Our Summer Vacation 2014 ~ Fireworks, The Cabin, & Mountain Mini Golf

We left my parents house in Maryland early on the 4th of July so we knew one of the first things on the to-do list when we arrived in North Carolina was to find a place to watch fireworks!

After we freshened up at the cabin, we headed into town and found a spot!

I was anxious to see how LG would react to them since she was so little last year and we didn't venture out to watch them. She loves thunder so I wondered if she'd like the fireworks, too.

She looks like such a big girl to me in this picture!

We had to wait a little while for them to start, but she was content to snuggle under the blanket with Mimi while we waited!

When they finally started, she was in awe!!

We actually ended up having a view of two separate firework displays so she had a hard time deciding which direction she should look!

She kept saying, "They go "Boom!"" and asking for more!

It was so precious!

She loved pointing out the different colors!

On the drive back to the cabin, she quickly fell asleep and no doubt was dreaming of the festivities she had just watched!

On Saturday morning, we got up and enjoyed a peaceful morning at the cabin. The West Jefferson area is known for it's gorgeous log homes built as vacation rentals and we've been choosing them as opposed to getting a hotel room for several years now. We shared this one with my parents, sister and
brother in law and my aunt and uncle.

Londyn Grace loved having everyone's undivided attention!

It also allowed us to spend more time with them since we don't get to see them as often as we'd like!

This cabin was nestled in the woods and had a lovely view from the porch!

There's just something about the peace and quiet of the mountains that soothes the soul!

After everyone got up and had breakfast, we decided to head to Boone to do some shopping and play a round of mini-golf!

There's an adorable course built into the side of a mountain that always proves challenging and fun!

This was Goosey's first golfing experience and although she loved it at first, she quickly grew disinterested and grouchy due to being tired from traveling and being off of her normal nap schedule. 

It took all of us to entertain her while we tried to finish our game.

Auntie M and Uncle "Nonny" (Johnny) both won free games by getting a hole in one on the special hole!

Pop Pop was able to get a few smiles out of her by letting her try Auntie's sunglasses on!

In the end, we all had fun despite Goosey's fussiness and Daniel ended up the victor of our mountain mini-golf game! 

Needless to say she got her much-needed nap on the way back to the cabin!

35 weeks with our baby boy!

It's almost August! Ah! How crazy is that?! I still need to get the rest of our vacation pictures up, but since today marks 36 weeks, I wanted to get last week's bump date posted!

Size of Baby:  The size of a honeydew! He should be a little over 5 pounds and around 18 inches long!

Total Weight Gain/Loss:  Ugh. I've been on track to gain less than I did with LG throughout this entire pregnancy, but apparently he's had a major growth spurt or eating out constantly while were traveling over the last three weeks has taken it's toll. I'm up 50 pounds now just like I was the first time around. Hopefully nursing will work it's magic like it did before! 

Maternity Clothes: I'm so glad I picked up two maternity tees from Target, they are a little more flattering than just trying to make my regular shirts work.

Gender:  It's a BOY!! Our sweet Liam Daniel :)

Movement:  I feel his little feet in the middle of my belly and he seems to like resting his head down near my left hip!

Sleep:  Waking up a lot during the night.

What I miss:  Nothing! Pregnancy is such a wonderful thing!

Cravings: nothing specific this week!

Symptoms: just heartburn and feeling tired. I do think I've had a few contractions here and there!

Best moment this week: Getting more things crossed off the to-do list! I've been nesting something fierce and am so thankful for my in-laws who came to help me get some things accomplished. We also bought our birth supplies this week! 

34 weeks with our baby boy!

I am thirty five weeks today so here is last week's bump date sans chalkboard picture! We have been with family in Maryland while Daddy is in Guyana on a missions trip so I had to take my own belly picture this week. 

Size of Baby:  The size of a butternut squash! He should be around 4-5 pounds and 17-18 inches long now!

Total Weight Gain/Loss:  Haven't weighed this week since we weren't home, but around 35 pounds at last check.

34 weeks 5 days

Maternity Clothes: I mentioned the great sale that pinkblushmaternity.com had a few weeks ago and that I grabbed this skirt for $15! I'm wishing I would've gotten one in every color they had! I also finally broke down and bought two maternity shirts (including the white one I'm wearing in this week's picture)  at Target. I was trying to make my regular shirts work, but the belly is too big at this point! 

Gender:  It's a BOY!! Our sweet Liam Daniel :)

Movement: Moving, but still not as much as I remember his big sister moving! He did have his first ever hiccups this week which is also different from LG since she had them constantly! 

Sleep:  The same...sleeping well once I fall asleep, but still laying there thinking for awhile before I actually do! 

What I miss:  Nothing! Pregnancy is such a wonderful thing!

Cravings: Grapes! {random, I know!}

Symptoms: Heartburn and little shortness of breath now and then.

Best moment this week: Definitely Liam's baby shower! If you haven't seen the pictures yet, click here!  Also buying my clothes for during/after labor! I'm slowing crossing off things off of my "TO-DO BEFORE LIAM ARRIVES" list! 

Celebrating Baby Liam {Liam's Baby Shower}

I'm interrupting my vacation posts to share pictures from Liam's baby shower today!

I remember how excited I was to share the pictures from Londyn Grace's shower two summers ago! It seems like yesterday and like forever ago at the same time!

The biggest difference between the two was the fact that LG's was a surprise and that I've know about Liam's for awhile. With our busy church schedule, vacation, and Daniel's missions trip to Guyana it was just easier for me to pick the date so we could make sure I was in Maryland for the big celebration.

While I like the fun of a surprise party, I'm glad I knew about this one so I could dress accordingly and actually do my hair and put on make-up!

