Surprise!

LOVE these helpers!

Wow, times have changed since college :)

My girls!

The partners in crime... this party wouldn't have happened without my sweet family!

I certainly wasn't expecting this one! For a girl that can sniff out a surprise quicker than a reporter on a scoop, I did not see this party coming. Mark REALLY got me good. I had absolutely no idea that he and his family had been plotting and planning for months. Thinking I was attending a welcome home party for a friend, Wyatt and Mark escorted me to our neighborhood clubhouse Friday evening where I was greeted by dozens of my favorite people, a sea of hot pink and multiple collages of super embarrassing photos courtesy of my mom. :) 

I was blown away by the amount of work my family  put into this celebration. From logistics,  invitations,  decorations, the cake, flowers and everything else... wow. It meant the world to me to celebrate with so many special people- some who traveled very long distances to be there. To simply say thank you would not be enough. I was beyond touched. What a GREAT way to ring in the big 3-0 :).

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Birthday Grandma Olis!
Uncle and Niece
Baby Hudson and I
The little Pilgrim
Pumpkin Patch Express

I hope you all are have a blessed Turkey Day :) We aren't eating until later this afternoon, so I thought I would take the time to update the blog on what we have been up to over the past week.

I forgot to post pictures of our trip on the Pumpkin Patch Express, so here are a couple from Wyatt's first Train ride.

• We celebrated Grandma's and Lily's birthday (both of which Wyatt just happened to be the first in line for cake :)
• Wyatt enjoyed his first Thanksgiving feast at Preschool
• I got to meet baby Hudson for the first time! Super excited that is worked out and my sorority sister/old roommate, Mary, and I were able to meet for lunch over the holiday. Columbus is waay too far away... but this guy is PRECIOUS!
• and, a picture from our lazy Saturday :)

I am also SUPER excited about our Christmas Pics from last Sunday... can't wait to post them... and, I will be back with pictures from Thanksgiving 2010--- I know you are just dying for those, ha!

I'm Back...

This has been a very tough week- I traveled to Atlanta to say good-bye to my best friend's father. His cancer was extremely sudden, and he passed just three short weeks after his diagnosis.

This goes back to the age-old question- "Why do bad things happen to such good people?"

We will never know the answer on this side of heaven... but, it hurts me so, so bad to see people reeling with grief.

My second close friend to lose a parent so young--- and it isn't any easier the second-go-round.

I thank you a million times over for all of your thoughts and prayers, what a blessing to know I have so many friends who think about me when I don't even realize it.

And... the good news is... I got to come home and celebrate my 28th birthday with my favorite boys in the whole wide world... and my precious extended family.

Here are some pictures from Sunday...

Hope you are having a great week!

Just a few things... and lots of pictures :)

Mollie, Our Pastor's sweet wife, at her baby shower

Happy 30th Birthday Uncle Joey!

Precious Little Delaney, all dressed up for Daddy's surprise party :)

Yard Sale-ing it up

A hot Saturday Morning in Chilton County

This past weekend was one that we don't have very often. I literally had to check my blackberry every hour to make sure I wasn't missing anything on my schedule- starting with Thursday evening. Between my best friend and her little boy coming in town to visit, a yard sale, my BIL's surprise 30th birthday party, helping host a baby shower for our pastor and his family and hosting bible study... I was a tad stressed. Everything went great and we had a BLAST with all of our activities. Mark and I were thrilled to get our garage cleaned out and to make $400 to boot... it was definitely worth the heat and all the work- next year I think we will wait until October though :)

Wyatt and David played and played... you would have thought they had known each other all their lives ... and almost made me start thinking about giving Wyatt a more permanent playmate ;)

I wanted to take a moment and comment on one of Kelly's posts from last week. If you don't read Kelly's Korner, I highly recommend it. I love that she is a real.live.mom, meaning she has no problem admitting the struggles she faces as a mom, a christian and a wife.

Lately, I have been having huge pity party with myself- Wyatt has been absolutely wearing me out... if we are not right smack dab in the middle of the terrible two's I am not sure I really want to know how bad it could possibly get. I know it is just a phase, but I have had to catch myself a couple of times before I completely lost my cool. I will admit it- my two-year old is getting the best of me.

Then, last week, I came across this post .

It made me realize that although I will continue to have these trying days in the toddler realm... it is not what I remember when I look back. I will remember the laughter and the love that fills our home, the sleepy snuggles at night and the way Wyatt exclaims "I love YOU more, Mommy!" I know I won't think about the constant temper tantrums, the endless piles of toys I pick up or the amount of times I wipe his little hiney :) When I look at it that way, I could almost cry thinking about how blessed I am. God must love me sooo much to entrust me with this huge responsibility- I am incredibly grateful to be a mom to this little boy!

2nd Birthday Party Pics!!

Tearing into the presents!
LOVE the polka dot balloons I ordered from Polka Dot Market!

Wow! I'm TWO!!
Wyatt got an awesome easel from my Mimi and Papa and a new tricycle from Grandma and Grandpa :)
Enjoying my 'melmo' cupcakes!

The Banner came from Etsy...






FINALLY!! I got the pictures yesterday, so here they are! We had a wonderful time celebrating Wyatt's big day :) Aren't the cupcakes awesome?! I was so excited at how they turned out- and Wyatt loved them!

Sappy Mom Moment...

Between the 15th trip to Hobby Lobby, scouring the shelves of every candy shop within the Birmingham metro and mastering the art of cupcake tiers, it hasn't officially hit me yet that my baby boy is turning two-tomorrow. Okay, it just did.

Every mom knows this, but WOW- how much has changed in two short years. My life as I knew it has been turned upside down and inside out. A good Saturday night is spent on the couch and crushed Cheerios and dried applesauce now decorate the tiles in my kitchen floor. I live for the sound of the pitter patter of chunky baby feet parading down the hall or unmistakable belly laughs that escape from the last "body slam" of the day (don't worry, it sounds worse than it is- Mark tossed Wyatt on the bed and subsequently coined the move a 'slam')

Wyatt is now singing, dancing, skipping, ABCing, numbering and categorizing. Every day is different, each moment is new... a term or phrase he didn't know 24 hours ago is fair game. Surprises are around every corner and I simply can't get enough of him. What a gift... what a glorious, glorious gift.

To mark the occasion, we have taken the day off to spend with our son. He will have a "birthday chair" (pictures to come!) a trip to the science center, lunch with Mommy and Daddy, dinner and cake with the family, and a small party on Saturday. Wyatt, you are the light of our life- words can never express our love, sweet boy!

Fourth Fun with The Sowards!

For a fun twist on the Fourth's festivities, (I know, enough with the alliteration already) we made the trek to see some very special friends in South Carolina. The Sowards' were so sweet to invite us to their beautiful home for the weekend and we spent time playing with Will, who is only two months younger than Wyatt, Dupree, their sweet Golden Retriever, my friend Kathy, and her wonderful husband, Stephen. The adults had a few "minutes" to visit when we weren't chasing down almost-two-year olds, haha :)

Sweet Kathy is expecting her second child, and was the hostess with the mostest- we had a fantastic time on the lake! We can't wait to return the favor and meet the newest addition to their family soon. Enjoy the pictures, courtesy of Kathy (my brand new camera had a manufacturers defect, and is on it's way back).

We love you guys! Thanks for the fantastic weekend. Your family is too precious for words!