Our Last Day...

We spent the last day of our summer vacation....

in pajamas.

watching multiple movies.

swimming in a chilly pool.

taking a nap on the couch with Angie.

getting Chili's To-Go.

sipping on a cocktail.

not making beds and not doing laundry.

And it was perfect.

We are ready for the school year.......I think.

Beach Vacation!

We definitely hit the ground running during the month of June...the first two weeks of summer were filled with doctor's appointments, swim classes and even some professional development.  So my little family was definitely ready for some relaxation in the sun when we headed down to the beach the last week in June.  

As Craig and I were discussing potential vacation plans way back in January, I mentioned that my favorite family vacation growing up was actually the summers that we spent renting a cabin on the lake.  But since we don't have a boat (nor did we want to rent one) I suggested that perhaps a beach trip was in order.  Craig took the bull by the horns and immediately began investigating beach house rentals as well as what would be the best beach to visit in Texas.  We also decided to rent a house because Natalie requires three meals a day and that could get expensive rather quickly.  By having a house with a full kitchen I could pack stuff for breakfast, snack and all the in-betweens in an effort to save money.We wanted to stay away from the Galveston area but also didn't want to head down to South Padre because that's a LONG drive with a two-year-old.  So it was settled that we would be vacationing in Rockport, just a little northeast up the coast from Port Aransas and Corpus Christi.  If you have small children I definitely recommend it - a great beach with shallow, clean and clear water and a wonderfully quaint downtown area.

So without further ado....our vacation.

We left the house around 6:00 in the morning because when mapped out on my phone, the trip looked like it would take about six hours...without the necessary stops made to accommodate a two-year-old.  It was actually a beautiful drive - we got off the interstate in Waco and took a two lane highway the rest of the way down to the coast.  It gave us an opportunity to drive through some super cute small towns (some that I immediately Googled and Zillowed to look for job and house opportunities!) as well as take a little side trip where Craig indulged the history nerd in me...

The mission and presidio at Goliad where 300 men who had been captured during the Texas Revolution by Santa Anna's army were executed.  Seeing this historic site really put everything into perspective for me - I was able to see how close these buildings were to each other; how the presidio sits on a hill with an amazing view on the valley below; how the oh-so-important source of water runs right next to both the presidio and the mission.  

I am so thankful that my husband could hear the excitement in my voice as I realized that Goliad was ONLY a thirty minute departure from our route and HOW COOL it would be if I was able to visit this historic site.

Mission Espiritu Santo

The entrance to the presidio near Goliad, Texas.

The chapel at the presidio.

My loves in one of the towers that would hold on-duty soldiers protecting the presidio and mission.

The open yard where most of the 300 soldiers were executed.

Craig was in charge of searching for and narrowing down our choices for beach house and he did an absolutely WONDERFUL job.  The house was right on the water and had enough space so that four adults and one toddler could co-exist quite happily without feeling like we were all on top of each other.

The front of our house.

The view off the front porch down the canal.

My dad and Natalie - these two spent a whole lot of time sitting on that balcony talking about all the different boats and ships that passed by our house.

Those bright blue eyes have faded since her infancy and have settled into a quiet (and meaningful) shade of gray.

Happy to be relaxing on the balcony with my little girl.

There was a lot of THIS on our vacation.

The gorgeous and peaceful view off the back of the house.

Craig and Natalie heading off to the water!

My parents examining the beach.

We typically hit the beach each morning at 10:00 which was late enough to be warm......

but early enough for us to score some sweet shade.

I really think we hit the jackpot - this is one of the prettier beaches I've experienced on the Texas coast.

My whole family digging in the sand.

First time in the water!

The princess child sitting on her throne and chomping on some snack.  Swimming in the water and digging in sand is HARD WORK when you're two!

Since my parents have been so generous with their time and energy since Craig and I had Natalie, we decided to treat them to a delicious dinner at Seafood and Spaghetti Works in Port Aransas.  And of course we also had to do a little driving around and site seeing as well.

Natalie and her dolphins - she actually was able to spot a couple from the back of our beach house!

So happy to spend time with our daughter and my parents.

Granddaddy and Natalie checking out the boats.

Natalie and her Nonna.

