Growing Up...

Lucy Jane, you are growing up right before my eyes! Your daddy and I keep saying how quickly you are changing! Your vocabulary has just erupted and you mostly speak in full sentences! You are feisty, giggly, spunky, and always full of energy! You keep me on my toes! You somersault everywhere you go!!! Gymnastics is a great way for you to play, but you still are a little young to follow all the directions so we are waiting a few months to try again! :)

So thankful to be your mommy and excited to see all the positive things you bring to our family!! Love spending my days with you!

You love your friend, Hudson! We play at least once a week! We let you two run wild and listen to your sweet giggles! Sucking your thumb is still a favorite pastime! We will work on that and potty training soon...but I'm in no hurry!

This blog was supposed to be my journal to you but I have really been slacking lately :(

Growing up so quickly, where did my little baby go?

Lucy Jane meets Dora :)

Lucy Jane and I went with Haley to go get a pedicure today! Originally, the plan was for Lucy Jane to get a pedicure also! For some reason the water and all involves scared her so se decided to just play with a little girl that was there with her working mom. Lucy Jane saw her and said "ohhh Dora" haha Haley and I busted up laughing and so did 2 other ladies listening! Haha

The girls played on phones, ate Cheetos and dum dum suckers, and pretended to paint each others toenails! Hopefully, the sweet girl didn't catch on to Lucy Jane calling her Dora!

Trip of a Lifetime

I am just a little behind on posting this blog, but better late than never right?!  Rich completely surprised me with a trip to Cancun in April!  He called me on a Tuesday evening and asked if we had plans for the weekend?!  I said I didn't think so.....he replies with..okay we are going to Mexico! 

When we got married we didn't go on a fancy tropical honeymoon...we took a road trip to Minnesota which is a very special place for us both!  We had a blast but always wished we would have gone on a trip like this before we had a child!  I left on Wednesday and drove Lucy Jane to my sister and Josh in Oklahoma City!  I knew she would have a blast there and be perfectly content while we were away!  Poor Tee Tee was just a few months pregnant at the time and I know Lucy Jane gave her a run for her money!  Here are a few pictures from our trip! 

The first day we got massages underneath a little hut right on the ocean!  Great timing before we got sunburned!  So relaxing! It started to rain and I think we both fell asleep! 

We spent everyday, all day, in the pool or in the ocean! It was so relaxing.  We truly were able to just enjoy each other and have zero stresses!  Soooo nice!  The view was amazing!  I think couples need to make a point to make time for themselves as a couple sometimes and remember where it all started. It is so easy to get caught up in the day to day routines and forget to cherish your spouse.

I tried to facetime with Lucy Jane each day!

She was having lots of fun with Tee Tee as you can tell! :)

My handsome hubby!  He got us a ship all to ourselves to go deep sea fishing for the day!  It was so much fun and we both caught 100 lb. fish!  It was quite a workout, but memories were made!

We had such a great trip!  We ate some great food, relaxed, and remembered where it all began!  I can't wait to go back again!  Thankful for a spontaneous husband that enjoys surprising me!  :) 

Miss Social makes a Friend

Lucy Jane received the Miss Social award at Kid's Day Out! So fitting! Our neighbors at the campsite had a little girl a month older than Lucy Jane! They loved playing in the water puddles and especially with the puppies!

I want Lucy Jane to always have a friendly personality!

Here are a few more pics that were on my phone! :) sweet memories!

Crazy Campers!

As I am typing this I am sitting on the couch in an rv we rented as rich drives us down the road! Yes, I said RV! I love that my husband is crazy, adventurous, and spontaneous! I am typically not...so he brings out the fun in us all!

Here's how it started! Over Memorial Day weekend he decided he wanted us to get a tent and go camping as a family! DISASTER WITH A 2 YEAR OLD! (atleast with our 2 year old!) she hated the tent! We drove dirt roads at midnight to get her to sleep and were up at 4 with her screaming for us to get out and go home! She won!!! By 6:00, our campsite was empty and we were on our way home!

Somehow we managed to get lost on the way home and found ourselves on a 10 mile dirt road! It was called, "Hilltop Road"! Ended up with a flat tire! Icing on the cake for the trip! Needless to say, Rich was bound and determined to take us camping!

Tuesday, I'm getting my hair done in fort smith. He calls and says he's rented an RV and we are headed to the beach! For those of you who know my child, it is impossible to keep her in a carseat for a trip to Target...much less a 12 hour drive to the beach! Sounded fun and I was super excited about having him all to myself for a week!!

We packed up Big Betty (32 foot camper) and headed out of town! I had my first experience sleeping at a truck stop, too! Oh ya, we have our two toy poodles with us too! This just adds to the experience, right?! A few bruises and one bloody nose so far but we have survived! (all from being slung around while driving) haha

We are on our way home now and truly had a blast being together! However, we all decided next time a condo would probably be a better idea! We met some sweet people and went to some super fun places!

Top things I leaned on this trip:
1. I will never take indoor plumbing for granted again. (NEVER)
2. Staying in a 'truck' for a week definitely makes a family closer.
3. Walking through the sand carrying a 2 year old and beach toys definitely proves how out of shape I am.
4. Puppies are not meant to go on family vacations.
5. Make sure you get all sand off of you before crawling into a small bed...impossible to remove.

Pictures coming in later post!

Welcome Toby and Buster!

Rich and I got a wild hair and decided I surprise Lucy Jane with a puppy for her 2nd birthday! She LOVES babies, so we thought a baby puppy would be great for her! My soft heart wouldn't let us leave with just one puppy....we have two! The one person who doesn't even like animals has three dogs INSIDE her house! The funny thing is...I am loving every second of it! :)

Here are a few pictures to show how LJ is adjusting to her new babies!!!

Best Title Ever.... Mommy

I've been called daughter, sister, friend, teacher, and wife...but I must say that the sweetest name I've ever been called is Mommy! By no means is being a mom an easy job but by far the most humbling and rewarding!

My sweet little monkey will be turning two in a few short days! As I look back o we the past two years I am completely overwhelmed at how in love I become each day! There are days where the testing and trying temperament of a strong willed, independent girlie girl are difficult but at the end of the day I realize just how blessed I am.

I am so thankful that I have the opportunity to show Lucy Jane all the things that are really important in life. I want to show her that loving the Lord is the most important and that when you decide to live for him you have complete happiness no matter your circumstances. I want to show her that being kind and respectful will get you far in life. I want to show her how to have a grateful heart toward others and show compassion to others.

To me...being a mom is so much more than changing diapers, feeding meals, and scheduling play dates. It is developing a lady with character and integrity that grows each day to be a positive light in this dark world. I try to remember in the stressful times to focus on what really matters and not let the small stuff ruin a day.

Feeling sappy due to her birthday coming and can't stop thinking about how important my job as mom really is. To all my momma friends, I thank you for the wonderful examples you are setting for young moms and am thankful that I have great models to look up to in this journey!

Sure do love my sweet baby girl!