Anyway... onto the adorable details of the little red wagon/vintage toy themed shower my mama and sister so graciously hosted!

The wooden rocking horse from my childhood greeted our guests and my cousin, Tammy, found the cutest wagon balloons online!

The drink station was set up just inside the door and looked so precious with the vintage touches of an old Coca Cola crate and banner made with pinwheels and toy ads from the 1960's hanging above it. 

My mama ordered the printable water bottle labels from the same etsy shop she purchased the red wagon invitation from.

I just loved this sweet little poem on the chalkboard! A glimpse into my future as a boy mom! I'm excited to experience the differences between a girly girl with smocked dresses and bows and a little boy with a loves of trucks and playing in the dirt! It will be so fun having the best of both worlds!

His burlap name banner makes my heart skip a beat! Seeing his name makes it all so real! 

 How precious is the little red wagon my mama scored at a thrift shop for four bucks?!!

She filled it with Hershey bars to be given out as favors to all of our guests!

The wraps also matched the bottle wrappers and invitation!

I'm so glad my Aunt El was able to snap pictures of most of the decor since I was busy greeting family and friends that we don't get to see very often since we live 3.5 hours from them!

The house was pretty crowded, but it was a good crowded!

Liam is one loved little man already!!

We also framed a few of my maternity pictures to display!

After everyone arrived, Daniel's grandmother or Oma as Londyn Grace calls her (she was born and raised in Germany until meeting Daniel's grandpa {who was there on assignment with the Air Force}, marrying and moving the states) said the blessing over the food.

We had a yummy lunch of chicken salad sandwiches, meatballs, veggies, chips and pretzels.

The dessert table was filled with lots of goodies as well!

The soon to be big sister devoured a few plates of dirt dessert!

She was so tired during the shower because it happened to start right at her naptime!

She hung in there though and made it through the entire thing being such a big helper as I opened gifts!

Her favorite gift was her new "ride" (double stroller) that she will share with brother!

We'll reuse her infant carseat (I bought a cover for it so he doesn't have to be carried in a pink floral seat!) and this stroller is compatible with it.

She also loved the duckies that Grammy and Grandpap bought for baby Liam to use in the tub!

Sweet Piper also helped me open presents!

And LG's little cousin, Sonya, was all smiles even though she was tired, too!

We were so blessed to get most of the things on our registry along with lots of clothes for our little man!

Once I finished opening everything, LG got to go outside and play with her new bubble machine that Mimi and Pop Pop got her!

Then my cousin Kelly and I had to get a picture of our baby boy bumps! She's due in two weeks with Brantley James!

It would be pretty cool if our boys decide to come on the same day!

It was such a great afternoon celebrating baby Liam! We are so blessed to have such wonderful family and friends who spoiled us with lots of stuff to make his entrance into our family a smooth one! 

Our Summer Vacation 2014 ~ Johnson Family Reunion

Every other year my dad's side of the family has a big reunion in the little North Carolina town that my grandmother was born and raised in. So every other July for as long as I can remember we have packed up the car and traveled to the mountains. My dad is number ten of ten children and most years the majority of my aunts and uncles and their kids packed their vehicles and headed South with us. My grandparents always went, too, and we would all spend time with my Great Granny (my Granny's mom). We always treasured it because it was the only time we would really see her since she was already close to 80 when I was born and didn't make the trip up North often.

Great Granny passed away in 2009, but we all kept going down for the reunion anyway. Then my dad's mom, my Granny, passed away this past February so this was the first reunion without her. It was definitely bittersweet, but it means so much to me to keep the tradition going for my babies. Going "down South" was such a big part of my childhood so when the position for a "reunion planner" for 2014 was vacant at the last reunion in 2012, Daniel encouraged me to fill it. I was pregnant with LG at the time and we joked then that we might have another one on the way by then! Our joking ended up being a reality as I was 32 weeks along with Liam!

Now that nearly all of my 20 cousins (I'm number 18 of 20) are married and have kids of their own (Londyn Grace is the 26th great grandchild!), there are a ton of us whenever we get together! Unfortunately not all of us were able to make the trip for this year's get together, but several of us did!

5 of the 10! My Daddy is on the left!

The reunion is traditionally held the weekend of the 4th of July and we always gather at the Old Baptist Campground for a Sunday morning service. This year my Daddy preached, all of the cousins in attendance sang along with my Dad and some of my aunts and uncles. Our family group, Glorybound, also sang. It was such a sweet service with a few tears shed!

After the service, we have a big dinner with fried chicken and lots of other Southern comfort food. Prizes are given for the most family present, most miles traveled, youngest, oldest, etc. Goosey won the prize for being the youngest person present! My Uncle Jim and his family won the prize for most miles traveled as they drove in from Texas.

I didn't take hardly any pictures during the service and dinner since I was busy directing things and keeping track of LG!

Once the meal is finished, we all head up the hill for the North vs. South softball game.

Londyn Grace had a blast watching this year and playing with Caroline and Andrew, her cousins from Georgia!

My cousin, Tony, is six years older than me, but his son, Andrew was born just two months before LG and could possibly share a birthday with Liam since he turns two in August!

It's crazy to think that Londyn Grace will be Caroline's age at the next reunion!

She looked pretty cute practicing her catching! (unfortunately, if she's anything like her mama she'll need plenty of practice! I totally missed out on the athletic genes that are so strong on my Dad's side of the family!) 

The reunion happened to fall on Daniel's 31st birthday so we had to get a picture of LG with the birthday boy!

I'm so glad that we were able to attend the 31st Johnson Family Reunion and am already looking forward to 2016!