Winter beach

A few weeks ago, London and I popped down to the beach to hang out with the 'rents. They have encouraged me to come down for the Pensacola Arts Festival for years but I've never taken them up on the invitation. We made a last minute decision to swing down there and I'm so glad we did! I can't put my finger on exactly why I feel this way, but this trip settled into my soul as an important time with my family. It felt like memory making... I talk about it a lot on the blog. The moments that I catch myself thinking, 'Remember this minute. Just like this. Don't forget.' 

One of my very favorite TV shows is called 'The Office'. The darling couple on the show started this motion before their wedding that when they were in a perfect moment together, they would act like they were taking a picture with an invisible camera. It was their way of not forgetting that exact minute. This whole weekend felt chock full of those little minutes that I want to hold on to and make them last. So, here are my mental pictures. 

But first, Jim and Pam {video}. YOU GUYS. If you want to cry every tear you can possibly produce, get on Netflix and watch The Office Season 6 Episode 5. The wedding. EVERY. SINGLE. TEAR. Also, if you watch it and think, 'you know, so and so reminds me EXACTLY of Jim Halpert', then note his age. If he's in his late teens, you need to set up a date with Charley. If he's in his 30's, send him my number immediately. Charley and I are both looking for the same dude, 15 years apart, based on a ficticious character. We are realistic. 

I digress.... :) Not a bad view to drive in, walk on the balcony, take a deep breath, and say thanks for every day He gives. I'm so thankful for our life. 

Finally worn. This was after much much, much dancing to show off for her grandparents!

Saturday morning was COLD. This was our first winter beach trip and it was chilly willy! 

Per the usual, it took Lu all of 3 seconds to decide she'd rather be cold and wet than not be in her beloved ocean. She'll end up seaside one day. No question about it. 

{click}

Gorgeous. This place heals. 

Sand angels :)

This. Just this. {click}

I think I know what the feeling is now. After blogging about it. My folks gave me a rich life. I have such a huge stockpile of memories of the times I knew without a shadow of a doubt that my mom would do ANYTHING for me. And we traveled a LOT. We saw and experienced so many cool things. My parents did a great job of keeping us as grounded as possible but there were plenty of life events that I lived with stars in my eyes because they were big and exciting. Broadway. Snowsking. Beach trips. Fancy food with Dad.

I know what it is now.... London has stepped into my shoes and her amazing grandparents are giving her 'stars in her eyes' moments. I know enough now to realize the importance of these times and am beyond thankful to have evidence of the JOY they are bringing to her life. We are so in love with you, momma and dad.

More to come! I loaded pictures per event so I'll get the others up asap!

Photo Edits

So sorry for not posting more but my computer died and I haven't had time to get to the Apple store to see if it's fixable or RIP for the old technology machine. I can load pictures from my phone but it takes longer so I'm awful about procrastinating! Luckily last night, I gave up on my chores, plopped in the bed at 8:30 and loaded a few posts on here before I zonked out! 

Last week, an Instagram friend challenged me to post a black and white photo each day for a week. First things first- if we're IG friends, I shall NEVER call you out for a posting challenge. I know I could've ignored the challenge but she said something nice about my pics so I decided to try it. I joined in mainly because I typically post pictures with color, brighter color, with a dash of color on top. Think: obnoxious. 

I love it when people post super faded, muted photos, but I can never go there with my pictures. It's just not me. So, I thought going monochrome for a week would be a big change up for me and an interesting project. Turns out I loved it. For 5 days I looked at everything around me to find the beauty in my everyday backdrop. Where was the light coming from? Would the object lose it's 'flavor' if you took the color away?  I've been thinking a lot about getting stuck in ruts. I love our life but it is generally a carbon copy of each week over and over and over, which, trust me, after the last few years, is FINE BY ME. But for this week,  I liked having something to day dream about... a distraction... a little atypical in the midst of our very typical life.

I thought I'd post a few of the pics and edits that I did and see how you feel.. Do you like the black and whites or do you sway towards color like me? 

I didn't use this one because it felt too close to home for me. I wanted this picture all for myself. When you get sweet thing laughing just right, you can see her one tiny dimple that I love beyond words. I'm glad I have this shot. (and I love you to the moon, Lu Lu.)

