doyle, chelsea and little miss eve.

family pictures.

2012-01-29T09:36:00.000-08:00

we don't get the opportunity to all be together a lot so we made sure to take a family photo while we were in Maui. we did it in the backyard (mostly out of convenience) but i thought they turned out nice! who knows when all 7 us will be together again..... with chad living in hawaii and sam leaving for his mission in about 3-4 months, it's hard to tell!

evie got LOTS of attention from all the men in her life! it was so cute.

one evening, we walked to a nearby beach and had sam take some family pictures of just us.

so there you have it! our maui vacation in only 6 posts! i had taken over 1,000 pictures in 2.5 weeks, so i'm impressed i was able to condense it that much ;)

we are so grateful for the time we were able to spend with my family and that they were able to see Pippa (as they refer to her!). not many babies get to spend their first christmas in hawaii! my parents are so good to us and would do anything to see their little grand baby...even if it meant a maui vacation for everyone. love you guys! and until next time,

ALOHA!

secret cove.

2012-01-28T14:00:00.000-08:00

this was my absolute favorite beach...ever. it was so private and gorgeous. you literally had to go through two stone walls to get to it. no tourists know about it and even hardly any locals know about it! the only reason we found out about it was because doyle called a local fishing supply store and asked them where the best spear fishing was. they sent us to this secret beach and it was only about 10-15 minutes away from our house. we went back a couple times because no one was there! and it was by far THE nicest beach!

our little beach bum loved it too.

you could see Molokini Crater really well from this beach. doyle and i took a snorkeling excursion out there one day but all the pictures from that are on our disposable water proof camera that we haven't developed yet. but on that excursion, we got to go to the crater and Turtle Town. we saw lots of tropical fish and huge turtles while snorkeling and then saw 5 humpback whales while on the boat. i loved seeing the whales! they got so close to the boat.

the little beach to the right in this picture was a private beach owned by someone who HAS to be loaded!

we saw some of the biggest turtles ever so close to the beach here! it was some good snorkeling!

...

this picture was taken at a beach in Wailea which had some awesome snorkeling too. you didn't even have to go far to see cool stuff. someone saw an octopus right behind us where those rocks are. on a side note, does doyle look like the biggest tourist ever in this pic?

one of our last evenings there, we went to a harbor with shops (where doyle decided to climb a palm tree) and then stopped at another beach on the way home and took a little walk.

the girls.

dad and mom.

kaanapali, cheeseburgers and spear fishing.

2012-01-27T08:32:00.000-08:00

one day, we drove up to Kaanapali which is where all the ritzy and fancy hotels are. we went shopping at another outdoor shopping mall and had some frozen yogurt. then we found a pretty secluded beach and picnicked our lunches.

evie still not liking the sand yet...

we played a good game of soccer.

tebowing again...

evie trying to read what SPF it is.

that night, we went to Wailea, another ritzy area right next to Kihei to eat at Cheeseburger in Paradise. my parents and sam got the kobe burgers, doyle got a bleu cheese one (his fav), i got the hawaiian one with teriyaki and pineapples and chad got the bbq burger. all were delicious. oh and eve had some puffs.

then we did even more shopping while evie watched the water fountain with her grandparents.

hawaiian evenings are the best. i miss it like crazy!

...

another day, we headed to a beach on the south side of the island so doyle and sam could do some spear fishing...

getting ready to head out.

evie getting lotioned up! i love that little belly!!

doyle and sam out hunting for fish.

sam with all his gear.

they came back with no luck but had seen a huge lobster. doyle was going to grab it but wasn't sure if it was legal to take a lobster...so he came back, we looked it up on our phones and it was! so they headed back out there to find it.

this was the day evie started to like playing in the sand. yay!!!

oh and notice the swim suit change? you guessed it, blow out at the beach!

dad listening to music.

evie was such a champ the entire vacation. she is a very curious little one and was always just taking everything in. we would run her around all day long and she was such a trooper.

as we were watching the boys, we saw humpback whales.

after a little bit of searching, they finally found the lobster! but to his dismay, when he grabbed it, he realized it was empty!

we looked it up that night and apparently when lobsters outgrow their shells, they leave them and hide nearby for a couple months as they grow a new one. so the lobster that lived in this shell is actually bigger now and was probably laughing as he watched doyle sneak up on his old empty shell.
...

Christmas Eve and Day 2011.

2012-01-26T08:41:00.001-08:00

we spent the morning of Christmas Eve out surfing. Doyle and I are definitely beginners, but it was still a lot of fun.

after lunch, we headed to Lahaina. all the boys went and saw Mission Impossible 4 while the girls went shopping at an outdoor shopping mall along the ocean (does that sound like heaven to you too?). That night, we went to dinner and then came home and watched Elf, of course.

on Christmas morning, we woke up to this little reindeer in our bed. Not quite sure how that happened!

and we woke up before her! that was little crazy ;) here's a video when she did decided to wake up:

and she was in quite a good mood :)

yeah, my brother never wears a shirt.

on Christmas Day, we went to church (very fun...you definitely have to go whenever you visit Hawaii), had our big Christmas breakfast and spent the morning on the lanai opening gifts.

going through her stocking.

we also got to skype with doyle's parents and daily.

evie not quite sure about the singing chipmunk her great-grandpa and great-grandma wursten got her.

and then we spent the rest of the day at the beach. we found this sand santa and nativity scene. and there was a group of guys with their guitars singing Christmas songs. it was pretty cool. then, we walked back to the house and had a delicious dinner that mom prepared for us.

it was definitely not a very traditional Christmas but it was really fun to do something so different this year and i loved seeing Christmas lights on the houses and palm trees out there.

...

road to hana.

2012-01-25T06:00:00.000-08:00

one of the first things we did was the Road to Hana. It's basically this long drive along the Northeast Maui Coast with gorgeous views, beaches and waterfalls. it really was amazing. i found the next two photos on google images to show you a better view of the highway.

yeah. if you know me at all, you probably could guess that i got kind of car sick. haha. but there were lots of stops so it wasn't too bad.

the road was windy but the view to your right was luscious green with trees and waterfalls and then to your left was the bright blue ocean.

this was the first waterfall that we stopped at. the boys hiked up all the way to it while i took lots of pictures.

then we stopped and hiked up a small ways to see another viewpoint.

our cute little hiker!

our next stop was the Black Sand Beach. this was one of my favorite places in maui. it was so cool to see in person.

there was a small cave we walked into that opened up into the ocean. the first picture is of the boys after they climbed out the holes of the cave.

we found a picnic bench to eat lunch and look out.

then, we headed towards some underground caves...

we made it to the cave and the boys LOVED it!

they swam pretty far and said it got kind of creepy.

we saw tons and tons of gorgeous waterfalls...

the last stop on the way to Hana was the 7 Sacred Pools. usually, you are able to actually swim in them, but they were closed to swimming due to the worry of a flash flood (for some reason). But we still got to hike to it and they were so awesome. i was pretty sad we didn't get to go in them.

here they are!

the waterfalls and pools lead into the ocean....and that's why the flash floods are so dangerous :)

the boys.

this is the view from my window as we drove home. once you reach Hana, you can either drive back the way you came, or take the back road home. we chose to take the back road and it was SO scary! the views were awesome, but the road turned into a one lane windy dirt road, on high cliffs with lots of blind corners. i thought we were going to die! later, we found t-shirts and mugs that all said "I survived the Road to Hana". Ah ha. anyway, i'll end the post with the boys Tebowing at the Sacred Pools....

...

kihei, maui.

