Walker Palooza: Part II

Walker Palooza: Part II includes last night's dinner at Table Mesa and today's Easter Egg Hunt. Before the pictures, I want to share two quick stories. 

Last night, babysitter Maris showed up, we played for a while, and then I said "I'm going to go bye-bye. I love you. Night, night." Reese got up, said "night, night" and ran back to her room. I followed her after a few seconds wondering what she was doing, and she was standing at her chair waiting for someone to come and read her a book and give her some milk. She even went over to her changing table in case we needed to change her diaper. I told Maris to bring back her milk and lovie, and so Maris started reading to her as we left. I got a text a little while later that said after the first book, Reese handed Maris her milk, grabbed her paci, and Maris asked her if she was ready for bed. She signed "please," and that was it. Walker Palooza has worn this girl out, and she was practically begging for bedtime. 

And today marked a big day for our church. We began meeting in a new building next to the land we have purchased in Rogers. While we build, we are renting a great place to worship in, and it was a glorious Sunday morning. Thank you, Lord, for your provision, guidance, and mercy on Trinity Grace Church. 

Okay, onto the pictures...and they are backwards. So it's egg hunt then last night's dinner.

(rosy cheeks just like her daddy.)

What happens when we try to force her into a family portrait.

Luckily, Gran got this with her phone before it got too out of hand.

Right before play time with Maris and our date night.

Couple #1: Jenny Beth and Benton. Rockstar parents to 4 amazing kiddos, and two pretty incredible people I feel so blessed to call family.

Couple #2: Jayme and Bret. Fantastic and inspiring parents to 3 awesome little citizens. And again, I get to live life alongside these two which is a gigantic blessing in itself.

Couple #3: Tommy and Susie. O'Pa and Gran to 8 (soon-to-be 9) grandchildren, and parents to 3 fabulous boys. Tommy's wisdom and Susie's creativity have inspired and challenged me more often than I even know.

Couple #4: Wes and Kate. I get to call this stud my teammate and my biggest fan. That's what you call blessed.

The kids. I tried to get the red eye out of the next two pics, but it wasn't happening.

The whole crew.

I don't think Reese would mind having sisters. I can say it's pretty incredible having gained these sisters 6 years ago.

Walker Palooza: Part I

My fabulous mother-in-law has a birthday this coming week, and several rooms of her house are being remodeled at the moment leaving her quite overwhelmed and ready to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I think the light is pretty bright, but there are still a couple of weeks' worth of work remaining. Anyways, we kiddos decided to invite Susie and Tommy up here to celebrate her birthday and to celebrate Easter as a family seeing that we won't all be taking over their house next weekend. It has been one heck of a weekend, and I mean that in the best way possible. Big birthday BBQ dinner over here Friday night complete with lots of front porch swing conversations and star gazing on the driveway, Saturday morning walk down part of Crystal Bridges' Art Trail, Saturday mid-day birthday party for three of our greatest friends, Saturday night adults-only dinner at Table Mesa, Sunday morning church and Crystal Bridges, and then Sunday after church lunch and Easter egg hunt. Whew! Here are LOTS of pictures from the end of the week and first part of the weekend...

Reese being a cutie-patootie looking at pictures of her friends on our bulletin board. 

Thursday stroll through the trails.

We met up with Daddy for lunch at Crepes Paulette. YUM.

Friday: Something happened, and all of a sudden, Reese wears headbands.

Heading to the gym, I didn't think it would last, so I got a picture quickly. Little did I know it would still be there when I picked her up from the childcare.

So sad. This is the only picture I got of our Friday night birthday dinner. Bret putting our 30 Mega-Millions Walker family lottery tickets into a spreadsheet. We didn't win.

After seeing the open space in front of her on our Saturday morning stroll with Gran and O-Pa, Reese was ready to explore. By foot.

Loving every second of this day.

I LOVE her more than words can say.

Razorbacks Reese and O'Pa (who gets the award for the easiest grandparent name. That, and of course, Reese loves him...she said his name out of the middle of nowhere the other day while pointing to a picture of him. Sweet moment.)

Walker family portrait #1 of the weekend.

#2

Hey, gran!

See? She even kept these bunny ears on for as long as I wanted her to yesterday. Don't know what has gotten into her.

Hoyle Birthday party. Wes called it a killer party, and that it was. Ethan's superhero cake.

Ethan at the top left, and little brother owen and his construction cake.

And littlest Hoyle, Miss Harper, celebrated her 1st birthday! One of Reese's besties.

