We love it here.
This is my excuse for not being here on the blog more. If you’ve ever been to Baldwin County, AL then you probably get it. Fall is my favorite season at the beach, the crowds are gone, the humidity has subsided, and the water is still warm! We have simply been soaking in our surroundings, and soaking up living together as a family. I find myself often thanking God that we are all together, and that I’m not alone at the brown house like I was last year. I’m so thankful that Justin’s here for dinner, boat rides and Little House before bed… active and involved in the lives of his children. It’s vital for them, and me.
The girls are doing great at school and love to go. Paige {our shy little one} received the Principal’s Award for Leadership in her class for the first 9 weeks of school and very non-nonchalantly told me she had to miss “centers” to receive her award in the principal’s office. Rover is loving his new preschool and talks about his teacher like she’s his best friend… he can’t wait to tell her things, and show her things! They are growing up overnight! Morgan has become a great reader and her front teeth are hanging in there only by a thread.
September was busy, just like the other months! It seems as though the weekends we are here we have company and the other weekends we’ve been on the road, either back to the brown house or to see friends & family. And the weeks in between have been filled with more visitors, homework, field trips, dentist appointments and school functions. Life has been full… in a good way!
Early in September we made our way to Erika & Chance’s to celebrate with Sloane… 2 precious little years of life! Momma Sissy throws a sweet party, Uncle Chance can come up with some super fun games, and Mom and Daddy Boy were there for extra dose of love… including DB taking Rover down the Matchbox aisle at the local Walmart!
We returned to the beach and had the pleasure of having Justin’s mom for a few days. It was such a treat to have her here and share the daily routine with her, which included a field trip to the fire station with 25 little Dalmatians! Paige’s teacher is so kind, patient, and resourceful! Those spotted shirts are being used for the next field trip, but the children are turning each little dot into a spider!
We also worked in a sunset boat cruise with Justin’s mom, and a sunset dinner bay-side.
Another perk of living at the beach is seeing long lost friends that happen to be vacationing here! We have had the pleasure of seeing lots of folks, and unfortunately we’ve missed several opportunities to see others! The week Justin’s mom left we had 8 adults and 12 {very young children} for dinner! It was an Auburn reunion of sorts {or you could say we had the Fiji’s over for dinner}… the Nebrigs, Wingfields, & Wilsons joined us for a wild night of chasing little ones, catching up, and food! It was so much fun! I’m so sad I didn’t get a group picture, or at least one of all the children!
If any of you knew or know Jared Wingfield, you will not be surprised that he came through with the entertainment for the evening… which just so happened to be dry ice. I tend to be a little more particular than letting the children play with dry ice but he proved me wrong and they all were safe and loved it! I do believe they had a little pep talk along the lines of “don’t touch it”!
I love little boys!
{Thanks, Meg for the pictures!}
Last weekend we hit the road again… this time for a little R&R for myself with two of the most wonderful girlfriends a girl could ever hope for. Justin took the kids to the brown house and I headed to PCB with Lindsey & Abby. We had PERFECT weather, and we embraced 2 mottos for the weekend: “every man for himself” {as in we fed no one but ourselves and cleaned up after no one but ourselves}, and “let’s be sure to finish off that chocolate peanut butter cake” {that speaks for itself}!
Saturday night we savored every bite of food poolside at Caliza… and enjoyed the atmosphere as much as the food. Here are my precious friends… I love them! We had the most wonderful time and lots of laughs!
Erika met us there… here’s one of us on the other side of the table.
We decided that these type weekends need to be on the calendar at least every other month! π Thank you girls for a weekend of restoration & relaxation, and for your help with those notebooks!!!!
As I mentioned, our weeks have been busy with the same things that your weeks are probably busy with… like dentist appointments, myself included.
I took the kids to Daphne last week to see Michael Nebrig {ps- I love that my college friends are now professionals. It was fun to share with the kids that Dr. Nebrig gave Erika and I our dog Eufaby when we were juniors in college, now he’s our dentist}.Β Everyone got a clear bill of health… except the Rover, he has to have a little filling in a couple weeks.
His office is fabulous and I know he has his sweet & talented wife Krista to thank for that… I’m not sure what Morgan is doing in this picture… interpretive dance?! See that black binder on the coffee table? It’s full of pictures of people with bad teeth who miraculously receive good teeth by going to the dentist. I scared the kids to death showing them what would happen if they didn’t brush their teeth, I’ll spare you.
