BFF Visit!!

So happy our friends from Denver {but really from Tally, then Breck, then Denver} came to visit! Laurie {my friend for 26yrs} & Scott Malling came to introduce their sweet baby boy, Kai (3mo), to family and friends!  We haven't seen them since they came to see us in Breckenridge right before we moved, and told us the amazing news that they were pregnant!!

And now, almost a YEAR LATER, we got to hang out on the shore of St. Teresa Beach...  

...and meet their precious LOVE... even Shawn enjoyed the sweet feeling of an infant in his arms!  Baby Kai, we are so happy to know you, and see your calm, happy, and content personality come out :)

Even our sweet Angel napped on the beach...after hours of splashing, jumping & playing on the beach!!  

Cheetos for a snack once she woke up, and back to the wet sand and waves!!!

Laurie, you are the true meaning of FRIENDSHIP!!  We have so many special memories from childhood, teenage years, college, and the mountains... I am looking forward to the next 26yrs, and watching our children grow into adults?!  WOAH, that sounds weird!!  I LOVE YOU LIKE CRAZY:)

 PS: not fair that we have the same stomach and you have a THREE MONTH OLD!!!!

Our Loop!

Most of our time is spent right here at HOME!!  This is from our driveway, looking across our road, at the Gazebo in the Loop.  We use the area daily for snack and lunch picnics, pretend 'house' play, soccer/baseball lessons, 'Power Ranger' adventures, bike track races... you name it, we've done it!

Elsie Anne thought this was "the PERFECT spot for snack time" today!!  And, if you've read previous posts, you'll know that we are waiting patiently for our Friday Tradition... greeting our trash & recycle helpers, and watching all the 'dumping' action!  WOW, the life of an {almost} 3yr old :)

A better shot of our cute little HOME {mainly for our out-of-town family that want to see it}.  This shows the 'Zero Lot Line' and how close our neighbors are.  No complaint here, at least we aren't sharing anymore walls!!  Thankfully, we've liked the neighbors, and a handful of them have kids!  A few evenings, we've all been out playing, and I can't help but think the kids are becoming the 'Little Loop Gang', and us parents have joined the 'Wisteria Loop' club?!  hee,hee:)

I feel extremely blessed... DAILY!!

Gymnastics!!!

Elsie Anne has been missing her 'Explorers' class that has been on break for 6wks between sessions.  I teased her last week {got her all dressed & pumped up to go} only to find out we were a week early!  What a bummer, but we got to watch the older girls (8yrs) practice on the beam, so it wasn't a total loss in her eyes.

But this was the day, and we had talked about it since Monday, and even found out her bud, Briley, from last session, was going to be in her class again!  AND we lucked out with her same coach from last session!  Coach Kate and EA really connected, so I'm glad for that stability!  Many times I've found EA pretending to be Coach Kate, and 'coaching' her animals:)  

Here are the sweet girls warming up.  It was neat to see how they were the 'older' ones.  They knew the ropes and were great examples!  Coach Kate commented on how they listened, payed attention, and followed directions... Way to go BIG GIRLS!!

Waiting very patiently for their stamps, after a fun-filled first class!!

Looks like they were the only kids in the class, somehow I was able to skirt around the other 6 children, and their Moms:)  Can't wait to see EA's new tricks she learns in the next 16wks!!

All Gone.

Tucker-Buddy's first haircut!  BEFORE...

and AFTER...

Have to share a sweet little story.  EA & I were telling Tucker how we loved his new haircut and that he looked so handsome... and EA says, "he should be in a wedding with his new haircut!!"  Her little mind cracks me up, its all across the board... one minute 'Hello Kitty', one minute 'Power Ranger Samuri', and the next 'SugarPlum Fairy Princess'!  So glad my "TomGirl" has a great imagination!!

In Recent Days...

...We've been enjoying our new home and its surroundings.  Slowly but surely we are emptying out the boxes, and organizing as they come into the house.  I'm anxious to put our pictures and art on the walls, so it will feel a little more 'lived in'!  Its bare, but we are loving our own space, and all our old stuff from Breck:)

I keep Tucker 4days/wk... and I can sure tell how time flies, by the way he has grown!!  I started when he was 2mo, and he is now 8mo.  Its rewarding to see his changes & milestones, and my heart just melts to watch Elsie Anne play and interact with him!!  It makes me crave another one of my own:)  

Who's teaching who??  I told EA she used to do the same thing that Tucker was doing, and she tried it out again:)  The entertainment is endless!!

This is just before rest time, the two of them laying calmly on the floor watching a program.  I just missed the shot of EA rubbing Tucker's hair (sure is a lot of it)!

BackYard Fun!!

Our first back yard playdate... with cousins, of course!!  Thatcher, Tullen & EA kicked their soccer balls up and down our little hill.  I thought the hill would hinder their fun, but they seemed to enjoy the elevation change:)

The kids were big helpers in raking up all the maple leaves that had fallen in our front yard. How enticing those piles looked!  Brought back so many memories from my childhood, of jumping & playing in leaf piles!  "CONFETTIIIII!!"... as they tossed them in the sky!

Be Still My Heart...These are the Days to Remember!!

**Go past New,New,New for a few more new posts**

New...New...New!!

new TOWN, new HOUSE, new YEAR!!

The last six months have been full of change and transition for our family. We've weathered quite a few storms, seen many highs, and fought off the lows... I can now safely say, we've found our HAPPY PLACE! This place is where brutal honesty between spouses resides, where our deepest inner thoughts have felt comfortable enough to peek through, where we have pulled together and used our trials to bring us closer, and can now look forward to embrace the benefits of all we've endured.

Who knew a move across the country would be so hard in every aspect of our lives?? Having been broken down to our bare bones, I am humbled to find the Lord has helped us emerge as better individuals, better spouses, and back to being 'present' parents!!

This is our HAPPY PLACE, and I am now ready to share it with you!

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Elsie Anne playing with her dress-up clothes and pop-up castle!

EA loves splashing in the Florida monsoon puddles...in our new neighborhood, Lakeshore Gardens!

This is the huge drainage system we found just around the corner. It was the perfect spot for our morning walk adventure!! EA practicing her balance beam skills:)