Simple And Quiet Words

Excessive Dry Skin!

Kyle

Kyle, my youngest, was born the cutest, roundest, little 7lb baby boy ever! Only because Aiden was born 8lbs. :) He was tiny & pink and loved more than anything in that moment. After taking him home from the hospital and upon closer inspection we noticed that our perfect little bundle had small patches of dryness on his legs.

We asked his doctor on his first visit & were told that it was normal and would go away on its own. Well it didn't. At the next couple visits we were recommended Aquaphor. A greasy, Vaseline looking product which to me was only covering up Kyle's dryness and not really treating it. We were then recommended to use Aveeno. Now while this worked to some extent, it wasn't working well enough. Partly because while the moisturizer was great, we weren't using the right body wash. We were using the regular Aveeno Baby shampoo and body wash instead of the moisturizing version with cleanses without drying out the skin. We were finally getting somewhere. We went from moisturizing every couple hours to only twice a day. This eventually grew monotonous. 

Aiden 2.5 yrs old - Kyle 1.5 days old

Sofia Vergara & Joe Maganiello's Wedding Day!

Sofia & Joe are now officially off the market! The nuptuals were exchanged around 7:30pm on Sunday. Sofia wore a Zuhair Murad gown & Joe wore a John Varvatos tux.

A photo posted by Sofia Vergara (@sofiaverga

A photo posted by Sofia Vergara (@sofiavergara) on Nov 22, 2015 at 6:12pm PST

Goodnight. Gracias @mindyweiss @jeffleatham @zuhairmuradofficial @lorraineschwartz for helping us make our dream come true????????

A photo posted by Sofia Vergara (@sofiavergara) on Nov 23, 2015 at 1:55am PST

The couple exchanged wedding bands designed by Lorraine Schwartz.

Guests, who were asked to make donations to St. Jude's Children's Hospital and Children's Hospital Pittsburgh in lieu of gifts, included Julie Bowen, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Ariel Winter, Eric Stonestreet, Channing Tatum, Sarah Hyland, Reese Witherspoon, Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer and Ed O'Neill.

Sofia's #squad - congrats @joemanganiello & @sofiavergara -- we love you! #jofia

A photo posted by Jesse Tyler Ferguson (@jessetyler) on Nov 23, 2015 at 6:59am PST

Sofia Vergara & Joe Manganiello's Wedding Weekend Day 2

Its the day before the big day! The day started with going to the pool. Sofia wore a gorgeous white dress from Martha Medeiros.

"know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams." To @sofiavergara and @joemanganiello #sweetchildofmine #sweetloveofmine #loveofmylife #jofia #thecutestthing

A video posted by Valentina Micchetti (@valemicchetti) on Nov 21, 2015 at 10:47pm PST

Sofia Vergara & Joe Manganiello's Wedding Weekend - Day 1

The couple are currently in Palm Beach. And while its only an hour or so drive away and as much as I LOOOOOVE Sophia & Joe (we're on a 1st name basis) I'll try my best to not be a wedding crasher.

They started dating in the summer of 2014 and were engaged six months later.
In September, Vergara opened up to "Good Morning America" about her upcoming wedding.

"I don�t have the dress. I know who�s making my dress, but it�s not ready," she said, adding she is kind of a bridezilla. "I am very detail-oriented so I am kind of like a nightmare. I have a very good memory. If you show me swatches of things, I can in two months exactly remember, �What happened with the one with the little border that had the little print?� I�m like, really bad.�

We r almost ready!! @jeffleatham ??????????

A photo posted by Sofia Vergara (@sofiavergara) on Nov 20, 2015 at 1:54pm PST

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A photo posted by Claudia Vergara (@cdvergara) on Nov 20, 2015 at 8:46am PST

We're not slurring our words; we are speaking in cursive. #Jof�a

A photo posted by Manolo Gonzalez Vergara, Esq. (@manologonzalezvergara) on Nov 20, 2015 at 11:57am PST

Wedding Wednesday - Cake Porn

There are a ton of options out there when it comes to wedding cakes. Whether you choose to go traditional or alternative is entirely up to you. In this list I'm showing you 7 to choose from.
Tiered fruitcake with marzipan (traditional): This is the standard type of wedding cake that has a long history behind it, and is said to be modeled on London's Bride's Church (England). This cake is rich and not everyone likes the taste or the formality of this kind of cake.

