Wordless Wednesday!

Faster than a weed!

My girls are growing SOOOO fast! WAY toooo fast! They are for sure getting alot of "use" out of cute dresses! It makes my heart smile to see how much they have changed....even though they are in the same outfits!

OH ME look at the changes! :)


Spring of 2011...Alexis wore this for the first time!...

And still able to wear it ....Summer of 2013! Look how old she looks here compared to then! :)

Lily wearing her dress Summer of  2012.....

And look how much she has changed now at Summer of 2013! :)

Time needs to slow down! :) ..............but I also LOVE seeing them grow!!

Laid back

We had a low~key weekend since we had so much going on this past week!

Saturday was an overcast kind of day....so we just relaxed at home! We bought some much needed outside patio furniture...so we enjoyed the afternoon outside jumping on the trampoline, swinging, relaxing on the new furniture...and Daddy grilled out hamburgers.When he was finished grilling...we decided to have a picnic outside on our new furniture and enjoyed eating our hamburgers. We even rolled Lily's highchair on the deck so she could eat her hamburger comfortably! :)  It was a laid back kind of night! Even on the nights when there isnt alot going on.....doesnt mean we cant make little fun special memories together!

Sunday we enjoyed Church followed by our usual Sunday afternoon naps! When Lily woke up we decided to go to the pool to spend the rest of the afternoon! Now....relaxing again before another fun...BIG week ahead! {My first week at JSU}   :)

My kind of weekend............. so nice! :)

My beauties! :) LoooOOOOOoove them! :)

First Sleepover!

We had the Frits family over last night for a Shrimp Boil and to let the girls play. We all had a great time and they didnt leave until late. Well....two little girls, Alexis and Carli... {the entire time} kept begging to have a "sleepover!" Well....we decided they could especially since it was late and they would be going to bed shortly after! Well they were BOTH SOOOO excited!

So, once Carrie and Ryan left....Alexis and Carli decided that they were going to "stay up all night!" So, knowing really that this wasnt going to happen, I said okay! So, I put a movie on for them to watch while they played and "stayed up all night!"

Well....literally, 20 minutes into putting the movie on...Alexis was out! She just couldnt "hang!" :) I went in to check on Carli...and she was still awake! So,  I asked her if she was okay...and she said she was tired but still wanted to watch the rest of The Little Mermaid. So, about 15 minutes later I went in to check on her again....and she said that she wanted to go home and sleep in her bed! :) So, Ryan came to pick her up....and the "spend the night" party lasted two hours! :) Oh well!....maybe when they are like 9 we can try it again!

Alexis woke up this morning so confused at where Carli was! ha! She came into my bedroom asking where Carli went! :)

Two girls "staying up all night!!" :)

History in the making....

There has been A LOT...and I mean a HUGE amount of things happening this week that must be marked down in the History books!

The Headliner is:

Today marked the LAST day of me driving to Birmingham {for work, that is!} and working at Cahaba. My very sweet Co~workers threw a surprise going away party today for me! Complete with a cake, food, drinks and a very sweet card! :) They went WAY above and beyond....and it was SO nice of them! I am really going to miss them!

The cake was SO good!

The cards were SO sweet!

KIM!!...I am SO going to miss her! She was SO sweet....she took me to lunch to our favorite place...Don Pepe!

Another one down in the History books!!..........Tyler and my 8 year Anniversary! :) We celebrated by having dinner at Effinas and grocery shopping! :) {We are wild! :) } 
**We noticed we both have on green! I told him...that I guess when you hit our ages..and years married, we started dressing like "Nannie and Hogan!" ....because they always have matching colored outfits! ;)

This is BIG! :) I have done alot of fun paintings when I lived in Birmingham!....and to me...NONE of them have been "worthy" enough to be shown except one!...only one out of A LOT of times going!...Well Rebecca and I went the other night for "Christmas in July!" We painted this really cute Rudolph! I am SO proud of it! MARK it down!! :) I am actually going to keep this one! In fact...Alexis saw it and said I did a really good job...and that she wants to put it in her room at Christmas! :)

Sweet soon to be King is born! This is so cool to me that I got to see baby Prince George born. William and Kate..Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in England are such a nice couple! They are mine and Tyler's age....so it is so neat to see them have a Royal baby!.....that is more than likely going to be King one day! :) I cant wait to watch him grow up! :)

And...last BUT not LEAST! :) Mustang Sally Misty is getting married!! I have prayed for her Prince Charming to come and sweep her away...and March 22, 2013 Brandon is going to and they are going to live happily ever after! I am SOOOO excited for them and can NOT wait until their wedding!

