beach vacation {part two of two} ***warning: picture overload!

after our fun-filled week with aaron's family at carillon beach we headed a couple hours south to spend a week with my family on st. george island.




we took full advantage of the beautiful scenery and shot TONS of pictures of elle louise. i am going to use them as her "6 month" pictures. she is quite photogenic! and now that she can sit up, unassisted, the pictures are that much sweeter!


there were TONS of shells on st. george island and TONS that weren't broken. we also found hermit crabs, mussels (seen above...i think), starfish, and sand dollars.


my bro, christopher, decided that he wanted to wear starfish pasties. that was until they started suctioning themselves to him. hilarious!


little poser. she was so fun all week. i can't believe that a year from now. sweet little ak will be getting ready to start kindergarten! we DEFINITELY have to go back to the beach next year to celebrate that HUGE milestone! i'm already sad thinking about it...




cutest little sailor suit! found it on sale at janie and jack at the destin outlet mall, silver sands. i have never shopped at janie and jack before but they have got some ca-ute stuff! and, that bird stayed pirched there the entire time!


elle louise and mommy in matching our sailor suits and the shiz-nizz that she sat in during the whole photo shoot. poor baby girl. what a trooper! we had blow-out diapers all week! ugh! i guess that she is still teething! yet to see anything teeth!














we played sun up to sun down all week. it has taken me all week to feel rested. while on vacation with aaron's family i napped every day with elle, but since we had a bit of distance to walk on the island, it was kind of an ordeal so we propped up a tent-type-thing and elle napped on the beach. which meant, no naps for me. because as soon as she went down i got myself in the sun and just layed!


perfect photo-op in our matching swimmies. and as much as you would beg to differ, i did not plan this but was excited when i realized it!


i just can't get enough of elle sitting up! it is just so fun to me! she is growing way too fast!


best buds. i see lots of trouble coming from these two in the future!


nap time for baby elle louise! sunny and warm beach naps have to feel so good.


beautiful babies!


so my brother's girlfriend, cati, loves her some twilight. no joke. she saw eclipse 3 times. i have yet to see it. might have to wait for it to be at red box! anyway, she waited to read the book until after she saw the movie because she was afraid she would like the movie less. so she read the book all week and even read excerpts to christopher. so funny. aaron captured the moment. my brother is whipped, but in a very good way!


i made sure to get lots of pictures of me and the sweetness both weeks! that is something i don't have enough of. doesn't she looked so thrilled to be taking another picture. oh my! i just melt at the sight (and smell and touch) of her. what a perfect little blessing!


precious in every single way, shape, and form.

so thankful for two amazing weeks with each of our families. we are truly blessed beyond measure! undeserving, but so thankful! happy to be home and back in the swing of things. back at work today and starting at the end of august, i will be working two days a week. a little bummed, but it will definitely help aaron and i in the finacial area. i'm missing my girl just thinking of one more day away from her.

hope everyone has a great weekend. we have nothing planned but rest and relaxation!

beach vacation {part one of two}

we are home! and, happy to be here. we had the most amazing two weeks with each of our families, but there is just something to be said for being in your own home and back to the routine you left behind.


elle louise has officially conquered sitting up. the first day we were at carillon beach, i sat her on the bed and she stayed. it was so exciting. now, she can just sit and play with her toys. it is so hilarious because she is just so darn chubby. i have a feeling she will be on the move in no time!


elle louise loooooooooved the ocean and the sand. it did not bother her one bit. it took me a few days to get acquainted with the sand. it was so stressful to me at the beginning. the sand and the stickiness were something i never noticed until i was on the beach with my 5-month old. sand everywhere. honest to goodness, it took me 30 minutes every afternoon to get all the sand out of all the crevices! once i realized that elle louise was not effected by the sand and stickiness i chilled out (a little)!


