from that weekend that ended all too quickly...

Over the weekend, my cousin Brianna came for what felt like the most super speed visit of all time. She is my best cousin for life. We are the same age & were for the most part, inseparable up until the age of 5 when i moved to Colorado. Thanks to Spring Break of 2007 we were reunited & have been close ever since. She is the most wonderful light to the world. She is stunning & i love her to pieces. 

Fun fact? Although our birthdays are in different months, they are ALWAYS on the same day of the week. Fact #2) We were busy having so much fun over the weekend, i never even brought out the big camera... so iphone pics will have to suffice.

It was so special to have her here & the last time before she get's married & gets a fancy new last name! It was also so awesome to have her meet Abel. I love when the people I love are all in one place, it's the greatest. 

Baby Arrow, please make your debut soon so that we can all go to Texas & see this chick marry the love of her life! Love, Your Auntie

i love you Cousin! Thanks for coming, i miss you already.

pumpkin spice donut holes... you're welcome

hip hip! it's FALL! & i couldn't be more excited. i mean, if we are really being honest, i've acted like it's been fall for a couple of weeks now... but now it's official! i've got fall decor throughout our little home, & yesterday chris & i got two of the hugest pumpkins i've every seen, starting the collection of pumpkins that i'd like to grace our outdoor entry ways with! ...today, little pregnant sister & i brought out the other form of pumpkin, you know... the best kind. the baking kind. my first EVER 'pin' on pinterest was of baked, pumpkin spice donut holes... they sounded super delicious & come on... little round balls of pumpkin spice perfection? even a non donut eater could probably be talked into them. thanks to this recipe, my dreams became a reality today. so easy to make, & SAY NO to hot oil popping you in the face, because they are baked. pumpkin, pumpkin... i love you so. i'm so excited for this season! i always am, but even more so this year! why? you probably guessed it, abel. he just makes life so much more fun. all things pumpkin & fall are wonderful, mix it up with that baby? sheesh.

little love letters.

dear fall, 

please get here soon. it's been raining all week & i'm hoping with my whole heart that you're not teasing us and really ARE right around the corner.

dear abel, 

the cuteness... really?

dear breakfast, 

you truly are my favorite meal of every day. there will never be a day that i won't want you, and if for some reason i am not able to enjoy you in the morning, i will have breakfast for dinner.

dear two of my favorite blondes (brianna & abby), 
i. can. not. stinkin. wait. for you to both visit! obviously, you are coming separately (although, what a blast it would be if you came at the same time)... & i am so thrilled to get a happy little visit both this month & next!

dear starbucks-iced vanilla chai,
you are so dang good. it's been all cozy out & it feels like i should be having a warm drink, but you're just too good... you have my heart. love you... mean it.

dear person reading this, 
i hope you are having a truly wonderful day. if it's raining where you are, i hope you've got something cozy in your presence... if it's sunshiney, i hope you're soaking it in! you're doing great today, whatever it is that you are doing! thank you for reading & loving on our family.

dear stripes,
i adore you, all day-every day.

dear husband,
you're adorable & so much cooler than me. i'm so happy that i get to do life with you & i'm so proud of all that you've accomplished this year! cheers all around (insert clapping hands emoji here).

dear abel, 
the cuteness... really?
(nope this isn't an accidental repeat... i mean, come on!)

dear sisters,
how did i get so (this is the 4th place i've wanted to use the phrase 'so stinkin' & had to choose another one because i already used it...) LUCKY!? two of the very best friends in the world right here in my own family. privileged.

happy friday + happy gramday!

yellow is my favorite color.

...so when i found out the team chris would be playing with for the next few weeks chose yellow as 'their color' i was not mad about it. it was so great to see my studly husband back out on the field. i couldn't tell you how many soccer games i've been to over the past decade, but i can tell you it's been a lot. i'm not a sports fan, but cheering chris on & watching him play the sport that he is SO talented at & so passionate about truly makes my heart feel happy. it was extra fun to have abel there too, & somewhere between chewing on everything in sight (mostly grammy's phone) & crawling in every direction he actually showed interest a couple times... hoorah!

^^^ both, because you know... we couldn't get a picture where we were both looking & smiling at the same time. & below? the cutest grassy toes i've ever seen... he preferred the grass over the blanket, and i loved that.

^^^aren't they just the cutest pair? my mom was definitely NOT enjoying her first grandparents day! and PLEASE tell me that you noticed abel's hair & that it is officially standing up on top *squeal*

we three.

milestones.

Sweet Abel... how is it that in the same week, you've started pulling up on things, crawling (even if it's a hand-hand-lift one knee through, adorably gimpy one), & your top teeth are just barely through? three major events in the SAME WEEK?! give a mom a chance! you're growing oh so fast my little man. You are too stinkin' cute & i think at this point you know it... You are NOT into the solids, although i still try every day. spaghetti squash seems to be the one & only thing you don't purse your lips at... so spaghetti squash for days i say. You're officially huge, okay not really, but you are getting so much bigger every day it feels like. the way you sleep is insanely cute, i can't stand it. you roll all around like a rollie-pollie & often times end up on your belly, rumpus high in the air... MELT MY HEART. you're babbling non stop & da da da da da is one of your favorites... you haven't shortened it to just two yet, so i'm not claiming it as a first word or anything (although your dad might like to think otherwise ;)). you do NOT love when something is taken away from you... meltdown central, & when people cheer too loud for you it scares you & you bury your head in my chest (so sad & also 100% adorable). you do however love the 'abel is the best' song... or any song/music for that matter. we have now transitioned into the, 'i only want my mommy' phase, it is the sweetest thing in the world & isn't hurting my ego at all to be your everything for right now... but we are still socializing as usual & as long as i'm in viewing distance you aren't totally opposed to another set of arms. 

you're the best abel. you really are. you make me want to be a better person all around. a better mama, a better wife, daughter, sister. i want to be better so that i can show you & teach YOU how to be. it can be pretty scary raising a human being (completely and totally awesome too)... it's our job to lead you in the right direction, to teach you to love Jesus, to advocate for you, love you, mold you. i believe we are off to a good start, but from the 25 years of life experience that i do have, i think this age might be the easy part. i'm ready though bud... you & i? we're a great team, and your dad and me?? unstoppable. we as a family will grow & change together, for the better. i love you so much my sweet abel. 7 months & counting... they are probably the favorite months of my life so far. love, your mama