Mark all of these fun...happy, events DOWN in the History books.....because they are all worth remembering! :)

Summertime Sweetness!

I just love how cute Alexis looked in outfits....and now getting passed on to Lily for more cuteness!

"For a Look back in time"....

Alexis when she was around 2! :)

Same cute outfit now worn by Lily!

the year was ~ Summer of 2010 for Alexis!

Wordless Wednesday!

8 years...

Life's a long and winding ride......
Better have the right one by your side......
And happiness don't drag its feet, time moves faster than you think! Happy Anniversary...WOW, 8 years...and I am so thankful you are by my side!

 

 

Not so fun day....

I always dread this day!.......especially knowing how I would have MUCH rather been enjoying my 5 year wedding anniversary than having to go through what I did on this day 3 years ago. It doesnt seem like it has already been 3 years! Time really does fly!

I am so thankful...though...that I am to the point to where I can smile today knowing that a very...very...special Angel that is watching over and guiding me. I love and miss my Dad everyday! I would give anything to get to have one more of his special loving hugs!....but, God has other plans than we do. It was my Dad's time to meet them in Heaven. It is not our time...it is not my Dad's time, it is God's path and timing on when it is our time to go.

I am sooo thankful, and can still remember every detail vividly of the last time I saw my Dad. I dont think I will ever forget it. There are sooo many events and things that happened {that I wont all get into} over the course of the days before and after my Dad's death, that still give me goosebumps when I think about it. When my Dad called me at the last minute and wanted to meet Tyler, Alexis and me for dinner....I changed my plans that I already had and met him and my Mom. Little did I know that the Mexican dinner and hug from him would be the last.

He is so missed here...but I do know that he is smiling down on me and SO happy seeing me and his beautiful granddaughters! We love you Pops!

And the winner is....

We had our first experience with a babysitter last night! Usually the girls stay with family when we are needing a "babysitter".........but last night went so well!

 Tyler and Pawpaw were in a Golf tournament for the JSU Gamecock Club out at Cane Creek yesterday and they WON! Yep, that's right.......big winners! Tyler, Pawpaw, Larry Crozler and another guy Norace all played really well! They were "honored" last night at the dinner and got a 50 dollar gift certificate! I got to go with the big winner to the dinner they had. We had a great time and the food was all the way from Mobile!

While we were having a great time....two little girls were having fun with Miss Haley!..or aka..."Hay Hay!" She is a beautiful girl and is just so sweet and nice! She did such a great job with them and they had SO much fun with her! They played games, and watched cartoons..and when we got home, Alexis had her hair braided! :) Alexis said that she "can't wait for Miss Haley to come back over to play!"

Today was the usual Sunday routine....Church, lunch, running errands, and afternoon naps! AAHH........so nice!.....and much needed after a long week and weekend! :)

Lily before Church!
{You will need to excuse the hair band......I just TRIED it on to see how small it was on her....and she refused to take it off!} :)  She made it all the way to the door of her room at Church before I got a hold of it and got it off.........she didnt have time to "react" about me taking it off! :)

She kept pointing and smiling at all the animals on it! :)

Miss Alexis while we were running some errands!

This is a great way to keep them entertained while we go grocery shopping! :)

Worn out!

Whew, this week is DONE! :) I have 1 week down.....and 1 to go as far as my last days at Cahaba! But, whew it has been a week! Getting back in the groove of having to get up and drive after having a week off last week has been horrible! :) But again......just one week left! Whooo hoo!!

Yesterday marked the last night of VBS at First Baptist Church of Saks with Nan. Alexis had a GREAT time, but it has worn her slap out! Between Summer Camp {with no naps anymore} and getting home late because of VBS.....she has been so tired! In fact....tonight BOTH girls were asleep at 6:00 pm!! {Yeah, I know....yall think they will be up SO early.........but OH dont worry, they would have been up early even if they went to bed late!...(I have NO idea why my girls cant sleep late!)}

Tyler and I just dont know what to do with ourselves on a Friday night at home with both girls asleep so early! We are FOR SURE enjoying the peace and quiet though! :) ..........with me doing some fun ole laundry too! :)

Throwback Thursday!~Our honeymoon!

