You had a birthday shout hooray!!!

Our sweet baby Lois turned One today!!! Seems like just yesterday I was beached on that hospital bed while I chowed down on ice chips and hallucinated off of my epidural. Her first year on earth has been a delight. She is just precious and such a fun little lady to have in our family.


Porter and I woke her up this morning to the lovely sounds of us singing her "Happy Birthday" she was a bit dazed at first, as you can see. (Family ... doesn't she look like Sienna?)

Once she got a grip and was awake enough to comprehend what was going on she was all smiles and screams of excitement from there on out.

We are soo lucky!!!


I just couldn't help myself, I had to give Porter a candle on his pop tart as well.



After the kiddos finished their breakfast of champions, Porter helped me make Lois's cupcakes.


Strawberry banana and chocolate cupcakes. This was the first year that we have not ordered a sheet cake large enough to feed a small army. It was weird not having all of our family and friends to celebrate with, but being able to share her special day between just us 4 was perfection.

I'm One!!!

Lois really enjoyed opening her presents. As well as trying to gobble up any paper or ribbon in the process.


Her gift from Porter. He picked out this mermaid just for her (Although we all know he has alterior motives to steal it in hopes that we won't notice.)




Saying hello to her new baby doll.


Loee loves to be rocked while I sing lullabys to her. When I saw her pick up that baby and starting rocking it back and forth it made me want to cry. It was definitely a moment that I have longed for when I first knew we were expecting a girl. As a child I was such a girly girl. I had barbies and babies of many sorts. I always handled them gently and tried to keep them looking as brand new as the day they came out of their box. Who is to say that Lois may or may not be as I was, but one thing is for sure ... she doesn't have to do much to make my heart smile.

Sesame Street is one of the two shows that she has a slight interest in, so this Cookie Monster was only fitting to give her.

I see more Sean in her looks than I do myself. No complaints here, my husband is very easy on the eyes.

The famous diaper baby endulging in their first birthday cake.

Yep, we just let her loose on the dining table. She scooted across it and spun in circles in between bites. Every once in awhile she would look up at us as if to say "You guys really are allowing me to be up here and make this mess?"

Perfect end to a perfect day. Clean, lotioned, worn out babies.

To the Beach

Over the weekend we drove down to Corpus Christi to camp on the beach. It was a nice, short getaway from San Antonio. The kids loved being there and playing in the sand and ocean. I loved not having a care in the world and not being that dang apartment. Sean loved his clear mind and not being at Fort Sam Houston and the dogs loved practicing their hunting skills. He hiked those dunes until it got too dark to see.

Lois thought she was so grown up, being able to just sit in her own chair. Wow she truly is BIG she turns 1 year old this Thursday!!!

Our attack Dachshunds. Ruby and Mini ran along the beach for hours perfectly content chasing the birds. Ruby was really good about swimming back and forth from the ocean to the shore, although her backend tends to drag. She is sooo long. Mini on the other hand, she is special and didn't enjoy swimming quite as much.

Once Sean showed Porter how to make a sand castle he worked on his own little creation until we made him come in up to camp.

They are best friends. He loves to play with her and to torment her. She loves just being near Porter. Following him around and trying to do what he does.

Playing with her shadow.

Porter was right at home being there. He is such a fish.

I think that a quarter of the beach ended up in Lois's mouth.

Building their sand castles

Aren't couch forts the BEST

I know that our family thinks so!!! Friday we spent the night inside tearing the house apart, building couch forts, and sleeping in the tent on the kitchen floor. If you ask me it was the perfect way to spend our evening together.

Typical choice of toys ... toothbrush and dog collar. Don't judge me.

Ruby is our "killer" dog. Both kids anticipating her attack :)

Little tykes

Porter is at the age where he wants to help cook and bake. Although he may not eat it afterwards he sure does enjoy making the food. This bowl of "delicious goodness" started out as applesauce, which he then added banana bread, raisins and canteloupe to. Much to say he played with it, but never ate one bite.

She will eat anything edible or non edible that she can get her hands on. We bought a canteloupe and she ate the entire thing all by herself, leaving none for us to enjoy. Which is fine with me. I will take a baby who eats well and enjoys variety. Porter never was that kind of child ... and still isn't.

Porter seriously has one of the best imaginations that I have seen a kid have. He is so curious and once you introduce him to something new he holds onto it and finds ways to incorporate each and every thing into his playtime. Here he is in his zoo that he made. He is being a caribou, which soon went to a cheetah, and then an armadillo. He loves all animals but those of you who know him best will know that his most favorite is the ELEPHANT. He probably has 10 toy elephants and is always asking for more.

Enjoying our afternoons spent together at home.

My favorite little boy in the entire universe!!!

Lois loves the telephone. She will find anything and put it up to her ear to talk into.

Even in Texas we manage to find the carnivals that we love sooo much. We took the kids to Poteet for the Strawberry Festival. It was a fun HOT day and Porter had a ball riding some of the rides.

It was SOOO blazing hot!!! The kids got ice cream to cool themselves down a bit.

How could we not give into that face and let her indulge in some homemade strawberry ice cream?

She is into EVERYTHING and ANYTHING that she can get her hands on. What a busy little body she has become and along with that comes trying to walk. She took her first step on Sean's 28th birthday. What a special present for her daddy! Soon we will be celebrating her 1st birthday and Porter's 4th. Wow our kids are growing soo fast and time is flying by. Eachday is a reminder just how precious this life is and that we should cherish every moment we have together.

Sean starts block 7 tomorrow in his BMET training, so only 5 more blocks to go until he graduates all 11 blocks. Biomedical Equipment Technician is ranked in the top 5 hardest courses that the military offers. It is very stressful and ALOT of hardwork and studying is put into it. Please keep him in your prayers. He is home long enough to eat dinner, say goodnight to the kids and then go to bed himself. We really only have some Saturday's and most Sunday's spent together, but we will take what we can get. Texas has become our home and we are enjoying this experience that we are so lucky to have. Who knows where we will go from here, but one thing is for sure. We have eachother and we know that The Lord will continue to bless our family if we are faithful and put our trust in him. We LOVE you all and will see most of you soon.