We were animals...with whiskas

I love halloween. I know some of y'all probably don't do halloween with your families as Christians, but we have decided to have fun with it as long as we don't do the scary stuff. I really LOVE it! ever since i was a little kid, it has been one of my favorite days of the year!!! Plus, Jake and I love dressing up and having fun. It's even more fun with a little girl. Even though she was definitely too young to understand what was going on, we went trick or treating and to my sister's house for a halloween party!! i dressed as a black cat (typical, it's been my costume for the last 7 years), jake was a snake charmer, and peanut was a baby hedgehog!!! 

 Maggie wasn't into her hat at first!!

 Linz and D as an amish couple!!!

 maggie loves Peter!!

 "mom pleeeease get me out of my costume now!!"

 "do you love my whiskers?"

 mags with the fellas!

 little hedge baby exploring!

 tired from the night!

Emmett with maggie's hat on!! His costume was my favorite of the night!

i saw seals and my heart was changed forever ;)

it's been a hectic last few weeks around here! Jake and I went to San Diego for a few days to see some friends from work that expanded campus outreach to san diego a few months ago! it was so fun for us both, kinda like a mini vacation. SO, i've never been to the west coast before but always really wanted to go!! It was just as pretty as i thought it would be, but so different!! i realized..wow i am such a true southerner!! One of my favorite things that we did while we were there was see the seals at la jolla. i am a big animal lover, and i loved taking pictures of them and videos too!! i think we stayed there for an HOUR and jake was getting so tired of it... BUT now i have tons of cute pictures of them! We also got to meet people at the church out there, and it was awesome for me. I think Jesus used the culture to awaken my heart again to the depravity of the human soul, and how desperately each one of us needs the gospel, each one of us needs to meet Jesus face to face. A lot of the time i was walking around, looking at the cultural idols and seeing myself in these people, so into physical beauty, always wanting to do something FUN. both of these are my main idols, and God was showing me a picture of my brokenness all over again. It was fun and humbling and all, not to mention the plane flights. (i am deathly afraid of planes!!)

THEN, once we got back, we went to our staff fellowship time where we basically hang out all day, eat candy and talk about life. Just joking, we do SOME work, but hey, i slept in til 12 one day. maggie decided to, so i reluctantly went along with her. ha. Here are some pics of both trips. I truly LOVE traveling with Jake and love going new places!!

 it was soo pretty!

 i found me, linz and kasey while i was there! ;)

 seals sunbathing!!! so cute!

 seals sitting out!!

 look at this little guy's face!

 us before our date!! :)

 mo and ali at staff fellowship!

 me and james. isn't he soo handsome?!

 my twin sister and her husband, "Big d"!

 us after we lost our games in battle of the sexes. i lost at air hockey. :(

 Maggie woke up at midnight one night. this is her face. she's posing and eating dinner!

 Staff initiation!!

San Diego!

Jake and i are headed to san diego tomorrow for a few days! Campus Outreach expanded there a few months ago, and we're so excited to see the city, the church, and our friends who we miss!!! mags is staying with her me mama and mac while we're gone. she will be spoiled rotten by the time we get back!!! we sure will miss her!

Maggie turns 1! (well...a month ago)

Sweet little peanut turned 1 a while ago. it was so fun for us..and kinda sad too. For her birthday, we decided not to go all out. We had a small party with our families at home, and mags definitely got spoiled being the ONLY grandchild on both sides!! :) Here's a few pics of the day!! Such a great memory for us!

The finished product-maggie's teddy bear cake!

All the fam together!!

 Maggie's teddy bear "cub cakes" ;)

 Mags was tired of the pictures. She literally burst into tears when we sang happy birthday to her!

 we were so happy maggie's aunt say say and fiancé chase could come!!

She ate the whole cupcake!

 check out the black icing on those nostrils ;).

Maggie got a princess cozy car. She hated trying it out in front of everyone and cried! She loved it when all the guests left though!

 My twin sister and my little sister with me!

 Maggie offering me mama some of her treat!

 Happy birthday to me!!

 Maggie's white bear and my white bear-my favorite bear growing up, "Jerry".

Her favorite toy she got-fake lip stick. She carried it everywhere!