Cool girls in our sweet shades taking fun pictures while waiting for our ferry to take us back to the mainland from Port Aransas.

What is a vacation without ice cream!?

Natalie and her daddy cuddling on the couch.

This is one of my absolute favorite pictures of them for a few reasons - first of all, notice her arms...always have to be just like Mommy and Daddy; and secondly...check out that look on her face!  Total love and devotion to her Daddy.

Family selfie!

By the third morning of our stay, we were all a little worn out from sitting in the sun so we headed thirty minutes down the coast and spent a few hours at the aquarium in Corpus Christi.  Of course Natalie loved looking at the fish, dolphins, turtles, alligators and otters.  And I think all four accompanying adults had just as good a time watching Natalie enjoy her animals.

Checking out the USS Lexington which sits in the water across from the aquarium.

Worn out from a morning at the aquarium.

The holy grail of BIG boats for Natalie - a double barge.

This vacation was exactly what Craig and I had been hoping and praying for since we booked it in January.  The perfect location, the perfect house and a wonderful time with my parents and Natalie.

I can't wait for next summer to do it all over again!

Water Babies

Swimsuit shopping.

Ugh.  It's not pretty.  It's not fun.  And most of the time, it's left me in tears.

Now add in having some extra squishiness from carrying an eight pound baby girl?  

A million times worse.

I made the official switch this summer from bikinis to one piece swimsuits for a multitude of reasons, the first being that squishiness mentioned above.  I've also gotten a wee bit more modest in my older age and not everyone needs to be seeing me parading around in teeny tiny pieces of fabric.  And then there's the practicality of the situation - Natalie is bigger and more active in the water and I have to be comfortable to move quickly and easily when playing with her.

So one pieces it is.  Once I had made my decision the hard work began - finding a swimsuit that flattered my figure and wasn't a gazillion dollars.  

As with everything else in life, when in doubt.....GO TO TARGET.

I was pleasantly surprised at the selection and quality of the swimsuits.  I honestly thought that I would be quickly going down the one-piece swimsuit rabbit hole and would wind up spending my summer sitting by the pool in a swimsuit a la the Duggars.

But instead I found lots of great fashionable styles that fit my body well and still made me feel "cute" but covered up as well.  Without further ado, here is what I'll be sporting in the sun this summer.

Mossimo separates "mix and match"

  I have the top (which also comes with a attachable halter style strap) but not these bottoms.  I bought bikini style bottoms in the same horizontal black and white stripe.  I mostly wear this swimsuit around our pool in the backyard and I rarely use the strap so that I can get a nice even tan on my shoulders and neck area.

Merona halter top in pink with gold details

This swimsuit kind of caught me off guard because it's totally out of my fashion comfort zone with all the hot pinkness and blingity bling.  BUT...it looks and fits fabulous and again, I can lay out in the backyard with the neck straps down and not get any tan lines.

Alright.  You're going to need to use your imagination on this one.  I found this swimsuit HERE but this is not the swimsuit I actually own.  Picture this style but with a turquoise top and black bottom - keep the ruching though.  Got it?  Okay.  The reason I couldn't find the link on the Target website is because I actually bought this particular swimsuit LAST summer and therefore any sort of link to it has disappeared into internet oblivion.  This is probably the most flattering swimsuit on me because it sucks in my belly the most and then the ruching covers up any remaining jiggle.

And the wee one?  It's much easier finding a swimsuit for an adorable toddler.  Never mind the fact that she has absolutely no clue that she can't swim.  We have certainly evolved past the cruise around in the baby float stage and she is squirming all over the place - learning to kick, stroke and blow bubbles in the water.  The best part of having a daughter that just might be part fish?  The water WEARS.  HER.  OUT.  And the second best thing.......she's inherited my Italian-olive-easy-to-tan skin and there's nothing more adorable than tan lines on a little baby butt.  

Circo Toddler Girls Long Sleeve Cover-Up

Natalie hates being dried off with towels so I can throw this over her body and get her dry without the tears and fighting.