2012-01-24T12:38:00.000-08:00

okay, let's get started. we spent our 2011 christmas vacation in maui and it was incredible. the island is breathtaking and we were there long enough to explore basically all of it. we have some friends that live in Kihei, Maui and they wanted to trade houses with my parents in California for the break. so we lived got to live here...

literally 1 block from the beach and 2 blocks from all the cute restaurants and shopping.

it was so nice to actually stay in a home with 3 bedrooms instead of squished in a hotel for 2.5 weeks. mom was able to cook a lot and the garage was stocked with surf boards, boogie boards, spear fishing and snorkeling equipment. they also had this cute little backyard...

perfect for a little photo op...

oh and meet Buddy:

he is their awesome yellow lab. every morning, he gets to play fetch and walk on the beach. my parents took Evie with them every morning and she loved it.

doyle and i would usually wake up as they were returning home and mom was making breakfast! yeah, we seriously slept in a lot while we were there...

but there were a couple mornings, we would wake up early enough to join them.

the weather was absolutely perfect everyday we were there! it was so warm and it never rained on our side of the island.

it took evie a couple of days to get used to the sand. the first few times, she was NOT a fan.

but she sure loved the 24/7 attention she got and all the warm walks to the beaches.

a few days before the iowa caucus, evie sported her mitt romney onesie. we're pretty sure that was the reason he won. or did he win? i guess we'll never know.

and her uncles could not get enough of her!

we ate breakfast and dinner out on the lanai basically everyday.

and doyle even grilled us some of his hot dogs one night. yummy.

here is evie and grandpa finding different expeditions to go on...

i think the person evie spent most of her time with on this trip was her grandpa. i was always finding them hanging out together...

aww such a cuddler.

she spent most days in just a diaper because it was so warm. and this is the time when she just started trying to stand.

she spent lots of time in bed with her grandparents (they wanted her all the time and boy, was she spoiled!). i actually took this picture because i don't think dad has ever let a dog or any animal hop in bed with him. i guess he was too tired to care, or maybe it's because buddy was seriously awesome. either way, here's the proof that it happened!

oh yeah...

...and there was a pool table.

more to come...

our georgia christmas.

2012-01-23T18:55:00.000-08:00

the night before we left for hawaii, we had a little christmas celebration with doyle's family. it was the only day we got to spend with his little sister, daily, while she was here visiting. we had a nice dinner and then exchanged gifts. once again, we are so blessed and received more than we deserve. it was a fun little evening and evie enjoyed getting lots of new toys!

and i can't tell you how excited i was to give our gift to doyle's parents. i had been working on it with another lady since september and loved how it turned out! it's a family history pedigree chart with the DC temple faded in the background. we got it printed and then doyle made the frame out of old barn wood. we wanted to get them something extra special to thank them for all that they do for us.

i learned a lot about doyle's family history while trying to get all of the names and details of his ancestors. i've never been much of a family history goer so there was LOTS of learning involved for me :)

and they sent us this picture via our phones after they hung it up. isn't it beautiful?

celebrating eight months.

2012-01-22T19:20:00.000-08:00

first thing's first, this girl is now 8 months and as fun as can be. seriously, i might say this every month, but it has been crazy watching her grow this past month. she started full fledge crawling, standing up and took her first steps just a couple days ago! what's funny is, she is still mostly in 3-6 months size clothes, so she still looks like a small baby but stands. and even though she's tiny, she's so heavy. man.

and i know most moms don't want their baby to grow any faster (and i'm sure i'll regret ever saying this), but i am so done with the 3-6 month clothes selection in her closet...ready to move on to some 6-9 month stuff! i've got some really cute jackets and sweaters I'm worried she won't fit into before it gets hot again!

Anyways, back to Pippa's update...

STATS:

weight: 16 lbs 15 oz

height: 26.25 inches

-she is a grunter. apparently, she thinks it's cute.

-she babbles like crazy. i'm pretty sure she knows the word "hi" :)

-she loves when we make her dance. and then she laughs at us when we dance.

-still no teeth!

-we've been practicing her waving (see HERE) and it's the cutest thing ever.

-loves drinking out of water bottles and cups, thanks to Gpa teaching her. she really, really loves drinking water.

-when we are giving her a bath and pull the cup full of water up to pour on her head, she opens her mouth wide, hoping we will let her drink it instead.

-she gives some WET kisses. irresistible, though.

-she realized that she has hair now and will play with it sometimes. talk about adorable.

-she is obsessed with doyle. i don't know what it is, but when she sees him, she lights up like crazy.

- her favorite food is still bananas.

-i'm doing my best trying to give her solid foods more times a day, but this girl can get laaazy. apparently the whole hand to mouth motion and having to "chew" before swallowing can be pretty tiring for an 8 month old ;)

-size 3 diapers.

now, check out her crawling, eating, standing and learning how to walk!

have you missed me?

2012-01-21T19:10:00.000-08:00

we have internet! ...and lots of blogging to get caught up on. I'm talking LOTS.

but for now, here is a quick update:

we have moved into our new place (see the cute welcoming basket our landlords put together for us?) and have been crazy busy getting things in order. we are loving all the space and light (and garbage disposal!!) but are having some minor marital issues about having to share a closet. we haven't run into this problem until now and it might very well cause a few kinks in our marriage...I mean, seriously, does anyone else have this problem? I am trying to convince Doyle that he should use the storage closet under the stairs for his clothes, but he is NOT falling for it (yet).

as for evie, i think she is liking having her own room. i've been adjusting to it well also, despite the first night when i woke doyle up about 5 times to get up and go check on her (yes, she was still asleep and yes, we had the baby monitor too). her room is completely furnished (unlike the rest of the house) and she has been sleeping/napping wonderfully.

anyway, we are having so much fun decorating and furnishing the place. and i say we, because doyle actually came home from school the other day, after I had done some essential shopping, and said "i love our new shower curtain". i was caught off guard and thought he was mocking me, but no, he just really liked it. of course after i pointed it out, he tried to act like it was no big deal, but trust me, he's excited.

it's taking a couple of weeks, but life is starting to settle down (although this gloomy cold weather makes us wonder why we ever left Kihei two weeks ago). our new couches arrive on wednesday and then i only need one more ikea trip to complete our little home. and my love/hate relationship with ikea has been more hate than love lately, so i'm excited to get it over with!

so here is a little sneak peek of the place. i will do a grand tour once everything is in order and i feel like i have time to breathe. so enjoy and get ready for me to take over your google reader.
(sorry, michelle ziser.)

our christmas vacation is coming to an end...

2012-01-05T17:45:00.000-08:00

...and we are on our way back to Georgia!

last night in kihei (via my iphone).

2012-01-04T22:40:00.000-08:00

last night, we went on a little family outing and walked to Pupu Lounge Seafood & Grill. it was right on the beach and the weather was, as always, perfect. doyle got the fish and chips with the fish being their famous hawaii walu. i got myself another cheeseburger (in paradise) and evie enjoyed her peach puffs. she was such a cutie the whole time. on the way back, we stopped at some local shops for some last minute souvenir gift shopping and then strolled on the beach to watch the sunset.

she thought she was pretty funny playing with the long hawaiian necklaces!!

this morning, doyle and i walked over to a nearby grocery store to pick up some yummy doughnuts and eat them on the beach. perks of vacationing with the grandparents is you get to have lots of little dates...

then we finished packing and threatened this little stinkbug that we were going to ship her back to georgia if she kept acting so happy and hyper in that box!

we drove up to enjoy the north shore of maui and are staying in kahului for the night. we will be catching a red eye flight tomorrow evening. (wish us luck!!)

2011 - year in review.

2012-01-01T23:26:00.000-08:00

JANUARY
started 2011 celebrating New Years with my immediate and extended family in the beautiful city of San Francisco.

FEBRUARY
did our annual 14 days of Valentines, went to Porterhouse and started all the consignment sale shopping!

MARCH
Busy month! Went on our Babymoon to Charleston, had my wonderful baby shower and Doyle went through his whole Bee Keeping phase :)

APRIL
lots and lots and lots of NESTING, I was working FULL-TIME and EVERYTHING was swollen.

MAY
Went to the Atlanta Temple Dedication, expanded our family to 3 and blessed Eve.

JUNE
Adjusted to life with a baby, celebrated Doyle's OFFICIAL Father's Day and took our first family "vacation" to Augusta, Georgia.

