personal
{reminiscing}
As I sit here wearing my flannel pj’s, super thick slipper socks and have a blanket wrapped around me (no, not a Snuggie), I look out the window at the falling snow. Knowing that it’s only 8 degrees outside, I often wonder what the heck I’m doing still living in the Midwest! Although I do love the seasons, during mid-winter I get pretty antsy and want to go somewhere tropical and HOT. I feel blessed (and somewhat spoiled 
that my parents have lived in Hawaii for the last seven years, and so I’ve milked that for all that it’s worth by going to visit them — after all, they unfortunately won’t be there forever! (Don’t worry mom and dad, we’ll still visit you even when the time comes that you don’t have a beach in your backyard… Each visit has been an amazing experience, and of course I’ve captured those experiences and the beauty of Hawaii in my millions of photographs! I share with you just a few, as this winter, I will just have to dream about lying on the Hawaiian beaches since instead we plan to stay frozen and go skiing in Colorado!
Where are you dreaming of (or actually) going this winter?
{Emma Grace}
** Photo taken by Jeremy DeVries ** (my brother-in-law)
I don’t have any more photos to go along with this post (yet), but I just wanted to announce that I am a proud aunt to my new niece, Emma Grace! Emma was born on our 1 year wedding anniversary (August 15th), so we are very excited to share the day! She is such a cutie pie, and I can’t wait to meet her on September 3rd when my husband and I go visit my sister and her husband in Oregon. It will be then that I’m sure I’ll go camera crazy — it’s a baby! — and will share some photos after we return. Congratulations Laura and Jeremy!! You have been blessed with a beautiful little lady! xoxo