the flannery family

the Tournament of Roses

2012-01-11T07:00:00.000-08:00

The Rose Parade is truly the highlight of the year for the city of Pasadena. The parade route is literally a block from our house and it was so much fun to finally experience what we've heard about for so long. In past years, we've been traveling for Christmas but this year our family came to us!

The Tournament of Roses has such a rich history. It started in 1890, making this the 123rd year! Since New Years fell on Sunday this year, the parade was held on Monday. This has been a tradition from day one "to avoid frightening horses tethered outside local churches and thus interfering with worship services." Too funny!

The Parade is special to our family for multiple reasons. Jeff's dad (aka Flans) grew up in Pasadena and lived within walking distance to our house! His birthday is on New Years Day and going to the Parade was one of his favorite childhood memories. We really started planning this family trip from the very moment we found out we were moving to Pasadena! It was such a special time to celebrate Flans' birthday and rejoice in all the ways God has worked in His life. We love you Flans!!!!

getting ready to walk to the parade

on our way! It was seriously a gorgeous day - high 70's and sunny. Now I know why the area of Los Angeles has a population of 9 million people. It's January and we've been wearing shorts!

I seriously could not believe the craziness on Colorado. Jeff and I ventured out the night before and witnessed the thousands of people camping out to save their spot for the parade. Thankfully, Flans & GramFlans reserved stadium seating for us - not sure how our kids would have fared spending the night on the street! Now THAT would have been an experience :)

clear, blue skies - it was the perfect day!

let the parade begin!

the theme of this year's parade was "Just Imagine..."

Harris making the Flannery men proud with his new-found love for doughnuts!

Kenny G on the opening float, playing a lullaby

amazing elephant!

this was my personal favorite. I have a serious obsession with Trader Joe's and their float did not disappoint! How cute is the fearless flyer???

the Oregan Ducks

fun fact: the exterior surfaces of the floats are made entirely with natural materials like vegetables, flowers, nuts, seeds etc. and nothing can be artificially colored. Amazing!

The different breeds of horses in the parade was unbelievable. They were all so gorgeous and had the most beautiful gates.

the HGTV dream home & designers

the Wisconson Badgers

this was a really neat float - organ recipients & their families.

everyone was mesmerized!

Paramount Picture's 100th anniversary

okay - this one was hilarious! It's the surfing bulldog, Tillman! See him making a splash in the middle of the float?

amazing 500 person band from Texas!

if pigs could fly!

We were all sad to see it end, but thankfully we'll be back with my side of the family next year! Whoohooo!

Family time in Southern California!

2012-01-10T06:00:00.000-08:00

We were so excited to have the whole Flannery family come to visit us last week. We've been looking forward to this trip for a long time. We packed a LOT into 5 days - a reunion with extended family in Laguna Beach, a trip to Disneyland & the Rose Parade! We could not have asked for a smoother trip. With 6 kids, all 4 and under we expected there to be challenges but they all did SO well! Here's a look at our trip!

Jeff's cousin Amy came to Laguna to see us and what fun it was to get all the cousins together! She has four boys, so JH and Harris had a ball wrestling, playing at the beach and just being boys. It was adorable to watch!

the girls loved meeting this sweet little puppy on our walk at the beach

Day 2 - we were off to Disneyland!

these two loved meeting the princesses

watching the Christmas parade

It's a small world at Christmas time = magical!

we spent the last part of the trip exploring Pasadena and enjoying lots of relaxing time at our house - our avocados were definitely a hit, even with baby EL! She made her aunt proud!

the kid table

poor JH is a little outnumbered

celebrating all the birthdays!

this just might be my favorite picture of Flans & Harris

we loved having some special visitors while the family was here, including Grandma!

up next: the rose parade!

Christmas in California

2012-01-09T10:32:00.000-08:00

We returned from our trip to Pebble Beach on the 23rd just in time to enjoy our first Christmas in our own home. We definitely missed our family, but took advantage of this season of our life in California and made some great Christmas memories!

On Christmas Eve, we went to one of our very favorite spots - the Americana.

we loved seeing the huge Christmas tree

and the lights were truly spectacular!

we even got to play in the snow!

On Christmas morning, we opened our gifts and stockings. For this year we decided on one gift from momma & daddy plus stockings and it was just perfect. This may change from year to year, but I definitely want the focus to be on celebrating Jesus' birth. Next year I'm looking forward to also focusing on what we are going to give and let Caroline & Harris be key in thinking of ways we can give to others! Reading this and this really challenged my thoughts on Christmas this year.

Buster (we just can't stop on the nicknames :) loved his new basketball goal! He loves to kick his ball like he's playing soccer most of all, but he also likes shooting baskets with daddy.

having a little boy is so much fun!!!!

sweet Caroline got a baby stroller for her Emmie & it has already gone to the grocery store, park & on lots of walks. She thinks she's a real mommy now!

After gifts we read the Christmas story and enjoyed Christmas brunch complete with PW's cinnamon rolls & breakfast casserole - yummy!

these three are the best Christmas presents ever.

The only downside to having a child who LOVES Christmas is when its over! I thought Caroline was going to have a serious meltdown when the Christmas tree came down. But, she actually handled it better than I expected. We've been slowly weaning her from the Christmas music, as she asks for it every day. Ha!

But, the sweetest thing that I never, ever want to forget...

During the Christmas season, we would be out looking at lights, talking about Santa, doing our advent activities - and we would ask her, "Caroline, what is Christmas all about??" And, she would say enthusiastically, "Jesus!!!"

Now, several times a day, we can be doing the most random thing and all of the sudden she will stop and look at me and say, "Mommy, mommy!!!" "It's all about Jeeeeeeeeesus!"

It's a great reminder for me that it really is all about Jesus...

a time to rest...

2012-01-01T22:09:00.000-08:00

The week before Christmas we traveled to Pebble Beach to spend some time with Cousin Susie! Without a doubt, this trip is one of our favorite times of the entire year. It's really our only family vacation, just the 4 of us. One whole week set aside to be together, get away from the craziness of daily life and take some deep breaths while looking at this...

It just might be the most beautiful place on earth...

We took advantage of being 1/2 mile from the beach and took walks every night at sunset. It's amazing to watch the artwork of God stretch across the sky. I've never watched so many sunsets in my life! It was soothing to the soul.

Susie has a pass to the Monterey aquarium, which enabled us to take several short trips during the day before naps. The kids loved it!

saying "fish"

On Tuesday, we ventured up to Northern California & took a ride through the redwoods on a real train! It was breathtaking!

conductor Harris, all geared up and ready to go!

all aboard!

walking through the redwoods

lazy morning breakfasts in Carmel at the Little Swiss Cafe

This was probably my favorite memory from our trip - campfire & smores on the beach! I think Caroline ate about 10 giant marshmallows and is now officially introduced to the deliciousness of smores. It was SO fun.

daddy and Harris wearing the evidence on their face!

The morning we left, we took a walk at the 18th hole of Pebble Beach. Caroline learned how to clean her very own golf ball! She was definitely learning from the best. (Susie is a fantastic golfer!)

So thankful for time to relax and be together!

Coming soon..... Christmas!

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

2011-12-20T22:17:00.000-08:00

We've been getting into all kinds of fun things around here! Don't you wish the Christmas season lasted 2 months instead of 1? It's absolutely magical, seeing Christmas through a child's eyes. I don't want it to end!

Caroline's favorite Christmas things:

1. our continuous Christmas music station. Before she even gets buckled in her car seat I hear: "I want Christmas music, Mommy!!!"

2. lights - oh my... it's precious & amazing that something so simple can bring so much joy!

3. Christmas books - we've really expanded our collection this year and she could read all.day.long. Her favorites are "The Three Gifts of Christmas," "Little Star" & "The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree"

Harris' favorite Christmas things:

1. chewing on our Little People nativity set. Poor Mr. Donkey - his nose definitely took a hit :(

2. dancing with mommy to Jingle Bell Rock

3. pumpkin rolls - it's rare that he gets sweets, but I think they are honestly his favorite food ever.

Here are some of our favorite memories from this December...

A Disneyland Christmas!

She couldn't believe all the decorations & lights!

Christmas is always best when celebrated with friends!

making Christmas cupcakes

being silly in our Christmas PJ's & loving our time with daddy on his Christmas break!

I'm shocked the presents are still intact!

making yummy hot chocolate

and sipping it while watching Caroline's favorite Christmas movie - White Christmas!

the marshmallows were her favorite!

best Christmas present yet - a surprise visit from Mimi & Rudy!

making our own ornaments! Caroline's been making the sweetest ornaments at MOPS & CBS and we made these together at home and they turned out so well!

sweet "angel" Caroline performing for the mommies at CBS

He's got the whole world in His hands!

Last week we had a special Mommy & Caroline date and went to the Nutcracker with some friends. She was totally mesmerized, especially by the ballerinas - I think I see ballet in our future!

Only 5 days until Christmas!

Come Thou Long Expected Jesus

2011-12-13T15:29:00.000-08:00

"Come, Thou long expected Jesus
Born to set Thy people free;

From our fears and sins release us,

Let us find our rest in Thee."