Circo Toddler Girls Pink Hawaiian Suit

Circo Girls Toddler Ruffled Suit in Blue

Here are Natalie's two main swimsuits - one serious swimming suit up above in the pink and then a fun and frivolous girly suit complete with ruffles.  I'm not big on two piece bikinis on little girls; I'd like to hold off on that battle as long as possible and plus, with all the running around and hard core PLAYING that she does in the water, she needs something that will stay on her body and not interfere with her activity.  

Circo Toddler Sunglasses

I know.  Toddler sunglasses.  But they're turquoise and they match her ruffly swimsuit.  And she's only little once.  And they were really only $5.99.  And believe it or not - she does wear and keep them on her face about 65% of the time.  

Speedo Toddler Mary Jane Swim Shoes

Best swimming purchase ever.  The concrete is hot and the pool deck is rough.  By putting these on Natalie's feet, she can confidently play in and around the pool without fear of burning or scraping her precious little feet and toes.

So that's what we're sporting this summer.  I love that my girl loves the water and shows absolutely NO fear when it comes to getting in and splashing around.  Swimming has always been a summer staple with my grandma, my mother and myself and I've been loving watching Natalie find the same enjoyment in water as I do.

Summer Vacation

Last week I finally allowed myself to revel in the close proximity we are to summer vacation.  As a teacher, you never want to start counting down the days TOO early because then time will pass much too slowly.  But seeing as how I finalized my lesson plans for the last three weeks of school (one more week of volleyball with JUST 6th grade girls and two weeks of PE's Greatest Hits plus three days of finals....if you're curious) I can officially embrace my impending vacation and start making plans.

So what is on my personal list as well as our family list for the summer vacation?

1. REORGANIZE THE KITCHEN: Obviously this is on my own personal list and I am hiring the help of my uber organized and efficient mother to assist in this task.  I have a great big pantry that has lots of space, but right now it's just not utilized in the best possible way.  I need to clean out some party supplies and store them elsewhere as well as invest in lots of storage jars for pasta, snacks and baking supplies.  Also, the people who previously owned our house chose to haphazardly line the cabinets and drawers with the stick on liner paper which not only looks tacky but is coming up in several locations.

2. BEAUTIFY THE BACKYARD: Our backyard isn't huge by any means and our green space back there is limited, but what we lack in grass we make up in POOL.  Having direct access to a swimming pool in the Texas summers is not only practical and invaluable, but it also makes us incredibly popular.  Why would my friends want to go to the public pool when my house is open for free?  Unfortunately surrounding our pool is a hot mess right now.  We have what could be beautiful landscaping if it wasn't for the mild winter that we had this year - due to the lack of cold, hard freezes the weed population in this area is booming and the crevices between the rock landscaping is no exception.  In addition to hacking through the weeds and general overgrowth that has accumulated, Craig and I have plans to purchase a huge hanging umbrella that would cover a large portion of the patio so that Natalie can have a space to cool off after swimming or to play at her water table without her skin getting fried.  I would also like the little gray bistro table and chairs that I was swooning over at Target the other week, but for right now I'm happy with my two new lounge chairs and table that will be perfect for tanning and reading while Natalie takes her afternoon naps.

3. WINKIDS CLASS WITH NATALIE: I have a very dear friend Jill with whom I have shared the ups and downs of PPD and first time motherhood over the past year.  We met during my first year at my current middle school - it was my first year as a head volleyball coach and PE teacher and hers as an assistant coach and Spanish teacher.  Her daughter Joley is about six months older than Natalie but just as active, determined and full of energy.  Jill and I are planning on signing the girls up for a weekly toddler gym style class where they can get out all their energy, play together and oh yeah - time for Jill and I to sit around and chat as well.

4. PICTURES AND BABY BOOK: I have tried my best to be diligent in the way that I keep track of and organize the first year of Natalie's life.  On my flash drive I have a folder of pictures devoted to her first year and then within that folder, there are subfolders marked for each month.  Now that she is a year old, I'm switching to "Spring 2012" and then "Summer 2012" etc. because I think that will make things a little easier.  In addition to the baby book that I have kept for her which denotes all the milestones and special events of her first year, I've also been putting all the pictures we take here, there and all around in a big black picture album.  Unfortunately, I ran out of space in the album around her baptism which was when she was eight months old.  I've got my work cut out for me this summer for sure.  I want to print off the remainder of the pictures from the past five months (plus whatever we take between now and June) and put them in a new album.  I also need to finish up gluing in random pictures from the first year into her baby book.  The hardest part is finding the time to sort through the pictures and put them into some cohesive order for the album but if I can send Natalie away with Craig for the day, hopefully I can buckle down and get it all situated.

