Summer Days

these days of recent I’ve tried to sit and write_ tried to pen a post.

but couldn’t.

i kept hearing that inner voice say step away from the computer heather.

so I would, I did.

so much to do, but not anything real pressing.

just the knowing that we have 3 more weeks before we have to get up_

get out of our pj’s and into real clothes_ have to be back on a schedule.

i know the days are coming when I will miss having them in the house with me.

and I’ll be able to write or do whatever and right now all of the other can wait.
here's a little of what we've been up to.

we’ve had sleep late days

and pancakes to fill our bellies for breakfast.

played games of their choice.

which always wind’s up being Life.

we’ve colored.

and as of recent been turned on to Netflix.

which is bad and good all wrapped up into one.

with the heat out everyone’s been fine with staying indoors.

so we’ve found some shows on there, old movies, documentaries that the kids really like and have stayed up to 12 and 1am watching every night.

this week we’ll start shopping for school.

getting all their supplies, picking out the just right book sack, and getting fresh hair cuts.

summer days are coming to an end.
so we're soaking every little bit up.

linking up with laura

.heather

They're Home

well today I am so thankful to have my kids home.

we picked them up this week and i was more than ready to get my hands back on them.

i'm thankful that they get to spend time with family but still as their mama i

do a lot of exhaling when their back in arms distance. 

i was thinking about it as we drove to meet up with my mother and father in law in Alabama. 

how we've lived in a lot of different states & houses and none of it holds me.

or has a hold on me...but my kids_ being with Jode_ they are my home. 

and when we're apart pieces of me are missing.

speaking of Alabama. that's kind of a half way mark between us and mawmaw so it was 

awesome that they met us there. helped us not have to go so far and it helped

split the trip up a bit. we were all able to have lunch together before departing and 

heading back our separate ways.

no matter how we sike ourselves up and know that goodbye's are coming...it's still hard.

and this time was no different.

when Jode and i pulled out of the driveway in leaving the kids they were

crying. and i tried my best to smile_ tell them how much fun they were going to have

at mawmaw's_ and wave till we were out of sight.

the thing is they knew and they wanted to stay but seeing us go was still hard.

they want us all together. with no one having to say a goodbye.

and i get it. and i want so bad to take away the pain and torn feelings.

but i can't and so i hold them close_ i rub their backs_ we talk of future visits and all that we have 

to look forward to _ and i pray. the Lord knows. so i pray that He would comfort and bring

peace. that He would guard their hearts & minds. that's when & where i'm able to find my rest.

and i also am thankful for this man and our time spent together.

i told him that when thinking of things that we could do together that we needed to ask the question

"do we do this with the kids? with us all together?" and if the answer was yes then we needed to 

figure something else out. so we did things that we normally don't do.

for example, we don't usually eat at Seafood restaurants bc my Gray is allergic.

so we made sure to eat out one night at a Seafood place we had never been to.

on another day Jode drove me from one side of our city to another hitting

all the thrift stores. Bc my kids wouldn't mind 1 or 2 stores. but 

to stop at more than 5 would've been pure torture to them. 

oh, and i know this is kind of silly to some. and we could totally do this with our kids but

this fell under the "first" category. that's a whole other post. but we like to

experience things we've never done before_for the first time_ together. so we 

rode the trolley all around the city one night. it's the little things.

but i'm thankful on this thursday for these little things that mean the world to me.

and i'm thankful for my babies_ our family_ our home.

linking up with Carina

.heather

10 on 10 { july 2012 }

this day, this whole week has felt a little strange. i’ve felt a little off.

for instance, when I get in the car to go somewhere I keep feeling like there’s something forgotten or like I didn’t turn my curling iron off. something of that sort and kind. but I know what it is. my kids aren’t here. they’re at mawmaw’s for a few days and so it feels odd.

