Auntie Jam Jam | Hang Up The Heels

Feb 27 2013

Family

Adventures & Auntie

The one and only Auntie Jam Jam came for a visit over the weekend. Sadie loves her Aunt and I love having my sister around so it was a win win for all of us. We went on a few mini adventures during Jamie’s time here. And we all seemed to have really enjoyed our afternoons out, especially Baby Reindeer who you will probably spot in more than a few photos. He has become my second child and we are to never ever ever leave the house without Sadie’s very special friend. Nor are we to go to bed without, or eat a meal without.

The very last photo of Sadie and Jamie was taken during a very heart-felt 35 minute monologue into which Sadie was explaining to her Aunt that there was a bumble bee and it was nice and it likes to eat grass and has a mommy and daddy. And somehow it went on like that for 35 minutes. Sorry Jamie!

Tagged Auntie Jam Jam

Sep 10 2012

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Family, Nature

The Jam

We got a quick visit from Aunt Jam Jam and Uncle Jason last weekend. Here’s a brief look into some moments of our time with the Jam.

Look at these newly weds. Still can’t their eyes (or hands) off each other. : )

Tagged Auntie Jam Jam, family visiting

Dec 08 2011

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Friends

rewind

It’s December. I have photos to post from the company we had starting in mid-November until the end of November. Late, yes I know. But I was so tired after we were finally home without guests, I didn’t much feel like trotting online, then the baby got sick, then I got sick, then Devin got sick… so we are all just now kind of coming out of it. The poor baby has the worst of it, she is still coughing and has a runny nose 24/7. It’s so sad to see her sick. But she is seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, and is getting her energy back. Clearly – since she started walking yesterday.

So. Back to mid-November. Jamie (my sister) & Stephi (me and Jamie’s oldest friend) came up to SF to visit with us for my birthday! It was so nice of them to do that because honestly we would probably have just skimmed over my birthday this year if it wasn’t for them.

The plan was to go out dancing, but the 2 nights previous to the girls getting here Sadie was a total nightmare at night. I’m talking like up 8-10 times a night. Sometimes crying for over an hour at a time. Oh lordy, it was the worst ever. I felt like I had a newborn again, except worse, because I didn’t have all of that newborn baby adrenaline pumping through my body.

So needless to say, we didn’t make it out that first night.

The next night my folks arrived, and they volunteered to stay in with Sadie and let all of us (girls + Devin) go out to a bar. So we went to our neighborhood Tiki Bar and got some really fancy-umbrella-filled-on-fire-hangover-cocktails. Totally fun.

Until we got home. Sadie must have had some type of an internal alarm set to go off every 5 minutes once I got home and into bed. There’s really nothing like coming home tipsy after a night of much needed care-free fun to be instantly pulled back into the reality that I had a fussy baby that needed me all night. And then needed to get up at 5:45am. It was such self-inflicted torture that I’ve learned I can only do that if I’m spending the night away (which I’ve yet to do.) To be totally honest, I was still recovering from that one night long after Thanksgiving.

And that’s the thick of it. Life ain’t what it used to be. I’m living in Sadie’s world now.

Tagged Auntie Jam Jam, birthday, sick baby

Sep 21 2011

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Love

love sweet love

In one day I was able to somehow fly from SF to LA, set up a party, party at a party, see my entire family, and fly from LA to SF. All with a baby. And it wasn’t even that bad! Piece of cake really. Maybe I was just running off of the energy that love provides, because this wasn’t just any party – it was my sister’s engagement party.

I am so happy for her and her soon-to-be-husband Jason that I jump at any opportunity to help celebrate them. Marriage is such a beautiful thing, and who doesn’t like a wedding??!! I mean, they’re the best. I love being apart of them – as a guest, a bride or even a bridesmaid. I really enjoy them, but this one is extra special to me. It’s my big sister. The girl I’ve looked up to my whole life. It feels so good to see her so happy and to be a part of their celebration.

So, without further ado… here are the photos of her engagement party. I should warn you now, there are A LOT of photos.

Congrats again Jamie + Jason!

Tagged Auntie Jam Jam, congrats, engagement party

Sep 16 2011

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Family

such sweet sorrow

You know ole’ Billy Shakespeare says it perfectly – parting is such sweet sorrow that I shall say goodnight til it be morrow.

This morning Sadie and I drove Jamie to the airport. Her 5 day trip with us came to an end. We had such a wonderful time. As much as I miss my family in SoCal, I have to admit that I very much enjoyed having this real quality time with my sister. While we lived in the same city for the past 10 years, we never spent 5 days uninterrupted together like that. I’m really diggin the designated hang out time that living apart provides.

But our farewell was not so much sorrow, it was moreover on the sweet side. Because I get to see her tomorrow too!!!

Weird, I know. But we are flying back to LA tomorrow for her engagement party. And there will be entirely too much love and celebration going on tomorrow that even when it comes time to leave and head back to the airport (2 flights in one day, ugh!) that there will be no tears and long embraces. I know we will see each other again very soon.

I mean, Sadie does turn 1 in just a few weeks… and there might just be a birthday party being planned if you know what I mean. Shhh… don’t tell Sadie!

While Jamie was here we spent time walking, beaching, boating, lots of eating, shopping, talking and bar going. I enjoyed showing her around my new home. And enjoyed watching Sadie cling to her and love her like she was her best friend of all time – it was too cute.

