Friday Favorites: Its SUMMER!!!

It's officially summer in Alabama!  This week the temps are approaching 90 and the humidity has made its presence known.  We are so ready, even though our summers don't look much different that the other seasons as far as our daily routine. Our Mother's Day Out program goes through the summer (thank goodness!) and I'm still working but we will try to sneak in as many trips as we can to the splash pad, the lake and any pool our friends invite us. So to help kick off summer I thought I'd share some of my summer favorites!

First up

These sandals!

I'm loving that Birkenstocks are back in style.  Last summer I wore my vintage ones circa 2000 (I can't believe that was 16 years ago, blows my mind) and I loved them so much I decided to look for a more fun pair.  I love these gold ones
  they are so comfortable.
Here's a picture of them on they are just so cute!

Next up,

I don't know about you but I hate washing my hair.

This Dry Shampoo

is life changing.  I wash my hair 2 times a week.  I use this on the days I don't wash and I just style as I normally would.  I know I'm like the last person on earth to figure this out but just incase you're in the dark like I was go buy this, you won't be disappointed.

(sorry for the selfie but this is my hair this morning and I haven't washed it since Monday, that's 4 days of sleeping 10-15 minutes later. May not seem like much but it is to me)

We're planning on taking advantage of Patrick's 3 day weekends and spending some time at the lake. I love this place and it is so fun getting to take my kids now.  Because our house as water all the way around it, the rule is you don't leave the deck without wearing your life jacket.  Barrett uses his trusty  Puddle Jumper .  This thing is way better than the life jackets we wore as kids.

This is the one we have and Barrett never complains about wearing it.  He is my shy timid kid but he's so comfortable in the water with this on.


I've gone a little crazy already with clothes for the kids.  They have several matching outfits and nicer stuff but I still needed some everyday play clothes.  So I made this cute pineapple bubble for AveryAnn.  It turned out so stinking cute.

Of course I went to order more and they are sold out of the blanks.

And finally my guilty pleasure of the summer...

The Bachelorette!  (and Big Brother but it hasn't started yet).

This year we made it interesting and all filled out a bracket.  I'm a tiny bit competitive so this was right up my alley. 

Any one else fill out a Bachelorette bracket? Have any other summer favorites I need to try?

AveryAnn's Baptism

 As I searched and searched for the perfect gown, my mind went to searching for a beautiful 1st Communion dress and then maybe one day a wedding gown.  I thought of all the milestones we will hopefully get to celebrate with our daughter (and son).  The weight of raising Godly children is heavy on my shoulders.  I'm in constant prayer that I can do this.  That we, as parents, are strong enough to steer our kids towards the Lord.  I pray that their future spouses will be exactly what they need to further seek and serve Him.  Baptizing our kids is the first step in the marathon of raising faithful, Godly people.

It isn't something we take lightly.  We went back and forth on Godparents.  I thought from the moment I found out I was pregnant I wanted Hope to be Godmother we were on this journey together from the beginning.  For Godfather we went back and forth between my two brothers and ultimately decided on my older brother Patrick.  He is so sweet with my kids and it is special to get to see him be an uncle.  Barrett loves going to Uncle Patrick's house to see the chickens and ducks.

Crystal came and took pictures for me (she's like my official life photographer this year).  They are beautiful and I can't thank her enough.  I can't wait to have some printed for our home.

I love this shot because you can see our guests and our church.  It is so special to me to go to the same church I grew up in.  This is the church where I made my first communion, confirmation and was married so I get to watch my kids celebrate the same sacraments here.  (I'm a very sentimental person if you haven't already noticed.)

Parents and Godparents with the baby.

Father Deering has been at our church for 12 years and he's leaving in June.  He married us and baptized both kids.  We will miss him.

With our parents.

My sweet friend Amy and baby Ruby.  Ruby and AveryAnn are only 3 days a part and I hope we have pictures of them together on their wedding days.

Adventures of Annie and Frannie. I love these sweet girls so much!

My parents with their grandchildren.  I love that it looks like Madelyn is looking right at AveryAnn.

My family minus my sister and brother-in-law, they're still traveling the world.

My grandmother and Aunt.

I love these people.  Barrett did so great with pictures. It's usually a nightmare trying to get him to cooperate but he did great. 

Beautiful girl!

After we had everyone over to our house for lunch.  I was so excited about my flower arrangements.  We had a taco bar and it was so nice to get to visit with everyone.

This might be my favorite picture of the whole day.  These two are buddies for life! 

This day was so special.  We were so humbled and honored to share with so many people that love us and our kids.  We are so thankful for all these people that we know will be there to encourage us and our kids as we all grow together.

3 months

Three months, one-fourth of a year in the books.  To say time is flying would be an understatement.   You have a brought us so much joy this month.  Your smile lights up a room and we just can't get enough of it. We thought your brother was a laid back, easy baby but you, you are so easy.  Don't get me wrong, you still fuss some if you're tired or hungry but for the most part you are so smiley and content.

