HGTV star Erin Napier took to Instagram on Monday (September 22) to share some sweet photos from a family vacation to Indiana, and fans can’t believe how quickly the Home Town host’s kids are growing up.
“We fell in love with Indiana this week. Hilly, peaceful, middle America stole our hearts in a major way,” Erin wrote alongside a slideshow of photos featuring her husband Ben Napier and their two girls, Helen (7) and Mae (4). The family was in town for a wedding, but also got to enjoy time at museums, the basketball court, and the countryside.
“Ben got to live his childhood dream playing basketball on the Hickory Huskers court and Helen’s dream came true of being a Rockford Peach for the day, making Daddy do her favorite scene with her (“are you crying?!”),” Erin continued, referencing the 1992 baseball movie A League of Their Own. “Indiana, why didn’t y’all tell us how awesome you are?”
Fans jumped into the comments, with many commenting on how big the girls are getting. Erin and Ben famously keep their daughters off social media, only ever showing them from behind and never a close-up of their faces.
“I cannot believe how the girls have grown!” wrote one commenter.
“Here to say the same thing! It goes by FAST!” replied another.
“I was just thinking the same thing!! They grow so up too quickly,” said another.
Another added, “Only yesterday.. they were so LITTLE!!! 💕”
“I was about to say this! Time flies – too fast!” said one fan.
“I took an IG break, and everybody has grown up. They’re so darling. Helen’s getting tall, and I love both blondie blondes like Momma!” another added.
“That was my first thought when I saw their pictures! They’re half grown!” added one user.
Another wrote, “How in the world did those little girls get so big?! And, Erin , you look beautiful! Ole Big Ben lookin handsome as ever! Y’all are just precious!”
“I just can’t get over how much your girls have both grown up. How fast was that?” said another.
Earlier this month, Erin commented on how fast the summer holidays go by and wanting to spend more time with her girls. “How do we stop the clock so school never starts back? Anyone else soaking up this time with your kids like raisin bran in whole milk?” she wrote on Instagram.
She later revealed how she and Ben had decided to homeschool Helen and Mae going forward, writing in a since-deleted Instagram post, “Homeschool was our dream from the day Helen was born, but work was busy, then Mae was born and we just kept saying ‘someday we will.’”
Erin continued, “After 3 years at an amazing little school, the dream wouldn’t leave me alone and we weren’t ready to let this summer of being together and having fun end. So, here we go. My painting studio became a classical school overnight.”