Look at Jamie workin’ it. She’s just walking through the farmers market and had no idea I even took this picture. She is just naturally that statuesque. (don’t be mad at me for taking this photo Jamie!!)

One thing I could’ve lived without… Jamie is so good with Sadie and kept her cracking up the entire time she was here. Now I am on like double duty trying to keep her entertained like Aunt Jam Jam did. Great. Thanks James, thanks for setting the bar that much higher.

Tagged Auntie Jam Jam, family visiting, Sadie

Sep 15 2011

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Family

little town fun

I grew up in a small town, so I am not completely unfamiliar with how they work. You get several annual street fairs and parades where everyone you know comes out to have a little fun and get a little small town wild. Our new community has been so kind as to extend the same familiar fun to our family.

So over the weekend I took Sadie to the street fair down the street. Twice. Once on Saturday when Devin was in the city working and again on Sunday when he got home.

It even came complete with a “kid zone”. Fake grass, soccer balls, bouncy castle… the works.

Oh, how nice it is to have a baby. It makes the most mundane things fun. Even sitting on astroturf playing push the ball for 2 hours is pretty cool.

Also, little lady now is at crawling status “expert”. She’s going up stairs people!

I hate to be short & sweet, but we have a certain Aunt Jam Jam visiting us right now – and it’s time to get back to snuggling with her.

Sadie has missed her so.

Tagged Auntie Jam Jam, crawling, street fair

Jul 18 2011

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Family, wedding

here comes the bride.

I had the extraordinary pleasure of going wedding dress shopping last week. Much like when I was engaged, it was myself, my mom & sister spending the day together shuffling through lace and tulle. I felt the same excitement of watching everyone’s expressions every time the fitting room doors open and emerges the bride and a new gown. The only difference this time is that

A) my sister is now the bride and

B) we have a new shopping partner joining us, Sadie.

It was such a beautiful experience seeing my sister in a wedding gown. Many wedding gowns actually. I mean, she could wear a brown paper bag and look drop dead gorgeous in it, but there is something about her in a white wedding gown that just blew me away. I cried when I saw her.

There she is… just beyond the foggy glass door. You can kind of make out a white gown silhouette. But that’s as much as I’ll show of her. A bride’s gotta make an appearance y’know.

It was a wonderful and emotional afternoon followed by a lunch with my favorite gals.

Tagged Auntie Jam Jam, grandma, Sadie, wedding

Jul 07 2011

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Family, Nature

the official ‘Summer is Here’ post

Guess what?!

Great news!

Summer is here!

I live in a constant pulling contest between getting housework done and exploring and playing with the baby. Some weeks I feel like I get so busy with play dates and family obligations that I fall so far back in laundry that I’ll never catch up. So every once in a while I’ll just make plans to have no plans. I’ll wrap Sadie up on my chest and she’ll just have to enjoy the view while I wash dishes, do laundry, sweep, scrub and spray. Two days ago was one of these days. I had a big day planned. Go to Target, finishing putting the bedroom back together after our big day of painting over the weekend, work on the yard, etc.

But then I got a call from my brother Jared. He said that him and my sister Jamie were going to the beach and they wanted Sadie and I to join. I told him I couldn’t and that I had too much to do. After I hung up the phone, I thought to myself that the beach sounded really nice. I asked the wise Devin Foley for advise on what I should do. Because I was now very perplexed. He said, seize the day.

So I called Jamie and Jared back and said, “Wait for me! I’m coming! Carpe Diem!!”

And I carpe diemed the crap out of the day.

It was Sadie’s first official day at the beach. She’s been to the ocean a handful of times, but it had never been warm enough for her to touch the water and ~~play with~~ eat the sand.

She loved it.

We went to Point Dume in Malibu. It was so crystal clear it almost looked like Hawaii. We saw a bunch of dolphins and sea otters playing. It was incredible. We actually even saw a deer on the way home. It was a majestic ending to the day.

Someone took a lil nap.

Just in case you were wondering – I got the laundry done yesterday. All is good.

Tagged Auntie Jam Jam, beach, malibu, Sadie, uncle jared

Jul 01 2011

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Art, Friends

a week in review

I need to get something out of the way, a disclaimer if you will… Be prepared for many many wedding posts in the next few months. Now that my sister Jamie is engaged – project wedding has begun. I’m so excited. They are both so creative and unique that I’m sure the wedding will be full of so many cool features and little projects. I’ll be posting little snip-its along the way. Jamie and I got together this week to go shopping. I needed a dress for a wedding Devin and I are going to this weekend. (side note – this will be the first time that we will be leaving Sadie with Grandma at home and going out for the evening – more on this topic later.) It was great to have Auntie Jam-Jam play with Sadie on the dressing room floor while I tried on dresses. Apart from shopping we also got into some good wedding talk. There are already so many great ideas floating around her head. Can’t wait!

Ok, Sadie has been demanding that I post this picture of her. She wanted everyone to see how stylish she was this week.

There. Now she’s happy.

Sadie also had a big day yesterday. We went to LACMA to see the Tim Burton exhibit with our friends Melissa & Ever. Ever was only interested in Sadie and Sadie was only interested at everyone else walking through the exhibit. But at least Melissa and I enjoyed it! I don’t know if this is an everyday occurrence, but just outside of the museum there was a lunch truck lalapalooza going on. Seriously, there must have been 30 or so lunch trucks. We decided to stop at this one to get some lunch.