ser your vote!

don't let her {little} size fool you!

she may be small, but she packs a fiery punch! ok... i'm totally laughing in the inside because i'm picturing her with her arm cocked back, ready to release a one-two combo. this is not what i'm talking about. we don't teach our child violent actions! but our little missy aly here, she's coming into her own personality. each day a new characteristic displays itself and it is beyond our comprehension, as parents, how this little person came to be. but we know she's been formed and known long before we even set our eyes on our beauty. (Luke 12:7) it's exciting to see what will come next. heck, we're excited to see what tomorrow brings!

ciao!

loving hearts captured photography

{sneak peek pt.II} ~ mini valentine session

there was laughter, there were tears
all in all, it was in good cheer

each star knew it was their time to shine
one by one, they sat in line

so special in every way, they all did their part
in making their mommy so proud, of their {little hearts}

tutus, ballons, & hearts galore
it's time to play, let's head outdoors

now, valentine's is just a week away
time to share our love with a {sneak peek} today!

i never claimed to be a poet, so i hope i didn't knock anyone off their chiar with my cornyness! but really, with a group of cutie-pa-tooties such as these... i couldn't hold back! i must admit though, back in the dayssss, i was a pretty soulful and legit poet. my rhymes cut through the core and then some! as a matter of fact, i think i'll dig them out, dust them off, and read my mad skillz to my man tonight. he'll like 'em! it's a part of marriage i dig. you get in to what the other likes.

do i enjoy or even like the video games he still plays? no. i actually don't aaprove of them. but do i sit there watching him, cheering in the sidelines - sis boom ba! do i let him know with a panic yell, "behind you babe!!!!" do i lend him my beloved macbook pro so that he can show off his mad skillz on the virtual ones and twos? yes, i do. why? because that's love. that's a partnership in marriage. there are times when he would sit by me, watching my shows: clean house, jon & kate +8 (when they were still normal and sane. they no longer make appearances in our house! lol!). recently, it's been guiliana & bill (love 'em!), & of course, my dog whisperer. heck, he's even brought me to a cesar millan book signing and speaking engagement/ seminar (not that i needed it. nor was i a cesar millan stalker. he was just feeding into my dream of one day owning my own dog psychology center. don't hate people!) now that's love!

how will you share your love with that special lovey in your life? will you cheer him on or cuddle her up?

God made us perfectly in every way... we're a reflection of His awesome and magnificent image. this is why we're so capable of loving one another. let your love shine through you and reflect unto another  person in your life. refill and refuel your spirit with kindness and love and let it permeate throughout your household and spill unto your daily life. {love one another} each day like it is your last!

i know of another love. greater than that of my husband & child....

John 15:13

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

thank you Father, for loving me so much, you sent your only Son to die for me, so that i can live.

just a {little} sumptin' sumptin'

anyone see the latest on our LHC blog? if not, check it out! some new and exciting things. check out little ms. aly below and the neato insignia watermark we now have and own. designed by the mastermind behind details beyond design. it's super awesome and it's all mine!!!

it's the little things

yes, it's these pint size moments in which i cherish the most. of course the grandiose moments, like the first steps, first words, first bowl of spaghetti; these moments are obviously important. but the little things, like her infatuation with balloons, carrying around doggie treats while we walk our furkids, rearranging stools at the breakfast bar; these are the times when jorge and i step back and sigh. she's developing into her own little person and it becomes evident to us, on a daily basis, that our baby will one day be on her own. all we can ask and pray for now is the tools and guidance from above, to be the parents aly needs us to be.

but for now, we happily settle on the little things that make aly.... aly.

my {little} christmas joy

Christmas is a time to celebrate our Savior's miraculous birth. It's also a time to remember the greatest "Christmas Gift" given to us from our Heavenly Father.

This time of year is made even more special to us because of our little gift. A miracle in her own right because she is one of God's own creations. This was our first year seeing Christmas through a child's eyes and exuberance. She has yet to understand the true and unabashed meaning of Christmas. She willlearn that it is not only about neatly wrapped presents, sitting gingerly under a brightly lit tree. Nor is it a time where a jolly, plump man with flying reindeer, will ever so gently, slide down our chimney, expecting freshly baked goodies with ice cold milk to wash them down.