5. VACATION: If you go back through this blog over the course of the......is it FOUR or FIVE years?!.....then you will notice a theme with Craig and I - we absolutely love to travel.  What we save on buying expensive clothes and stuff for the house, we spend on fabulous vacations.  Sigh.  But alas, with the addition of Natalie to our family, this year's vacay will be slightly different.  Craig tossed around the idea of the two of us jetting off to San Francisco for a few days in August for my birthday but even though I was excited about the prospect of discovering a city I've never been to - the thought of getting on a plane seemed exhausting and daunting.  Then we got a Save the Date in the mail from his cousin.  She is getting married at the end of June at a beautiful resort on a lake in Hill Country near Austin.  A lightbulb went off over my head.  Why don't we just make a vacation out of his cousin's wedding?  It's right after Craig's big summer NCAA sanctioned basketball tournament and he'll be itching to get out of town for a few days.  What's better than cruising down I35 to San Antonio, spending a few nights on the Riverwalk and a day at Sea World with the munchkin before heading up to the wedding?  Brilliant!  And then he added on this little bit - since his mother and sister will also be attending the wedding, they're going to bring Natalie back to DFW while Craig and I meander around Austin for a few days and nights and have a proper momma-daddy vacation.  Perfect.  Now it sounds all good in theory but then I realized that we're heading to San Antonio and Austin IN THE MIDDLE OF JULY IN TEXAS.  Yikes.

6. OLYMPIC LOCKDOWN: It never fails.  Every four years I sit on my couch in the living room or on my bed and I cry at the opening ceremonies of the Olympics.  I think that since Americans are SO patriotic and proud of the freedom that we enjoy here in the states that sometimes we forget about the fact that other citizens in other countries are JUST as proud of their own country as we are of ours.  I cry at the ONE proud competitor from the smallest and poorest of nations.  The one who enters the gigantic stadium surrounded by only a few important coaches and handlers, proudly waving the flag of his nation.  The one who has, in all reality, absolutely NO real chance at earning a medal, but promises to make his entire country proud just by competing to the best of his ability.  I eat that crap up and by the end of the night I am a tearful mess on the couch, waxing poetic about the global community, pride for my country and the beauty of how sports can bring us together.  Seriously.  Ask Craig.  Or Lauren, my old college roomie.  Together, she and I were on Olympic Lockdown for the 2004 Olympics which included us not leaving our apartment for an entire weekend.  No lie.  We only ate food that we could find in our cabinets or could have delivered to us.  On that note - did you know that Jason's Deli in Denton delivers?  Genius.  We watched the bios of the athletes and by the end of the two weeks, we could recite the specific personality differences between a rifleman and an athlete that uses a shotgun.  There might have even been an evening spent in Chili's where we badgered the bartender to change the televisions from baseball (booooorrrring) to the Olympics (huzzah!).  Or maybe the night where Michael Phelps was poised to break the Olympic swimming medal record............yet there was a brand spanking new episode of Nip/Tuck on as well.  This was well before the age of DVR (plus we were broke ass college kids) so we recorded Nip/Tuck in the living room and had the Olympics on in Lauren's bedroom and spent an hour running back and forth between rooms trying to keep up with both.  I know, I probably sound ridiculous about my love and addiction to the Olympics but as an athlete and someone who sees all the wonderful and positive aspects of sports and competition, I revel in the world wide camaraderie and collective cheers.  Oh.  And on a personal note, my grandfather on my mother's side was all set to compete in the mile run for the USA in the 1940 Olympics............but there was that whole "we gotta defeat those Nazis" thing and the whole Olympics (and my grandpa's chance at a medal) were scrapped.  Instead of a trip to the Olympics, he enlisted and got to tour Europe by dropping bombs up and down the interior of Italy.  So there's that.

And this little girl?

