Hey, Honey!

So....we own a boat!

And it's pretty awesome - even though Sidney has an irrational fear of the boat sinking every five seconds. And I'm not the best person in the world to help dock the boat (my nautical skills are non-existent). And RJ is a little too young to enjoy the fun in a bass boat.

It's still awesome - I definitely think Justin is going to be gone most weekends this summer out fishing. Not that I mind. This boat is a dream come true for him. I'm glad it all happened for him.

Even though I only got to spend a few hours at the lake with them Saturday (girls night out!), I can already see we're going to be lakeside a lot this year.

And I don't think any of us have a problem with that!

**Title for this post is from the joke "Boat Ride" by Jay Hickman - totally inappropriate and NSFW, but it's one of Justin's favorites. 

Flashback Friday

Sidney at Ormond Beach, FL 2009

We are leaving for the beach this upcoming Tuesday (!!!) and I cannot wait.

It's been too long since my toes have been in the water. Too long since I've had to dig sand out of every crevice of my body. Too long since seagulls surrounded me and waves knocked me down.

I'm a little nervous about having a sensitive little RJ, a very excited and impatient SidMo, and an unpredictable and hilarious husband (plus me!) all at the beach, all at the same time, ohmygod what have I done?

Beach, here we come (soon) !! 

35mm

Over the past few months, I've made myself put down my "big camera" - it got to be too much. Too much stress, too much pressure, too much aggravation. I built myself up and then tore myself down. I forgot what made pictures fun, and I lost my drive and passion for photography.

So, I just kind of up and quit. And I'm so much happier now.

Even though I was just a "hobbyist" and far from a professional, I really did enjoy taking photos for other people. I feel like I have a natural talent and a good eye, so it was nice to put a hobby I enjoyed to "work" to capture moments for people who couldn't really afford high-end photographers but were no less deserving of having their life's moments captured. It was an honor. And I still have every photo I've ever taken from the start (and I'll never delete them or get rid of them) - I love looking back on past shoots and seeing how much I've grown (and my clients!) in the past few years.

Still, no more taking photos for other people. It's just too much.

As part of stepping away from my "big camera", I made the comment that I really wanted to get back into film. You know? That stuff you had to buy, pack into your camera, and then get developed at the store? That awesome stuff.

I miss lugging around my old Canon Rebel 35mm taking photos and then waiting for the final results.

Justin on our first fishing trip to VA Beach back in 2004 or so. 

My favorite picture of Matt & LeAnna EVER. 

A sweet little Sidney, probably around 8 months.

I love the mystery of film, the non-quality quality that you get - especially with dated or expired film.I want to take more film photos! When we pack up and head for the beach (next week!) I think I'm going to only take disposable cameras. No digital nothing. Just good old-fashioned, cheap little hand-held disposable cameras.It's back to the basics, people. That's where it's at these days.

{run away and save your life}

Today, I need music like this just to get me over the "hump" - it's been one heck of a week already and it's only halfway done.

So for today, let's just turn up our favorite 90s dance music and have some fun!!


PS This is my 800th! post -- I'm very proud to be here, still blogging and sharing my journey. Thanks for reading! 

Sidney Morgan 4.7

My big little girl. The best big sister the world's ever seen. There is so much love in heart, so much to give to others, my pride in her is overwhelming.

In so many ways, she's your typical four-year-old. Whiny. Moody. Unpredictable. She hurts easily, forgets quickly, has the voracious mind to learn about everything and the attention span of a goldfish.

Then are so many times I have stop and remind myself, "she's only four" - she's so mature, so independent. She can do so much for herself, by herself - it's easy to think she doesn't need me.

But she does need me. Better than that, she wants me still. I am still the awesome-in-her-eyes Mom I've been for awhile. I impress her with my song choices, my knowledge of everything foreign to her, my stories. She asks so many questions; I have so many answers. It's just a fun age and time to be living in right now with her.

School has been the absolute most amazing thing to happen to this girl - she's a lover of learning, of structure, routine and expected outcomes. In the last eight months, she has "grown" so much, the transformation is astounding. I love to watch her write her name. Listen to her count. Hear her sound out words in her books. Identify animals and money and all the little things that feel so second-nature, I forget that I, too, once had to learn all these things for the first time. Her mind just amazes me; I can't wait to see how she grows and continues to learn down the road...

She's still got that wild mane of hair I love so much - unmanageable and free as the breeze. Full of volume, curls hanging all around. She's been blessed/cursed with a fabulous head of hair. And just like me, she hates for anyone to touch it. Don't brush it. Don't put it up. Don't wash it. Just let it be.

