First Family Camping Trip

The Douglas family just returned from our first family camping trip. (Yea! We made it)
We camped in East Texas at Lake of the Piney Woods with our good friends Marianne, Charley and Joshua. What a great, adventurous time we had...

Swimming in the lake...

Shopping around in downtown Jefferson

Audrey enjoying my old fashioned root beer

You might be wondering how Alaina did...

She pretty muched loved it.

The girls both did pretty well considering they didn't hardly nap for 3 days.

Audrey went canoeing for the first time and fishing

Here she is excited about the fish that daddy caught...

And let's not forget Nettie. She is the champion camper.

She was in heaven roaming around the camp.

And she loves the water and the canoe.

Audrey and Joshua had a great time playing together around camp

For some reason Audrey pretty much didn't eat while we were gone.

Snacks, yes. Meals, no. (And we had some great meals!)

Smore time!

To sum it all up...I would say...beautiful...hot...nice warm swimming water...great canoeing...loud neighboring campers...great friends...yummy food...fun day on the town...no naps...early mornings...coffee...happy puppies...kids laughing...dysfunctional camp bathrooms...dirty hands, faces and feet...well, dirty everything really...family sleeping in the tent together...digging in the dirt...sweating...bug spray...red cheeks...walks together...good times!

it's baby food time

can anyone tell me what website I used to make baby food?

A New Hiding Place

Audrey is discovering all kinds of new places in our house. What an adventure.
She played hide and seek in our closet while we got ready for church on Sunday.
She points at us and says "1,2,3,4,5", we count, and she hides until we get to "5".

Then she pops out and says "found you!"
Cutie.

Waterpiller FUN

Happy 6 Months Alaina!

Today is Alaina's 6 month birthday! Wow, the time has flown.

Look at our big girl...

She is pretty much sitting on her own now, loves playing with toys and is always smiling.
As you can tell she smiles with her eyes.

What a joy you are baby girl!

We can't wait to see what the next 6 months holds...your first camping trip is this weekend...many "firsts" to come.

She Likes It! She Likes It!

Alaina is officially a cereal eater now! Yea!
It's amazing to me how one day a baby won't eat cereal and the next they decide they're ready.

Alaina was definitely this way. I mean, last week she held her mouth clamped shut so tight there was no getting anything in there. She was NOT having it.

This week she is all over it. And loving sitting in a highchair at the table with the family.

She talks like crazy when I'm feeding her.



We have a big girl on our hands. 2 big girls that is. Here they are playing puzzles together:

Big girls.

Mothers

It seems that I am still thinking about Mothers even after Mother's Day has passed. I feel very, well "full" seems to be the word that best describes it, I feel very full as I think about some of the mothers in my life. Some mothers that mean alot to me. I have been thinking about you all alot this week.

My own mother of course - there aren't enough words to describe what she means to me. She has loved, cared for, supported me like no other. She is my best friend.

My Nanny. There could be no sweeter grandmother. I loved her so much and think of countless amazing memories of her love for me. I so wish my girls could have known her. There is a hole in our lives where she should be.

Sarah. You are raising amazing kids. I pray that my girls will be as sweet, smart, beautiful and loving as yours are. You help me so much as I raise Audrey and Alaina. And I am so thankful for how you love my girls.

Connie. You are such an example for me. Really, you are. I hope I can be a mom like you.

Katie. We shared an amazing journey of having our 1st babies together. That's a special journey I really shared with no other.

Marianne, Becca and Amy - I love being a mother alongside you all. I love sharing this time with you all. The ins and outs, questions and solutions, feeding, playing, potty training. So fun to walk through this with you.

Kelli, Allie and Kim - I have been thinking so much lately of just the blessing of your babies. They are each amazing answers to prayer and I love that. I remember the many prayers and how it felt to pray them. now I think of each of your sweet babies. Wow. And you are all precious mothers.

Kelly - You are a wonderful mother. I know your life isn't always easy, but it amazes me to see you being the mother you are to your precious boys.

Wow. What a different place in life I am in. I couldn't have imagined even a few years ago what the feelings would be of being a mother, but also I am so learning that kindred spirit kind of feeling of having you other mothers with me and going before me. I love it.

Sisters

My precious girls...

Sweet sisters

Audrey 2 years

Alaina 5 months

I absolutely cannot wait to see these girls grow up together.