Life with Lyla

Getting ready for Lowen's arrival!

2012-02-10T14:43:00.000-08:00

My C-Section is scheduled for 3 weeks from today!!! Which means it's countdown time! I know how fast weeks fly by in our lives and it will truly be here in a blink! Last night, my community group girls threw me the sweetest baby shower. It was SO much fun, so thoughtful, and got me even more excited for Lowen's arrival!! I officially feel prepared now that I have wipes, diapers, swaddle blankets, and some adorable outfits and shoes that aren't Lyla hand-me-downs. :) Once again, the infamous Katie Henry completely outdid herself and made it SO stinkin' adorable. They did a Pound Cake Bar, complete with regular, chocolate chip, and keylime pound cakes...with any topping you can imagine to go on them. Talk about some hard decisions!! I mean, how cute is this...

36 week belly!

I was seriously blown away by the creativity of my friends. All the above gifts were handmade! Haley made the little towel with the birdies, AND the matching shirt and onesie with guitars on them for Lyla and Lowen to wear!!! LOVE! Kelly made that sling and the shoes!! Seriously impressed. And Lauren made the 2 adorable onesies. I was so touched by the time they put into these, and can't wait for Lowen to wear each of them!

And here's a pile of all of Lowen's new things!!! Absolutely love every single thing. I have some generous friends!!

And now for a peek at the nursery! I can't believe how little time, money, and effort I've put into it. Yet, I absolutely love it! Literally the only things I bought were the $10 curtain panels from Walmart, and the frames for the prints above the dresser from Walmart as well. Everything else was Lyla's or borrowed from Katie or Julia!

Now all we need is Lowen! (although not for another 3 weeks please!) :)

Picture Catch-up

2012-01-25T14:16:00.000-08:00

When Lyla got her Bitty Baby for Christmas, I asked her what she wanted to name her and she said "Baby Lowen", so this baby doll has been her practice baby sister until the real deal comes. She is (usually) so sweet and nurturing with her (you know, when she's not throwing her across the room), and it makes me really excited to see her take this big sister role so seriously. She loves to bathe her, feed her, put her to bed, strap her in her carseat for errands (and she always has her diaper bag in tow when we are going somewhere), and they even dress alike sometimes! :)

changing her diaper

putting her to bed (she goes through the whole routine...reads her a book, turns on her pretend sound machine, prays with her, kisses her, then tiptoes out. So sweet!!)

Just stopping mid-breakfast to check her heartbeat.

The other day, Sawyer and Ava came over for a playdate. Lyla LOVES her time with her friends...

Brooklyn wanted to join the photo shoot!

Another morning time playdate with Sawyer! YAY! (please notice Lyla and Baby Lowen's matching PJ's)

Jam Session with Daddy!! Lyla seriously thinks she's a rockstar and takes her guitar playing very seriously. She often talks about the rock band she's going to be in and says that Sawyer is going to play the drums, she's going to play the guitar (or "Tee-Car" as she calls it), and Lowen is going to be the lead singer with a microphone (she always adds the microphone part). When I ask her who's going to play the keyboard, she says "Katie" as in Sawyer's mom. I can't WAIT for a front row seat to that concert!!!!

And when she's not in Rockstar mode, she's into...

dressing up

playing beauty parlor (seriously, MULTIPLE times a day! She even sucks Daddy into it when he gets home from work. And, yes, the blanket is her cape.)

A sure sign of things to come...wanting to climb into Daddy's lap as soon as he has a baby to feed. :)

And, yes, more rockstar.

And more dress up.

As this girl becomes more and more TWO years old (aka lots of fits and drama), it's a good thing she's CUTE and keeps us laughing. And is still so stinkin' sweet...you know, when she's not throwing a fit. :)

Our time in T-town

2012-01-24T12:59:00.000-08:00

John David had a guy's duck hunting trip in Ashdown this past weekend, so Lyla and I rode with him to spend the weekend in Texarkana with his family. Of course, Lyla had an absolute blast...

she's obsessed with her pink jeep at Jan Jan and Pop's house!!

And the awesome playset in their backyard!

I told Lyla to look at me for the pic, and this is the face I got. ha!

I mean, way to go Jan Jan and Pop! They do not disappoint when it comes to playtime! :)

John David got Lyla this little basketball, and she stuck it under her shirt to look like mommy :)

Lyla and her cousin, John Morris

And we finally got to meet baby Wyatt, Brandon and Suzanne's little boy. Lyla's got some cute younger boys to protect her! :)

Name Reveal...

2012-01-23T16:01:00.000-08:00

Most of you already know the name of Lyla's baby sister, but in honor of her name sake's birthday today, I figured I'd make it blog official. :)

Coming in about 5 and a half weeks, I introduce to you...

Lowen Lee Blagg

{I got this old antique door as a wedding gift about 6 years ago, and this past weekend, I had my talented sister-in-love Ali transform it into a piece of art to hang above the crib. Could not LOVE it more!!!!! And I'm loving the symmetry of her monogram.}

{also, these burp cloths arrived in the mail today, making it feel very official!!!}

LOWEN is after my very best friend growing up. As you can see, we've known each other since we were teeny tiny...

We have more memories together than I could even begin to count. We were bridesmaids in each other's weddings, and although we've lived long distance for a long time, she will always be one of those friends who we pick up with each other right where we left off. If you check out her blog, you'll see that she's incredibly cool, talented, and creative and I just absolutely adore her to death!!! I'm so excited to have a daughter named after such a special, life-long friend!! (and it helps that she has one of the coolest names EVER and that I love the way it sounds with Lyla) :)

LEE is after John David's sister, Alison Lee (you know...the same SIL who painted the monogram) :) This is really special to me as well because Lyla's middle name is MY sister's middle name (Whitney Kathryn), so I thought it would be neat for both of our girls to share middle names with their Aunts...obviously 2 VERY special girls to us as well!! :) Also, Lee is a family name with 2 other great grandparents on John David's side.

So, there you have it. Can't wait to meet you Baby Lowen!!! (that's what Lyla calls her...except it's "Baby Yowen") Oh, and a very happy birthday to the original Lowen!! :) Thanks for sharing your awesome name with our daughter!! We love you so much!

Bauer Turns Two!!

2012-01-12T08:52:00.000-08:00

We went Dallas last weekend to celebrate Bauer turning 2! A wonderful time with family, as always!

Friday night, we picked up Chili's and ate a feast at the Eoff's while we watched the Cotton Bowl. When the kiddos weren't cheering on the Hogs, they were watching Fresh Beat Band on the IPad...

or getting mani/pedis from Olivia...

or pretending to be part of the team...

On Saturday, we headed over to the Eoff's once again for Bauer's Safari themed birthday party! It was SO much fun! The weather was gorgeous, so all the kids had a blast jumping on the trampoline and playing outside. Buster the Clown even made an appearance to make balloons and entertain the kids. Lyla wasn't too sure about Buster the Clown. She kept a very safe distance, for sure.

Although, she DID have fun giggling with the birthday boy...

and enjoying the delicious treats...

Everything was absolutely adorable! Whitney did an incredible job!!

Love the monkey's hanging from the trees:

Lyla strutted around in these high heels half the party, feeling oh so sassy...

More silly pics of our girl having SO much fun:

We LOVE you so so much Bauer!!! So thankful we got to be there to celebrate your precious life!!!

Yellow Rock

2012-01-04T12:32:00.000-08:00

John David had the day off on Monday, so we took advantage and went on a hike at Devil's Den with the Coles. We grabbed some lunch and ate a little picnic when we got there. Although it was cold, I was so bundled that I actually got hot on our hike. It felt so good to be outside, get a little exercise, and enjoy God's creation!

Ringin' in the New Year

2012-01-03T12:48:00.000-08:00

What a wonderful New Year's weekend we had!! We spent Thursday through Sunday at Big Cedar Lodge in Branson with John David's family. The weather was absolutely gorgeous, and it was the perfect mix of relaxing in the cabin by the fire and enjoying some fun activities outside...and of course, eating lots of delicious meals. :)

Thursday night, we celebrated Cody's birthday with a fun dinner out and then back to the cabin for Jana's famous chocolate cake...

We finally got to meet John David's stepsister's beautiful baby girl...

Sweet Katy. She is just 2 months old, and seriously, how gorgeous is she??

On Friday, we spent the day at Silver Dollar City. I had never been before, and we will most definitely be going back! It was especially gorgeous around Christmas time with all the lights. Of course, Lyla hasn't stopped talking about it.

Sweet John Morris hung out in his Daddy's jacket the entire day...even took a good nap in there!

What's the point of an amusement park if you don't eat some funnel cake?

Told you...napping away, as content as can be.

This was Lyla's reaction after waiting in line for 30 minutes to ride the teacup ride...only to be rejected for being too short. So close, but not close enough. Next year, Lyla, next year.

Meanwhile, these 2 didn't even know what they were missing!

And thankfully we soon discovered the toddler park with perfect Lyla-sized rides...

JD being reprimanded by an elf to buckle up. I think John David's response was, "I don't think there's any way I'm falling out of this thing."

"one more time, Daddy, please!!"

Mommy's turn to ride the froggy ride with Lyla!

I really think I had more fun than Lyla...I was giggling and squealing the whole time and Lyla was cool as a cucumber.

Back to the cabin after a fun day...can't get enough of this sweet face!

John David took full advantage of the robes left for us...a running joke throughout the weekend. ha!

Lyla got a much needed haircut from Aunt Ali. Yay!!!

And then it was Bitty Baby's turn.

Lyla was so excited about seeing the horses, but of course, once we got there, she was scared of them. Which is good because she was too young to ride them anyway. I don't think her little heart could have handled any more rejection after Silver Dollar City. :)

So, we headed to the indoor pool instead where Lyla had a BLAST swimming with her Daddy...

On New Year's Eve, we posed for a few family pics, picked up some dinner to take back to the cabin, and enjoyed some bananagrams and TV by the fire before falling asleep before we even saw the ball drop. My kind of New Year's Eve. (although we did hear the HUGE fireworks show right outside our window at midnight...and I was happy to be celebrating with my eyes shut.) :)

Jan Jan and Pop with all 3 Grandkids

I had to take advantage of actually having make-up on and something other than PJ's and get a 30 week belly pic.

And Ali had to take advantage of the chance to make fun of me. :)

And the award for the most photogenic family goes to the Deals!

As you can see, we had a BLAST!

Happy New Year!!

I'm so excited for 2012...to meet our new addition to the family, and to learn how to survive life with 2! I'm assuming it will be through LOTS of prayer and dependence on Jesus! So, that's my New Year's Resolution...more of HIM, less of me.

Thoughts on Pregnancy at 30 weeks...

