The Good Life

Our trip to the beach was VERY relaxing this year. We stayed in an amazing and huge house with the rest of the Shaw Family...thirteen people total if you count the little guy. We had babysitters everywhere we turned, and we even had a personal chef. Madeline's boyfriend, Stewart, cooked for us every night. Nick and I were truly spoiled during the trip...no phone, no computer, all the help in the world with Charlie, and meals being prepared for us. I do not think it could have gotten much better than that!

Charlie LOVED the beach. The water was a sparkling blue-green and the perfect temperature. His favorite part was chasing the seagulls and pelicans and digging in the sand. What a difference from last year where he probably spent a total of two hours on the beach and only dipped his toes in the water. He was quite the beach bum this year. I had him fully protected in a hat, shirt, swim trunks, and SPF 70. I am proud to say that he is the only one of us who did not get any color. I am all about protecting that beautiful baby's skin.

Here are some of my favorite pictures from the trip. Of course, there are a million more, and I promise to post them in the June Album.

The Shaw Family at Auntie Vicki and Uncle Justin's Wedding

The Beach Bum

Daddy and his Mini Me

Aren't they too cute in their matching hats???

Ha-ha-ha, really funny guys! Now, where are my legs?

Digging for treasure

Running away from the waves with Grandaddy

Taking the Noodle for a walk

I love Uncle Keith and Uncle Chris

Stewart's buffet for the day after the wedding. Can you say yummy? I miss you Stewart!!!

Look at all of the BIRDS!!!

I think I might catch this one!

Fishing with Oma

Now that is a big bird! You can imagine how excited Charlie was to see this guy on our back deck.

My first catch

Vicki and Justin's Wedding

We headed to the beach last week for the third annual Shaw Family vacation. This trip was extra special because we got to be a part of Vicki and Justin's wedding. Vicki is Nick's younger sister, and we have been counting the days until her wedding since she got engaged last year.

The wedding took place on the beach at 5:30, and there were about forty friends and family in attendance. Charlie made his debut as a ring bearer with a little help from Daddy. They looked so adorable in their matching linen shirts and pants. After Charlie walked down the aisle, we got our first glimpse of the gorgeous bride. From the second Vicki walked out onto the sand, the waterworks started. I do not think there was a dry eye on that beach during their ceremony. Well, maybe Nick Shaw. I swear he does not have tear ducts. Anyway, the ceremony was conducted by Justin's father, David. It was so touching watching him get choked up as he recited the vows for Justin and Vicki to pledge to each other. The setting was so picturesque, and the wedding could not have been more perfect.

After the ceremony, we headed to the Sandbar Restaurant for dinner, dancing, and a great time with our friends and family. The tears continued to flow during the reception. Ray, Nick's dad, made the most heart-felt and beautiful speech to the newlyweds, and Nick's sisters, Madeline and Kristen, serenaded the new couple with the song "I'm Yours, and Your Mine" by Jason Miraz. If you know me, then you can imagine what my eyes looked like by the end of the night. Honestly, it was probably one of the most romantic and intimate weddings I have ever been a part of.

Charlie basked in the glory of being the center of attention when the bride and groom were not around. The Sandbar even made him his very own plate of mac and cheese and apple sauce for dinner. He was so well-behaved and had such a nice time visiting and dancing with everyone. The little man started falling asleep on the dance floor around 9:30 (about 2 hours past his bed time). So, we headed home and called it a night. It was a long day for the little ring bearer!

Vicki and Justin are honeymooning near Cancun for the rest of the week, and I knoe that they are enjoying every minute of their time together as husband and wife. We hope that they loved their wedding day as much as we did.

Here is a slide show from the wedding. These pictures were actually taken by Nick's Uncle, Chris. They turned out great, so I decided to share them with you. ENJOY!

Charlie Knows What He's Getting for Christmas

That's right...Charlie has already been told what one of his Christmas gifts will be.
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Actually, it is a gift for the entire family.
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Would you like to know what our wonderful gift will be?
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Any guesses???
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Charlie is getting his first cousin for Christmas!!!

Nick's sister, Dani, and her husband, Walker, are 13 weeks pregnant and will be welcoming their first child around Christmas. To say we are thrilled, is a complete understatement. We are so happy for Dani and Walker and know that they will be fantastic parents. We are also happy that Charlie will have a chance to grow up with a cousin so close by and hope that they will be good friends.

Congratulations, Dani and Walker! We LOVE you so much and can't wait to meet Baby Patterson!

