Happy Thanksgiving week! I cannot believe it’s already upon us. I’m on the hook for ratatouille, and I haven’t made it in ages, so have been Googling recipes – hopefully y’all are more prepared than I am! Or that you get to just show up. Ha. The past week was so fun with a few of our best friends who live out of town visiting. We had Kirby and Brett over for dinner on Saturday, then I picked up McKenzie from the airport on Sunday and we went to visit another best friend, Brittany, who has unfortunately been in the hospital for the better part of the year. She is having surgery today, so prayers appreciated.

Lots of highlights, including the Willow Crowns pop-up shop at The Monogram Shop, Carrie Colbert’s launch of her new site/store – CarrieColbert.com, taking family photos, snapping blog photos for Alex, a colorful holiday shoot that Meredith planned (only one photo below, so I don’t ruin the surprises!) – with tiny models, Isla, Naomi (Esther of cuteheads‘ daughter) and Jamie (Jenny’s daughter). We did family dinner at Peli Peli, spent time with Sasha’s mom who has been so helpful lately with babysitting, and met some of our new neighbors on Friday when we delivered cookies I got from Jessie of Miss J’s Bakeshop. I did Orange Theory with Ivana and Monica, and I think I’m still sore from it! Ha.

Hope y’all have the best week with the ones you love! xo

Officially in the thick of ‘family photo season’ right now, so will keep this ‘Week in Review’ short so that I can get back to the 10,304 photos I still have to edit! Is it Christmas yet? Ha! We’re heading to Durango either the 25th or 26th, and I am so excited. I haven’t seen snow in a few years – neither girl has ever seen it, so we’ll see what they think about freezing cold weather! We took our annual Semple-family REI trip on Saturday to get a new jacket – I love the navy canvas one I found, which probably won’t keep me super warm in 30 degree weather, but it is so perfect for a mild Houston winter.

Other highlights from the week include:

• Taking sweet Clifford’s newborn photos! He was truly an angel baby and slept almost the entire time!
• Photographing Monica’s family photos in their amazing back/front yards – serious #goals.
• Co-hosting a baby shower for our friend, Amanda, then taking maternity photos for her the next day!
• Taking Alex’s blog photos – we had a good laugh because Isla insisted on stamping her hand before we took them, and then I ended up Photoshopping orange stamp off the back of her hand in half the pictures! Toddlers!!
• Photographing the Nickolases – aww, Parker is the yummiest little babe!! Her chunky cheeks are truly irresistible.
• Having breakfast with Leah from The Monogram Shop, then photographing some of their gorgeous products. I seriously cannot go into the shop without getting something. I got Emi a sweet monogramed lunch box to replace the Medela bottle one she’s been bringing to school! Such a second child!
• Photographing the ‘New Mom Care Package’ post with Sydney! The giveaway is closed, but have you read/pinned it yet? It’s so helpful!
• Taking some 6 month photos of my gorgeous niece, Milly! She is about to be 7 months old, but it’s the thought that counts, right?
• Getting an MRI and bloodwork done to try to figure out this weird muscle spasm I’ve had a few times! My doctor thinks it’s actually just from lack of sleep… so I should probably quit writing and go to sleep right now!
• Doing Parent/Teacher Conferences for both of the girls! Ah, we are so in love with their school and their teachers this year! I just can’t express that enough!! The feedback was so sweet and makes me such a proud mama.
• Checking in on the new build with the electrician and our builder! They are actually making progress – hoorah!
• Going to family dinner with my parents to El Tiempo! I have been craving a margarita like crazy lately, which is so strange since I never used to like them. Their skinny margarita is so good!
• Going to church at Bayou City Fellowship on Sunday morning – the 10:30am service for the first time ever, since Daylight Savings has still got Emi all out of whack and she’s been going down for a nap at 8:30am, if that tells you anything about when she’s waking up!
• Last, but not least – spontaneously buying a ticket at 4pm on Sunday for a 5:30pm Disney on Ice show! I literally cried the first 5 or 6 minutes of the show just from watching Isla’s mesmerized face. She was so in awe and loved every second of the show, but was also a bit disappointed that Paw Patrol did not come on at the end… I had somehow mixed up Disney on Ice and Paw Patrol Live, which is also in town right now. Whoopsies!

I hope you had a wonderful weekend and are enjoying the start to your week already! xo

Happy Monday, and happiest 35th wedding anniversary to my parents! They are such a great example of a happily married couple, although Sasha should not take notes from my dad who has never turned on an iron, loaded a dishwasher and apparently never changed a dirty diaper. Thank goodness for Super Mum! Ha. It’s amazing how this “new generation” of dads are way more involved in the nitty-gritty. Perhaps our sons will learn how to help with middle-of-the-night newborn feedings?

I cannot believe that Halloween was just a week ago! Isla dictated the group’s costume theme this year, and although from January until August we had all been assigned Moana characters, the 11th hour change of plan was to be the Trolls crew. So Isla was Poppy, Sasha was Branch, Ivana was Bridget/Lady Glitter Sparkles, Bob was Biggie, Milly was Mr. Dinkles, I was Guy Diamond and Emi was the cloud. It was so much fun getting all costumed out! Photographic evidence below, of course.

How about that time change? Ah, to be without kiddos and actually get to enjoy an extra hour of sleep and not be woken up by two little ones at 6am! Alas, we’ve had two very productive mornings? Silver lining people!

The last week was very busy week with photos – some highlights listed below!

• Trick or treating in the new neighborhood! We are so excited to actually be living there next year and not just pretending via Ivana and Bob!
• Catching up with my friend, Alexis, over lunch at Adair – we had our two littlest ones there who, now that they’re eating, kept our hands very busy the whole time! Ha.
• Going to Orange Theory Fitness twice – I’m still trying to decide what type of membership I want and if I should give up my Lifetime membership to get it! Decisions, decisions! But I do love OTF!
• Taking photos at the new Sugar & Cloth Color Wall with Meredith and Monica (who later had a sweet cakepop delivery for Isla!)
• Meeting Meredith again at The West Studios for some fun maternity/blog photos!
• Visiting Brittany for George’s four month photos!
• Taking Leah’s, Sydney’s, Nina’s and Ivana’s family photos (now to edit them all!!!!).
• Going to Courtney’s for our family photos and then back to Montgomery on Saturday for her twins’ birthday party!
• Eating family dinner at Peli Peli! Speaking of family, Sasha’s mom is back from a long trip to Serbia! We’re so happy to have her home!

Hope you’ve had a great weekend and that your Monday is off to a fantastic start! xo