"For the Mighty One has done great things for me - holy is His Name. His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation." Mary's Song - Luke 1:49-50

Advent means coming. It's not only the contemplation of Jesus' first coming as a baby in a manger, but also the anticipation of His second coming. It's a time to rejoice in His birth & evaluate our own lives - am I prepared to meet Jesus when He comes again? We are truly a blessed generation in that we know the story! Advent gives us a little picture of what it would have been like as Old Testament children of God to hear the prophesy, yet unsure of what would actually take place. Advent reminds us of our longing for Jesus, rejoicing in who He is, one day at a time.

I first became excited about advent last year when Caroline was beginning to understand the Christmas story. At 20 months old, she loved playing with baby Jesus in the manger & listening to her favorite Christmas books. But, her understanding was definitely limited by her age.

Christmas 2010 at Grandmother & Granddaddy's

This year, however, she's asking a ton of questions and just cannot get enough of the Christmas story. We talk about "baby Jesus in the manger" all day long! What a joy it is as her momma to spend this month focusing on Jesus, how He chose to come to earth not just to be a "good man" but to save us from the depth of our sin.

I've been thinking for months about how to incorporate something tangible for the kids during the advent season. Something fun, yet with a spiritual meaning. It's taken me a while to narrow it down, as there are so many great ideas out there. This is what we've created for our family.

I found so many great ideas online! This girl is amazingly creative and I based the natural look of the tree from her site. I used quality wool felt from etsy for the tree & pockets and a quilted backing. The pockets & the ornaments are hand stitched. It's definitely been a long project, but will be something we can use for years and years to come.

Each ornament has spiritual significance. Many of them are familiar Christmas symbols (i.e. the candy cane, the bell & the wreath) that I want the kids to know have a very spiritual meaning. Others like the lamb, the dove & the lion represent different attributes of Christ. Each morning we hang the ornament on the tree, read a Bible verse & devotional that corresponds, and read a prayer to guide our hearts to focusing on Christ during this busy and hectic season. There is also a special activity for us to do together as a family. Here's an example....

“Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.” Isaiah 1:18

The snowflake represents our redemption in Jesus and the forgiveness of our sin.

Lord, help us to be always in awe of our salvation. May our hearts be overwhelmed with gratitude that our sins are no longer! You have made us clean and our sins are white as snow. Help us to live lives that are pure, honoring & pleasing to You.

Somebody has been super excited about discovering what's in the pockets each morning...

I've been very grateful to have so many wonderful resources at my fingertips! There are three books that have really helped me prepare for this season: Family Celebrations by Ann Hibbard, Disciplines of a Godly Family by Kent & Barbara Hughes & Treasuring God in our Traditions by Noel Piper. I highly recommend them!

"I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 3:16-21

Hello from windy California!

2011-12-03T07:38:00.000-08:00

It's been a wild week! Wednesday night we were told to expect the Santa Ana winds to come through our area, but we had no idea what was to follow. About 8 pm the wind started blowing and continued in huge gusts throughout the night. The palm trees on our street were literally bent parallel to the ground, like they could split in two. Since our large avocado tree sits right outside the kids bedroom window, we decided to move them in with us for the night, Caroline in our bed & Harris in the pack-n-play. We honestly didn't know what else to do. Our house is so tiny and full of windows! We had debris slamming against our bedroom window, avocodos banging on the roof & porch and an almost constant sound of sirens throughout the night. As you can imagine there was very little sleep going on in the Flannery household! By morning, we turned on the news and realized there were 80-100 mph wind gusts in Pasadena. When we moved to California, I never imagined we'd experience hurricane force winds! I'm so thankful we are safe!

Here's what we woke up to...

it rained avocados!

the porch was a mess

random chair from the porch flew into the yard

Sadly, about 300 of our avocados from our tree fell to the ground.These babies are selling for $2 a piece in the grocery store. I need to get a permit to sell them!

Our street, Allen Avenue was one of the worst hit.

I'm amazed these palm trees survived.

lots of debris in trees

trees uprooted

lots of roof damage in our neighborhood

In other news, we've had BG here for the week! She just left today and we are all a little sad :( She was the biggest help to me as the beginning of Christmas season is always such a busy time! I'm happy to say that our house is decorated, Christmas cards are addressed, advent calendar is almost complete (pictures to come) & I had happy, entertained kids all along the way. Thanks BG!

Harris was rotten, as usual, and loved snuggling with BG!

our little Christmas cowgirl dancing to some Christmas tunes

We are also so very excited that Mimi & Rudy are coming for a last minute trip next weekend!!!!! They surprised us last night and we are beyond thrilled to be able to celebrate Christmas with them!

A day in the life of Emmie

2011-11-10T06:00:00.000-08:00

This is Caroline's baby (aka Emmie).

She loves to read, especially stories about Jesus :)

She sleeps for about 10 seconds at a time. Just long enough for Caroline to say, "Night night..... good morning!! Emmie's up, Momma!"

Her favorite vegetable is asparagus.

She's even potty trained!

And, best of all, she keeps little miss Caroline company at night. See her under the covers?

These moments of pure, childlike imagination bring me such joy!

We miss you Lauren, Josh & Sophi!!!

2011-11-09T11:09:00.000-08:00

Since I was such a slacker in September & October about blogging,

I'm backing up a little to summer...

In August, during our month-long trip to the south, we had the joy of spending some time at the beach with our dear friends, the Strahans.

it was such a fun reunion & the girls, as usual, had a blast together!

i love Harris' face here - "help! I'm surrounded by girls!"

Our families became fast friends while living here in Pasadena.We have tons in common and have so many great memories of our time together. Lauren is the kind of friend, that everytime she went to my favorite grocery store, Trader Joes, she would text/call me and say, "need anything?" She's just always thinking about someone else and I love that about her. It was a sad, sad day for us when Lauren, Josh & Sophi moved to Nashville for Josh's new job. But, they couldn't have chosen a better place! Now, we will be able to visit often as we are back visiting with my family. They also have baby #2 on the way and we can't wait to meet their precious addition in April!

Caroline & Sophi pretty much spent the first year and a half of their life together... learning how to talk, walk, share and not hit each other over toys... Ha! I love seeing them play together. Caroline still talks about Sophi all the time, even though they don't get to see each other very much. I wanted to record some of our favorite memories together for Caroline to remember her very first friend!!

first swimming lessons at the Rose Bowl

we took many trips to the zoo together - one of the girls' favorite places!

they were totally car buddies & enjoyed lots of sleepy rides home from our adventures - until Harris joined the party!

another trip to the zoo, a year later!

they loved exploring the Huntington gardens together, especially the rose garden

being silly together!

daddy time - Fourth of July 2010

cheering on our Auburn Tigers...

and keeping each other entertained while the mommies and daddies watched the game!

BCS Championship 2011 - what a fun season!

Memorial Day 2011

Last dinner together before the big move.. we spent lots of time on our back porch!

We miss you guys and are so thankful for your friendship!!

two little pumpkins

2011-10-31T06:18:00.000-07:00

We found the best little pumpkin patch during our first year here in L.A. It's in Simi Valley, so about an hour from our house. But, its totally worth the drive.

With the coolest collection of vintage John Deere tractors...

fields of sunflowers...

tractor rides around the farm...

pumpkins galore....

and the cutest red wagons i've ever seen...

It was such a fun afternoon!

Of course, Harris LOVED the tractor ride.

He made silly faces the whole time :)

And, Caroline loved spending some much-needed time with her daddy!

These two are such buddies lately!

Happy fall everyone!

Harris' Barnyard Bash!

2011-10-28T09:19:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we celebrated Harris' big day with a barnyard bash! We enjoyed great fellowship, lots of laughs, some surprise animal appearances & gorgeous fall weather. Even Mimi was here for the party! It was such a fun day!

This big sister was VERY excited about celebrating her buddy's birthday!

of course, a barnyard bash is not complete without watermelon, corn-on-the-cob, mac & cheese and the best chicken in town... Chick-Fil-A!!

We were so excited to visit with Grandma and cousin Katie!

these two are such buddies...

Harris loves his Mimi!

playing in the hay was tons of fun!

I found the idea for the cake from a Betty Crocker tutorial. It was super easy and the kids loved it! They had the hardest time deciding which cupcake to eat!

the birthday boy loved his cupcake too!

this guy was such a trooper! between the wild animals (our kids)
and the real animals it was a wild party!

Happy 1st Birthday Harris!

2011-10-26T20:39:00.000-07:00

Hi friends! We're still here! We've had a busy month celebrating Harris' birthday, enjoying a visit from my momma & adjusting to Jeff's new clinical schedule. Obviously, I've got a lot to catch up on so we'll start with little man...

Harris is such a big boy now! He's starting to take a few steps on his own & is Mr. Personality these days. He's really starting have an opinion about everything, especially green vegetables and afternoon naps. My former kale-loving child has decided that anything green is evil. He's so talented that we even try to hide his green vegetables in mashed potatoes or pasta and he somehow manages to chew and swallow the good stuff and spit out the veggies. What am I going to do with him??

