Thanksgiving in Gulf Shores Alabama

Getting ready to leave from our house. Saying goodbye to the pets and feeding Evan for the LONG drive. You can see Smokey and Oliver want to come too! Wish we could take them but they had awesome babysitters. ;)

Evan's first time to a beach. We got there around 8pm and just HAD to go out right away! It was a lot of fun. Thank you Grandma Jennie and Papa George for letting us come to Gulf Shores a

getting ready for the beach the next morning, it was windy still.

Brooke, Lauren, Nanci & Matt

contemplating then conquering the sandbar. whoo hoo!

sea shell "booty" & family

At the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo, also know to the Animal Planet Channel lovers as "The Little Zoo that Could", T.V. show... we were in for a treat with "LuLu"!

a souvenir from LuLu

"chucky the alligator" in background.

these two cannot be trusted. ;) ok, they can... Michael's brother Matt and his wife Nanci (parents to the darling girls)

having a great time with each other at the zoo...

Matt wants a piece of our action. ;)

our little sailor (thank you melba!)

look how smart i am that i can hold my own plug!?

Builders... and hecklers... :)

(good morning)

me with "my" girls on a morning beach walk with evan

he loved it.

yes, they really are this sweet and beautiful, just like aunt lila. ;) he he he

like father like son with the "mandals" (sandals for men)

a beautiful sunset.

"Gobble till you Wobble" (that's what the shirt says) and first jeans we've bought him. closest to fitting our little man, old navy 0-3mo and they're still baggy!

night walk on the beach. it was actually a little warm.

kickin' it.

day after thanksgiving on the beach, we were all sweating it was so hot ( i got a sunburn and am currently peeling a little). Don't you LOVE evan's cabana?!

first time touching sand. not that interested. ;)

first time being hoisted in the air on the beach... lol.

my mom.... loves me. ;)

beach relaxation

"watching" the action.

daddy's masterpiece

me and aunt nanci, we look cute together, don't you think?

my first touch of ocean on my feet. burr! and... i can never get enough mom time!

(p.s. i love my outfit mom got me at crazy 8. it has a shark on it and it says "teething", the pants are 'waves'. lol. what a riot! of course, as 'advanced' as i am, i'm not quite teething but while on the trip i did start making bubbles come out of my mouth! i am soooo cute! sheesh! since then, i discovered my tounge and am now licking everything i can, sucking on my hand more and slobbering a lot. ;) he he. mom thinks it cute, i think it's manly.)

'someone' doesn't like laying on the sand/shell...

ruining mike's shot of "the shell" I made for photo ops.

ugh! soooooooo precious!

soo hot mom, i don't like sand

Do we have to leave to leave????

finally! the end ( i started this post when it says i posted it but finished on sunday, dec 7th at 9.26pm)

Shannon Hairr Photography

As many of you know, one of my very talented friends, Shannon Hairr is a wonderful Photographer. I was saving the pictures she took when Evan was 2 1/2 weeks old for a special occasion, so here you go. Happy December...

(Stay tuned for gulf shores shots this weekend when I have time. Sorry it wasn't today.)

This one is my very favorite

(Michael wasn't there for the shoot, maybe next time)

The rest are gravy... What do you think?

If you are in the Nashville/Rutherford County area, Shannon is great. Here is her blog which will get you to her contact information: http://shannonhairr.blogspot.com/ . And her website: http://www.shannonhairrphotography.com/

happy thanksgiving.

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Gulf Shores Alabama

We are on our way to a weeks vacation in Alabama on the beach! Michaels parents have invited us for a second year in a row. it's great. Home of 'The Little Zoo that Could' on the Animal Planet Channel, we will be staying in a condo on the beach.It's about a 8-10 hour drive & the first for little Evan.As you can see, he's soaking it up. So far he's doing well but doesn't like being tied to his car seat for so long. ;) The boy wants to stretch his legs. lol. anyway, that's all for now.

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these were uploading to the other post for jenalyn and showed up here so, here you go! lol. this is the cousins first 'playdate'. It began with an innocent eating of the face and ended with Liam taking Evans pacifier to 'play' with it, bully. ;) just kidding jenalyn! liam is hilarious and cute, ESPECIALLY when he thinks a pacifier is a toy to play with.

so f.y.i., we have all established that Evan is a genius right? well, add 'great sleeper' to that growing list! tuesday night, the kid slept for "8" hours straight!! wednesday night he slept for 6 1/2! we love this trend and hope he keeps it up although, i really don't mind getting up with him usually cause i can't wait to see him and his big dark hazel green eyes!

THANK YOU JENALYN!!!!

My Sis (she's number "9 of 11") Jenalyn.

Holding her favorite (Tennessee) Nephew.

