Couples Retreat 2013

This weekend, Jay and I drove to Santa Rosa, Florida for a beach weekend getaway with 4 other couples.  Our friends, Jason and Christy Norton have a family beach house that they started inviting us down to 4 years ago.  It became Couples Retreat and has become a tradition.  I have only left Bo one other time and I was only 45 minutes away, so the thought of 3 nights and 7 hours away from my child made me a little nervous, but I knew it was time and he was in the best hands with Jay's mama.  Plus, there was no doubt with this group that the trip would be a blast!  We were not disappointed.  Already looking forward to for CR2014!!

5 girls on a kayak with one paddle...hum........

The Group

(the Berrymans, the Deans, the Streers, the Nortons, and the Barrows)

Even though we had a blast, we were both ready to get home to this little booger!!

We are also still into dancing.

  (I recently posted this...if you scroll to the bottom you will see his dancing.)

Ellie better watch out!!!  It won't be long before we see Bo really showing off!

Throw Back Thursday

In 2007, my Mama, Grandmama, and Granddaddy drove to DC to see the sights.  I had never been to DC and since I was a flight attendant at the time, I could fly for free to meet them.  It was an amazing trip.  If you have never been to Washington DC, you must go!  I didn't realize they were all right there together.  Just seeing the monuments and all this history really makes one appreciate the country that we live in.  

Arlington National Cemetary 

Lincoln Memorial

My sweet grandparents at the WWII Monument

White House

My Mama and I also took a little tour of the Aerospace Museum.  There was an exhibit from the Smithsonian Museum of American history.  It was so fun!  Mama and I saw so many things from an All American Girls Baseball League uniform, Archie Bunker's chair, Louis Armstrong's trumpet, and of course, Judy Garland's ruby slippers from Wizard of Oz.  I LOVE Judy Garland (despite her sad life) and it was amazing to see these babies in real life!

Free Weekend....Finally!

Finally!  A weekend with no plans!  Jay and I had no idea how busy we would be but we have been going non stop.  This weekend we just got to hang out and relax.  We grilled Friday and made jambalaya Saturday.  Both nights we ate out side and let Bo play in his pool.  He LOVES the water.  He hangs out in the pool, eats, and then goes straight to bath.  He is probably wondering why he hangs out in the water, eats, and then gets in the bath to play in the water again!  Happy summertime!

Sunday, we went to Wayne and Kelli Dean's house for dinner.  For those of you who don't know, Wayne and Jay grew up together and are best buds.  We normally do Sunday night dinners with them but summer has been so crazy we have only been able to get together a few times.  It was nice to get to see them and there two girls, Avery and Kendall. 

Boxes make the best toys!

Dinner on the back porch.  We let Bo feed himself avocado.....good thing we are going straight to bath after this :)

Pool time!

Long weekend = Tired boy!

Christmas in July??  I found this hat in his closet and had to put it on him.

Baby Bo and Baby Kendall

Best friends hanging out with Uncle Wayne

Being a Mama

I had a friend post this on Facebook.  It is amazing how much one little life can change how you look at everything.  Skip if you like but I loved it!



"We are sitting at lunch one day when my daughter casually mentions that she and her husband are thinking of "starting a family." "We're taking a survey," she says half-joking. "Do you think I should have a baby?"

"It will change your life," I say, carefully keeping my tone neutral.

"I know," she says, "no more sleep...ing in on weekends, no more spontaneous vacations."

But that is not what I meant at all. I look at my daughter, trying to decide what to tell her. I want her to know what she will never learn in childbirth classes.

I want to tell her that the physical wounds of child bearing will heal, but becoming a mother will leave her with an emotional wound so raw that she will forever be vulnerable.

I consider warning her that she will never again read a newspaper without asking, "What if that had been MY child?" That every plane crash, every house fire will haunt her.

That when she sees pictures of starving children, she will wonder if anything could be worse than watching your child die.

I look at her carefully manicured nails and stylish suit and think that no matter how sophisticated she is, becoming a mother will reduce her to the primitive level of a bear protecting her cub. That an urgent call of "Mom!" will cause her to drop a soufflé or her best crystal without a moments hesitation.

I feel that I should warn her that no matter how many years she has invested in her career, she will be professionally derailed by motherhood. She might arrange for childcare, but one day she will be going into an important business meeting and she will think of her
baby's sweet smell. She will have to use every ounce of discipline to keep from running home, just to make sure her baby is all right.

I want my daughter to know that every day decisions will no longer be routine. That a five year old boy's desire to go to the men's room rather than the women's at McDonald's will become a major dilemma. That right there, in the midst of clattering trays and screaming
children, issues of independence and gender identity will be weighed against the prospect that a child molester may be lurking in that restroom.

However decisive she may be at the office, she will second-guess herself constantly as a mother.

Looking at my attractive daughter, I want to assure her that eventually she will shed the pounds of pregnancy, but she will never feel the same about herself.

That her life, now so important, will be of less value to her once she has a child. That she would give herself up in a moment to save her offspring, but will also begin to hope for more years, not to accomplish her own dreams, but to watch her child accomplish theirs.

I want her to know that a cesarean scar or shiny stretch marks will become badges of honor.

My daughter's relationship with her husband will change, but not in the way she thinks.

I wish she could understand how much more you can love a man who is careful to powder the baby or who never hesitates to play with his child.

I think she should know that she will fall in love with him again for reasons she would now find very unromantic.

I wish my daughter could sense the bond she will feel with women throughout history who have tried to stop war, prejudice and drunk driving.

I want to describe to my daughter the exhilaration of seeing your child learn to ride a bike.

I want to capture for her the belly laugh of a baby who is touching the soft fur of a dog or cat for the first time.

I want her to taste the joy that is so real it actually hurts.

My daughter's quizzical look makes me realize that tears have formed in my eyes. "You'll never regret it," I finally say. Then I reached across the table, squeezed my daughter's hand and offered a silent prayer for her, and for me, and for all the mere mortal women who stumble their way into this most wonderful of callings.

New Toy and Pool Time

Throw Back Thursday

Ellie and EW on Christmas Eve 2009.  Hard to believe this little girl is about to be 5!

Weekend in Tifton

For the last few years, Jay has had an all boys golf weekend at Harbor Club, where his parents have a lake house.  It was this past weekend so we all headed to the lake on Thursday night and then Bo and I traveled to Tifton to see Mia and EW.  We just had a lazy weekend.  I was disappointed my friend Bridgett was at the beach because I missed her last time I was home but Bo and I did get to stop and see Aunt Cassie in Macon on the way back!

Headed to the lake! 

I love my truck from Cousin Kinnick!  I can use it as a foot prop and chew on it!

What happens when daddy changes my diaper in the morning and my PJ's have a lot of snaps!  

We made it to Tifton...

Let me at her Mia!

Mia loves a sink baby!!

Bo just THINKS he can escape :)

All clean!

July 4 - SSI Part II

Here are a few videos from the week.  Needless to say, our baby boy liked the water.....

7 Months Old

Time flies when you are having fun!

July 4th - SSI Part 1

Well, it has been a while.   Who knew how busy our summer would have been?  I didn't!  We just returned from our annual 4th of July trip to Saint Simons.  This is our 3rd year going.  My sister in law has been going with her family for 20+ years to the Shipwatch Condos.  Three years ago they let us join them!  Since then, my aunt and uncle from Virginia began coming, along with my cousin, her husband, and their son.  Also, the Summers were there for the week! Needless to say its a crowd!

Below are some pictures....it is overload so I apologize in advance.  If you can't get enough check HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE for more!