i miss them to pieces. even the annoying things like their fussing & fighting. but I’m also enjoying this time. funny how you can do both at the same time. miss them so much yet have such fun just jode & i, the two of us. enjoying the conversation that we can have about future opportunities. about life. lots of times this convo gets pushed off because of more pressing things that need to be tended to with the kids. conversation that happens when my eyes are just about to shut in bed or when taking a drive in the car and all are pre-occupied. so it’s been nice. it’s a blessing…. this time. I try to remind myself of that when the guilt starts to creep in. because at the end of the day it all comes back to him and I.

i've been taking this opportunity to do some thrifting too. you know while the kids are away mom will play. talk about treasures. i found some treasure this week that makes my heart start to race. is it just me or when you pull up to a thrift store and see it packed with cars do you get the urge to run? i always feel like I need to hurry and get in. because someone may be getting some good thing that I really want or need. like when I found the prettiest yellow and white rug. now I know we’re not talking about vintage goodness here but I’ve been eyeing that very rug at Target for months. even carried it around the store only to talk myself out of it. all because I hated to spend the $25. so when I spotted it on an end cap in Goodwill for $6 still with the tags i thought it must be a mistake. someone must've layed it down accidentally and as I picked it up, seriously thought someone would come tell me it was not for sale.

 10 on 10 forces me to look for special moments throughout my day and that’s the real treasure. the real goodness. the kind that holds no price tag. i’m thankful for it all. including the treasure found in stores. but on these days not only can I reflect on what I did but I get to see through these photos so much more. there's so much more....

.heather

Linking up with Rebekah

"baby you're my firework"

our 4^th was kind of a quiet_low key one.

i spent the morning putting together fruit salad and

macaroni & cheese to bring for dinner that evening.

my friend nina had invited us over to eat and go watch fireworks afterwards.

if you ever need a quick recipe to whip up… this salad is definitely one.

you can really use any fruit you like, but we make it with:

2 cans mandarin oranges

1 jar of cherries

1 large can crushed pineapple

3 apples

4 bananas

empty all fruit into a bowl and set aside.

drain all the fruit juices into a bowl. 

then add a pkg of jello instant pudding vanilla flavor and a pkg 

of instant lemon flavor pudding into the juices.  

mix really well until there are no lumps left.

pour over fruit, mix altogether, and put in refrigerator to chill.

add your bananas last to keep them from getting mushy and turning brown.

this is the only picture I managed to get of it.

the kids love cherries! it’s their favorite part.

nina had everything set up so cute.

her funfetti cake was one of my favorite things.

the icing and sprinkles were so festive.

we headed over and watched some fireworks with

our 3d glasses that nina’s family had given us.

it was like prisms and color overload!

and afterwards back home we had a little fun with the glasses too.

hope you had a great 4th of July!!

linking up with 2 of my favorite gals today Cuppakim & Katygirl

.heather

Remembering June

i love my insta-pics... they are the jam{uh, hmmm hannah}.

 thank the Lord for cell phones with cameras that at any time you can catch the moment. 

like when your vacationing in a car for 9 hours and you need something to do. waalah.... 

insta-pic of your feet propped up on the dashboard. you know you've done that. don't lie. 

or a good one of the kids fighting in the back seat. or drool coming out their mouths as they sleep.

gabi's first swim meet. getting my hair did. kayli girl. neely. me & gab.

earrings from hannah. coffee in my fav mug. me & kayli. fixing up dad's hair. stud man making a fire.

kayli's freckles. neely boy getting big. strawberry smoothies. prints from aly. new cup.

low angle of neely. what i wore. chipmunks on the porch. going to Ms. straightening iron burn.

me & hubs pic for anniversary. us at lydia's wedding. atlanta coke. church. billy button flowers for the wedding.

making cupcakes at mawmaw's. bible study in the morning. gab & neely. signage. gray man

it keeps me busy when i'm bored.

it also helps me document our lives.

and one of the best things yet again...are the people.

seriously, i've met some great people through insta-gram. even met some in person.

and some i may never have the opportunity to meet here.

but at least i can now say i know Richelle & Jami in Ca.

amd Sarah in Ok. and Laura in Tx and Danielle in NY.

pictures... they say a thousand words and bring us all together.

I love me some insta-gram.

happy tuesday!

.heather