JULY
Celebrated Eve's first Fourth of July, took first family pictures, went on lots of walks. Eve just loved that Georgia heat.

AUGUST
Went to a Braves game and lots of play dates.

SEPTEMBER
Flew across the country to California, Eve met her uncles and ALL of her second cousins.

OCTOBER2nd Annual OpossumFEST/Fall Harvest Party, went to pumpkin patch, carved pumpkins, Eve got her first cold :(

NOVEMBER
Bought a new car, Eve turned 6 months and we took our Christmas card pictures.

DECEMBER
Eve met Santa, she made an ugly Christmas sweater vest look cute, we went to the Athens Symphony Christmas Concert, survived Doyle's finals and traveled through 5 time zones to spend Christmas in Hawaii.

What a year!! The year I became a mother of a beautiful, fun little girl is one that I never want to forget. 2011 seriously flew by so quickly and it was by far, the best year of my life. It was definitely a big and busy year with lots of changes ... and I wouldn't trade a moment of it. Eve has made everyday enjoyable and has brought Doyle and I closer together. We love her so much and appreciate all that she brings to our little family. We have definitely been blessed this year.

We are looking forward to 2012 and are excited to watch our little Pippa grow even more.

@ 7 months, pippa loves...

2012-01-01T22:36:00.000-08:00

Days 29 & 30. phew!!

2011-12-31T23:14:00.000-08:00

Day 29

Testimony

I don't share my testimony enough (see new years resolution #3.) so I'm happy to put it up on my blog.

I believe in Jesus Christ and know He died for all of us. He loves us all unconditionally and I have felt His love on numerous occasions. I am constantly comforted by the knowledge I have that He is the Son of God and we can someday return to be with Him. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints is the true Church and it was restored on this earth by Joseph Smith. I'm grateful for the principles that it teaches and the guidance it gives me in my life. I'm eternally grateful for my husband who is a worthy priesthood holder who provides for and loves his wife and daughter. I'm grateful for Eve who brings more joy in our lives than we ever thought possible. I look at her and know without a doubt, that there is a God. She was sent here from above and has such a perfect Spirit.

Day 30

Hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days

1. Lose 15 lbs. isn't that everyone's #1?

2. Be the best mother I can to Eve.

3. Bear my testimony more often.

4. Get better at sewing and learn more about crocheting.

5. Start an Etsy shop.

6. Get a GA license so I can vote!!!

7. Give more of my time and effort into my calling at Church.

8. Catch up on all my scrap booking.

9. Call my grandparents more often.

10. Travel to more of the East Coast.

11. Send more cards via snail mail.

12. Be nicer and serve others more.

13. Cook more home cooked and healthy meals.

14. Spend more quality time with Doyle (that means BABY FREE dates, no matter how much I'll miss that little stinkbug)

15. Go to the temple ten times this year.

16. Be a better Bunco member (seriously, I missed way too many last year).

17. Read the Book of Mormon alone and read the New Testament with Doyle.

18. Develop a budget to help us save more money in 2012.

19. No dirty dishes in the sink!

20. Finally compile my very own cook book with my photos and recipes.

Let's do this!!!

...and check back for our annual yearly review and more thoughts on 2012.
hope everyone had a safe and wonderful New Years Eve.

i think i have a problem.

2011-12-30T20:02:00.000-08:00

i've had my new phone for exactly four weeks today and have 931 photos and 23 videos on it.

i don't think i have enough storage space to keep this up.

less than two weeks later...

2011-12-29T21:04:00.000-08:00

okay, this girl has seriously been growing leaps and bounds since we've gotten here. the top two videos were shot two nights before we left for hawaii and the one below was done today. she had just started crawling right before we left but it would only last a second or so...now, it's all she does and she it trying to stand up!!It is so fun, but really, where did my immobile little baby go??

30 Day Challenge Failure - Days 23-28.

2011-12-27T21:59:00.000-08:00

Yes, so I've obviously been failing on my 30 Day Blog Challenge, but can you really blame me? I'm 1 block from a beautiful beach and it's 73 degree and sunny. So while I have a free sec, I'm gonna clump a lot of these together.

Day 23

Share a previous Christmas memory

The first Christmas after Doyle and I got married, we spent it alone in Provo. Although we both really missed our families, it was fun to spend the day just us two, and joining our separate family Christmas traditions into one as well as creating our own in the deserted town (seriously, no one is there around Christmas). You can read more about it here.

Day 24

5 things you love about Christmas

Since Christmas is over, I'm gonna switch it up and post the 5 things I love about THIS Christmas.

1. My family is not very traditional, in fact, we joke that our tradition is to not have traditions (hence Christmas in Hawaii)...but there are a few things we like to do EVERY Christmas. So along with our beef jerky in our stockings, I always LOVE the Christmas breakfast mom cooks that is always accompanied with hot chocolate...except when you're in Maui ;)

2. Playing on the beach, laying out and snorkeling. I could do this every Christmas!!!

3. Spending time with my sweet little family...

...and spending time with this crazy family whom we rarely ever get to see.

...and being able to skype with Doyle's family back home.

4. But the real reason this Christmas has been so good is because it's the first one we've had with this spunky little reindeer! Evie has certainly made this one the best with her cute smiles and constant entertainment.

5. And of course, the whole reason we come together for Christmas...to celebrate our Savior, Jesus Christ, His birth, His life and His ministry. This is one of my favorite pictures of Christ.

Day 25

A place I love

This one and the next two are a little obvious :)

Day 26

A child I love

How could you not love that sweet baby???

Day 27

A person I love

He is definitely my other half and takes such good care of me.

Day 28

A secret you want to get out

We are moving! It's not a secret, but I guess it needs to get on the blog. The basement has treated us well the past year and a a half, but our little family has officially outgrown it :) We are moving on the 7th just a couple miles away to a nice town home with TWO bedrooms!

christmas card 2011.

2011-12-22T14:31:00.000-08:00

Family and Friends,

We have so much to be grateful for this past year. We welcomed

our beautiful, perfect little girl into this world on May 14th and have

loved watching her learn and grow these past 7 months. She

brightens our lives everyday with her sweet smile and fun

personality. Doyle is officially half way through law school!

He has been enjoying this Fall watching his Bulldogs make

their way to the SEC Championship and spending every

Saturday morning in a deerstand. I’ve been working very part time

and love the office I’m at right now. I feel very blessed to

have a career that allows me to spend so much time home

with Eve. I’ve also kept busy doing lots of photography on the

side. Eve has been growing like crazy and is starting to

crawl. She is so fun to be around and we are in awe of

how lucky we are to have her everyday.

We are also beyond excited to stay warm this Christmas as

we lay on the beach in Maui. Well, I'll be on the beach and

Doyle will be watching College Bowl games. The day after

we return, we are officially moving out of the basement and

into a new townhome. We'll be starting the new year off busy!

At this time of year, we are especially grateful for

all the blessings in our lives and hope this card finds you

and your family well and happy. We pray that we can

all spend this time remembering Christ and all that He stands for.

Have a wonderful Christmas and New Years.

Love,

Doyle, Chelsea & Little Miss Evie

family.

2011-12-22T12:27:00.000-08:00

Day 22

A photo of my family

The Doyle Johnson Family

Doyle, Chelsea & Baby Evie

The Scott Johnson Family

Scott, Debbie, Lena, Scott S., Little Scotty (yes, lots of Scotts), Doyle, Chelsea, Baby Evie and Daily

The Chai Jansrikesorn Family

Chai, Cheryl, Chad, Chelsea, Doyle, Baby Evie and Sam

(picture taken prior to Evie's arrival -- will post updated one soon)

relaxation begins now...

2011-12-21T14:32:00.000-08:00

oh my goodness, yesterday was a day to remember! 15 hours of traveling with a very mobile and curious 7 month old is not the most fun thing to do...BUT now we have lots of funny, gross and embarrassing travel stories to share! It was not easy, but Doyle was a champ at taking care of his two tired and cranky girls!

