We Bought A Camper...

What are we thinking?!?! This past weekend we bought a camper! Yes, like a home on wheels--two, very old wheels holding up a bunch of aluminum, to be more accurate. Why, you ask? Well, we love camping. And we had a baby. So, understandably, we decided to give up some of the rustic, dirty, cold nights, dusty, tent camping to go for a few more conveniences. Doing that with a baby was just not gonna happen. So we started looking at pop-up campers. I really didn't like any of them. Until this. The Apache- we both agreed that's what we wanted, but they are hard to find because they are vintage and haven't been in production since 1985. Then last weekend one finally came available and we hurriedly drove to Houston to get it. Though it certainly needs a little TLC, it's in pretty good condition.  We're excited to renovate and make it ours. Because we are just so bored and have nothing to do with our time, apparently. But, we got a great deal and we're both pretty happy with our second home, now residing in our garage until we start the renovations:) Here's a few pictures...

Front door

Backside

View from one side

View from the other side

Little sink/stove area

Stay tuned, hopefully we'll have some pictures of the renovated camper someday...

Gender Reveal Party

So our dear friends, Jon and Erin, are having twins. And we are all so excited for them we can hardly stand it. And since everything with twins is bigger and better, we decided to throw them a party for reveal the gender of their sweet babies last Friday night. We had so much fun and it was such a special evening. Here are a few of the pictures...

The anxious couple

Evelyn telling Jon she wanted some boyfriends...

Now for the guesses-- TEAM BOTH

TEAM BOY

TEAM GIRL

And.....

BOYS!!!

Congratulations you two!!!

And goodnight:)

**Thanks for the lovely photos, Erin!

Oh my.

Our girl is standing up now. She pulls up onto everything and is crawling around faster than we can keep up with her. It's just crazy how much personality she has, and how fun we have every single day just watching her learn new things. Oh I just can't get enough, so I thought I'd share a couple pictures I snapped today...

9 Month Photos

WHERE has the time gone?!?!? Seriously, they tell you that "she's gonna grow up so fast" but OH how terribly quickly the time has gone! I have prayed since she was born that I would cherish every moment and remember all these special times, but it makes me so emotional to think how it feels like just yesterday that we were bringing her home from the hospital. Now, we've settled into a routine and such a fun life with our sweet girl, but I still hate to think how time continues to fly by. Every time someone tells me how big she is or how they can't believe she's already this old or how the next few years are just gonna go so quick, I have to take a deep breath so I don't start crying and then say a prayer that God continues to help me soak up every moment with my baby. Last week Kim was in town, so she took some 9 month photos for me while she was here. Thanks so much Aunt Kim! I just love how you always capture the sweetness of our precious girl!!!

And the love of watermelon begins...

Pretty sure she gets it from me, my Mom, and my Memommy:)

Happy 9 months sweet girl! We love watching you as you grow and learn about so many new things. 

It is so much fun seeing your personality develop, and we are so blessed to get to be your parents!!

Swimming Lessons!

Evelyn started swimming lessons! I think it's pretty funny to say that our 8 month old started swimming lessons, but we kinda did. We know of a really sweet mom of one of our friends, and she does "Mommy and Me" classes. We just did a few classes to teach me some of the things to begin teaching Evelyn about water safety and not being afraid of the water. She did so well. It's safe to say that Evelyn loooves the water. Here's a few pictures of her on her first day...

Mother's Day/Father's Day

This was my first ever Mother's Day, the first year I got to celebrate being a mother while also showing my love to the mothers in my life. This year has been a bittersweet Mother's Day, because more than ever, I am so mindful of the friends and family this year that have struggled to become mothers. I can not pretend to understand what they have gone through, but I have prayed and hurt with them as several people close to me have been caught in such a tough place. I am so thankful that several of them have recently given birth, adopted, or become pregnant, and I praise God for that. I do firmly believe that being a Mom is the greatest gift of all, but I also know that there is not just one way of becoming a Mommy. Thank you, God, for allowing me this opportunity. And let me continually strive to be a good mom for Evelyn, following in the wonderful footsteps of my own mother and grandmothers.

Father's Day was also very sweet. For me, it's absolutely awesome to see the man who you married to transition into the most wonderful daddy. Brandon is so smitten with Evelyn, and nothing gives me more joy than to see how much she loves him. I feel so blessed knowing that Evelyn has such a great daddy to learn from. I mean, not every kid gets a daddy as fun and sweet as Brandon Craddock:)

Mexico!!!

I'm finally getting around to posting pictures from our wonderful Mexico trip. It was an amazing vacation and much needed break, but more than that, it was the most beautiful wedding ever. My youngest sister, Allie, got married behind the house we rented for the week. It was DREAMY. I didn't get many pictures of the actual wedding, but here are a bunch of pictures from the week. As you can tell, we had an amazing time. And also, as you can tell, Miss Evelyn was the center of attention. And she was such an angel all week. She was so flexible and happy all week, no matter how much we dragged her around and kept her up late. And of course, it was so fun to get to spend the whole week with my family. We had a blast. But enough of all that-- enjoy the many, many pictures!

Our wonderful Mexican home (for the week)

Evelyn's first time in the pool- loving life:)

                    Napping with Daddy because of all the swimming with Mommy

                                 Playing with Daddy

                                          Evelyn was not the only one who loved the pool 

Snuggles with Aunt Allie

Gigi loved feeding E her supper

Just entertaining myself

Future Uncle Damon!

Reading some good books with Allie

Sunscreen baby

The happy couple

                 

Ashley, Jess and Caitlin at dinner

Dinner at LoLomita

The girls

Rehearsal Dinner at the Marina

With the sisters

With the girls

With Gigi

With Papa

Evelyn with the Mexican cooks and the sweet lady who loved holding her

Crazy belly dancers/fire twirlers/suicidal artists!

Whoa

After dinner, so sleepy

Wedding morning nails!!!

The Black girls almost all married off...

My girl

With Uncle Jonathan

Wedding Party

With Mommy

Family picture!

The reception

Mr and Mrs Varble!

The 6 of us:)

Passed out on Papa

With Gigi

Awwww!

My sweet girl

                      Looking at the turtles with Aunt Jessi                    Not loving the sand between her toes...

          

But loving to be held by Mommy

Outside the Turtle Museum

It was a great week of firsts- first time out of the country, first time in the ocean, first time to pet a turtle, first time to swim in a pool, first time to eat avocado, and first time to go to an aquarium!

Loving the night life:)

With my love

Again, Aunt Jessi got Evie to sleep

At the North Beach

Playing with Daddy in the shade

Downtown Isla

Just wandering around all of Mexico with Gigi!

Dinner

With Aunt Jessi

Cuties

With Daddio

With Gigi and Papa 

Whoa hair!

With Dad, aka Papa

Walking around Punta Sur

With Mom

The waves were craaazy

Last night in Mexico:(

The view from our back yard- Goodbye Isla! 

Thanks for an amazing week!!!