She will come to know the true meaning of Christmas through praise and worship of our one living King. She will know the honesty one little Baby brought on one night announced by heavenly hosts and proclaimed by prophets long before His birth. She will know Jesus as her Savior and Lord. She will know His love and the Hope He brings to us all. She will know Life and Life will live in her heart.

more than just once

i can't help posting more than 1 blog a day. sometimes i'm just in the mood to share. share. share. share. and with this little face, sharing is definitely caring!

when did my baby become such a little lady? check her out with her stylin' boots! of course i had to!! why should i be the only one to sport boots in the family? besides, the weather calls for it. in fact, it begs for it. it begs us all to wear and rock the boots! i'm just starting her out at a young age.
she'll thank me later on. i'm certain she will. i know she will.

yes, baby. mama's done taking a ka-billion pictures of you. today. just for today.

there will be plenty of more days to take more photos of you!

photos taken with handy-dandy, iPhone.

another day @ the office

a typical morning. making her rounds. "hey you over there! good morning!" once she's done with her meet & greets, breakfast of fruit, oatmeal, & milk, ensues. soonafter, the nitty gritty takes place. mama works on her file(s) and aly absorbs herself with "work". toys. books. giggles. undiscernable babbles.

not for the faint-hearted.

lucky? eh. fortunate? i'd say so. blessed? you betcha'!! having my little one at work (daytime - clark kent persona identity) is more than i can ask for. my boss is tops, man!!! sure. it can be challenging.but really? dare i miss out on any mommy-daughter moment? i think not!! missing her 1 day a week when she's off to daddy's mom's & dad's house is heart wrenching for me, but the moment i walk thru our door at home and see my family's smiling faces and shouts of glee.... you guessed it. priceless!

here's another one... just for fun. check out aly's super-baby strength! she did this all on her own and figured out how to carry them both all by herself. see. it's not all play here at the office. we work hard too!

photos taken with handy-dandy, iphone.

the original "little heart"

my muse.

my earthly adoration.

my joy.

my daughter.

it's because of you, daughter, that i had the hunger to pick up the camera again and shoot to my hearts content. thank you for being God's vessel. i love you dearly, deeply, and hope, no... desire, to be the best mother and to be the model of a woman of virtue, to you, now and always.

let the Christmas traditions commence

So technically, last year was Aly's 1st Christmas, but at two months old, it didn't really count. Well, yes it did (to me, mainly), but for this Christmas, she's now walking and will be able to open her own presents and entertain us with her glee as she discovers her little gift-wrapped treasures. And since we didn't do the "Lontok Christmas Photo Tradition" last year (can't seem to remember why), we hopped along for the ride with my parents after our Thanksgiving lunner (you know, lunch/dinner) to pass this tradition unto our own family. It's just too bad we didn't get one of all of us (my parents and my family in one). Should have brought the tripod and self-timered it. Umph... now I think of it! Sheesh!

And here's Aly... on a girly mission....

a mission to shop... only a year old and already exhibiting exquisite taste. she stopped at non other than... Anthropologie

thankful or just full?

(sorry for the repetition of photos above... I was only trying out different layouts for our cutie clients)

I can't belive I've been out of touch for so long....

Being sick was no walk in the park, but "In everything give thanks" and in this, I do believe that ALL things, good and bad, happen for a reason. Everything in God's own perfect timing. He knew I needed rest and to be still and rely on Him for all things. The only way to do this, was well, to get sick. My Creator knows me better than I know myself and because I am so hard-headed and ignored all other signs of needing rest, this was the only way. Even if this did mean I had to be out of touch, out of sync, and just down-right , OUT altogether. And since recovering from my (unable to speak and comprehend anything) illness, times for us have been B-hee-zee!!

And since there seems to be a trend of thankfullness in this post, HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

Being thankful and grateful should be a way of life, everyday, not just to be "full" from our Thanksgiving feast (that too... as long as your not counting your calorie intake). Here's a challenge, start up a journal, a blog, or take notes on your daily calendar and jot down an "I'm thankful for __________ today." note or passage to help us all reflect and not be so absorbed in this crazy thing we call "life."

So, to commemorate the beginning of our "Thankful" all-four season, daily holiday, here's what

I'm thankful for today.

I'm thankful for (too many things actually, but I'll narrow it down to a couple of things for today) my hunky hubby,Jorge and our daughter, Aly and the ease of her personality. We finally decided that she needs to sleep in her own bed in her own room. Dreading for this day to come because of all the horror stories we've heard from parents who waited until their babies were no longer babies. Toddlers. Sure the first night we (well, actually I) decided to, it was 1:30 a.m. (yes, you read right, 1:30 a.m.) her first waking up hour to appease herself by snuggling with momma. It was my last straw and then and there, she was moved to her bedroom. Uh hmmm... yeah. This should NOT be done in the middle of the night! I paid for it that night, but surprisingly and with a sigh of relief, the following nights were a breeze. A breeze laced with the alluring and calming scent of lavendar... in case she decided to put up a fight. Ah ha! Sweet smell of victory was ours for the taking!! Baby #2... BRING IT ON!!! Well, we're not preggo or anything. Just being a little too confident in our parenting ski-illz!!

So what are you thankful for?