Memorial Day Weekend: Snoga Beach Trip

For Memorial Day the whole Snoga clan rented out a giant beach house down in Port Aransas that could actually hold all of us! Very impressive.  We spent some beautiful mornings on the patio with coffee, prayer and babies.  

Ella and I share the same sentiments about the beach.  

But this time it was a little more stressful having two little ones out there.  Hopefully by the end of summer we will get the hang of it!   

Cora was pretty timid about the water at first (fine by me) but she eventually warmed up to it. 

Lots of dads and baby girls on this trip!! 

On Sunday we celebrated Ella's 3rd birthday with a Little Mermaid birthday party!  She is the sweetest most enthusiastic little beauty! 

Paweleks!! minus Dave :( who had to work.  We missed him so much.

That morning we occupied about 5 long pews at mass.  All because of these two.  Watching them together always gets me a little teary.  On Sunday afternoon they sat out on the patio for the longest time, just the two of them.  After 5 kids, 17 grandkids, 10 great grandkids and nearly 60 years of marriage, they still sneak away to steal their little moments of alone time.  

Joe's dance buddy. 

Here's to many more years of vacations with this wonderful family!

John 17:24

"Father, they are your gift to me." John 17:24

"Jesus' words call me to a new way of looking at the people in my life...They are the father's gift to me. All of them."  -Sister Anne Elizabeth Sweet 

This Gospel and reflection got me thinking about Mother's Day and all of the moms in my life.  Each of these women has made countless silent sacrifices.  They have carried prayers and anxieties in their heart that will go with them to their grave.  Motherhood is seemingly common and ordinary.  It can easily be taken for granted.  But to me, these women are heroic.  They have all shaped me in one way or another through their constant love.  They are indeed God's beautiful gift to me.  I can only hope to be the same to my little ones.

Evelyn: 3 and 4 Months

3 months                                                                                           4 months 

Oh my goodness this is a sweet sweet baby that we have.  Her little personality has really started to come out over the past couple months.  But mostly three words come to mind.

epic baby hair.  

Its nothing short of amazing.  I think Tara described it best when she casually said "there really is just no rhyme or reason to Evelyn's hair."  This is true.  

I love that it is SO easy to get her to smile.  Sometimes I can't even get her to eat because she is too busy flashing her fantastic toothless grin.  She has even let out some little giggles when we tickle her.  It makes my heart swell every time.  She is such a little chatter box too!  Her sweet voice is amazing.

She constantly has eyes on her sister.  She lights up every time she is around, even when Cora is trying to smother her with hugs and kisses. When I bring Evy out in the mornings Cora usually says, "oh, mommy, your baby is so cute."

She spends most of her time on her play mat and is the happiest when she is laying down playing with some sort of toy.  She is working really hard on rolling over and is almost there!

Evelyn Clare, we all adore you and cannot get enough of you and your cheeks.