2011-12-28T11:58:00.000-08:00

This mama is getting BIG and feeling every bit of it! Here I am with my little Mall Walking buddy this morning...she wanted to pose with me in our sweat suits. :) So, in no particular order, here are my random thoughts about pregnancy thus far:

ALL I crave are sweets and carbs. (and coffee...would drink it ALL day long if I could) So, my latest "indulgence" to give into my cravings without driving through chickfila every hour for a peppermint milkshake (which is what I really want to do) is to eat a bowl of grapenuts with tons of berries on it. This has become my breakfast every morning, and often an afternoon or evening snack. SO yummy!!!
My back aches all the time. My tummy feels so insanely heavy, and most nights I go to bed with a heating pad.
Still lots of fatigue and zero energy. I'm afraid I zoomed through the nesting phase without actually setting up a nursery. Oops. I have moved all of Lyla's furniture in the nursery room, and I'm using Julia's old bedding of Annie's for the crib. So, we'll count that as being done. :) Although, I would like to clean out that closet at some point. And maybe hang some things on the walls.
Sometimes I feel like I'm Bella and I'm growing a vampire in my belly. Her movements are SO strong and intense that they actually make me grimace in pain. I think this little girl is going to be freakishly strong, and super long since I feel her in both ribs at the same time...all the time.
I'm unbelievably pumped about having another girl!!! As much as I thought I wanted a boy, I can't imagine it being any other way. God really does know what He's doing. :) I'm SO excited for Lyla to have a sister, and SO happy she'll have a little playmate with all her fun girly things she's into. I'm dreaming of such a fun, girly playroom someday where they'll create tons of memories...in matching outfits, of course. ;)
I think we've officially decided on a name!!!!! And I LOVE IT!!!! Although, I think that deserves it's own blog post. :)
I already can't bend over...putting on shoes, bathing Lyla, picking things up, etc. Makes me feel like I'm gonna puke.
I can't decide if 9 more weeks sounds insanely SOON, or entirely too long considering I'm so uncomfortable and only getting bigger by the day. I'm really trying not to wish this time away...I'm trying so hard to soak up time with Lyla as my only child right now, and sleeping through the night (well, you know, besides hourly pee breaks)...but I AM ready to not be pregnant anymore and for her to be in my arms and not in my belly.
P.S. I really, really hope this entire post doesn't sound like a bunch of complaints. I just wanted to document truthfully how I'm feeling. Overall, I'm incredibly thankful for a healthy pregnancy and an active little girl in there. Can't wait to meet her!!!!!

Christmas 2011

2011-12-26T13:31:00.000-08:00

This year, Christmas was spread out among 4 different cities in Arkansas, and boy was it all a blast. I'm feeling beyond thankful and blessed....not only for all the awesome new toys Lyla has to play with, but most importantly for the fact that Jesus came to this earth to save us from our sins! I'm so thankful!!

We began our celebrating on Friday morning in Fayetteville. Santa heard that we'd be traveling to Southeast Arkansas, so he came to our house early! For the past month, every time we asked Lyla what she wanted Santa to bring her, she'd say "chicken nuggets" and then eventually added on "chocolate milk". So, Friday morning Santa must have run through Chickfila on his way to our house because look at what he left for Lyla...

of course, it was the first thing she went for (who needs presents when you have chickfila nuggets and chocolate milk?!?)

So we instantly sat down to enjoy it, and thank Jesus for it. :)

Then, we proceeded to open presents. We opened the ones from each other, and the ones Papo and Cookie sent in the mail.

Playing with her new leapfrog laptop.

John David got me some much needed snow boots! I've never had anything to wear in the snow, and these are not only practical but cute! Lyla wanted to pose as we both wore our new snow boots. :) We are ready for the snow now! (plus, she got a sled from Jan Jan and Pop so we are really ready!)

Loving on her new baby doll from Cookie and Papo

These sights make me so excited to see her as a big sister!

After we finished our little family Christmas, we loaded up and headed to Warren to have dinner at John and Laura's with the fam.

As you can see, these 3 had so much fun together!

Saturday morning, we woke up and spent a low-key morning in Warren (can you tell these 3 were still waking up?) :) Then, we headed to Monticello to spend the day feasting and opening gifts at Joe and Julie's...

Maggie got a new Cadillac!

Lyla got a new Plasmacar!

And John Morris got a Smart Trike!

The delicious Christmas Eve spread!

The annual pic of all the boys crashed out after yummy food and football on TV...I love that even John Morris is asleep on Cody's chest. :)

After some good naps, the opening of the presents continued!

This was Lyla's big gift this year...an American girl doll, "Bitty Baby" with every accessory you can think of! She's going to be well prepared to help take care of her baby sister!

Jan Jan and Pop opening their gift from Lyla...an iPhoto book from the past year.

The cute Deal family!

And, yes, he is ALWAYS smiling! Happiest baby I have ever been around, hands down.

such. a. love.

the rowdy boys

This pic pretty much summarizes the day. HA!

She was SO excited to open Bitty Baby's crib!

diaper bag...check!

carseat...check!

Ready to head to Dumas! :)

We did drive to Dumas that evening, spent the night with Mama Sue and Big Daddy, and then woke up Christmas morning to spend the day with John David's Dad's side of the family.

Lyla woke up to receive a tricycle from Pappy!! Score!

And we finally got to meet precious baby Blagg!!

Isaiah was so sweet with Lyla, and showed her all the cool games on his Mama's phone. They were the cutest little buddies all day.

Isaiah even gave Lyla a Princess guitar!! I mean, two of her favorite things...music and princesses.

Rock on!

As you can see, we had a FULL and blessed weekend!!! SO thankful for our amazing families!

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas as well!

"For unto us a Savior has been born!"

Lights on the Square

2011-12-26T12:03:00.000-08:00

The weekend before Christmas, we took one last advantage of enjoying the Lights of the Ozarks on the square. This time we went with 4 other families, and although it was super cold, I'm so glad we made a night of it.

A little family photo in front of the Razorback

John David and Josh decided to split a fried twinkie, and although I was so grossed out at the thought of it, I must admit that it was actually delicious.

sweet little Shepherd

This time, Lyla had her friend Sawyer join her on the pony ride!

Her ponies name was Jack, and ever since then she talks about riding Jack and says, "giddy up Jack!"

The trio...this was the best we could get since it was right before a meltdown we call "get me out of the cold and get some dinner in my belly!"

So we went to a nearby hole-in-the-wall pizza place and stuffed our faces.

Such a fun night with such dear friends!

Sweetest gift ever...

2011-12-21T20:51:00.000-08:00

I had to document the most precious, thoughtful gift I've ever received by my sweet SIL, Julia. She gave this to me when we were home for Thanksgiving, but I'm just now stealing the picture off her blog. :) She made me a necklace that's an envelope that opens up. Inside, she made a tiny piece of paper with 3 gold hearts on it, and on the back of the paper, it says "for the 3 angels you've carried". Which is why my face looks like this after opening it...

Terrible pic of me, I know. But it was such a sweet moment. I really can't even think about it without crying. And I can't wait to meet that little baby when we get to Heaven! (for the record, I think it was a boy) :) So, THANKS again Hoopy for that most thoughtful gift!!!!!!!

Time with Jessica

2011-12-19T12:00:00.000-08:00

I'm so thankful we've been able to spend time with my Young Lives girl, Jessica, this past week. Last Wednesday night, we went to Chuck E. Cheese with her and her sweet family. We seriously had a blast!! I'm not sure who had more fun...the kids or the adults.

Jessica and her beautiful girls, Elizabeth and Randi

John David took his games seriously...he kept buying more tokens "for Lyla", of course. :)

Jessica climbed all the way to the top with both girls so they could all go down the slide together...my pregnant self would have gotten stuck, for sure.

admiring their treasures they bought with all the tickets their daddies won for them :)

Then, on Saturday, they came over and hung out most of the day. Again, we had so much fun together and I love that Lyla and Randi are developing such a sweet little friendship. :) Whenever they left, Lyla said "come again soon!" (In fact, I think they are coming over tomorrow night so that Danny can fix us an authentic Mexican feast! Can't wait!!)

Um, how CUTE are they?!?!

More fun at Jan Jan and Pop's!

2011-12-14T14:41:00.000-08:00

Last weekend, John David went hunting with his Dad in Dumas. As much as I LOVE for him to have that time with his dad and to get to hunt, it selfishly always sounds so hard to have a full weekend by myself taking care of Lyla with no breaks (especially 7 months pregnant). So, Jan Jan and Pop came to the rescue once again and offered to take Lyla to Texarkana for the weekend and I actually had an entire 3 days ALL TO MYSELF. That hasn't happened in at least 3 years.

And, I must say it was pretty awesome. I got a ton of errands run, including some more Christmas shopping, had a super fun lunch with my friend Michelle, saw the movie "New Year's Eve" with some girlfriends (so cute), had a really fun dinner at Hugo's with my Bible Study girls followed by an engagement celebration for Rebecca Cooper (another Bible study girl...I swear, every time Lyla goes to Texarkana for the weekend, one of my Bible study girls gets engaged!) I slept in, cleaned the house, went to church all by myself, and tried to relax some although I was in major "be productive" mode.

And before you start thinking I just rudely abandoned my daughter, don't you worry...sending her to Jan Jan and Pop's is like sending her to Disney World! Thursday night, while tucking her in bed, we told her she was going to Jan Jan and Pop's house the next morning and she threw the covers off, stood up on her bed and started jumping up and down with joy! Friday morning, she woke up and ran to my bathroom where I was brushing my teeth and said, "bye mommy! I going to Jan Jan's house. Be back later!" Didn't shed a single tear. So, while in T-town...

her cool Aunt Ali dressed up like a REAL Ballerina and taught her some dance moves:

(oh, and P.S. ever since she's been home, she's been begging me to send her to dance class! Seriously asks about it 10 times a day. Someone please tell me if it's too early because I'm thinking it is!)

She went to see Santa with her cousin, John Morris:

(not so much a fan! too bad we already made plans to go see him again tonight. We'll see how that goes! Every time I mention Santa she shakes her little arms very dramatically and says "I'm scared Santa!")

got some early Christmas presents from Jan Jan and Pop...new dress up clothes! YAY!

(please notice the earrings and shoes):

They also found this book about a little girl who wants to wear her Tutu everywhere. How appropriate:

Although, maybe they shouldn't have read it to her right before bedtime:

As soon as John David drove back home with her on Sunday, I ran out to greet them. And Lyla instantly started crying when she saw me, saying "I want more Jan Jan and Pop!!" Clearly she missed me terribly. So, I showed her my c-section scar. :)

Never a Dull Moment

2011-12-12T13:41:00.000-08:00

A few more glimpses into our little lives...

snapped a pic of this sweet face before we went to the K Life Banquet a couple weeks ago :)

Feeling pretty cute in her new Reindeer shirt...this is before we met Haley and Porter for lunch at Panera last Wednesday :)

Our friends, Jay and Haven, had a group over for dinner last week and all the kiddos got to make home-made ornaments. Haven even thought ahead and had pictures of each kid printed off and tons of goodies to decorate them with. Lyla had SO much fun, and clearly she was very proud of her ornaments.

We also had our community group Christmas party last Wednesday. We got to wear our Christmas PJ's, ate way too much delicious food, and played a hilarious game of White Elephant. Always a highlight of the year! (unfortunately, my camera's been acting funny and this is the only pic I got!)

Although it's been cold outside, Lyla and I have kept ourselves entertained with...

LOTS of games of Hide and Seek (a new fave for Lyla!)

Trying to be better about our "school" time. I've started to really love this time with Lyla when I actually take the time to sit down and do it! (why on earth do I so often feel like I "don't have time" to do it??) We sit at her little table and do crafts (her newest obsession is cutting out shapes and making collages), reviewing her ABC books, and working on our categories on the learning board.

This particular day, she was feeling a little too cool for school in her sunglasses. ha!

Last Thursday night, we had one of our favorite nights as a family! John David took me and Lyla on a date to a new place called Legacy Blues near Dickson. There was incredible live Jazz music, the food was absolutely delicious, and Lyla was so great at dinner. A win all the way around. JD took a pic of Lyla and I before we left...

After dinner, we went to the square to walk around and see the lights. Lyla was completely amazed...she kept saying "oh WOW!!" over and over. She seriously loved it and I already can't wait to go back with her. She even got to go on a pony ride!! A highlight of the night for sure!!

John and Hoopy gave Lyla these doll stickers for Christmas and they have provided hours of entertainment!

