Family Beach Vacation

A week long stay in Sunset Beach, NC, was just what the doctor ordered. Salt water does everybody some good (even if I didn't get in past the tidal pools this year). It was full of relaxing, family time, games, 0 fancy clothes, and home cooked meals. No outings. Just being. Nancy's first trip to the beach sure was a great one! Of course I documented with 5389015 photos. :)

Morning coffee and smiles on the porch

Contrary to her judgy baby face, the Pie loves the ocean as much as she loves bath time. Water baby.

My mama purchased this "Shade Shack" for Nancy before we left. It was crucial! Loved it. I'm sure many more grandchildren will nap under this little tent in summers to come.

...and more beach naps...

...and more beach naps

Nancypie in light blue is still my favorite. :)

So many precious blonde babies!!!

Bros. Hope and I recognize how stinkin' awesome it is that our husbands just don't get along, they genuinely love each other like brothers. We couldn't ask for more. And they certainly keep us laughing with their bromance. They love to pose it up...see the left pic. 

Nancy's blue steel look?!

Happy 4th of July!

Our pretty water baby loving the tidal pool with Daddy

Nancypie sure does love her Mimi!

Fishing on the pier. Mark caught a fish! Unfortunately it was only about 3" long. Not big enough for dinner.

Still can't get enough of this nearly camo blonde fluffy baby hair. Bless it.

We're already scoping out spots to stay next year. We're thinking Ocean Isle next time. We'll see...! Cheers to new traditions and new generations! 

Beach Baby Houston

In case you missed this little announcement on Insta yesterday...!
This is the best news of our lives.
It's my longest dream coming true.
Baby Houston is due April 21, 2015!
Words cannot express our joy! 

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Here are a few more pictures taken by my sweet friend Shannon, owner of Shannon Lynn Photography. If you're ever in the area (ILM/Wrightsville/Figure 8/Carolina Beach), be sure to hit her up for a photo sesh! You'll love her as much as I do!! :)

 Mom and I found this onesie on clearance at H&M, and we and couldn't. say. no.

 Mark's idea. And because we cannot take ourselves too seriously. This is ridiculous. My husband is hilarious.

 Dear world, if he's this smitten and obsessed with Amelia, consider yourself warned. We're about to be too much to handle over here.

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4 weeks pregnant | August 2014

For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.  Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I would count them, they are more than the sand.

Psalm 139:13-18a ESV

Pop on over and visit Nina -- because what girl doesn't love flowers in her hair? :) 

My People

Via

Nearly half a year(ish) in the making, and this weekend is finally here.

My people are coming. To Wilmy!

(Another perk of living at the beach! :))

 

You've heard me reference them several times. (Like here, for example!)

They were a HUGE part of the reason leaving Charlotte was so hard. 

They define authentic, selfless, deep, rich, godly community.

We laugh and cry together, pray for each other and sharpen one another.

We all connected in a "2 Becoming 1" marriage Bible study course through our church in the fall of 2012.

Since then a LOT of life has happened:

1 marriage

2 moves to different states 

3 new homes

New jobs/career decisions/changes for all of us

1 church plant in the making (Charlotte/Matthews, NC peeps - check out Mission Community Church!)

2 baby boys

2 baby girls on the way...

[And all the little things in between.]

To say we have tons to talk about this weekend is laughable.

 

Via

These girls are more than my people. They're my sisters in Christ. And I love them dearly. 

Their arrival this afternoon can't come soon enough!!!

 

 All of us with our hubbies (minus Bethany who is taking the picture!) celebrating the end of our 2 Becoming 1 study.Love, love, love these folks. 

Happy [girls beach] weekend!

 

    Be sure to visit Taylor, my champagne sponsor! She's one of my fave DIY extraordinaires!

4th of July Staycation

Our 4th of July long weekend was filled with some of our favorite folks. We celebrated with friends from Wilmington as well as our out-of-town guests, the Hoidals! Last summer we roadtripped to Nashville, TN, with the Hoidal fam, and this year brought a beach vacay/staycation. We plan to make H family vacations an annual thing. :)

Y'all know what's next...the photo recap!

THURSDAY

 Long weekend excitement...

 ...and some well deserved surprises after driving down to Wilmy through Hurricane Arthur.

 Of course I couldn't resist buying Baby Hoidal her first bow. [Gender Reveal blog post here!]

FRIDAY [4TH OF JULY!]

 The boys wasted no time getting in the water.

 And my Englishman wasn't too enthused with the American pride photos. ;) [as seen on Insta!]

 TWO of my favorite gals! :)

 You would never know that a hurricane came though the day before -- it was the perfect beach day!

 Malpal getting some pup snuggles pre 4th of July cookout at our place.

Bffies

 Trader Joe's for the win with appetizers. Always. [And thanks, Mal, for bringing these!!]

 Wine Spritzer with a non-alcoholic wine option for the mama-to-be! [Recipe here]

 H family photo (Mark said he didn't need to wear red, white, and blue since he's English...ha! Womp.)

Totally didn't take pics of our cookout fun and our wonderful guests who made it the best!! Oopsie!

SATURDAY

We beached it during the day again and headed to WB's Mellow Mushroom for lunch, which was obviously fabulous. Pizza is one of my favorite foods by far.

Later in the evening, we headed back across the bridge to Wrightsville to watch the sunset.

 Crusining across the bridge in Marky's "new" jeep

 Cheers!

 We live here?! Doesn't get old.

 Eeeeeek! This pic marks Mal's halfway point -- 20 weeks! And the day baby H's dad felt her in mommy's tummy for the first time!! 

 Good friends and beautiful sunsets. Life is grand.

 Can you tell that we still can't believe we live at the beach?! ;)

 Love, love, love my Malpal!

Wifeys

 Hubbies

 #marriage #andhavingfriendswhoare6'7'' [Thanks Joe!! :)]

 Hoidals

 Mark wanted to join in the pregnancy photo fun...! AHH! 

SUNDAY

 Ending the weekend with a bang? Banana splits circa 9pm. 

While watching our first ever episode of One Tree Hill (I know...how did I never watch it before?!).

We are so thankful to have such wonderful friends back in Charlotte and here in our new city! Thanks to our fraaands who celebrated this weekend with us!!

Also: Pure Barre really hurt yesterday. After a long-weekend hiatus...woof. Getting back in the groove of reality isn't too shabby though. :)

Hope y'all had wonderful 4ths as well!

 

  Be sure to visit Taylor, my champagne sponsor! She's one of my fave DIY extraordinaires!