And so I do. Because I get it. I do try to keep it full of conditioner and keep the nasty tangles out. Other than that, I just let her hair do its thing. Because it's going to no matter what I try to do.

You can't help but love this kid. She's pretty much perfect, and all her flaws only compliment her personality. Every year I keep saying, four is so much better than three. Three was so much better than two. Two was obviously better than one.

It just keeps on getting better, sweeter, easier. I feel confident in her and in me. I know I'm a good, capabale, loving mom - she's my living proof. I can do this (this parenting thing) - I haven't scarred her too much. I haven't ruined her life.

Although I'm sure by the time she's fourteen, that'll be a different story.

Until then, she is my light. My ever-growing love and spirit.

 My Sidney Morgan. 

10 Blogs I'm Loving Right Now

Katie has the most delightful, airy little blog - her pictures are subtle yet beautiful and her words, even more so. I love the design she's doing for her little baby girl (due soon!) in the nursery, and all her little dates with her son, Max, remind me to spend more one-on-one time with my kids every chance I get.

Lehua is another expecting blogger (almost everyone I read right now is having babies!) who shares her day-to-day tales of life in SF. She has an adorable mister and even cuter dog! I love her DIY projects and crafts.

Amy will inspire you, make you believe in magic. She has the most dreamy and yet "real" blog out there - her day-to-day is full of whimsy and prose, even as she's talking about the real things in life. I adore her.

Kaelah has the kind of blog (and style) I envy - she's open, honest, articulate and funny. She dreams BIG, and I love following along with her journey to opening up her very own brick and mortar store. If I'm ever in Nashville again, I'm going to track down the Honeybean and do some shopping of my own!

Love has seven kids and TWIN GIRLS on the way! Whenever I'm feeling overwhelmed with my lot and down and out, I just head over to her blog. She finds inspiration, beauty and peace in the chaos of life. To me, she's the epitome of a selfless mom, a true giver. Read her archives to learn more about adoption, courage, Christianity and "little" style.

Margot is a soon-to-be first time momma (she's expecting a girl, too!) who has such a soft-spoken and wonderful blog. She shares her travels, her amazing recipe box and great tutorials for those of us looking to save money and still be crafty.

Brandi & Kelly have a lot going on! They always seem to be busy opening up their newest shop, starting awesome projects and collaborating with some serious talent for events and photos-hoots. I love their "sister sister" posts and awesome hair/skincare tutorials. They keep me informed and keeping me laughing. Awesome combination of girls here.

Jess has been one of my absolute favorite finds ever; I found her blog soon after starting my own, and I've never stopped reading. She keeps it 100% real, and I've loved watching her style (and babies!) grow over the past few years. You won't find sponsored or c/o fluff on her blog - she's purely authentic.

Crystal is the nicest, friendliest gal I know - she's got such a devoted mister "M" and the sweetest pups! She's been so kind to host a giveaway for me, and to let me guest post over at her "blogging buddies" series. I love all the photos she shares, and you'd be hard pressed to find a kinder soul.

Nicolette has a closet I envy, a job I used to dream about, and a style all her own. When I read her blog, I feel like I'm at least attempting to stay "on trend" and keep up with the latest in design + fashion. If she ever decides to do a "shop my closet" series, you better believe I'm going to snatch up a thing or two!

• And because I feel so bad leaving off some of my favorite blogs, here's 10 more you should be reading: Katie.Cupcake // A Cup of Jo // Create*Loves // A Pyre of Soviet Kitsch // Cakies // Virginia & Charlie // You Are My Fave // The Dainty Squid // Bitchcakes // Sometimes Sweet (<------I promise none of these blogs will disappoint!) 

What blogs are you loving? I'm always looking to expand my "reading list", so feel free to leave me a comment with your blog (or a blog you highly recommend!) and I'll be sure to check it out. 

Flashback Friday

There we are. My two best friends in the world. We were seniors and still acting like we were 12 years old.

This was, to date, the best homemade costume I've ever made. We didn't have to buy anything, and we still looked awesome.

Plus, Cassie and I were nice enough to finally give in to Dobby's insane Tinkerbell obsession and fulfill her dreams.

I'd bet you $100 if you ask Cassie or Dobby what they think about this picture now, they'd both say, in perfect unison, "I miss being that skinny!"

Me, too, girls. Me, too. 

{10 months}

Boy howdy, I missed the 6th by a bunch this month!

But, better late than never, right?

On the 6th, our little dumpling turned the big double-digit TEN months old! Time is zooming by, lightening speed - but I'm loving this growth spurt in Rhealen Jo.