Speaking of teeth. I’m getting braces today on my bottom teeth. Insert fear, trembling and a new family investment in Advil and wax… and maybeΒ a water pick.
I also got busted photographing these “teeth” while having my consultation with my new orthodontist. I played it off ok. I’m hoping for a sweet Auburn colored retainer when the torture is over with… in 6 months, he says. Today is October 5th we’ll see if they’re off April 5th.
This brings me to this past weekend…
Our dear friends, the Stanfords, came for the weekend to visit. We were graced with the most perfect weather which meant lots of boat time, island time, and even a morning at the trails!
When they left we were all so very sad. Many tears were shed and the kids begged for them to come back.Β We’re hoping to make it happen again before it gets too chilly!
A few more random things before I scoot…
Paige is learning to tie her shoes in kindergarten… so I bought her a pair of shoes with laces, thinking she’d be so excited. No, she was completely devastated because she didn’t know how to tie them. I worked with her for 30 minutes to an hour, but she was so hysterical that she couldn’t do it she told me she’d never wear them. I tried really hard to explain that it would take her time to learn, that she wasn’t expected to get it the first day. Isn’t it funny when you think things will be fun and exciting and then they are receivedΒ so polar opposite? I had her wear them to school today, but as you can imagine she wasn’t thrilled. Anyone know why these chucks have 2 tongues? Are you supposed to fold one down?
Last night I set the little Rover up on the deck for a trim, and then I used my scissors to turn him into a big boy.
Then I wanted to glue the hair back on his head! π
Ok, gotta scoot… I’d hate to be late to the orthodontist! We have a big weekend coming up. We’re going by boat to Fairhope/Point Clear to meet Erika, Chance, & Sloane! Should be an adventure to say the least! We keep reminding ourselves that we won’t always have these opportunities so we’re taking full advantage!
Amanda Wells
October 5, 2011 at 9:47 amYour kids are growing! Love how cute Rover looks in his honeybee tee.
https://www.amandadovewells.com/?page_id=45
Betsy
October 5, 2011 at 10:45 amLove the picture of Rover laying in the shallow water- too precious! His haircut reminds me of when my baby brother insisted that my dad buzz his hair so he could look like my other little brother… When I walked into the kitchen and saw his blonde curls on the floor I burst into tears, then baby brother burst into tears, then my mom and big sister came downstairs and also burst into tears!
I almost bought a pair of Chucks just like the pair you got your little girl, the tongue threw me off a bit though. The sales girl said that folding the top part down to show off the pattern is “the style”… I ended up buying a plain raspberry pair, I think the cute fold-over tongue will look much better on Paige than it would on me π
I also love the shirt you are wearing in the picture with your sister?
Happy to hear your sweet family is doing well.
Tiffany
October 5, 2011 at 11:15 amI have lived in Baldwin County my whole life…and following you for a couple of years….it makes me happy to see you and your family enjoying our part of the world!!! I keep hoping I will “run” into you, and if I do, you will think I am paparazzi!!! π
Saffron
October 5, 2011 at 11:29 amSo much Joy!! Thank you for sharing! Those Dalmatian shirts are just too darned cute!!!
Kristen
October 5, 2011 at 11:30 amSo excited to see a new post from you, Darby!! Glad you and the rovers are doing well! I still can’t get over the view you have right out your deck, so gorgeous!!
Jennifer
October 5, 2011 at 12:08 pmWhat fun, fun times! I’m so happy for you that y’all are all together!
Anna
October 5, 2011 at 12:23 pmSo fun. . . makes me miss it up there π Hope y’all have a great Fall and War Eagle!!
Keri
October 5, 2011 at 12:37 pmYAY! Soak it all up! Baldwin County IS so great! I was so excited to see you post! It’s so wonderful to hear that you are enjoying all your family time. π Hope the braces go well this afternoon and teach Paige the “loop, swoop & pull”. You know…from the movie Big Daddy with Adam Sandler. I always think of that when someone mentions learning to tie shoes. And of course the rhyme is fun. π
Lindsey
October 5, 2011 at 12:55 pm:). nothing like a whole month in one post! you did a great job of condensing and highlighting for us. it was hard to chose, but my favorite picture is the one of the kids on the beach sitting in a line. i’m assuming j is trying to pull jm down with them? and although you are having fun, i sure wish you were at the brown house instead of baldwin county. can’t wait to see your brace face!