And It was all worth is when we woke up to this beautiful view!

p.s. we're thankful for a Grandma who love sher grandbaby so much, she took over on baby duty after our bright eyed little one woke up at 3:15am because her jet lag told her that she is ready to take on the day. Yup, then Doyle and I slept in until 8am (1pm EST!!). Let the laziness begin!

shop shop shop.

2011-12-20T10:50:00.000-08:00

Day 20

Your favorite Christmas tradition

Shopping. As silly as it sounds, I love going on Black Friday and kicking off all the Christmas shopping! I don't always do the crazy early morning stuff, but I always go out and get some good deals.

this is why i'm busy all the time.

2011-12-19T22:53:00.000-08:00

Day 19

A hobby of mine

Where to begin??

PHOTOGRAPHY

MAKING CARDS

COOKING AND BAKING

CROCHETING

MAKING HAIR BOWS

MAKING JEWELRY

and one of my favorite things ever is

QUILTING

I think it's pretty obvious that God knew I needed a little baby GIRL to make stuff for!

When life calms down, I will have to take some pictures of some recent quilts, hats and bows I've made!

music.

2011-12-18T17:20:00.000-08:00

Day 18

Put your iPod on shuffle and write 10 songs that pop up

1. Love - Matt White

2. Bust A Move - Glee Cast

3. Every time We Touch - Cascada

4. Stand By Me - Ben E. King

5. Walk Me Down the Middle - The Band Perry

6. As She's Walking Away - Zac Brown Band Feat. Alan Jackson

7. Rock & Roll - Eric Hutchinson

8. Come On Get Higher - Matt Nathanson

9. You Got Me - Colbie Caillat

10. Imma Be - Black Eyed Peas

my addiction.

2011-12-17T17:19:00.000-08:00

Day 17

A habit you wish you didn't have

Um...I volunteer too much? just kidding.

TWO WORDS: diet coke

7 month old little elf!

2011-12-16T19:21:00.000-08:00

We've hit a lot of big milestones this past month and I can't believe how fast time is flying by. I love my little elf more and more everyday!

So first of all, she is officially sitting up all by herself now!!

And for the past month, she has been army crawling around like crazy. Seriously, she goes EVERYWHERE and is pretty fast. She rocks back and forth on her arms and legs and did a real crawl just yesterday! But it was short lived and now she's back to her perfected army crawl.

Every time I put a show on for her, she always crawls RIGHT up to the tv and cranes her next to watch. I pull her back but she always goes right back to the same spot.

-She got to experience her first Thanksgiving and enjoyed green beans, rolls, fruit salad and chocolate.

-We started veggies a while back and that was a disaster, but this week I added her veggies to her rice cereal (which she loves) and she ate it like a champ! Thanks to my friend Emily for sharing that tip with me earlier this week.

-When she's hungry and you are making a bottle or rice cereal, she freaks out. it is quite possibly the funniest thing ever.

-She knows where the kitchen is. If you set her down and run to go make a bottle, she will follow you, crawling all the way to the kitchen.

-We are to the point where I have to clean up her messes during nap time. she isn't content with only one or two toys at a time now. I find myself dumping out the whole basket, putting them away while she sleeps, dumping them out when she wakes up, repeat. She always crawls to her basket of shoes, grabs them and scatters them across the room. She's getting into Christmas presents and trying to open them, literally.

-We quit nursing earlier this month and she had no problem with the transition (not sure if it even phased her)...but as for me? Well, I was an emotional wreck about it for almost 2 weeks.

-Before Eve arrived, we were worried that Desi would have a hard time distinguishing between his dog toys and her toys. We have been pleasantly surprised, as he has never touched any of her toys. INSTEAD, we have a problem with her grabbing HIS chew toys and nasty stuffed animals. I am constantly having to wipe her hands and take his toys away from her...not to mention all the times she pushes his food bowl over. wow, I sound like a bad parent.

-Whenever I vacuum, I can get her FULL attention. And she is so funny about it, because every time I turn it on, it always startles her (obviously) but she is always so intrigues and acts like it's the first time she's ever seen it. Luckily, it doesn't make her cry because I vacuum a lot.

-Very recently, she has made it very difficult to change her diaper. She will wiggle and roll like crazy, the little stinker!!

-Also very recently, she has developed a HATE/HATE relationship with her car seat! We don't know what it is, but hope it's just a phase :)

She is a crazy little girl with LOTS of personality. She keeps us laughing everyday and is always amazing us with how much she's learning. We love you Stinkbug!!

santa in the park.

2011-12-16T18:12:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, we took Evie to go to "Santa in the Park" in Winterville. It is a little activity put on by the community. It was SO fun! They had a live nativity with real animals, Santa, a fire truck, a train for children to take rides on and best of all, FREE hot dogs, chips, hot chocolate, punch, popcorn and cookies!

YOUTUBE!

2011-12-16T17:12:00.001-08:00

Day 16

A favorite Youtube video

So You Think You Can Dance - Bleeding Love performance

Cat Massage

I'm not too much of a YouTube junkie... in fact, I rarely get on unless I am watching Mormon Messages on the Mormon Channel. I do love those!

But then again, I enjoy EVERY video from this awesome channel.

doyle's 26th birthday.

2011-12-16T04:17:00.000-08:00

All of these photos were taken yesterday on Doyle's birthday. It was a fun day filled with Locos, family, friends, hot wings, baby smiles, wrapping paper, barn yard dancing, Key Lime Pie, Pumpkin Pecan Pie, ice cream, presents, surprising Ruthie, exchanging Christmas goodies, laughing, talking and letting Doyle do whatever he wanted (he is hunting at this very moment!). Yesterday, we also took a moment of silence as it was the year anniversary of the barn burning down, but then also reminisced in the joy we felt last year on this day when we found out our little Georgia Peach was going to be a sweet girl. That was the best news ever. Even Doyle can't deny that now ;)

Doyle Lewis, I love you. You are the best, at everything: college bowl mania, shooting deer, getting new shoes dirty, tying a bowtie, making breakfast, playing peek-a-boo, making bottles and swaddling babies. wow, you really are the world champion of the world.

Well, now I need to go tend to my baby girl who has just unwrapped her Aunt Daily's Christmas present...
mom failure.

Bucket List.

2011-12-15T20:08:00.000-08:00

Day 15

Next 3 on “Bucket List”

1. Go to Thailand and introduce Eve to her great grandpa and other relatives.

2. Tour Portugal so Doyle can show me his mission.

3. Vacation to Athens, Greece with my SLR glued to my hand.

Apparently, I just want to travel.

the varsity.

2011-12-14T18:33:00.000-08:00

today we had two reasons to celebrate: 1. Doyle is officially HALF way done with law school! He finished his last final at 12:20pm today and is now a free man until January 10th, 2012. Eve and I couldn't be happier! 2. Doyle's birthday is TOMORROW so he requested the one restaurant I try to avoid like the plague: The Varsity. But who am I to deny my sweet husband of his favorite fast food place on his birthday??

my future home!

2011-12-14T17:47:00.000-08:00

Day 14

Your dream house...

it would look like this on the outside...

and the staircase will look like this...

and the kitchen will have these gorgeous ceilings...

and this sweet bar...

and then my bathroom will look like this with this beautiful chandelier...

and a fireplace by the tub...

and this will be Evie's room...

and our bedroom will be a mixture of this...

and this...

oh, someday!