Daddy and Mommy-to-be

Baby Patterson

Of course, there is a TON more that I still need to blog about. But right now I am staring at luggage that needs to be unpacked, laundry that needs to be washed, and a fridge that needs to be filled. Did I forget to mention that we just got back from the beach an hour ago? Over the next week, I will post about our relaxing trip to the beach, Vicki and Justin's gorgeous wedding, and much more. So, stay tuned!

Hello From Anna Maria

I know we have been out of touch, but I promise that I have A LOT to post in the near future. For now, enjoy this picture of Charlie chilling on the beach on Anna Maria Island.

Oh, Baby!

One of the mommies from playgroup, Miss Stacey, welcomed her second bundle of joy to the world last Friday. Stacey is Matney's mommy. You may remember Matney from this post a while back. Well, today I was lucky enough to go visit Matney and meet her little sister, Miss Halle Kate. Oh, Baby! What a cutie pie! I got some quality cuddling time in with the little lady while she napped. I really could have sat there holding her all day long.

I didn't get any pictures of Halle today, but Stacey sent me this precious picture of Halle wearing a bow headband that a bought for her. Does it get any cuter? If there is a little girl in my future, rest assured she will be donning a bow very similar to this one every day of her life!

Congratulations Heald Family!!!

Halle Kate

Let Them Eat Pasta

Like most women, I enjoy my carbs. Yesterday, I was craving some pasta. While Charlie had his afternoon snack, I made myself come yummy pasta to munch on. Charlie kept pointing to my bowl, so I decided to let him try a little bite. Mr. Independent wanted no part of Mommy trying to feed him. I wanted to see what he would do with a tray full of spaghetti. Not only did he enjoy it, but he also made quite a mess. I had a great time giggling as he tried very hard to get the noodles into his mouth and couldn't resist grabbing the camera.

My Boys

I try very hard to limit Charlie's TV watching. Most days, he does not watch any TV. But, he does have a favorite nursery rhyme series that comes free with our cable service. It is called Baby Genius, and he LOVES it. If he is having a meltdown or I need to get dinner ready, Baby Genius is always there to save the day. The shows are about 10 minutes each, and they are just long enough to help him forget what got him upset or let me get something done around the house.

I took this picture the other night when Charlie was having a not so great night. He and Nick looked to cute cuddling together on the couch. I love my boys very much, and I am so grateful for moments like these when I can sit back and appreciate all of my blessings.

Aren't they cute?

We're Back in Action

We got our loaner camera today (thanks again Mom and Dad), so I decided to take it out on a test run this afternoon. Charlie, Samson, and I spent about an hour and a half outside after Charlie's nap. We walked down our street for a little bit, and Charlie loved chasing after Samson. Charlie also helped me do some lawn work in the front yard. Then we spent some time relaxing on the deck. I love this mild spring weather, but my allergies were killing me. Charlie seemed to be okay, but I couldn't stop sneezing and rubbing me eyes.

Taking the Swiffer Sweeper for a walk

"Mommy, let my pup up."

This picture is totally unrelated to our outdoor adventures, but it was too cute not to include. Charlie pulled out an old Valentine's card from Grandma today. It is musical, and he must have opened it a hundred times to hear it. In this picture, he was pressing the card up to his face and grooving to the tunes. Boy, do I love this kid!

I Have a Confession...

I lost our camera this weekend. I am on the verge of tears as I type this. My camera was a gift from my parents a few years ago, and I loved it. Fortunately, I had just saved all of my April pictures to the computer, but I did lose dozens of pictures from our trip to the zoo, Nicole's shower, and Mother's Day. I just can't believe I actually lost it. I never lose things, but I am pretty sure it is gone for good.

My birthday is in September, so I am going to wait until then to get a new one for the family. Don't worry! There will still be plenty of pictures for the blog because my parents have generously offered to lend us their camera. Thanks Mom and Dad!!!!

Since I am in the market for a new camera suddenly, I was hoping to get your help. I would like to upgrade from the point and shot camera to a nicer one that shoots multiple frames per second, is good for action shots, and has different lens options. If you have a camera like this that you LOVE or know of a great camera, please share what type it is in the comment section or send me an e-mail at lindsayuga2@aol.com. I have a few months to shop around, but I would love to hear some first-hand recommendations as well.

Thanks in advance for your help!

You will notice that there is a lot of salad eating this week. Nick and I are competing to see who can lose the most weight in the next 4 weeks. Wish me luck!

Monday: Hamburger Helper with salad

Tuesday: Charlie and I will be eating with some of my girlfriends.

Wednesday: Frozen Meal and salad

Thursday: Rotisserie Chicken with broccoli and brown rice

Friday: Egg Pie and Salad

Saturday: Grilled Cheese Stuffed Turkey Burgers and salad

Sunday: Grilled Chicken with steamed veggies and brown rice