We always have dinner with the Thomas' on Monday nights. A sweet friend needed a last minute babysitter so we had a tiny little addition to the normal crew. This little plum has two HUGE dimples and our three big kids were falling all over themselves to see them! 

This is a midday bloody mary to celebrate the amazing Jill Thomas' birthday! (I LOVE YOU, Jill Thomas!) I much prefer the color version of this one... see below.

So much better, right?

These pictures look very similar but one made me laugh and I wanted to show you the edits process. Here's the original. London has circus eyes that are apparently looking at two different things! Lucky shot for me! She was so tickled at her different direction eyes, so I don't think she'll be mad at me for posting!

Here's a faded version of this picture that if I knew what I was doing, I would make cool pictures that look like this! 

Here was my submission for the black and white challenge where I pulled all the color out then went back and put her original eye color back in. I kind of loved it so I took another picture where her eyes are normal and did this same process. I might print it for the house! She's so beautiful!

original 

enhanced

black and white. I love it. This one is my favorite! 

So, what do you think? Are you a black and white person or like life in highlighter like me?!

School Picture Time!!

One of my favorite things about London's school is that they hire a family photographer to take their school pictures. They always turn out so sweet! I thought London's were beautiful.. they don't look like her every day smile, but I still love them because they are of *her*. Sweetest, gorgeous girl.

(Your momma could eat you up, child.)

And because they are absolutely family, there's no way I'd leave them of the ole family blog.... Knox Thomas looking tall, skinny, and dreamy as always. Isn't he SO handsome?!?!

Lucas Thomas... what a total heartbreaker. I want you all to talk to him in person because his sweet, mischievous eyes will slay you. I have no power over his persuasion. Goodness, I love him. 

Charley Rhea's Incredible Senior Pictures

Charley Rhea had her senior pictures taken recently. Her momma sent the family a link to look through them all and I've compiled my favorites below. Looking through these pictures was WAY too much for me to handle. I've always loved this girl with a fierceness I couldn't put my finger on until I had a babe of my own. I've ADORED Charley Rhea for every stage of her life. These past few years have been full of highs and lows for us both, and to my delighted surprise, Charley and I shared much of this time together. We've always been super close, but we've cried together and laughed big together, and she's taught me how to navigate life with poise, wisdom, and kindness. (Yes, she taught ME, not the other way around.) I wouldn't trade these last 12 months for anything in this world. I feel like Charley has finally seen a glimpse of the deep embedded love I've always had for her. She's had the chance to feel it and know it well this year. We've been there for each other and it's been a year I will always store away in my mind as IMPORTANT. 

One of the best opportunities God ever gave me was moving to Birmingham. Originally the decision was made in part because I didn't want to miss the twins growing up. I grew up with Charley. I was a part of her life from the very beginning and I didn't want to miss those years with the twins. Turns out, it was immensely important that I didn't miss a minute of this amazing girls life. 

I was here for her elementary school graduation. I was here for the silly, super giggly sleepovers, I was here for braces and softball and finding real best friends. We got manicures before her first school dance. There were relationships that came and went and times of great joy and heart ache. 

Charley is such a perfectly packaged person. You talk to her and watch her brain process the immense amount of data stored in there. Her great intellect makes her seem unseasonably mature. She can talk to you intelligently about every tough subject out there. Girl is SMART. 

She's clear eyed and driven. She's always been a goal setter and she's never shied away from putting her head down and working hard for what she wants to accomplish. She has a remarkable way of pushing life's obstacles to the side and plowing forward. Intentional. Steady. Focused. She is a WOMAN. Strong, intelligent, wielding a power she probably hasn't discerned yet. 

But if you call her phone, and get her voice mail, there's this falsetto voice on the recording that always surprises me. She's still my squeaky little niece. A youngster really. Full of wonder and innocence. There's much more to learn and do and experience because the world is still her oyster! :)

She attends an enormous high school. She'll graduate with over 600 other seniors (give or take). They rent out the biggest arena in the city for graduation. There are so many people. So much diversity. So many chances to get lost in the crowd. But after all these years of cultivating friendships with other smart, fun classmates, Charley Rhea has made a name for herself. They had awards day last week and she won Best Dressed! She was so surprised and had no idea she would win! 