Wedding Wednesday - Create The Perfect Wedding Website

You're engaged! Congratulations! In order to spread the exciting news forget the phone chain that your mom is planning and create a wedding website filled with all the information you're dying to share and your guests can't wait to read -- like how much of a discount you can get them at the hotel? And where you're registered so they can buy you a gift you actually want?

Today, you no longer need to be, or marrying, a web developer to create a chic site filled with all the essentials:
Your Love Story: To share how you met and fell in love
A Who's Who of the Bridal Party: Because who doesn't want to know!
The Fine Details: Where and when you'll wed
Gift Guidance: The shops and sites you've registered at
Guest Book: So friends and family can write how cute you two look in your engagement photos


There are dozens of websites and tools you can use to create a stylish-looking wedding site a/k/a "wedsite" with costs ranging from free to a few hundred dollars.

Want a site to match the look and feel of your wedding stationery? Pick a company that has templates through a stationery designer like NearlyWeds and WeddingWire (Wedding Paper Divas) or AppyCouple and theknot.com (Minted). Want a site that will crowdsource wedding photos? Try WeddingWoo. And for couples who want more than just a "flat" site, create a Google+ account so you can "Hangout" with the bridal party and vendors to make important decisions and post links to key information, or make a digital magazine of your love story and wedding plans with GLOSSI, which you can embed into a site or just share the link for guests to flip through.

Here's a snapshot of some of the best websites and tools to help you make the ultimate wedsite:

Wedding Woo

Stemming from a couple�s desire to create a customized wedsite for their own wedding, the team behind WeddingWoo developed a site for couples who want an easy way to create a fully customized wedding website. Each of their templates can be customized with a full-page background photo.

Favorite Feature: WeddingWoo helps its customers create their own wedding hashtag, so all of the tagged photos in Instagram are automatically displayed on the couple�s wedding website for easy crowd sourced photos. All pictures can easily be downloaded.

Pricing: Free for a 7-day trial, then customers can choose a 1-year plan for $39 or a 2-year plan for $59.

Privacy Policy: Password protection option available

Appy Wedding

Unique to other sites, Appy Couple offers a mobile app which syncs in real time with your website. The app includes push messaging, photo sharing, wedding countdown clock, travel details and more, giving your wedding guests all the details for your big day in the palm of their hands.

Favorite Feature: Guests can take photos using the app at any wedding-related event and they�ll be uploaded to your app�s gallery page for everyone to see.

Partnerships: Appy Couple is partnered with FineStationery, Wedding Paper Divas, and Minted, so your wedding app and site can coordinate with your wedding stationery.

Price: Couples are charged $28 to create an app and website. The app is free for guests to download.

Privacy Policy: Couples can decide what they want each person to access, allowing them to post private events that only invited guests can see. Couples can also decide if they want their site to be searchable online or if they choose to be in the Appy Couple directory.

Riley and Grey

Just launched Riley & Grey is an invitation-only site, which offers limited-edition designs with custom domains that are simply stunning to look at, filled with all the need-to-know info your guests are looking for, and available on the go with mobile and tablet friendly versions too. The web 3.0 designs are inspired by various themes, including of the moment Gatsby (shown here) or filled with personal images of the happy couple.

Favorite Feature: Riley & Grey allows you to include a range of functionality to your wedsite, including RSVP collection, a guest address collector, and site support through a live person who can answer questions as well as walk you through site setup.

Price: Three pricing structures, include: a $35 monthly fee, an annual fee of $240 (40% savings), or if your wedding is over a year away, you can reserve a design (they are retired every few months) and custom domain for a one-time $35 fee, which will be put towards your account when you decide to publish the site.

Privacy Policy: Password protection feature available.

Wedding Jojo

With a watercolor design, Wedding Jojo automatically gives off a warm, romantic vibe. There are two site options to choose from: The �Taster� offers limited features, and the �Full Slice� offers unlimited photo storage, custom domain, and your own wedding blog to update friends and family with planning news.

