Ending our 2024 Off Season

Wrapping up the end of a perfect summer spent right where we wanted to be!

Maddie had a Christian summer camp program and we got to see her performance.

Pedicures before school started. <3 

Lots of cousin time on the weekends. 

We celebrated THREE years of being married. Don't know how I got so lucky to be with him forever. Three years ago life looked soooo different. We had no idea what was coming our way. I definitely wouldn't have been ready if you had told me what life today looks like. Grateful for a God who gives us one step of life at a time to help us grow and prepare for the next.

Logan's got all sorts of new talents he's pulling out haha. New ticklish spots, words (gaga, mama, dada, rara), waving, squinting his eyes and throwing his head back, clapping his feet together on the floor. He is LIGHT & JOY. 

We saw Erin's classroom one more time the day before school started. It looks AMAZING and she is so ready. Very proud of Ms. Bean.

& threw together a surprise breakfast/celebration when the much anticipated day arrived. <3

From then on out, our days were full of reading good books and watching the Olympics! I don't think I've ever watched so much of the Olympics. I loved it.

The five of us went to the temple on one of our last nights. Wes and Joni watched Logan for us and we came home to these cute gifts from them. Logan is one loved little boy & that Buff Baby rattle is still his favorite toy. 

Liked this section from a study about a broken heart and contrite spirit.

No more baby food for this guy!! Give him all of the waffles, meatballs, and blueberries. He'll eat it all.

We had one last hurrah with the family, Wes, & Joni the day before we flew out. 

& then it was time for father's blessings & off to to the airport... 

Here's our picture from 2023: Anxious, excited, hopeful, trusting that everything, especially baby Bean's delivery would all work out. 

2024: Feeling so grateful to be one year passed the picture above. Wow, we learned a lot and feel a lot more confident, excited, grateful, and still prayerful that this year will be just as great and rewarding as the last. 

Only this time, we got to take a pit stop in Switzerland before heading back to Berlin! We loved you Summer 2024!!!! Here we go Alba year 2. <3

July in OK!

Time is flying. I can't believe I'm writing this from BERLIN! Lots more thoughts coming later on how we're feeling being back for year two. 

For now, here's our cutie moments from the end of July. Being with our families for the summer has been a dream. Especially now having Logan. Our days were full of pool time, pickleball, games, meals and treats made together, restaurants crossed off our bucket list, piano playing, and good conversations scattered between it all. 

Playing chicken foot!

One of the highlights was helping Erin prepare her classroom for her first year as a TEACHER! She had already done the bulk of the work, but we were pretty happy to get to help with some of the finishing touches. 

Logan made himself at home in the lunchbox bin.

The cute details in the background. It already looks so much more different than even this. Especially now with all of the desks & kids there! Erin finished her first full week last Friday. :')

Pictured is a happy boy in his new pajamas! Logan had a couple pairs of 3-6 month pajamas that were suuuper stretchy. He was wearing them up until this day haha. He now wears a 2T or 3T depending on the outfit. 

Little fashion show. No more onesies!! He's looking less like a baby and more like a little boy. <3

Logan's eating has taken huge leaps and bounds. I have two nieces a few months older than Logan. As I've watched them eat pizza, spaghetti, and just about anything, I've realized Logan can too. If it weren't for Abby and Krista, I'd still be feeding him only purees. 

First popsicle from Swig on their $1 day!

We got to go on a temple date to do sealings. <3 Yummy midwestern meal beforehand.

One of the highlights of being home has been having workout buddies! The four of us have been going to different classes as the Y and I'm going to miss that!! I've never been so motivated to lift weights consistently as I am now. Logan's the motivation. I need to be able to hold him without hurting my back. Baby is about 28 lbs now!

We've loved all of the cousin time we've gotten to have together. Carter especially has been loving lots on Logan. Lots of head rubs and "I love you's". 

This movie!! We did a girls time and boys time while taking turns watching the kids. We saw it in the Warren, a huge movie theater that was taken out by a tornado in Oklahoma. 

Got to go to church and listen to Papa and Uncle Shawn give their talks! Braxton was so sweet and held Logan for about 10 minutes. Pretty good chunk of time with this wiggly boy.

My girls!! FaceTime call was long overdue and it was so good to catch up. Everyone is spread out and doing amazing things. Love them love them soooooo much.

Pen pal letter from our California Beans! Thanks Brooklyn & Addie!

Documenting this because I'm so grateful at least one pumpkin thing was available while we were home. :') I love anything pumpkin. One day, when we live in the states in October, I will buy a Pumpkin Pie DQ Blizzard at least once a week.

Freshly bathed cutie pie sweetie baby boy!!!!!!

And Braum's ice cream. Can't forget all of the yummy ice cream that was consumed (almost) every night. Mmmmmmmmmm!

All Together!! - Bean Family Reunion 2024

Get ready for a big one... 60 pictures to recap the most amazing, full, happy, week with all of the Beans in Oklahoma. I think this was the longest we've all been together since Justin and I were married.

