16/52

Last Thursday I walked into Breadwinner's expecting to grab dessert with my Thursday night bible study ladies.  I was COMPLETELY SHOCKED to walk behind the curtain in the back room and see so many of my friends there to surprise me with a baby shower for Henry! I know people don't typically have a shower for their second babies (especially when it's the same gender and they are so close together) but my friend's thought Henry was special enough to deserve his own celebration.  I love surprises and secretly have always wanted for someone to throw me a surprise party, and I think a surprise shower was even a better idea! Thank you ladies for making me feel special and loved!

Other highlights from the week:
-Dinner with our newest home group friends the Garza's.  They are amazing folks and awesome wedding photographers. Check out their work. And thanks to the Leos' for watching C while we went and wearing him out at the park.
-Lunch with the ladies from home group at Company Cafe. Delicious food & great conversation!

Picture from the week:

Bible Study ladies at the Surprise Shower!

15/52

A preview of the rest of my life! :)

14/52

This Easter we headed to the desert for some fun times with Jordan's family.  We enjoyed opening day at Chase Field, swimming, hunting for eggs, and celebrating all that Christ has done!  A few of my favorite pics from the weekend....

 

NeNaw let me lick the pudding bowl! YUM!

 My boogers taste like chocolate..how about you?

 

 Surprise Birthday Present!!! LOVE!

 The Easter Bunny brought goodies & Grandma and Grandpa Berlage 

made wagons for all of the boys!

 Testing out the Wagon!

My first pie!

 

 What? Hershey Kisses?!

 Yummy!

 Woah! Look at that Belly!

 A Southern boy in the desert!

 

 Sweet boy!

WOOHOO! More Candy!

13/52

Our fun week filled of playdates, parties, and baseball was interrupted on Friday at 3:30am with one very unhappy and HOT little boy! After hours of alternating Tylenol and Motrin, Charlie's fever spiked to 104.5 with the shakes and it was off to the E.R. we went. Thankfully, our friend Jesse (who is an RN at Children's) was just getting off work and was able to be there for moral support through the whole process...oh and to check my blood pressure at one point when I wasn't looking so good.

After a series of tests (including a catheter that Jordan did NOT watch and x-ray which I couldn't be there for), it was concluded that he had a slight ear infection and some type of viral infection. Praise the Lord it wasn't anything more serious! The worst part in the whole process was over an hour (combined) and 5 attempts to start an I.V. and draw blood. I was holding down a screaming, sweaty little boy while Jordan was holding back from punching someone in the face! It was no fun!

It was the first time that I really had to watch Charlie suffer. My child....my only son....suffering. Sound familiar? The prophet Isaiah tells us that it was the Lord's will to "crush him and cause him to suffer". The Father loved his own so much that he didn't just allow, but willed for his Son to suffer so that "by his wounds we could be healed". Wow! Thank you Jesus for loving me that much!

A few pictures from the week:

Play Group at the Arboretum

Our support team - Aunt Rachel & Uncle Jesse
as we waited on the winning lotto numbers...I mean test results!

You wouldn't know he was sick here!

12/52

Melt my heart!

11/52

Last week we took our last trip as a family of 3 to Georgia for Jordan's Spring Break. It was so good to be "home" for 10 days and to spend time with the whole family! We kicked off the weekend in Athens for my cousin's wedding before heading to Augusta for a few days. On Wednesday we headed south to Valdosta (we hadn't been there in 10 months!) and stayed until Monday. I'll have to give a day by day highlight since we had so much fun!

Monday - I had the privilege of dining with the Fab Four and their daughters at French Market. I LOVE my momma's friends and their girls!
Tuesday - We got to see Henry in 3-D. He already looks like his big brother.
Wednesday - Dinner with BOTH of Jordan's grandparents, his parents, sister and our nephews. Good thing they put is in the back room of the restaurant!
Thursday - One of many days filled with playing outside with the dogs, riding the golf cart, and having fun with cousins!
Friday - Breakfast, dinner AND a high school baseball game with the Cranes! We miss them in Dallas but are so glad we get to see them in Valdosta.
Saturday - NeNaw took a few maternity pictures on the farm. Let's just say it was interesting trying to get a 15 month old to cooperate in a big open field...too much room to run!
Sunday - Dinner with the Johnsons (Jordan's parents old next door neighbors). Just like old times!

Here are a few pics from the week:

Bath Time at Nana & Papa Doc's House is the best!

There's nothing better than rocking a sweet baby! Love my nephew Nolan!

I failed to mention I turned another year older while in Georgia. Celebrations lasted throughout the week but this cake was by far the most interesting! If you haven't heard the story, my nephew Hank has graciously bestowed on me the name "Taco". It started this Christmas when he was having trouble saying "Say Say" so I told him to say "Tante" instead. "Tante" is the Dutch word for aunt and I always thought it was super cute. Well, he apparently had trouble with
"tante" as well and it came out "taco". We all thought it was such a hoot and it stuck!

10/52

Papa Doc, C Bear & Nana at my cousin's wedding in Athens

9/52

It's been almost 3 years since my last trip to NYC! So this past weekend my friend Dana and I left the babies and husbands for a girls weekend and let me just say that we were meant to be travel buddies together! We've both been to NYC before so there was no need to get on a double-decker bus, see the Statue of Liberty or Empire State Building. Our priority was to see shows and hit up our favorite bakeries. Good thing we walked, walked, and then walked some more because we ate, ate, and ate some more.

