Guess What!!!!!!!

Yep, thats a picture of the little baby growing inside of me! Paxton is going to be a big brother. My due date is the first week of December. Im 15 weeks along, just getting over my morning sickness, and feeling SO MUCH MORE TIRED this time around. Jon and I are so over-the-moon about welcoming a 4th member of the fam. Just a few more weeks and we get to see if its blue or pink!

More Than I Do

This song is dedicated to soul mates, especially to mine.

Baby Shower

My Sister-in-law, Kim, is due to have a little boy in a few short weeks. They came down for a visit and I was able to help plan and give her a family shower. It was so much fun to make the decorations and plan the menu. Here are a few pictures of the event.

Here's the banner I made. All the printed paper had glitter on it and it turned out so cute.

Here's the refreshment table. I made a bunch of tissue paper pom poms. I didnt get any good pictures, but you can kinda see one above the table.

 We had so many yummy things to eat. My sis, Shelly, made amazing chocolate-covered cheesecake filled strawberries. My SIL, Rachael, made awesome meatballs. We also had cucumber sandwiches, pasta-crab salad, chicken salad sandwiches, cookies, lemon cakes and tons of other goodies. Isn't food amazing?!!!

One of my favorite refreshments were these hummus shooters. 4 different kinds, in cute little cups. We had pita chips, naan bread and veggies to dip.

This is my brother and his cute family. Oh, and I made that pin on Kim's shirt. I know the big belly gave her away, but I thought it would be cute for her to wear something significant of being the mommy-to-be. 

It was so much fun putting the shower together. Thanks everyone who helped and thanks to everyone who came!

ice cream social

Summer is finally here and thankfully, we've had quite a few beautiful, cooler-than-average days, We've taken advantage by spending as much time outside as possible. "Outside" is like a four letter word in this house. If you say it anywhere near Pax, he runs straight back into our room, grabs his shoes and brings them to you then runs to the back door and stretches for the door knob until someone lets him out. Lets just say, dont say the "O" word unless you intend to take the kid out and play with him.
Here are a few pictures of him eating an ice cream cone in the backyard.

I love this picture. Here is Pax, following his grandpa, helping him check his garden for pick-ables. He loves to help grandpa in the garden.

Happy Summer All! Enjoy the hot, sweaty fun while you can. Dont forget your sunscreen!

Thinking...

Im thinking about chopping all my hair off. Ive been letting it grow and do what it wanted since I was pregnant with Pax, and I have to say, Im not a fan of long hair. On other people, yes. On me? No way. Its way too thick and heavy and Im thinking a cut like this one would be perfect for summer...

Happy Birthday to my Hunny!

 April 27th was Jon's birthday (this post is WAY late). It was kind of a regular day. Jon went to work and did all his normal stuff. When he got home my family had put up a banner for him and the little boys all got him cute little gifts. They even did my family's traditional walk down the hall singing happy birthday.

After that, I took Jon out for dinner. I had pulled up online a bunch of menus for different restaurants and he got to pick where he wanted to go. Much to my surprise, he chose Claim Jumper. I thought he would have chosen a steakhouse or sushi, but we had never been and he wanted to try it out. Long story short, we wont be going back. Gross! Ive always heard such great things about Claim Jumper, but both of our entrees and even our appetizer were hardly edible, much less enjoyable. Oh well, the company was great and no baby meant a quiet dinner for two :)
We got back home and had cake and ice cream with the fam. The candles spell out "JON" but it's kind of hard to make that out.

Anyway, Happy birthday to my amazing husband, a wonderful father and an incredibly kind and generous person. You've accomplished so much already, and you will achieve so much in the time to come. This world is a much brighter place because of you and the lives who are privileged enough to cross paths with you are far better off because of it. I am so thankful that I get to spend all your birthdays with you now, and especially that I get to grow old along with you. Happy Birthday sweetie!

Misssing This Place

 Pinecrest, California is where I have spent nearly every summer of my life. Its just about the most perfect place in the whole world. Our cabin is located high up in the Sierra Mountains and the air smells completely amazing. Mornings are spent cooking breakfast on the grill outside, days consist of reading, nature walks and swimming in the lake and the nights are brought in with roasting marshmallows around the fire pit or playing card games around the kitchen table. Pinecrest is the kind of place you go to, but you leave all your troubles behind. Its the most peaceful place I have ever been.
Its about this time of year that I start to crave the trees and serene of the Pinecrest. Everything I smell reminds me of it. My entire life, I have looked forward to bringing my own family to my own special paradise. We weren't able to go last year because we were in Tennessee. Im crossing my fingers and hoping so much that we can make it this summer.
I miss it. I love it. Pinecrest, you are my Heaven in the Hills.