destin: baytowne wharf.

has anyone seen these bubble things before? they 'fill them up' with air from a leaf blower and then push you in the water and you roll around. in j's words they are totally "wheels off". we saw them a few places around town.

destin: beachside.

i have to be honest and say that we were worried about the state of the destin beaches as soon as we heard about the oil spill... and went back on forth on whether or not we were going to cancel our vacation. ultimately, in early july we determined we'd go no matter what.

well - let me just say that not only was there no hint of oil on any of the beaches around us, we have also never seen the water so beautiful in our 8 trips there! it was so peaceful, calm and clear. no jelly fish anywhere! {which meant i definitely was going out in the water!} i even saw a huge sea turtle one day swimming a little further out!


we read, people watched and listened to music. i fell asleep the first day because i was so tired from the overnight drive. it was wonderful. we met a family with triplets that used to live at the end of our street... they came with 2 or 3 other families from frisco/allen. super sweet people.

{this is how i felt about getting my picture taken in a bathing suit}

the last day we were there - i think i mentioned this before - a tropical storm was coming through and the waves were really big {for destin, anyway}. i tried to go out in the water but there was no way i would be able to stand up. i almost got knocked down three times standing knee deep in the water! but the boys braved it - and had fun like they were 10 year old boys.

i do have to mention that as soon as they went out there, i leaned over to joanna and told her that i would bet her money that the hubbs was going to lose his bathing suit. and he did. twice. thankfully he was able to catch it before anyone {besides justin} noticed it....

destin: morning walks.

so, we're back from vacation.

it was awesome.

it is a reality check when you come back to a two year old who has had constant attention from his two sets of grandparents for the last 7 days. oh well, he had fun and so did we! {we're on our 3rd episode of barney this morning as i write this. i decided that for today, if it keeps him from having a meltdown, i'm okay with it!}


jeff and i had talked a while back about this trip and carving out a little special time for us. this was our fifth year to go with our sweet friends the mccords and we always have a great time. but since we weren't taking the kiddos, we decided it might be nice to try and "reconnect" one on one as much as possible while away!



so we walked on the beach with our coffee every morning. i actually think we only missed one morning! {the sun comes up a little before 6 every morning so we can't sleep in too terribly long while we're there!} it was so nice.



sometimes we talked a lot.

sometimes we just held hands and said nothing.


wow. it was so refreshing.... and relaxing. i told jeff that i don't think we've had that much one on one conversation {uninterrupted, of course} this whole year. {that might be an exaggeration - but it was really good for us nonetheless!!}



the last day we were there a tropical storm was supposed to be coming through. it was amazing how high the 'tide' was on that day... and how little beach there was.


as soon as we saw people surfing, i begged jeff for us to go. he said he thought it wouldn't be good for charlotte. i guess i had to agree with him. {or maybe i just told jeff that i would like to learn how to surf at some point in my life and he agreed but said it looked like a lot of work and we left it at that..... hmmm.... i think the first story makes me sound a lot cooler.}

24/25/26 week update.

how far along? 26weeks, 4 days
total weight gain/loss? +7/8 pounds {sidenote: i DID just get back from vacation!}
maternity clothes? even these are getting tight around my waist. why do i feel like my hips/bottom and ribs are bigger than my belly even is??? i've heard that this is what happens when you're having a girl? or am i just trying to justify the snickers ice cream in my freezer.
stretch marks? i feel like i should be getting stretch marks - but none. not even that nasty line has developed more than low and faint...
sleep? well, this may not count because we were on vacation this last week - but i've been sleeping great. {with the exception of the two nights on vacation when i woke up with a screaming nightmare. no worries though - i was just overtired and went right back to sleep.}
best moment this week? hmmm.... i had a surprise sonogram when i went to the doctor last week for my glucose test. i mentioned we were going on vacation and since my placenta is pretty low, he wanted to just check and make sure everything was good. it was - and she looks JUST LIKE JEFF. don't you think?