On a happier note, he's seriously the sweetest baby ever. He still loves his momma and is not embarrassed to kiss me 100 times a day. He follows his sister around all day long and she's a pretty good sport about it most of the time. Harris LOVES his daddy and goes completely crazy when he walks in the door at night. Daddy & Harris have already started to wrestle at night before bed which is just sooo funny to watch. He's ALL boy, loving trucks, cars, and loud sounds. He also thinks burping and tooting are absolutely hysterical (ahhh boys!!!) & I usually find him splashing in the toilet at least once a day. Potty training a 2 yr old & a crawling 13 month old boy are not a good combination :)

Some of Harris' other milestones:

*loves to dance, especially to Seeds music - thankfully both of my children have inherited their daddy's rhythm!
*he's getting teeth all over the place - 7 are completely in & he's working on 3 more

*says mama, dada, dog, bye bye - he pretty much blabbers something all day long!

*his favorite foods are pasta, grapes, raisins & yogurt

*loves going to the park - swinging and climbing up the slide are his favorites.

*he has a little bit of a shy side to him. If he's in an unfamiliar situation, he hides his little head on my shoulder

*loves to climb on anything

*still a BIG boy - 24 pounds at 1 year!

Here's a look at our birthday celebrations. There will be a party post coming soon! Thanks for sticking with us despite my lack of blogging!

Caroline's been singing "Happy Birthday" to Harris for weeks!

first cupcake

it was a huge hit!

first taste of ice cream...

He loved it so much, this was his face between bites :)

Then, on Harris' real birthday we took a trip to the San Diego zoo!

Harris' favorite thing about the whole day was the carousel.
We rode it like 10 times and he had a blast!

check out that face!

Harris, the crocodile hunter!

he still reserves the biggest kisses for his momma

Of course, our animal-loving Caroline had such a great time at the zoo!

She just could not get over these gorilla statues.

Caroline & this baby gorilla had so much fun playing with each other! She would put her hands on the glass and he would run back and forth doing flips and pressing his face up against the window. It was precious!

The Safari Park was incredible! You walk out into this huge open space that totally feels like you are in Africa.

I love this lion snoozing on top of a land rover.

the birthday boy got a little sleepy by the end of the day

I'd love to do this Safari where you get so up close to the giraffes, they eat out of your hand!

watching the cheetah run

love this one of Mr. Hippo enjoying a snooze

Happy Birthday, sweet boy! We treasure every second with you and look forward to your second year of life. You are such a blessing to your Daddy and me. We love you!

Summer Family Pictures

2011-08-15T05:53:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my super-talented cousin Morgan, here are our Shinnick family summer pictures! You may remember the Christmas pictures she took here. She has such an incredible way of capturing the sweetness of the moment. Thanks Morgan! You're the best!

You should totally check out her website! You will be amazed at her pictures and how reasonable she is! She's way more than a photographer - she's an artist. We have a CD of all these pictures and can print them/make memory books as we want, which I love!

And, thanks Mom & Dad for blessing us with these pictures - we will cherish them forever!

Sorry for the picture overload, but I just couldn't narrow them down!

this is so Caroline - she's always been our nature girl

there's nothing like being held in the strong arms of your daddy

this is seriously my favorite - could Aunt Caity get any more beautiful??

Mimi & Rudy - we had such a great week with you!

Caroline's sweet feet on Great Grandmother Harris' quilt

Love you, Mom!

you can totally see why Caroline adores her Aunt Caity -
she's super fun, energetic & loves my kids so much!

and Uncle "Weeeeul" as Caroline calls him (she's not giving up her southern accent just because we live in California!) - Caroline used to be scared of his dark hair and glasses, but now she's totally warmed up. Her favorite thing about Uncle Will is that he sings & plays the guitar! She loved listening to him at church on Sunday. And, Harris loves him, too!

lovin' on Rudy - melts my heart!

Harris in the arms of his Mimi

once a daddy's girl, always a daddy's girl!

relaxin' on a warm summer night

love his chubby baby feet!

Caroline & her beloved baby

And the rain came tumbling down!

2011-08-09T04:28:00.000-07:00

We're loving our time in the south! One of Caroline's favorite things so far has been the rain. Since we moved to Pasadena when Caroline was 4 months old, she has seen rain only a handful of times in her life. Seriously, ya'll, we haven't seen rain in months! She's been so wide-eyed at hearing thunder, watching the rain fall & seeing the lightning. I'm shocked that it doesn't scare her - she just loves it! She loves saying "crash!" when she hears the thunder.

Here we are with Mimi & Rudy enjoying a morning thunderstorm. Harris seemed to love it too!

learning to be content

2011-08-08T12:33:00.000-07:00

"If you think of this world as a place intended simply for our happiness, you find it quite intolerable: think of it as a place of training and correction and it's not so bad."

-C.S. Lewis

"Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment..." 1 Timothy 6:6

"...the years fly past like a mist in the night! Time disappears more quickly than smoke! It is not possible to go backwards. The "now" is important if there is ever to be in any family."

-Edith Schaeffer in "What is a Family?"

Lest you think from the happy, smiling faces that our life is perfect let me be the first to say that it is not. I love being able to blog, especially for the family's sake as I know they love seeing pictures of our growing kids from so far away. But, one thing I do not like is the image we get as we go from blog to blog seeing the "best" of every family thinking that ours is somehow just not measuring up. I've definitely done it many times from some of the blogs I read. But, I definitely do not want anyone to come here thinking that!

Yes we are growing (more than I ever thought possible) but we still have our temper tantrums, bad attitudes (talking about myself on this one :) & selfish tendencies. One thing I have struggled with this summer is contentment. I mean, let's be honest, this is probably a constant struggle for me in one way or another. But, I've just been so anxious for August to get here and this boards exam to be over with! I want my husband back!!!

But, thankfully I have been reading this and this, which has reminded me that I only have one life to live & rushing each day away as if there is something "better" around the corner is a waste of my life! I am learning to live intentionally with my children, one day at a time. Yes, we have lots to look forward to this fall & the day-by-day raising of a 2 year old and 10 month old is not easy. But, did God ever promise us it would be easy? And, if I am constantly thinking about tomorrow, what am I missing with my children TODAY?

It's funny how in this season of life I am constantly going back and forth between feeling overwhelmed & knowing that these are the days I am going to look back and cherish - to wish that I could do it all over again and have these sweet babies in my arms again. I try to keep that a constant in my head when I'm stressed or overwhelmed!

Anyway....

A few weeks ago, as Jeff was heading out the door to study & be gone for the 10th day in a row, he stopped, looked at me in the eyes and said, "Let's go to the beach!" It was totally spontaneous & very much needed. Caroline and Harris loved having some special time with their daddy. It makes me so thankful to know that in the midst of it all I have a husband who puts his family first. We are so blessed!

We finally found the trick to keeping Harris happy at the beach - the pack-n-play! He had a perfect view of the water, but didn't have to get sand all over him.

Little man's belly is just too big to stay contained in his bathing suit :)

Jeff, we're so proud of you and the endurance, perseverance & patience you are living out right now! Thank you for following God's will for your life and striving daily to be the man God intended for you to be. We love you!

our zoo adventure

2011-07-27T09:02:00.000-07:00

Well, I finally scratched off one of the biggest things on my California bucket list...

The San Diego Zoo!

I have to say that it totally met my expectations. They had such a huge variety of animals, a great children's zoo, a fun and engaging way of educating the visitors on all the animals and an amazing transportation system for seeing as much of the zoo as possible in one day. Caroline was in heaven (of course) with all the animals and Harris even seemed to enjoy it when he wasn't sleeping in the ergo!

Daddy had to study while we were there (sad!) but thankfully we now have a membership so we will be going back lots in the fall!

Caroline was so excited! We had been talking about going to the zoo for weeks!

On Rudy's shoulders she had a perfect view of all the animals.

the elephant exhibit was amazing!

I love this of the Polar Bear yawning after a long nap

She didn't quite know what to think about Mr. Bear, but eventually warmed up to him.

Look at her clinging to Rudy's neck!

The baby flamingos were just too cute!

I was so excited to catch this shot of a momma flamingo feeding her baby.

This was definitely a favorite of Caroline as she is currently obsessed with mommy & baby animals. We have this puzzle at home (thanks Jennifer!) that I would highly recommend for 2 year olds!

we enjoyed a great view of the city from the aerial tram

such a sweet shot of Mimi & Caroline

every goat in the petting zoo got a special hug from Caroline

The Mandrills were probably my very favorite animal we saw. I loved to watch them interact with each other. And, check out their colorful faces! All I could think about was - How amazing is our creator God?

At the end of our day, we rode a double decker bus around the zoo to catch any of the animals we might have missed along the way. They had a tour guide who gave us some inside scoop on how the zoo is run and some other quirky things about the animals. We found out that giraffes eat all.day.long. Now that I think about it, everytime I have seen a giraffe they have been eating! From that point on, we decided that Harris' nickname will officially be Mr. Giraffe :)

It was a wonderful day and I'm so thankful to have had this experience with my parents.
Thanks Mom and Dad!