12.13.2011

2011-12-13T18:45:00.000-08:00

Day 13

What did you do today??

woke up 5:45 am. packed, cleaned, played with evie on the floor. took a short nap with eve. awaken by doyle taking a break from studying and getting into bed with us for family snuggle time. told me he's starving. we all got ready and went to chick-fil-a for breakfast (big surprise). realized that when you have a baby that loves waking up early, you can accomplish a lot by 9am. eve and i headed to music time at the library and met up with some friends. left. stopped at joanns for fabric for a friend's baby quilt i'm making (seriously, it's so cute...i'll probably make an identical one for evie). stopped at another store to get Ruth's birthday gift, ended up buying another pair of leg warmers for our little bug. came home. put evie down for a nap. friends kenny and lindsey stopped by. cleaned, packed, cleaned. got christmas gifts ready for friends, addressed a couple more christmas cards. eve wakes up 2.5 hrs later. walked down to the mailbox with doyle and eve to mail them. received a couple more christmas cards (i seriously love christmas cards!) realized my tactic of not shopping because we are leaving town for 2.5 weeks has left us eating out way too often. went to publix. bought groceries. doyle got a flu shot. came home. cooked dinner. watched The Office. Put Eve to bed. Cleaned. packed a little for Hawaii. worked on my friend's quilt. took a shower...and now I am writing this crazy blog post. I'm exhausted so good night.

two quotes.

2011-12-12T20:37:00.000-08:00

Day 12

A favorite quote

But from that, my favorite part is:

And I want to hang it up in Evie's room.

But I recently just found one of my favorite quotes ever by Elder N. Eldon Tanner. I have it hung up and read it everyday.

"A mother has far greater influence on her children than anyone else, and she must realize that every word she speaks, every act, every response, her attitude, even her appearance and manner of dress affect the lives of her children and the whole family. It is while the child is in the home that he gains from his mother the attitude, hopes and beliefs that will determine the kind of life he will live and the contribution he will make to society."

Being a mother to Eve gives me so much purpose in life which is why I love this quote so much. It reminds me just how important motherhood is.

parade of lights.

2011-12-11T19:05:00.000-08:00

To start off the Christmas season, we went to the Parade of Lights in Downtown Athens on the first of the month. It was so much fun! We met our friends Natalie and Josh there with their sweet little boy. The babies were so intrigued by all the lights and people...they both did GREAT! The parade started at 7pm which is when Eve goes to bed (she sets her bedtime...not us) so we weren't quite sure how long she would last. She never got fussy...the only time she cried was when the Storm Troopers walked by (yeah...apparently they felt like storm troopers were fitting for a Christmas parade?). They kind of scared her. And then she fell asleep on her daddy and it was quite possibly the cutest thing ever. Can't wait until next year!

reading.

2011-12-11T17:42:00.000-08:00

Day 11

A favorite book

I don't want to sound uneducated...and people always think it's weird when I say this, but I don't like reading. I rarely do it for pleasure. But I do enjoy most of Nicholas Spark's novels (does that redeem myself? Probably not...)

yummyyyy.

2011-12-10T17:39:00.000-08:00

Day 10

A favorite food & recipe

I LOVE THIS RECIPE. It requires a lot of ingredients and time, but it's delicious and makes a ton! It's a commonly requested meal from Doyle so give it a try!

Ingredients:

12 oz. grilled chicken breast (marinate in olive oil and garlic salt overnight, then grill on barbecue for best flavor)

½ pack thick bacon

48 oz. (3 boxes) penne pasta

2 large red bell peppers- diced

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

½ tsp paprika

Gratinata Sauce:

2 tsp butter

2 tsp chopped garlic

1 cup marsala wine OR 1/3 cup apple juice + 2 tbsp red wine vinegar +enough chicken broth to equal 1 cup

1 tsp dijon or dry mustard

1 tsp salt1 tsp chopped rosemary

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

8 cups heavy cream

Directions:

Sauté garlic in butter in large pan. Add marsala wine, mustard, salt, rosemary, cayenne pepper, and heavy cream.Cook pasta according to directions. Cook bacon. Slice chicken into medium-bite size pieces.Combine sauce, cooked pasta, diced chicken, cooked bacon, bell peppers, parmesan cheese, and paprika and mix thoroughly. Spread in pans. Top with chopped rosemary and mozzarella cheese.

Bake @ 475 for 10 minutes. If frozen, thaw in refrigerator the day of. Cover with foil and bake @ 375 for 1 hour. Remove foil during the last 15 minutes.

Number Of Servings: Yields one 8×8 and two 9×13 casserole dishes.

Preparation Time: More than an hour

movies.

2011-12-10T17:34:00.000-08:00

Day 09

A favorite movie

I realized that my list of favorite movies hasn't changed in 5 years. But that might also be because I'm not really a movie person. I am definitely a TV show kind of girl and could make you a really long list of my favorite TV shows if that's what this called for. I'm too much of a busy body to sit down for 2 hours and watch a movie. But here are my top three.

And now that it's the Christmas season, I can't wait to watch...

ELF

twenty four.

2011-12-10T08:03:00.000-08:00

last week was my birthday. when i moved out of provo (at age 22), I was starting to be considered "old" ... so then I moved here and 23 seemed so young to everyone so turning 24 helps me fit in a little better... but i have to admit, i don't like getting older. Doyle jokes that I get really emotional on my bdays but I LOVE them! It's just such a fun time of year.

doyle took a few hours away from studying to take Eve & I to lunch. We went to Logans (thanks to my awesome cousin Ginny!!). You know when your waitress assumes you ordered the salad because you're the girl when in reality, you ordered the fatty burger and you have to switch plates with your girly husband as the waitress walks away?? yeah, that totally happened.

he took me shopping and ... we got Evie's ears pierced!! I know, crazy right?? I got mine pierced when I was ten months old so I always wanted to pierce hers while she was young. When we got there, I was pretty nervous, but Doyle talked me into it. She was doing alright but as soon as the lady pierced her first ear, she screamed...and I felt every woman in that store stop and judge me. Luckily, after it was all done, we gave Eve a bottle and she hasn't realized they are there ever since.

We can't wait until we can switch them out with baby pearls! I think she looks darling with them but I love how much Doyle loves them! He is seriously so funny about it because he keeps telling me how pretty she looks with them.

Later that night, we celebrated with presents and a delicious icecream cake (thanks to my lovely in-laws). and then my very, very good friend took me out Christmas shopping (baby free!) and a delicious lunch on Saturday. Thanks Andy!!

music.

2011-12-09T20:01:00.000-08:00

Day 08

A favorite song

Okay so you know I can't just pick one song...so here we go.

Right now, I'm obsessed with

Old School - Chuck Wicks

Tonight, Tonight - Hot Chelle Rae

God Gave Me You - Blake Shelton

Mr. Know it All - Kelly Clarkson (I am such a sucker for any of her songs for some reason!)

But some of my classic favorite songs are mostly country...

The Good Stuff - Kenny Chesney (one of the first country songs I ever liked)

Little Moments - Brad Paisley

Bless the Broken Road - Rascal Flatts (Our first dance ... )

so there you have it! I'm definitely a country girl when it comes to music but love busting out to hip/hop and pop whenever Doyle's not around (he is solely country music through and through).

need or want?

2011-12-08T20:28:00.000-08:00

Day 07

Something I want to buy

Eviebug is officially ready for a high chair! And I can't wait to get her this one!

I also need an iron. yes, i've been married for 3.5 years and still don't own an iron.

And I REALLY want this crepe maker...but will probably end up getting this instead...

crepe pan. ahhh i love crepes!

Fisher Price Sing-Along-Stage

I know Evie would love this because she's super vain and is always entertained by looking in the mirror...(and my friend highly recommends it)

Time to baby proof!! We need to buy baby gates and everything else to baby proof (outlet plugs, cabinet locks? I don't know what else...)

Oh and it's time for a new diaper bag! I would love this HUGE one...

And this one for the Spring...

with this matching clutch...

Not to mention a bed, night stands, couches, coffee table, dining table (yeah...we don't really own anything..) oh and a new large skillet.

And trust me, I could go on and on (even more) with this list.

purchases!

2011-12-06T18:25:00.000-08:00

Day 06

Something I bought recently

this cute little salt and pepper set.

new wrapping paper.

Christmas paper.

A new butter dish.
{finally, one with a handle! we've hated our old one since the day we got it!}

A new Christmas dress for Evie.

More clothes for Evie. I know, I have a problem...and Gymboree had a sale :)

pet peeves.

2011-12-05T19:42:00.000-08:00

Day 05

Top 10 pet peeves

1. when people leave their straw wrappers on the table.

