thing in this world i wouldn't do for them.
                                                           ^^^my favorite teenagers
                        ^^^so happy our nana was in town to enjoy the party & meet baby arrow!
                                    ^^^the cutest saggy socks & the birthday girl with her handsome date

around here we've...

...mostly been chasing abel around. i usually save my computer time for late at night when my two men are sleeping, but lately by the end of the day i've found myself to be pretty tired & so blogging, designing, & really anything that requires me to stay up past 10pm just hasn't gotten done. sleep is taking priority over those things for now, and i guess that's a good thing when i really think about it, because more than sleep, i'm prioritizing abel & the mom that i need to be for him... & for this phase of time that is a well rested one... boy is that boy a mover & a shaker. anyway! around here we've been...
 ^^^matching... duh. also, making breakfast & going to breakfast as much as humanly possible...
^^^seeing the last of the green & noticing that most of the trees are half naked & beneath our feet we are finding the most beautiful & crunchy leaves ever...
 ^^^spending time with family...
 ^^^celebrating birthdays, in more ways than one...
 ^^^loving the fact that there's a baby around here & that no matter how picked up or clean i keep our house, there are always little reminders of his presence everywhere...