We still make our weekly trip to the library (or try to, at least). It's truly one of Lyla's very favorite outings. We play games on the computer, work puzzles, and pick out new books to take home. A GREAT way to spend the morning on these cold days!

Another new favorite way to spend these cold days...dates to Panera or Barnes and Noble to share a cookie. :)

Practice with 2

2011-12-12T12:48:00.000-08:00

Last week I kept my friend Aubrey's 8 month old, Shepherd, for 2 whole days and we had SO much fun!! Truly, I was kinda expecting utter chaos, but Shepherd is the EASIEST, most laid-back baby and Lyla and I just soaked up our time with him!! I loved getting a glimpse of life with 2, and although I was physically tired by the end of the day (I'm blaming most of that on pregnancy!), I LOVED that Lyla had a little buddy to entertain her and vice versa. She sang for him, danced for him, read to him, played drums and piano for him, etc. I think she loved having a new audience!! :) And it made the days go by so much faster. I didn't feel like I had to find things to entertain Lyla and fill our days with. We just played with Sheppy. :)

(of course Lyla had to have a few turns as well in her old Johnny Jump Up! But, thankfully, she did share with Shepherd.)

Haley stopped by one morning with Stella and Porter to join the party. Lyla was practicing having "gentle hands" :)

Oh, hey there buddy.

"Shepherd, look over here and I'll show you how to call the hogs!"

Just giggling away :)

Thanks for coming to play Sheppy!! We had so much fun with you! Come again soon! :)

(P.S. Although Lyla did call him Shepherd sometimes, every now and then she'd throw in a "John Morris" or "John Chester" or even "Emerson". I'm so thankful that Lyla has so many babies in her life that she loves! I'm hoping that will help prepare her for her baby sister!)

Blame it on Aunt Ali...

2011-12-06T09:44:00.000-08:00

As I've mentioned several times, the ONLY things this girl wants to wear are panties only, her Razorback cheerleading outfit, her Dora, Minnie, or Fairy PJ's, or her Ballerina costume. We change between all these "outfits" several times a day, depending on her mood. However, when she puts on her ballerina outfit, she transforms into a real ballerina. Lately, as soon as I put it on her she says "ballerina hair!" and wants me to put a bun in her hair. Then she proceeds to dance around and strike these ballerina poses that I have never taught her and I don't even know how she knows them...

Like I said, blame it on Aunt Ali. It must be in her genes.

It's Beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

2011-12-04T13:33:00.000-08:00

Mission accomplished. We decorated for Christmas this weekend, and my heart is SO happy! As I type, Lyla is napping and John David is at the Ranch chopping down firewood for the cold week we have coming up. I've lit my Christmas candle, turned on all our twinkly lights, made some hot chocolate, and I'm nestled next to the tree listening to Sufjan Steven's Christmas album. (don't be deceived though...since I've sat down to blog, iphoto has quit working on me once, I've gone to tickle Lyla's back and put her back to sleep after waking up too early, and I've gotten up to switch laundry. Life continues even when I'm in the Christmas spirit.) :)

So, Friday evening, we busted out our Christmas tree we got on clearance after Christmas last year. I was so excited to get it open and see what it looked like. Since we didn't get a pre-lit one, sweet John David put in a lot of work stringing the lights on it. So thankful for him! Here he is putting the last section on top, with our cute tree topper intact...

All lit and ready to decorate...

Lyla's first assignment was to put the bird ornaments on.

Look at that proud little smile.

And proud for a good reason...check out that great placement! No need to spread the birds out evenly, just clump them all together. Perfect. :)

The finished product. :)

John David helped me hang the wreaths in the window. And, I pulled out my Christmas dishes...my favorite part. I was so giddy setting the table. Now we just need to have a dinner party.

Then on Saturday night, we went to the Henry's along with the Nicodemus' for some yummy chicken enchilada soup and cornbread. We went ahead and got cozy for the evening and put Lyla in her new Christmas PJ's...another thing that makes me happy. :)

Besties

After dinner, we decorated Christmas cookies.

(Sawyer sneaking a bite of cookie dough) :)

The cookie decorating was not just for the kids...

although we did let them help.

Having so much fun!

But now for the really fun part...eating them!

And the sugar high begins immediately.

(please notice Stella just shoving the whole bottle of sprinkles in her mouth. ha!)

It's been a fun and relaxing weekend, getting in the holiday spirit. Excited for the celebration of our Savior to continue!

What a GREAT start to December!!

2011-12-01T12:59:00.000-08:00

This day deserves some serious shout outs and recognition. :) My incredibly talented sister, you know, the creator of we giggle of course, MADE this advent calendar and so graciously gave us one to start the tradition with our family. (Which, by the way, if you live in the Dallas area, my sister is having a WE Giggle sale at her house TODAY and tomorrow with TONS of great Christmas gifts and goodies. Check out the link and see some of the things for yourself. I stocked up when I was home on gifts for friends and family. I even got an ADORABLE dresser to go in Lyla's room that I absolutely love. There's a picture of it on her blog. Go check it out!!) :)

Here's the Advent Calendar. Love.

I've already had SO much fun with it!! Yesterday, I went to Target and bought just a bunch of little goodies to fill the boxes with. I wrapped them up and stuck them inside, then explained to Lyla what it was for. I told her last night that Jesus has a birthday coming up and that we are going to celebrate big time ALL month long because it's the most important birthday of all time. She seriously got SO excited and has not stopped saying, "YAY! Jesus' Birthday!!" all day today. (the girl LOVES a party!) So, as soon as we woke up this morning, I told her it was time to start celebrating and that we would open the first box since it's December 1st. This was her first gift...four beaded necklaces. Right away, she said, "the red one is for Mommy (and put it around my neck), the blue one is for Daddy (and put it around his neck), the green one is for Lyla (put it on herself), and the yellow one is for Jesus!" A few minutes later, John David opened the door to leave and when she heard it, she looked at me so excitedly and said "is that Jesus??" ha! Glad she's not forgetting who the Birthday Boy is! :)

After doing our gift for the day, we went for a nice long walk around the Botanical Gardens since it actually felt nice outside and wasn't TOO freezing, then we went to the library for Story Time and some new books to bring home (and we got to decorate an ornament for the library Christmas tree...of course, Lyla loved that craft time. Our public library is the bomb.), then we ran by Acumen (the building John David built a while back) because I heard they were having a big warehouse sale on baby and kid items. Boy, did we SCORE!!!!!! Pretty much everything was 50% off, and there was every baby item you could imagine. I bought Lyla a few Christmas gifts...

And, yes, if you'll look closely, that's a picture of the DOUBLE STROLLER I got!!!!!!!!!!!!!! For someone extremely indecisive, this was such an impulse buy for me!! I got the City Trend Double Jogger. And I'm SO PUMPED! My friend, Katie, has the exact same one and she loves it and said so many people recommended it to her. So, if you have one, please continue to affirm my decision and tell me why you love it! :)

And, here's the best part...I got the DOUBLE stroller, plus all the gifts you see pictured ALL for $238. The stroller alone is originally $440. So, I'm voting us done with Christmas shopping for our kids. And, I officially feel ready for 2 kids now. (or, you know, a little more ready anyway) :)

The sale at Acumen will continue tomorrow and Saturday from 8 am-2 pm. If you live in Fayetteville and either have kids or need gifts for kids, you seriously need to check it out. Also, if you go to their website, you can see all the online shopping options there are. So, check that out too.

I feel like such an advertiser right now. :) But, I'm so pumped about these companies and these great deals! Like I said, I feel like I'm starting the month off on a good foot. Now I just need to pull out Christmas decorations to REALLY get me in the Holiday Spirit! That's my goal for the weekend. Can't wait! :)

10 full days of family fun!!

2011-11-28T09:49:00.000-08:00

I just returned from spending 10 days in Dallas with my family...and it was pure perfection. GREAT time with family, Lyla did some serious bonding with her cousins, and I got to see lots of high school friends that I never get to see when I'm there for just a short weekend. John David and I had a wedding in Dallas the weekend before Thanksgiving, so the 3 of us drove up there for the weekend. Sweet John David drove back to Fayetteville Sunday so that he could work for 3 days, and then drove back Wednesday night to join us once again for Thanksgiving. Lyla and I got to just stay all week and get spoiled rotten. It was SUCH a nice, and needed, break from reality! (prepare your eyes for LOTS of pics!)

Saturday morning, we went to the local Farmer's Market right by the Eoff's house.

These 3 cuties walked around just like this...

Melt. My. Heart.

so content on her Daddy's shoulders :)

All of John David's family was in town for the wedding because it was our brother-in-law Cody's cousin getting married. So, after the Farmer's Market we met Jan Jan and Pop at In-N-Out for lunch. It was my first In-N-Out experience, and we had so much fun!

Back to Cookie's house for naptime, and then a little cousin time before we headed out for the wedding:

Can you tell from this pic that these 3 are going to be trouble?? 3 adorable messes! :)

24 week belly pre-wedding

Hilarious sidenote...when I packed this outfit, it was 26 degrees in Fayetteville. When we headed out the door for the wedding, I realized it was 80 degrees in Dallas. Which meant not only was I big ole pregnant and awkward trying to wear heels, but I was SO HOT and looked and felt like the biggest idiot next to all the cute little college cheerleaders that were rocking their tiny little dresses at the wedding. We had LOTS of good laughs about it later. :)

striking a pose before church (by the way, WE LOVE WATERMARK!!! So thankful we got to enjoy 2 great services while I was there.)

lunch at Cookie and Papo's after church

PRECIOUS little Max...he's seriously the most perfect child. So content and laid back! Wish I could have soaked up even more time with this cutie!! He kind of gets lost in the chaos. :)

Sunday night, we had a little high school reunion potluck dinner. It was supposed to be at my friend Kelly's house, but she went into labor the day of the party! So, thankfully Laney volunteered her house at the last minute. So thankful it worked out! Such a treat to see all these girls!!

Lyla at the kids table...these 3 played so sweetly together all night! Lyla left saying, "party SO fun!!" the whole car ride home. :)

I cheered with these cute girls all through high school, and now we are all 3 due in March with girls!! SO fun!

Lauren and Chelsee holding their new baby boys! Loves!

Do I have some gorgeous friends or what??

The kiddos that were there

The whole group...love you girls!! (please notice Meredith Martin holding a baby doll as her child. Didn't even know she did this till I looked at the picture afterward. So funny.)

The rest of the week just consisted of silliness, family time, a 3 hour coffee date with Lauren Everett, a little shopping, a coffee date with Cheyenne, LOTS of yummy meals with family, and of course an amazing Thanksgiving feast.

3 little sleepyheads watching the Thanksgiving Day parade. Lyla LOVED it!!! She got so excited about it and sang and danced along to most of the performances.

stopping to take breaks to help Cookie cook, of course

This was her face when she saw the Fresh Beat Band (AND Dora) perform in the parade. Sheer JOY and excitement. We watched it about 5 times.

Our neighbor, Hana, who I grew up babysitting, came over with all her dress up clothes to play with Lyla. A huge hit, for sure.

This face kills me.

so serious

Just another delicious lunch spread Cookie whipped out. She continued to amaze me all week with 3 amazing meals, day after day. That woman is a servant!!!

Our Thanksgiving Feast. YUMMY!!!!

More dress up!

On Saturday, we met up with the Wood Pile (minus the Cobbs and Gardners) at an attempt to get some family pictures and have a picnic. The COLD made it a little difficult, but it was still great to see everyone for a split second.

