Happy early birthday!

We celebrated my mother-in-law's 60th birthday this week. Her actual birthday isn't until next month, but all of the kids and grandchildren are in town right now, so we decided to go ahead and celebrate! We ate at the Georgia Sea Grill - one of my favorite restaurants. Before dinner I took some pictures...

Cousins!

The soon-to-be-married happy couple!

Beau took this...pretty talented huh?

All of us (taken on a tripod)

My parents watched Will and Matt's dad and Shelia watched Otto, so our dinner was baby-free...and we had a GREAT time! We forgot what it was like to enjoy dinner without having our constant attention on Will (not that we don't love it, but a change was nice!). A very HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Mrs. Dart! We love you!

Gluten free on tv

I happened to have the Today Show on this week when they did a segment on gluten free diets. You may have heard that Chelsea Clinton's wedding cake was gluten free, and I think that may have sparked a lot of hype. The doctor in this segment explained things very well, and I hope it raises more awareness for celiac and gluten free diets so that more restaurants will start offering gluten free options...

And speaking of gluten free food, here is my favorite snack/meal lately. I love love love Fellini's salads (they're located in Atlanta, and I miss them!) and I tried to make one at home that was as close as possible to theirs. It is VERY simple...but delicious!

lots of fresh tomatoes, loads of freshly grated mozzerella, and a creamy italian dressing

Yum!! I think I'll have one now...

Will's first year

I started making a video of Will right after he was born and I've been adding to it ever since. I finally finished it up in time for his first birthday, and I showed it on a projector at his birthday party. I cannot believe how much he has grown this past year!

I tried posting it on the blog a few days later, but had trouble doing it through Youtube. I've figured out another way and did it through Vimeo, so hopefully it works this time! Better late than never...

Summer school

So we haven't been completely useless this summer - Matt has been taking art classes. Painting, specifically, and he has really enjoyed it! He has always loved art, and earlier this year he read this essay by Winston Churchill that inspired him. With his job being so analytical, he likes to have a creative outlet (this is also the reason he loves cooking)!

He was painting the picture I took at Kohler a few months ago

And I have been taking photography classes! And I LOVE it! Sorry for the onslaught of pictures of Will - I pretty much grab him every free second I get so that I can practice, and I can't narrow down what to post on here! I'm lucky to have such a cute subject!

I was specifically trying to achieve "bokeh" - a term for the blurry circular lights behind him:

Coco will pose for me too!

Tonight we walked to the marsh so I could practice backlighting

Introducing Will to the Georgia peach!

On the way home from the airport we took a detour to one of my favorite places - Lane's peach farm! It is right in the middle of Georgia and we've been going there for years. You've never had a peach until you've had a fresh picked peach! There really is no comparison. We get a big box at least once during the summer, and my mom will slice and freeze some of them.

All the varieties! (My family likes the Elbertas!)

Watching them sort the peaches

Homemade peach ice-cream - YUM!

Matt couldn't wait to eat one:)

St. Thomas

We are back from St. Thomas and we had SUCH a good time! Here are a few pictures (if you want to see the rest of our pictures, click here).

In Redhook Bay

Watching the cruise ships leave at the end of the day

At Lindquist Beach

On the ferry to St. John

Trunk Bay, St. John

Trunk Bay, St. John