Cherish @ Southern Soul Mates
October 5, 2011 at 12:55 pmWhat fabulous news that your family is thriving “together” again!! It’s so great to hear everyone is doing well and soaking up the time you have living on the coast. Love all the pictures! I have been toying with the idea of getting braces again, too, so I’m interested to see how it goes for you! Good luck! I have been trying to teach the little boy I babysit how to tie his shoes and he gets so frustrated and shouts that he’s just giving up…and on and on and on. I remember being excited about learning how to do it myself, but who knows. Enjoy your time at Fairhope with Chance, Erika and Sloane!! Have a blessed day!
Brittaney
October 5, 2011 at 1:39 pmI love the beach in the fall too! Since my dad lives down there, we usually visit a lot in the fall, but this fall has been too busy.
Oh and those pink fire hats are precious- I want one too!
Your posts make me want to pick up and move down there ASAP! I’m definitely jealous!
anna
October 5, 2011 at 1:40 pmlooks like y’all are having a blast. i got my braces off about a year ago. i am so glad that i got them because my teeth look so much better. plus, now when my kids (i have two big girls and a baby boy, too) have them I will be much more sympathetic! π advil and soup are key, along with ice cream!
Madison
October 5, 2011 at 2:00 pmSo happy that you have had some quality time with your friends and family, but I am SO glad you’re back! It’s been lonely around here without you! =)
Regan @ The Professional Palate
October 5, 2011 at 2:03 pmMy oldest is supposed to be learning to tie his shoes now as well. I’m actually terrified… its a skill (obviously) that I as a parent possess. Teaching, it however, is a different story all together. I admire you for your excitement over the task π
mommasis
October 5, 2011 at 2:06 pmrover and sloaney look alike. love you and cant wait to see you and your braces!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jill
October 5, 2011 at 2:20 pmHave so much fun in Fairhope!! {And good luck with the braces :)}
Heather
October 5, 2011 at 2:43 pmCould you please tell me how you cut Rover’s hair? Did you go to beauty school? It always looks so cute. I want to give it to my little guy. π
karah
October 5, 2011 at 2:53 pmyour children are so beautiful (so are you!) good luck with your braces:) your photos are amazing. how wonderful your husband gets to spend more time you all! π
carol
October 5, 2011 at 3:34 pmSo glad to see a new post from you. I was beginning to be concerned. So much so, that I had added you to my prayer list! I’ll continue with the prayers but so grateful that all is well (just busy) for you and your adorable family.
Brittny Hemphill
October 5, 2011 at 4:27 pmUGH!!!!! I feel like we have swapped lives and I want to trade back! We moved away from the beach for a year and you moved there and took our place! Glad you all are having fun and getting together with so many friends and family. (That’s what we are doing, just not at the beach.) It cracks me up to see people I’ve never met who are friends with people I grew up with (Krista, Mallory and I all went to the same school growing up and they were either in my siblings class or we hung out watching our siblings play ball together.) I’m dying to get back to the sand and surf, so have a great weekend on the water for me and I can’t wait to read about it later! : )
kathy
October 5, 2011 at 5:51 pmI am so happy for you. How glorious to get to live where you are, even if temporary! Keep soaking it all in. Good Luck with the braces. My son is headed for that later this month.
Katie@ Noodle and Boof
October 5, 2011 at 6:40 pmBeautiful photos. Love the one of Rover laying down in the water. Best of luck with braces. Keep enjoying the beach!
Whitney
October 5, 2011 at 7:13 pmI LOVE the hair cut! What a big boy
Anna @ The Paper Road
October 5, 2011 at 7:58 pmWhat a cute idea for the tshirts – can’t wait to see how they turn out next. What awesome photos too! I’m inspired to take my camera along with me more often.
Jennifer
October 5, 2011 at 8:07 pmSo glad to read a new post from you! I was getting a bit worried too but figured you were just super busy. I feel like a crazy person because you don’t know me from a hole in the ground but I feel like I know you. Today my best friend and I had a conversation which included the off-hand sentence “don’t forget how Darby was able to make that orange bathroom work!”.
Love the photos of the beach. I think Rover looks like a mini Daddy Boy.
Amanda
October 5, 2011 at 8:11 pmYEAH!! She’s back π Missed you and love the new photos. We have to get down there (AL) sometime soon. Thanks for sharing!
ashley lynch
October 5, 2011 at 8:14 pmI’ve MISSED ya blogging!!! I know that you are keeping busy…especially living at the beach! Take advantage! Great pictures and glad you all are doing well!