Yeah, there will be a lot of hanging out with her as well.  She'll be a completely different kiddo when we drop her off at Ms. Rebecca's house in August.  More and more everyday she is becoming my little girl and less of my baby girl.

Summer

SUMMER GOALS:

1. Transition Natalie to her crib in her bedroom: I don't think it's going to be that difficult.  She is a very good sleeper and has been sleeping through the night since she was about six weeks old.  I tried it on Sunday afternoon by swaddling her and then putting her in the crib for a nap.  I had the monitor on and I didn't hear a peep from her at all.  I have a feeling it might be a little harder for me than for her - that bedroom all of a sudden seems VERY far away.

2. Summer reading: I have a huge stack of books sitting on my nightstand that I would really like to work my way through this summer.  Whether it's while nursing or laying out by the pool, hopefully I will find the time and energy to read instead of watch countless hours of mindless television.

3. Work-out: Since I've been back at school the past few weeks, I have found time during my 4th period conference to get back into the gym...and I am loving it.  I had to start off slow and with minimal weights, but I am quickly working my way back to where I left off last summer before I got pregnant.  Unfortunately, this summer my school is undergoing major renovations and I won't be able to access our weight room so I'm going to reactivate my LA Fitness membership and get my rear up to the gym for cardio and weights at least three times a week.  I figure I can do it in the mornings after I pump and feed Natalie and then hand her off to her daddy for play time and a morning nap.  There is no sleeping in with a three month old.

4. Natalie's Baby Book: My mom kept the most meticulous and in depth baby books for me and my two older brothers.  Sure...she might have been a little OCD about it but the book has really come in handy in trying to figure out Natalie and how she compares to me.  I have a lot of pictures I need to print off and tape into the book and I need to keep better track of all her important "firsts."

5. Paint a wall in my living room: Beige is boring and my living room needs a splash of color on one of the walls.  I'm thinking it will be a project one afternoon where I send Natalie off with her daddy to do something fun and I turn on some music and paint the wall some shade of green.

SUMMER EVENTS:

1. Girls of Summer Showcase: The annual tournament that Craig hosts that brings in college coaches from around the nation to scout out high school female basketball players.  Last year when I worked the tournament I was in the throws of all-day sickness and struggled to keep food down and stay awake while checking in college recruiters.  This year I'm helping out by organizing the Excel spreadsheets that every team has to turn in listing the pertinent information about each and every player.  Since Natalie will be 4.5 months by the time the tournament starts, I probably won't be helping out but I will try to stop by so that Craig can show off his beautiful baby girl.

2. Las Vegas: I love my baby...but I am ready for a few days away with Craig on vacation.  We will be staying at the Encore hotel at the beginning of August for three nights which Angie and Natalie switch off between my parent's house and Craig's mother's house.  Not that we do anything particularly crazy in Vegas, but I'm just looking forward to sleeping in, not changing diapers and having all the time in the world to take a bath.

3. Baby Nephew: My eldest brother Stephen and his wife Meredith have two little boys, Alexander (7) and Ford (4) and they are expecting their third little guy in August!  I am so excited to meet him and hold a newborn again.  I am also so excited at the prospect of Natalie having a cousin so close to her in age...I know between the three boys that she goes to daycare with and her three boy cousins...she is going to be one tough little girl!

4. Volleyball Camp: I haven't made my final decision yet, but I really don't think I'm going to want to give up a whole week of my time with Natalie to go and teach volleyball to elementary and middle school girls.  I know that it's a great opportunity to see my upcoming 7th graders...but since I have most of them in PE, I already know not to be too optimistic about having a winning record next season.

Day Four...

We are beginning day four of the winter weather here at our house and the good news is...I married the right man.  Craig and I have hardly left the house in since Tuesday and we have not had any arguments!  Hurray!  We've just been kind of hanging out, watching true crime shows and HGTV and loving on Angie.  There are onl  a few things that I've been a little concerned about - I had my 34 week appointment scheduled for Wednesday which obviously will need to be made up and we have our birthing class tomorrow at 10:00 am at our house so I will be calling the teacher to see if she is still willing to trek out to our house for the class.

But in the meantime...

 Stay warm!!!