movement? umm - yes.... all.the.time. is this a sign of what's to come?? i can already look down and see my t-shirt rumbling.
food cravings? ice cream. diet rite. little pieces of chocolate. ice water.
what i miss: being able to breathe. my back not hurting. being able to take a hot bubble bath without being worried that i'm going to boil the baby.
what i'm looking forward to: the big boy bed/nursery transition!!!!!! TOMORROW!
how are you feeling? i've been having sinking spells in the afternoon - but the doc called on tuesday and said i have anemia, according to my blood count, and that would explain the tiredness! i had this last pregnancy so i'm too worried about it. i just have to start taking an iron supplement which makes me sick... seriously. i feel like she's way up high - on my lungs so when i sit down i really feel like i can't breathe. seriously.
comparisons to last pregnancy? ummm.... i think it's interesting that she looks nothing like brady's sono pictures. i wonder if that means she'll look nothing like him?
milestones? we're doing the big boy bed tomorrow. i'm so excited.... i was sad last week but i'm excited this week - so that's good. i had {and passed} my glucose test which i was really glad about. i don't remember that glucose test making me so jittery and queasy last time as it did this time. i made it to the beach and back still being able to wear my rings - which i was excited about. hello 'healthy' diet. i will be seeing you on monday.

oh - and just for fun - here's a belly pick. it's right at 24 weeks. i should take one now. i feel like an elephant. isn't it too early to feel like an elephant?

me & my bug.

say cheese.

thursday was uncle bubba's 31st birthday. we went over to mimi and papa ron's house for a little cook out. bubba took this video of brady with jeff's iphone.

i think when brady sees the phone pointed at him, he automatically thinks we're taking pictures and he's supposed to say cheese.

just had to share my little muffin.

charlotte's nursery.

so last weekend we got started on charlotte's nursery.

here's the blank slate:

i mean, isn't this room just begging for a baby girl to live in it??

getting started on charlotte's nursery though, means another thing. saying goodbye to brady's nursery. {tear}.

we're on the one week countdown to making the official change. i'm so sad. i know he's beyond ready - and really excited, i might add - but that doesn't mean that mommy is not emotional about him growing up.

i blame it on the pregnancy.

second try.

so i made this blanket this weekend.

i've tried one with ruffles before and it turned out with lots of seams showing, etc. but this one was much better.

but it's not perfect. and i was thinking about giving it as a gift. because it's really cute. but like i said, there is a little puckering of the fabric and one corner that isn't perfect. do you think i can still give it as a gift??

on another note....

i need good suggestions for books to read on.the.beach! we're leaving in a few days and i'm trying to prepare. since we're going without kids {thank the lord, but i'm also teary just thinking about how much i'm going to miss the little man...} i also need some new tunes to fill up my iPod - since i WILL be listening to it more than i have since i worked at HKS and listened up to 8 hours a day!!!! last year, i got lots of good suggestions - mostly twilight. i've read it now. {except the last book - i can't get into it} so i need NEW suggestions.

help. please?!?

ranger fever

last sunday night, my sister had scored VERY coveted tickets to a ranger game through work. she asked jeff and i if we'd like to go - and we immediately jumped at the opportunity... since it was the last game of the angels series...

let me preface this post by saying that jeff is a huge rangers fan. they've let me down too many times over the course of 15 years that i'm off and on. we had season tickets growing up - in left field, right behind my favorite player - rusty greer. but EVERY year, without fail, we choked. thus, i usually don't watch {or care} about the first half of the season - and then the second half - after the all star break - we usually go down hill anyway. there are just TOO many games.


well - since my sweet husband and precious son are super into the season, i've ended up getting into the season as well. {despite my best efforts not to!} the problem is that now i'm invested... and i can't end up where i was three years ago while preggo - crying after the cowboys lost a playoff game.

but to no avail - i'm into the season.


we had awesome seats {15th row behind home plate} and it wasn't terribly hot. katie had a parking pass so we didn't have to walk too far {thank goodness}.

the skateboarding dog 'threw' out the first pitch.


we even spotted some our very favorite people before they announced they were there. {do you see them? very front row next to the dugout??? so exciting!}



we even won. we took the series 3-1. now.... if we can just keep winning.

after the game was over, we saw all of this commotion outside. it was the skateboarding dog!! the one from youtube!! he was sooooo cute - and he actually steered the skateboard!