Love Birds: Kara+Chris Narragansett Beach Engagement

Over two years ago, as we rang in the New Year, we watched with sinking stomachs as Kara's wish lantern began to sink back towards the earth.  She rushed after it as we held our breath and prayed with all of our might that she wouldn't catch fire and that her wishes wouldn't crash into the ocean.  Somehow she willed it back up into the sky and new hope was restored in my sister, the eternal optimist.

Now we know her wishes from that night did come true.

After having met each a few years prior, through an internship program in their home state of RI, they reconnected before Christmas in Boston and had their first date right around NYE two and a half years ago.  Once again, we held our breath and hoped that this would be a guy that could match Kara's excitement for life, crazy love for costumes and share in her love for just about everything :).

Flash forward to 3 months and 50 emails ago and I think it was obvious that no one was more prepared to love and support my Perch Sister than Chris.  He went to great lengths to stage an incredibly involved proposal that not only allowed Chris to remind her of his love for her, but also allowed other loved ones to participate in their journey from boyfriend/girlfriend to engaged couple.

I am so thankful to have been a part of this awesome experience and to witness the happiest person I know receive the best surprise of her life!

We were blessed with gorgeous weather yesterday for their proposal.  Kara was whisked off to the beach early in the morning with two of her best girlfriends from grade school days.  Meanwhile, Chris was making his way to the beach on a jet ski and all of the other players in the day were taking their places down the beach. At each stop along Kara's walk, she was presented with a gift that Chris has assembled which contained little mementos of special times in their relationship (how he saved all this stuff without her stumbling upon it is beyond me!). The gifts were especially sweet because they also typically included some tie to the gift presenter as well...can you believe this guy?!


While she made her trek, she obviously knew that something was up, but in true Kara fashion, was still blown away to see the next group of people waiting anxiously for her.


When she arrived at (what we knew was) the last stop (our parents), she kept looking down the beach for Chris...because he had to be down there somewhere, right?! Of course we're all looking out at the ocean waiting for him to make his grand entrance on the jet ski and when we pointed him out to Kara she literally could not believe her eyes!!


He dropped to his knee and popped the question with a perfectly beautiful ring...and we all held our breath that it would make it onto her finger and not get lost in the surf or sand.  But the moment she said yes and had that rock on her hand, we knew we could breathe easily and we could celebrate and shower them with love before they rode off into the sun!


Congratulations you two, can't describe how happy I am for you both!! xoxo!


find more pictures here!

memory lanes | wickford, ri

over thanksgiving, we spent some time in rhode island with my family. after a few major eat-a-thons, we spent the afternoon at wickford lanes for some duckpin bowling (and a poor attempt at working off the millions of calories!).  duckpins are a thing of the past, there are only about 60 remaining places in the country where you can experience this fun twist on normal bowling. the duckpin balls are teeny, perfect for weaklings like myself or little kids.  i have pictures from when i was probably pre-school aged on these lanes, with my leg warmers, pigtails and saddle shoes.  chances are i wasn't any better at bowling last weekend than when i was 4, but it was still a great time with the fam for a few hours...even if we had no clue how to keep score!

it was so nice to be in this little time-warped building and get away from the daily buzz. always nice to find a way to slow down as the holidays and end of the year come rushing upon us. hope you had an enjoyable thanksgiving and are taking time to give thanks for all we've been given!

all photos courtesy of my iPhone!

fall vacation | ocean city, nj

as the days get shorter and the leaves begin to change, i can't help but get excited for sweaters, tights, boots, and scarves. fall fashion is superb, but i can never get enough of summer life!

every year, my new jersey family rents a place right on the beach in ocean city and it never fails to satisfy my need for one last blast of salt-kissed air before fall officially sets in. waking up to the lull of the waves and the squawk of gulls...and this year, some energetic toddlers eating their 'baffles'...sets the tone for a fantastic day.

for the first time (for me), we took a day trip to cape may and explored their stretch of sand and victorian neighborhoods.  the weather was gorgeous and had the wind died down, i would've been in that ocean! we toured the bird sanctuary and saw the lighthouse - which is in the middle of a parking lot, huh?! and of course lots of ocean, birds and blue.




back in ocean city, we walked the boardwalk between naps (only for the kids this year!).  being together with the ever-expanding in-law brood was relaxing, rambunctious and filling.  we had our fill of sand, candy, boardwalk treats, delicious homemade dinners and of course, plenty of laughs. as the years pass and the family grows, the memories and traditions grow as well...i'm sure we'll never travel to the shore again without dry-erase markers to take notes, write recipes and do math problems on the sliding glass doors (WHY?!? haha).

thank you to nonna & papaZ for another great seaside escape! xo!!


more vacation snaps here!

