Bedtime Read

Every night before she goes to sleep, we read a bedtime book. My favorite is one that her Grandma got her. It's Time to Sleep, My Love, by Nancy Tillman and Eric Metaxas, has beautiful pictures and such sweet words. My favorite part:

You're dreams will be arriving soon.

They'll float to you 

in sleep's balloon. 

They'll be here when I snuff the wick,

you'd better close your eyelids quick.

So you can dream, my love, my love.

So you can dream, my love. 

And as you dream inside your sleep,

the fishes crooning in the deep, and 

all the songbirds up above 

will sleep and dream of you, my love,

of you, the one I love. 

Do you read to your child(ren) before bed? If so, what is your favorite book? 

Aquarium

While at the beach, we visited Ripley's Aquarium. The whole family enjoyed it. If you are ever in the area, check it out. 

A homecoming, a beach trip, and a godfather

The last several weeks have been quite busy. 

1) The Hubs came home! Him and Caitlyn are buddies! 

2 & 3) We went to the beach for the first time with the baby. She didn't hate it! 

4) Caitlyn got to meet her godfather (aka Adam's brother-by-another mother) for the first time. It was love at first sight for both of them. 

Today, I felt...

like a Rockstar. I took pictures at a charity golf tournament while toting around a 5.5 month old. Yes, today I felt like a rockstar. Pics and more info to come.

things i love

baby smiles

Bailey

brothers

This post brought to you by the letter "b."

Summertime

Last week coming home from the beach, we drove through this: 

Can you find the road? Yea, neither could we. 

But about five minutes later, we were driving through this: 

Blue skies and fluffy clouds ahead! I think there is something so beautiful about blue sky peaking through gray, fluffy clouds.  

It's Crazy Around Here

Here are just a few things that have been going on around here:
~ New flowers on the porch
~ Hawaii wall finished (pictures and story to come)
~ Sick baby
~ Picked up a freelance job which is turning into multiple jobs.
~ Celebrated Father's Day with my Dad and my younger brother Tyler. It's a LONG story, but it was our first one all together. Fun day!
~ Getting the house ready for Adam to come home! I can now say that he is on his way HOME! Woohoo! Please keep your fingers crossed for no delays. Last time he flew home it took 48 hours, we aren't trying to duplicate that trip.

AND...

You can now call me Aunt Jess. I would like to introduce Logan. He was two weeks early, but is a big boy (8lb 12oz and 21 3/4" long). He weighed exactly 2lbs more than Caitlyn when she was born. Isn't he adorable? I haven't been able to meet him yet, but I'm already quite smitten.


Things have been BUSY but exciting!

Holy Sweat Balls

I didn't really know what to title this post so Holy Sweat Balls it is. Seriously though, we are sweating balls over here. See that's what happens when you live in the South and your AC conks out. Did I mention that yesterday it was 96 out and today it's 94. This means that our apartment has been sitting between 88 and 92 degrees for over 12 hours. Ugh! Sweat balls!

The repairman has fixed the problem, but do you know how long it takes to cool off a 92 degree apartment? Hope the rest of you are having a cooler day.

Proud Day

I love this man! I'm constantly proud of all that he has accomplished. He is an incredible husband and father. He is also a great soldier. He has truly made the difference in the lives of several of his soldiers. From marital issues to encouraging them to go to college, he strives to put his soldiers first. Today we found out that he will be getting promoted on June 1st. I have been grinning like a Cheshire cat all evening. Congrats hubby!

The Big 3-0

A few days ago, I turned 30. Oh 3-0, where did you come from? Want to know a little secret? I was excited to leave my 20's. My twenties were an adventure but a tumultuous adventure. Don't believe me, but I really am excited to move into my 30's. Don't get me wrong, it feels impossible that I am thirty.  Perhaps that's why I am so ok being 30, I still feel 25, and according to my brother, am still look like I should be carded. 

Here are the 20's highlights:

~ study abroad in France

~ college 

~ watching my brother Josh graduate high school and four years later college

~ meeting my other brother, Tyler 

~ meeting, dating, and marrying Adam

~ buying and paying off my first car

~ Bailey

~ re-connecting with multiple friends, especially B, thanks to the internet

~ my "Sons"

~ Maui

~ having Caitlyn

~  a job that led me to meet great friends and my future husband

~ dancing with a company in SC and then in college

Here are a few of the low points:

~ the death of two childhood friends

~ the loss of my Granny, great-aunt, and grandmother

~ multiple goodbyes to "sons", friends, and Adam

See my 20's were pretty good! There were some major lows, but the good definitely outweighed the bad. Notice I didn't put regrets up there. Well, I don't really have any. Are there things that aren't so pretty in my past? Sure, BUT they got me to where I am today. If I changed those things, my life would not be what it is today.

How did you feel about turning 30? Did you embrace it or run from it?

P.S. Are we really so silly to think that we can "run" from aging? 

Thankful Thursday

Today and everyday, I'm thankful for...

Baby Girl - She makes me smile everyday! 

Skype! Baby Snick gets to skype with her Daddy almost everyday. She loves it. She tries to get as close to the computer as she can. Her Daddy loves it because she gives him big smiles and Coos. 

Baby Shower

While I was pregnant, we had a lot of crazy stuff going on with our families. On top of that, we weren't sure if Adam was actually leaving, and if so, when. With all that said, my family baby shower was held the Saturday before Mother's Day. In hindsight, we was a great time to have it. I mean, a baby shower is really about the baby. I loved introducing Caitlyn to her all the crazy, wonderful women in our family. Since I am the unofficial family photographer, I only have a couple pictures from that day. 

One of the cutest baby shower cakes I've ever seen. It was as delicious as it was cute. 

Meeting BB. She is one of my 2nd Mommas. So special! 

Poor C, she was so overwhelmed by all the people.

My aunt got C this hat. So cute even though it probably won't fit her until next summer. 

Have you or someone you know had a non-traditional baby shower? What did you think about it?