I love the Baby Jones banner made by Elizabeth! The adorable center pieces were a family affair with hand cut wood bases made my Grandpa and painted by Grandma.

My Mom, Grandma and Aunt Elizabeth hosted the most beautiful baby shower with delicious homemade food, timeless homemade decorations and fun games. It was such a great evening to celebrate the little girl inside me.
My sister made this awesome diaper cake! It was soo cute!
My mom even used the "good china" for the occasion. The breezeway was magically transformed!
The fruit arrangement made by Mom, Grandma and Elizabeth was amazing! I'd never seen anything like it.


Girlfriends.My mom holding up items for
The Price is Right.


Cute Dr. Seuss bag from my Aunt
Jane and Sara.
Cute outfit from my friend
Katie who lives in Maryland.
Joe loves fish so this was the perfect gift for his little girl from Elizabeth and Diana.

My mom got the book, Goodnight Minnesota. Sooo fun. Diana recognized the book from her house. : )

Yah! My mom got the bedding set I wanted. Now I can work on the nursery. (I'll post pictures once I'm done)



Joe's Mom, Sister and GrandmaThe pregnant ladies! Elizabeth took all of the baby shower pictures. Thanks for capturing the memories!

My best buddy/old college roommate came to visit a couple of weeks ago. It was so great to have 4 days to spend quality time together. We spent a day in beautiful Colorado Springs and saw the Garden of the Gods and also rode the Cog Railway to the top of Pikes Peak. Don't you love our matching purple tank tops! It wasn't planned but I also didn't change after I noticed we matched. : )

Pikes Peak (we were at the top later in the day)
On the Cog Railway... making our way to the top. If I weren't next to Kari, it might seem like I have a small tan! Okay, maybe that's just wishful thinking.The views were amazing on the way up.

We made it! Even though the doctor said the baby would be fine if I did a short day trip at 14,110 feet, I was still a little nervous but I think we felt better than most people!
So high!
Baby Bump!

On July 3, we went downtown to watch the Colorado Symphony play and view fireworks with friends in our young married group. As the Symphony played, beautiful lights flashed on the building below. This is definitely an event we'll attend next year.

On July 4th, Joe and I went to a Colorado Rapids game (Professional Soccer). We splurged so we could have really good seats. The game was super fun minus the fact that it what about 50 degrees and raining. After the game, in the downpour, they put on one of the best fireworks shows I've ever seen. I wish we had more photos but we didn't want to ruin our camera so we kept it in a spot where it could stay safe and dry. I hope everyone had an awesome 4th!!
At one point the rain stopped for a short while and we saw a beautiful rainbow.

Me and Caitlin anxiously waiting to meet our kiddos.

I volunteered at Royal Family Kids Camp last week which is a week long summer camp for kids in the foster care system. I got to be buddy counselors with my good friend, Caitlin. We weren't allowed to use cameras while the kids were there to protect their identity. I have one very special "safe" photo (doesn't show faces) from the camp photographer.

T, Kellie, S, Caitlin, D and M

These four girls have been through more than most of us can imagine and their stories have forever changed me. Joe and I have been interested in getting involved in foster care for a little over a year now and this experience made me realize how called I feel to help these kids. The purpose of Royal Family Kids Camp is to give the kids a week of fun where they feel completely safe, loved and most importantly understand God's love for them. The camp did just that. At the end of the day, Caitlin and I realized that all these girls wanted was to know that we cared. We used all of our energy to lift them up and help them to realize their worth.


The end of camp was emotional for everyone. Luckily, Caitlin and I felt as though our girls were going to good, safe homes which made the end of camp easier. My heart burned for the sweet kids that were up for adoption and knowing that all I can do is pray that someday they have a forever home.

If you're interested in learning more about the Royal Family Kids Camp organization, here is the link...http://www.rfkc.org/site/c.ikIPL8MWJxE/b.3882189/k.B6C6/Nations_leading_network_of_camps_for_abused_kids.htm

I kept this post very generic to protect the girls but if you would like to hear more about this amazing camp, don't hesitate to ask. Sharing the stories of these amazing kids is the only way to get them the prayer, love and support they need.