Lancaster County Bike Ride

yesterday was such a wonderful day! even though i thought my legs might never recover, i wish that we could repeat yesterday's outing every weekend!  

i was itching to do something in this beautiful weather (cool mornings, mid 70's in the afternoon, sunny without much humidity - not the norm in PA) and decided to research a bike ride that didn't include our normal bike path routes.  i came across this article, which brought me to the lancaster bike club's site which is just chock-full of rides for all types of riders. although Lancaster County is only about an hour from our town, i've only been there once in the years i've been in PA.  and that was only to go to the outlets...which really didn't count, it's not exactly the best way to experience pennsylvania dutch country culture.

i decided on the Lapps Ice Cream Ride, since ice cream is delicious, and this one has a stop for fresh amish ice cream PLUS a covered bridge! after printing out our cue sheets, we packed up the bikes and traveled out to Amish (and mennonite and brethren) country. the sky was perfectly blue and the rolling hills covered with farms is so picturesque...and kinda sad with the commercial areas creeping up on this lifestyle that seems stuck in time.

we passed a few buggies on the road and arrived at our starting point at the Strasburg Railroad and museum.  free parking, woo-hoo!

our bike ride was primarily on back roads that were in great shape, so much better than roads that are heavily traveled by vehicles other than horses!  there were many kids on scooters, with their suspenders and hats -  or dresses, aprons and bonnets - that we passed along the way, but we were off the main roads for the most part so avoided cars much of the trek. it was so nice to be able to ride side-by-side and be able to talk to each other during our ride rather than hugging the breakdown lane line.

many of the farms were harvesting their corn and we got to witness horse-drawn tractors (some with generators, too) and some ancient looking tools. of course, there was the occasional whiff of manure as we passed some of the barns that were closer to the road.  i so wish i could've stopped to take more pictures, but the more we stopped the more my legs burned...and since most Anabaptists are vehemently against having their picture taken, i didn't want to be overtly offensive (or get my iphone smashed!). i know some of the ways are fairly backwards in comparison to our daily life, but i find it fascinating that their culture can thrive just miles from city life and that it can be so entrancingly peaceful.

our ice cream stop at Lapp Valley Farm was delicious.  such a rich and creamy treat on our hot trip! gotta warn you though - the hill after the farm is BRUTAL.  it was by far the steepest we came across on the route, and right after ice cream made it a real kick in the pants! since we were riding, we didn't stop at any of the other farm stands or bakeries, but we did pick up some incredible homemade root beer from the parking lot for our car ride home.  only $5 for that giant jug of the darkest rootbeer i've ever seen! awesome end to a fabulous outing!!

i can't wait to go back and explore new bike routes and some of the little villages in that area! let me know if you want in on exploring this little piece of old country!

here are just a pathetic number of iphone pics that simply don't do the landscape justice.    

summer vacation | wickford,ri water lilies

as you make your way into the village of wickford, rhode island from the neighboring town of narragansett, you pass a small pond on the left that has an even smaller waterway to the bay on the right-hand side of the road.  for most of the year, this little waterway is non-descript and nearly an eyesore.  the road slumps and crumbles away at the shoulder as it meets the sandy patch where the grass has been worn away for, what seems like, forever.  power lines, old billboards and the fish ladder fencing all do their best to avert your eyes and as you focus on the goal of getting to the quaint wickford shops, you're likely to drive on by without so much as a noticing what lies on the side of the road.

but when july rolls around, the tiny waterway explodes with beauty! the giant water lilies emerge to inspire painters, photographers and travelers alike.  the sandy side of the road becomes packed with cars and tourists, all there to witness the incredible marvel that is only seen for a few weeks...or days, depending on the weather. the waterway overflows with flowers the size of frisbees and green, lush leaves that are just yearning to touch the bright blue sky.  everything about the little spot is mystifying, even the pods from the spent blooms.

while i've seen the water lilies from the car many times (always saying 'ooooh, the water lilies!' as we pass by), i don't think i've stopped to fully appreciate them in years. we were so lucky to have a bright and clear morning with just a few folks milling around the spot.  the flowers had had a bit of a beating from recent rain, but i thought everything about them was just awesome, i could've stayed there all day!

the dragonfly above was following me around so i guess he wanted his picture taken! so neat to be able to get so up close to him - i was using my 50mm lens, no zooming here, which meant i was standing nearly in the water!

a note on the image below, right.  i'm usually not a fan of selective coloring. at all. it's just not my style, but the green leaves are so fantastically bright, and nearly overwhelming, that i wanted to make sure the lilies got a chance to shine on their own. even if it gave lightroom a panic attack thinking i was going to save a selective editing preset, ha no thanks!

