beach bums...

we took these two beach bums to santa rosa beach in florida a few weeks ago. it was such a wonderful break for us & they both love the sand & the waves.

these two love playing together- they are quite a pair!

my darling baby boy

ah, life is good.

my girl...

on the precious days i'm off from work & bane is down for his morning nap, i try to spend that time just enjoying my baby girl. i can rarely get her to agree to photos but this day she let me snap a few... of course, as you'll see at the bottom here she was done in about 30 seconds.

we painted 'um pink!

"oh, mom. i'm so over it."

turning two...

my first born baby girl turned two last month. i wanted to share a few birthday pics from her celebration. i can't believe what a whirlwind my life has been since this little girl came into my life. she fills my days with sunshine.
we woke her up to the traditional spanking & throwing her under her bed.... she didn't really enjoy that part as much as i'd hoped but she did love all the decorations in room.

opening her gift from grandmother & grandfather

bane was not quite as excited about livi's new princess birthday crown as we hoped he would be

her new tricycle from her nanny thelma

i decided it would be more fun to let livi make her own birthday cake- i was right!!

i tried to take some pics of livi with the finished product but she wouldn't quit eating it long enough to get a good photo.

this is what it looked like by the end of the photo shoot... oh well.

the new "i'm a two year old now" face

pure joy when they brought out her treat with a song & sombrero

on her actual birthday, we hit up 'ole faithful panchos for our favorite mexican treat...

for her party this year, we decided on something different-we loaded up livi's 3 favorite people ( grandmother, grandfather, & nanny thelma) with us to a play @ Nashville's Children's theater & to dinner @ rainforest. above is our dear nanny thelma (who keeps my babies for us while i work) and my daddy

my boys

once we got right beside the moving gorillas (@ rainforest cafe) for our picture livi decided she didn't like them as much as she thought she would.... he he he...

her birthday dinner

and, ending her big day (adorned in her princess dress from her sweet aunt julie) drawing her "fireworks" on her chalkboard....

a birthday surprise... (a month late)....

my darling husband threw me the most fabulous birthday party of my life back in february. a snowy weekend in a warm cabin nestled in the smoky mountains with my favorite friends in the world...it was truly perfect.
ashley & me

sweet shelley

our personal photographers

jamie & dan

we went to a crazy dinner theater- with joey & i competing on stage to be the "next American Idol"... i failed miserably in the first round... joey nearly brought the house down.... fun times.

down on the piney... more to come....

okay so @ least i'm trying!

i don't have internet @ home & they have blocked everything @ work so i can't view or post pictures from work- so i'm stuck with no great blogging options these days. so, needless to say, last night as drae & i were keeping shaelyn jade for a bit @ dana's house i tried to jump on her computer & hoped to quickly post a blog.... ha....nice try. the picture above was as far as i got. dinner & bedtime for 3 kiddos under age two is quite an adventure! i definitely have fun stuff to post about our fun down on the piney farm & livi's birthday treats... so, stay posted... but don't hold your breath while you wait :)

....back to life.....

well, it's been awhile.

yes, looks like almost one year to the day since i last did a post on this blogspot. i must say, it has been a busy year. i'll spare you all the daily details of my tumultuous months & just chalk it all up to water under the bridge....except, of course, for one small detail....

this little guy.

WELCOME TO OUR WORLD

BANE ALTON DRAKE BEASLEY

he arrived on 10.23.09 & totally stole my heart. when i get a few precious moments to stare into his sweet face these days, i see his father. another little piece of drason for my very own. ahhh, i am so blessed.

(as i am constantly questioned about the choosing of his name, i'll go ahead with a little explanation here for those who are wondering. Bane. Hawaiian: long-awaited child -Alton. my father's middle name- Drake. the nickname drason's mother calls him)

most of you know this little lady & namesake of this blog, olivia drae. she is so much fun these days- i just don't know how it can get any better than this. she is officially warmed up to the idea of a baby brother & enjoying life again. she is totally pumped about santa & drason & i are on pins & needles for christmas eve to finally arrive! this year is going to be a ton of fun!

just a few more pics of my babies....

wishing you the merriest of christmases with your family.