2. when girls at UGA think black and red go with everything (no, you cannot wear brown cowgirl boots with that outfit. end of discussion).

3. when my husband thinks UGA black and red go with everything.

4. when people respond to a text message with just "k".

5. when Southerners are prejudice against California and yet have never been there.

6. when I look in my closet and find clothes that are either:
a. hung up facing backwards
b. hung up with a different color hanger
c. not color coordinated
But thanks for hanging up my clothes baby! Love you!

7. when the shopping cart you grab at the store leans a certain way.

8. when you buy fabric and the store employee doesn't cut a straight line.

9. when people don't brush their teeth before getting their teeth cleaned.

10. when people don't act their age.

So at first, I had a hard time coming up with any pet peeves so I asked for Doyle's help. He reminded me of a few things that set me off and then from there, I realized there are plenty. I think most of them are OCD related versus just pet peeves. At least I'll tell myself that so I don't feel so pessimistic!

cravings.

2011-12-04T12:48:00.000-08:00

Day 04

Something I crave

Starbucks Peppermint Hot Chocolate

This is only available during the holiday season and I'm obsessed with it!! Doyle always takes me out to get my first cup the day after Thanksgiving. We got one the other night to share, and I don't think he got any of it. It's delish, go try it!

The Cheese Shop - Rat Trap Sandwich

I crave deli sandwiches often, but am pretty particular about it. This is absolutely THE best sandwich you'll ever have. The bread is crunchy and yet soft on the inside. The meat is freshly sliced and they have tons of delicious cheeses and toppings. Seriously, totally worth a trip to little old Newcastle California, any day.

My momma's Thai Food

yummmmm. mom makes the best curry, wontons, stir fry, peanut sauce, lettuce wraps, everything! i crave her cooking all the time, especially her Thai food. It's definitely a hard task to find Thai food in the South.

In-n-Out Burger (and fries)

A cheap, fast and delicious burger!! In-n-out is still my fav.

Cafe Rio Shredded Chicken Salad

Luckily, I know how to make these at home, but the real deal is of course the best because it's way easier! And if I ever crave another salad, it would definitely be from here. Man!! I think it's time I make another trip to the West Coast!!

So now I am starving and feeling fat that I could come up with so many things that I crave. Quit judging me :) And I realize that most of my cravings are for SPECIFIC foods and places. But I always find myself craving a good homemade waffle...

and although I quit my addiction for ten months when I was pregnant with Eve, it's back...and I can't live without these:

memories.

2011-12-03T18:25:00.000-08:00

Day 03

A favorite photo

Ok, here's two.

(top) us before we were dating, reenacting the chicken scene from Arrested Development

(below) us camping in moab while we were dating. there's just too much going on in this picture

i was laughing so hard going through my pictures trying to find a "favorite". i have way too many.

Last and this year.

2011-12-02T19:01:00.000-08:00

Day 02

A picture of you last year and now and how you have changed since then

*this time last year, I was mid-second trimester.

-gained 48 lbs

-had a baby

-got a new 6 inch scar

-lost 42 lbs

-chopped off my hair

-my feet grew 1/2 size bigger

-I can now swaddle and soothe a baby with my eyes closed

-I've learned how to do most daily chores with a baby on my hip

-I refer to myself in the 3rd person everyday (mommy)

i think i've changed a lot in the last year :)

Turkey Day and Bowl.

2011-12-02T18:34:00.000-08:00

we braved the cold, early on Thanksgiving to watch daddy and papa play in the Turkey Bowl. They both did great and paid for it the next day when they were sore and exhausted. I guess that's what happens when you only exercise one day a year ;)

doyle's mom prepared a delicious thanksgiving dinner. we provided some kick-a mashed potatoes and an apple crumb pie. mmmmmm

30 Day Challenge - Day 1.

2011-12-01T19:06:00.000-08:00

I saw this 30 day challenge on a blog last year and thought it'd be fun to give it a try this December! Here's a layout of the days so you can get really, really excited:

Day 01 — 5 things about you that no one really knows

Day 02— A picture of you last year and now and how you have changed since then

Day 03 — A favorite photo

Day 04 — Something I crave

Day 05 — Top 10 pet peeves

Day 06 — Something I bought recently

Day 07 — Something I want to buy

Day 08 — A favorite song

Day 09 — A favorite movie

Day 10 — A favorite food & recipe

Day 11 — A favorite book

Day 12 — A favorite quote

Day 13 — What did you do today??

Day 14 — Your dream house...

Day 15 — Next 3 on “Bucket List”

Day 16 — A favorite Youtube video

Day 17 — A habit you wish you didn't have

Day 18 — Put your iPod on shuffle and write 10 songs that pop up

Day 19 — A hobby of mine

Day 20 —Your favorite Christmas tradition

Day 21 — A travel story

Day 22 — A photo of my family

Day 23 — Share a previous Christmas memory

Day 24 — 5 things you love about Christmas

Day 25 — A place I love

Day 26 — A child I love

Day 27 — A person I love

Day 28 — A secret you want to get out

Day 29 — Testimony

Day 30 — Hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days

So let's get it started!

Day 01

5 things about you that no one really knows

1. I love the show Top Shot and can't stop watching any show dealing with sharks, snakes, alligators or other deadly creatures.

2. I actually know a decent amount about college football.

3. I think I've almost started about 5 Etsy shops in the last year but have never followed through with my ambitions...I'm waiting for Doyle to have time to make me a business plan!

4. I've ridden an elephant.

5. I've created a recipe for Opossum stew and cooked deer meat (today).

HAPPY HALF BIRTHDAY EVE!

2011-11-27T05:43:00.000-08:00

Can you believe this little angel is 6 months old (and has been for two weeks- this post is a little late!)?!

Weight: 15.4 ounces (35th percentile -- almost doubled her birthweight!)

Height: 25 inches (35th percentile)

Head Circumference: 17 inches (75th percentile)

A few things about her:

-she's a clingy little momma's girl

-but loves being thrown high up in the air by her daddy.

-she got her first cold this past month and is still a little congested.

-we started rice cereal and she has gotten so good at it! Not to mention, she's been BMing liking a rock star.

{see pictures}

But there's more!

-she's scooting around like crazy!! She's even faster and more mobile than she was here.

- LOVE playing peek-a-boo

-smiles every time you blow on her belly. every.time.

- likes reading books and the song itsy bitsy spider (with the hand movements as well)

-she's almost in size 3 diapers.

-she knows what food is and wants whatever you are eating (some of her favs: bread and chocolate...like her momma!)

-loves to spit.

-grabs at EVERYTHING. Especially my shiny diet coke can.

-has perfected her fake cry.

-scratches when she's tired.

-Has recently shown all the signs of teething except teeth???

'twas the night before thanksgiving.

2011-11-26T18:59:00.000-08:00

we went out to a quick dinner, came home and saw a portion of a pie pan under the couch. We looked it over and realized there pecan pie was missing...but there was no evidence that the dogs had gotten to it (Desi will destroy anything cardboard/paper). We searched around and finally, way back under the other couch, we found the box:

In almost perfect condition. It was as though they had hands to open it!!

And here they are, all shameful.

don't worry, we picked up another one that night.

eve's first halloween!

2011-11-26T18:55:00.000-08:00

so i guess i can't blog about Thanksgiving until I blog about Halloween! Eve was sick that whole weekend and we almost didn't do anything. But then last minute, we realized that it was time that we cash in on the mom & dad tax (aka getting to eat free halloween candy because your kid is too little). We went to Publix that was offering a safe little trick or treat activity. Eve got to play some games like push a bowling ball and one of the guys even let her stick her arm in the bag and grab candy. She grabbed 3 pieces and threw them on the floor.

daddy let her try some reese cups and she loved it.

she flipped out and wanted more. Look at that cute little tail!

here's our candy stash. we obviously weren't prepared and brought an easter basket instead of a halloween bag.

I tried to get more pics of her in her costume, but since she was a little under the weather, she didn't feel like smiling.