My best friend, Jill, teaches 9th and 10th grade at Charley's high school. Her students don't know that she and Charley are friends but Jill said Charley's name is all the chatter with the underclassmen because they think she is 'beautiful and really sweet to them.' I hope she realizes what a testament this is to her. It's easy to get caught up in the ego of senior life, but her heart is kind. Those younger girls will forevermore look up to Charley because she made an impact on their high school years. She makes them feel important. Kindness always wins. Remember that baby girl. 

My personal favorite. 

She faced some hard times this year. High school is fun but not always easy. She faced some situations that brought out the momma bear in me. She had choices to make on how she would treat people in the wake of hurt feelings and wrong doings. She called. We talked. And then, the most beautiful thing happened. I watched Charley work through a thoughtful process of following her heart. Deciding her own path. Acting the way that made her feel good in her soul... and wouldn't you know, she chose to love, and forgive, and to be brave. 

YOU ARE BRAVE, CHILD. 

She chose to smile anyway. She chose to embrace the good and find joy instead of getting dragged down by anything that wouldn't benefit her life. She chose to rise above.

And it was HER choice. 

To the very core of her, she is beautiful. 

You are GOOD, baby. A diamond. A treasure to me. 

She is teeming with excitement for college. She hasn't made her mind up yet as to where she will go, but she has great choices ahead of her. Her dedication to school has opened up awesome opportunities. She's not settling on a default college. Her years of hard work have given her the options to explore and travel which ever path brings her the most delight. 

                                  Congratulations beautiful. I'm overwhelmingly proud of you. 

I wish we had a picture of every blood and distant relative hugging your neck just like this to serve as a reminder that you are BELOVED. You have taught us all to have fun and be silly and soak up every second of life. You've also taught us to work hard, don't give up, GO FOR IT! Most importantly, you've taught us to always smile, expect the best in people and give second chances when they might miss the mark, love anyway, because that's most important. 

My heart. There are times when I want to send you away in such a commotion of exuberance and excitement that Andaddy would call it 'nonsense'. There are other times that I want to stomp my foot and scream at you for growing up. You'll understand one day how hard it is to watch these pieces of your heart grow up and venture out... a too far distance for me to be able to scoop you up and still dote on you like a child. 

But in the end of days, I know exactly how our story plays out. I'll stand face to face with my good, gracious God and I'll open my hands in thanks, lips trembling, eyes a dam of tears, just as they are now, and I won't say a word. He'll know. He'll know my heart could never put words to my immense gratitude for being able to watch your whole life from the sidelines. Sometimes only tears like waterfalls can tell the story of JOY that someone brings to your life. 

I cherish you, Charley Bug. You are a hero to me. 

The Lovely Life of Londie Lu Lu Lane

On managing the men in her life:
"Today Beckett told me he wanted to marry me."
"That's sweet! Beckett is a very nice boy. I wouldn't mind you marrying him but Knox is going to be so upset."
"It's okay Momma, I'm going to marry Knox after him.... But I'm going to marry my daddy too."
"Goodness, baby. That's a lot of men in your life. How are you going to keep track of them all?"
"I'll make a chart."
:)

We found some 'old possums' at the library and she wanted to take a picture to send to her andaddy! (This is a misuse of Opossums, which her grandaddy tried teaching her about.)

We were laying in the bed reading one night and she was curled into my nook. She paused the story, looked up sweetly, and said, "I love your fluffy ninnies, momma. They're so big and fat." :)
(If you're reading and we're not real life friends, then you'll miss the humor of this... my ninnies are no where near big and fluffy, but there's just something comfortable about laying against your momma's chest! I was cracking up!)

Getting into every pot of make up on display at Sephora. We leave looking like she ran face first into a rainbow. 

This morning London came into the kitchen shooting ice out of her wrists like Elsa on Frozen. A bit later she walked into the kitchen, looked at the blue veins on the inside of my wrist, and in total amazement, looked up at me and said, "Mommy, you have Elsa power too!"

She found some Elsa power on her chest this week and is still trying to figure out how she's supposed to shoot it out.

