Valentine's & Texas

Valentine's Day

Last year my Valentines Day was spent with this little girly.

AND...this year it will be too! I am headed to Texas Monday morning at 6am!  I keep having mini anxiety attacks about this trip. 1) because I HATE to fly and 2) I will now have a 7 month old on my lap for the entire ride.  I'm not sure if #2 will help with my fear of #1, or if it will make it worse :/ I hoping for the former...

When I traveled to Texas last year I was pregnant with little miss Charleigh.  I didn't know yet that she was a "she" :) But she sure did squirm on the plane.  It was the first time my mom and sister felt her move.  And Laney LOVED to give my belly kisses.  So cute.  

(My belly this time last year!)

Now she is excited for "baby char char" to come and play with her.  She knows that Charleigh is "crawling" (if that's what you call doing the worm to get wherever you want to go) ;) and Laney says that she will "catch baby char char" when Charleigh tries to crawl.  Haha.  My mom calls Delaney "pickle-head" (don't ask me why...) so Laney came up with a nickname for Charleigh too...drumroll please..."bubble-head".  I'm thinking her baldness may have influenced this nickname, no?

Here are my Valentines this year :)

(I came inside one day and this is where I found Jonny and Charleigh...made my heart melt)

This will be my SECOND year in a row not spending Valentine's with my hubby :( Although I am sad about that, I am very excited to go visit my sister! I haven't been out there since last Valentine's-and I am ready for some sister time! WOO HOO! 

BIG Changes

There is a lot happening for the Foley family...

1) We ALMOST have a crawler on our hands! Just in this past week she has progressed so much on this feat of crawling! This is one determined little girl! It started out with her pushing herself up on her hands and toes (like a plank or push-up position...yes I was shocked-I can't even do that for 2 seconds without whining!) ;).  And once she got the hang of that she would launch herself forward to get to wherever she wanted to be!  Now she gets on her hands and knees and "rocks" back and forth.  She scoots back more than forward, but I have always heard that once they get the "rocking" on the hands and knees then crawling is in the very near future! Ay yai yai! I am so excited for her...but she's growing too fast!! And I don't have ANYTHING baby proofed yet!

2) We are moving! And although I wish it were back to Visalia, it is not.  We found a place that is on the Mesa in Arroyo Grande.  The porch off the back of the house looks out over the dunes.  It really is a beautiful place.  It has two bedrooms and TWO FULL bathrooms! Which means...drumroll please...I have not ONE, but TWO bathtubs! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK! If you know me, then you know how HAPPY I am about this! In our last two places we have not had a bathtub.  Bleh.  But now we will! And Charleigh will have her own little bathroom!  I can't wait to decorate it! :) So that's a big step for us, another move.  I see it as another opportunity to get rid of the stuff we don't use.  And I admit...I have a lot of that ;)

Looking out of the master bedroom

The deck off of our front door.  You can see the dunes...it is a beautiful view.

Not one, but TWO bathtubs! (!!!!!!)

Our living room & kitchen area.

3) My relationships.  This is how I have felt lately....God apparently still needs us over here a little while longer ;) (yes...I know it's only been 4 months...but it feels like FOREVER!)  I miss both of our families so much.  I think I go through phases of missing them a TON, and then being ok with how everything is at the moment.  Right now I am in a missing everyone a TON phase. Bleh.  But I am so very thankful for my husband who encourages me daily.  As much as I don't like being away from family, this move really has brought a closeness to our own little immediate family and is making me rely on my husband for support-and is making me search outside of my comfort zone for a church/people to surround myself with.  God is testing and teaching me a lot lately, but I know that is all part of following him.

"There is no way to follow Jesus without him interfering with your life." -Kyle Idleman, not a fan. (that's the name of the book, not my personal thought of the man! hehe)

I have been reading a book my mother in law gave me for Christmas.  It is called Not a Fan by Kyle Idleman.  I haven't had much time to read lately, and when I do I'd rather read something fun and adventurous (currently reading the last book in The Hunger Games) and not a "christian" book written by some mega-church pastor that states "How to" be a better christian.  However, when I was trying to take a nap the other day I just couldn't fall asleep, so I decided I might as well do something instead of wasting my time just laying there.  And next to me was this book.  I had set it out because I did want to peruse the pages a little-and my Hunger Games book was in the car (and I didn't feel like getting up and retrieving it...LAZY! I know.)  So I picked up Not a Fan, and I was hooked.  I am only about 30 pgs in, but so far I am really enjoying the read.  It is not a "How to" book, but more of a "examine" one.  And by that I mean it makes me examine my own relationship with Jesus, and if I even HAVE one!  It is a book that makes the reader really dig into their personal relationship with Jesus and decide an answer to the question "Are you a follower of Jesus?"  Like I said, I haven't read very far, but with what I have read I am liking it.  It is making me realize that following Jesus is not "all rainbows and butterflies" like we would hope.  To actually follow him means to lay everything at his feet and let him work in my life (I know I'm supposed to do this, but the real question in reading this book is am I actually doing it and letting him work in my life?)

4) I have been looking at getting my teaching credential...just typing that out makes me stressed! Ahhh (that is not a quiet sigh ahhh, but a scream with an exclamation point AHHHH!)  But I think to myself "I'd rather get it done now before we have anymore kids...and it would only take 1 year." However, it is pretty pricey and if I am going to do this I would have to get a job pretty quickly after finishing the program to help pay for it...BUT we really want to have another baby by then.  Decisions, decisions...

*If you are reading this please be praying for the choices that are ahead for me and my family! I am beginning to freak out a little...a lot...and I'm just not sure what to do.*

And these are from a walk that my mom, Jon , Charleigh and I went on a couple weekends ago.  The view was beautiful!

Well, that's a little look into my life at the moment.