Our attempt to get Grandmama and Grandaddy with all their great grandchildren (minus Violet)

sweet snuggles with this cold girl!

Our big clan

Our little clan

Some more glimpses into the utter (but HAPPY) chaos when these cousins get together...

(keep in mind that there's no volume on these pics!) :)

Right before we left, we exchanged Christmas presents to and from us since we won't be there for Christmas. Stephen's Razorback shirt was a little snug...sorry Stephen. :)

So, now I'm back to reality...I'm going to have to learn to cook and do dishes and laundry all over again. Thanks Fam, for an awesome time!!!!! I'm truly THANKFUL!!!!

Quite the social week!

2011-11-11T15:29:00.000-08:00

This week has been a whirlwind of events. Didn't even know it was going to be such a busy one going into it! It was fun, but boy am I worn out! First of all, I'm officially a MALL WALKER!! My neighbor, Erica, and I have been meeting at the Botanical Gardens every Tuesday and Thursday for the past several months. We walk for an hour through the hilly trail, and it makes me feel SO good. However, it's been SO cold here in the mornings, so we decided to meet at the Mall this week instead. Such a fan. It's us, a few other moms with strollers, and elderly couples just getting our exercise on (while we do a little window shopping!) haha. And Lyla is a big fan of the indoor playground as a little cool-down treat when we're done. :)

We've also had 2 different lunch dates with friends and kiddos at good ole Chickfila, so Lyla has played her heart out on those playgrounds as well.

We've had a trip to the library for story-time, computer games, and working puzzles. (a weekly, or every other week, fave for me and Lyla...she LOVES having new library books to read when we are home!)

I watched my walking buddies daughter, Liv, for a couple hours. It's hilarious to see the difference between her and Lyla's personalities! I mean, I knew Lyla was active, but I didn't know she was quite as spastic until I compared her to laid-back little Liv! :)

Liv was quite the fan of John David...just wanted to snuggle next to him the whole time. Lyla kept saying "come on, Liv, let's go dance!" :)

Speaking of John David, he traveled to Little Rock for work this week for 2 full days. While he was gone, he missed out on our super fun community group Thanksgiving! Each couple took a dish, and MAN did it all turn into a delicious meal!! A great glimpse of the yumminess to come in a couple weeks!! AND fun times with friends (although John David really was greatly missed!!) Here's my sweet girl before we left. She looks so snuggly.

Some of the kiddos piled up to watch "Despicable Me"

Of course, Lyla didn't last long on the couch...but these cute boys were into it!!

LOVE sweet Shepherd sitting up like a big boy, and watching the movie with all the big kids! :)

Speaking of big kids (who don't realize they are big!)...I walked into the kitchen to find Lyla like this. She had climbed into Shepherd's bouncer all by herself and was having a grand ole time. Things could get interesting when I start pulling out the baby things again around our house!

This morning, I watched Sawyer while Katie had a Dr. appt. for Brooklyn, so we had Haley and her kiddos over to join the fun. I got all pinterest inspired (actually Mandy inspired!), and decided to try a little Thanksgiving craft with the trio. I think I was a little ambitious seeing as how Haley and I ended up doing the entire craft for them, but their little toilet paper turkeys turned out so cute. :) And, Lyla was SO excited about craft time! I laid out all the supplies before our friends came over, and as soon as she saw it she said "Oh. My. dosh." (very dramatically!!) and did not stop talking about craft time with Stella and Sawyer until they got there! haha!

After craft time, they really wanted to play hide and seek. So, Haley and I counted to 10 while they "hid". This is where we found ALL 3 when we opened our eyes:

When Lyla woke up from her nap, the first thing she said was "Turkey!! Craft! I'll show you." She got SO excited and proud when I handed her the turkey she "made":

pointing to the nose.

And, yes, in case you haven't noticed my child still will NOT wear clothes when we are home. (I had to force her into it when we had friends come over.) :)

So, there's a little glimpse into our week at the Blagg house! Hope everyone has a great weekend!! TGIF! :)

Lyla, the Supermodel! :)

2011-11-07T11:11:00.000-08:00

We just got home from doing a fun little photo shoot with the incredibly talented and awesome Blaire Perry. My friend Jenessa, with JBailey Occasions, designed the set for it and asked Lyla to come be in a few pics to help Blaire advertise for the "real" photo shoot in early December. Of course, I jumped at the opportunity! Blaire was so great with Lyla and made it so much fun! I have much respect for all children photographers because it is HARD to get a 2 year old (or any child for that matter, I'm sure) to do exactly what you are wanting them to do! But, aside from a few meltdowns and not entirely wanting to cooperate with everything we asked Lyla to do, overall she did really well and I think Blaire got some GREAT pics out of it! And, we had so much fun!!

The theme was kinda "shabby chic/ neutral/ wintery" so this is the outfit I chose. As I was getting Lyla dressed, I explained that we were going to a fun place where she was going to get her picture taken and get to strike poses and pretend to be a model. :) So, about 30 minutes after this conversation, she was playing so cutely in her kitchen so I ran to grab my camera. As soon as she saw the camera, she stopped her cooking to strike a pose. Ha! Clearly, she was ready for the photo shoot! Although, of course she didn't cooperate quite that well for the real thing!

Obviously Blaire's pictures will be much better than these...I just snapped a few of my own to capture the memory of the whole thing. I thought Lyla looked so cute and the set was gorgeous!

They gave Lyla handfuls of snow to blow out of her hand and she thought it was so much fun!

Can't wait to see the real pics from Blaire! I got to peak at a few, and I think she captured some really great ones! Thanks Jenessa and Blaire for letting us be a part of it! :)

Pregnancy Update: 22 weeks

2011-11-06T14:23:00.000-08:00

I had John David snap this pic before church this morning because I realized I hadn't done a "belly pic" in a while, and I do want to be better about documenting it. Today I'm 22 weeks and 2 days, and the baby is about a foot long and weighs about a pound! That seems so big!! :) Let me just say that I feel a LOT bigger than this picture shows! Like, already feeling so cramped and tight and like it's hard to breath and already hard to put my shoes on. Is this normal at 22 weeks?? I start to freak out often that I already feel so uncomfortable and I still have a long way to go and am only going to get MUCH bigger!! I already had my first Braxton Hicks last night!! (again, is this normal??) This little girls moves around all. the. time. and I think that's what led to the contraction feeling...just all the strong movements. And, I'm talking BIG movements...like, she is doing some serious gymnast tricks in there! Between her and her sister, we are going to have some active little girls on our hands! :)

I do want to also document (mostly as a reminder for myself!!) that the way I feel from day to day pretty much depends 100% on how well I've eaten that day. John David started a new Paleo challenge, so I've been grocery shopping with a Paleo mindset, and planning Paleo meals. And it's AMAZING how much better I feel overall when I fill my body with healthy, God-made foods!! (It's just so hard because the carbs and sugars are so darn tempting during pregnancy!!! And I'm still starving all the time!) But, I enjoy having this "Paleo mindset" because it makes me so conscious of what I'm putting into my body, and it helps me make better decisions throughout the day. Once again, Paleo works people, and I'm a believer in how much better it makes you feel! (But don't judge me when you see me at Barnes and Noble sharing a cookie with Lyla because sometimes the cravings are much stronger than my will-power) :)

Anyway, aside from all the physical symptoms I've shared, we are overall just giddy about the thought of another little girl!! We can't WAIT to see Lyla assume her role as Big Sister, and we can't wait to kiss and love on another little baby girl! We thank God daily for the blessing of this pregnancy, and the life He's so wonderfully and perfectly knitting together in there!!

Trick or Treat!!

2011-11-01T12:26:00.000-07:00

This may have been my favorite Halloween in all my 30 years. I mean, Halloween was obviously a blast when I was a kid, but it might be even more fun being on the parent side. This was the first year that Lyla actually understood the concept of dressing up and going door to door to say "trick or treat" and get candy...and man, is her "trick or treat" killer. Sweetest voice and face you've even heard and seen. No wonder that girl racked up on all the candy I can't quit eating today.

We started out the day baking treats for our neighborhood get together. She was such a big helper unwrapping all the tootsie rolls:

By the time we were ready to stir the marshmallows for the rice krispie treats, we'd already had a wardrobe change from Ballerina to Snow White. Fitting for Halloween...you really can't wear too many costumes.

The finished product:

(thank you Pinterest!)

And white chocolate covered nutter butter "ghosts" :)

Our spread o' sugar...ready for the night's festivities!

This sassy girl woke up from her nap ready for some trick or treating! We had our third wardrobe change into her Razorback cheerleading costume (which went smoothly since I bribed her with a ghost cookie.) :) And, then we headed over to Michael and April Bader's house for some soup and chili. All the neighbors gathered over there before we loaded up on the hayride for some trick or treating!

DL and Roe as Davy Crocket

Brody and Benton went as Nacho Libre...hilarious!

And Stella and Lyla formed their own cheerleading squad.

Someone was excited to get started!!

OK! Let's Go!!

First child up to the first door of the night...walked on up like she owned the place. She was not scared.

Both of our babies trick or treated snuggled up next to their mommies...only Haley's was in the Moby wrap, and mine was in my belly. :) Next Halloween might not be as calm as this one! :)

"please, Mommy, can I get started on this candy already??"

Showing Sarah Boyce and Estee her stash of candy so far

Taking a small break from trick or treating to do a little cheering, of course!

This sight never got old...these 2 cutie patootie cheerleaders walking up so confidently to each door. They were loving it.

Margot and John Chester as the Beatles!! :)

Riding up front on the Ranger with Daddy

We finally met up with Sawyer! Woo Hoo!!! Lyla and Stella needed their football player to complete the trio!

Stella checking out Sawyer's Razorback stickers on his cheeks and Lyla calling the hogs. Perfect.

We let the Daddies take the toddler kids to continue trick or treating, while those with babies joined me at our house to help me pass out candy.

John Chester...little love bug.

And sweet Brooklyn, 2 weeks old, enjoying the heck out of her first Halloween. :)

DL's Cowboy Party...Giddy Up!

2011-11-01T11:18:00.000-07:00

This cute cowboy turned 4 on Sunday!

And this little monkey had a blast at his party!

This big cowboy practiced his lasso skills...

and he got a winner!!

Clay's moustache = awesome

Lyla tried out her own lasso skills on this here horse.

LOVE how serious Roe took his cowboy role!!

I mean, he really thought he was John Wayne.

Cutest cowboys I've ever seen!

(sidenote: they both dress like this on a regular basis. It's like Lyla and her ballerina outfit. LOVE to see little boys be boys and little girls be girls!)

Halloween Boofast!

2011-10-29T13:23:00.000-07:00

We just got home from absolutely the cutest halloween party my eyes have ever witnessed. Our friends Matt and Ellen Hillis had a Halloween "Boofast" and Razorback watch party this morning/afternoon, and my pictures only capture about a tenth of the details that went into this party!! I really wanted to snap about a thousand more pics, but kinda felt silly. So, I just got a few. But, seriously, it was so much fun!!

Some of the food spread...absolutely delicious!! Every single bite.

Adorable little halloween touches all over the place.

The drink table...please notice the juice boxes wrapped up like mummies!

The kids table. After they ate, she had Halloween coloring packs for each child, and a treat bucket with stickers for them to decorate. She also had an entire cupcake decorating station that we never even made it to! The kids were thoroughly entertained the entire time!! Which made for some happy daddies (and mommies) who got to actually watch the Razorback game (which was absolutely pitiful. We did pull out a win...but barely. The games the kids were playing were way more entertaining!)

seriously...cute details galore.