Harris at 9 & 10 months

2011-07-26T14:46:00.000-07:00

This is one of my very favorite baby stages! Harris is so interactive and loves to imitate everything we do like blowing bubbles and clapping his hands. He is also Mr. Social and hates being alone, even for 2 seconds! He will actually sit snuggling in our laps despite the fact that he can crawl everywhere. I am enjoying every second of this snuggly phase! I tell him often that when he is 13 and embarrassed to be seen with me I am going to remind him that he used to be the biggest momma's boy in the whole world!

this is one of my favorite times of the day... snuggle time in our bed right after he wakes up.

He is crawling FAST and can get from one end of the house to the other in no time! Which means he is officially getting into things like the toilet water & Lucy's dog food. Why do babies not understand that dog food does not taste good??? He can also stand on his own for a few seconds at a time & walk back and forth while holding onto the furniture. This has, unfortunately, created lots of bumps and bruises on our little guy :(

He is loving table food and will pretty much eat anything I put in front of him. I'm so thankful for my healthy eaters! This month, thanks to our food box, we've added beets, kale & apricots to his diet and to my surprise he has loved each one!

He also LOVES beans, which totally cracks me up.

He also took his first swim...

and loved it!

You are just growing up too fast buddy - in two months we will be celebrating your first birthday!

Celebrating Independence Day

2011-07-25T13:51:00.000-07:00

I know, I'm super late on this one. But, better late than never!

This year it was so fun to have Mimi in town over Fourth of July! (Rudy flew in a few days later.) We had a blast celebrating with some of our sweet friends. We participated in a children's parade & picnic in Pasadena that was so quaint and cozy that for a second I forgot we weren't in the south!

it was one of our hottest days here in Pasadena, hence the red faces

I can't believe we actually got them to sit still long enough for a picture!

I just love my friend, Noelle, and am so thankful God put her in my life! We both moved to L.A. from Birmingham the same week two years ago. It's been so wonderful to have a sweet, southern, godly friend in the midst of such a big city. We share a love (or maybe an obsession :) for Barefoot Contessa, farmer's markets, sewing & any good parenting book we can get our hands on. I really don't know what I would do without her!

Someone did LOTS of eating
& we found a great teething trick - cold watermelon!

sweet friends

love this picture

the Pasadena firemen came with their truck and let all the kids jump in for pictures

Then, Daddy flew back in town in the afternoon from being in his friend Rob's wedding just in time for us to whisk him off for dinner and fireworks. Thankfully Mimi offered to keep Harris at home as he's still not the biggest fan of loud sounds - you'll love them next year, buddy!

waiting for the fireworks to begin...

and, once again, the fireworks were a huge hit with Caroline. She loved naming all her favorite colors and after each one she would yell, "kaboom!!"

summer days

2011-07-18T06:30:00.000-07:00

It's really been a great summer! We've (for the most part) had fabulous weather - just warm enough for our favorite summer outfits, yet cool enough to have every meal out on the porch. Although Daddy has been super busy studying for boards, we've been able to snag him away for a few fun family outings. Also, Mimi and Rudy came to visit and were here for a total of 2 weeks! What a treat for me to have such wonderful company and to have a little break from the constant "mommy" duties . I've taken hundreds of pictures, so as time allows I'll be posting a lot over the next few weeks as I sort through our favorite memories.

But, for now, here's a look at what we've been into....

Caroline is still a lover of all things "outdoors." We've made several trips over the past month to the Huntington Library & Gardens here in Pasadena, which is so beautiful & less than a mile from our house!

I'm sure she could have sat for hours watching those fish.

there's also a children's garden that is just precious!

This has quickly become one of my very favorite things about California - Farm Fresh to You! Twice a month we get a big box of freshly picked (the day before), organic fruits and veggies delivered right to our door. Somebody in our house just can't wait to unpack all the delicious food! It's been a great opportunity to teach Caroline about healthy food & has definitely stretched my meal planning as I am learning to cook with things like rhubarb, beets, & bok choy!

We've had our fair share of "boo-boos" due to lots of playing in the backyard. I'm going to need to add bandaids to the family budget list because we are going through them like crazy!

Here we are visiting Daddy at his Saturday Ayuda clinic. We were glad to steal him away for a quick hug and kiss. Mommy also found out that she has two cavities thanks to a free x-ray. Are dentist's wives allowed to have cavities?? I better start flossing!!!

This picture was taken by my husband who took the kids to dinner & night church all by himself so that I could have some time to get things done around the house. I am pleased to inform you that he DID actually take my child into the church nursery in camo overalls with no shirt. If the southern accent didn't clue them in, the camo convinced them that we are officially southern rednecks!

We've loved hanging out at the pool...

thanks to my sweet friend Kim who has so graciously allowed us to use her neighborhood pool. I've loved the fellowship and talking through some of the joys/challenges of motherhood. She has a 3 month old and I can't wait for our two boys to be friends!

Harris will currently put his mouth on anything in sight. We're in full-teething mode around here.

I'm so glad I had Kim around to help me because having a 2 year old and a 9 month old in the water by myself was nearly impossible!

after our swim I caught Caroline in a serious pretend conversation with Mimi on my cell phone :)

Last week, I went inside to the kitchen to get something and came out to find that Lucy had licked all the scraps up from Harris' dinner.... nice :)

And, last but not least, here is little miss sassypants as I found her a few weeks ago. I thought I heard something in the bathroom and walked in to find the sink almost overflowing, Caroline brushing her teeth (as every dentist's daughter should be doing at 5 AM!) and makeup spread all over the floor. She had successfully applied foundation to her face and mascara all over her eyes. The girl has been paying attention!!! Needless to say, we are adding a lock to the bathroom door.

Hope your summer has been as adventurous as ours!

brother sister love ~ take 2

2011-07-15T15:37:00.000-07:00

no time for blogging...

2011-07-05T20:35:00.000-07:00

Well, we've had a lot going on this month and I have had zero time for blogging. Life with 2 is so busy that at the end of the day I barely have enough energy to do anything! Right now I'm in the midst of potty training Caroline (going better than I thought!), sleep-training Harris (he started waking up 3x a night again), and encouraging & supporting my husband who is studying 12hrs + a day for part 1 boards! Whew! The summer is flying by!

In other news, I have a new computer (thank you Will & Caity!!!!) All of our pictures were recovered from our 2 crashed computers, Praise the Lord! Here are some of the recovered pictures I found that I wanted to share from our trip to the south in April. I know it was a long time ago, but I don't want to forget these precious memories!

here we are visiting with sweet Audrey and her momma, Kim.
Caroline was obviously not in the mood for pictures!

loved hanging out with my high school friends Lindsey and Kate!

Ellison and Caroline loved playing together

"Softie" got to meet Harris for the first time!

read this post if you're not familiar with my precious Mrs. Duggan

Caroline enjoying some time with "Aunt Stacy" - we loved having a picnic at the park with our B'ham friends. We spent all our time chasing our kiddos, hence the lack of pictures!

BG's porch swing is always a big hit. I think Harris and BG will always have a special bond after all those colicky nights she spent rocking him to sleep! Thank you BG!

Ellie & Caroline after a long morning of playing together at BG's

love this picture of Caroline anxiously waiting for daddy to appear after his 10 day trip!

Flans and GramFlans with all their grandbabies. They are running out of lap room!

the Flannery boys are so outnumbered

Flans and Harris - I love it that they share the same name!

Harris, you have big shoes to fill, buddy!

GE is the best "big" cousin in the world. She loves taking care of all the little kids.

While we were at the park, JH decided he would teach Caroline how to play golf. The child can seriously play! He is soooo good!

the little golfer - clubs, seersucker shorts, polo and all! precious!

I have lots of posting to do! Stay tuned for more updates from the Flannerys!

8 months

2011-05-27T16:05:00.000-07:00

Harris,

You are 8 months old! You are already all boy... you love making funny sounds, you are strong as an ox, you love wrestling in the floor with daddy & you squeal like crazy when daddy pushes you super high in the swing! You love getting into everything and you are CRAWLING all over the place. Uh oh! Baby proofing time again! You have 4 teeth and brushed them for the first time with daddy this week. You better get used to it, buddy - there is going to be a lot of tooth brushing going on around here! Your hair is starting to grow - it is blonde, soft as can be & I just can't keep my hands off your little head after bath time. You still love baths and have graduated to the big boy tub. Daddy puts just enough water in the bottom for you to lay on your back & you kick and splash like crazy! It is hilarious to watch! You had cheerios and puffs for the first time this month & they both were a huge hit. You've pretty much refused jarred baby food lately - you love the homemade stuff & I'm ok with that... I love making food for you. This week you discovered your tongue and have been sticking it out constantly and making this hilarious face (see pictures below). Everywhere I go people say, "he is just so happy!" Your colicky days, although they weren't that long ago, are beginning to fade from my memory. You are finally my happy baby!

People always told me there is just a special thing about having a boy. I honestly didn't get it until I had you. One look at those big blue eyes and I've been smitten ever since! I'm so thankful God blessed me with you, buddy! I love watching you grow. You are precious to me and I love you!!