But she LOVED playing with her costume when she wasn't wearing it. It was so funny.

but i'm also grateful for...

2011-11-24T17:26:00.000-08:00

Did Thanksgiving sneak up on anyone else?

Anyway, here are a few more things I am grateful for:

All of my family - I'm especially grateful that eve has TWO sets of wonderful grandparents that I know would do literally ANYTHING for her!
Desmond - who makes us laugh everyday.

My camera - I'd die without it!
My computer - Apparently I'd pay a lot a money for my precious computer. It's like my other half.

My calling - allows me to work and serve with women whom I admire and want to be like.
My opportunity to spend most of my time home with Eve - never gets old.

and many, many more things like: our jobs, school breaks vacations, doyle's education, my education, our car, our home, netflix, our humidifier, infant tylenol, competent doctors, nyquil, blogs, hobbies, skype, our military, our freedom, pacifiers, online shopping, friends.

And of course, I'm thankful for my Heavenly Father who has provided me with all of these blessings that have given my life meaning and purpose.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

gratitude.

2011-11-23T19:25:00.000-08:00

It must be Thanksgiving or maybe my recent crazy emotions that have me feeling so incredibly blessed. Whatever it is, you know the thing that makes me the happiest are these two people and their beautiful smiles!

Doyle is my one and only. God has blessed me with a husband that takes care of me, works hard to provide for me and give me the attention I ~~demand~~ need. He is always there for me and knows how to make me smile. We are one of those "opposites attract" type couples and I'm pretty sure that's why I love him....because he's not like me...he's so much better. He is such a great example to me and I'm grateful to have him to rely on whenever I need. If you know me at all, you can probably imagine how high maintenance and what an emotional roller coaster I can be. I bet if you get him going, Doyle could tell you just how crazy I really am. But that's what makes us work, right? And oh yeah, he is the cutest daddy I've ever seen. I mean, I know he pictured us having a little son right now running around in a football jersey, but his heart belongs to our little daughter and it melts mine to see them together. Every time I look at them, I am reminded and how lucky I really am.

Eve means more to me than I could have ever imagined. My love for her grows exponentially everyday and she continues to amaze me with all that she does. I cannot get enough of her sweet smiles and wet slobbery kisses. When she wraps her arms around me, I feel so complete and wonder if things get better than that. She came at the absolute most perfect time in our lives. I am so so so happy to have her here and to have the privilege to be her mom. She is an incredible little human being and I have no doubt that she will grow up to do amazing things. She has touched so many people in the last six months and I am so grateful for her. I am also obsessed with her cuteness and swear she's the cutest baby girl I've ever seen.

I am so thankful that God gave me both of you!!

You two are my everything!!

6 month baby doll.

2011-11-21T18:06:00.000-08:00

oh i am so behind on so many posts. we celebrated our sweet little baby's half birthday last week!! I am swamped with DH work, photography and being a mom that I haven't had time to post the update, but it's coming soon!! For now, enjoy some of the things this 6 month old rascal is into these days.

another sunday walk on north campus.

2011-11-21T17:38:00.000-08:00

we spent yesterday evening walking around north campus with doyle's parents, honey, desmond and the findlays. we always enjoy a nice sunday walk and last night, it was so warm! we are definitely not in november weather!! it makes it hard to get into the holiday spirit!!

more and more pumpkins!!

2011-11-17T18:53:00.000-08:00

A few days before Halloween, my friend Natalie and I took our babies to the cutest little pumpkin patch in Winterville (a special thanks to Beckie for finding it!). It seriously was so adorable. That was the day Evie came down with a cough so she wasn't really into the whole smiling for the camera business, but she's cute anyway, right?

Later, I carved out a pumpkin to take some cute Fall pictures of Eve. Our first attempt wasn't super successful...

she cried, so Nana and Papa saved the day and took her inside...

then I put a black onesie on her and she was...okay...

but not for long...

so then Doyle insisted that we try one more time because he knew he could get her to smile if he was there. Sure enough, the next day, we attempted it again and got these little gems...

He sure knows how to get his girls to smile!

J. Reuben Clark Law Society Dinner {Nov 2011}.

2011-11-17T17:27:00.000-08:00

Doyle is a member of the J. Reuben Clark Society so we attended a dinner hosted by them in Atlanta on Saturday evening. We went last year and enjoyed meeting new people and the presentation. It was hosted at Kilpatrick and the building is so fancy! I didn't take a lot of pictures because I didn't want to embarrass Doyle :) But the food was delicious and the company was wonderful. We were laughing so hard during dinner! The presentation this year was a little...weird, but definitely intriguing. I still love getting dressed up and going to these things although my friend Natalie says they get old quickly.

the deep south's oldest rivalry.

2011-11-17T16:26:00.000-08:00

I promised Doyle I would go to one game this year. Personally, I enjoy them better in the comfort of my own home where I can invite whoever I want over to watch it with me, I can do other things during commercials and I can eat good game day food as I watch the game. The last two home games I went to were both in September and I was miserable at both! It was way too hot/humid AND we sat in the student section. And by sat, I mean STOOD because that's all they do. But this time around, the game was a lot of fun! We dropped Evie off at Andy's and then headed to the game with Doyle's Dad. We got to sit in the Staff/Alumni section which was so nice...AND UGA won and played well which made everyone around happy and enjoyable. It got pretty cold by half time (I talked Doyle into leaving 3 minutes early) but overall, it was a lot of fun.

our first all nighter.

2011-11-17T14:17:00.000-08:00

These pictures are from Evie's 6 month check up yesterday and her asleep only minutes after we left the doctors office. She handled them really well this time around but later that night...

we experienced our first all nighter in parenthood. The poor girl got a 100.8 fever during the night and was only able to sleep if she was being rocked and held. Needless to say, it was a long night for all 3 of us. I think I got a total of 1.5 hours of sleep (not consecutively) and Doyle got maybe 3 hours. I guess I can be grateful that we didn't have to experience it the first 6 months because last night was way worse than when she was a brand spankin' newborn needing to eat every 2-3 hours during the night or when she had her cold and woke up everytime she sniffled or coughed (and we thought that was bad!). We've been blessed with a good little sleeper. Now, she is feeling loads better, but still tired and clingy. Poor little angel!!!

p.s. she is so stinkin' cute in her little hoodies!

daylight savings.

2011-11-10T19:19:00.000-08:00

haha seriously. has anyone else felt like this all week?

my sweet little evie just doesn't quite get it :)

false alarm.

2011-11-09T16:13:00.000-08:00

baby girl has been tugging on her ear occasionally the last couple of days so I was worried she might have an ear infection. I set up a doctors appointment first thing this morning and luckily, NO EAR INFECTION! he says everything looks fine but we'll be back next week for her 6 month well care.

After her appointment, we went to Park Day with a bunch of moms and kids. Evie got to swing for the first time!

Then we met up with Daddy, Nana and Papa for a free lunch at the institute. Busy day for this little stinker.

living life on the EDGE.

2011-11-04T19:28:00.000-07:00

We welcomed the newest addition to the Johnson family this week. After months and months of looking and saving, we finally upgraded to a crossover and we LOVE it! We have been passively shopping for a new car since we found out we were pregnant but got a lot more active about it once our little Evie arrived. Our main purpose was to find a vehicle that was safer and could fit Eve's stroller in it without having to take the wheels off (yes, that's the only way it would fit in the trunk of our corolla). At our first visit to Carmax, we were introduced to the Ford Edge. We loved them and looked into them extensively but finally agreed they were too new and out of our price range. So then we started looking into older Acura MDXs and Nissan Muranos. But then we found this little gem at a dealership in Winder. We put the other plans on hold, went and test drove this baby and once again fell in love. On the last day of the month (October 31st), we made our salesman a really low offer, stuck to our guns and said we'd take it off the lot that afternoon if he'd accept it. Being desperate to meet his quota for that month, he accepted and we got to bring home our...

