Lately

Hello rovers.

Today is November the 16th. With temperatures hovering around 80, I have no choice but to wear shorts… at least they are corduroy.  Despite the warm and stormy weather outside, I’ve been sneaking in a little Christmas music. I do this at home when Justin’s at work because he’s the “no Christmas music ’til after Thanksgiving” type. Bah humbug!  I will remind you that “Patty Loveless holiday” station on Pandora rarely disappoints!

Morgan had a wonderful surprise birthday party the weekend after her birthday at the “brown house”. It was a post-church lunch celebration and the only way I could pull it off was to host it in the newly renovated {so-close-to-being-done} garoffice! I had to tell her that “I had it all clean and didn’t want any kids out there getting it dirty” in order to keep her out! It paid off. She was thrilled with the surprise and loved seeing her old friends, and it was such a treat for Justin and me too! I made a somewhat hasty decisions to make all the food from scratch… you know, sweet potato casserole with Baldwin  County sweet potatoes and Baldwin County pecans. Thankfully all the sides were accompanied by fried chicken that I didn’t fry and a beautiful birthday cake that I didn’t bake!

Our sweet friends knew exactly what would bring the birthday girl a GREAT big smile… post-party they invited her out to ride their beautiful horses. Thank you, Abby for the picture!

She absolutely loved it, and her daddy did, too. They had a great afternoon riding together with friends!

We ended up staying in town on Monday, in order to get a few loose ends tied up. This ‘trying to live in two places’ deal can be somewhat challenging. Every time we go home to the brown house we all find such comfort there. I think it’s the familiarity of our belongings that makes our trips home feel so nostalgic, and the wonderful friends we have there help, too. That’s my ‘coffee pot corner’ in my kitchen pictured above, taken apparently at 6:46 am as the coffee was just starting to fill the pot. I love that little corner of my kitchen and when I go home I appreciate it. I bought that tiny 4-cup coffee pot last year when Justin was gone, it was all I really needed since there was no one to join me for my morning coffee drinking. I’m thankful now that we have to brew two pots in it when we’re home because he’s there with me.

The week we got back from the brown house JM had a field trip to the fire station, and just like Paige’s trip he had a turn behind the water hose {wearing Mommy’s sunglasses}!

I really have to work hard to get candid photographs of him because this is his new “smile”. Sweet, but not exactly authentic! I don’t even have to say smile for him to make this face, I can just point my camera or my phone at him and he does it.

This past weekend, Justin invited 3 of his friends down to the “grey house” for a guys weekend, and the kids and I vacated to the east to spend the weekend with my family. The kids were in absolute heaven! They love their cousin Sloane and their MommaSis’, Uncle Chance, Mom & DaddyBoy, so I knew the weekend would not disappoint… and to top it off our beloved dog Eufaby was there too! My parents have very kindly welcomed her into their home while we are living at the beach, and it’s been months and months since we’ve seen her.

Erika has a “den” of sorts at the landing at top of her stairs… a cozy room with dark walls, and pops of color everywhere! The girls slept soundly on the daybed together, until 1:30 am Thursday when I knocked a piece of plywood down the stairwell that was serving as a gate. Have you ever heard a sheet of plywood go down a wood staircase? It’s all Erika’s fault, she woke me up and said something about one of my children coughing… or something. Needless to say, we didn’t use the “gate” the rest of the time we were there.

We did play in the back yard with Daddy Boy.

We squeezed in a trip to the park…

Paige & I accompanied Momma Sis’, Chance & Marla on a photoshoot at Grayton Beach.

We also got to ride around in DaddyBoy’s new ride. Mom and DaddyBoy have recently purchased a house just a couple doors down from Erika and Chance, so there were many trips back and forth {2 doors down on a gravel road in a neighborhood}. And all trips by car were easily justifiable because who doesn’t love a Grand Wagoneer, especially one with a green license plate! I may have my eye on a grey one, but dad assures me I wouldn’t want to leave home without a mechanic in the backseat, so I’ve enrolled JM in a vocational school.

There’s no doubt it’s a sweet ride and just getting inside brings back so many memories {my parents both drove them when we were growing up}. One thing that’s different is that this one is now 20+ years old and may need to have the exhaust checked because if you sit still too long the fumes will get to you! Just ask Rover.

DaddyBoy drove her {officially named Goldie} down to Rosemary Beach on Sunday and we took the little ones to the Flutterby Festival.

Paige spent Saturday night with Mom so if it appears as though she has on lipstick, she does. Mom swore it was her lightest shade… you know grandmothers have a hard time telling their grandchildren no!

Mom made a valiant effort to get Rover to hold his paint brush properly.

After that we loaded up and headed back to the “grey house”! The kids had an absolute blast and it’s always hard to leave!!

And a few matters of business before I go…

The sweet little Tee Pee tees have been deeply discounted and can still  arrive in time for your Thanksgiving festivities!

If you’re looking for an enriching and wonderful book to read to your children about Thanksgiving we are thoroughly enjoying The Courage of Sarah Noble, check your library!

And last but not least… I must congratulate the Chi O ladies at Auburn for representing at Homecoming… 3 out of top 5 is pretty awesome! War Eagle!