Right now I am praying this verse specifically for you -

"As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual houseto be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says:

“See, I lay a stone in Zion,
   a chosen and precious cornerstone,
   and the one who trusts in him
   will never be put to shame...."

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy." 1 Peter 2:4-10

Praying you know that you are God's special possession, trust in Him as your Savior & declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light!!! Harris, there is nothing in the world more precious than knowing Jesus. Come to Him, the Living Stone, for the one who trusts in Him will never be put to shame.

count your blessings, name them one by one

2011-05-23T09:20:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the sweetest times for me are just those everyday moments... playing in the backyard, singing our little hearts out, reading bedtime stories, laughing like crazy with daddy, splashing in the baby pool, swinging on the avocado tree... I'm so thankful for the little things that make life so sweet.

One of my favorite things to do with the kids is sing hymns. Caroline is really catching on. This has been one of our favorites lately. I love planting deep spiritual truths in Caroline's little heart even at age 2!!!

When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed,

When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,

Count your many blessings, name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Count your blessings, name them one by one,

Count your blessings, see what God hath done!

Count your blessings, name them one by one,

Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?

Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?

Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,

And you will keep singing as the days go by.

When you look at others with their lands and gold,

Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;

Count your many blessings—wealth can never buy

Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.

So, amid the conflict whether great or small,

Do not be discouraged, God is over all;

Count your many blessings, angels will attend,

Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.
-Johnson Oatman, Jr., pub.1897

the kids love riding the trolley at the Americana

all sacked out after a long afternoon at the park

this guy love some Praise Baby

...

and Daddy's football

Costco = my favorite place to shop. Why can't they have double kid seats at every grocery store??

Harris is thinking, "Don't they have samples at this place?"

My mom always says I was obsessed with babies as a child. Apparently Caroline is more like her momma than I thought! This is Corolle and she goes everywhere with us. Caroline wakes up in the morning and the first thing she says is "Where baby go??"

Caroline is becoming such a great big sister. Harris literally cracks up at her.

He could watch her for hours!

little miss sassypants wearing mommy's glasses at the farmer's market

Harris loves the swing too!!!

Speaking of being thankful...

I just found out I won One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp over at my friend Ashley's blog! I've been wanting this book for a while now and am so excited about "daring to live fully right where I am!!"

Wide Open Spaces

2011-05-14T12:56:00.000-07:00

Some things I really miss about the south...

clear blue skies.

open fields of flowers.

the sound of birds chirping.

peace & quiet.

the renewing feeling of spring.

We were so thankful to be able to spend some time with Flans and GramFlans at the "farm." If Caroline was not at the barn with the horse and goats she was talking about them. Like father like daughter!

Thanks Flans & GramFlans for having us! We loved having some relaxing time together as a family after Jeff's big trip to Belize. We know it was a busy week for you & we are so thankful you shared it with us!

I took this shot while it was just the three of us up at the barn. It was so sweet to hear Jeff reminisce about the time he actually helped his dad build that barn & the fence; how amazing it was when they got their first horse; remembering goats being born; riding on the tractor with his dad; endless trails of four-wheeling; making rope swings down by the creek and playing Tarzan. I still crack up at the thought of Jeff & Matthew riding their four-wheelers in their boxers, but such is life when you grow up on a "farm!" Growing up on that property with his parents and learning how to really work with his dad - I'm convinced it's what made him the man he is today - hardworking, strong, & a lover of God and his family.

Caroline & Daddy made this walk up to the barn countless times while we were at Flans & GramFlans' house. And, yes, that goat is peeing. Nice time for a picture :)

lovin' a ride on Lady

it was hilarious watching sweet C chase the goats. they were totally running for their lives!!

Caroline just has a way with animals. She is usually so gentle!

Duke - what a gorgeous horse

Aunt Jessica, Aunt Brittney & all the cousins came to visit for a few days and we had a blast! Caroline and JH were big time buddies. While we were out and about, several people asked if they were twins! They played so well together!

they had a ball on Flans' tractor

love that look on her face - she loves her Flans!

here they are learning all about tractors

double trouble!!!

Unfortunately, the rest of my pictures from Birmingham are on my computer that crashed last week. I am usually so good about backing up my pictures, but I had neglected to do so since Christmas. Lesson learned! It makes me want to cry thinking about losing about 1500 pictures, but hopefully we will be able to recover them!

We, as always, love being in Birmingham and miss our friends so much. Other highlights of our week included - having a picnic at the park with our friends & their kiddos, hanging out with BG & all her grandbabies, visiting Softie and introducing her to Harris for the first time, and celebrating the wedding of one of Jeff's best friends! It was such a fun time & hopefully I"ll be able to upload more pics soon!

Nashville Zoo

2011-05-11T06:30:00.000-07:00

While we were in Franklin, Nana and Papa kept Harris while Mom, Dad and I took Caroline to the Nashville zoo. I was so impressed! I was honestly not expecting it to be as great as it was. It definitely was much more exciting than our L.A. zoo. They had tons of animals and you could see them so up close! Caroline had a ball!

Thanks, Mom & Dad - it was such a fun day!

One of my favorite places on earth...

2011-05-10T10:05:00.000-07:00

I have such sweet memories of the Gentry Farm.

Picking strawberries.

Church outside on the lawn.

Meandering through fields of sunflowers.

The pumpkin patch & corn maze.

Sweet conversations with friends on the porch.

My first "hunting experience" - quail.

But, most of all - hanging out with some of the sweetest, simplest, most loving people

I have ever known.

I'll never forget after Harris was born, I was really missing my family. I went to the mail one day to find a package from the Gentrys - it was two baby pumpkins, one for Caroline and a slightly smaller one for Harris - just the kids size with each of their names on them.

A little piece of "home" at just the right time.

That's why when I heard the Gentrys were having an Easter Egg hunt on Saturday I was so pumped! I loved introducing the kids to one of my favorite places on earth.

This is probably one of my favorite pictures of Caroline yet. If you've ever been around my child, it doesn't take long to realize her obsession with animals. She was in heaven at the farm!

Checking out the goat.

I was shocked that she loved the Easter Bunny so much!

Mimi and Caroline had a ball!

Let the hunt begin!

Caroline's game plan for hunting Easter eggs was - open one egg, devour the candy as fast as possible, then move on to the next. If it weren't for me pushing her along, I think she would have had only 3 eggs in her basket! She was all for quality instead of quantity :)

Here she is trying to disguise her mouth full of candy from Momma!

Harris loved the sunshine, wide open fields of flowers to gaze at & the wind on his face.

He was one happy man.

He's still my mommas boy - but I know it won't last long.

He is starting to go crazy when he sees his daddy.

We were so glad to meet up with our Shinnick family at the farm - the girls had the best time together! And, of course, all these pictures are thanks to my super-talented Uncle Wade!

We ended the morning gathering in front of the barn for the greatest story of all time. It is the only reason we celebrate Easter. I hope and pray that our children know that Easter is SO much more than bunnies, egg hunts, or candy.

Isaiah 53 tells the story much better than I ever could -

Surely he has borne our griefs

and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
But he was wounded for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.

Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him;

he has put him to grief;
when his soul makes an offering for guilt,
he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

God loves us so much that it was HIS WILL to sacrifice His own Son for our sins.

Praying you all experience the joy of knowing Christ Jesus as Lord of your life.

our april in a nutshell

2011-05-09T10:13:00.000-07:00

a.k.a. - the longest post ever

March and April at our house were CRAZY but so fun!

First of all, we had the privilege of having Mimi come to visit during her Spring break. She, as usual, served us all week long...changing diapers (and lots of them!), keeping me company while Jeff studied all week, and helping me sew, sew, sew to make our second bedroom a gender-neutral place for the kids to share. I am so thankful to have such a loving, selfless & creative momma! We were so busy that we didn't take one picture at all. Thankfully, I have lots of sweet memories in my head that I will remember for a long time.

Then, BG came to stay with us for week while Jeff studied for final exams (this past semester has been a doozie!!) What an amazing friend she is to me! We had a blast spending time with the kids together. Then, she and I braved a plane ride together with the kids to Nashville!

Thankfully, Harris slept 2 hours during the flight & Caroline was a little angel!

It was sad to say bye to Jeff, as he was leave us for 10 days,

but I'm so happy that He is able to serve the Lord by doing this...

he had a few relaxing days, too...

love this picture of my handsome husband!

I didn't feel bad for him at all when I saw this picture...

I sure would have enjoyed being with him here for a week!!

But, we did have a blast with Mimi and Rudy in Franklin.

I'm so thankful for all their help for 10 days while Jeff was gone!!
My parents are pretty much amazing. and selfless. and they adore my kids.

Our trip looked a little like this...

Rudy is still the baby-whisperer.

Harris finds just the perfect spot on his shoulder and is asleep in no time!

Aunt Susie and Uncle Wade have the coolest dollhouse that Caroline loves to play with. She spent most of her time at their house putting the babies in and out of the mini cozy-coupe - just like her little car at home!

it was so sweet to watch Caroline play with her cousins

Uncle Wade and Harris-boo having some manly time

Caroline and Sara watching everyone play cornhole

Caroline was a pro!