Tyler and I have a very special day coming up!.........our 8 year anniversary! :) 8 years!! WOW! :)

So in honor of our Anniversary.....this week's "Look back in time" is..........

Our honeymoon! :)

The year was July ~ 2005!

We both were 23 years old!...............{young and in love!} haha!

We jetted off to New Orleans {Tyler's very first time to ever fly!! :) }... to board Carnival Cruise ship for a week long cruise to Jamaica, Grand Cayman Islands and Cozumel! We had SUCH a great time! We did nothing but relax, sleep late, hang out with friends we made, shop, tan, do fun excursions, get my hair braided :), swim with Sting Rays and EAT!! :)

The ship had certain dinner times....and so at our "assigned table...and time to eat"....they put us with 3 other "honeymoon" couples! It was fun to meet them...and see where they all were from! We hung out with them too when we got off the ship!

In Jamaica.....we did a kayak excursion to a private Island where the Corona beer commercials were shot! {I will NEVER kayak with Tyler after that! We had to go a long ways...and I was wondering why it was so hard for us to go...so I look back and Tyler was making me paddle by myself! He was just sitting back making me do all of the work!} Talk about beautiful on the Island! After that we went to Jimmy Buffet's "Margaritaville!" That was an experience! :) That was the "hangout" spot and it was cool to be somewhere where Jimmy Buffet hangs out and owns! It was sooo crowded, but we had a great time....except for me!....well I did.........but by the time we were there was about the same time that my head started hurting because I got my hair braided by an authentic Jamaican woman! She did a great job! I had a thousand tiny braids! Looooong story short........the lady behind the information desk on the Cruise ship did not have fun cutting them all out of my head the next morning because I was not allowed to have "sharp objects"....such as scissors on the ship! {And I was bound and determined to have the braids out...because my head hurt SO bad!} Needless to say....I thought Tyler might be not wanting to stay married to me after that experience with my hair because he was nervous that 'Jamaican men' were out to get us because he "stiffed" the braid lady because she tried to "rip me off!" :) Oh me...the memories! :)

In Cozumel we just did alot of shopping because that Port is known for the best shops! We also enjoyed lunch at a "real" Mexican restaurant there! It was for sure authentic Mexican food! Tyler loved it.......but me being me, the picky eater....thought it was okay! :)

Grand Cayman was my FAVORITE! I am still wanting to go back there sometime! Grand Cayman and the Bahamas are by far my most favorite spots I have been on!
The ocean water at the Cayman Islands was just breathtaking! It was sooooo clear and blue! We loved there! They had the cutest little shops and the area was just clean and so nice! We did a Sting Ray excursion there! It was amazing! We took a yacht out to the middle of the ocean! It just happened to have a sand bar out in the middle of nowhere! We anchored down there and all got out in the water. Next thing I know...here comes the Sting Rays!! It was sooo cool to see them swimming around us! We got to bend down and pet them! Then...one of the worker people lifted up one of them and put it on my back! It had suctions! It felt like the Sting Ray was massaging my back! We got an awesome picture of us with a HUGE one behind us! We were sad our honeymoon was over.....time always flies when you are having fun! :)

Wordless Wednesday!

Following God's Path

As I sit here writing this post.......I am filled with a ton of emotion. As I look back at my life and see kind of where the "puzzle pieces" are fitting now, is just so amazing to me!

As I have traveled down God's path he has chosen for me......I have grown and learned and experienced SO much! So many great memories and experiences...but dont get me wrong...I have had some really tough and hard times throughout my journey too! During the "bumps" in the road of my life....I have wondered why God has put these obsticals in my way?....why did this happen to me?.....what did I do to deserve this?....why was I not good enough to get that job I soooo felt was right for me?....the questions go on and on!

But as I look back on those questions I have asked myself so many times...I can see now why some of those certain events have happened only to help guide me down God's path in the direction that I am suppose to be on.

God never promises the journey will be easy.....he just says to have faith and he will guide you down the path you are meant to be on!