Christmas 2011

Here are some snapshots of our Christmas.  It was little miss Charleigh's FIRST Christmas!  We spent a little time in Hanford and Visalia with Jon's family, and then the rest of the time was spent in Exeter with my family.  I REALLY missed my sister not being here this year.  It is the very first Christmas that we have ever spent apart, crazy huh? I guess one doesn't really think of things like that until they are happening.  The thankfulness of being able to be with your entire family during the holidays.  So, if you had loved ones far away this year, I feel your pain.  And if you didn't, I hope you cherished every minute with them and realized how lucky you are to have them all with you! :)

 

 

Family Christmas shot :)

Charleigh meeting her Great "Papa Tom" for the first time

 

Charleigh Grace in her Christmas dress after going to church 

Christmas morning

 

Pop Pop calls Charleigh his little glow worm, so this was his gift to her :)

 Charleigh opening a gift-she was actually VERY good at opening presents! She LOVED tearing the paper off.

Merry (belated) Christmas!

30 Day Photo Challenge-Days 28, 29 & 30

FINALLY! My last 3 photos of the 30 Day photography challenge! :) They are just a few days, weeks, ok...MONTHS behind.  Oh well-I got 'em up finally, didn't I? YES! 

I am wanting to do another one of these projects in the near future-but I think it will have to wait until A )our computer is fixed..and B) we get our living arrangements all figured out (excited about this one, but more on that in a later post) ;)

DAY 28

Nighttime 

This was taken right outside of our door.  The sunsets over here are quite beautiful.

DAY 29

Light

 

I wasn't sure what to use for this picture, but when I looked out the window I saw the sun shining throug

the window and it looked beautiful.   

DAY 30

Self Portrait

I think this may be a reason why I didn't finish this photo challenge a lot sooner.  I hate really do not like taking pictures of myself!  But here it is...  

  

Charleigh Grace at 6 months

Happy Half Birthday my little nugget!!

Today you are 6 months old.  Wow.  It seems like just yesterday...and yet seems like many years since you came into our lives.  (maybe the lack of sleep makes it seem like forever ago!) :)  You are beginning to show your own little personality, and have become quite the social butterfly!  

Likes: Chewing on EVERYTHING! (but still no teeth!)

Pulling hair-your eyes light up every time someone's hair is by your little hands...and then you YANK!

Giggling

Smiling at everyone who will say hello to you

Being outside

Laying on your tummy

Cuddling with mommy and daddy in the mornings

When daddy makes you "fly"

Eating big girl food...you would eat 5 jars if I let you!

Being swaddled (only during nap time)

Bathtime

Dislikes: SLEEPING! (for the last two weeks you have not slept very well...but we are beginning to see a light at the end of the tunnel...phew!)

How solid food doesn't quite agree with your tummy :( (we had to stop for the time being because it is making your tummy hurt...but you love eating!)

When a toy is taken away (you start to pout)

Sitting in one place for very long

Getting your diaper changed...you want to roll around everywhere!

You are such a joy to be around my baby girl! You have a lot more hair coming in on your little head...but it is SUPER blonde and feels coarse.  No teeth yet.  You are trying to talk, and you do a very good job at babbling and blowing raspberries (especially when you eat-the food sprays everywhere and you smile).  You have a "fake cough" that you do a lot-and when mommy or daddy mimics it you get a huge smile on your face.  This Friday is your 6 month Dr's apt so we will see how much you have grown!  I love every minute spent with you (even the ones at 2am in the morning).  You are such a joy and blessing to us!  We love you so very much and are loving watching you grow! (even though we want to to slow down a little bit...you are growing too fast!) :)  

XXXXOOOOOOOxoxoxoxoxoxox,

mommy & daddy

The Lewis Family

Tim, Alisha, Cami and baby Sam

I got to take photos of  this adorable little family!  Tim & Alisha are my second cousins and I have gotten to know them a little better over the last couple of years.  I have enjoyed every minute that has been spent with their family!  There is always a good laugh and some dry humor thrown in which makes for a wonderful time, and reminds me of the crazyness that is my Dad's side of the family! :)

Can I just say that I LOVED doing this photoshoot.  They were so easy going and laid back...my kind of people!  We got to play with some chickens in downtwon Arroyo Grande, then in the sand at the beach, and after all that they treated Jon, Charleigh and I to dinner at A.J Spurs. YUM!  I had a wonderful time with them!  Here are some teaser shots of the photoshoot...I will post more after they are all edited!

LOVE these sunset silhouette pictures of Alisha!

Mommy and Daughter :)

Cami saying "Hello" to baby Sam

Cami already playing "telephone" with her brother

.LOVE.

I love that Alisha let me be creative and bring props to try out on her :) 

Alisha wanted a "cheesy" sunset picture with Tim-but I think it's stinkin cute!!

Daddy and Cami heading out to the ocean

Tim & Alisha, thank you for letting me do this! I had so much fun with you guys! Come back and visit anytime :) We can't wait to meet baby Sam!!

a new year

Wow, 2012 really snuck up on me! Between the Holidays and our computer getting a virus (booooo) I haven't been able to post ANYTHING! And....I still have 3 pictures left to post from my photo challenge! Eeek! Hopefully I will get to that later this week...oh wait...the week is almost over.  Ok, so hopefully I will go to that NEXT week ;)  I am wanting to start another photo challenge, so maybe that will get this little booty into gear to post those last three pictures!

I have a ton of pictures to share-but I am in the process of editing them.  They will be up shortly.  And then the day after tomorrow my little girl will be 6 MONTHS OLD!! Oh my...I can't believe it! She is getting to be quite the little lady!  That post will come on Saturday (I hope) ;)

So really I have nothing to show as of right now...just wanted to let everyone out there know I am still here! Just getting a slow start to the New Year...