Hats.

So, i've been on Pinterest too long today looking for baby props, hats, etc. I realized with a baby boy i wouldn't be using bows and frilly skirts, so hats were the next best thing. Too bad there are SO many cute ones out there. I fell in love with the frog, but need help on which one to buy!

A.

B.

And then of course i thought...what better than a tie on a naked baby with the cute button hat above?

Father's Day.

I had Ava work on a 'fill in the blank' sheet for Father's Day. It was a free printable I found online and was curious to see what she wrote! Collin opened it today and I giggled...partially because everything she wrote was almost right on!

My Dad's Name is: Collin
He is: 41 inches tall
He weighs: 55 pounds
His favorite tv show is: Historey
His favorite food is: Meat (lol)
His favorite thing to drink is: water
His favorite thing to do is: work (not sure about that one)
He likes to wear his: hiscoole shirts(any votes on what the first word is?)....
My Dad is really good at: watering the garden
I like it best when my Dad: hugs me (tears!!!)
My favorite thing to do with my Dad is: go to the store (i'm guessing Ace because there is popcorn)
When my Dad goes to work he: works on the computer

Ava has a different bond with her dad...she loves doing everything with him! It's so cute to watch. Marin-well, she's still working on not being a mama's girl :)

Happy Father's Day Collin!

WE LOVE DADDY!

Nashville { Part 4}.

On SUNDAY we headed out to Collin Aunt and Uncle's, Lavone & Oramae, house to spend a few nights. They were about 40 minutes from Nashville in Hendersonville, TN. What a SWEET SWEET couple, who took hosting us very seriously-by seriously, i mean feeding us for a day and a half. It was nice not to eat out to to rest and let someone else cook! The girls (especially Marin) took to Oramae right away. They were known as Grandma Oramae and Grandpa and they still talk about them. Besides feeding us, his uncle took us on a little tour of their town-showed us where the remains of Johnny Cash's house was (burned down a few year ago), where TBN (Gospel network on TV) is filmed, and for the girls- a night out to the park to feed the hundreds of ducks. My sister came down Monday night to spend the day with them and us. They are her family away from home since she was able to stay with them for several months during her internship after college. I think we now all hae a special place in our heart for this sweet couple!

On Monday, my sister and I did a little shopping got pedicures...my SECOND one in my whole 29 years of life. Let me just say the foot rubbing was great, but the massage chairs were even BETTER!

TUESDAY late morning, we left Tennessee (with a few tears) and made our half-trek back home. On the way we stopped at the Arch in St. Louis. Marin and I stayed down, but Collin and Ava took the tour to the top. I decided heights, plus tiny windows, plus pregnancy wasn't a good combo...that, and Marin thinks elevators are scary :o)

WEDNESDAY morning after another night in a hotel in Columbia, MO, some pool time and a huge breakfast, we drove the rest of the way home. It was nice to be home, but a little sad. We'll miss my sister...BUT she's coming down to meet Mr. Malacai in August...so we're counting (probably her more than me) down until then! Another family vacation COMPLETE.

Nashville {Part III}.

On SUNDAY we attended church with my sister. What's awesome about this church of about 100+, is that it was started out of Michael W. Smith's home about 10 years ago. He was also the pastor until a few years ago, but still attends. Now, they are in a school gym-but that doesn't matter! You could definitely feel God moving amongst the congregation. My sister didn't get my hopes up that MWS would be there and i didn't see him...at first. UNTIL i was headed out the doors and i noticed he had slipped in quietly in the back. Ava really wanted to meet him, so my goal was to make it back there after picking her up from Sunday School so she could say hi, BUT he was gone. So sad. That would be have been really fun to get a picture with him! Oh well, at least i can say he actually made eye contact with me ;o)

After church we headed back to my sister's apartment for lunch...PB & J style...

THEN we headed out into the 100 degree (yikes!) heat to see one of the many plantations in TN. I won't even pretend i know history, so the short version is is that there was a fight between North and South, the North won (this was the beginning of abolishing slavery), and this is where it all took place-right beside the huge mansion below (which became the hospital for the wounded)...BUT first a couple of poses...

It was so sweet to watch Ava read the tombstones...i wonder what was going through her head...

The slaves' quarters...

A very cute sister moment. Marin was VERY protective of a tombstone of a 3 month old baby because there was a lamb on the top. She said it was hers and she wasn't leaving. She cracks me up.

That evening, we left Ava with Kendra for an 'aunt/niece' sleepover and we headed 40 minutes over to Collin's aunt and uncle's house. You'll meet them next time!

Nashville [part 2].

On SATURDAY we also...found a big guitar...

...sang with Elvis...

...found the biggest boot ever...

...found a balloon magician...

...and took a VERY hot walk across the downtown bridge

...went to the Science Center and drove an ambulance (Marin's favorite spot-i'm convinced she'll be a DR.)

...played space games with daddy...

...found a sneaky naked baby...(lol)

...and ended the HOT day in the pool.  A BUSY but fun day!

Stay tuned for more!

Nashville {Part I}.

Nashville. I was a little nervous about driving 12 hours away BUT we did it. The girls did GREAT! I was expecting to hear 'i'm bored' and 'are we almost there yet' ALOT, but guess what? I never heard that once! So here we go...
THURSDAY: We picked Ava up at noon and began our drive to Columbia, MO. At last minute we decided to stop half way instead of driving it ALL on Friday. BEST DECISION EVER. The girls LOVED staying at a hotel...Marin especially. If you ask them their favorite part, i'm sure it will be this!

FRIDAY: Up and at um and on for the rest of our 7 hours drive to Nashville. It's amazing what a bag full of snacks and NEW art projects can do for a 6 year old. Marin? Well, she thought it was the best sitting all by herself in the backseat equipped with Mr. Frog of course.

Friday evening we made it! AND my darling sister had supper ready for us-so sweet! After supper we headed to the park. The girls needed to run off some energy (they had way too much of it after sitting all day!)

SATURDAY: We headed to downtown Nashville to check out where my sister works (Creative Artists Agency). She just moved into a new building and seriously it was like walking into an office building right out of the movies. She is the assistant to a Christian Music Agent. Her agent represents Michael W. Smith, Brandon Heath and several others (i can't remember!) There are also numerous agents that respresent the country and rock side of music...there are some BIG names in that office!

                                            *the view from her floor (a little high for me!)*
MORE TOMORROW!