The Arts (Party) & Photography

It was raining the morning of Freida's birthday party, and while the weather stayed quite clear through the afternoon, I opted to have her get-together indoors (last minute!) due to the wet, muddy elements that would no doubt grace the park. Last minutes stink. So do bad-weather-forecasts. They really do. But we made it happen, and held her 2nd birthday party at our home. Was crowded, but we managed to work out a little something for everybody. We planted the "art" table smack in middle of the kitchen (easier floor cleanup, and a kitchen sink for washing art-covered little hands), all the eats in the dining room, and the Colts/Patriots game going in the living room for the guys (they seem to be the absolute easiest to entertain). We had a Toy Story 3 "screening" (with popcorn) in our bedroom for the older kids, and Freida's room was, naturally, the play zone. It worked out beautifully, and we had a lovely afternoon sharing Freida's 2nd year with family and friends. Unfortunately, the lighting indoors made for horrific photography... thankfully, the Berkowitz family joined in the festivities - along with their photo-shooting Pop, Zalmy. Who, brought along his trusty every-charming-moment-capturing lens! Thanks so much for the priceless photos!!!

How epic is that "skype" picture??? Freida's Bubby was broadcasting birthday wishes live from Chicago. A generation - defined by a moment, captured in a photograph.

I've previously written about the importance of honest photography, and I strongly advise all parents to make the effort in capturing time. Zalmy Berkowitz is an incredibly gifted photographer, who manages to capture the most real and inspiring/ humorous of moments - at the most beautiful angles. An artistic photographer is worth every ounce of effort, time, and money. I promise you, this is the guy you want to snag your greatest images!!  Here's a little peek at his style and some of his work, these are a few of my favoties:

(Yes, it definitely helps that he has his 3 beautiful children as models...!)

You can check out some more of his work on his website, and have at look at what other goodies he offers here.

Happy snapping!

Petite Pies

Hope you're all having a lovely Thanksgiving weekend!! This week Freida came home with her very first "made at school" loot: the most adorable petite pumpkin pie I've ever seen! She was so excited, and even ate most of it (was pretty darn delicious, to boot!).

Wanted to savor, share, and document this small, sweet, and special moment...

Thank you Morah Esther!!

Enjoy the last day of this perfectly extended holiday vacation...laze around, and snuggle up!!

Thankful for: Dads & Desserts

With so much to be thankful for, somehow chocolates made it to the top of the list... :) Sat Freida down with some (complimentary) Thanksgiving stickers (from Trader Joe's and Target), some markers - in seasonal shades, orange paint (nothing like the classic handprint turkey!), and decked out a white little shoebox (from her Minnetonka Mocs). Filled it with Chocolate Cheesecake Truffles (thanks for the recipe Rivky!), and will be gifting the guy we are most thankful for... her Daddy.

We love you Daddyfroo!!! So thankful for family...

P.S. How sweet is her little handprint??

The Wonderful Terror of Two: A Celebration

Tried getting a good shot of Freida for a birthday invite photo, but all I got was a fit. How appropriate for her 2 year old birthday... :)

Heaps of thanks to my awesome brother Yossi (over at YossiGraphicDesign) for turning a terrible tantrum into an artistic and inspiring invite!

Nothing deserves more celebration than acknowledging their trials and triumphs as they navigate their little way through life as they know it. A tantrum is never fun, and it's difficult to stop and think about what is transpiring in your little person while they are in the middle of chucking food across the room; but when you take a moment to think about how much development is going on inside of them, and how much independence is being explored - it really is quite the cause for celebration....

We had an "art party" for Freida on Sunday. I totally thought I would end up feeling like the stereotypical mom who made the party for themselves and the kid is not even enjoying it, so I went with Freida's current favorite activity: art. And she loved it every bit as much as I did. I know there are plenty of people who think it's totally ridiculous to throw a party for every year a kid advances, but growing up my parents always had a party for each of us - every year, and it really came to mean a lot to me. I felt special every day of the year because of that one special day when they'd pause to celebrate me.

I always have fun with the invitation (having a graphic designer in the family makes it even better!), can't believe it's been almost a year since I posted her 1 year old invites! Added to the party theme by opting for stamps by famous artists while at the post office...

Give Thanks for Paper Turkeys!

 

This is by far the most fabulous idea for a kids Thanksgiving table I've ever seen! Featured on One Charming Party (the very best spot for party inspiration!), this popcorn-filled paper turkey is sure to keep the kids table occupied until the actual meal is served up... For those of you hosting a Thanksgiving meal with little ones on the guest list - check out this easy step-by-step, and up your neighborhood status to hippest mom on the block! :)

This is also a wonderful in-school craft + snack for you preschool teachers out there who need to "cover" Thanksgiving...

And don't forget to give thanks for all the wonderful little people in our lives!! Here's to the ones who keep us forever young and playful... The carefree, the innocent, the imaginative... Here's to the children!