Favorite Feature: The selection of template designs range from vintage to modern, including geometric and floral patterns in a wide range of pretty colors.

Partnerships: Several templates were designed by the team at Martha Stewart Weddings.

Pricing: Free or $14.99/month for the �Full Slice� plan.

Privacy Policy: With the premium plan privacy options include: Password protection, disabling search engine indexing, and per guest privacy options.

Jamaican Corn beef & Cabbage

Daily Musings Of My Life - Disney On Ice

I'm still not sure if the boys enjoyed Disney On Ice as much as I did. They featured all of the classics so it was right up my alley. I think the boys loved the cotton candy, popcorn & Mickey Mouse way more than anything else. Oh and Captain Hook.

If your kids have seen the classic Disney movies they'll definitely love it and I do recommend it as an awesome family experience.

Wedding Wednesday - Creating The Perfect Registry

Jamaican Cornmeal Porridge

Wedding Wednesday - How To Accommodate Kids At Your Wedding

In the beginning of  wedding planing, one of the questions always asked is should we have kids at the wedding. Kids get loud and cranky. But for those of you with large, extended families, not having your nieces, nephews, younger siblings & children of your own at your wedding is not even an option. Here are a few ideas on how to keep your mini guests feel welcomed and stay entertained.

Wedding Wednesday - Engagement Photos

I know I wanted to look glamorous but I wanted it to be at a park. A mix of luxury and country in a sense. And funny enough, after many many days of scrolling through wedding themes and colors online and on Instagram, I've decided that my wedding theme will be "Black Tie Bohemian". I love the thought of everyone dressed up in gorgeous gowns and tuxedos while celebrating outdoors, surrounded by nature.


Something else that I decided on were wedding colors. Black, White, Nude, Blush & Gold. Which all sounds like a lot but all those are neutrals and go so perfectly together. Also, Black, white & nude is what we're wearing in these photos here. These colors were not even in my mind to be my wedding colors when we did this shoot.


When doing your shoot, focus on being happy & in the moment. Your photographer will probably ask you to kiss less or lower an arm but he should be able to work around what the two of you are doing while shooting. Try to enjoy every moment of it. Worry less about posing, all our posed pics looked too fake and didn't make the cut for us. Everything you see here is just us in our element, enjoying each other.


Try to enjoy the wedding planning process. Take on each assignment one at a time and ask for help if you need it.




Do you have engagement photos that you want to share?
Send me an email, I would love to feature you.
- TheFourFiveFour@gmail.com

Wedding Wednesday - Top 10 Invitation Etiquette Q&As

Your invites are one of the most important elements in your day because they provide guests with crucial information. And while some details of your wedding don't follow a strict set of rules, your invitations do have a set of hard-and-fast rules to follow. Scan these etiquette Q&As for answers to your most pressing wedding-invite-related questions.

1. When should we send out our wedding invitations?

Traditionally, invitations go out six to eight weeks before the wedding -- that gives guests plenty of time to clear their schedules and make travel arrangements if they don't live in town. If it's a destination wedding, give guests more time and send them out three months ahead of time. Most couples also send out save-the-date cards. They go out at six to eight months.

2. When should we make the deadline for RSVPs?

Make your RSVP date two to three weeks before your wedding date -- this will allow enough time for you to get a final head count to the caterer (one week before) and to finalize your seating chart. If some guests still haven't responded by your deadline, give them a quick call and ask for their RSVPs (still via mail) so you have all their information.

3. Where do we include information about our wedding website?

Your wedding website should be included on your save-the-date. A simple �AmandaandJon.com," is all you really need. If you'd like (or if you don't have save-the-dates), you can include the web address in the formal invitations with an insert -- a small card that informs guests they can find more details online.

4. Can we include our registry info on our invitations or save-the-dates?

In a word, no. Including registry info on the wedding invitations or save-the-dates is still considered impolite because it can come off as though you're asking for gifts. Tell your wedding party, parents and close friends where you are registered, and let them fill guests in. Plus, most guests will know that all that extra information (that they didn't find on the invitation) is on your wedding website.

