Just a peek...

Do you remember my post a while back talking about our next couple of months, looking at our calendar and feeling a little overwhelmed? Well, we are living those CRAZY days right now!

We just got back from our vacation to Maui. We had a FANTASTIC time! We went with Blake's family and soaked up the memories together. It was wonderful. We are home now and I know you understand how it is...back to reality quickly! I am feeling, at times, just a touch overwhelmed with too many things on my list of to-do's lately. I only have a moment to blog. I have A LOT to catch you up on though. I promise I will be back. Until then, I want to leave you with just a peak at from the past couple of weeks we have enjoyed.

Aubrey Rose continues to be such a JOY! She LOVES bubbles in the bath!

Aubrey Rose is CRAZY about "VROOOOOOOM" cars. Any kind of cars! Uncle Brad even let her drive in his fancy car! I think she might be the only other person that has sat in that seat. HA!

A BIG, BIG project is complete! This is a little old news around here but I still look at it every day thankful for it being done. My mom and I (but pretty much just my mom) stained my dining room table and chairs! This table and chairs came from my first house almost 8 years ago. We bought the house as-is and this table was left! I have ALWAYS wanted it dark and my mom (Praise the Lord for my mom!) helped me with all the hours upon hours upon hours of work! Sooooo exciting! I absolutely LOVE it! Thanks Mom!!

For Thanksgiving, I cooked my FIRST turkey!!

We celebrated with my extended family a few days before. It was such a wonderful time together.

And then for the grand finale...this is what we did for an entire week!! Ahhhh...the Maui life!!

Mimi and Aubrey Rose soaking up the view together

This picture seriously looks fake to me! This was our view looking out of our hotel window. And then looking down....

And then from that same pool, precious and fun memories were made. I just LOVE these two!
Much more to come!! I promise! I just had to get a little on here for you to preview and for you to want to come back! This was just a peek...

Happy Birthday Big Papa!!!

Today we had an excellent lunch at Campangia's (our favorite!) for Big Papa's birthday! Happy Birthday Big Papa! We are sooooooooooooo incredibly thankful for you and we praise the Lord EVERY day that He chose us to be your children and Aubrey Rose to be your little granddaughter. Thank you Bill for being so great to us and for loving us EVERY step of the way. We are so incredibly blessed! We love you!

Even though the birthday boy only had one candle this afternoon, Big Papa had help in blowing out the candle this year.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BIG PAPA!!!

Here are some of my favorite pictures of Bill. He definitely is an AMAZING business man, but goodness he can let loose too! Happy Birthday Big Papa! We love YOU!!

All of us having fun at the Peach Party this past summer

Ending October with a bang!

I have said it before here, but I have decided yet again that holidays are so much MORE fun to experience along side a child, especially when it is your own little one. This year, Aubrey Rose was an adorable ladybug, our little LOVE bug.

My cousin Jon and his wife Andrea brought their little boy over which has become a wonderful tradition to get these two together. They are only 10 day apart!
Look at how much they have grown in a year!!! The picture below is October 2008. I wish these two would just listen to their mommies and stop growing so quickly. It is definitely bittersweet! LOVE these two little ones!

My other cousin Chelsey came over too. I HAD to get some of her and our Aubrey Rose. I just LOVE seeing those two together!

My parents with Aubrey Rose

How precious is this picture below!! Definitely a new favorite of them.

Then, the three of us got dressed for the fun evening. It was a family dress up event, so we decided to get creative and this is what we came up with! It turned out cute, but I never knew how awkward it would be to be in a box for an evening! Ha!

For the evening, we went to Garrett and Ashley’s house and had a blast! Here are a few pictures of the festivities…
The first house we went to, the girls thought we were going inside the home. They quickly figured out how much fun trick or treating could be.

Aubrey Rose just held her box everywhere she went. It was so cute.

Then the ladies chatted till late in the night, the husbands played whiffle ball and the little ones...

they had so much fun playing, bonding and giggling until the night had to come to an end.

A blessed trip

Last week Aubrey Rose and I took a trip together with my mom. We went all the way to Canada! My extended family (on both my mom’s and dad’s side) live in St. Catharines which is over near New York. The two flying days were VERY long, but worth every second we spent with family. My highlight was watching my daughter interact and laugh with my grandma, so Aubrey Rose’s great grandma. It was just priceless! Here are some pictures from our wonderful memories…

Aubrey Rose finally fell asleep for her nap! It wasn't on the plane, but hey it helped us get through the travel day!

She is just a ball of sunshine!

This sign made me laugh. It is so true.

We got to see my cousin Phil's new house

My Oma and Aubrey Rose...they were crazy about each other!

Lunch time at Oma's favorite restaurant

This was a PERFECT time to visit Canada! The colors on the trees were AMAZING!!!

Four generations!

She LOVES to climb ANYTHING!

Below are some aunts, uncles, cousin, my mom, my Oma and of course Aubrey Rose

Watching the planes land

This was how Aubrey Rose wanted to walk. She wanted to push, rather than be pushed.