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Isla’s First Christmas with Carter’s: Family Photos (Giveaway)

My absolute favorite time of the year is the holiday season. Halloween gives way to Thanksgiving, which means Christmas is right around the corner. I get giddy when lights start to be strung on trees in the neighborhood and when wreaths and ornaments begin to adorn shops across the city. There is so much joy in this season, and I am incredibly excited for Isla to celebrate her first Christmas.

We have many family traditions associated with Christmas, and this week, I’m going to share all of them, including our annual family photo, Christmas Eve candlelight church service, opening stockings in our PJs on Christmas morning, getting dressed up to open presents under the tree, and then lounging around after a festive lunch and playing with our gifts.

As I mentioned here, my family has taken family photos for the last 18 years (ever since we moved to Texas from Scotland). We take them every November to use for our annual Christmas card, as well as to be framed around the house. I knew that as soon as Sasha and I had babies, we would keep the tradition alive as well. We were lucky enough to have our pictures taken by the very talented Paige Budde of Awake Photography.  I am so pleased with how they turned out and highly recommend her to anyone living in Texas (she’s based in Houston, too!).

One of the most important decisions when it comes to family photos is everyone’s outfits. For this year’s photos, I chose a red French Connection dress and Sasha wore a J. Crew button-down and khakis. After picking our outfits, Isla was next. Thankfully, Carter’s offers classic styles and coordinated looks that are perfect for family photos, so I had the best selection of pretty dresses to choose from in their Holiday Collection (think lots of bright plaids and colorful patterns). I had the hardest time picking just one, but knew that too many outfit changes would result in a not-so-happy Isla. I decided on the classic Rosette and Lace dress in ivory, as it was a neutral color which was easy for Sasha and I to complement with our outfit choices. Since it was chilly outside, I put on these sweet Glitter Bow Tights and kept her feet warm in little sparkly gold shoes. Both Isla and I wore matching floral crowns by the very talented Jess Hamilton.

Carter’s has a ton of great options for siblings too – both their girl and boy selections are adorable. My favorite choices for little boy’s outfits are the Poplin Plaid Bodysuit with Jeans and the Jersey Henley Tee with Twill Pants.

In celebration of Isla’s first Christmas, I’m partnering with Carter’s to give one lucky individual a $100 Carter’s gift card, as well as one of the outfits (boy or girl) featured during the week-long series. Enter the giveaway below (so many entry options) to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Make sure to visit Snapshots and My Thoughts again tomorrow to see more sweet photos of Isla, and good luck with the giveaway! 

Awake Photography Isla Christmas Carter's Giveaway Holiday Collection Family Photo Inspiration Floral Crown BabyAwake Photography Isla Christmas Carter's Giveaway Holiday Collection Family Photo Inspiration Floral Crown BabyAwake Photography Isla Christmas Carter's Giveaway Holiday Collection Family Photo Inspiration Floral Crown BabyAwake Photography Isla Christmas Carter's Giveaway Holiday Collection Family Photo Inspiration Floral Crown Baby

Vegan Everything Bar

If you live in Houston and haven’t tried Sinfull Bakery, you are truly missing out. I first tried their delicious treats at Catalina Coffee, when I grabbed a vegan Everything Bar while checking out. i intended to eat only half at first, but on that specific day, I learned a very important lesson: It is impossible to only eat half of an Everything Bar.

Last weekend, Isla and I ran into Catalina while Sasha was at Martin’s Tailors (best in Houston!) getting new pants hemmed. Recognizing the fact that I could not get a coffee without reaching for the Sinfull treat, I grabbed a bar and decided that I would share it with Sasha (ha, well he ended up getting 1/6th). I looked at the ingredients on the back – all healthy, but some ingredients that I avoid from day-to-day, like flour and brown sugar. After church on Sunday, I thought to myself, ‘Why don’t I make an everything bar?’ After all, these desserts are supposed to be just a gathering of lots of healthy ingredients from one’s pantry.

Alas, my everything bar recipe. This first attempt included a lot of: ‘Oh, that needs some salt…’ and ‘Yikes, too dry… needs coconut oil.’ Once they came out the oven, Sasha and I couldn’t keep our hands off them. I’m pretty darn proud of this Ailee-invented-Everything-Bar (as always, vegan and gluten and refined-sugar free). Please try it at home and let me know how it goes!DSC_0322

Week in Review

A wonderfully busy week, filled with lots of preparation for family photos on Sunday. I literally bought ten cream shirts from Nordstrom, Nordstrom Rack, J. Crew, J. Crew Factory, and Anthropologie to wear in the pictures, then decided (very last minute) on a pink sweater that I already owned! How fickle. And of course, lots and lots of returns to make this week.

We took our photos with Paige of Awake Photography – you can see a sneak peek of the pictures on her Instagram here. I cannot wait to share the photos with you, along with other Christmasy ones, next week.

Other highlights of our week included:

  • Calming Isla down by telling her “No more fussing!” while shaking your finger – she thinks it’s the funniest thing ever (see video here)
  • Swimming with Isla at Life Time Fitness – she is a big, big splasher
  • Painting (i.e. mushed berries) in her BABYBJORN highchair
  • Getting a blow out at The Dry Bar (I am obsessed)
  • Meeting Sasha’s cousin’s wonderful fiancé for the first time (and getting to walk the 3-mi loop while getting to know each other!)
  • Isla’s first halloween – we didn’t make it trick or treating (this girl takes bed time seriously), but got some cute strawberry pics
  • Having a trick-or-treater tell me they love my succulents (really??)
  • Helping my friend Amanda (her engagement photos here) get ready to be the world’s most convincing Elsa (see photos below)
  • Eating out twice at Ruggles Green (sorry Houston ex-pats!) – once with Brooke, one of my most favorite people on the planet
  • Taking Isla to Biscuit Home for the first time – although she slept the entire time
  • Trying a new food truck (Simply Greek) that is a mile from our house
  • Having Sasha’s classmate’s family over for dinner yesterday evening – such cute kiddos

What were the highlights of your week?

WIR1Finger painting was a fun, but very messy, activityDSC_0507

Week in Review

It’s truly unbelievable that this past weekend was the last in October! Halloween is coming quickly, and Isla is totally ready to bust out her fruity costume (I am too!). The weather in Houston was low 80’s all weekend, so we were outside almost all day long on Saturday and Sunday.

Sasha and I went to my dad’s new office on Tuesday and had lunch (Ruggles Green, of course) with him and his secretary, Dottie. It was so nice to see them both, and Dad got to show Isla off to his co-workers.

Other highlights from the week include:

  • Discovering Isla’s new favorite giggle-inducer (beats peek-a-boo) – the sock monster!
  • After many failed recipes this week, making an ‘Everything Bar’ that is amazing (recipe to come soon!)
  • Isla learning to sleep on her stomach – we had three long weeks of her rolling over and crying until we flipped her back!
  • Singing one of my very favorite worship songs at church on Sunday
  • Many long walks in the beautiful weather, our favorite being a house-hunt around the neighborhood and to Memorial Park
  • Taking Isla to Catalina Coffee (best in Houston) for the first time!
  • Lunching with sweet Kevin for the second time – at Ruggles Green (photo below – isn’t adorable)
  • Running with Isla for the first time in her Baby Jogger Summit X3 Stroller (I was so nervous and fully padded the area near her head – total new mom move)
  • Tying Isla’s hair in a tiny little pony tail for the first time (photographic evidence below)
  • Trying out a new local restaurant – Fajita Pete’s, as they actually have veggie fajitas, which is surprisingly so rare for a Mexican restaurant

DSC_0271Little grins make my day

Favorite Looks of the Week

This week has seriously flown by! I was so tempted to include 12 looks this week, but decided to stick to my guns and go with my favorite 10 looks. I absolutely adore Nichole of Vanilla Extract‘s look, and as always, Julia of Gal Meets Glam. Which is your favorite look? I am so ready for it to feel like fall again in Texas!

If you haven’t already, enter the Honest Co. giveaway by midnight tonight!

Lastly, I’ve shown pictures of my sister’s gorgeous house as part of my Dream Home series. Karine and her husband, Carl, were featured this week on Culture Map for their amazing home. Click here to read the article and here for the video. My whole family loves a good renovation. My parent’s home in Durango (where we stayed this summer) was recently featured here on Houzz. And lastly, Sasha and I are talking about doing another home extension project. My fingers are tightly crossed! See some photos from our first one here.

Happy Friday! Do you have big plans for the weekend?

looks2 1 Something Navy // 2 Sequins & Stripeslooks1Brooklyn Blonde // 4 Atlantic-Pacific