A giggly pile of cousin friends!

Last night we got home too late to read a book before bedtime so we shot a flashlight on the wall and I told her a story while making shadow hands on the walls. It was a story about a floppy-eared rabbit. After I finished, she said she wanted to tell a story too so she told a floppy-eared rabbit story also. In her shadow, you could still make out her plump, chubby little baby fingers. Watching her portly little fingers on the wall made me take inventory of the 'baby' that's still in her. Sadly, there's not much left. I wanted to slow the night down to a snails pace and tell stories all night just so I could still have time with this stage of life. These little years go by at a cruel pace... So much happy that seems to sprint by. I wish I could take the last 4 years and stretch them over 20....maybe then I'd be  satisfied and ready to move on and let her grow into this big, long kid that she is now. :( All the teary eyed FEELINGS!!!

Catching a ride on her momma's foot

We are finally night time potty training and STICKING WITH IT! I've attempted this a half dozen times but talk myself out of it every time because I don't have the energy to do laundry every day! However, we had a sick day this week so had a 'long weekend' and we went for it! We've gone the last 4 out of 5 nights with no accidents! Her prize is that she gets to sleep with a glow bracelet if she can wake up dry. I've loved walking past her dark room at night and seeing this electric glow of victory shining bright in her bed! She's doing great and I'm so proud of her!

Last week I picked her up from school and one of her teachers stopped me and wanted to tell me that London had come up to her that afternoon and told the teacher she was very beautiful. This sweet teacher probably wouldn't fit the conventional, outward definition of 'beautiful' so I was very proud of Lu for saying something kind and loving to her. I leaned down to scoop up Lu and when I lifted my  head, the teacher was looking at me with crocodile tears in her eyes.
She whispered, 'I didn't realize how badly I needed to hear that today.' It was a beautiful lesson for all of us on the importance of letting loving words pour forth. There's nothing better than watching a girl get washed over with love. It sure does make them beautiful!
.......
This was also the week she got strep throat and had a super annoying runny nose. She wasn't worried about strep because they gave her 'pink medicine' like Andaddy gives her and she loves it, but she did diagnose herself with 'a nose issue' and told everyone who would listen about her "awful nose issue".

Bless it. In the waiting room at the doctor's office. So pitiful. :(

We've never had strep so our Doc said I'd be amazed at how quickly the antibiotics stop the symptoms. This is 3 hours later in a dressing room mirror in the mall.... 

I'm not sure how we have made it our 'thing' to go ride the carousel on sick days, but it's a fun treat for her and I love watching her smile big on days when she's a bit non-smiley. Goodness, i love her. 

She's joined her school's extra curricular 'Chest Club' (chess club)! Knox and Lucas joined and she's been BEGGING to join the chess club too! I countered with dance classes or tennis lessons but she was dead set on "CHEST." We're one class in and she is loving it! They let the kids be the human chess pieces and she was the Rook last week! It's awesome watching them get excited over new interests and it's hilarious that hot thing of the minute is chess! :)

Speaking of tennis....

This makes my heart laugh out loud.  So much fun practicing with her!

She went to the Mississippi State Fair with her Dad a few weeks ago. She loved the fair but did NOT care for the roller coaster that she went on! When she got in the car I asked her what her favorite part of the fair was and she immediately answered, 'Not going on the roller coasters.' Ha!

They announced this week that Malala Yousafzai won the Noble Peace Prize and twitter started a hashtag chain of #AGirlWithABook as a way to honor Malala. I stuck this picture on there to play along. I told London Malala's story. Not an easy one to tell a 4 year old, but an important one, I thought. We talked for a long while on being brave and loving on people by fighting for them to have a good, happy life too. She understood that it's not easy for all little girls to go to school and to get to read books like she does. I fully believe this passionate little sweetheart has a good dose of world change in her. I know if God has written her story as an ambassador, I might not always be thrilled with what she will face... but Lulu has a wild fire spirit in her and I feel it's important to speak a message over her life of courage, love, and the power of the Good God inside of her... even a young life can be fed big truth. 

And just to end on a light note, one of my favorite pictures I've taken recently! Super hero Lucas, flying.... and highly edited so he stands out like the remarkable little dude that he is!