a group of older ladies had stopped to take some pictures and one offered to snap a shot of me and my momma.  i think she did a darn good job given that she couldn't grasp the concept of looking through the actual viewfinder ;-), haha. the next day, we drove by the lily grove and most of the open petals had been knocked off in the overnight rain.  such a good thing we stopped when we did! be sure you don't miss out next time you're near town!

well, that wraps up my rhode island summer vacation posts! if you missed any of the previous posts, be sure to check them out here and here!  

also, while i love using my real camera, there are times that you just need a quick iphone fix.  so take a peek at my instagram feed for a different perspective of my adventures (also accessible from the banner at the top of my site)!

reminder - based on some recent requests, i'm making some of my personal pictures available for purchase.  they are at a discounted price, no minimum order size, and all prints will be presented matted with a small signature.  if you're interested, please visit my sales site.  If you're looking for a specific image that's not listed in stock, leave a comment or send me an email and i'll be happy to make it happen!! thanks!

blueberry picking | hammonton, nj

there are some things that just make you feel like a little kid and help bring you back to that happy place.  that place where life was carefree and you didn't even know what it was to worry.  where summers meant a real vacation filled with sun, sand and sticky hands from ice cream cones or freshly picked fruit.

picking blueberries in the hot sun with my mom, with painted coffee cans around our necks, helped me find a moment of contentment and i may have actually smiled once or twice...a lot to ask after a tough week. it was perfect to be out in the lovely little field that the Lindsay's had in their backyard in hammonton, nj (blueberry capital of the world, in case ya didn't know).  farmer greg gave us the rules and history of his blueberry patch and sent us on our way to eat and pick to our hearts' content.  

we shared the space with many enormous spiders (can you spot him below?) but other than that, it was a very quiet place where the sound of the mosquitos or the shaking of the trees was all that filled the air.

i've nearly eaten through half of the 4 pounds i brought home and am hoping to get back again before the crops pass for the season.  there is really nothing like spending much needed quality time with family or enjoying fresh tastes of the season and there's nothing like having a few minutes in our busy lives to feel like a kid again.

can't decide which image i like better...so here's another view :)

xo pretty lady!

Hope & Faith: RCIA Mass

growing up, i went to church every weekend with my family, typically meeting up with my grandparents in 'our' pew. waking up for early (7:30 or 8) mass was rewarded with a big stack of french toast or pancakes - that nana would cut for us even into our teens. being part of our family meant being part of the catholic family and i'm so thankful for that connection. some of my strongest memories revolve around times spent in church, singing hymns and opening our souls to something greater.

going to mass was our most consistent family ritual and it's something i carried with me when i went off to Villanova. my husband and i met during my first year of college; he was a junior and i had just left the nest of my family, friends and everything familiar.  i found comfort in the sunday night student masses that kept me close to my family traditions, even when we were 250 miles away. michael had officially joined the catholic church, as part of the Villanova RCIA program and together we made sure to integrate our faith into our relationship and weekly routines.

then we got busy with life.  we graduated, found jobs, got married a few years later, moved to a tiny town with lots of churches, but ancient parishioners, and homilies that i could barely sit through.  we tried going back to student masses a few times, but we didn't quite fit in there (no matter how amazing the choir is!) and our connection to the church was, sadly, frayed for a little while. and ya know what? the rest of our life felt the strain.

in the past year, we decided enough was enough and did some church shopping in order to find the perfect parish.  we found a beauty in St. Helena's of Blue Bell and i truly feel that being an active church-goer again has reinvigorated my spirit.  just having dedicated time each week to shut off our phone, calm our brains from the distractions of life, and be together in the presence of God makes me feel like i can take on all of the garbage that's been coming our way lately.  it helps that our parish is incredibly community oriented and we are blessed with priests who really hit home with their delivery of the word.

this weekend we had five RCIA candidates receive their first communion and they were confirmed into the church.  it was great to have so many people praying and cheering them on as they took this big leap.  i volunteered to take pictures and i hope that i created some images that remind the candidates of this joyous experience.

i felt fairly awkward snapping photos during such a holy time, but the deacon read an emily dickinson poem that started with:

"Hope" is the thing with feathers—

That perches in the soul—

and i thought, hmm, 'perch', like 'perch sisters'...he must be giving me the okay to snap away! ;-)

just a couple of the church and the Monsignor since the people pics haven't been released yet. the flowers were gorgeous and just as vibrant as the smiles of the RCIA candidates.

most of the pieces in the church have been reclaimed from churches around the world that were closing their doors...pretty impressive, huh?

Adventures on the Brandywine

This past weekend my mom escaped chilly and snowy RI to come visit me for a few short days. We were blessed with incredible spring weather and some unexpected adventures!