GREENWAY ADVENTURE

Start here:
Smokey, "going for a ride" in the back of our truck. He LIVES for this, "Sicking the Kitty", "Walks" and "Treats" (a video or 2 for another time).

Eventually, Liam needed a break from our stroller so Smokey took a turn! lol!

Jenalyn tasting the sap of a Hedgeapple, our new facination. ;) (thanks ash and mom!) Learn more here: http://www.hedgeapple.com/. Go get your hedgeapples today! I bet my family wishes they'd taken some with them if they get rid of SPIDERS and mice, WOW!

Our latest shadow puppet experiment.

Playing at Matt, Nanci's, Brooke and Laurens House. Our nieces, thought Liam would fit perfect in this pink tent (don't tell his dad!). lol.

Haircut During, very cute. Haircut After, EVEN CUTER!
Look at that side part. soooo handsome!

"I'm going to play with you and KISS you! Is that your eyeball?"

My sister Jenalyn was a HUGE help to me with going back to work the day after she arrived. She and her 9 month old son Liam took a vacation from firey, heatwaved, sunny southern california and their husband and daddy Darren (thank you Darren!) to spend one week in 24 - 50 degree freezing tempuratures and RAIN! Poor girl. She loves to exercise and really couldn't get out with all the scenarios but we did get to the local "Greenway" for a little walk on Sunday afternoon. It was about 30 out, topps. I had Evan strapped to me with Jenalyn's Baby Bjorn and Michael pushed Liam in the stroller for most of the walk with Smokey getting to come along. Despite the very cold tempatures, we had a great time together. There will be a little 'surprise' picture in there for all you dog lovers... ;).
We also gave Jenalyn a Haircut while she was here and Liam got a very manly one! He was sooo good and sooooo cute! He had a fabulous time with his cousins Evan and Smokey and his best friend of all.... a walker! I just hope the video will load later. For some reason all pictures won't load for me all day so, stayed tuned . . .

Evan trying to be like his older cousin.

We look forward to comparing their size the next time they meet. Maybe Liam won't try to eat my baby next time or roll over him. lol!
(again... load pictures later)
We love you Jenalyn and Liam! Thank you for all your help and compassion for our son. He loves you and misses you.

A tribute to Liams energy, via videos:

It won't be the same around here without you!

California Based Virtual Shower

Hey California Family and Friends (and a sprinkling of other state friends that Jenalyn said contacted her)! Welcome to our blog! For those of you wondering about this post, my Sister Jenalyn and friend Heather put together a "Virtual Shower" for Evan since we can't get to YOU and so many have become as involved with our wait at we have and asked how they too can celebrate. Now we've invited those who haven't asked too! (we are sooooo generous. wink wink). Anyway, we are not capable of coming to California (where most of our out of state friends/family are) for a few months because of our Adoption costs so we devised this plan. We miss you guys so much and are greatful for a way to include you in celebrating our JOY! So, since this is the first that we know of that a "Virtual" Shower is attempted, we are working out the kinks but the spirit it was created in is here. I had so many of you ask how you can help us or celebrate that in talking to my sister Jenalyn and one of my Best friends since childhood, Heather, this is what we created to include you and invite others that we wanted to know. We wish we could be there in your homes to celebrate the gift of Evan with you but we cannot so we thought this could be fun. In California, we were surrounded with my beloved mentors/leaders from Primary, Young Womens and fellow sisters in Relief Society at church. Also, thier children, my childhood friends, Adult friends from past jobs and strangers we've picked up along the way who have helped me be molded into not only the woman, wife, businesswoman and now mother I am today but who I am hopefully yet to become. I mean it when I think of growing up in Camarillo, Thousand Oaks and Moorpark, I see glimpses of particularly women, who shaped me and influenced me. You know who you are and are especially the people I am sad I do not get to see in person right now.
When our Adoption is finalized in April or May, Michael and I have decided to have Evan sealed to us in the Los Angeles Temple as it is the best chance to have the majority of my siblings surrounding us in their support. We know, we are the ones who moved away and could not expect for them to travel to us. While that happens, we hope to have a big meet and greet at my parents so you can all meet Evan as it would mean so much to us to see you and FINALLY share him with you all. Besides hopefully Isaac will have his mission call and we'll have that to celebrate too! (yes, it's true #11 is THAT old! YIKES!) no pressure Isaac! ;)
On to the shower, We have already recieved notes and gifts! When my uploader will stop, stopping me, I would like to post pictures but would rather not list everyones name so to not overwhelm myself (hope you understand). I will be working on your thank you notes however over thankgiving and am documenting your generosity as meticulously as possible so I don't miss anything.
Again, I wish this could be more personal cause I want so bad to celebrate with you but thank you for your interest and excitement. I cannot wait to see you in 'five' months....
Thank you for all your kind words and support!
Lila