I have learned and grown so much in my 31 years....and I know that I have alot more growing and learning to do as well. Chapters in my life have been written and completed....and now a new chapter is about to open in my life...and I am just beyond blessed and SO excited about it!

When we moved to Jacksonville because of Tyler's new job....I still made the drive everyday to Birmingham for work. I was actually okay with it because for me {as crazy as this sounds} it still kept me connected to Birmingham....to my home. I was not ready to loose that connection of my life that I have had for 9 years! I was not ready to let go. I have loved my life in Birmingham. When I graduated from Auburn and moved to Birmingham all by myself....I was ready to take on the world!

 I remember being so excited when I went off to college....and then graduating and feeling sad about leaving Auburn, but the new chapter of life after college {being a "big" girl} was just the next chapter that I just could not wait for! While living in Birmingham.....I became so much! I became an independent woman, a contributor to society, a working business girl, a wife, a homeowner, a mother...the list goes on!

To be honest, I was not ready to let all of that "go"! It scared me. So...making the drive to Birmingham everyday...and seeing all the familiar places, shops etc....still made me feel like I was still apart of my "old life"....and I loved the feeling. The problem was....I didnt have the new connection with Jacksonville like I was wanting too. I just didnt feel like Jacksonville was my home....I didnt feel like I fit because my heart was still in Birmingham.

This is where I feel and see where God's hands were all over me. As I look back on events that have happened....I can see the puzzle pieces "fitting" to where God is telling me, Jacksonville is your home.. it is time to let the Birmingham Chapter of your life end.

I am so excited to say that I am now starting to feel more and more "connected" to Jacksonville. It has helped so much that we have been so blessed to have our beautiful home that we love to take bike rides and walks in the neighborhood. I am meeting friends and having dinners and cook~outs now! We have finally joined a Church here so now I have a Church family.

It is SO amazing to me to see how it worked out to get Tyler and I both in Jacksonville where we belong! Tyler originally didnt get the job he has now. When he first found out he didnt get it, we both said ....well, it wasnt in God's plan. That couldnt have been sooooo true! He needed to stay with me in Birmingham then, because I needed him since I was pregnant with Lily. Not to mention, he got to have the "upper hand" with "wheeling and dealing" to get what he wanted as far as salary etc when he was offered the job!
I was offered a new job at Cahaba that allowed me to make the drive I did {and not get home at "midnight"} as soon as I got back from maternity leave right when Tyler was offered the job in Jacksonville. If it wasnt for that, there was no way I would have been able to make the drive I did because "flex~time" is what helped me!

There have been things going on at work here lately...{as far as policy changes etc} that I have been feeling "pushed" to leave. Some may think I am crazy for saying this...but I feel God has been "pushing" me...telling me....it is time for you to leave Birmingham, it is time for you to go. I didnt want to listen to all of the "pushes" God was giving me at first.......but it was his time to tell me that it is time to go. I was told there was a job posting at Jacksonville that I should apply for. {God opened this door for me} Well, it was BY FAR the most difficult interview etc that I have ever had to do! But, I truly feel God was right there with me the whole time! I still am amazed at how well I feel I did during my presentation and interviews! The crazy thing about it though...was I was actually closed out from the position by HR stating I didnt meet minimum qualifications in the beginning! I about had a heart attack when I got that email! Luckily, it was a system error...and I am proud to say....................I GOT the job!!

I will be the Director of Clinical Services for the Nursing Department at JSU! I am SO excited and so thankful! God opened this door for me and my family and I just am still amazed at this opportunity! My first day is July 29th! I have 8 days of having to drive back and forth to Birmingham! :) OH yes, the countdown has started! :)

I am sad that the chapter of "Birmingham" in my life is closing...I will always treasure all the memories and "life experiences" I had in that chapter of my life....but I am truly excited and so blessed to start this next new chapter in my life here in Jacksonville and to continue to follow the path God has made for me....

Cowgirl Up! :)

Vacation Bible School at Nan and Pawpaw's Church is in full swing this week! It is a Cowboy themed VBS! Tonight is the first night! Nan is helping with it and Alexis is sooo excited about it! :)

She kept saying Yeehaw Partner with her Cowgirl boots and hat on! She was dancing like a Cowboy too! It was WAY too funny!! :)

Busy busy!

