Saturday, July 26, 2014

Molly's Photoshoot


Isla has her first friend. Her name is Molly and she is a doll. She's sweet and beautiful and in true little girl fashion loves to play in the mud and get dirty.  She and Isla squeal with delight when they see each other and then they scream and cry and steal each other's baby dolls. Isn't that what little girl friendship is?  I think so and I am so sad for Isla and Molly to be parting ways this week.  

I got to do a little photoshoot with Molly a few weeks ago. She is a runner! This girl has some energy, so it was a challenge to take her photo but a lot of fun too.  You will be missed Molly Jean! 









Isla & Molly have decided to be pen pals (or their mother's made that decision for them) so hopefully this isn't the end of their sweet friendship :)

-Stacie

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Annual Beach Trip

 I am a few weeks behind in posting this, but I think I have a good excuse.  I am moving to the other side of the world. Okay, not the world but Idaho definitely feels like another planet to me so I think it gives me an excuse.  Anyway. A few weeks ago we were very blessed to be able to spend a week with my family at the beach in North Carolina.  This is a trip that we take every year and look forward to going back the next year as soon as it is over. I for one love the beach and I especially love the beach when other people cook me food and play with my children.  That is really what I dream about at night, so this vacation is a true vacation for me!

Here are just a few (this actually a true statement, I think I have about 300 pics from the week) of our trip:
Jonathan & Valerie


Uncle Jonathan

Isla loved the beach!
Isla & her uncles
Uncle Jonathan

Aren't they cute? 

a typical dinner spread- delicious & impressive!

Yes, I would like to help bury you in the sand so you can't move, that sounds amazing...


I mean, stop it...
It's hard to tell if she likes it...
Sarah & Justin


Isla & Aunt Sarah
Isla got a beach braid
checking out the sand turtle
Grandpa & Knox

The whole crew

Knox got swim lessons every day from Grandpa
Isla & Grandpa
Racing with Uncle Justin


this girl wears here emotions on her sleeve
sitting with Great-Grandma Charlotte
making donuts with Mana
the best part of making donuts!
Knox is obsessed with Legos

Isla loved the hot tub
squirt guns with Aunt Sarah

This year's beach week was no exception. We had a blast and already can't wait for next year! 

-Stacie 


Sunday, July 20, 2014

Our going away party...

Things are getting real here for us.  Now that we've had our going away party and the moving truck is coming this week I am starting to believe that we may actually be moving.  This past week was a very difficult week for me. We have started to say goodbye to friends and that is the hardest part.  Our house is feeling bare and like a bomb went off all at the same time.  It is crazy and exciting and sad- which is honestly just making me very tired.  I think when this week is done I will be very thankful.  

We officially leave Austin on Thursday.  The kids & I will leave by airplane and fly to Spokane to spend a week with Kyle's family.  Kyle & Mercedes will leave by car and drive the 25 hours to Boise for him to start working on Monday again.  Our cars and stuff should arrive sometime around August 1st, which is when the kiddos & I plan on arriving in Boise.  Slightly convoluted but I think moving across the country with 2 small children, 3 cars, 1 dog and a partridge in a pear-tree kind of warrants such craziness.  

Back to the going away party.  We had some wonderful friends who offered to host this party for us so we all met up at a local restaurant/bar and ate food, drank margaritas (oh Texas, I will miss those) and tried not to cry to much (or at least that was how my evening went- I held it together pretty well at the party and then proceeded to cried until I couldn't see the next morning,d bc my eyes were so puffy, once I got home).  It was bittersweet but we are so thankful and blessed by the amazing friends that God gave us here in Austin.  




my old college roomie Hilary
Tiffany & Allison
Ryan giving us a toast
Cheers!
the gang
the Rouses
Allison & Allison- so sad to leave these two!
Ryan & Allison- they have been our family here in Texas
Kyle & I never imagined we would move to Texas after he finished business school in 2009. But God gave us a church we loved and deep friendships.  And now here we are again- we never imagined we would be moving to Idaho but I know that God will bless us again and we are excited for our next adventure.

-Stacie