I LOVE you Dylie Jack!

Dylan Jackson,

Oh how you make my heart happy.  I love how enthusiastic you are and your boundless amounts of energy make my head spin.  You are growing so fast and I love watching your bright, sunny spirit grow and grow!

A baby shower for Dana to celebrate Elle Julianne!

Today was Dana's baby shower. It's a marathon post with lots of photos... but I couldn't leave any out. What an amazing day full of excitement for Dana and Nick to become parents to Elle Julianne. Elle will be the first granddaughter on the Hughie side and the first grandchild for The Everetts (Nick's family).

Elle is all set with everything she could ever need and lots of fun treats too!

Many of Dana's friends from Sisters High School were able to attend. Sidney, Chelsea and Lucy and Dana have known each other for over ten years.

My friends Tirza, Lindsey and Olivia were here to celebrate with us. Tirza has a new baby boy, Weston Lee.

West was quite the popular dude today. Everybody wanted to hold him. He was all smiles and is such a mellow and happy little guy!

Janice and I had a fun time with the decorations. We made photo frames and candles with baby pictures of Dana, Nick, and their parents. I also found a very interesting piece of history ~ a baby care book from 1942... my how times have changed!

Dana's Mother-in-Law, Julie (who will soon be a Grammie and is Elle's middle names namesake) made an awesome candy bar.

There were even personalized M&M's! Too cute!

A delicious strawberry and champagne cake

And yummy catering from Tate and Tate in Central Oregon.

We had some fun shower games, including trivia from Legally Blonde. Dana fell in love with the name Elle after watching Elle Woods in Legally Blonde.

Janice is such a great hostess and party planner extraordinaire

Mama and her girls

With Elle's mama, aunts and grandmothers

The Sisters crew

Elle now has a great library of books to choose from. Dana and I were read to a lot growing up and I know that this tradition will carry on for Sweet Elle.

Presents galore!

Her first tutu and baby legs leg warmers!!!! (Aunt LALA can't wait)

.... and a Petunia Pickle Bottom.

My Aunt Susan (mom's sister) came all the way from Arkansas!

Sorority Sisters from Oregon State

Dee's hands along with Grammie and Nana Oregon's

I'm so excited to have a niece!

Due next month!

Elle will have a new cousin this October. It's Baby Central for the Hughies and we can't wait!!!

Dylan, Dana and some Nike too...

I love waking up to the sound of a happy lad! Dylan's room shares a wall with Mark and Lindsey's guest room. So every morning I hear the boisterous chatter of Mr. Dylan Jackson. Not ever crying or whining... just cheerful utterances that gradually get louder and louder and LOUDER! It's a very similar process when he goes to sleep. Except he gets softer and softer and softerrrr.....

Dylan and is "MINDA!"

We had a mellow day gallivanting around Portland. Errands, lunch with my sister Dana and the experiencing the Nike Employee Store, courtesy of Dana.

Monkey and a thumb makes a car ride pretty dull. And dull and a 2 year old works for us all!

Dylan is playing with Dana's iPhone while we wait for lunch at Panera Bread.

"You looking at ME?"

It takes TWO forks to consume a grilled cheese.

Why can't Lindsey

a.) move to Southern California

or

b.) own a private jet to meet me for lunch whenever we want?

Chicas Bonitas.

Dana was able to score us passes to the Nike Employee Store. She works at Nike Headquarters and has a pretty sweet gig. One perk is a friends and family discount. So all of the Nike garb I've got is courtesy of the little sis!

We headed home for nap time for Dylan and an afternoon of work for me. We had a low key evening of resting and carbo loading for our half marathon. 5:15AM wake up call! Nite nite!