{still standing} baby bump highlights

& here we are!  It is time for me to say good-bye for a bit.  Although I haven't been blogging much during my pregnancy, I have been working hard behind the scenes to make a three month (give or take) break possible.  Now I am 38 weeks pregnant & exactly two weeks away from my July 11 due date.  I grow more & more excited, as well as more & more nervous, with each passing day.  Most of all, I can't wait to meet our little guy & be his mama.

I'll leave you with a few highlights of my very blessed, very easy pregnancy . . .

Here is my first official baby bump photo!  I was about 24 weeks pregnant & loving our babymoon at Newport Beach.  Our babymoon was absolutely amazing.  Just imagine five relaxing days spent enjoying the beach & the pool, not to mention amazing meals at great restaurants.

Here is a sweet moment captured on Mother's Day, one of the first beautiful weekends of Spring.  I was about 31 weeks pregnant & stealing a quiet moment in the sun.  I was so happy to be spending Mother's Day with my baby bump & my fur baby.  All of us love soaking up the sunshine!

  
Last but not least, here are my hubs & I posing shortly before my baby shower began.  I was about 34 weeks pregnant & I was really glowing that day.  Let me tell you, my Mom & my sister hosted the most perfect, most adorable baby shower ever the backyard of my childhood home on a gorgeous day.  I will forever cherish the lovely memories of celebrating Baby Boy Koru with our family & friends.  

What a journey.  & to think this adventure is only beginning!

& that's a wrap, my friends!  Enjoy the long, lazy days of your Summer.  Let's meet back here in the Fall, shall we?

Photography: Kate Corpuz for Koru Wedding

{still standing} dream come true

I have been wanting & hoping & wishing & praying to write a post like this for what seems like forever . . .

I am so happy & excited to announce my husband & I are expecting a baby boy in July!  Words cannot even describe how over the moon we are about Baby Boy Koru.  It's a dream come true, & I count my lucky stars every day.

As most of you know, my journey towards parenthood has been long, winding & trying.  I last spoke of this journey about one year ago & I've been pretty mum since.  My silence wasn't because there was nothing to say.  Quite the contrary!  There was so much to say I could hardly put my experiences into a coherent post.  I hope to write about it someday, to remember the journey & to help others who may be experiencing something similar.  For now, all I can say is every step, every stumble & every fall was worth it.

It's not lost on me that this particular adventure is just beginning.  I won't breathe easy until Baby Boy Koru is safe, happy & healthy in my arms.  But my worries are merely a footnote in this journey.  I am truly enjoying every moment of my pregnancy, basking in its glory & wonder.  

What does this mean for Koru Wedding?  In a complete leap of faith last summer, I decided not to accept any 2014 weddings.  It didn't seem fair to compromise the time, attention & passion I devote to Koru clients & weddings because I was either hugely pregnant or juggling a newborn.  Thankfully, my decision was the right one since Baby Boy Koru will be here soon!  I will consider 2015 weddings on a case-by-case basis & I hope to be fully back in the wedding game by 2016.

As for Koru Wedding Style, I will do my best.  I'm sure most of you have noticed I have had trouble blogging & visiting other blogs regularly since the summer.  Now you know I had good reason!  From here on out, I will blog when inspiration strikes.  Hopefully, that will be fairly often!  No promises.

Koru Wedding is based upon the inspiration & celebration of new beginnings.  To me, that's always meant weddings.  Now I've expanded my horizons to realize Baby Boy Koru is a new beginning for my family, one that deserves my complete & full attention.  & so it goes!    

Thank you for sharing in my exciting news! 

Photography: Kate Corpuz for Koru Wedding on Instagram  

{Thanksgiving 2013} forever thankful

Every year since we got married, I've dedicated my Thanksgiving post to my husband.  & this year shall be no different!  My husband is my family, my world, my love & my best friend.  I am so thankful for everything he is, everything he does & everything he will be.

It's always such a treat to look through our wedding photos to pick one for this post.  The fun task reminds me of where everything started, how far we've come & what lies ahead of us.  Maybe it hasn't always been the easiest journey but it's our story & it's a story of love & hope.  Because I don't think I could possibly say it any better & the words still ring true two years later, here is a rerun of my thankful 2011 post:    

Thankful.  Very, very thankful.