Harris loved snuggling with Mrs. Cathy

Caroline had a few moments of really missing her daddy. This just happened to be one of them :) We loved hanging out with sweet Audrey and her momma, Kim. Hopefully these two will be big buddies one day!

Everything was all about mommy while Jeff was gone. She wanted me to do everything with her. But, just as I expected the minute Daddy came home she was totally back to being a daddy's girl!

Paige & Harris playing together. Thanks to Paige, Mom and I had a girls day out which was so fun and very much needed!

there is nothing sweeter than watching your grandfather rock his great-grandson to sleep!

we spent quite a bit of time with Nana and Papa.

Papa pulled out my dad (Rudy's) old tricycle for Caroline - circa the 1950's.

Caroline loved riding her tricycle with Papa!

Here we are at Grandmother and Granddaddy's house. As usual, the went all out and cooked a traditional southern meal complete with cornbread, roast & mashed potatoes. I have never seen Caroline eat so much! How blessed am I to have 4 amazing grandparents??? Words cannot express how much I love them.

Love this picture...

Caroline's favorite thing to do at Mimi & Rudy's house was get into Mimi's makeup drawer.

Aunt Caity is so fun! Caroline has a special love for her Aunt Caity. They are big buddies.

and, it is so sweet to hear Caroline say "Uncle Will."

it sounds like "wool" and it is the cutest thing ever.

Nana spent lots of time with Harris. It's pretty sad that in her 80's she has more energy than I do!

Caroline loved all the dolls I played with as a little girl

It was a treat to get to spend time with Meg. She has such a love for children. My kids love her!

Mimi and Caroline spent a lot of time reading together. This was Caroline's favorite book of the week - "I'm a Little Teapot." We've been singing it over and over again ever since!
Check out that morning hair - it is wild!

Next post - Easter and the Gentry Farm!

Harris - 7 months

2011-05-06T09:59:00.000-07:00

At 7 months my little man is...

sleeping much better
eating tons of different pureed foods and loving it
crazy about his big sister
has two bottom teeth and seems to be working on the top ones
making the most hysterical "boy" sounds
pushing up on his hands and knees, so frustrated that he can't crawl
the sweetest, chubbiest, most precious little boy I have ever known

and I'm so glad to be his momma!!!!

cupcakes at the park & disneyland

2011-05-05T06:45:00.000-07:00

We enjoyed having a little b-day celebration for Caroline at the park. She loved hanging out with her friends, playing on the playground, devouring some cupcakes & opening gifts. We were so thankful to have BG in town for the week and could not have pulled off the morning so smoothly without her!

Caroline is so proud when people ask her how old she is. She holds up 5 fingers and says, "Two!"

I just can't get enough of those blonde curls.

sweet G giving Caroline a birthday hug

It's shocking that all 4 of them were actually looking at the camera at the same time!

Poor G could barely wrap her arms around our big boy!

The highlight of Caroline's day was definitely the cupcakes. Have ya'll ever heard of The Cupcake Doctor? My MIL gave it to me a few years ago and I just tried it for the first time. It's awesome!!! After my disastrous b-day cake experience for Jeffrey's b-day I decided to go another route. The recipes basically use various cake mixes and add other fresh ingredients for the perfect cupcakes! (Reminds me of Sandra Lee's Semi-Homemade) Don't get me wrong - I'm all about making things from scratch - but let's face it with life as crazy as it is right now - quick, easy & delicious sounds great to me!

We went to a kids yoga class at the Americana a few weeks ago with some friends and Caroline has been doing this move ever since. I know "Aunt" Cecily would be proud!!!

love that sweet smile

I'm pretty much an applique addict now

b-day celebration part 2: Disney!

One of the joys of living in Los Angeles is being so close to Disneyland! We have started a little Flannery family tradition of going to Disney to celebrate the kids birthdays. It was amazing to realize how much Caroline had grown up in just one year. She enjoyed Disney so much more than last year. Her eyes were so wide and she had the sweetest little smile on her face as we went from ride to ride, taking it all in. Thanks Flans and GramFlans for blessing us with such a wonderful birthday gift for Caroline!

our strong willed Caroline loved being on the rides, but getting off??? not so much. It took 3 or 4 rides for her to realize she couldn't perpetually ride them. life is just not fair :)

"It's a small world"

Harris-boo had a ball, too!

These two are just inseparable. When you ask Caroline "Who is your best friend?"

She screams "DADDY!"

someone was worn out by the end of the day!!

Happy 2nd Birthday to our sweet Caroline!!!

2011-05-04T06:30:00.000-07:00

Wow... 2! My baby is no longer a baby any more! She is growing into a little lady and I have to admit that I am one emotional momma these days. Everything she does lately makes me realize how fast time goes by. This is truly an amazing age. I love watching this little girl, full of life, unfolding before my eyes.

Here are a few of my favorite things about Caroline lately...

copycat

When I cook I usually have a dishtowel draped over my shoulder. Caroline has obviously been paying attention. The other day I came into the den to find her cleaning her picnic table with a dishtowel hanging over her shoulder. Ha! She also loves pretending to put on her makeup, swaddling her babies, cleaning the kitchen counter - all things she has watched me do over and over again. It is quite humbling to realize I have a little person watching everything I do!

little mommy

She loves to take care of Harris, bring him toys and blankets & her favorite time of the day is helping me get him out of his bed when he wakes up. She is totally obsessed with her baby dolls and is usually carrying at least one or two around the house. Lately she has also been found burping, changing diapers & even nursing her baby dolls. I figured it was coming sooner or later. Hilarious! Last week while we were on the plane she was watching a movie on my laptop. I looked over and she had the headphones on her baby, instead!

active girl

Caroline is super active. She can practically out run me (although that's not hard to do :) and she can scale the rock wall at the playground in about 5 seconds flat. The child definitely got her athletic genes from her daddy!

dancing queen

Daddy and Caroline have dance parties almost every night and they just have a ball. She is learning some serious moves around here, her favorite one lately being the disco ;)

my favorite helper

She still loves Lucy and has recently started to really take care of her. When we are at the park she loves to "walk" Lucy and also in the morning she goes to the pantry, scoops out her food and puts it in her bowl... I love my little helper! She also loves helping me empty the dishwasher & fold the laundry. Even though it takes at least double the time to do, I figure it is instilling "helping" in her at an early age.

sweet little voice

The child sings all. day. long. Her favorites right now are Deep & Wide, Trust & Obey and of course Edelweis from her favorite movie, the Sound of Music. There is nothing sweeter than listening to her wake up in the morning singing "O How I Love Jesus," the song that I have sung to her everyday before naps and bedtime. She also has such a funny taste in movies. She would much rather watch the Sound of Music or Pollyanna or the Dreamer than cartoons or toddler DVDs. Sometimes I feel like she is an old soul in a tiny little body.

"all by myself"

Everything with Caroline right now has to be done completely on her own. If I start to put her shoes on, she takes them off and starts all over again so she can do it all by herself. It cannot be my idea, it has to be hers. (She also has a major shoe obsession.) I am learning to be super patient and keep in mind that this is just a stage. Caroline's personality has me totally perplexed - she is sassy and strong-willed, yet she also has this shy side to her.

The night before Caroline's birthday Jeff and I blew up a ton of balloons and put them in her room. So, when she woke up she had a room full of balloons and she thought it was awesome!

Birthday breakfast with her "you are special" plate

birthday kisses from daddy

Caroline, being your momma is such a joy. I can't wait to spend another year with you!! I love you sweet girl!

Caroline at 2 years:

34 3/4 inches - 72%

26 pounds, 8 ounces - 47%

2011-05-03T08:35:00.000-07:00

Teach us to number our days,

that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Psalm 90:12

I have so much to blog about...

like the kids, birthdays, traveling, etc.

but all I can think about is this...

Photograph by Dusty Compton, Tuscaloosa News/AP

It was so surreal sitting in front of the TV on Wednesday and watching live as deadly tornadoes popped up all over Alabama. It was unlike anything I have ever seen. I'm so thankful our family is ok, but my heart just breaks for all those who have lost loved ones or whose homes have been totally destroyed. It is something I will never be able to understand... why such horrible things happen to wonderful people. I'll tell you one thing though - I'm so proud of our sweet home Alabama and all the people who so quickly and compassionately teamed up to give, give, and give some more to help those in need. As I was listening to the radio on Friday, it was amazing to hear how many thousands of people were donating money, gathering supplies, helping with the clean up, etc. When you grow up in the south it's easy to take that Southern Hospitality for granted, but I'm telling ya'll there's just nothing like it!

My cousin Morgan who is a photographer wrote here about her experience helping in Pleasant Grove yesterday. The pictures are just unbelievable.

Also, I can't speak highly enough of James Spann. He worked so hard on Wednesday to keep everyone in AL informed of the details of the storms. I imagine if it weren't for him there would be a lot more fatalities in the state. Here is an article written by his wife that is so touching.

Then, on Saturday as we were traveling back to Los Angeles, we boarded the plane along with a family of a fallen soldier who was bringing him home to be buried in Nashville. We sat on the plane for 30 minutes after arrival and watched this...

