New Jersey/ Williamsburg vacation

Lexie had a nice time on our vacation out East to visit the Scheper family.  Although it was hot and Lexie got sick part way through, it was a successful trip.  Here are some of the many, many pictures that we took.

Lexie was an ANGEL during the airplane ride and the 8 hour drive!

Lexie LOVED her first time swimming!

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Lexie, Jenny, Uncle Mike, Aunt Sarah and Cousin Andriana.

Jenny and Lexie in one of the replica Powhatan homes at Yorktown.

Grandma Scheper and Lexie outside of Yorktown.

Lexie's cousins (Jacob, Michelle, Jillian, Cassandra, Helen and Devon)

The whole gang out at dinner.

Lexie 10 months

Lexie is so mobile these days that we had to add a toy in the picture to get her to sit still! 

Lexie's 9 month

Lexie had her 9 month appointment about a week ago and I am just now finding the time to write about it.  Again, she is a very healthy baby.  Praise God!  She is currently 17 pounds, 12 ounces (30th percentile) and about 28 inches long (75th percentile) so she is long and lean!  Very good to hear!  She also apparently has a huge head (90th percentile).  Mark says that this is to house all of those brains!  LOL!  She did very good at the appointment and it certainly didn't hurt that there were no shots to deal with this time. 

Lexie has been busy learning more and more new skills.  She is a very fast crawler these days and is able to pull herself into a standing position.  She hasn't tried to move her feet once she gets up there but we can see that this will happen any day now.  Lexie is also the proud owner of 4 teeth, 2 top and 2 bottom.  :) 
Lexie's current repertoire of tricks includes giving kisses, waving and playing peek-a-boo.

Lexie's 9 month shot.

Lexie's first pigtails.

Tried out the swimming pool but the water was too cold...so we hung out on the blanket instead.

Exited to be able to reach into the toy box on her own!

Lexie discovered "behind the couch."  A world previously only explored by the dogs.  

And in the process she found the only outlet we hadn't baby-proofed...and A LOT of dog fur!  

Oh, the joys of being 9 months old!

Our summer trip

Mark, Lexie and I are gearing up for our exciting trip out east this summer.  Mark's oldest brother Michael and his beautiful family are being deployed to Okinawa, Japan at the end of the summer and will be there for the next three years.  Because of this, Mark's parents decided to get all of their kids and their families together for a week's vacation while we are all still on the same continent.  They booked us all for a week at the Historic Powhatan Resort in Williamsburg, Virgina!  I am really excited about this trip, not only because I have a serious passion for American History, but because this will really give me the chance to get to know the rest of Mark's family.


Here is a list of characters for this adventure:

Joe-Mark's father, high school Physics teacher, New Jersey
Shelley-Mark's mother, management in an industrial flavoring production company, New Jersey

Micheal-Mark's oldest brother, Army Ranger, 38 years old? Lives in Tacoma, WA, soon Okinawa, Japan
Rowena-Micheal's beautiful wife whom he met in the Philippines, Lives in Tacoma, WA, soon Okinawn
Devon-Micheal's son from a previous marriage, Jacob's brother, 15 years old? Lives in New Jersey
Jacob-Micheal's son from a previous marriage, Devon's brother, 12 years old? Lives in New Jersey
Michelle-Rowena's daughter from a previous marriage, 9 years old, Lives in Tacoma, WA, soon Okinawa
Jillian-Micheal's daughter from a previous relationship, 8 years old? Lives in Tacoma, WA
Cassandra-Micheal and Rowena's daughter, 6 years old, Lives in Tacoma, WA, soon Okinawa
Helen-Micheal and Rowena's daughter, 4 years old? Lives in Tacoma, WA, soon Okinawa


Matt-Mark's 2nd older brother, National Guard, 35 years old, New Jersey

Mark-My fabulous husband, 34 years old, Minnesota
Jenny-Me!, 29 years old, Minnesota
Lexie-Mark and Jenny's beautiful daughter, 8 months old, Minnesota

Sarah-Mark's sister, 30 years old, Elementary school teacher, New Jersey
Andreas-Sarah's husband, accountant, 30 years old?, New Jersey
Andriana-Sarah and Andreas' 2 month old daughter, New Jersey

Nathan-Mark's youngest brother, Air force-Air traffic controller, 26 years old, New Jersey


Yep, that's the whole crew!  I hear that there is room for 20 so Matt and Nathan have a couple of months to meet the loves of their lives and bring them along!  :)  I am so glad that everyone is going to be able to make it.  Should be quite the adventure, huh?

After our week there we will be spending a few more days in New Jersey and Shelley is planning to have an actual family reunion.  This promises to be big since Mark's family is so large.  It should be interesting.

Does anyone have any ideas for traveling with a little one?  Must have toys and such?  Advice needed!

The latest

So it has been too long since I was last on here...Now I have lots to catch everyone up on. First of all, here is Lexie's 8 month photo.

She has been a busy girl. She now can get into a sitting position on her own. That started about a week ago and then just this Saturday at Emma's bridal shower she pulled herself up into a standing position (well, pulled herself up onto cousin Kallie and Carleen.) She has also said "Daddy" a few times this week! Yep, she is a busy girl! And she is keeping her parents busy chasing after her as she attempts to take a bath in the dogs' water dish. Speaking of baths...
Lexie has learned how to "swim laps" in the bath tub. She will crawl to one end of the tub, turn around, and then repeat...over and over and over again. I need to get this girl into a swimming pool! Both Mark and I spent a large majority of our childhood's swimming so it is little wonder that our child is part fish!

Lexie's hair is now long enough for pigtails. Here is the morning after her first official "do."

A cute post-bathtime picture.

Check out those baby-blues!



During a recent slumber party Grandma was trying to teach her the art of camouflage. She almost has it!


This is Lexie saying "Hey Mom, don't take a picture of me without my clothes on!"



Dinner time fun!



And have I mentioned that she loves playing with her Daddy?

Seven months

Can you believe she is 7 months old already? Me neither!

Happy Easter!

Lexie, Mark and I had a wonderful Easter! We went over to Gary and Joy's house to join the family for an Easter dinner. Lexie enjoyed getting to wear the beautiful Easter dress that her Grandma Scheper sent her. She didn't enjoy wearing the shoes that I picked out however...but she did seem to have fun kicking them off and across the room!

Doesn't she look like a little lady?

Having fun playing out on the deck before dinner.
The family.

Lexie hopes that cousin Avery doesn't mind that she used her highchair.


In other news, Lexie has had a busy week...


Wearing Daddy's hat and lookin' cute!

Relaxing in the shade during our first trip to the park.

Loving strolling through the park.