For my second edition of Holiday Gift Guides for Abigail Fox Designs, I've picked my favorite goodies for the men in our lives.

Four years ago, I woke up out of an emotional fog + decided to make a big change in my life. I was living in California, somewhat lost, in a not-so-fairytale relationship, without my tribe, with no direction whatsoever. Yuck.

Admittedly, it's been quite a while since I've baked something, seeing as my arms have been wrapped around my little nugget more often than not. But now that Maddie has become quite the rugrat, it's left me with a bit more free time and at least one extra hand to get back to the kitchen- just in time for some seasonal sweets.

Before I knew Madeline's first name, I always knew the one in the middle would be Mae- named after my lovely Nana, Rebecca Mae. The name has always been special to me; beautiful + classic just like the matriarch of our family.

These two have my whole heart, no doubt about it. The past six months with our little family have been the best of my life- full of joy, laughter, smiles, and many lessons learned.

Happy Friyay, lovelies! I'm kicking off my holiday gift guides for Abigail Fox Designs with some goodies for those special people that make our lives a little easier-from teacher to babysitter to the hostess with the mostest, here's what I'll be gifting this year...

And just like that... Christmas time is here. Time flies when you're raising a tiny human! This month I'm super excited to be collaborating with a favorite local shop of mine, Abigail Fox Designs.

Oh how time flies. It feels like only yesterday we put on our boogie shoes to celebrate my 30th- only a few weeks after finding out we were expecting our little one.

This past weekend we really got into the spirit of the season- pumpkin patch, pumpkin beers, pumpkin loafs... Oh, my! Decorations were brought out of hiding, Maddie donned her Halloween bib {teething=drool, all day 'err day} and we finally got to use those Trick or Treat Roadie cups I've been obsessing over. A trip to the pumpkin patch followed by seasonal treats- brown sugar baked brie, candy corn, and all things pumpkin- made for the perfect autumn day with family and friends.

10.12.15- Exactly two years married and four months since we welcomed Miss Madeline to this world.  The road to this day was both beautiful and trying at times- a year and a half spent hoping, praying, pleading, trying to make her happen.

The transition into life as a First Time Mom {FTM} is the greatest one I've experienced in the last thirty years- the polarity between my new life and my former being so vast, I couldn't possibly have anticipated the reality of the changes that would take place.

Sundays have been sacred in our house from the start- my husband and I first locked hungover eyes in a pub one crisp, September Sunday. He may have been looking at the television screen above me, but I'll never forget the first time I saw those baby blues.

Hello, September!  

With my favorite season just around the corner, it's time to swap out summer BBQ staples for the rustic, cozy goodness of my fall favorites- think spiked cider, homemade wings, and pumpkin ales... Oh, my!

It has officially been two weeks since we transitioned our little one from my bedside to her nursery- a move I had dreaded since the day she was born. From that first day, I was neurotic about watching her sleep- sometimes placing a fingertip on her little chest to make extra sure she was breathing.

When we were expecting, my husband and I were clueless as to what we would need when Maddie Mae arrived. In fact, after nursery furniture was purchased my husband said to me, "that's pretty much it, right?" Not so much.

Most nights, my husband will bring me an ice-cold glass of water and place it on my nightstand; and in the morning, he will lay out two Nespresso pods, a Splenda and a mug for my morning coffee. These sweet gestures are two of my favorite things in life- simple signs of "I love you," sure to put a smile on my face.