Another game she planned for the kids was they each took a turn pulling out a piece of paper from the bucket. If it said "treat", they got to pick something from the big treat bucket. If it said "trick", it had some kind of trick for the kids to do, like hop on one leg, or sing your favorite song, etc. Lyla got SO into every single trick and thought it was so much fun! And they all actually waited patiently for their turns. A Halloween miracle.

At halftime, she planned a game for all the adults to play (husbands included!). We all put on masks to hide our eyes, then Ellen would pass out candy for us to taste. After we all tasted, we took off our masks and wrote down what we thought it was. It was actually kind of hard! She didn't pick your typical candy bars, but you won't be surprised to know that John David won! I was so proud. :)

Lyla came home with a treat bag of goodies, and here's the bucket she decorated. She had an absolute blast! It's so fun for her to be at the age where she can actually get into holidays and create memories. I feel so blessed to have creative, thoughtful friends like Ellen to help create those memories for her! :) Thanks, Matt and Ellen!!

Fall Carnival

2011-10-28T10:24:00.000-07:00

Last night, Lyla and I joined some friends at a community Fall Carnival. My friend Sarah Boyce invited us, and I jumped at the chance because John David was (of course) working late (sweet hardworking boy!!), and it gave us something to do during those long evening hours while we wait for him to come home. ;) Now, getting her dressed for the occasion almost made me second guess our decision to go. Let's just say that she HATES wearing anything other than just her panties, her princess nightgowns, or her ballerina outfit. That's. It. Nothing. Else. (Any suggestions moms?? Am I the only one fighting this battle??)

Anyway, my plan all along was for her to be a Razorback cheerleader since she's soooo into the Razorbacks right now and I figured she'd love it! But, since it was freezing outside, I needed to put on a turtle neck, leggings, and uggs underneath it all. That was a battle in and of itself. And after that there was NO way I was getting that cheerleading outfit on! All that to say, we resorted to our trusty pink leotard and tutu and I guess she went as a Ballerina. It was the best costume we could muster up. :)

I DO think the fight was well worth it, though, and she had an absolute BLAST once we got there! Hasn't stopped talking about it since. All day today she's been saying "more carnival!" And I'm hoping it helped her understand that this whole dressing up thing is actually FUN and maybe she won't fight me on it come Monday. Maybe.

(again, this is her "cheese" face. A little more scary/angry-looking than happy.)

This ballerina princess was obsessed with playing in the dirt...such a perfect mix of super girly, yet a little bit of tomboy in her. :)

showing off her awesome tattoo. She was so proud.

Some of the fun friends we ran into!

pinning the tail on the cat

admiring her prize for pinning the tail on...a lollipop, her fave!

digging for gold coins with her friend Ella, the unicorn

cutest Frankenstein I've ever seen

of course, she went for the tallest hole, and threw the beanbag in perfectly about 5 times in a row...I was impressed! :)

As you can see, she had a blast! We basically just walked around to each booth. They would play the game, and then pick a treat from a bowl. She was so excited to come home and show Daddy all the treats she won...including a rubber snake, a kaleidoscope, a frankenstein ring, a glow stick bracelet, and of course some candy. SCORE!

And, we got home just in time for Mommy and Daddy to have about a billion heart attacks and panic attacks watching the Ranger game!!!!! I'm still not fully recovered. Hopefully a WIN in game 7 tonight will do the trick! GO RANGERS!!!

Mommy Break!!

2011-10-24T14:05:00.000-07:00

John David and I have been really craving a camping trip with all this beautiful Fall weather. I love to camp, but I haven't been since before I had Lyla! So, a few weeks ago, John David arranged for his parents to keep Lyla this past weekend so that we could enjoy a little camping trip. Well, it turned into a nice, long relaxing break for this Mommy! I met Jana halfway between here and Texarkana last Thursday morning and dropped her off, and I just picked her up this morning!!!! That's 4 full days of just me, my hubby, and this growing baby in my belly! Not that I don't LOVE Lyla with every ounce of my being, but it was a much needed and a MUCH enjoyed break from the normal everyday routine I've gotten used to.

Thursday, I came straight home and cleaned my little heart out. It's amazing how much I can get done when I don't have a 2 year old to chase around and entertain! Then, I ran errands, went and held Brooklyn Henry for a little while (pics to come on that later! Katie had her baby! YAY!!!), then went to my Pi Phi Bible Study at Kristen's house. It worked out perfectly because John David had to work late with Richard and all the guys. So, when they got done around 11 pm, they picked up a bunch of Tacos from Taco Bell and brought them over to Richard and Kristen's, and we just sat around laughing and talking with my Bible Study girls and the guys JD works with till about 12:30!! Such a fun group, and something we would NEVER get to do (obviously one of us would have had to be home with a sleeping child, but also the fact that we could sleep in the next day helped us justify staying up late!) We felt like we were in College again, eating Taco Bell at midnight. Rebels, I know!

So, Friday, we did sleep in and then we tested out this new bakery in Johnson for breakfast. YUMMY! Then, John David went to work and I grocery shopped and gathered things for our camping trip! We went with the Eckelhoffs and the Coles and we had an absolute blast!!!

We grilled hotdogs and hamburgers and then of course roasted marshmallows for s'mores. And, again, stayed up till 12:30 am talking and laughing.

The master chef frying up some eggs, sausage, bacon, and veggies for our breakfast burritos!

Kristen warming up her tortilla for her breakfast burrito. :)

The Blagg and Cole homes for the night...right by the river. Perfect.

The next morning...all bundled up!!!

After we took down camp, we drove a whopping 5 minutes to the Ranch to clean up, cheer on the Hogs, and then celebrate Phil and Kaleigh's engagement!!! I'm SO mad I didn't take a single picture that night because it was one of the best nights ever. Phil works for John David and Kaleigh is in my Bible Study and babysits Lyla on Wednesday nights. They have both become SO dear to us!! Phil took Kaleigh out there Saturday evening "to throw the frisbee and have a picnic and ride around on the ranger" (or so she thought!!) and he ended up taking her to this spot in the woods where he'd set up the most precious engagement sight ever!! They've dated since like 10th grade, and he had every note she'd ever written him and tons of ticket stubs, concert stubs, boutineers from high school dances, etc. hanging all over the place, with tiki torches and lights, and pictures of them in frames. SO PRECIOUS!!! After he popped the question, they rode back to the Ranch where all their families and friends were there to surprise Kaleigh and celebrate. They even rode up to John David and the guys shooting off fireworks! It was seriously awesome. And of course, I couldn't stop crying.

Sunday, we slept in till like 11 (awesome!!) and then John David and I went to Rogers to shop, eat an early PF Changs dinner, and see the movie Moneyball. A perfect "date day" to end a perfect weekend!!!

MEANWHILE, Lyla was at Disneyworld. Er, I mean Texarkana. Jana and Russell bought her a few minor toys to keep her entertained while she was there...

They seriously had this installed the day she got there! She was in Heaven!!

oh, and a pink jeep too! Why not?

Tea time with Pop

Jana is obviously better at fixing Lyla's hair than me! How cute is this little ballerina bun?? Be still my heart!!

And, last but not least...

She obviously had a GREAT time, and cried so hard to leave Jan Jan this morning!! Even when I pulled into our garage she was saying "more Jan Jan!" She clearly didn't miss us too terribly. I think it was a needed break for both of us! ha! It IS great to have her back though!! I think she's talking even more than when she left! And of course, she's as cute as ever! I've been soaking up my afternoon with her and am loving staring at her sweet face and hearing her precious voice. Distance really does make the heart grow fonder! Thanks Jan Jan and Pop, for such a great break and for taking such great care of our girl! I didn't have to worry about her for a single second!! :)

Farmland Adventures!

2011-10-24T12:39:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday, our community group went to Farmland Adventures, a pumpkin patch that's right by our house. We've been wanting to take Lyla for a while now, and of course the one night our community group went fell on the coldest night in Fayetteville yet. But, a little frostbite didn't keep this group from having fun!! As soon as we got there, we saw Emerson riding a pony! First pony ride at 5 months old...pretty impressive! We got there a little too late for Lyla to ride the pony, but she didn't seem to mind. She just thought it was fun to look at them.

playing in the big box of corn!

petting a baby goat

She got so excited over all the animals!

precious little cold face on the wagon ride...soaking it all in.

This wagon ride basically consisted of riding around in a big field. At least we had fun people surrounding us and a pretty sunset to to watch!

The driver did stop the wagon at the chicken coop, and passed around a chicken for the kiddos to pet.

And now for the real entertainment! Who knew pumpkins could be so fun?!?

After the wagon ride, we enjoyed some much needed hot chocolate. Yummy to my tummy!

Then, the few sips the kids got was enough to send them giggling and running around all the pumpkins in a mini hyper fest!

And of course, Lyla and Sawyer took turns jumping off this bale of hay.

Despite the cold and the overpriced entrance fee, it ended up being a fun night and Lyla hasn't stopped talking about it since. Every time she sees a pumpkin she says "Pumpkin patch. So fun!!" It's all about the memories, right!? :)

It's Official!

2011-10-18T11:49:00.000-07:00

We had our big ultrasound at the Dr. this morning, and they confirmed what we suspected...a GIRL!!! It was so much fun seeing her move all around in my belly! Even the ultrasound tech couldn't believe how much she was moving, and said she was kicking her legs nonstop. (so, that's what I've been feeling over the past couple weeks!) Lyla was a big-time mover as well, so it looks like she'll have a little sister to keep up with her busy little self! :) The Dr. said everything looks "perfect" (I love that word!!) and that she's measuring right on schedule! She's about 7 inches long, head to bottom, and about 12 ounces. We also got to hear her heartbeat, which is the greatest sound ever!! It was beating at 145 bpm. I'm so thankful for a healthy baby...and another girl!!!

(her face looking straight at you...kinda creepy. kinda cool.)

She was trying to suck her little thumb! :)

(if she's anything like her Mama, she'll be sucking that thing till she's 7. Let's hope not!)

P.S. I love her little leg bent up in that last picture!
P.S.S. She is moving around like CRAZY right now, as I type. Like, my stomach is moving all around from the outside! I love that I can picture her moving around in there. My two little gymnast girls! :)

19 weeks and some sisterly love!

2011-10-14T09:53:00.000-07:00

I'm 19 weeks today, which means I'm almost halfway there! I'll for sure have her by 39 weeks (c-section) so, 20 weeks to go! :) Baby girl is 6 inches long, head to bottom, and weighs 8.5 oz. I have felt really pregnant the past week or so...just starting to feel uncomfortable for the first time. And I'm at such an awkward stage, where maternity pants are still way too big, but my regular jeans are way too tight. So, I'm thankful for the leggings and bella bands I've been living in! I've had such an easy pregnancy so far, so I really can't complain!! I just keep thinking about how much longer I have to go, and I get worried that I already feel so big! ha! :)

But, despite some discomfort, it's been the SWEETEST week with Big Sister! Now that my belly has officially popped out, it's like it all clicked for Lyla. She asks to see and touch the baby ALL the time, and gives her kisses and love-pats all day long. It truly melts my heart and makes me so excited that I think she's starting to get it. The other day, the baby was moving around a lot, so I put Lyla's hand on my belly and she actually felt her kick a few times!! She giggled so hard and kept saying, "more sister!!" It was such a sweet memory! I love that she's already acting so tender toward her, and has been way more into playing "mommy" with her baby dolls. I always tell her she's getting in some great big sister practice. For example, literally just now as I was blogging, I noticed she was being quiet as she was supposed to be just playing in her room. I went to check on her, and found her in the bathroom like this:

Sometimes I read to her while she's on the potty trying to poop. So apparently, her baby doll needed to go potty as well. :) She pulled her stool in there and everything. Love it.

