4.28.2014

Our Easter Weekend in Stuart, Virginia

So what it's been over a week since Easter and I'm just now posting about our wonderful weekend? It took me that long to go through our camera and choose just 15 pictures. Yep, that's right, this post is all about the photos. So bear with me as I narrate the weekend using pictures.

We were invited by our dear friends, the Jacksons, to accompany them to Heather's family's home in the mountains of Virginia to celebrate Easter. (They have a little girl four months older than Anna and they are the best of friends. Anna loves her "Ya-Ya", aka Kiah.) It was an amazing weekend full of great company and great food. I mean, we're talking, eating at least every hour and Starbursts jelly beans and Cadbury eggs thrown in there just in case we were hungry between meals. We were so blessed by this family who opened their home to us and treated us like their own. So sweet and generous and we thank God for them.

This was during our sunrise service. What a view, eh?

You'd hate me if I really added all the pictures from the weekend so I'll begin with our dyeing of eggs. Anna wasn't crazy about it. She thought it was more fun throwing dunking the eggs into the dye and once that was done she was outta there.





Yep, just had to add this one. She didn't want her picture taken in front of all the beautiful eggs.

Easter morning we awoke super early for our own little sunrise service. While I hate all things mornings and curse my alarm clock any time I set it, I'll say getting up to worship Jesus around a fire pit with Travis leading on the guitar and surrounded by mountains did not upset me one bit. I imagined the morning to be much like the morning Jesus arose from the grave: peaceful, quiet, birds chirping going about their business, the sun quietly breaking over the horizon and through the trees. What a glorious day, that morning over 2000 years ago and the morning we worshiped Him for His resurrection.


Kiah with her "Papa"

The Easter Bunny came to visit Anna and Kiah, thanks to Brenda (Kiah's "Mimi"). 


And then there was the Easter egg hunt which was really just hysterical (or rather hysteria). The girls didn't seem to notice the eggs right in front of them. They weren't even hidden! The girls would just walk right by without a clue.

Luckily we got this picture because it was the only time Anna picked up an egg.
She loved carrying the basket though. At least we got that down.
BFFs...This picture was only possible because of what happened in the next picture
Yep, we bribed them with jelly beans. Anything goes on holidays and
when you're trying to get a good picture, right?

I couldn't imagine a better weekend spent with great friends, new friends that felt more like family, tons of food, and the celebration of the resurrection of our Lord. I hope you and yours had a wonderful Easter as well! 


4.22.2014

From One to Two

We were so ready for another little one, excited for Anna to be a big sister, and now that it's actually happened, I'm like "whoa, slow down!" In just six short months Juice Drop #2 is going to be here (due date: October 25th)!!!

I'm already starting to think about how different things are going to be going from one child to two--one toddler, one infant. Life changed drastically when we went from having no baby to one but thinking about having an infant on top of having Anna, my mind just can't even comprehend how much more our lives are going to change. I start asking questions that really don't need to be mulled over right now, like:

"how do we keep Anna asleep when Juice Drop starts crying in the middle of the night?" (the curse of living in an apartment with very thin walls)

and

"how do I go from the car to the store/YMCA/church/whathaveyou when I have to carry a carseat and Anna's having a meltdown in the middle of the parking lot?"

and

"how do I still make sure Anna gets my love and attention when I have to give so much of myself to this new little one"

and most importantly

"how do we keep Anna from poking Juice Drop's eyes out?"

These are serious questions, folks, and one day I'm going to have to answer them.

Anyways, I'm doing the weekly bump photos again! I've already been slacking a bit (maybe it's because I've got a toddler to chase around and I'm completely exhausted). I started taking them with Anna when I was 10 weeks. This time I started at 12. So you can already tell there's a bump forming. And let me tell you, it's all bloating! Ugh, if it wasn't for the bloating that starts immediately after I eat breakfast and just gets worse throughout the day I may have kept hush-hush about Juice Drop a little longer. But alas, a bump has popped and I can't hide it with my lack of overly huge clothes anymore. I mean, homegirl's already sporting maternity jeans/shorts/leggings because the belly band and tying a rubber band around the button's just not cutting it.

I'm also including my little weekly survey if you care to take a gander down below.