My husband RZ is at the tippy top of my gratitude list this Thanksgiving.  I dedicate this post to him.  

I am thankful to call you my husband.  I am thankful for the beautiful moment we clasped hands, looked into each other's eyes & pledged our vows in front of our nearest & dearest during our marriage ceremony.  I am thankful for the fun, rockstar party that followed.  I am thankful for our sunny, dreamy Hawaiian honeymoon.  I am thankful for the incredible, lovely newlywed times that came after our wedding & honeymoon.  & for the times that were not so happy or easy, I am thankful we weathered the storms together.  I am thankful for our sweet home we share with our sweet pup.  I am thankful that I look forward to the moment you walk through the door every night.  I am thankful for every big & small moment that we make special.  I am thankful for this amazing life that is ours. 

More than words. 

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From Koru Wedding to you & yours: Happy Thanksgiving!

Photography: Timothy Glenn Photographers

For Philippines With Love

 

In remembrance of those affected by Typhoon Haiyan, I am joining Utterly Engaged, Ever Ours and other bloggers in skipping our regular scheduled posts to acknowledge those affected by the typhoon. It's a small but meaningful effort to help raise awareness For Philippines With Love™.

This effort means a lot to me.  You may or may not realize that my husband is Filipino, he is the first generation of his family to be born in the United States.  When I married him, I was honored to become a part of a large, loving Filipino family.  I thank the stars above that our family in the Philippines is safe & sound.  But many, many others are not as lucky.  Please keep the Philippines in your heart & donate if you can.

To learn more about this disaster relief fundraiser, please visit For Philippines With Love™.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Image Credit: For Philippines With Love™

{noteworthy} cupcakes, cupcakes & more cupcakes!

Nothing says summer quite like a cupcake tour in Manhattan!  Oh, is that not an actual saying?  Well, it should be.  It was such a fun way to spend a beautiful summer day with my sister!  That's us, enjoying our sugar tour above.  Knowing how much I adore cupcakes, my aunt had purchased two tickets for The Cupcake Tour of New York by Great New York Tours for us as a Christmas gift.  We saved the tour for a sunny, warm Sunday, when walking through the city & tasting cupcakes sounded perfect.

    
The great cupcake tour met at Union Square, arguably my favorite part of the city, & we walked half a block to Baked by Melissa, a tiny place I have walked past a million times.  Baked by Melissa is famous for its bite-sized, mini cupcakes.  We tried the flavor of the month, Pina Colada, & it was delicious.  Someday I will return to try the signature tie-dye cupcake!

Next, we stopped at Amorino Gelato Artigianale.  Yes, gelato on a cupcake tour!  But once we sampled the incredible, refreshing mango gelato, it became quite clear why a gelato place is included in a cupcake tour.  The gelato is that amazing!

Hands down the cupcake bakery that has my heart, we went to Crumbs Bake Shop next.  I'm a huge fan of Crumbs' gourmet cupcakes & I frequent the Hoboken location a little too much.  I'm happy to report the cupcakes were just as yummy in this NYC location!  We were given our choice of a mini cupcake from their best-seller pack & I was lucky enough to score a tasty cookies and cream cupcake.

After walking through scenic Washington Square Park, we arrived at the charming Molly's Cupcakes to build our own custom cupcake.  Just to sugar us up more than we ever could have imagined, they ran out of mini cupcakes & they offered us regular-sized "Molly" cupcakes instead.  I created a basic vanilla cupcake with french buttercream frosting & topped it with pastel sprinkles.  It looked pretty cute & tasted so good!

When we arrived at the adorable Milk & Cookies Bakery on a charming, tree-lined street in the West Village, my sister & I decided we would take our treat to go.  We skipped the cupcakes in favor of their famous cookies, specifically the Salted Oat Surprise.  I simply couldn't wait until I got home to try it so I ate half of my cookie & I was instantly in cookie heaven! 

Last but not least, we found ourselves on a sweet corner in the West Village at Magnolia Bakery.  Sex & The City fans may recognize this little bakery!  We were treated to a full-size red velvet cupcake with whipped vanilla icing.  My sister & I finally raised our white flag in sugar surrender.  I guess there is such a thing as too many cupcakes.  Those red velvet babies came home with us & my husband & I loved them!

If you're looking for something different to do in Manhattan, I highly recommend The Cupcake Tour of New York.  & not just for the treats, although the cupcakes are obviously the highlight.  The cupcake tour is a fun way to explore the city too.  It gets you away from the hustle & bustle of midtown & showcases some of the more unique, delightful neighborhoods of the city.

One last thing.  Per Molly's Cupcakes, did you know there are cupcake rules?

May your weekend be lovely & sweet!

Photography: Kate Corpuz for Koru Wedding
  

{Guest Posting} Hope Over Heartache

Last week while I was in Key West for a destination wedding, something pretty big happened.  My guest post, Hope Over Heartache, was published in Still Standing Magazine.  I am beyond honored.  Almost one year ago, Still Standing encouraged women like me to share their stories.  I somehow found the courage to write & share my story of life after miscarriage.  From my first story & my following stories, I received tremendous support from family, friends, acquaintances, readers & strangers.  It was simply amazing.  Now that exact story appears on Still Standing Magazine & if it brings just one reader a little peace & comfort, then I have given something back.

In related news, National Infertility Awareness Week is taking place right now.  Its mission is to help change the conversation about infertility, bring infertility support groups to every community and increase access to all family building options.  If you or someone you know suffers from infertility, I encourage you to share National Infertility Awareness Week & Still Standing Magazine with them.  & give them a BIG hug!

If you would like to read my story of life after a miscarriage, please visit Hope Over Heartache in Still Standing Magazine.  Thank you so much from the very bottom of my heart!

Image: Still Standing Magazine

{Still Standing} Tears in the City

Last February, my first pregnancy ended in a miscarriage at 10 weeks.  Since then, I've been on this wild ride of finding the grace & courage to heal & try again, most of which has been documented in my monthly Still Standing posts.  Still Standing Magazine, an online magazine dedicated to embracing life after loss & infertility, hosts The Journey on the first Tuesday of each month & urges woman like me to share where they are in their journey toward motherhood.  I talked about how I felt each month after my miscarriage with 11 Months & 12 Months never being written or published because sometimes my heart just can't handle it.  Now that my miscarriage was over a year ago, I plan to keep up my monthly Still Standing posts, just with more of a free form style.

The Wednesday before Thanksgiving, my husband & I tumbled out of a yellow cab onto the streets of Manhattan for our first infertility appointment.  The familiar city enveloped us quickly with its honking horns, street food smells & rush, rush, rush of people.  We walked a block or two looking for the doctor's office when I spotted them.  Everything else fell away, all I could see or hear was them.

The woman was sobbing & leaning against a wall.  The man was standing near her, whispering to her & holding her hand.  We were standing outside a hospital, she could have been crying for any number of reasons.  Perhaps a loved one received a bleak diagnosis or a loved one passed away.  But no, my heart heard & understood the sad, helpless cries of someone just like me.  Someone who wants to be a mom so badly, yet just seems to face month after month of disappointment & desperation.  My heart went out to her.

The moment came & went in mere seconds as my husband pulled me along to the doctor's office which he had finally located across the street.  Through the glass doors, up the stainless steel elevator & into the hushed world of infertility.  The waiting room was filled with woman of all shapes, sizes & colors.  Ordinary women you could easily pass on the street & never know their struggles to have a child.  Just like me.  Infertility is an invisible, yet very powerful, monster.  

Our first infertility appointment was long & thorough.  I suppose we are counted among the lucky ones.  Large ovarian cysts were found & surgery was scheduled for the cyst removal.  Costly, draining infertility treatments have been avoided.  After the surgery & proper recovery time, we were given the good, happy news that we should be able to conceive naturally.  Hope, albeit a very cautious hope, has come back into our lives; she is welcomed with open arms & hearts.

As we left that first appointment with hope gingerly blossoming in our battered hearts, I saw the crying woman & the quiet man sitting in the waiting room.  They were both silent, her eyes red & puffy, his eyes blank & distant.  I was right, my heart had recognized her cries.  

Now that we are thisclose to our dream of a rainbow baby, I think of the couple often.  I wonder if they still burst into tears on city streets or if they have their happy ending.  I pray & wish for the latter.  Wherever they may be in their journey, may comfort & hope be theirs.           