Amy Brewer
October 5, 2011 at 9:04 pmMissed your posts and your sweet family. We are actually in your neck of the woods right now. I have given up coming in the summer and coming on the kids Fall Break. No crowds and no heat. We have been coming down here for years and I LOVE it. Enjoy this precious time with your family.
Misha
October 5, 2011 at 9:07 pmWhat a wonderfully long and informative post, braces and all. My little boy is learning how to tie his shoes too…it’s really cute to watch how determined he is.
Glad to see you’re posting again!! more often please :))
Angela
October 5, 2011 at 10:04 pmIt looks like you are enjoying fall and enjoying time with your family! I laughed out loud of your pictures of the teeth and braces. I’m starting braces (again) next week. I vow to wear my retainer after all of this, wishing my ortho would have explained all of this back in my teens. Oh well, excited to see if your’s will be off and done in 6 months!
elizabeth
October 5, 2011 at 10:48 pmyour family is beautiful. i love the way you document your life here on the blog through your pics and words! wonderful!
Abby
October 5, 2011 at 10:55 pmThank you for posting a picture of me with all my clothes ON! I’m ready to go back… Thanks for checking on my diabetes. I had my first test right after our weekend, and I truly think it was all that peanut butter cake that did me in π
kathleen
October 6, 2011 at 2:28 amI don’t know what it is about the power of suggestion.. but there are videos on line about how to tie shoes!! I know if I see a cooking show about say, brussel sprouts and well I have never prepared them before I actually bought some and cooked them in the oven – oven roasted them maybe even burned then a bit, but gosh they were tasty. Perhaps if your daughter sees all the videos on line !! about the subject of tying shoes the fear factor or gee others need to know too I AM NOT ALONE on this topic light bulb bandwagon may work. You my dear are a marketing major and selling is your strong point. Is there stuffed animal in the house that needs a pair of shoes a pair of shoes with laces that need to be er tied.?????
Meredith
October 6, 2011 at 6:31 amLooks like you guys are having a great time! Thanks for the update and good luck with the braces!
Melanie
October 6, 2011 at 8:57 amI have so missed your updates, but figured that you were having a ball! Oh Tami and Neal~miss you guys! I don’t play tennis anymore Tami now that you are gone:)Or maybe it is because I am just too lazy??? I am going with it is because Tami is gone:) Thanks for the pics of MG- I cannot believe how big she is getting….
I think it is great what you guys are doing. Congrats on being together again! I am pretty sure that I belong at the coast…in the meantime, I will take my boat rides at the lake:)
I know what you man about the hair- my husband keeps my sons hair so short…it makes me sad.
kat @ pretty in pink and green
October 6, 2011 at 8:58 amLove this post! So many wonderful pictures. What a gorgeous place to live. I have always wanted to live at the beach and this place totally looks like paradise! So happy you and your sweet family are enjoying you time together there.
Megan Shirley
October 6, 2011 at 10:40 amLoved an update on your life and seeing some friends in this post (the Wilsons)! I also love that you call your other house your “brown house”. Totally something we would do – although we tend to give things (houses and cars) proper names in our family which is fun. We are in the last chapters of Little Town on the Prairie. Can’t believe we only have two more books – then what?? Enjoy your sweet time living at the beach! Love the big boy hair cut too!
Dianne
October 6, 2011 at 12:11 pmIve missed you! This post was pure pleasure. Seeing you and your sweet family living life to the fullest. Enjoy every minute.
xoxo
Anne
October 6, 2011 at 7:49 pmMoving is hard…but if you get lucky and move some place where everyone wants to come visit…then it’s not so bad. Glad you’re enjoying it there.
krista
October 6, 2011 at 8:19 pmYou have had one busy month!! So great seeing you guys!!
Jennifer
October 6, 2011 at 9:57 pmSo glad to see an update! Have been following your blog for some time now, though I rarely comment . . . just love following the adventures of your sweet family!
Melissab74
October 6, 2011 at 10:01 pmOh, what memories came back when I read about Paige and learning to tie her shoes. That was the one thing I could never master in kindergarten. I knew the letters, numbers, all the “academic” stuff, but I always got an “N” for “needs improvement” or “U” for “unsatisfactory” on my report card on tying shoes. Years later, in college, I discovered that kids at that age may not have the fine motor skills they need to be able to master it. Made me feel lots better about my bad grades, after all those years! So all of that to say, don’t worry…she’ll get it…so what if it’s first grade when she does (like me!)
