Family fun in the sun!

What fun a family beach trip is! 

We took a little trip down south to Crystal Beach off of Bolivar Island near Galveston for a week with my side of the family. My parents, brother and wives, and nephews and nieces all went (15 total). We rented a 4 bedroom house right on the beach. It was lovely! I went from pj's to my swim suit  and then back to pj's most days...didn't wear makeup for 5 days and didn't drive a car. We ate well, slept well,  and played hard in the the ocean. It was a special time away with family to make some memories.

This was the first time for my girls to see and experience the ocean, and they are both FANS now.

Mags on our first day there...

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Me and my girl...

Feeding the sea gulls...or as Mag's likes to call them..."beach eagles". Ha!

Sitting in the surf...

Stove-top smores....love them! Aren't those sunkissed faces so cute?

Perfect waves for swimming, playing, ocean kayaking, tubing and boogie boarding. We did them all!

A view from the beach looking towards our house. Ours was the peach colored one, 5th from the right.

Snack time on the shore...

The guys enjoyed a little beach horse-shoes game.

Our little set up, every day. It was perfect. We had shade, transportation, entertainment, food/drink and plenty of sunscreen. What more could you want?

My little family...

My darling parents...

Our entire gang! 

My oldest brother Justin and wife Melissa...and their little ones Morgan, Jerod and Joshua.

My other brother Jason and wife Lindsay...and their little ones Macy and Jackson.

Sadie loved the sand and surf...she would crawl all around and loved the freedom.

Such a cutie!

Craft time with Gigi!

My summer girl!

It has been decided that this will be an annual or every other year kind of trip for us. We just had the best time and really got to reconnect and enjoy one another as a family. What a joy and blessing it is to have such a loving and sweet family. They are some of my greatest treasures!

Love to all,
Leah

P.S To finish off the week, Todd and I came home via San Antonio with the girls to go to Sea World and stay at the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort. Pics and a post about that to come soon. :)

Happy 4th Birthday Maggie!!!

Talk about back-blogged...let''s go back a month and celebrate my big girl turning 4!

It was a happy birthday, indeed for my Maggie Caroline.

We celebrated with 3 of her sweetest girlfriends and had a dress up day at a little local girls salon, called Girly Girl. The girls got to play in the dress up closet, have their nails painted, hair done in an up-do with glitter hairspray and had little glittery eye shadow and lip gloss applied. Then they got to play on the stage with a microphone and be silly. We had snacks, refreshments and cupcakes. 

It was a very girly party and I think Maggie and her pals had a fun time!

The refreshments table...

My sweet girl found her way to the dress up closet quite quickly...

Maggie and her cousin Lucy and sweet pal Ashton.

Best of friends...Aubrey, Maggie, Ashton and Lucy.

Getting their up-do's...

My NaNa and Mom got to come too, and they were a big help with Sadie.

My sweet girl, all glittered up. Such a sweet picture of her. She is such a beauty to me.

Getting her nails painted...

Rainbow nails was the choice for all of them...so fun!

Can you say...party nails?!?

Time for cupcakes...

Love this picture, caught her blowing her candle out at the exact time. Love that "making a wish" face!!!

Mags is an icing kind of girl! Yumm-o!

Time for gifts...

Lots of spoiling...she is much loved!

It was a day right up Mag's alley. She loves all things girly and glittery!

And then when she got home...Daddy had our surprise for her. She had quickly outgrown her bike we bought her at Christmas, and it was time for a bigger one. She loves being outside and riding bikes. It's pink and Barbie. She was so excited!

Maggie is our most favorite 4 year old in the world! We love her so much, and feel so blessed that God chose us to be her parents. She in one strong, sweet, precious girl!

Happy 4th Birthday Maggie Caroline! We pray this next year is filled with health, ease, fun and love!

Summer (well almost summer) Cuties!

My girls both love to be outside...this weather has just been the best lately. We have been riding bikes, doing sidewalk chalk and playing with the neighbor kids almost every night. We are very ready for official summer time fun. We are counting down the minutes until our neighborhood pool opens.

Isn't she just such a doll? We are so smitten with our cutie pie Sadie Rose! 

First sandals of the season...man...baby feet in sandals...so adorable! 

Maggie has just about rode the tread off of her bicycle. She is already for the next size up. She loves to ride!

These are my favorite times of the year! We are some SUMMER-loving girls!

Love to all,

Leah

Dancing queen...Maggie's tap/ballet recital!

Maggie has been taking a little class of ballet and tap at our local Community Center. She has enjoyed the time learning some fun moves. She had a small recital yesterday, Friday the 20th. The recital had an Americana theme. She danced to "The Grand Ole Flag", and "God Bless the USA". It was a really fun time for us to see our girl on stage. She did really good!

Our little ballerenia...

First time to wear makeup...a little blush and red lipstick!

Mommy and her little star...

Daddy and his dancing queen...

Waiting in line...

The Grand Ole Flag tap dance...Thats a lot of tutu's, right?

Sister Sadie...being entertained!

Ready for her ballet dance...

Sweet little ballet slippers...

God Bless the USA dance...

After it was all over...the dancers got their very own flag and cute little trophy!

Such a sweet little time for our little dancing queen!

Love to all,

Leah