I told Erin last night one thing I'll miss for sure are the summer sunsets! Our enclosed Berlin courtyard doesn't give us any views. We're taking advantage of them as much as we can. Snapped this one on our way out of UT. <3

Sweetie baby was pretty tired and didn't know how to fall asleep in the mix and cram of all of those airplane people. We had lots of floor space which helped but he didn't fall asleep until the plane landed and the pilot hit the brakes/swerved to keep us in our lane on the tarmac. 

Thankfully, he transferred easily into the stroller and car seat. We rolled into the driveway at 1 AM and he was wide awake and all smiles to meet his Aunt Jacquelyn & Uncle Jourdon! #powernap. Grateful for such a happy baby. 

We got to see everyone the next morning at Maddie's baptism! How is she old enough to be baptized??? I swear all of our nieces and nephews made huge growth jumps while we were in Germany. We love them soooooo much.

The "pre-reunion party" took us to an OKC Dodgers game. The stadium reminded me of Memphis! Justin and I would go to minor league games just a few blocks from our apartment. 

It was hot, humid, & perfect! We all got matching hats through Justin's dad's work & a foot-long corndog. Mmmmmm.

We loved meeting our new niece, Addison Hart. <3 Only six weeks old, she was such a trooper traveling from CA to meet her Bean family. She's her sister's twin & is so sweet. 

We made lots of YUMMY treats. Pumpkin cookies, scotcheroos, peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. 

The older cousins do "shows" at the end of day & Logan's been an eager watcher. One day he'll be up there dancing and singing.

MONDAY

Monday, we got some one-on-one time with Jourdon and Jacquelyn before the official reunion started. We did some swimming, fishing, MoBettah's, Alfredo's, hot tub, and talk talk talked. I love them and hope we live by them one day. :')

Alfredo's! We go there for the sopaipillas ;)

This little guy had an allergic reaction to peanut butter. :( two tiny licks led to a rash break out. This was an hour after the worst of it. <3

Then it was REUNION TIME! We had an official spreadsheet calendar, meal schedule, nightly devotionals, and everyone was together. :) Logan was in heaven with all of his cousins and it was so happy seeing them all interact.

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

One of my favorite parts was our girl time. I am SO blessed with the best sisters and mother in-law. Amazing women who I look up to a lot. We all mesh so well together and love learning from one another. I've gotten lots of of shared recipes, craft ideas, and advice from these ladies.

Literally last week I asked Justin if they had Menchie's in OK and he didn't think so. Had to stop when we passed this after our escape room!! 

The Browns stopped by to say hi. They're the closest things to family you can get without actually being related. Logan loooooves Joni and Wes. Some of the nicest people ever. I feel so lucky to know them & we love hanging out together while we're here.

Temple walk at the Oklahoma City Temple. Fountain splash marks on the pavement indicate some excited kids. Ha! 

Cute, cute cousins. Can't believe there are NINE of them.

Logan went from this...

To this in a matter of minutes. 

THURSDAY

Cousin Camp!! I think the adults were anticipating this day just as much as the kids. ;) Lots of prep and creativity went into Cousin Camp & it all stemmed from Erin! We had a cute video outlining the day's schedule, matching t-shirts, and a never ending chant of "cousin camp, cousin camp!" It was the best day. <3

Impromptu dance party!

Jourdon & Jacquelyn's nature walk:

Cutest adventurers!!

Shawn & Krista's kid olympics:

Story time & tacos with Mema & Papa:

Justin & Claire's sponge battleship:

Ty & Abby's bubbles:

& then straight to the pool!! 

The day ended with a movie and sleepover for the kids & some Happy Salmon and Gestures for the adults. 

FRIDAY

Sibling breakfast :') Blessed with the BEST of the best. Each of these people are so selfless, loving, and look for ways to build each other up. 

More bracelets! We had a cute clay bead set from Amazon. It was a first for me & now they're my favorite bracelets.

Then everyone went their separate ways to get all fancy for family pictures. 

All of the grandkids did sooo well! It was supposed to be super hot, but we were in the shade the whole time and the weather felt so nice. I'm dying to get them back! 

We took the pictures where Justin and I were engaged. This selfie was taken right where Justin got down on one knee. <3

SATURDAY

Birthday celebration for the two who started it all!! Gordon and Shauna both turned 60 earlier this year and Saturday was the big bday party.

The evening included a Kahoot about Mom & Dad's growing up years, presentation about 1964, tender slideshow, and our Shutterfly book we made for them.

We also did 60 (collective) jumps in the pool!! Maddie decided to take it to the next level and did 60 herself!  

Jourdon, Jacquelyn & their California crew left early the next morning. We squeezed in one last bracelet session before heading to bed. 

My heart was so full after all of that togetherness. We have the best family. The Beans are easy-going, selfless, intentional, and full of love.