Now here's a peek at some of her sisterly affection:

This morning, at breakfast, I asked her who her best friend is and she said, "mommy. daddy. baby." I HOPE and pray that comes true, that they truly will be the BEST of friends their entire lives!! (although there's a really good chance she was referring to her baby doll, I'm going to assume she was talking about her baby sister!) :)

Tiny Dancer

2011-10-14T09:20:00.000-07:00

Well, we've already entered the stage where Lyla has a strong opinion about her outfits! Had no idea it would start this early! If it were up to me, I'd just put her in comfy play clothes...you know, like a long sleeve shirt and matching leggings with some Chucks. Perfect for these cool Fall days. But, oh no, Lyla will not have it. She wants to wear a "princess dress" every day. And throws a fit if I try and put anything but a dress on her. She literally takes it right off. And the only way I can get her to wear clothes is if she picks it out. Last night, some friends had us over for dinner and she insisted on wearing one of her smocked dresses. She may have been a little overdressed for the occasion, but she sure felt pretty! The other day, she insisted on wearing her ballerina outfit all day. And ballet shoes. The whole get-up. She twirled and danced around all day long...

Can you tell she was feeling really cute?? :)

Love my little tiny dancer.

A PERFECT Fayetteville Day!

2011-10-13T14:17:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, Whitney and Stephen decided last minute to come to Fayetteville (kid free), and my good friend Katie Garton and her boyfriend were staying with us as well. We had a full and HAPPY house!! Everyone got in pretty late Friday night and left after breakfast Sunday morning, so our time together was basically limited to Saturday...and, boy did we pack it in! Here's my guide to having a perfect day in Fayetteville...

1. Thank Jesus for the most gorgeous weather you could imagine. (and that your sister/best friend in the world is in town!!!!!)

2. Start the morning off with some donuts, sausage rolls, and coffee at Rick's Bakery.

3. Head to the Farmer's Market (and relish the few seconds your daughter will actually hold your hand to walk around!)

(just try to look at these 2 and not smile! This is why I love Fayetteville. Look at how much fun they are having playing their music and tapping their little feet. Sights like this are so joyful, they kinda brings tears to my eyes.)

4. Watch Lyla do tricks and be really cute in her cheerleading uniform.

5. Listen to really great live music.

6. Stop listening to pose for a family pic.

7. Walk to Loafin' Joes for ranch chips and delicious sandwiches with a group of fun friends!

8. Go home to take a quick nap and rejuvenate.

9. Head out for some Razorback Tailgating!

10. Watch the Razorbacks beat Auburn in an awesome game!!

sidenote: Lyla lasted ALL four quarters, so happily cheering and dancing the whole time! I think the popcorn and pink cotton candy helped her stay awake till 10. :)

another sidenote: Whitney and Stephen's tickets were on the front row...

which meant they were ALL over ESPN the entire game!

Famous Sister and BIL!!!!

And, there you go, your 10 steps to a perfect Fayetteville Day!

Proud Sister and Daughter!

2011-10-12T12:22:00.000-07:00

Most of you know that my talented mom and sister have a company called w.e. giggle. If you live in Fayetteville, their adorable cards are sold at Riffraff and Glo. Every single time I give one of their cards at a shower, I get compliments about how cute they are. My sister is the artist, and her designs are so whimsical and fun! Anything from invitations, personalized stationary, or cards for any occasion can be found on their website. Recently, they've expanded their creativity! Not only do they have cute cards, but they are also making clips and headbands for little girls, tons of homemade house decor, and just fun little knick knacks! Check out their blog to see some of their creations!

Although it's only October, I know some of you are thinking about Christmas shopping already, so keep w.e. giggle in mind for some really great gifts!! I am just busting with pride over all their cute things! Had to share. :)

Friday Randoms!

2011-10-07T12:56:00.000-07:00

SO happy it's Friday!! Especially because my sister and BIL, and my friend Katie and her boyfriend are headed to Fayetteville to play all weekend!!! I'm a giddy girl!!!

Here are a few things we've been up to this week...

Sawyer came over to play yesterday, and while they were hitting golf balls in the front yard, we spied this huge, furry caterpillar!! It was quite the entertainment!! They laid in the grass like this for about 20 minutes just taking turns touching it and giggling. At one point, it completely stopped moving and they both said, "uh oh." and we all just stared at it for a good while, hoping they hadn't killed the poor thing. When it finally started moving, we all jumped up and down saying, "it's alive! it's alive!!" :)

When Lyla hasn't been playing with caterpillars, she's been SUPER into princesses these days!! She and Estelle dressed up the other day in their princess costumes and just took care of their babies and twirled around, feeling oh so pretty. EVERY time I put her down for a nap now, she wants me to change her into her princess pj's. And every time I get her dressed, she points to her outfit and says, "princess!" Love me some little girls!!! :)

We've pretty much hung out with the Colliers almost daily, which makes me SO happy! After Sarah Boyce picked the kiddos up from school, we met them at Pink Swirls for some yogurt. And the daddies even got to meet us there after they got off work! Such a treat!!

Now, I know as much as anyone that this girl is a CLONE of her daddy, but come on, do you see ANY of me in her???

(this is me) :)

This is her newest thing. She LOVES putting her fingers like this and saying, "rock on!"

Does it ALL the time. hahaha! My little rockstar princess.

And here's another thing I taught her that cracks me up. She moves her hand over her face and says "happy!!", then moves her hand back down over her face and says "sad." Like this...

"happy!!"

"sad."

(LOVE her sad face. haha!)

AND baby sister is growing like crazy! Getting bigger by the day!

18 weeks today!!

So, Lyla and I went on a "nature walk" around the neighborhood today to collect leaves for our craft. We ended up walking SO far because Lyla decided she wanted to walk to the pond and see the ducks. Well, by the time we finished, it was naptime...we were hot, tired, and thirsty. And this pregnant Mama had to carry Lyla all the way back to the house...uphill, in the heat. About 1/2 a mile. Whew. Talk about a workout. Thankful she's napping now and I'm sitting on the couch blogging! Hope that dang craft is worth the work it took to gather these leaves! :)

Anyway, told you...RANDOM Friday! Hope you all have a great weekend!!! GO HOGS!

Homeschool Preschool

2011-10-05T14:30:00.000-07:00

I've been feeling like our days are SUPER monotonous around here. Every day is the. exact. same. as the day before. And I'm sure this will continue until my kids are in College. Lately I've been feeling sorry for myself that Lyla's not in any Mother's Day Out program or preschool of any sort and that we have nothing to break our days up. Well, I'm done feeling sorry for myself. :) I've decided to embrace these days at home and take advantage of this sweet time I've been given with Lyla. It honestly is nice not to have anywhere I have to be during the day. If we want to stay in our PJ's all day, why not?? I want to enjoy these days and not wish them away because I really do know that Lyla being home with me all day will not last forever. SO, I've decided to put my Elementary Ed. Degree to some use! :) Here's my plan. Let's hope it lasts longer than 2 days...

While Lyla's been napping, I put together this little bulletin board. If I were Whitney or Ali, it would have been much cuter and way more creative. But, since I didn't get those crafty, creative genes, I just went with practical and easy. :)

I thought about doing a Fall theme, and switching it out every month or two...but I knew that would never happen. So, I just made it really simple so that all I have to do is use an index card and a push pin whenever I want to switch out a category. As far as the categories go, I just thought about things she's naturally interested in and that we talk about on a day to day basis anyway. So, here are the things we'll be working on over the next couple weeks...

Whenever she's mastered any of the concepts, I'll take the index card off, date it on the back, and then replace it with a new one. I'm most excited about the memory verses. I decided if she can memorize songs, she can memorize Scripture. And it will be fun to have a collection of those cards for us to continually review. (So far, I've just been telling her this verse over and over and her response everytime is "nooooo!" so I think we have a long way to go! ha!)

I haven't decided yet if we are going to have a set time each day that we work through these things (just the thought of that kinda makes me laugh because it's so unrealistic!), or if I'm just going to incorporate them in whatever we're already doing throughout the day...i.e. chalk/playdough (drawing and making our letter, shape, and number), reading outloud (looking for the letter "a"on this page, reading books about our Bible story or vocabulary word, etc.) But, overall, I'm just hoping it will give me a little more direction and purpose in our days. (And make me turn off the TV and get off the computer and actually be intentional about educating my child.) So, now that she's awake from her nap and she's eaten her snack, I guess we'll go start on lesson #1. Surely having one student will be easier than 26 fourth graders, right?!?! :)

A Razorback Comeback and a Day at the Zoo

2011-10-03T16:13:00.000-07:00

Those 2 things made for a GREAT weekend!!

On Saturday, Patrick and Margot had a bunch of friends over to watch the Arkansas/A&M game and boil shrimp...

Lyla called the hogs and cheered them on to a last minute Victory!

(missing Sarah Boyce and Bethany)

Forgot to take a 17 week belly pic (and 16 week for that matter!)
So, here I am at 17 weeks and 1 day.
(sidenote: this was taken BEFORE I ate an entire bag of chips with Rotel, a couple brownies, and boiled shrimp with corn and potatoes and sausage! It was MUCH bigger by the end of the game!) :)

Then, on Sunday, we headed to the Tulsa zoo with Kyle and Haley, for Stella's birthday! Lyla had been SO pumped about this all week and we'd been talking about all the animals she was going to see. It did not disappoint. She had a BLAST!

Haley put together these adorable goodie bags for the girls...with snacks, activities, bracelets, and the super cute shirts they wore at the zoo! :)

Lyla called this "a big teddy bear!"

Ready for our train ride through the zoo!

We may have been even more pumped than the girls.

Lyla kept singing "All aboard the choo choo train!" from the Disney Channel

They had so much fun on this playground...we had to pry them away.

A little ice cream treat after our yummy lunch!

(sidenote: Lyla threw a fit anytime I tried to clip her bangs back. So, excuse the bangs hanging in her eyes. Annoying!)

Here she's saying "Hello Lion!" and when it was time to move on, she'd say "bye bye Lion!"
She did this with every animal. ha!

This friendly little penguin wanted to say hello!

putting their hands in the animal paw prints

We caught the Elephant Show just as we were about to leave. SO glad we did! It was awesome! Those animals are huge and so sweet!!

A tired twosome at the end of a fun, long day.
(are they twins or what??)

Thanks so much Kyle and Haley!! It was an absolute blast!

Supper Club, Stickers, and Picnics...

2011-09-30T12:12:00.000-07:00

That's how we've been spending our days lately. :)

Our friends, Kristin and Steven, had a group over for a tailgating themed dinner the other night. They grilled hotdogs and burgers, and everyone else brought their favorite tailgating treat. It was such a great way to do a big group dinner, and something we should do more often! Plus, this was a group of friends that we love but we rarely get to see because they are on the other side of town. So, it was a treat to spend time with them and all their cute little kiddos. It was a madhouse...but a happy madhouse. :)

Haven reading to Lyla, Leah Kate, and Eden. :)

The unbelievable treats Ellen Hillis brought for all the kiddos! So cute!

Lyla and Eden obviously enjoyed them.

All the kids chowing down on their treats.

I've been in major clean out mode lately...told you, nesting has already kicked in. And I found a box of my old "teacher stuff" the other day, with tons of stickers. Jackpot! Countless hours of entertainment for sweet Lyla...

So proud of her masterpiece...

