Blankets Creek

It is refreshing to look back on fun times with family after the kids are in bed.  It sort of wipes away the previous chaos we just went through....such as...Jesse crying for no obvious reason.  Picture me finally getting her to pause the insane crying to brush those little teeth, and then me tickling her and asking her why she was crying so much (while she had a mouth full of fluoride rinse).  Then, picture her spitting the rinse out projectile like on the mirror because I made her laugh.  Then, picture her crying even louder because she spit out her rinse uncontrollably.

Something was wrong in her universe tonight.  This happens from time to time, but I'm sorry, I couldn't help but laugh.



And Jonah, well he's in a pretty good mood even though the weather has messed up his schedule this evening.  The thought of staying inside versus playing baseball nearly kills him.



But it is really hard disciplining this one.  He can come up with a million reasons not to do extra studying on an unexpected night at home.  Some...believable till I see a bad grade.



And Luke...well, he's been having his own adventures lately.  Luke Duke has been going to a dog club on Sundays and acting all shy and crying when his Daddy wants him to show off.  It's pretty funny.  You can do it buddy!  I know you can!



But looking back at this day back in January on a Sunday when we had a hint of Spring and the world was perfect, makes it all OK.



Although, I do miss this lovely weather and long for it even more.



The kids got bikes this year from Santa, and we have frequented the local bike trail, Blankets Creek.  It's pretty dang fun.  We can't wait to continue going in the Spring.



It's a good place to take Luke and let the kids release some energy.



And it's free.



And Jesse can pretend she's in the Circus, while Jonah works on his biking skills.



He was a natural on his new bike.  Although, I do have to mention, the first trip to the creek, he was literally in the creek within minutes.  I'm sorry that I do not have video footage.  I would give anything.



But this time, he managed to stay dry.

That's my boy.  He's 8 and three quarters he says.  He rushes through his homework.  He doesn't always pay attention.  He won't eat over his plate.  He loves Duck Dynasty and Wipe Out for goodness sakes..but I love him so much.  I do.

High on Summertime

Today I woke up and I realized for the...I don't know how manieth time....that this is the best time of my life.

If you are from the South and say y'all and ain't and how manieth, holler now would you?

Thanks.

And for the record, you can have a college degree and still talk like this.

It's totally ok.

I think?

Anyway, back to this...

Watching my children grow in front of my eyes and celebrate summer and life and family vacation is just the best thing on the planet.  I know it's a lot of work for us parents and all, but oh my goodness gracious...is it ever worth it.



We trecked down to Sandestin, Florida again during our off week from baseball.  It's our home away from home.  It's the place my love and I dream of retiring.  I can just see an older version of us... riding in our golf cart to Publix for groceries and walking our dog on the beach.  I want to see the children of our two visit us and watch them dip their sweet feet in the beautiful emerald waters for the first time.  I want to see their precious little hands gather the white sand to form something grand.  It's a good dream.



I'll look at my grandkids in this same way I'm sure.  I'll say, "Oh honey, your Mama and her brother ate all their snacks out of a Red Solo Cup."  Surely there will still be Red Solo Cups?  I mean, there is an entire song dedicated to the Red Solo Cup.  Right?




I'll say "Your Mama or Your Daddy loved coming here.  They would pause for me every year right here on this path for a quick picture before they ran to the ocean."



"They didn't seem to mind, even though the ride was so long and all they wanted to do was just run."



"I'll never forget how they looked and how it felt to be there.  It feels exactly the same now."

Anyway, that's how it goes in my dream.  I will be super blessed if it comes true.  But honestly, I feel like just this...just this is good enough for me.  The rest is a bonus.

The first afternoon, we literally ran to the beach at first.  The kids played for a while and then we went to dinner.  We went to Tommy Bahamas...oh Mama.  Hello coconut shrimp.  Anyway, it was fabulous...then we ran back to the beach for fireworks.





















I'll never forget this moment.  I could have stayed out there all night.  It was incredible.  There are times in life when you think to yourself, "this is good."  You know?  This was one of those moments.

We kept it going.  The next morning we were at the beach first.





Jonah, you were a total surfer boy this year.  You braved the waves and even dove through them.  When I saw you dive in one for the first time, I nearly lost my breath.  How could you possibly be old enough to do that?



And Jesse, honey, you braved the waves with our help too.  You still love to play in the sand more though.  You were all about the sand castle and digging the big hole.  I loved watching you.



Taking your picture is just an excuse to stare at you more.  Thanks for being so patient with me.

I only took 2500 or so...so many more I haven't even seen yet.

This is going to be fun :-).  I'll try my best to share more.

Oh good grief, I live for the beach and summertime...there's nothing better.

My favorite part of Easter

The Easter bunny brought these cool bubble airplanes he found at Target. (Did you know he shopped at Target?  That's what I hear anyway.)  We took them to the park and launched them before we continued on to the baseball field where Jonah wanted to hit the bucket of balls the bunny left for him as well.



The airplanes are spring loaded.  There is a small bottle of bubbles attached to the bottom.  You pump it a few times and pull the trigger.



The airplane launches and so do the bubbles!  Pretty good entertainment.



And there's these new squeeze bubbles he left as well.  Shoot, they might be old for all I know.  I just never tried them.  Boy are they messy, but I get it.



She liked them, but it resulted in some serious sticky hands and wet clothes.



I love this park.  This is the trail I like to run on the weekends, and every time I run through here, I imagine a beautiful portrait of my kids at this very spot.  This one will do just fine.  It's pretty typical of them.  Well actually, I'll probably be back for more.  It's so beautiful.