We have had a great and busy weekend so far....and we still have tomorrow left!
Last night we were invited to our new friend's house to cook out. We had a great time and met alot of couples with kids! There were alot of people there! The Frits know how to throw a cook out! :) Carrie even hired a baby~sitter to watch all of the kids! {And there were alot of kids!} I am very thankful that we are meeting more and more people in Jacksonville!.....especially with them having kids the same age as the girls!

Today we had the Morgan Family Reunion at Oxford Lake. My grandmother, Nannie's Mom's side of the family! {Talk about confusing!} So.....it would be my Great Grandmother's Family....she had 4 other brothers and sisters. So it was all of them and their kids...and their kids kids!! There were alot of people there! I knew a good bit of them....and remembered alot of faces, but there were a good bit there that I had never seen before! :) The Oxford Lake was packed with people playing at the park and feeding the ducks and swimming....but we had a room in the Civic Center where it was nice and cool! We all enjoyed catching up....and taking alot of pictures! :)


Caylie and Lily with Hayley {the baby~sitter! :)}
I am soooo excited about these girls being friends and hopefully growing up together!

Love that all of these girls have fun together! {Carli is carrying Lily} haha!

This picture CRACKS me up! We went to eat lunch and I looked down and saw this on Lily's feet! She put her flip flops on all by herself!! TOOOO funny! Her flip flops are on the wrong foot and the middle part is in between the wrong toes! :) {But hey.....she did get them on all by herself!}

Mal, LaLa and the girls!

Some of the "crew"

More of the "crew"    The "chart" to break it down! :    
 My great grandmother was Estelle {and her 4 other brothers and sisters with their families and kids!}
                       Estelle had Nannie {my grandmother} and Wayne and Bobbi {with their kids there!}
                      and then Nannie had Mom { Lana and Pam}~ with their families there
               and then Me {and my little family!}
and not everybody was there too! :)

 This is everyone eating! There were alot of people there...and like I said earlier...there were alot not there also!

Lily is 22 months!

She is getting closer and closer to 2 by the day! Tomorrow Lily will be 22 months! I know I say this in every "monthly" update I do on her.........but she has really bloomed!

She is just learning and growing so fast! Her favorite song that she hums alot is "Twinkle Twinkle little Star!' She knows the words if I sing it with her...........and she will say the next word that comes next, but when she is just by herself she just hums it! It is so precious to hear her humming! :) I have tried and tried to video her doing it............but of course, she stops doing it as soon as I press record!

She is still a lover of her paci and her stuffed Giraffe! She cant go to sleep without both!

 She is also saying sentences now! Several weeks ago she would say just one word responses...for example..."Up!".........now she says "I want up!"

She knows pretty much every animal that you show her...and says what sound they make! My favorite is to hear her say what the owl sound is! :)

She is still obsessed with the movie Bolt! We have about worn that poor movie out watching it so much! Even Alexis enjoys watching it. It has become our "after school" ritual to do now when we get home while I cook dinner!

She also can point out who everybody is by name now too! It is so cute to hear her say names! She also now says "I Lily!" :)

Now, some of the "not so fun" that she does! She is little miss stubborn! WHOOO WEE!!....if she doesnt want to do something....she will NOT do it! She can hold strong with her little "two year old" fits like a champ! :) She is already in the 2 year old class...and learning and doing SO well in there, but also they have rubbed off on her too! :)
For example this morning...........she wanted down and didnt want to drink any of her milk at breakfast. I told her "Lily, you have to drink a drink of milk before you can get down." Well, she says "No, down." So, I ask her...."Do you want to go play with Sissy?" Of course she says "Yes!" So, I said "Okay, well if you want to go play then you have to get a drink" She said "No" So she sat there in the chair for about 15 minutes until she finally gave in and drank some milk so she could get down! {Talk about holding strong!}

She still loves and tries to do everything.single.thing. that Alexis does! It is just not cool to Lily until Sister has it or is doing it! :) {We have had some fights because of this sometimes}

She loves to dance too! It is sooooooooo cute to watch her do her little moves! She has her own "style" of dancing! She will bend her arms and move them up and down while she bobs her head back and forth! Even though she is "stubborn"..........she is the happiest, most sweet little thing and I am so grateful God chose me to be her Mommy!
 Happy 22 months Lily! :)