Love that pic of Rover in the water. And those spotted shirts, too. I’d have never thought about making the spots into spiders so they could be used again!
Amanda
October 7, 2011 at 8:27 amLove all the pictures! I got braces only on the bottom front 6 or 8 teeth and they came off in 6 months, so it can happen!!
Good luck!
The Mommy
October 7, 2011 at 2:15 pmGreat post! Awesome haircut! I wish I could do that. It looks like you guys had a great month. All the pics are beautiful. Good luck with the braces π I had braces for about 5 years. Not fun. But they will look great when all is said and done!
Kuim
October 7, 2011 at 10:10 pmOh my goodness Rovers got the new Justin Bieber look. I love it!
Melissa
October 7, 2011 at 11:37 pmJust wanted to pass along this great book to share with your daughter about tying bows. Each page has a different bow to tie (shoe strings, apron tie, ribbon on a present, etc.) and they get to physically practice tying the bow. Good luck!
https://www.usbornebooksathome.ca/usborne_books/browse.asp?css=1&cat=1&subject=fa&subcat=ftab&id=2348
The Mom
October 9, 2011 at 9:59 amYep. The little flap on the Chuck Taylor’s is meant to be folded down over the tied shoelaces. It helps, on rowdy and rambunctious boys, to keep them from becoming untied every two minutes. Back in the day, before every kid’s shoe in America boasted some form of Velcro, we tied and buckled everything, and we thanked the genius who came up with this little flap. It saved a lot of squatting and bending. Things that are getting hard for me to do anyway at my age.
So very thankful that life is good for you in your home away from home that sounds like it might become temporarily permanent (how’s that for an oxymoron?!) Nothing better than being together as a family. No matter where you are. And of course, sun, sand, water, a dock, a boat, and a lot of natural beauty tend to make everything and everybody a little happier! Hope you are finding and making some new friends….remembering to pray God’s joy over you. Blessings!
cousin
October 9, 2011 at 5:09 pmLove it all!! Miss you! Hope your teef are feeling better:)
Rachel
October 9, 2011 at 5:37 pmHey Darby.
If you don’t get on with the metal braces may I suggest Invisalign? I wore them as an adult (in fact I’m still wearing them, but my teeth were awful, nothing like yours which already look pretty good to me)
They really are easy, and entirely pain free. The best thing is that noone can see them and you can take them out if you have a date night π I wrote a whole blog about my experience…. but I don’t regret a second of wearing them. Good luck with it!
Lauren
October 9, 2011 at 9:15 pmPrecious pictures. Love the group of dalmatians π Looks like you all are having a busy and fun time down on the coast! Hope your mouth has recovered from getting braces!
Kathy Brown
October 10, 2011 at 11:09 amBeen following your blog for sometime. (I am a friend of Lenzie Lane’s).
My husband and I live in Orange Beach and are so glad your family is enjoying our community. What a great place to raise children! I have another restaurant suggestion for you (I think I led you to Sunset Grill). Place is called Fisherman’s Corner- under Theo Barrs bridge, same vicinty as Sunset Grill). Some of the best food we’ve had in awhile. You can go by boat and tie up at the dock at Perdido Seafood.Check it out- you won’t be sorry. Not real fancy and kid friendly.
elizabeth
October 10, 2011 at 4:45 pmhey, darby……did you see this? congrats!!!!
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shannon reppard
October 10, 2011 at 10:05 pmso fun! any chance your sis would be willing to tell us where she got that adorable red/white striped table cloth? i love it!
y’all have so much fun!
(and, i love jm’s hair–i just chopped my boys’ hair, too, and i wanted to cry. they look so big. adorable!) xo
Kasey
October 11, 2011 at 1:15 pmLove your blog. Your family is precious! I love how captivating your photos are!! I always leave your posts feeling inspired!!
Rachel
November 6, 2011 at 12:12 pmI just found your blog and had a great laugh over the “phallic” curtains in the orange bathroom and I love how you transformed it! – I felt a little catch in my throat when I recognized your photos at The Pass, Robinson Island and Old River. Oh, I miss Orange Beach! I feel like I left a part of me there and I won’t be whole again until I get back! I’m glad that you have been having so much fun there with your dear family!
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