regan and riley celebrated their 6th birthday on july 12th! it was fun for them to celebrate at the beach. it was their day and we did whatever they wanted. we had mexican for dinner (a good break from seafood) because that was what riley wanted. i even have pictures from dinner of them in sombreros, but my uploader bit the dust so i'll have to share them some other time. their mom and dad got them each a justin beiber cd and it was hilarious watching them open that gift. they really wanted to jump and scream but they were embarrassed because they didn't want us all to know how much they "like" him. by the end of the week they warmed up to sharing their feelings with us and regan even showed uncle bubby (aaron) her beiber poster. hilarious.


we got some serious sweet pictures of elle louise....too precious!


parker was so much fun all week. he is so busy and never slows down. when i say never i mean never. poor aunt boo boo. 33 weeks pregnant with a 2-year old at the beach sounded like a good idea at the time, but i think it wore her plum out. parker defnitely kept everyone on their toes.


its good to have pictures of our family of 3 at different stages in elle's life. she is so super sweet, but was extremely tired when these pictures were taken, hence only one smile. such a trooper all week. along for the ride. as long as she had a full tummy she was a happy girl.


riley is seriously the best baby sitter in the world. she took such gentle care of elle louise all week. i could tell riley to watch her and i could do a load of laundry or get dressed or whatever and i knew that riley wouldn't let anything happen to her. here she is letting elle watch her while she plays a game on the iphone. this girl has some serious patience. so sweet.


precious moments. i live for times like this. laying with my baby in the shade, while my white legs get some sun! i could hold her little sweaty body, while she sleeps, for all the live long day. beach-side naps are the best. for baby and for mommy!


the sand and the views were amazing. no tar balls and no oily waters. the only sign of the oil spill were the fully-clothed men sitting under a canopy, occasionally walking up and down the beach looking for tar balls. as far as i know they never found any.


little fish! and the goggles never came off their faces.


the community we stayed in had a wonderful pool. although it was for all the community to use, we usually were the only people there. it was nice. i have never really even wanted a pool while at the beach, but when you have a baby or children, the pool is essential! we spent lots of time there this year!


parker, i'm sure, up to no good in this picture. but, sure looks so sweet! honestly, i could dedicate and entire post to all his funniness from the week. he is hilarious. the funniest 2-year old that i currently know. love that boy!


our little monkey definitely received lots of love from everyone (the most from parker) all week. we are so blessed. we have such a wonderful family!

thanks, papa and gigi, for such a wonderful trip! we are so glad we were able to experience carillon beach with everyone and we look forward to many more years!

hi from florida

this is our 10th day at the beach. we spent all last week with aaron's family at panama city beach and this week we are on st. george island with my family. we are having a great time!


although, i will admit that beach vacations aren't what they used to be. still fun, but just in a different way!


elle has been such a trooper our entire vacation. she traveled great, only fussed end of day friday before we found a place to stay the night and has been sleeping great all week. a true joy! she loves the beach and the pool! its so fun!

my sweet and talented cousin

my cousin, amanda appel, was in town from lubbock, texas. her, her daughter and mom (my sweet aunt pam) came last weekend for my grandparents anniversary party! i love having her/them here...we've always had so much fun together, but definitely do not get to see enough of each other. once every three years is not going to cut it! amanda, agreed?

amanda is an amazing photographer and agreed to take some pictures of elle louise on monday! are they not so precious? she has tons more too! these are just a few she was able to edit and show me while they were still in town!

love you, amanda! thank you for such precious pictures of my little. i will cherish them forever. and, i might even have to make wallpaper out of them because they are so awesome!

me and my monchichi

do you see the resemblance?

we called elle louise our little monchichi when she was born because she had the tiniest little face, cute little button nose and the fluffiest dark brown hair. we still call her "chichi" from time to time. but with her hair lightening up and growing longer she just doesn't look like a monchichi the way she once did.


but now, she has her very own monchichi baby doll.


her aunt toto, uncle jase, and cousins regan and riley got it for her in disney world.



the perfect gift.


she loves that little doll so much.