And one of the BEST parts of the weekend? At every nap time, just when I think the day couldn't get any better, I remember this homemade chocolate pie that my mom sent up for me. OH MY GOODNESS.

Comparing

Just for fun, I decided to take a few pictures today and compare them with this stage of my pregnancy with Reese. Pretty close.

Here I am at 16 weeks and 2 days. (Reese has a new-found love with her jumperoo, so it's staying put in our bedroom for those random 5 minute bursts of jumping.)

And here I am with Reese right before 16 weeks. (so excited the bump was noticeable!)

17 weeks with Reese.

I'm still feeling great, and the headaches are fewer and farther between. My lower back pain that sent me to see the chiropractor routinely with Reese has come back, and after not working out at all last week, it was VERY painful. However, I did body pump yesterday, and the pain is MUCH more manageable today. I guess I'll be keeping that up!

Sleeping is different than with Reese. I slept completely through the night until the day I delivered Reese, but I'm already tossing and turning a lot more this time. 

I am very much looking forward to seeing Baby on the ultrasound in a couple of weeks! I want to see that heartbeat. And we hope to find out if Reese will have a baby brother or sister that day, too! I keep dreaming of what it would be like to have a sister for Reese and another daughter to raise up to become a woman after God's own heart. A woman who loves to learn and believes in the power of wisdom, a woman who loves others with passion and mercy, and a woman who strives all her days to glorify God. I also keep dreaming of what it would be like to have a brother for Reese and to have a son to raise up to become a man of conviction and leadership. A man who loves and fears God in a most respectable and honorable way, a man who loves well and fully, and a man who wants only to glorify God in all he does. Either way, we are blessed and are just praying for a completely healthy baby. I still have a feeling we will see another girl on the ultrasound, but I'm starting to wonder. 

As I am finishing my stuffed shells for dinner, Wes and Emmett are out for a jog, and Reese is asleep. It's a beautiful evening.

Lake Trip #5

You may or may not recall that we take a weekend trip to either Table Rock Lake or Lake of the Ozarks each Spring Break with some of our greatest friends. This year was no different. Well, it was a bit different because Wes and I didn't decide until last minute to make the trip, and thankfully, the low key profile of the group allowed us to take the 3rd bedroom in the villa. So glad we didn't skip out this year. 

We loaded up Friday morning with all four little girls and the three dads in the minivan. I drove Wes' car with the ladies. Because we couldn't check in until 3pm, we went to eat lunch at the Branson Landing and did a little grocery shopping before getting into our beautiful place on the lake. The girls did exceptionally well staying up until 3:30 for naps. (note for future reference: Reese did not sleep that well here. She wasn't bad at all, but she just took forever to fall asleep--we watched her stand and sit in her pack n play for what seemed like hours both nights--and she woke up a bit early in the mornings.) 

The place we stayed has a story of its own that's really only funny to Wes and me. We have passed this place for YEARS on Highway 86, and those of you familiar with the Lampe, Shell Knob, or Golden Kanakuk Kamps have seen this place as well. It was built on the edge of a cliff and on one side of one of the bridges of 86. It seemed to be abandoned and never finished, and we always talked about what it could be because it was a mansion. Well, we hadn't done any of the planning for this trip, so we had no idea where we were going. A few years ago, D'Monaco was established, and it's an incredibly beautiful set of villas overlooking the lake. Becca lucked into a Groupon deal, so we had a heck of a weekend in an awesome location. 

We stayed in the villa on Friday and had DELICIOUS lasagna by Kari for dinner. I made chocolate chip pound cake for dessert. Saturday morning, we had Pioneer Woman's Cinnamon Baked French Toast, eggs, and bacon before the ladies spent the day outlet shopping. That night, Becca made INCREDIBLE chicken enchiladas, and the boys spent their second evening in the hot tub telling stories of who knows what for hours. 

Here is part of the weekend in pictures...

Saturday morning play time. Reese and Caroline.

Sarah enjoying the gorgeous weather and our awesome views.

View from our patio.

Coloring in the sun. Sarah and Blair on Becca's lap.

Reese checking out the tree.

Four girls in the ottoman. Favorite play place for sure.

Sweet friends.

Wes was Mr. Cool with the iPad.

Where we stayed.

When did she grow up? (Don't mind Wes' favorite Capital Hotel slippers.)

LOVE my girl. 

Exploring the rocks.

Kari and SJ checking out the docks.

I was a bit terrified of going out there with her, but I just squeezed her hand or held her the entire time. 

Back to safe land.

Dinner on the deck.

Sunset on Saturday night.

Sunday morning breakfast before heading home.