The Results are in..........

Our new family

A few weeks ago Brad and I decided to host a gender reveal party, something to spice up this second pregnancy. So Friday I had my 18 week ultrasound and it was extremely hard not to find out the sex of this baby. We did find out that baby Miles #2 was healthy. So we the technician jot down the gender of our new baby and seal in an envelope. I then took it to a local baker to make us a double layer cake and dye the inside icing either pink or blue, depending on the results in the top secret envelope. This weekend luckily we were super busy, or else I would have been trying to peek.

Finally, Monday was here......D-Day! We had our family and close friends join us for fajita's, fun and of course the cake! The party turned out very well, we had plenty of activities to keep the kids entertained like a jump castle, a swing set, tee-ball and a bubble machine. The adults enjoyed adult drinks and good food.

At last everyone had arrived and had eaten so we could finally cut the cake.......eeek! I had been nervous for two days now. Brad has said girl this entire pregnancy, while I said boy.........view the pictures to see who was correct.

Avery Reese enjoying the jump castle

The cake

The big moment......

BOY!!!!!!!

Avery Reese enjoying the 'blue' cake

Girls Weekend

Brad had the luxury of spending the weekend in Antigua........yes that's right, the lovely Virgin Island, Antigua. Unfortunetly, Avery Reese and I did not go even though we were invited (it's a long story). Anyways, Brad is vacationing in Antigua for his brother's wedding and I am sitting in Little Rock......hmmmm.

Luckily I have a fabulous mother who came down to visit Avery Reese and I for a girls weekend. Grandma T came to town late Thursday evening and Avery Reese and her spent Friday morning swinging and shopping. After Avery Reese's nap the three of us went to get pedicures; it was Avery Reese's first pedicure and she loved every minute of it! She was amazed with the bubbling water, the lotion rub down, and picking out the perfect color. She picked out purple and the lady through in extra white polka dots on her big toes.....Avery thought that was the coolest!

showing off her color choice

finished product

Saturday we got the surprise chance to have a video call with Brad and then we took Avery Reese to Funland in North Little Rock. I have lived here for 9 years now and had never heard of this amusement park for small children. Avery Reese was apprehensive at first, but after her first train ride she was ready to rock and roll. She rode the carousel 6 times in a row(changing horses each time, of course). Then she rode the car ride twice and a smaller train. She got braver with each ride and rode a ferris wheel and then the carousel 3 more times. We definitely got our $10 worth!

I am exhausted, but we had a great girls' weekend.......screw Antigua!!!

Teacher Gifts

This week was Teacher Appreciation week at Avery Reese's preschool. We have been so blessed to have the same teachers last year and this year, Mrs. Iva and Ms. Shayne are wonderful!! It will be very hard to part with them next year (for both Avery Reese and I).

So the parents and staff provided a luncheon for the teachers Thursday (luckily some of my triple chocolate chip bundt cake was left over). We also gave Avery Reese's teachers a gift of our appreciation, they each received a gift card for a favorite place and I made citrus body scrub for them as well. I found this super easy recipe on the Paula Deen website. I hope they enjoy their gifts as much as we enjoy them.

Citrus Salt Body Scrub

1/2 cup sea salt

1/2 cup sweet almond oil (can substitute light olive oil

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon orange zest

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients making sure to not let any water touch them as it will dissolve the salt. Pour mixture into an airtight container and store in a cool dry place.

Easter and Festivities

Surprisingly, we had dry weather for both Avery Reese's Easter egg hunt as well as Easter day. I think the sun even poked it's head out briefly. Just like her birthday and Christmas, Easter was more fun this year as she was older and understood the activities a little more clearly.

The weekend prior to Easter we visited Grandma and Grandpa Langum and Avery Reese got the pleasure to dye eggs with Grandma T. She had fun, but would have had more fun if Grandma would have let go of the reins a little more.

Helping Grandma with the dyed eggs......being extra careful not to touch the wet eggs

Eating breakfast Grandma style......powdered donuts

Finished product including googly eyes

That same weekend we visited my best friend Amber who recently gave birth to a sweet baby boy Elliot Gregory. And we also took Avery Reese to her first Razorback football game. It was the spring practice game, but still a lot of fun.

The weekend of Easter we took Avery Reese to a local softball park to go on an Easter egg hunt, but I think she preferred the playground instead of hunting. It was very cloudy and the ground was 'soupy', but I dressed her in her Easter outfit and just crossed my fingers she decided not to roll around in the mud. She had a great time hunting the eggs with Brad, but was really interested to double and triple checking that each egg had some sort of candy inside. (I think I was more competitive than Brad was this year). After inspecting all her goodies she wanted to play on the playground again, but this time she was really brave and slide down the two big slides! She is growing up so fast and wants to be so independent these days. (I know come October I will relish in her independence, but today I still want my baby girl).

Hunting

and more hunting

Showing off her wealth in eggs

Checking out the candy

Easter Sunday was wonderful, again the rain held off. Avery Reese enjoyed the gifts the Easter Bunny left her including a baby doll that swims in the bath and lots and lots of chocolate!Brad's mom, brother and our future sister in law joined us at church for a touching sermon. And afterwards we had an amazing Easter feast and Katie even joined in on the fun. Praise God for his glorious gifts!

Family photo