• You weigh around 15lbs.  It's not entirely accurate since I weighed you on the shipping scale at work.
• You're around 24" long.  Again not entirely accurate since I did it myself.
• You're wearing 3-6 month and 6 month clothes.
• Size 2 diaper

• You eat every 4 hours for 15-20 minutes.
• You take 5 oz when you take a bottle.  You usually only get a bottle on Sundays at church.
• You sleep 8-10 hours at night.  Which is amazing!  You usually eat around 9:00 and I put you down and you sleep until 6:00 or 7:00.  Sometimes you'll wake up around 5:00 but not very often.

• Your hair is still dark and wild.  It is starting to lay down a little when I brush it flat after your bath.
• Your eyes are still blue.  I hope they stay blue like your daddy's.
• You still don't enjoy tummy time but your brother usually gets down there with you so it's not so bad.

• You love your bunny lovie. 
• You sometimes take a paci to go to sleep.
• You smile all the time.  It is truly contagious.  You hear Barrett's voice and you will nearly break your neck to try to see him.  It's adorable.
• We celebrated your baptism this month too.  It was so special to see how loved you are.  So many family and friends came to celebrate with us.  You did so good and looked beautiful in your gown.  I hope one day you'll have a daughter of your own to pass it along to.
• You went to the lake for the first time!  I'm looking forward to all the memories we'll make there.

AveryAnn,

My sweet daughter, you might never know just how much we love you.  Hopefully one day you'll have a son or daughter and then you will know just how much we love you and your brother.  You are truly a delight.  We love watching you grow and change.  Time can be such a cruel thing.  I love all the new things you do but I know from experience that all too soon you'll be a toddler needing me less and less.  I'm trying to soak up every first.  You might be my last chance at all these firsts so I don't want to take anything for granted. I hope you always know how loved you are. 

Love you baby girl,

Mom

Mother's Day

We started our Mother's Day celebration a little early.  We usually spend actual Mother's Day with our moms so Patrick took us to eat Mexican (my favorite) Friday evening to celebrate with our little family.

It's the first time we've all eaten Mexican ever as family I think and Barrett was a fan of the cheese dip.  He was so cute and so sweet.

Sister slept through most of dinner but I had to get their picture when we got home in their matching outfits.  I'm a sucker for a sibling set.

Saturday morning Barrett asked to make pancakes for breakfast.  So he helped and we had yummy pancakes.  We worked around the house all day.  Saturday night Patrick's parents kept the kids and we went to a birthday party for Patrick's friend.  It was a lot of fun to have some adult time and the kids had a blast with their grandparents.

Sunday morning we got up and got ready for church.  Barrett was not happy to have his picture made.  I love these babies so, so much.  I am so thankful for them.

Trying to get a picture of my mom with her grandkids.  Once again Barrett wasn't thrilled to have his picture made.

We were so excited to see John, Hope and Madelyn.  I grabbed her the minute they walked in so I could make sure I got to hold her.  She's changed so much since we saw her last.  She is just the sweetest!  I love that they have each other.  It's so fun getting to see them together.

She was over picture time but I still love this picture. 


This Mother's day was so full of mixed emotion for me.  Friday morning a friend lost her 3 week old baby.  It is heart breaking.  I've been friends with this family for years.  I'm very close to her sister and she has a baby a few weeks older than AveryAnn.  We were both so excited to get to have babies together and also that our babies were going to have cousins growing up so close in age.  My heart breaks for them every time I look at my baby and every time I see these cousins together because I know they were so excited for the same reasons.  Please say a prayer for all the mommies missing babies, especially this sweet family.

Sundays

Confession...  I used to hate Sundays.  

For years I've gotten up every Sunday morning and either gone to Mass by myself or taken Barrett by myself.  For years Patrick worked on Sunday.  It's just the nature of the line of work he's in.  Granted I was rarely alone when I got there.  I usually had had least one family member there to sit with but I still longed for my little family to be there together.

It never bothered me to go to church alone before I was married.  After we had Barrett it was not as easy for me to go alone and I remember being very bitter that Patrick couldn't or wouldn't go with us. I was bitter when I saw all the young families together.  I would lash out at him every Sunday when I got home.  Then I would be mad at myself for acting out. I would blame him for ruining the day when in reality it was my attitude that ruined the day.  I tried so hard not to be bitter but I failed miserably. 

Patrick finally has a job where he is off most every Sunday and he's not so physically exhausted that he has gone with us every Sunday that we've been back with AveryAnn except the one he had to work. It has been so fun getting to go to church together.  

I'm starting to love Sundays again.  I love going together as a family.  I love that my kids are growing up with their daddy going with us to Mass.  My dad rarely went with us and I don't want that for my kids.  Patrick isn't Catholic.  I know it can be a little uncomfortable but I'm so thankful he finally realizes how important this it to me.  I've prayed for years for this.  I've thanked God everyday for answering this prayer.  I pray everyday for other young spouses and parents doing the Sunday routine alone.  I pray they're not bitter like I was, I pray that they don't have to do it alone much longer. 

I

Don't get me wrong it's still a struggle most Sunday mornings to get us out the door.  We will probably always have at least one heated discussion before we leave the driveway. But I'm so thankful for the effort we both make to get there.  

Keep praying!  He's listening, He hears you.