It was heartbreaking, watching the wife and two children of this soldier grieve as they were escorted off the plane and on to the runway to honor him. It really made me think about how easy it is to go through life feeling invincible - like nothing could ever happen to you. Then things like this remind me that this life is so short and what I choose to do in however many years God gives me - it really matters. I pray that all the events of the past week will remind me to really live in light of eternity.

A few verses that have come to my mind over the past few days...

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

"The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." Psalm 34:18

growing up

2011-04-01T07:01:00.000-07:00

My children are growing up before my very eyes and it is all going by way too fast. Don't you wish parenting came with a pause button??? I have found myself being so sentimental this week.

Our sweet Caroline turns 2 tomorrow and we have been doing lots of celebrating around here! She is becoming such a little lady and although this age is challenging, it is so rewarding! She learns something new everyday and what a joy it is to watch!

Harris turned 6 months last week and is at such a fun baby stage. He is full of personality and makes us laugh all day long. I can't imagine life without this little guy!

We have had a very full month enjoying family visits, going to Disneyland, and spending as much time as possible with daddy. Can't wait to fill ya'll in on the details!

outside

2011-03-15T14:41:00.000-07:00

Caroline's favorite word right now is outside. She says it about 100 times a day. So, needless to say, we've been doing lots of fun things outside lately! Get ready for picture overload!

We took a little day trip to the beach last weekend. The weather was gorgeous and I had forgotten how much I had missed the beach! (We hadn't been since before Harris' birth)

I wasn't sure how little man would like the beach.

He thought it was cool for about the first 10 minutes...

then preceded to do this:

and this:

watching his big sister play in the sand entertained him for a little while...

then, finally we resorted to the ergo. what in the world would I do without that thing? In his defense, it was a little chilly (note the blanket and hood). Caroline, on the other hand, would have jumped in the freezing cold water had we let her. She is definitely our adventurous child!

walks with daddy on the beach are the best!

then, they got really serious about making sandcastles

then, last week we went to the zoo with Lauren and Sophi - it has become one of our favorite outings with our friends! Caroline's favorite part of the zoo is the petting area with the sheep and goats. She thinks it is so cool that she gets to brush their hair!

our two little partners in crime:

don't let those little innocent smiles fool you - they are a mess!

checking out the chimps

we got to see this giraffe really up close. C was mesmorized!

Harris boo set an all time record for sitting in the stroller. He did so well!

This momma's boy usually likes to be held at all times.

On Wednesday before daddy went out of town for the night, we met him at school for lunch. Harris really wanted daddy's wings and french fries, but we told him

"sorry buddy - you gotta wait a few more months"

life sure is crazy around here, but it doesn't get any sweeter than this!

In other news, Mimi comes on Friday and we are just beside ourselves!!!! Everytime I tell Caroline "Mimi is coming!" she gets this huge grin on her face and runs to the door like she is already here :( This is going to be a looooong week!

5 months & an update on Harris

2011-03-07T20:44:00.000-08:00

First of all, thanks so much for all your sweet comments, emails & messages with advice for me about Harris! I felt so loved and thankful for friends who have gone before me. Turns out I am not the only one with a colicky baby! It's funny how when you are in the middle of it you feel like the only momma in the world who can't make her baby happy!

Well, I am thrilled to report that Harris is almost sleeping through the night! Whoohooo! We are kind of on an every-other-night schedule but even the off nights he's only waking up once - praise the Lord! Guess what the trick was? Rice cereal, people, rice cereal. Poor guy was hungry!

I would have never imagined that this big dude...

was not getting enough to eat!!!

We are also starting sweet potatoes this week, so we'll see how that goes. He definitely still wants to be held most of the time during the day, but I'll take that any day over being up all night! We tell him all the time that he just wishes he were the firstborn instead of our second :) If you are up in his face talking to him or holding him or carrying him in the ergo, he is one happy man. But, he does NOT like being left alone. Period. Maybe that means he is going to be really social??

Other 5 month milestones:

*rolling all over the place -from one side of the living room to the other

*blowing bubbles all the time

*still loving bath time, but outgrowing his bath seat - go figure :) I guess we'll be making the transition to the big boy tub soon.

*still totally a momma's boy, which I don't mind at all
*took his first trip to the beach & was not the biggest fan
*poor guy is totally outnumbered pretty much every where he goes. We have lots of play dates with friends, but most of our California friends have little girls. We will have to work on that!
*not sure how much he weighs, but we will find out at his 6 month visit. I'm betting it will be at least 20 lbs!

happy 30th babe!

2011-03-05T20:50:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago we celebrated Jeff's 30th birthday! We laugh about the year we were first dating when I gave him a card for his b-day and part of my note to him read, "I can't believe you're 22 - you are getting so old!" And, now we are celebrating his 30th and I'm wondering how in the world 8 years have gone by so fast!

We had a low-key weekend celebrating with Jeff's favorite meals (a.k.a. mac & cheese), movie night, lunch at one of our favorite pizza places, splurged on a date night to the Melting Pot with Jeff's b-day money (thanks family!), and completed our weekend with our family hike (see previous post!)

pizza time with daddy

the following pictures crack me up :) notice Caroline getting into the cake and Harris' button on his pants. Yep - those are a size 12 month.

Don't let the beauty of the cake deceive you - it was horrible! We both took a bite and looked at each other and I immediately started cracking up. Poor Jeff was trying to act like it wasn't that bad - but it was really not good at all. It was my first attempt at making a cake from scratch and I found a great recipe online, but it called for cake flour and I substituted bread flour. Apparently that was not a great idea.

But, we had one more thing in store for Jeff...

a surprise party!

I can't believe I actually pulled it off without telling him! (I am NOT great at keeping secrets from him - I guess that is a good thing!) We had such a fun night celebrating with our California family and our sweet friends in Pasadena.

This cake was definitely a hit! It was from one of our new favorite places called Porto's. It's a Cuban restaurant with the most amazing pastries and cakes!

so thankful for such great friends!

and for our California family who has been such a HUGE support for us!

We were also grateful to have Susie in town for the day.
I couldn't have pulled it off without all her help!

Happy Birthday to the most amazing husband and father in the whole world!!!

I love you!

who knew?

2011-02-23T14:12:00.000-08:00

that this...

existed in L.A.?

Jeff had a 3 day weekend off from school and we thoroughly enjoyed it! We decided on Monday to go on a little adventure and go hiking. I look at the mountains everyday outside our house but had no idea there were so many cool places to hike! After doing some research online, we found the perfect hiking trail. It ended up being a couple of miles longer than we thought, but that gave us a chance to test our endurance (or rather my endurance) and make it all the way. There was a waterfall at the end of the hike, so we were determined to make it there and back - and we did! Keep in mind that last time I worked out or hiked was oh... 2009 and that I was carrying my 18 pound chunky monkey on my back! Let's just say my legs felt like jello when we finally got back to the car. But, it was so much fun and I think it will make for more great family memories in the future!

Someone started off with a little bad attitude when she saw how long the trail was

but felt much better when we found the perfect walking sticks!

Caroline was in heaven picking up rocks, leaves & sticks

and thought she was such a big girl hiking all by herself!

Little man could not have been happier. He slept about 3 out of the 4 hours we were hiking. I think it was the best nap he has ever taken! Wouldn't you love a hike strapped on your mommas back?

C found some ducks and got really excited. She is now saying "Was is?" which means "What's this?" for everything. Then, when we talk about what it is that she has found she says "Oh!" with the sweetest little excitement in her voice. I think we pointed out every bird, rock, stick, tree, hiker, etc. on the trail. It is so fun now that she is talking to be able to communicate with her!

We entertained ourselves by singing on the way home.

The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice;
let the many coastlands be glad!
Clouds and thick darkness are all around him;
righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
Fire goes before him
and burns up his adversaries all around.
His lightnings light up the world;
the earth sees and trembles.
The mountains melt like wax before the Lord,
before the Lord of all the earth.

The heavens proclaim his righteousness,
and all the peoples see his glory.

Psalm 97:1-6

life at our house lately...

2011-02-16T13:16:00.000-08:00

Little miss sassy pants has decided she loves to put on makeup - especially lip gloss! This little incident happened right before we were leaving to go to our Valentine's brunch at Bible Study. In case you were wondering, lip gloss takes lots of scrubbing to get off your skin and clothes :)

Little man, as I mentioned in a previous post, is obsessed with two things: bath time and his feet.

A few nights ago at bath time, Caroline accidentally emptied a half a bottle of Burt's Bee's in the tub which made for a pretty expensive bath! But, we made the most if it and had a blast with the bubbles!

On Sunday, my sweet husband kept the kids while I took a 3 hour nap (I could have slept on into the evening and through the night I suppose :) And, this is what I woke up to. Daddy decided that the little sleepers I had been dressing Harris in were just not manly enough. So, here Harris is in jeans, a polo and a homemade belt made by daddy from rope he found in the garage. It was hysterical!

On Valentine's night we whisked the kids off to an early bedtime and enjoyed a quiet romantic dinner for two. It was awesome!

