Spring is Near!

Last Sunday, it snowed...so, of course, this weekend it was 75 degrees (sarcasm). The weather in Georgia in March is always crazy like this. Nonetheless, it was so beautiful this weekend, we went for a walk at a new park near us. I was shocked to see that the daffodils  were already blooming. So, I just had to stick my beautiful little girl in a field of one of my favorite flowers. Throw in a fabulous picnic lunch prepared by the love of my life, a walk through the park with our daughter on Andrew's shoulders, and seeing Ella's smiling face while swinging on the swing set...and I could not have asked for a more perfect day on a "hint of Spring" Saturday afternoon.

Isn't she just a little doll? 

Picking our favorite from the bunch...

My little family!

Dear Ella,

Whenever I use to go to the park, I would see these families who looked so happy. I was envious...all I ever wanted was my own little family to take picnics with in the park. Today, we were that family! That family I use to dream about before you were born. Nothing could have made this day more perfect. Watching you smile while your daddy pushed you on the swings is a moment I will always remember and cherish. I love you a thousand times!

Mommy

"Lions, Tigers, and Bears...Oh My!" Ella Goes to the Zoo

Ok, so what do you do in Florida on a beautiful sunny day?...besides go to the beach...

You go to the zoo, of course! And what's a trip to Florida without seeing some flamingos? (Besides the plastic fake ones that people put in their yard).

A cute little hedgehog!

Can you believe this peacock let me get so close? So beautiful!!!

And this is Ella with her fabulous nanny in tow...I mean, Andrew's mom! Hahaha! No, really...she was so helpful and fun to have with us!

I had to take this one for all my redneck friends! Ella on her first tractor!

 She loved watching this little otter do flips in the water. He was very playful!

Hmmm...is that Tigger our cat? No, but he reminded me of that Tiger in "The Jungle Book."

My little animal lover

This was the perfect age to take Ella to the zoo for the first time. She was very interested in all God's amazing creatures.

This picture sums up our day! A very happy day!

Swim Lesson: Take One

So, being that Andrew and I are HUGE water people, we decided that we needed to get Ella use to the water early in life. In order to make it an enjoyable first experience, we put her in a warm "hot tub/spa" (I promise it wasn't hot) to start. It was like a huge bathtub. She was a little apprehensive when we first put her feet in, but after a few minutes...

we had a very happy and "splashy" little fish!

Here is her supermodel, "Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Model" pose.

One of my favorite pics in color...

and of course, I just had to do it in black & white. I love the vintage feel of black & white photography. In fact, I probably prefer it over most color photos. 

So, Ella had a great first swim lesson. When we went back the second day, she put her entire body in and swam for a long time. She was so happy in the water! 

Life at the Beach: Part Tres

"Sunrise. Sunshine. Feels like morning in my eyes..." I felt like singing this song by Norah Jones the morning we went to the beach for the most brilliant sunrise. Beautiful clouds to filter the light made for the most perfect morning light. And, of course, the most handsome father and beautiful little daughter made the morning that much more spectacular...I'm not biased or anything.  I wish I could do this every morning. 

Life at the Beach: Part DEUX

Andrew and I have always had an appreciation for the arts. We love museums, concerts, the ballet, etc. So, when our "point and shoot" camera continued to disappoint us with mediocre photos, we decided to invest in a nice SLR Nikon. So, I have now discovered a new passion: being behind the lens! These aren't too bad for an amateur, eh? Is there a future photographer in the making here??? 

Life at the Beach: Part ONE

So, after a hectic week (and since Andrew no longer had a job), we decided to head down to sunny Ft. Lauderdale, Florida for some fun in the sun. Andrew's parents live down there, so it was a free vacation-minus the gas! Here are a few pics from our first day at the beach. Yes, the water really was that beautiful...

Daddy's Girl

So, after a hectic week, our little family decided to just take some time and enjoy spending time together...no making decisions, just enjoying life. Here's a few pictures of Andrew and his sweetheart...