{Still Standing} 10 Months

Later this week, December 6 will mark 10 months since my first pregnancy ended in a miscarriage.

On the first Tuesday of each month, I link up with The Journey at Still Standing Magazine to discuss where I am on my journey towards motherhood after a devastating miscarriage last February.  No, this monthly post has nothing to do with my true passion, weddings.  But life does continue after the beautiful wedding & it's not always all sunshine & rainbows.  I have gotten through this tough time largely due to the support received, & hopefully given, from Still Standing encouraging me to share my journey.  Here I am at Month 10.

Life has been happening to keep my mind off the miscarriage & its aftermath, things like hurricanes, holidays & ovarian cysts.  Yes, ovarian cysts.  Let me back up for a moment.

After much discussion & research, my husband & I chose a new doctor who specializes in reproductive medicine.  A doctor who can help us figure out why I haven't gotten pregnant again, help me get pregnant & help me stay pregnant until the birth of our healthy rainbow baby.  That's our hope anyway.  I wasn't surprised that many others have the same hopes &, therefore, I had to wait over a month for my first appointment on the day before Thanksgiving.

While others were prepping their turkeys & dusting off their fine china, I had my first appointment which was long & thorough.  The ovarian cysts were discovered during a routine ultrasound.  I have one large & one medium cyst in my right ovary & one large cyst in my left ovary.  Their discovery explains a lot of symptoms I've experienced & blamed on other things.  These unwelcome guests must go; their eviction (surgery) is scheduled for early 2013.

We should have more answers & a better idea of what comes next after the surgery.  For this, I am thankful.  At last!  I feel confident & hopeful that we will be ready for whatever it may be.  Bring it on.  

Thus far, my journey towards motherhood has taken me down, up & all around.  Hope & grief ride the roller coaster with me, although I keep wishing grief's safety belt will break & send him crashing.  Each twist & turn brings something new, usually largely unexpected.  At this stage, I can only hold on tight & hope for the very best!

{Mrs. Monday} Holidays 2012

With Thanksgiving just days away & Christmas right around the corner, I have the holidays on my mind.  It's not all blissful thoughts of love, family & laughter with a nice amount of holiday cookies & cupcakes mixed in.  No, before we can get to the celebration of the holidays, we must face the nitty-gritty logistics of where we are celebrating the holidays. 

Every couple we know has a different approach.  Some host the holidays.  Some spend Thanksgiving with her family, Christmas with his family.  Some split each holiday between her family & his family.  Some spend the holidays with their friends.  There a million different scenarios & the magic trick is finding the one that works best for your baby family.

After years of experimenting, we may have found the perfect solution for us!  RZ & I are following the same formula as last year: Thanksgiving with his family, Christmas Eve with his family & Christmas with my family.  In reality, we consider both our family- I say my family & his family just to for explanation purposes.  This holiday formula worked last year with us spending quality time with all of our loved ones while keeping the travel & stress to a minimum.  Now once we have kids, I'm not so sure the current plan will work anymore but we will cross that bridge when we must.  We will enjoy it while we can!

How do you navigate the holidays? 

Photography: Bring to Light Photography via

{Still Standing} 8 Months

October 6 will mark eight months since my first pregnancy ended in a miscarriage.

On the first Tuesday of each month, I link up with The Journey at Still Standing Magazine to discuss where I am on my journey towards motherhood after a devastating miscarriage in February.  No, this monthly post has absolutely nothing to do with my true passion, weddings.  But life does continue after the beautiful wedding & it's not always a 24/7 fairy tale.  I have gotten through this tough time largely due to the support received, & hopefully given, from Still Standing encouraging me to share my journey.  Here I am at Month 8.   

I won't sugarcoat it: September was really, really hard.  

I would say it has been the worst month since the miscarriage but I know I can only imagine saying that because time has dulled the intense pain & sadness of those first few days, weeks after the miscarriage.  Days when the only reason I got out of bed, got dressed & got out the front door is because my sweet Bailey needs his walks.  Anything else I managed to accomplish was an out & out victory.  Thank God those awful days are far behind me.

& perhaps that it what made September so difficult. 