5. We're having an adults-only wedding (no kids). How can we make sure this is clear to our guests?

Address your invitations correctly -- to each guest by name, not �and guest" -- and guests should understand that the invite is meant for only those mentioned. If you find that some reply with their children's names added, give them a call and explain that you're having an adults-only wedding and that you hope they can still attend. If there are a lot of kids in your family, you may want to consider hiring or arranging for a babysitter. It's definitely not required, but it's a nice gesture. Just be sure to include this information on the wedding website.

6. How do we let guests know our dress code?

The easiest way to get your point across is to include a dress code in the lower right-hand corner of the invite or on a reception card; �black-tie," �cocktail attire" or �casual attire" are all acceptable. Your invitation design will also clue guests in. An ultra-formal, traditional invite with letterpress and calligraphy will give guests a hint to the formal nature of the event, whereas a square invite with a playful font and bright colors would fit a much more casual style. Another way is to direct guests to your wedding website, where you can go into more detail about the weekend events and dress code in a more informal forum.

7. Do we have to invite every guest with a date or a �plus-one"?

No, you don't have to. If a guest isn't married or in a serious relationship, it's perfectly acceptable to invite them solo. Most guests will understand that without �and Guest" or another name on the invitation means they aren't invited with a plus-one. While it's always nice to invite everyone with a guest, if you're having a small wedding, your family and friends should understand your reasoning. What to do if a guest RSVPs for two? Call them up and explain that you're having an intimate wedding and, unfortunately, you were not able to invite everyone with a guest. But if you realize that nearly everyone will be coupled up, extend a plus-one invitation to your few single friends and family.

8. Where do you put the return address on wedding invitations?

The return address usually goes on the back flap of the envelope. Also, the return address used should be that of the person(s) whom you've designated to receive response cards -- be it your parents or you (traditionally, whoever is hosting the wedding handles response cards). Don't forget that the RSVP envelope should also be printed with this address (and should include postage).

9. If our wedding reception is for immediate family only, is it okay to invite people to the ceremony only?

Not really. Everyone who attends the ceremony (or bridal shower, engagement party or wedding reception) should be invited to the wedding -- that means the ceremony and the reception. In your case, by inviting guests to one and not the other, you're basically saying you want them there for the actual ceremony but you either don't want to pay for their plate at your party or don't care enough to have them there to actually celebrate your newly-married status.

10. I invited my friend and her boyfriend (by name on the invite) to the wedding, but they recently broke up. Now she wants to bring a friend I don't like -- can I tell her no?

Because you worded the invitation correctly by having her boyfriend's name on the envelope (rather than �and guest"), you have every right to say no. As a rule, invitations are nontransferable when people are invited by name. Try explaining that you're not friendly with her proposed guest and you'd prefer that the wedding be limited to very good friends and family. If you invited all of your single friends sans dates, let her know she won't be the only one coming solo (in case that's her worry).

Wedding Wednesday - Pre-Ceremony Cocktails

I was going to jump into receptions but I think we should continue with ceremonies.
I've always wanted the vibe at my wedding to be fun, filled with good people and lots of drinking! The decision to have a pre-ceremony cocktail was solidified for me after attending a wedding this past weekend where the ceremony started an hour late. I thought to myself, "what if this happened on my day?" I want to have my guests sipping on something refreshing while they wait for me to make my grand entrance. I figure I have three options here.

or you could go all out and have a pre-ceremony cocktail hour

1. Sparkling Cider
2. Champagne
3. Signature Drink

Banana Fritters

One of the best things about going to the country for weekends and holidays is waking up to the amazing smell of banana fritters peeling out of the kitchen. Today I decided to wake my family up with the familiar fragrance. Especially since we had over ripened bananas.

Wedding Wednesday - Ceremony Style

To kick off Wedding Wednesday, I'm gonna talk about the different ceremony styles there are for you to choose from.

The first step in the wedding planning process is choosing what type of wedding you want to have since that determines many of your later decisions. Unless you are committed to a religious ceremony, which typically follows an unwavering path, you have a dozen different options for how and where you will tie the knot.