Part Three of Our "Vacation"

Mom, we can't thank you enough. For taking off of work to watch the kids and for letting Ben and I have some time together, just the two of us, before he deploys. We will forever be grateful!

Camp Nana-Papa was a huge success! Thank you, Nana, Papa, and Aunt BB, Aunt Jessie, and Uncle Bryan for loving on the little ones while we were gone. It was so hard to leave them, but knowing that they were with ya'll and were absolutely enjoying themselves made it much easier on me.

I know that they already miss you... several time on the way to Nick and Lendy's, Noah said he wanted to be in "Papa-Nana's car" or asked if we were going back to your house!

Thanks again and we love you!!


We left Oklahoma city early this morning and moved into part three of our trip - an overnight visit with the Kurth's. They are planning to move back to California soon, so we wanted to make sure we got at least one more visit in before they moved and Ben deploys. We made it just in time for lunch, so once we got back to their house, we put all three kiddos down for a nap.

Once they woke up, they were ready to play.


Jerod, Elaine, and Cana {and Harrison too!} came over for dinner and to hang out for a little while. We attempted to let the kids have a pizza picnic:

... which resulted in all four being put in the tub. Ben later told me he couldn't believe we put all of them in the tub together. I asked him, did you expect anything less? ♥

A toddler dance party soon erupted in Mack's room after every one out of the tub and dressed:

And this is how you know you love and trust your friends... you ask one of them {who is not professionally trained} to give your daughter her very first haircut.

Lucky for them {and me... I'd have felt so bad!} it turned out very cute... and a few on-purpose little layers simply added to her cute little curls.

And, in lieu of the usual group shot, we tried for some of the kids, the girls, and the guys. Kids? Not so much. Girls? Well, the kids wanted in on our pic.

But the guys?

{PS Sorry for all the funny colors in the pics... I had no desire to go through and edit!}

Time with Friends

Early this morning, we loaded up the kids and the car and headed out to Dallas to spend some time with Nick, Lendy, and Mack. We were so happy to get there - to get out of the car, eat Chipotle and to see how big each other's kiddos have gotten since the last time we saw them.

Jerod, Elaine, and Cana came over a little later and we were so excited to finally get to meet Cana. The last time we were out that way, Elaine was still pregnant with Cana {and I was too with Ellie}. She'll be one next week!

The girls stopped playing for a little bit to share snacks.

Noah just loved playing with Mack.

Buddy, please. Stop growing. You're too darn cute and I just can't stand it... all I want to do is just squeeze and kiss you!

We didn't even bother with trying to get a "couch" picture this time around.... too many additions!

We love you guys! Thanks for coming over to hang out!!

Meeting Mr. Mack

This morning, the three of us loaded up the Sequoia and headed towards Dallas/Ft. Worth to visit Nick and Lendy and to finally meet Mr. Mack. Mack Sullivan Kurth was born March 20th and is just perfect! We just fell in love with that sweet little guy the moment we met him! I also finally got to give them their baby gift {Nick really wanted to do a Jetson's theme, but since there isn't a crib set available with the Jetson's on it, I offered to make them a quilt}. I'm hoping to put a few extra pictures of it on the craft blog... and I'll update this post once I do.

Opening the gift up.



Mack, the Boy Genius!

Lendy and I got to have some girl time and when we got back to their house, I found Ben like this... and evidently he had barely put Mack down while we were gone. He also kept stealing Mack's kisses, so I'd dare say that he's quite ready to have another little snuggle-bug around our house too. :)

Noah, on the other hand, had no interest in Mack {we almost think he was scared of him though he was very concerned for Mack when he cried}, but was in love with Maggie and Grace. He would go over to the back door so that he could watch and laugh at the pups while they were playing outside.

Later in the afternoon, Jerod and Elaine came over to spend some time with us and finally get to meet Noah. And they are expecting their first right now too! Elaine is about 36 weeks pregnant with Miss Cana and we can't wait to get to meet her also!


I tried to find a non-scrapbooked copy of this same picture that we took nearly five years ago of all of us sitting on mine and Ben's couch in our apartment in Oklahoma City the day that we first met Lendy... but I couldn't find it. {Jerod, you read this, will you scan it and send it to me so that I can add it please?!}

So, here we are, five years later and while not a lot has changed... their are definitely some new, well-loved, and very welcomed additions.