What gave me hope in the first dark days was the inevitable fact that things had to get easier & better as time marched on.  Save a setback or two, my theory proved to be very true.  Life mercifully went on & the pain thankfully lessened.  Hope grew bigger & brighter.  So I was terribly unprepared for the sadness & gloom of September.  I thought I had come so far, leaps & bounds forward,  only to find myself falling far, far back.  It sucked.

Nothing really made me feel better.  I could find temporary comfort in my husband's smile or our dog's latest antics or other happy moments but the deep, dark sadness always returned.  Hope seemed far, far away.  Tears came fast & easy.  I began to wonder & worry about my happiness, not to mention my sanity.  

Then came an ordinary walk down the street with Bailey.  A walk we take every day, passing the same church, the very same sign.  I'd read the words quite a few times before.  For the first time, I noticed, really noticed, these simple, powerful words*:    

"Patience is trusting in God's timing."  I let those words settle in my mind & heart as the walk continued.  September was supposed to be the month we welcomed our first child into the world.  I'm sad & angry & upset that our dream resulted in a miscarriage.  But it's time to let go of my plans & accept that there is a greater plan in the works.  I have to believe that God has a plan for our family & I have to put my faith in that plan.  Patience.

Patience has brought me back to my much-needed companions on this crazy journey: hope & strength & comfort & faith. 

Whatever your troubles may be, whatever your beliefs may be, I hope "patience is trusting in God's timing" brings you peace & comfort!  

* This is not a religious post in any way, shape or form. Please replace God with Fate, Life, Glinda the Good Witch or whatever you may believe.

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Other brave women are discussing the very same thing on their blogs today & linking with The Journey at Still Standing Magazine.  Please show a little support & love for the others sharing where they stand in their grief journey or motherhood journey: 

(Blog Hop will be inserted here when it goes live- oops! We didn't get a code this month for the hop!) 

{Mrs. Monday} Family Matters

My husband & I got married one year & seven months ago.  Sometimes it seems like just yesterday.  Yet, very sadly, we have said good-bye to two of our guests in that short time.  Just three months later, we lost our dear family friend, Esther.  She is forever missed for her welcoming nature & her out-of-this-world cooking.  Esther's eggplant parmesan was simply the best.  Then, just about two weeks ago, we lost my Uncle Paul.  He was a great man who seemed to effortlessly excel at his many roles in life- husband, dad, handyman, cook, actor, Marine, etc.  I will always remember his long-winded stories, usually accompanied by my Aunt Tami urging him to get to the point, & his helpful driveway traffic control to guide us out of their steep driveway without running over their mailbox.  We miss both of them so very much.  I wish Esther & Uncle Paul were still with us but how lucky were we to have them celebrating our wedding with us? 

At times like these when our memories are everything, I realize our posed wedding photos are oh so important.  The candid photos of Esther & Uncle Paul are precious too but there is just something really special about a good family photo.  Here's my side of the family including Uncle Paul- we're together, we're dressed up, we're happy.  I'll be honest- posing for the family photos was not the most exciting part of our wedding.  It's not easy to gather & arrange large groups of people, yet alone get them to look at the camera & smile at the same time.  A solid plan, good photographer & skilled wedding planner definitely help!  When it's all said & done, we are lucky enough to have a beautiful photo of our beautiful family on our beautiful wedding day to grace the pages of our wedding album, the walls of our home & the heart of our memories.  One moment in time captured & treasured forever.  

The family photo session may take a bit of time away from dancing & celebrating on your wedding day but it is well worth it, my friends.

My Uncle Paul (in the blue tie above) & Esther (not pictured) may not be with us today but they live forever in our hearts. 

Photography: Timothy Glenn Photographers

More Radio Silence

My sweet little blog has been silent this week & will remain so until further notice due to a family matter.  Family always comes first!  They are the love in my life; they are everything to me.  Please have patience with me & I will be back as soon as I can.  Do me a favor- hug your loved ones tight!

Photography: Gabe Aceves via

Easter Spots

Last weekend when my husband mentioned Easter was the following Sunday, I thought it was an April Fool's joke.  I'm serious.  Where is time going?!  Once I checked the calendar & established that he was not kidding, I was left with one night to craft homemade Easter cards for our family. 