I tried to get more and about this point right here, Jesse fell down on that right knee.  There was blood and tears.  We then carried her out and on to the baseball field, where she insisted it was all due to her new flip flops and she needed her tennis shoes on from now on.  So we changed them.



And she ran the bases while Jonah was in the batting cage with my love.



And then she picked flowers in the outfield.

We must have been there for three or more hours.  I loved it all, well, except for her fall.  Oh, and she was so excited about the bubbles that she had a little accident as well.  That wasn't a highlight.

Hey, I'm just keeping it real.  Even with that, it was my favorite part.

A Typical Saturday

Soccer is at 8:30 every Saturday morning.  There is usually bright morning sun and dew on the ground and stretching four year olds who are excited to be up that early and on the field.  There are also groggy parents who get up a little earlier just to take their kids through Chick-fil-A for Chick-n-Minis and a plain biscuit before the game.

(Growing kids ask for both.)

The parents order the oatmeal (which is actually really good) and the father complains every single time about how small the portion size is.  His wife agrees and says to him, "Then why do you keep ordering it?"  They scrape the bottom of their bowls and secretly hope their kids do not eat all of their Minis.  Then, they devour what's left over and wonder why they keep ordering that tiny bowl of oatmeal, when they really want Minis and a biscuit too.



Oh, but they try so hard to be healthy.

This Mama really is obsessed with her camera most days.  She snaps pictures of her kids on the ball field, in the backyard and falling asleep.



The Mama actually has a picture somewhere of her daughter falling asleep at the dinner table.  It's hilarious.  She needs to dig that one up to show you too.



Just look at the family dog here.  He wonders why the parents let their baby girl take a nap on the ottoman.  "I tell you what,  I guess I will stand watch.  What did they ever do without me?"



After Soccer, the family has a small break before they head on over to the baseball field.  The Mama still gets nervous every time her son goes to bat.  She has learned to try not to scream his name as it could distract him.  And when he rounds the bases he still looks to his family with that sweet smile as if, "Did you see that?"



They all enjoy the concept of team and how special it is to be a part of that.



And marvel over their new friends and their incredible abilities.



But, it always comes back to the Mama and her camera and wanting to capture it all as if she's going to forget it one day.

So, she continues with the same routine every Saturday.  It's just a good typical, family rhythm really.

And she's grateful for it.

Toe Pick

I'm going to go back in time to February.  I LOVE Spring, but above all years, I really feel like we were cheated of our Winter this year.  Seems like we are about to skip over Spring too, but anyway...back to February...back to sweater month and ice skates and Strawberry Shortcake.  I'm not going to say much tonight...I don't think.



Kadee and Jesse...cousins...Best Friends forever.  She gave Jesse the sweetest necklace.  It's one of those Best Friends charm necklaces.  Each have half.  So sweet.





I think she might have spit on the cake a bit when she was trying to blow out the candles.  I tried to skip that section when I was slicing it for everyone.



Everyone hit the ice so quickly.  That's Ms. Kelly and Ms. Laura behind Jesse.  Kadee is hanging on there while Zac and Jonah are on their way.



Allie and Kadee....so sweet.



Ms. Kelly and Jesse.  Peas in a Pod.  Kindred Spirits.  Bosom Buddies for life.



This is my son's rear end.  Notice the ice.  He spent most of the party on the ice...literally falling on it and laying on it and eating it.



Here's Jesse and Kadee again...so happy.



Kadee and her Mama ice skating together and enjoying a special mother daughter moment.



Egan is too cool to ice skate.  Way too cool.  Actually, I think he did a little, but I missed it.  Yep, but still so cool.



I couldn't keep up with her to get many pictures.  She was better than me.



And this child, my sweet niece, Kadee, called me before the party and told me she was scared of ice skating.  I told her it was OK if she didn't skate.  It was so NOT a problem.  Girlfriend cut loose and did great.



So did he.  He was soaking wet at the end of the party.



Allie and her Mama here.  So cute!



Coop!  Hey buddy.  You rocked.  You're so dang cute.



"But I want to open all my pink presents Mommy!"  Good grief.  It's my party and I'll cry if I want to...cry if I want to...cry if I want to...you would cry too if they kicked you out of the party room before you could open all your pink presents.  Sorry kiddo.  That wasn't fair.



Look at the four of them...Jesse, Kadee, Cade and Jonah.  They look like experienced, seasoned ice skaters don't they?



Yep, till the girls busted it.  Toe Pick!  (Name that movie.)  What's up with that face Jonah?  And sweet Cade is like...what's up with these people?



Hey Samantha, Cade and Cooper!  This is my college roommate...except she was smart and went to Pharmacy school while I studied airplanes at GA Tech.  She was the best roommate a girl could have.  I liked waking her up in the mornings.  It was like practicing for kids.  "Samantha, it's time to get up!"  I know she wanted to curse at me....I just know it...but she never did.



I have to remind Jonah he can't marry his cousin sometimes.  I love the innocence in that.  I love that he thinks the world of her.



Oh Ella, the youngest.  Your time will come my dear...it will come.



She inspires me.



And these Grandparents right here...I'm thankful to them every single day.  I'm thankful to them for raising a wonderful son and father to those two kids.  So, hey....I'm going to have to give this one up to Grandmommy...look at the two of them...she and Jesse.  Oh my.  There are times I see my side of the family in her, but this photo is all Grandmommy.  Wow.



And at last...Jonah was not happy about the end of the party.  Jesse really wanted to get home and open all of her wonderful pink presents.  Let's go!

And that's that...except I do need to share some basketball from the Winter months too.  That was a huge, wonderful part of our Winter and seriously one of our favorite sports now.

Thanks for bearing with me as I catch up...moments can't pass me by you know.  This is me putting a stop to that.  Night!