How far along? 13 Weeks
How big is baby? the size of a peach and is forming vocal chords and teeth
Total weight gain: depends on the time of day! I'd say a few pounds
Maternity clothes? Yep, I've worn a maternity shirt already, a pair of jeans and shorts, and always my maternity leggings 
Stretch marks? Nope
Sleep: it's ok, still able to sleep on my stomach some of the time so that's a plus. I'm having to get up at least once a night to pee, and the difference this time around is I wait as long as possible because I'm deathly afraid I'll wake up Anna when I go. 
Best moment this week: getting to spend the weekend with some great friends and their family in Virginia for Easter.  
Miss Anything? SUSHI!
Movement: no
Food cravings: oh, anything and everything
Anything making you queasy or sick: coffee
Gender: won't know for another month, but super excited!!!
Labor Signs: No
Symptoms: big boobs (let's just be honest and get that one out there on the table, shall we?), getting out of breath after climbing one flight of stairs, EXHAUSTED (can't tell if that's pregnancy, being a mom to a toddler, or both!)
Belly Button in or out? I think this time around I'm going to have an outie! It's already popping!
Wedding rings on or off? on
Happy or Moody most of the time: I've definitely been having mood swings. I can tell when I am and I get annoyed with myself. I know Travis has got to be like "this woman's cray!" 
Looking forward to: my visit with the midwife this week! I'm beyond excited when there's any chance to get to hear Juice Drop's heartbeat <3

So there you have it, the beginning of the next six months of weekly Juice Drop photos, updates on how we're doing going from a family of three to a family of four, and maybe the occasional post of me writing about wanting to pull my hair out because of the questions plaguing my mind! Overall though, we're on top of the world with joy and anticipation of the arrival of our second little Juice Drop!

4.17.2014

Anna's New Reading Material

Anna's been pretty busy lately (and I guess we have too ;) !!). She's found a new book and hasn't been able to put it down. 

c h e c k  i t  o u t :



4.15.2014

To Cut or Not to Cut

NOT TO CUT!!!

I'm just not ready.

Anna's hair is getting so long, so thick, and so beautiful. I want her hair color on my head right now. The natural highlights are just gorgeous. But let's talk about those bangs...



The bangs that are constantly in her big, beautiful eyes, getting snot in them because they reach down past her nose, won't stay pinned back because little fingers like to pull out bows and hair ties that Mommy spends precious hours putting in (pshhh! yeah, right! More like 5 seconds, but feels like hours). The bangs that drive me nuts!

I'm just not ready to cut them because I don't want to have to keep cutting them and cutting them every time they get in her eyes. I just don't want bangs! (maybe I'm living vicariously through my daughter at this time in her life, eek!) So alas, here we are, in the in-between stage waiting for the bangs to be long enough to put behind her ears or until she's old enough to know we leave the bows in.

While I was scrolling through Pinterest during nap time (no, that's not the only thing I do during nap time! I really do other things. You know, wifely duties, but occasionally I'll scroll) I found this super cute way at Heart and Habit to keep toddlers bangs at bay. It's called "Little Girl (get this hair outta my eyes) Bang Braid". Perfect, right?! So I gave it a shot:



Bahahahahahaha!!!! 

And that, ladies and gents, is my super sweet skill at braiding. It wasn't the recipient, it was totally the braid-er. She did a marvelous job of sitting still while I pulled and tugged at her very fine hair. I tried so very hard to be gentle. And I think I was, I just am horrible at braiding. I would say I need a LOT more practice, eh?

Any other suggestions for keeping little girl's hair out of her beautiful eyes (and snot!)?

4.02.2014

My New Little Gadget

Sorry about March. Apparently it came and went without one single post. My thoughts have escaped me. Eh, let's really be honest, I've been too exhausted to sit down and write a post after chasing around an 18 month old whose life mission is to keep her Mama on her toes (i.e. taking a bite out of a fridge magnet and diving head first into a pool--no fear, I tell ya!). But now that March has come and gone and April and spring are officially here, I've decided to finally sit down and write you a little something, something. It's not much but it lets you know about the exciting little gadget that has come into my life in the last two weeks.

I've finally entered the world of smart phones! My whole life is changing before my eyes with Instagram, Facebook, and GPS at my fingertips. Yay for not having to print out Mapquest directions before leaving the house! I'm able to take photos and video whenever I want without having to run and grab my camera before the moment is over or look like a photog wannabe as I try to get the best shot and fail miserably. Thank goodness for filters! (Click on that little Instagram icon to the right to follow me! @mrsjessjonesy)

My biggest fear, however, is that I'll always be on my phone. I really don't want that to become an issue. I want to be present no matter who I'm with. I don't want whoever I'm with to have to fight for my attention. I don't want my daughter to think my phone and I are a packaged deal. The phone cannot be my priority. I won't let it. I see the movie Wall-E coming to life. Eyes fixated on screens so much so the users can't see what's around them. It's really scary, actually.

Well now that this happy little post has turned depressing...here are a few Instagram photos that'll cheer us all back up: