R&R

Dear Ocean,

Thank you for making us feel tiny, humble, inspired, and salty…

all at once.

If you follow me on insta you probably already know that we were away all last week. We spent a full seven days at the Jersey shore, Avalon to be exact, and it was every bit as glorious as I'd hoped it would be. We were fortunate enough to have some seriously beautiful weather, and so therefore, we hit the beach just about every single day. Alec was such a little water bug and it made me so full of joy to see his love for the ocean. Watching him play and run on the beach with his cousins reminded me so much of my own childhood summers. 

Our trip was full of adventure. Lots of morning beach play, outdoor showers, afternoon siestas, and evening ice cream dates. We spent a day in Cape May, checking out all the historic sites. We even made not one, but two, trips to the county zoo. (Which was actually amazing, and FREE. Can't beat that.) We visited Morey's Pier one evening, in Wildwood, and Alec was in awe of all the rides and bustling activity. We beach hopped over to Sea Isle City for a day in the sun with family and friends. Our time away was nothing short of amazing and filled with some much needed R&R. I feel so grateful  to have had this time together with my boys. So many wonderful memories were made that I will cherish for years to come.  

Anyways, get ready for picture overload. And these are just a few of the many photos I captured on the big cam while we were away. 

 Thanks for visiting! I hope your summer has gotten off to a great start as well. Hooray for sunshine and time spent by the sea.

Here and Now

It's hard to believe that in less than two weeks (12 days exactly but who's counting) we will be heading in for our little one's anatomy scan. I am overwhelmed with both excitement and angst when I think about this upcoming day. April 12th, 2013 we found out that Alec was a little boy, but at that same appointment, the doctor also discovered his heart defect. A beautiful moment overshadowed by devastating news. Possibly the best and worst moments of my life within a few short minutes of one another. I am incredibly anxious to know the sex of our new little bundle but I am even more anxious to know that they are forming properly within the womb. Although, to us, our Alec is absolutely perfect in every way, I hate knowing that he has had and will continue to deal with more than any child should. I pray every night that he will remain strong and continue to thrive as he has. I pray that our unborn child doesn't face the same struggles that he has faced. I thank God every day for the good fortune that we have been blessed with thus far. June 15th can't possibly come soon enough. 

I am currently 17 weeks pregnant. I am feeling strong and better than I have in months. This summer has gotten off to a fantastic start, and I can already tell it is going to be one for the books. We have hit the beach almost every weekend since mid-May and Alec has loved every second. The weather has been perfect, with exception of this week, and I couldn't be more grateful for all the time we've been able to spend outdoors. We've been soaking up long weekends together as a little family of three, knowing that the dynamic will drastically change come fall. I am hoping for many more 'feel-good' days and lots of summer adventures to come. 

Plans

Kiel and I had been talking of plans to visit Florida as a family for quite some time. After all, our last trip down south was pretty incredible, view here. We thought that we could possibly get cardiac clearance from Alec's cardiologist at his last appointment in January, but unfortunately, we thought wrong. Very wrong. No clearance to fly with our little bug and lots of talk of procedures and surgeries instead. The docs offered us some guidance, in regards to family planning, and the ultimate decision that was made was to hold off on any future kiddos until we are through the thick of it. With all that being said, we are focusing on the positive and taking this next year or so to focus on other things instead.

We've decided to do some traveling in the year ahead, some as a family, some as a couple, and some on our own. Although we can't go too far, we are planning many road trips as a family. We always manage to visit the Delaware Beaches at least a handful of times in the summer and I'd love to throw a possible camping trip into the mix. Kiel and I have both wanted to take short, little getaways of our own, but their haven't been too many opportunities to do so with all that's been going on. Plus, until now, we just didn't feel ready to leave our little guys for more than one or two nights. I would love, love, love to get out to California to visit my college bestie. And Kiel has been wanting to take a boys trip down south to enjoy the sunshine and hit a few rounds of gold with his buddies. Hopefully, this year we can stammer up the courage to make these plans actually come to fruition.

As far as a couple getaway goes, I've been doing my research and I keep going back to the same place over and over. It's a long shot, but I've been dying to get out to the West Coast, Oregon specifically. If we can make it work financially and if we can convince my parents to watch Alec while we're gone, I would love to spend three days in the city (Portland specifically) and three days on the coast (Cannon Beach has seemed most appealing). I've read so many amazing things about both locations and airbnb offers quite a few affordable, aesthetically pleasing accommodations.

Portland seems like an incredible place to visit. Tons of amazing local coffee roasters and gourmet donut shops (two of my favorite things). Great vintage shopping and curbside food trucks galore. Eclectic bars, a buzzing music scene, and plenty of flea markets. I have so much on my to-do list, I don't really know if three days is enough! I expect our time in the city to be busy and tiring, which is okay by me. But I do feel as though we deserve some time to relax, as well... that's when we head to the coast. Only an hour and a half drive from the city, Cannon Beach seems like the most ideal spot to spend a couple lazy days together. The pictures I've seen are just breath-taking. The weather is a bit cool, which would probably be a nice break for us come August on the East coast. Our mornings could be spent hiking through Ecola State Park or cruising on bikes along the coastline. Evenings could be spent at home, cooking meals, drinking wine, and just spending quality time together, 1:1.

I really pray we can make this work, and if not this exactly, something along these lines. Do you have any suggestions overall? Places you've visited that you really enjoyed? Or semi-local family getaways that you'd recommend? All or any advice welcome! I think 2015 is going to be an adventurous year, and I look forward to each and every bit of it.

Shake the Blues

Growing up in Delaware, our Winter season varies from mild to frigid. Fortunately, for us, this year hasn't been to unbearable just yet, but with a chill in the air and limited things to do outdoors, it sometimes becomes challenging to maintain a positive mindset. Below are just a few things that I try and do to avoid the cold-weather blues.

1. Keep Yourself Busy. Get out of the house at least once per day. Short trips to the local library or grocery store make for a simple morning on the move. An occasional day-long outing to a children's museum, aquarium, or botanical garden (like Longwood Gardens) are a few fun ways to mix things up. And play/lunch dates with friends close by are, one hundred percent, the easiest and most enjoyable option.

2. Scatter A Bit Of Greenery in every corner of your home. There is much proof in the fact that bringing the outside in makes a big difference in your overall health and well-being. Read up and go to your local nursery immediately!

3. Get Moving. Incorporate exercise into your routine, at least three times a week. I've been doing a mix of T25 and Jillian Michael's Yoga Meltdown and I'll admit it feels really good. I'm requiring less coffee to feel energized throughout the day and I feel really accomplished when I hit the hay. Plus it's a great outlet for stress, and Lord knows I have my fair share of that.

4. Get Out of Town. Get away to somewhere warm, or if that's not possible, take a road trip to a different town. A different setting does the body good. Prior to having Alec, Kiel and I were avid travelers. We averaged at least three or so trips a year. Due to Alec's cardiac condition, traveling far from our local children's hospital is not something we are interested in, nor is it recommended by Alec's physician. Although we are pretty limited in the travel department, we do often enjoy a weekend getaway to the Delaware Beach every now and again. It's amazing how a different setting can break up the monotony of a long Winter season. I highly recommend a change of scenery when you begin to feel the blues creeping in.

5. Bask In The Light. This is kind of a no-brainer. Let the light in! Roll up your shades and cozy up in the brightest little corner of your home. In the Winter months, while Alec naps, I often like to sit in my front room and read. The couch is positioned directly in front of two large windows and the natural light is so abundant. Just that little bit of vitamin D makes me feel so incredibly refreshed. It has been said that the most effective treatment for seasonal affective disorder is natural light. Give it a try, get lost in a good book while basking in the sun,  I guarantee it makes a difference in your overall mood.

Over the weekend...

This past weekend was great. We rented a little house just a few blocks from the bustling boardwalk and celebrated Halloween amongst friends. On Saturday, we dressed up all the kids and lined up along the avenue for the annual Sea Witch Parade in Rehoboth Beach, DE. Alec was in awe of all the enormous floats that passed by. Our sly little fox had an absolute blast playing with all his friends and cousins over the weekend and all of us couldn't be more grateful to have had a little getaway. To finish off the weekend, we made a pit stop at Mom-mom and Pa-Paw Drake's Farmhouse for a visit. Alec loved all the animals, especially the horses. Needless to say, it was a great weekend away and Alec has been napping/sleeping quite well after all the excitement. The kid is totally beat, and it was all worth it. 

Snapshots

I have recently taken a little unplanned hiatus from this here blog. Time has been flying by and its feels as though there are just never enough hours in the day. Autumn is just around the bend, and although I am more than ready for mums, honeycrisp apples, and pumpkin beer, I am sad to see this Summer go. My little boy has grown so much over these last few months and we shared so many beautiful moments together over this past Summer. Here are just a few recent snapshots that sum up our life as of late.

Bath time has become part of our daily evening routine. My little man LOVES the water and could sit in this here tub until his little fingers and toes are wrinkled to bits.

We spent this past weekend at the beach with family. It was super fun to close out the Summer with one last beach trip. We hit the boardwalk, road the carousel, and plopped our booties right in the sand. 

We got some professional family photos taken last week and I am so excited to see how they turned out. Also, we are celebrating Alec's First Birthday this weekend. Lots to come on the blog this September so be sure to check us out!

Our Summer Vacation

Family vacation was incredible. It was the first time the four of us (Oliver included) have spent more than three consecutive days together since Alec's arrival. We packed as much fun as we could into each and everyday without forgetting to slow down and relax a bit too. We had some fantastic weather and spent many of our days lounging under a canopy in the sand until nearly dinner time. Kiel and I both got some real opportunities to relax, both on our own and together. My parents were a great help with Alec, especially in the mornings, and both Kiel and I got more sleep than we had in months. Friday night couldn't have been a more awesome close to our week. Kiel and my Dad played some live music at our local beach bar and the crowd was plentiful, buzzed, and happy. It was a really fun night that couldn't have turned out any better. 

Alec absolutely loved vacation. He ate the sand, spent time with cousins and friends, took a few dips in the sea...but best of all he FINALLY learned how to crawl. Needless to say, he is getting pretty darn quick, pretty darn fast... so Kiel and I left early this morning to make sure we could finish up baby proofing once we got home! Life is good and although I am very sad for vacation to come to a close, I am definitely ready to be in the comforts of my own home and to sleep in my own big comfy bed.

Spring Has FINALLY Sprung.

Delaware's Beach reached a whopping 77 degrees over the weekend! It was glorious! And you better believe we soaked up every single moment in the sun. It truly is amazing what a little sunshine can do for the soul. Our weekend away consisted of many walks along the water and lots of delicious outdoor dining. I am really looking forward to many more lovely Spring days with these two adorable dudes.