Yikes!  No time to shop.  Quickly, I grabbed blank cards, colored pens, patterned papers & scallop paper punch out of my craft armoire & came up with a little something like this:  

A sweet, simple design with just a touch of sparkle: 

 I designed each card around the favorite color of the recipient, like this green palette for my Mom:

 The cards may have been a rush job but I like the pretty spots of color & patterns:

Happy Easter, Happy Passover, Happy Celebrations to you & yours!

Photos by Koru Kate

green crafts & wishes

St. Patrick's Day is special to me, it means more than sipping a Guinness & wearing green.  As a kid & through adulthood, my Mom always prepared us a traditional Irish dinner of corned beef & cabbage.  Now that my Mom has fled lovely Jersey for sunny California, my sister keeps up the tradition & hosts our corned beef & cabbage dinner.  It's always a fun night! 

I can't cook to save my life but I'm handy with paper, scissors & glue so I started a little tradition of my own: making & sending St. Patrick's Day cards to our family & friends.  I enjoy creating a design, making the cards & sending them with love.  This year, I went a modern route by making different, random designs with four, pretty green ribbons & sprinkling in a green shamrock or two.  Each card was unique which was pretty fun.  I put a little dash of Irish love into each & every card!   

The lovely Miss Siobhan kindly agreed to model my 2012 St. Patrick's Day cards.  Of course, there she is up above proudly displaying one design.  Here she is with a few more versions:

Because I'm a sucker for finishing touches, each card was sealed with a cute green shamrock:

I wish I could send a card to each of my wonderful readers!  Since I can't, I've chosen this St. Patrick's Day wish for you:

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Photo 1-3 Koru Kate Photo 4 Seed Factory

Blue.

It has been awhile, my lovely Koru family & friends.

Since we last met, life was pretty great.  Like a warm, bright sunshiney yellow.  My Mom was visiting from California & we were sharing some fun times.  My February 4 wedding was a smashing success.  I was high on life.

Then life dealt me a very devastating blow, one that affects not only me but my husband & our baby family.  I will share this terrible blow soon because I think it's important to talk about.  But I'm not ready yet.  My body, mind & heart need time to recover.  I'm very, very blue & I have no desire to paint myself another color just yet.  

Hold tight, I will be back soon.   

Photo via

Here Comes A Break!

Hi!  Hello?  Are you still there?!  

Oh, how I miss your beautiful faces.  Life is getting pretty, pretty busy.  On Wednesday, my Mom arrived from California for a visit & we're having lots of fun.  On top of that, my first 2012 wedding is coming up on February 4 & I've been working hard to make sure it's absolutely perfect.  Next week looks like more of the same.  Plenty of daughter & wedding planning duties, both of which I adore.  I promise I will be back soon with tons of wedding & crafting fun.  Until then, take care!

Try not to miss me too much :-)

Photo by Brooke Boling Photography via

Welcome, 2012!

Happy New Year!

 2011, I say good-bye with a grateful & sad heart.  I will forever remember you as the year we got married & started our positive new beginning.  What an amazing journey!  But rain is needed to make a rainbow & there's been plenty of sadness.  I lost a dear family friend while many around me said good-bye to loved ones.  What a year.  It's time to move on!     

2012, I am so happy to see your beautiful, promising face.  Another new beginning filled with opportunities & hopes!  My New Year's Resolution is to be the best version of me.  I'd like to be a better wife to my fabulous husband.  A better friend to my dear friends.  A better sister to my sister/best friend.  A better daughter to my sweet Mom.  A better wedding planner to my lovely Brides & Grooms.  A better blogger to my dear readers.  I hold these roles close to my heart & they deserve the best me.  I want to rise to the occasion each & every day to do my best.   

Cheers to being the best we can be in 2012!  I wish you Love & Joy in 2012! 

Photo via

Holiday Card Evolution

In what seemed like a flash of brilliance, I chose to send homemade Christmas cards this year.  I enjoy making cards & I adore the holiday season so why not?  Sure, crafting 50+ Christmas cards would be my largest cardmaking project yet.  Oh yes, of course I would find the time for this project during the busy holiday season. 

Looking back, I identify that moment as a stroke of insanity! 

Allow me to take you on the journey of the Koru Kate Holiday 2011 Card from inspiration (I'm so excited to make my holiday cards!) to reality (What in the world was I thinking?) . . .