One of my favorite meals was tea at Alice's Tea Cup on the Upper West Side. The tea was unbelievable and the scones melted in your mouth. YUM! We also tried a new pie shop in Times Square called Pie Face where we enjoyed a pear and ricotta pie. OH MY GOODNESS! And of course no trip to New York is complete without an oatmeal and raisin cookie from Levain Bakery on W 74th.

We saw three shows over the weekend and they couldn't be more different. I highly recommend Once for someone who might be afraid of jazz hands and outlandish costumes that you typically see on Broadway, and Mama Mia is perfect for a feel good show. Porgy and Bess was a classic and the talent blew me away! All in all I was pleased with our selection and enjoyed each in their own way.

Now, to figure out how to get back to NYC before 2015!

Other highlights from the week:
-I didn't faint on Wednesday when I had my gestational diabetes test like I did with Charlie!
-NeNaw came to watch Charlie over the weekend while Jordan had class and baseball! I'm so glad she got to spend time with my boys...plus she cleaned our place!
-We decided to get Saturday matinee tickets on Friday afternoon from the South Pier TKTS booth rather than getting them in the Times Square booth on Saturday morning. Best Decision Ever! There were 6 people in line on Friday and about 300 on Saturday...in the rain!

Picture from the week:

8/52

hummingbird cake...enough said.

7/52

We can't seem to stay put. I guess it's the Crews' way. I have finally lost count of how many times Charlie has flown (it's over 15 round trips by now)....gotta go while it's free! Last weekend we got to go to Las Vegas with Laura & Stephen and Angie & Jeremy while NeNaw and Aunt Donna (Jordan's aunt) watched the boys in Phoenix. We missed out on the infamous Bahama trip of 2010 with everyone (since I was 36 weeks pregnant), so we were excited to go on a trip with our favorite peeps!

Highlights from the week:
-Seeing Garth Brooks at the Wynn. He was amazing!
-Laying on my stomach for a prenatal massage! Pure Bliss!
-Watching all 4 Twilight movies and reading the first book in the Hunger Games trilogy. Holy Cow! I made fun of all of you for years, but now I'm hooked!

Picture from the week:

Laura, Angie & Me in Vegas

6/52

The week of February 5 was full of NeNaw and Nana time! What can be better?! While we love being in Dallas, we do miss the advantages of having family down the street. I was quick to utilize the free babysitting and went to the grocery store ALONE, got my hair done, and enjoyed a girls night out!

No visit with NeNaw is complete without a little photo shoot of our sweet boy!

5/52

boy, n: a noise with dirt on it

4/52

This past weekend I had the privilege of attending the Created for Care retreat with my friends Rachel & Claire in Atlanta. Created for Care is a non-profit organization that helps support families who are in the process of adopting or fostering children or have done so in the past. While Jordan and I aren't filling out paperwork just yet, we have always wanted to add to our family through adoption and the weekend was a great way to hear how God has changed families through adoption. In the meantime, we will be praying and encouraging Rachel and her husband Jesse as they anxiously await a referral for two sweet babies from Uganda. You can follow their story here and buy some super cute onesies here to support their adoption!

Other highlights from the week:
-Charlie and I hosted are first ever play group on Wednesday and it was a success! No one was injured and all toddlers left with a smile! :)
-I ate at some of my favorite restaurants in Atlanta! Jalisco, JTC Kitchen, Flying Biscuit & Flip Burger. YUM!
-I lost my phone at the airport. Not really a highlight, but a good reminder that I don't NEED information at my fingertips. It's amazing what the Lord will teach you through losing your phone.

Picture of the week:

Claire, Me, & Rachel at the Retreat

3/52

Who wouldn't want to eat lunch with ladle?


And yes, Charlie still has on his pajamas. Some days that happens.

2/52

One of my favorite things about our church is that we are led by a board of elders who lead is in monthly prayer. This month, we are meeting every week for a SEASON of prayer as we pray specifically over our church body, the city of Dallas, and the church universal. This past week was a sweet time to pray with other couples in our home groups as we confessed sin to each other, prayed for racial diversity in our own church body, and for the Gospel to be preached and received in all of DFW, not just at our church. Praise the Lord for what He has done and continues to do!

Other highlights from the week:
-Charlie had his 12 month checkup and of course measured to be a tall, big headed, semi-chunk! He survived 4 shots and was a trouper!
-Thursday night was a sweet night with my bible study girls as we said our goodbyes to our dear friend Rylin who packs up this week and moves to Valdosta with her hubby Joby and sweet boy Bower. Good thing they are moving to V-town and I don't have to worry about never seeing her again!

Picture from the week:


My drink - a tall DECAF white chocolate mocha with 1% milk, no whip, no foam
Jordan's drink - a venti caramel frappuccino with extra caramel

1/52

I have had a few friends document their year through pictures and/or blog posts. While I'm not calling this a "resolution", I would like to document our year a little better. 2011 was our first full year as parents....so it was pretty much a blur! As we prepare for baby #2, I would love to get in the habit of documenting their lives before they flash before our eyes. So here goes nothing....

Highlights from the week:
-Seeing baby BOY Crews on Wednesday for my 19 week appointment. Looks like another whopper is growing in there! Already measuring 10 days ahead of schedule.
-Our dear friends, the Youngers, moved from the 'burbs to Dallas and are less than 3 miles away!
-Charles seeing a commercial for Finding Nemo and saying "-ish"! I think it's because he was fascinated with cousin Hank's fish tank all week.

Picture from the week (or maybe last week because I love it so much):