Many years ago, when Southwest first started flying Philly to Providence, my mom had found an article  about a garden/home/cafe store concept that the owners of urban outfitters had created and we thought we'd add it to our list of things to do at some point. i'm sure i still have the article stashed somewhere on my craft table, but out of sight, out of mind...until i saw this feature on stylemepretty.com and i remembered how much we NEEDED to go seek Terrain out!

Terrain at Styer's was an absolutely joyous experience. Every time I'm in an anthropologie, i say (outloud) 'i want to live in this store'...well this place evoked that feeling times a hundred. there were treasures around every turn (and there were lots of turns, it's enormous) and gorgeous displays of spring growth hanging from every rafter. I didn't take any real photos on the grounds...consider yourself lucky because there would've been 10,000 pictures...because really it's more of the experience than just a collection of items for sale. We enjoyed a delicious brunch in the greenhouse (the only meal you can share apple fritters, pancakes and a short rib sandwich and not feel weird) and wandered throughout the complex for hours afterwards saying 'ooooh, look at this' at every whimsical and lovely thing we came across. I didn't buy anything, for fear I would buy EVERYTHING, which just means i have an excuse to go back :). If you like Anthro and are looking for a good outing to revel in all things home and garden, put Terrain on your list!!

After leaving the magical comfort of the Terrain complex, we walked around the two nice shopping centers, on either side of Route 1, which had just about everything i could ever need...target, marshall's, grocery store, jcrew, willams-sonoma, etc, etc. i'm thinking i really should move into Terrain!! The weather was outstanding, we were sitting on a bench enjoying our fro-yo and the sun was heating the rivets on my jeans to an uncomfortable degree, haha.  

Once we had exhausted the shopping plazas, we headed back to the KOP area by way of the springton reservoir, just for a more scenic trip. So glad we did, because we happened upon a marvelous park that helped us walk off our brunch!! If you're in the Brandywine area, be sure to stop and walk around the Newlin Grist Mill, it had lots of hiking trails, picnic areas and building scattered around the grounds to explore. Definitely will be planning a return trip when the mud dries up and the blacksmith is in!

After a very trying and tiring week, this was truly a spectacular weekend and it was just what I needed to get through the next few weeks. Thanks for coming to visit, Mom! See you soon! xoxo!

woo-girls' weekend: boston

sometimes when i get excited, or am feeling particularly awkward, i might have a tendency to throw my hands up in the air and do a little jazz hand thing.

and by sometimes, i mean always.

luckily, there are a few ladies in my life who get the need to be a woo-girl...and they might have a tendency to do the same exact thing :). we got together for a woo-girls' weekend in boston...home of my sista, brutal windchill, an abbondanza of italian eateries and a surprising amount of bronze statues.

my momma and her sista joined us for a weekend of walking, laughing, public dancing and of course the most important thing on any agenda...eating!! only bummer was that we didn't have all of the woo-girls with us, due to scheduling, which just means another weekend needs to get on the books fast!!

here are a few snapshots of our adventures that i managed to capture without freezing my fingers off...



always good to know how far santa is from you at any given moment.

common knowledge that craziness occurs in the commons.  we were getting lots of odd glances as we all took a turn getting our pictures taken with the frog pond frogs...mom obvi wasn't prepared for the ridiculousness, haha.

and then we danced. a lot. and probably sang loudly too.

so thankful to have these girrrillas in my life and so fortunate to have such a close-knit family that enjoys spending time together...even when i make them stand against funky walls and doors in a hidden alleyway!

xo ladies! hope you stay warm this weekend once nemo hits!

updated with a few extra photos from Facebook.

a boy and his toy: sweet deesigns blocks

last weekend, before i got sick with norovirus (ick), i got a chance to spend some time with my darling nephew, benjamin. benny-boy was kind enough to help model some of the awesome wooden blocks that his momma is selling in her new etsy store - Sweet DeeSigns! they are hands-down the cutest blocks and are absolutely perfect for little ones. they sure did keep this little 9 month old muchkin entertained while his annoying aunt stuck a camera in his face :).

as you can see, ben wanted nothing to do with modeling - he was too busy playing!

the blocks can be custom made to match a nursery, bedding set or with your child's name so they are THE gift for any expecting gal in your life!! plus, they are also non-toxic so you don't have to worry about little teethers drooling all over them. they also make awesome photo shoot props...can't wait to order my own set for my next shoot!

be sure keep an eye on victoria's latest creations posted in her store or on her facebook page.

and since the nursery is magazine worthy, i have to share a few shots of this DIY wonder world! no nursery is complete without a hand-crocheted elmo, of course!  seriously, is there anything my sister-in-law can't do!?

 isn't his blueberry clown face hilarious?!

haven't had enough? a couple more are hiding here!

enjoy your week!!

lauren