Also, we've been SOAKING UP this gorgeous weather!!! Like upper 60's, lower 70's kind of weather! I keep having to remind myself that this will not be here for long! So, we spend most of our days going on walks, feeding the ducks, playing at the park, playing with the neighborhood kids outside, and eating lots of picnics! :) Lyla is really into picnics these days and asks for one every day. It started last Saturday when John David and I packed a lunch and took it to Wilson Park and told her we were going on a picnic. So, I'm pretty sure we've eaten our lunch outside almost every day this week. Once at the park, once on the chickfila patio, and twice in our own backyard...

She was so excited to see what was in the bag.

A Capri Sun...SCORE!!

I'm hoping this continues to be a daily tradition until it's too cold. It's the sweetest time ever. Today, we sang every song she knows. She called the hogs a few times. And, after almost every bite, she would say "mmmmmm....De-Wicious!" while she rubs her tummy. hahaha!!!

So, there's a little glimpse into our week...and now Happy Friday everyone!! We are looking forward to Bikes, Blues, and BBQ, watching the Razorback game on Saturday, and the Tulsa Zoo on Sunday...so lots of pics to come, I'm sure! :)

84% chance

2011-09-22T12:52:00.000-07:00

I had my 16 week check up this morning, and I talked my dr. into doing an early ultrasound. :) He did warn me that it may be too early to tell, but he gladly agreed to take a look just for fun. I was so excited/nervous! First of all, it was just SUCH a comforting feeling to see that little nugget moving all around in there! :) I was praying so hard that the baby would move in such a way that we could tell what it was, and it did give us a pretty good view...although it was still so hard to tell! We kept thinking we saw a little something, but then it would start moving and we decided it was probably the umbilical cord. After looking and waiting and looking some more, my Dr. finally said, " I think it's a girl." I said, "Wait...what do you mean, you think?? Like, give me a percentage." And he said 84%. Ha! He said it's still so early that we may just not be able to pick up on a boy part, but he wasn't seeing one...and we did see the "three lines" a few times that would indicate a girl. For some reason, John David was really good at reading the ultrasound! He kept seeing things that I wasn't seeing. My Dr. said he was going to call John David in when he needed extra help reading them. haha! And according to John David, he's 95% sure it's a girl! :) For some reason, we both kinda had a feeling all along that it was going to be a girl...and even though we would LOVE a little boy, we are both SO thrilled!! (yes, even John David is still excited!) I've truly found myself so giddy at the thought of it all day long. Just knowing how much I LOVE my sister and she's my very best friend in the entire world and I have a bond with her like I will never have with anyone else, makes me SO happy that Lyla is going to get a little sister!!!! Oh, and of course the fact that someone else will get to wear all of Lyla's cute clothes again. :)

Sweet Haley watched Lyla for us while we went to the appointment, and when we went to pick her up, I said, "Lyla, you are going to have a little sister!" and her face lit up in the most precious way and she got so excited. Melt my heart. Of course, we will still do a 20 week ultrasound in a little less than a month to confirm...and if it does end up being a boy, we will obviously be just as pumped up! But, for now, I'll be dreaming about the 84% chance that I'll have two precious little girls running around our house in their matching princess pj's and playing pretend together. :)

After we picked up Lyla, I was really in the mood to celebrate our fun news. Plus the rainy, cold weather made me want some coffee and something sweet. So what better place to satisfy my cravings than Rick's Bakery?? Lyla did not complain. And neither did John David. :)

She's going to be the best big sister!! I bet she'll even share her doughnut. Well, maybe. :)

2 year stats

2011-09-20T15:42:00.000-07:00

We just got home from Lyla's 2 year well-check at the dr. This was the best shot I could get of her on my iphone while we waited. :) She was not the most patient 2 year old as we waited on the dr. to come in, so it was a lollipop to the rescue! I'd brought it to comfort her after her shots, but I was so happy to find out that she didn't need any shots this time around! YAY! Although we did decide to do a little nasal spray flu shot. It was so easy...she was a trooper. So, Lyla at 2 years old...

Weight: 26 pounds

Height: 33 inches

Which means she's gained about a pound and grown about an inch and a half since her 18 month check up. Little growing girl. I still can't believe my baby girl is 2 years old!! Katie and I were watching Lyla and Sawyer play last night, just giggling away and being so darn cute. We both decided we want to put a brick on their heads because they are at such a fun age! K, just wanted to document these stats because I know I'll forget! :)

Big Girl Bed

2011-09-19T12:29:00.000-07:00

About a week ago, we moved Lyla into her big girl bed. It was right when we returned from the Ranch celebrating her birthday. I just told her, "Lyla, now that you're 2 and you use the big girl potty, it's time to move you to a big girl bed!" It seemed like a good time for the transition since she really was feeling so big all of a sudden. Plus, I wanted to give her lots of time to get adjusted to it before the new baby comes. She was SO excited!! I've had my eye on this bedding for quite sometime, so thanks to the help of lots of generous and thoughtful family, this was her BIG birthday present this year...her new bedding. And I could not love it more! It makes me so happy and fits her existing room perfectly.

I'm loving our new bedtime routine, too. After bath, PJ's, teeth brushed, and a try at the potty, we snuggle in with her piggy and passy, turn on the lamp and sound machine, and I crawl right in with her to read a few books. Then we say our prayers and kiss goodnight. It's my favorite time of day! She's so sweet and snuggly, and that bed is SO comfy I have to pry myself out every time.

Her newest obsession is this "Hello Big Red" book about the University of Arkansas. We read it 100 times a day!! "'Back Book!" is what she calls it. :) And she calls the hogs through the whole book.

How sweet is she snuggled in her big bed? :)

Daddy's turn to put her to bed!

Although this is how I find him when it's his turn...he can't quite pry himself away. And I don't blame him!

And now for a few shots of the bed all made up! :)

The Celebrating Continued...Hog Style.

2011-09-18T15:35:00.000-07:00

On Friday night, my birthday celebration continued at our friends Mark and Jenessa's house. They had a Razorback themed party to get game day weekend started right! :) Most of our community group was there and it was the perfect way to celebrate! They have an awesome playroom upstairs, so Lyla was thoroughly entertained and happy all night!

some of the guys out on the patio

most of our community group girls (plus Kara) :)

It was Mark's Dad's birthday too so they had a cake for us! SO sweet!!

The host and the hubs

This is her "cheese" face! So intense.

Yesterday, we woke up and sang happy birthday to Lyla! She was utterly confused as to why we were singing this considering we've already fully celebrated her birthday, but we gave her another cupcake anyway. She didn't complain.

Then we headed to the Pit to tailgate! It was cold and rainy all day long, but thankfully by the time we got there it was just cold. No rain. We ate some delicious tailgating food, and then Lyla and John David headed off to go down ON the field before the game!!! John William got a bunch of passes for family, and I was SO excited for Lyla to experience this treat on her special day!

See ya Mom! I'm going to meet Boss Hog and Big Red!

They were SO giddy to be down on the field...just danced and giggled away!

showing off Daddy's pass

While John David and Lyla were on the field, I went ahead and went to our seats, which were on the 50 yard line, and way far down, a birthday gift to Lyla from GiGi and Bop!! (THANK YOU!!!) So, I just watched John David and Lyla from my seat. Pretty sure I had a HUGE smile on my face, and even teared up at one point watching her!! She was having so much fun, and I knew she was just so happy...which of course, makes her mommy happy! :) I mean, getting a picture with the pom squad was like meeting celebrities to her!! So, I think it's safe to say that Lyla had a GREAT 2nd birthday! We only stayed one quarter because it was pretty chilly and Lyla started to get a little stir crazy, but it was SO worth it for the pre-game experience!

So, birthday weekend at our house comes to an end! It sure was fun while it lasted! :)

Flirty, Thirty, and Thriving

2011-09-16T12:42:00.000-07:00

Where did that phrase come from anyway? ha! Couldn't help but use it since I'm officially THIRTY today!! And I still feel like I could throw on my high school cheerleading uniform and perform at the RHS pep rally today! (although I bet I'd be really sore tomorrow.) Anyway, I realize that my big day isn't nearly over and there's way more fun to come, but it's already been absolutely the BEST birthday ever!!! Starting with last weekend...I got to celebrate with my sweet family out at the Ranch and open lots of fun and thoughtful gifts from them. Then, last night, we went to dinner at one of my favorite Fayetteville restaurants, Greenhouse Grille, with some of my favorite people! It was us, Henrys, Coles, Nicodemus', John William, Harris', and Kramers. SUCH a fun group! I feel so blessed. Then, sweet Katie had everyone over for dessert at her house afterward. And, of course, made it so cute and special...

I told her like a week ago that I'd been craving fruit pizza, so she made these delicious mini fruit pizzas.

so cute!

not so cute. but funny. :)

LOVE these girls!

Then, this morning, John David made me scrambled eggs and a smoothie and I enjoyed being able to spend the morning with him and Lyla! A rarity. Whenever he left for work, I headed to Katie's for a little playdate with Sawyer, and Haley and Stella.

When I got there, she surprised me with a pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks. YUMMY!

and Lyla made me a masterpiece for my Bday.

Then, we headed over to the Pi Phi house for some CHICKEN FINGER FRIDAY!

Talk about making my birthday extra special!! My heart still is so happy whenever I step foot in that house! SO many fun memories!! John David, Phil, and Richard met me, Kaleigh, and Kristen up there and I got to see a lot of my Bible Study girls as well. It was so fun! Lyla is so popular and well taken care of every time we're there. I love it.

My delicious lunch!! It's even better than when I lived in the house.

Now, before you judge me, I did share this plate with Lyla.

(although I'm pretty sure I downed most of it myself.)

which is why this is what my belly looked like when I got home! :)

15 weeks today!!

And I feel like it officially "popped" this week!

(as compared to last week...14 weeks):

I'm feeling very loved, blessed, and thankful today! So far, 30 isn't so bad after all! :)

Blaggin' Wagon

2011-09-15T11:51:00.000-07:00

You just never know what John David is going to pull into our garage...

Meet our new toy. :)

It's a 1972 VW Bus. Yep, that's right. Our inner hippies are squealing with joy. We are going to be fixing this baby up and taking it camping every weekend to the Buffalo, going to all kinds of Bluegrass Festivals, and creating lots of amazing memories for our kids! :) At least, that's the plan.

It actually belongs to our good buddy, BHill, but he's needing to get rid of it because he's moving to DC, then possibly to Africa. So, we gladly volunteered to take it off his hands. :)

It has a pop up camper with a canvas/cot thing for you to sleep in! Although I'll be sleeping on the comfy fold out leather seats in the back.

GIDDY boy!!

oh hey! Just hanging out in the back at our little table where we'll be playing tons of cards and bananagrams on our camping trips. :)

DL testing out the cot in the front. He seriously asked his dad to go get his pillow and blanket. He didn't want to leave.

So, here's to hoping this thing doesn't become a big ole money pit! That's the only thing I'm worried about. But, overall, it really does excite me to think of all the fun memories our family could have in it!

Already, everytime we pull into the garage Lyla wants to get in it and play. And it's torture to get her out of it! So, if nothing else, it can become a playhouse for her! :)

Thanks BHill!!

P.S. Today is my last day in my 20's!!! I'm gonna live it up!!!!!

A few randoms...

2011-09-13T16:41:00.000-07:00

Lyla's become quite the little snuggle bug lately, which is so unlike her, but I'm LOVING it...

Labor Day weekend, we went to Wilson Park with the Younts and the Henrys. (after our attempt to go to the fair only to find out it had shut down that day! So sad.) So, we picked up Einstein Bro. for dinner (healthier than funnel cakes and fried twinkies, I guess) and just had a little picnic at the park instead. We still thoroughly enjoyed the gorgeous weather and the fun company at the park! (after Lyla got over not getting to see the "horsies") :)

But, hey! They got to see a ladybug on Andrew's hand! That's just as cool, right??