She's got this crawling thing down to a science, even though it's definitley an ugly science! She crawls just like her big sister did, the "broken down crab" thing is hilarious. It feels like only yesterday we were watching Sidney tuck her right leg underneath her and take off crawling around. I sound like a broken record, I know, but man! time flies!

Little RJ is a lover of the "rough and tumble" exploring. She crawls over, under, through and beyond - she's always on the lookout for something to get into! She's started pulling herself up on the furniture and has mastered holding on to things with one hand while she rifles through knick-knacks and toys with the other. I have the suspicious feeling it won't be long 'til she lets go and starts walking! (ohmygod, walking!)

She has managed to put on nearly 2 pounds in just one month! The last time her baby-sitter, Sandy, was at the doctor she had them weigh Miss Thing. She tipped the scales just over 18 lbs! To look at her, you can just see the "growth" and change in her. She looks so much bigger, so much more developed. Those precious little "baby" features are fading away to "big girl" looks. Still, she's got those bright blue eyes that I love to get lost in.

Sidney is still the absolute "bee's knees" to Rhealen (or as Sidney has started calling her, "Rhea-Rhea") - there is no one that compares to her big sister! The only time she prefers momma over the big sister is bedtime; other than that, she'd be perfectly happy to chase around after SidMo all day long. They play peekabo in the car, chase each other crawling through the house and sing songs like "Patty Cake" and "Itsy Bitsy Spider" over and over. The girls together = my heart complete.

Girlfriend is still an excellent sleeper (at least 12 hours solid every night!) and eats more than ten grown men at one time. There's nothing she won't eat (except maybe lemons!) and nothing she won't drink. She's learned how to make the "ahhhh" sound -you know, like you make when drink something really refreshing- when she wants a drink belonging to someone else. It's these little habits that I adore!

And now that I've successfully rattled on and on and on about my sweet RJ, I think I can stop feeling so bad about missing her monthly update on her montly birth-date. I'd been doing so good, I hate to think I almost fell off the wagon so close to her 1st birthday (just six more weeks, more or less)!

Momma loves you, Rhealen Jo!

Lily & Lulu

Lulu

You may remember these cute sister pups from last year's post .

The other day, Dobby made her fur children sit still long enough for me to get a nice IG shot of them.

I don't know if I mentioned it before or not, but we had to get rid of our little Beau - not having him around is sad at times (lord know the dog lover in me doesn't feel right not having a canine companion) but it's nice to visit with such sweet pups like these two!

Dobby, you've got some pretty awesome "kids" right there!

Lily

come here, go there: link love

• Kaelah has a great little post up about "guilty pleasures" when it comes to music -- I'm glad I'm not the only 90s child out there who isn't ashamed of the music I grew up listening to!
• Katie is right - she does look just like a doll! (PS I love her blog, she has the best fashion sense and I love her shoe collection!)
• Happy (belated) birthday, Stephanie...
• Look, it's a newborn lamb! If you're not following the adventures of the Oliver and Abraham's blog, then you're just missing out -- Longest Acres, too! They make me want to quit my day job and live on a self-sustaining farm with just my family beside me.
• My cousin, Maria, has started a little recipe blog - I need to make her Pineapple Upside Down cake for Justin (it's his favorite!)
• Congratulations to Czesia on 300 posts! It's a little achievement worth celebrating :) (I know I did!) 
• Ryan has the most incredible post up about "life after stats" -- my entire attitude about blogging has changed after reading it! 
• Brittany has the most amazing picture of a rainbow up on her Easter post; I'm glad there's another "local" gal out there blogging! (Plus, isn't PB the absolute cutest?!) 
• Jess is back! I've missed her blogging so; she's the most "real" mommy-blogger out there (IMO) and I'm loving all the new recipes she's sharing. 

Other note-worthy stories:

• Tupac is back! The late rapper "performed" at Coachella - now there's talk that he could be doing some headlining shows as a hologram. 
• A dog from middle-Tennessee is headed to New Orleans after being "saved" from doggy death row.
• According to some new projections, mobile payments may replace cash and credit payments altogether by 2020!  

And because it's become kind of a little tradition to end these posts with a video, here's my favorite clip from one of the movies that's been on repeat at our house lately. You know, just because.

"Dracula musical!"
"Thank you..."

lately

 1. She had already been in the pool for hours by the time I got down to Newport Friday evening.
2. Card night around the pool = best idea ever.

 3. My Mom always stocks up on food and drinks for trips; she's awesome like that!
4. Dobby (looking good, girl!).

 5. Momma and me :)
6. Being silly with my reflection.

 7. Our game of choice.
8. Tab was more interested in her nails than paying attention (good thing we won both games, or I'd have to kill her).