Six weeks ago, I pinned a snowflake card as my inspiration:

One trip to Paper Source, one trip to AC Moore & one raid of my craft armoire later, I had Version 1 of my holiday card:

A few minor tweaks of colored card stock & patterned paper later, I was happy with sweet Version 2 of my holiday card:

Bright Version 3 of my holiday card on RZ's choice of classic holiday red card stock:

A few more of lovely Version 2 on my choice of icy blue card stock:

I'm a complete sucker for details so every card has a snowflake stamped on its butt:

I'm pretty proud of my humble holiday cards.  We dropped the first batch in the mail last night; the second batch should be ready this evening.  I've glued my fingers together, I've smudged countless snowflakes, I've wondered if the project would ever end.  But there is a definite satisfaction knowing I created our newlywed holiday cards with care & love for our family & friends.

Will I make my holiday cards next year?  Ha, by then I will have forgotten the insanity & I will think it's a fabulous idea!  

Photo 1 via, Photo 2-6 by Koru Kate

Thankful.

Him, I am so thankful for him

Photo by the great Timothy Glenn Photographers

Thankful.  Very, very thankful.

My husband RZ is at the tippy top of my gratitude list this Thanksgiving.  I dedicate this post to him.  

I am thankful to call you my husband.  I am thankful for the beautiful moment we clasped hands, looked into each other's eyes & pledged our vows in front of our nearest & dearest during our marriage ceremony.  I am thankful for the fun, rockstar party that followed.  I am thankful for our sunny, dreamy Hawaiian honeymoon.  I am thankful for the incredible, lovely newlywed times that came after our wedding & honeymoon.  & for the times that were not so happy or easy, I am thankful we weathered the storms together.  I am thankful for our sweet home we share with our sweet pup.  I am thankful that I look forward to the moment you walk through the door every night.  I am thankful for every big & small moment that we make special.  I am thankful for this amazing life that is ours. 

More than words. 

Dear Koru Family & Friends, I wish you the most Happy Thanksgiving!  

Holidays, Newlywed-Style

Oh, the holidays!


I love celebrating the holidays in all their festive glory!  It's the most wonderful time of the year.  The grand holiday marathon starts with spooky Halloween, works its way through family & food-filled Thanksgiving, continues with family & gift-filled Christmas, then ends with the champagne pop of New Year's Eve.  This marathon has been all the sweeter with RZ by my side.  &, honestly, a bit more complicated.


How do you handle holidays as a couple?


We had no formal holiday agreement before I had my pretty sparkler on my finger.  My family is scattered throughout the country with a good chunk in California & a small chunk here in Jersey.  His family lives about one hour away.  For the most part, we spent Thanksgiving with his family.  Then we would spend Christmas apart with our respective families.  Don't even get me started on our senior dog Gucci- he had to split his holidays with us too.  I spent his final Christmas Eve without him while he celebrated with RZ & his family.  Craziness!  This holiday approach served us well for awhile but its days were numbered.  Everything else aside, we missed each other too much.


Cue our first holidays as an engaged couple last year.  There was no question that we would not be spending the holidays apart; those days were in our past.  We, including our new pup Bailey, would be together for the holidays.  We decided to take the split-the-day approach & put as many miles as possible on our car.  RZ & I spent Thanksgiving afternoon chilling with my family, then took off & enjoyed a Thanksgiving feast with his family.  Christmas Eve with his family, Christmas day with my family.  It worked fairly well.   


Now we're facing the holiday season as newlyweds, our very first holidays as husband & wife.  It's so special I can hardly stand it!  This year, we're flying by the seat of our pants & Bailey is coming along for the wild holiday ride.  I suppose we're still searching for that perfect holiday solution that keeps us happy, as well as our families.  Does it exist?  Thanksgiving will be celebrated with his family.  Phew, only one car trip!  Christmas will probably shake down to Christmas Eve with his family & Christmas with my family.  To be decided.


I can't imagine negotiating the holidays once we have kids!  It seems a bit like mission impossible.


One thing we have figured out is that we must celebrate holidays together.  Just as we are better together, holidays are much, much better together.

Photo by/Print available at Etsy in blushface's shop