And, might I add that this was unsolicited on our part...these two just grabbed hands and walked off to play together.

little cuties...they love each other so much.

Then, on Labor Day, we walked over to Clay and Lee's for homemade buttermilk pancakes. They were delicious!! John David and Clay fried up some sausage and bacon, served with a side of fresh fruit...and we started out our Labor Day RIGHT!

After playing outside with the Mortons for a little bit, we headed to the house to wash our cars.

Lyla had a BLAST helping Daddy!

And, now for just some random Lyla shots...

Sporting her new cute outfit and my attempt at a ponytail :)

Don't you watch TV like this?

My car battery died last week, and once again, Lyla jumped at the chance to be Daddy's little helper to fix it. So cute. Too bad she got a tool stuck in some important compartment. Oh well, memories, right?

Lyla's Birthday Celebration!

2011-09-12T07:29:00.000-07:00

We just returned from the MOST FUN weekend celebrating Lyla's birthday at the Ranch. Her actual birthday is not until this Saturday, the 17th. However, after talking to our families, several of them had commitments that weekend, and it turned out that this past weekend was better for most. So, we just celebrated a week early! Ever since the Ranch was built, I've been dreaming of a weekend with our families out there, so I decided to make Lyla's birthday our excuse to get everyone to come out to it! :) Also, Lyla is OBSESSED with The Fresh Beat Band. I mean, obsessed. Knows all the songs and dances, talks about the characters ALL the time, and gets so giddy when it comes on TV. So, I've known for months that I wanted to do some kind of Fresh Beat Band theme for her 2nd birthday. I decided to go ahead and go with it, even though it was just family, and I'm SO glad I did!! It cost about 10 bucks total to throw this theme into it, and it made Lyla and Olivia (and me) SO happy! :)

So, here are a billion pics from our time at the Ranch. It truly was (almost) perfect, other than missing the Deals and Marshalls!! But, overall, the weather was gorgeous, it was super relaxing, the kids were so awesome and well behaved, and we just had so much fun!!

The sassy birthday girl herself...showing off her t-shirt.

And Olivia wore her Fresh Beat Band shirt as well!

We started the morning off with a "Hip, Hop, and Pop" Popcorn Party. :)

waiting patiently with their popcorn bags

enjoying their popcorn in the media room

The kids enjoyed their "Cool Beans Coloring Station" all weekend as well. :)

These two were such great helpers making the cupcakes!

Well, OK, Olivia actually made all the cupcakes herself. Lyla just helped taste test the icing. :)

Several months ago, Jana sent Lyla this cardboard house that you get to decorate. I've been saving it for this weekend so all the cousins could help. Of course, I had to incorporate The Fresh Beat Band theme, and since one of their songs is called "Stomp the House", that's what I went with. :)

It provided some serious entertainment all weekend!

We grilled burgers and hotdogs for lunch, served with chips and fruit. yummy!!

Time to blow out the candle and enjoy the delicious cupcakes Olivia made us!

Olivia also made these cups for our "groovy smoothies". Could not have pulled off this party without my little helper!!

A Whitney Sandwich! :)

throwing rocks...endless entertainment as well.

Of course, we had to do a wardrobe change to get ready to cheer on the Hogs!!

We spent lots of time riding around in the Ranger or rocking on the porch, looking for deer. They were everywhere! So fun!

Crossfit in action...Aunt Whit heading out for a closer look at the deer. :)

This little cutie held my hand in the back of the Ranger. Be still my heart.

More fun with the house!

For dinner we ate chili while we cheered on the Hogs in the media room. Then, we headed out to the fire for S'Mores! Lyla was still calling the Hogs, of course.

Then, after baths and PJ's, we ended our fun day opening presents!!

Wahoo! New Chucks from the Marshalls! She wanted to put them on right away, and we had to pry them off her feet at bedtime! She asked to put them on first thing the next morning...I think it's safe to say she LOVES them! They are pretty darn cute!

Sporting her new flower clip my mom MADE! LOVE IT!

Feeding her new turtle some of her new kitchen food. :)

pretending to eat her banana...how cute that it actually folds down??

And, heading to bed after a FULL day of celebrating!

One of my favorite things about being at the Ranch...coffee on the front porch in PJ's.

Banana Pops for breakfast? Why not?

Missing John Morris, Annie, and Max!

Thanks, everyone, for coming!!!

Lyla, we had so much fun celebrating your life and we can't wait to keep celebrating all week!!

Razorbacks and Botanical Gardens

2011-09-04T12:31:00.000-07:00

I can't even begin to describe how great our weekend was. My heart has felt so full and happy and giddy all weekend! It was the first taste of Fall...and I loved every minute! Our friends Matt and Kinsey came in town, and it's always a guaranteed blast whenever we are with them. Friday night, we hung out at Katie and Andrew's with a fun group of friends...just ordered pizza and had a great, low-key night catching up with everyone.

On Saturday, we had a very slow and calm morning with Matt and Kinsey...drank coffee, ate toast, played with Lyla. I went to a bridal shower for my friend, Casey, which was SO much fun, while Lyla took a nap...and then we were ready to hit the PIT and start calling those hogs!!!! I went into tailgating and the game with very low expectations for Lyla, being newly potty trained and just super active and not knowing how she would be, which I think is why I was so pleasantly surprised at how perfectly awesome she was!! I had prayed so much that it would be an enjoyable time, so I was just praising Jesus the whole time for answered prayers! It truly ended up being one of the most fun memories we have as a family to date. I mean, we had a BLAST.

leaving the house, heading out to do some tailgating...

me and my sweet girl

I love how admiringly she's looking at Kinsey...she fell in LOVE with Matt and Kinsey this weekend! Couldn't stop giving them kisses when they left!

And, we made it to our tailgating spot! Getting some sugar from Uncle John!

I got to see my dear friend Katie!!! I miss her so much, and it was such a treat to catch up and hug her neck!

"Mmmmmmm....that looks yummy!"

A group shot with the family! Love them!

And, time to head into the game...

Lyla was SO into the game!! She danced to every single song (when the music stopped, she'd say "more music"), clapped at every opportunity, yelled at the field when everyone else started yelling, and even picked up on the hand motions to the band songs and would join in each time. I have never had more fun watching a human being in my entire life. She was soaking it ALL in, and into every single play!! John David even turned to me at one point and said, "Lyla might be my favorite person to ever go to a Razorback game with." Couldn't agree more. She was an absolute blast. We left at halftime, and she said "more football! more 'back!" (razorback) the entire way home, and even woke up saying it! We've got a football fan on our hands!! I really think she had more fun than anyone else there.

This morning, we woke up and went to eat breakfast at Common Grounds with Matt and Kinsey. We sat on the patio and I had to go to the car to get a jacket!!! It felt amazing!!! We enjoyed the yummiest food, and then went to the Botanical Gardens to walk around and enjoy the weather. I'm sad to say that we live across the street from the Gardens, and it was my very first time to actually go inside and walk around! Man, have I been missing out!!! One of the coolest things about Fayetteville by far. We had an absolute blast, and as you can see, I could not stop snapping photos..

laughing so hard on the swing with Matt

Again, Matt had her laughing so hard!

Hello 2nd Trimester!!

2011-09-02T07:44:00.000-07:00

13 weeks

Feels good to officially start my 2nd trimester.

And check out that bump! (although please ignore the dirty mirror. ha!)

Baby is definitely growing! YAY!

I have felt really great this week. I feel like my energy level during the day is back to normal. In fact, I feel like "nesting" is already kicking in. (is that normal this early??) I'm in the mood to clean out and organize like crazy! I still feel a crashing spell around 7 or 8, but once Lyla is down I usually get a second wind. I'm still starving ALL day long...literally eat like every hour. In fact, I shamefully gave into a random craving I've had all pregnancy...Toaster Strudels. So random, I know. I hadn't had one since like middle school. But, every time I passed a box at Walmart, they were screaming my name! So, I caved this week. I knew they wouldn't be as good as I was hoping they'd be...so sweet, it kinda grosses me out. But, I'm sure I'll eat the whole box eventually. :) I truly feel like this pregnancy is FLYING BY. Every week goes by in a blink, and I can't believe I've progressed another week! I really think chasing a toddler around changes everything...sometimes I forget I'm even pregnant.

Anyway, baby B is pumped up to hear some hog calling for the first time this weekend. I'm sure that little angel will be raising those hands and doing some "woooooing" from inside my belly!! We will be taking Lyla tailgating AND to the game...hope we make it to halftime! :) But, we are excited for some Razorback football!!!!! So excited that Fall is pretty much here! It's my favorite!! GO HOGS! :)

What a great weekend!

2011-08-29T19:05:00.000-07:00

Starting with Friday night...GiGi and Bop came in town to deliver an early birthday present for Lyla!! Bop spent like 8 hours or something crazy putting together all 500 pieces of this kitchen, so needless to say, they were anxious to get it to Lyla after all their hard work! They drove down from Texarkana for the special delivery, and Lyla got to wake up Saturday morning to this...

(with some new princess PJ's that she's obsessed with, and some new princess panties for the big girl)

Let me just tell you that it has changed my life already. It's ALL she wants to play with...from the time she wakes up until the time she goes to sleep. It keeps her so entertained and busy, and I LOVE watching her creative little imagination at work! The very first thing she did when she saw it was grab a cup, take it to the water dispenser on the fridge, fill it with pretend water, and then "accidentally" spill it all over herself as she took a sip! haha!!

oh hey! I'm just talking on the phone while I do a little cooking in my cute new PJ's and slippers!

After we played with the kitchen, we enjoyed a yummy breakfast at Susan's in Springdale, then we rushed around like crazy working on Lyla's big girl room...moving things to the new nursery, cleaning out, making room for her kitchen, etc. I think "nesting" is already kicking in!

Saturday afternoon, our good friends Heather and Kelly and their 8 week old little Lucy came in town from Texarkana as well! Jana and Russell headed back to T-town while we took the Carrs to all our favorite Fayetteville shops and then ate a yummy dinner at Greenhouse Grill!

Sunday morning, we went to church and Lyla looked pretty darn cute in her little flower clip that my mom MADE! :) (check out their blog for all the cute things she and my sister make!!)

After church, lunch, and a failed attempt at a nap for Lyla, we headed out to the river so the boys could do some kayaking and the girls could cheer them on and relax in the beauty...

This is where we perched for a couple hours and just let our feet soak in the water while we watched the guys do rolls and all their fancy tricks.

I thought Lyla would want to swim and play, but she was perfectly content just sitting on mommy's lap or in this chair the entire time...eating snacks. :) In fact, she didn't even want her feet to touch the water. So unlike her. Maybe it was the lack of nap. Or the 2 snakes we saw swimming by our feet. Either way, glad she was able to just chill out with the rest of the ladies and babies...

Lucy's first Kayak ride!!

(before you call CPS, Kelly was right next to her...he just moved away so I could snap a pic!) :)

Lyla ended the day throwing rocks with Daniel. She LOVES him! Flirted with him all day long.

And she even pee peed in the potty while we were there...and threw rocks WHILE she peed. Multi-tasking.

And now for a little photo shoot with Lyla and Lucy before they leave...

Lucy will be running around with Lyla in no time!

Lyla really was so sweet to her...made me so excited to see her as a big sister!!

And one family photo before they hit the road!

Thanks for coming Kelly, Heather, and Lucy!!

We love y'all!