Well hey there! It’s been FOREVER since I’ve shared the Monday love, but I thought now would be the perfect time to get back into documenting our weeks :) Ryan is 8 weeks old today, which blows my mind, and I know it will just keep going faster! Recording the little things of life has always helped me practice gratitude — after all, it’s the silly details that make this life so special! As my favorite movie in the world reminds me…

“We’re all traveling through time, together, everyday of our lives… All we can do is do our best to relish this remarkable life. . . . The truth is, I now don’t travel back at all, not even for a day. I just try to live everyday as if I have deliberately come back to this one day, to enjoy . . . the full, final day of my extraordinary, ordinary life.” – About Time

Gah! Seriously, it’s a guaranteed cry every time I watch that movie. Just ask Chris! Haha! So without further ado, some things I’m loving from my extraordinary, ordinary life this past week:

1) Printed photos!! You would think as a photographer I’d be awesome at printing our photos, but not a single wall in our house (outside of Ryan’s room) had a photo on it until this past week!!! I finally took down our Christmas decorations on the mantle (#oops) and replaced them with some of our favorites from Ryan’s newborn session! I plan on adding some greenery and a spring wreath, too! It’s amazing how much LIFE a few photos can bring to a room, and I can’t wait to get some more up throughout our house.

2)Vardegan / Sure Shot Coffee / General American Donut Company :) I first discovered this local shop in Fishers with my mom a few years ago, but they’ve recently added a coffee bar with donut samplings on Saturday morning! I took Ryan by myself last week, but Chris had this past Saturday off for the first time ever at his new job (YAY!!!!), so we went out as a whole family this weekend!! It was DELICIOUS, and I have a strong feeling it will be a new tradition :) So far, we’ve tried the Salted Caramel, Frosted Coconut, and Sliced Almond donut — each one as amazing as the next!! Having a newborn has obviously greatly changed our schedules, but I’m so thankful we are still intentional about getting out and having fun…even if it’s only for a few minutes :)

3) New clothes!!! Ryan finally grew out of his newborn sizes and is now rocking 0-3 months, which means a whole new wardrobe! He’s always super happy in the mornings, and I have just loved our getting ready routine the last few days! While it was definitely bittersweet to say goodbye to his first outfits, I am so glad he is growing well and getting chunky!!! Bring on the rolls!! This is one of my favorite iPhone photos I’ve snapped of him recently — he is starting to pay attention to toys and books, and I just love it!!! Granted, he looks a bit terrified of his hedgehog friend here, but I promise they get along great :)

4) Emily Ley Baby Book! I snagged this guy during a January sale and have loved documenting Ryan’s first months with her book! I love my Five Year Memory Book too, but “The Story of You” is so perfectly crafted for moms & dads — it has space for just about everything and is super cute, too!! My favorite pages so far have been the predictions page (I’m calling Ryan’s first word as “Graham”!!), the monthly pages, and the page with space for a letter to Ryan :)

5) Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Coconut Caramel Bars!! Chris and I ran to TJs after church yesterday and I picked up one of these in the checkout line – it might be my new favorite candy bar!!!! It’s only 70% dark chocolate, so it’s still sweet and delicious :) The caramel is soft and runny, and the a hint of coconut flakes adds the perfect flavor! Not to mention, the wrapper is just adorable!!! Good design matters, people! And that about wraps it up!! I hope you have a beautiful Monday, friend :) Remember to look for ways to enjoy the little things — there is BEAUTY all around!
Love love love,

Sami