2008 Ford Edge

It has so many buttons and gadgets, I'm too scared to touch most of it. I tried to turn on the turn signal the other day but accidentally turned on the windshield wipers. It's also so much bigger than our Corolla so it's definitely taking some getting used to.

So far, we love it and have yet to have any buyers' remorse :) And Doyle's happy to support a company that doesn't accept government bailouts haha --- btw, he came up with the title of this post.

Oh, and goodbye stick shift!!

sicky baby.

2011-10-31T17:58:00.000-07:00

Our poor little baby came down with her first cold at the end of last week. She has a cough, runny nose and occasional fever. it is SO heartbreaking to see her in so much pain! There is not much that the doctor said we can do to help her except keep her hydrated and as comfortable as possible.

It was right after I was complaining to Doyle that he gave her HIS poor immune system (since I NEVER get sick...) that I noticed my sore throat, congestion and headache. So now Eve and I are sick together. She's gotten to watch a LOT of Baby Einstein (how else do babies rest?), lost of nursing and lots of naps.

She is super chill and dazed whenever she's awake but has those moments where all she can do is cry :( seriously, she is the saddest sick baby EVER!! I am hoping that she has hit the peak and we are on our way to recovery.

But these 4 days of constant tears, snot, drool, infant tylenol, a new humidifier and what has seemed like sleepless nights has made for one cuddly baby. Now I know it's true though, there is nothing more sad than a sick baby (especially your own -- note the last heartbreaking picture).

I want my smiley little Evie back!!!

michelle's visit.

2011-10-28T18:38:00.000-07:00

michelle came down to Georgia to visit on one of the busiest weekends ever. It was SO fun! I loved catching up with her and introducing her to little Eve. We went out to eat, went to Sip N Strokes, showed her the farm, hosted OpossumFEST and gave her a tour around UGA.

thanks for visiting michelle!! come back soon or clear off your couches so we can visit you!

pumpkins!

2011-10-26T17:52:00.000-07:00

for our fhe this week, we had the clarks over to carve some pumpkins and eat pumpkin cake. we entered them into a contest at Publix. the theme was UGA vs. UF which is the big game this Saturday!

5 month old evie.

2011-10-19T15:10:00.000-07:00

Our little stinker is 5 months old and she is as cute and chubby as ever! I swear she gets bigger every time I look at her. Time is going by way too fast! Enjoy the pictures and updates from the past month:

(coincide with the pictures)

1. she is still as gorgeous as ever.

2. she loves getting thrown up in the air. she can't help but beam from ear to ear. her daddy has added a 360 turn when he does it and it scares me to death every time.

3. she's still such a smiley baby which never gets old.

4. she loves to be entertained by Desmond.

5. she loves "helping" papa study.

6. i always find her smiling on her tummy after naps.

7. her eyes are mostly green with a little tint of blue/gray and tiny bit of brown.

8. she got an exersaucer and loves it! It's so good at keeping her entertained.

9. she loves standing up.

10. she's been getting ready for winter.

11 & 12. more smiles and still intrigued with her toes.

13. like i said, she really likes this thing.

14. her hair keeps growing in and can get super crazy.

15. always smells like sweet lavender.

16. waking up with flat stanley (my little cousin's school project).

17. her arms are always flailing around trying to feel or grab something.

18. seriously, do babies come cuter than this?

19. BOOOOOOO!

-Eve is such a little squealer. She is always talking and squealing, either to us or just herself.

-When she gets tired she blows air with her lips (hard to explain) and starts playing with my hair.

-We haven't started rice cereal yet but have had a lot of fun letting her taste little things like bananas, canteloupe and a salty sunflower seed.
-When you lift your arms out to pick her up, she puts her arms up.
-We started reading to her more often and I love seeing her get excited over books.

-She can sit up if she is propped up by her boppy.

-If you stick your hands out to pick her up, she will lift her arms up.

-She loves mirrors and is very TICKLISH!

-She poops once a day and conveniently times it so it happens right after we leave the house.

-She gets a little more high maintenance every day... (I didn't know that was genetic) She is our little princess and she knows it!

tin foil dinners under the lights.

2011-10-16T20:03:00.000-07:00

on friday evening, we turned on all the lights outside to show eve. after we put her to bed, we snuck out there with the baby monitor and had candlelit {tin foil} dinners next to a fire. it was a beautiful night.

Fall Harvest Party |opossumFEST| 2011

2011-10-14T11:43:00.001-07:00

As a combined effort with Doyle's parents, we hosted our 2nd annual Fall Harvest Party (or opossumFEST, as it is more commonly referred as) last weekend and it was a blast! We had 83 people there at the peak of the party, twice as big as last years. The guests all brought such delicious soups, appetizers and desserts that I definitely gained some weight that day. The weather was great, the company was excellent and lights looked beautiful! Oh and the bulldogs won their football game too! There are just way too many pictures to post, so here are a couple and then I put the rest into a movie at the end of this post.

Can't wait until next year.

sips and strokes.

2011-10-13T19:07:00.000-07:00

my friend michelle came to visit us for a weekend from DC. we went to dental hygiene school together and haven't seen each other since graduation a year and a half ago. we went to sips'n'strokes where we got to paint peacocks (although you might have thought mine was a penguin...or maybe a blue bowling pin). it was so much fun though, i will definitely be going back!!

california 2011 {part three}.

2011-10-13T19:04:00.000-07:00

playing with her grandpa.

swimming one afternoon at Stephie's.

love me some cheese shop sandwiches.

visiting with ashley, jack and owen.

4 generations of girls.

love my grandparents.

waiting for daddy to pick us up from the airport (he was LATE!).

california 2011 {part two}.

2011-10-13T18:26:00.000-07:00

I got to see all of my cousins while I was there. We got together for a cousins photo on Sunday and a great-grandkids photo. I love getting together with them.

We met up with an old family friend, Lizzie at Coasta Vida for lunch one day. It was delicious and I haven't seen Liz in years!

Us cousins organized a dinner out together at the pizza factory. yum, i miss it already.

Eve's gma insisted that she nap on her bed because those pack-n-plays are too "hard". Eve was living the luxury life.

We skyped with Doyle almost every night.

This is Eve saying goodbye to Uncle Sammy before he left for Hawaii.

california 2011 {part one}.

2011-10-12T17:55:00.000-07:00

our trip to california was so much fun...I definitely have to break it up into a couple different posts (that will all be long, I'm sure). We were there for 11 days spending time with family, friends and just relaxing. It was so great to see everyone and introduce them to little Pippa. Mom and Dad talk her up all the time, so she had a lot of pressure on her to be as perfect as they say she is.

I walked into our house and there are so many framed 8x10 pictures of her! We don't even have any in our house. My parents are so in love with Eve, I'm so happy they got to see her again.

All of my family in Thailand follow Eve's blog religiously and check it twice a day. She is the only great-grandchild for my Grandpa over there so we try to video chat with them when we can.

but it's usually pretty early for us with the huge time difference.

We've had three great-grandbabies born this summer in the family. Remember this photo taken back in December??

All born a month apart. I loved seeing Eve with her little cousins. They were all so cute together!

And I can't even begin to tell you how much Eve loved my grandpa. He was so sweet with her and would hold her every chance he got.

mom's garden was producing crazy big veggies, so I made some chocolate zucchini bread while I was there. YUM.

Eve & G-Gpa sported their BYU gear the day before we left.

Every second they were home, my parents were holding and playing with Eve all that they could.

Michelle came down from the Bay Area to visit so us and our mom's went out to lunch at Chevy's and then later that night, I left Eve with my parents while we went to the Auburn Fair and then hung out at her house for a bit. I love it every time I get to see this girl. She is my best friend ever and I was more than thrilled when she told me she is PREGNANT!!! Cannot wait for Eve's newest best friend arrives in April!!!

Chad had a layover in San Fran for 4 days so he came home and we got to see him. He brought lots of gifts from our family in Thailand...

They sent Eve loads and loads of clothes, jewelry and shoes.

She looks pretty cute in it huh?