 9. Brennen & RJ just hanging out on the sidewalk.
10. RJ does not like lemons! But I like that little face :)

 11. Johnna
12. Sidney

 13. Gracie
14. Ashlynn

 13. Isaac (aka Wildman)
14. Tori

 15. Brennen
16. Seth

 17. Some women in my family have a "thing" for old men, I guess - we still love 'em!
18. SidMo and I are born waterdogs!

 19. Sidney and Gracie
20. Cutest twin girls ever!

 21. To be such a girly dog, he's a pretty good sidekick.
22. One's called Coco, one's called Peanut.

23. More card games poolside!
24. RJ partied all night and woke up early. Give her a break, she was on a mini-vacation! 

Flashback Friday

So there was this time, one summer a few years ago, when I had a wreck down in Pigeon Forge.

And then another time, while on my way to Pigeon Forge, I got a really big speeding ticket.

I'm hoping that today while I drive down to Newport, which is pretty close to Pigeon Forge, neither of the two things happen. It is Friday the 13th, but I'm determined to let today be a good/lucky day and not a bad/unlucky day.

Poor little HHR.

Eye of the Tiger

There's so much going on right now, it's insane. I love it. I love the busy, the bustling, the hustle.

Between now and the end of May, we've got stuff lined up almost every weekend. (Weddings! Vacation! Gardening!)

It's a little intimidating sometimes trying to balance the kids and work and play-time and family and friends and all the other little things that make life worth living.

But I'm keeping my eyes on the prize; in this situation, the prize being surviving it all.

But, really, I'm stoked. Really, I am. Eye of the tiger, baby. 

Half-Proud, Half-Ashamed or Maybe 3/4 Proud, 1/4 Ashamed of Where I Live

There are moments in my life when I look around and think, "this is comedy gold. These are the things people make fun of when they think of the term 'hillbilly'."

My life gets to be one giant cliche in and of itself, and I feel the slight tug of rebellion. I have this need to explain myself, to excuse my situation and make very clear that I am not a "hillbilly" or "redneck" or "white trash" and so on and so on.

But, sometimes, I am those things. A, B, C, D all of the above.

And then I feel bad for feeling good in those moments. I am a good person. I am self-aware, cultured, open-minded and very liberal in a lot of my beliefs. I don't feel like a Southern stereotype. There are a lot of things I believe in and stand for that loudly clash with traditional and known beliefs of people from this region. (Anyone who's read my posts about equal opportunity marriages or agnosticism knows what I'm taking about here...)

Yet through it all, you can find me there in the middle of my yard, barefoot with my kids running around dirty. My single-wide is shining in the sun; there's trash outside waiting to be hauled off. My husband's pick-up truck is parked in our gravel drive. We're riding lawnmowers for fun and teaching our kids to shoot firearms at an early age. There's talk about fishing and the weather and who's playing what sport this weekend.

A million and one cliches that we all know. And I want to rebel.

But I feel so at "home" - so at peace with where I am, where I live, where I'm from.

I may be a few rungs up the ladder from the first hillbilly to crawl from the Appalachians - but I'm still on the same ladder right there with them.

And I don't feel the need to apologize for any of *it*. Well, maybe a little need. But I'm not going to apologize. Too much.

My shoe-box of a single-wide trailer - happy to call this place "home"

lately

 1. Sidney has way too much fun playing in Rhealen's pack-n-play
2. And Rhealen has way too much fun playing with Sidney's room at Gran's house

 3. Getting ready for a long day on the road (good thing we took the Kindle with us!)
4. Got my hair chopped off again - the mullet was more than I could stand.

 5. Thank the fuel gods for a car that doesn't drink gas
6. Awesome sights near my hometown - don't have to go far to see the past is alive and well today

 7. Cumberland Gap tunnel - Kentucky here we come!
8. Lunch in Middlesboro with our BFF Cassie

 9. The last time these two were together, it was nothing but fighting and grumples
10. This time, they were inseperable (we spent Friday night in Lexington with our Cantrell cousins!)

 11. RJ was not looking forward to getting back on the road (next stop, Louisville!)
12. The kids were a total blur Friday and Saturday (seven of them under one roof!)

 13. Cupcakes are good (so is surprising old friends! More on that later!)
14. I hate to see how this child will be in two more months when she has her birthday!

15. Easter eggs - who doesn't take this picture?
16. Me and my Rhealen Jo (I love this picture, but can't believe I'm wearing white sunglasses! It's amazing what a girl will do as a last resort!)