Caroline & Harris are interacting more and more everyday. If Caroline is within reach, Harris loves reaching out for her and grabbing her shirt or hair. Most of the time, Caroline has a good attitude about it and just goes along with the flow!

Daddy's little buddies after nap time - Caroline is sporting her Einstein hair!

my two favorite men snuggling on the couch this morning

And lastly, this is our new favorite thing to do on Saturday mornings! We have a horse racing track within 5 minutes of our house that has a wonderful breakfast on the terrace while watching the horses warm up for their races. Caroline LOVES it! And, there is so much to watch during breakfast, that Mommy and Daddy actually get a moment's peace to sip our coffee and catch up on our week!

I thank God everyday for the weather here in California. I feel like it is God's special gift to me during this season of dental school. There is rarely a day when we cannot go to the park or play outside!

Harris - 4 months

2011-02-10T19:57:00.000-08:00

I'll just go ahead and be real with ya'll and admit this past month with Harris has been hard. The poor little guy has reflux that continues to worsen and we have tried everything!!! We have now been through eliminating dairy, eggs & caffeine from my diet, 2 rounds of medications, and elevating him while sleeping to no avail. This mommy is so sad that my little man is hurting! Pretty much the only way he is soothed is by nursing or being held. He is waking up sometimes 3-4 times during the night and it is impossible to get him back to sleep without feeding him.

All you mommas with colicky/reflux babies out there - any ideas??? I've always heard that colic tends to disappear by 3-4 months but we have not been so lucky. Don't you just wish babies could talk? It would make it so much easier if he could just tell me what is wrong! Belly ache? Gas pains? Tired? Hungry? Is he eating too much?

I am thankful for my God who says,

"Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. Forwe do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. Andhe who searches hearts knows what isthe mind of the Spirit, becausethe Spirit intercedes for the saintsaccording to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work togetherfor good,forthose who are called according to his purpose. For those whom heforeknew he alsopredestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might bethe firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he alsojustified, and those whom he justified he alsoglorified." Romans 8:26-30

or in my own words...

He understands my heart and my longings even when I'm at a loss for words. He knows exactly where I am and he is working in my life and in my children's lives for our good even when I cannot see it. My life is meant to serve His purposes, not my own. And, His desire for me is that I would be conformed to be more like Jesus, which means He will grow me and strengthen me in the hard times.

On to Harris' milestones...

*He has finally graduated from sleeping in his swing to the nap nanny

*is grabbing his toys and putting everything in his mouth. I have a feeling we are about to enter the drooling stage.

*has pretty much decided that the paci is not his friend. He is totally NOT interested. We have tried several kinds and it is a no go

*loves grabbing my hair and chewing on my fingers

*is soooo ticklish and loves having tickle wars with daddy

*loves to laugh, especially at his big sister

*is still my little chunky monkey weighing in the 90th percentile

*can stand in our lap with assistance

*is such a little charmer.... his favorite place to be is at Bible Study where he has about 30 sweet ladies loving on him!

*found his feet this past week and loves chewing on his toes
*loves being naked (see picture below)

*is the happiest when he is being held or carried in the Ergo. Thank goodness mommy found something to keep him happy while still having my hands free to care for Caroline!

*rolls from tummy to back and is not the biggest fan of tummy time

*could sit in the bath tub all day long. I sometimes put him in the sink and let him sit in his bath seat while I cook dinner. (sounds funny but I promise it is safe!) We call it his "jacuzzi time" and he loves it!

I just love those belly rolls so much!!!

Harris' 4 month stats:

weight - 17 lbs. 7 oz. - 90%

length - 25 1/4 inches - 60%

head - 16 3/4 inches - 50%

Sorry, this post is going to be really long but I had to add this quote that I just read in "The Mission of Motherhood" by Sally Clarkson. If you are a mom and have not read this book, go and buy it now! It is seriously one of the best books I have ever read. It has been key in helping me navigate my way through this crazy but wonderful season of mothering young children.

"My children didn't need me to be on top of all my chores or even to be perfect in taking care of all their needs. What they needed was for me to be content and patient in life. They needed me, as a mature Christian, to walk by faith that God was in control, allowing his Spirit to give me peace and joy in the midst of life's inevitable ups and downs. In a sense, they were looking to me as a barometer of how our lives were fairing. This is one of the best ways I can be a servant leader to my children. When I model patience in the midst of difficulty, joy in the midst of messes, contentment in the midst of lack, then I provide them a pattern for their own lives. They will learn that my joy is not circumstantial but real because I have an endless source of strength through the power of the Holy Spirit in my life."

Brother Sister Love

2011-01-25T20:52:00.000-08:00

These two are becoming fast friends and I love it! Little man is having a ball watching his sister. He just giggles and laughs as she runs around the house being silly. It is making for great entertainment around here!

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." Philippians 4:4-8

This verse pretty much sums up what I am learning lately...

*to rejoice always, even when I am tempted to be stressed or overwhelmed. I mean, I have so much to be thankful for! (see above pictures :)

*"the Lord is at hand" - my days are numbered and life really is flying by. I must take advantage of every second.

*I need to find my peace in Christ, not in financial security, an "easy life," or even a few moments to myself, which does not come often these days!

*to keep my mind fixed on JESUS!

Harris at 3 months

2011-01-20T12:31:00.000-08:00

I seem to always run late with these monthly updates, but better late than never!

Here is my chunky monkey at 3 months...

Probably my favorite picture of him ever. Mostly because his cheeks look so rosy and kissable. I could just squeeze them all day long!

At 3 months Harris...

*holds his head up all by himself
*loves bath time - his favorite time of the day!
*also still loves his 3 am feed and sometimes his 12 am feed :)
*has really started talking and cooing to us - he is pretty demanding when it comes to attention! He loves staring us in the eyes and could talk and play for hours.
*still hates the car seat. He sometimes screams the entire car ride. When I get him out of the seat after we arrive he gives me the biggest grin ever and acts like nothing ever happened. That little stinker!
*loves being outside and going on walks
*cracks us up with with his little quirky personality. He can go from really happy to really mad in no time! It's also amazing how early his boyish tendencies have come out. His cry is totally different than Caroline's was at this age. He does this coughing thing when he cries. Jeff calls it his "manly cry"
*took his first trip on an airplane and did really well! (this is my favorite age to fly with babies)
*loves the sound of mommy's voice and just lights up when I talk to him
*met most of his family in a matter of 2 days
*is starting to grab for toys on his play mat
*loves the bumbo even though it makes him spit up :(

Happy 3 months to my precious baby boy!!!!

our little family

2011-01-15T08:42:00.000-08:00

Here are more of our favorite pictures of our little family, taken by my cousin Morgan.

Thanks again, Morgan... you are amazing! It is quite an accomplishment that any of these turned out considering how much my child hates the camera!! Morgan is so great at being a part of the moment that I don't even think Caroline realized she was taking pictures! I love how candid and sweet these are.

www.morgantrinker.com

A Harris Family Christmas Part 2

2011-01-14T23:45:00.000-08:00

On Christmas Day we were blessed to spend a little time with my cousin, Morgan, who is an amazing photographer. She has recently moved to Birmingham, AL with her husband Jamie, where she has established her photography business. Here is a peek at our Christmas through Morgan's lens! There is no need to put captions by these pictures. Morgan is unbelievable at capturing the emotion in her photos. I cannot recommend Morgan enough! Birmingham friends, check out her website! Not only is she such a talented photographer, but she is so sweet, down to earth, and just plain fun to be around. You will love just getting to know her!

Thank you, Morgan, for being such a precious cousin and friend to me. I am so thankful for these photos and will cherish them forever!

Morgan Trinker Photography

Harris' Baptism

2011-01-12T06:15:00.000-08:00

The Blessing:

"Be on the alert, stand firm in your faith, act like a man, be strong. Let everything you do be done in love." 1 Corinthians 16:13-14

Harris,

You are truly a gift from God. Your mother and I are so thankful He has entrusted your life to us. But we know that you belong to Him and we pray that you would love Him and serve Him everyday of your life. Our prayer is that God would give us the wisdom to model Christ's humility and sacrificial love to you daily. And, finally, we pray "that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might." Ephesians 1:18

It was a very special day for us as we entered into a covenant with God to raise Harris in a home that points him to Christ everyday. It was so special for us to have Dr. Barker baptize Harris, as he also baptized Jeff when He was a baby. The Lord has been faithful to us and we are so blessed to have such a godly heritage on both sides of our family.

Thank you Denise for opening up your home to us! We had a great time catching up with our friends and family who attended the baptism. And, special thanks to Mom and Denise for all your hard work cooking and preparing such a great brunch! It was such a sweet time for us to celebrate our son.

family shot with the Barkers

the best shot of our little family that we could get with two exhausted kiddos!

Jeffrey Harris Flannery x 3!

love this one!

Thank you GramFlans for the cake!!! It was delicious!!!

it was so great to catch up with my college friends Jen & Dana... it had been waaayyyy too long!

the boys with baby Ellie

our old small group - we miss them so much!

We love you Harris!