Wordless Wednesday!

 Last 'Wordless Wednesday' for the month of July!

Our new high schooler!

 Whew, today was A LOT!

It was SO hot in that 7th grade hallway....and mix in a billion 7th graders that could NOT get their lockers opened ..................

and BOY, it was something! :)

Lily was able to get hers opened....one time.... did stress over not knowing where her classes are all going to be but super happy that most of her classes has at least two friends in them! ha!

Priorities on must have friends in classes! :)

We will go back up there, before long, and work on the locker...and triple make sure that she knows and is comfortable on where to go!

She'll be okay!

I am not okay, that she is now in the high school, but I will be! :)

These three were so ready to get in line together to get lockers by each other!

Reese and Lily...trying and trying! ha!

Still practicing!

GOT IT! Now to decorate!

My 7th grader!

Her Junior year is here!

 WOW!

Today we got ALL THE THINGS....

for her Junior year to kick off!

Schedule!

Parking spot decal!

YES, I said parking spot! I just cant believe it!

She found out where she will be going, found her parking spot, asked friends to determine if any are in her classes.................

soooo......

she is SO excited and SO ready!

Love these three smiling faces!

My Junior!

F45!

 Tyler and I have ventured into a lot of different activities with each other over the course of our 24 years together. 

We have worked out together.....

did a tennis class at Auburn together.......

competed and played pickleball together.........

rode bikes........

the list goes on and on!

We are always up for a new adventure and F45 is our newest!

It is a tough workout class that most mornings (the class STARTS at 5:15am) I dread having to wake up and go to! ha!

Not going to lie!

It is tough getting up!

It is tough doing the class!

But............

once I am done...

it is 100%  worth it!

So, today marked the last class until Fall semester begins so we have a 2 week break.

It has been an adventure for sure! :)

Our weekend!

 This last weekend of July was as low-key as it could get!

And it was nice!

We hung around at home and caught up on all things laundry, etc! Alexis had a spend the night party for Mackenzie's birthday on Saturday so she was gone most of the day. Tyler cooked out for Lily and I so we enjoyed grilling and relaxing! Sunday was full of Church, lunch, errands and then Alexis had Willa Kate's 16th birthday surprise party yesterday. 

Everyone is 16 with Nyla the lone one left!

Still doing what she loves!

 Mixed in this week with Cross Country...

Lily had the JSU Soccer camp!

She looks forward to this every Summer and had a great time this year even though it rained on them the entire time. She came home with grass that I didnt even know grass could be, but she made the most of it and is still loving soccer along with her new love of cross country!

Day 1 and ready!

Cant really tell she is soaking wet, but she sure loved seeing Cocky in the rain!

Wordless Wednesday!

 

19 years!

 He and I since 05! Added a couple of branches to the ole tree along the way too! 19 years married and finding out, in our new stage of life, how we still have fun together even more than when we started dating 24 years ago! Happy anniversary to us and I so look forward to where this crazy life takes us and all the adventures yet to come!

Remembering today

 Today is always a tough one. 

But thankful to know that my Dad is smiling down on me and helping to guide me along the way.

There is always, always, always, something to be thankful for and I am thankful that my Dad is still wrapping his arms with one of his hugs even with him being gone. I can feel it.

Love and  miss him every day. 

Growing up

 This is a deep one. 

I have been in a 'transitional period' here in the past few months and this part of my life has just been a little hard! 

I have just been ALL over the place with my emotions and with my heart strings and.....just whew! :)

I had my thoughts and emotions put into perspective, yesterday, when I spent the day with Nannie. 

She has been sick with pneumonia so I went to help her out and spend some time with her. You wouldnt have thought she was sick. She was just like usual. We had a great day together and it was good for my heart to go!

So.................

what's been on my mind you wonder............????

Well....

I dont even know, really, where to begin, or how to even express it without rambling (to which I am good at!) :)

Both my girls are growing up. 

Just this week, BIG things have happened in their life that, for me, is just all happening at once and I havent prepared myself for the fact that no matter how bad I want Lily's aqua blue room to stay blue............

time has changed and she is no longer a 'baby' and things have changed.

Driving, dating, boyfriends, first jobs, high school and even making the play room now the 'movie room' because I was told that 'we dont play in there anymore Momma' .................... is just happening over here in my world and it is rocking me!

I feel left with a feeling that I have never felt before of being really sad that both girls are no longer the little sassy selves that once was but so happy to see them in their new stages of life.

I just have to jump in the new stages and embrace them while still trying to treasure the past but get over the fact that what I want to hold on to is officially..................over.

When I spent the day with Nannie yesterday, it made me realize how quickly life goes by and while chatting with her that ready or not, I am in the stages that I am and I just need to keep doing my best to guide my girls and show them that I am here for them and love them. 

Sometimes I feel like I am a complete failure as a Mom. Especially with TWO teenage girls. Sometimes it feels I cannot do right to do wrong! ha! I saw a quote that said...............'If we are sisters and we are fighting, do not try to stop us or get in the middle....because we will turn on you.'

I felt that!

The girls and my relationship has changed and some days I feel I am barking orders more than I am doing anything else. I know...........I know, everyone says...they are teenagers, they dont clean their room, they dont do this but they do that. Well, it is hard! ha! It is hard being a Mom to teenagers. NO question to me harder than the baby stage! 

So, between all the new changes and stages that are coming my way, mixed with all things teenager, but throw in my complete excitement about what is all happening for them.........BUT, me also trying to teach them lessons that will hopefully help them in their future but 'not be over bearing' BUT trying to 'help guide' them...........while me being 'mean' is something I just have to get over.....

........is leaving me with my head spinning! 

Soooo.......yeah.......

I dont know.

Pastor Derek did a sermon, once, about saying the 'I dont know' prayer.

Well, I have done a good bit of those!

Lord, I dont know right now what I even want to pray about because I am overwhelmed, but help me. 

He listens, He knows. 

That's all that matters.

I am thankful, I am blessed, I am excited, scared, nervous, happy, honored, loved, and I can go on but I also know that HE is right there beside me helping me on this path he's provided so I can rest in Him.

Painting Lily's room is a big sign of her growing up.....but spending the day with Nannie made me realize how fast time flies and that no matter what life may throw at me, or how fast my head spins, with it all, this little life of mine is something I am thankful for. Even on the days when life is hard or I feel like I am doing everything wrong, I know that at the end of the day that I have two beautiful girls and a pretty great husband that God has given me.

All things 'baby Lily'................disappearing with the grey!

A big perspective for me that even at 87, get up..................dance...............live your life. Do the best you can, give it all to God. Be thankful, be humble. Do your best to let HIM shine through you. 

Nannie told me that it is in my genes to live to her age...............

if so, OH to think about and only if the Lord determines!

Our weekend!

 Our weekend was a FULL one!

Last weekend was low key and just filled with hanging out at home and then Church on Sunday followed by Tyler playing golf and Alexis doing some DD hours! Lily and I were the ones just relaxing! :)

This weekend, was full of all the things!

This girl had a big and busy weekend! Doesnt she look SO cute! Life as a teenager...who is driving and just living her best life! She had a sweet date with Isaac, a sweet 16 birthday for KeAshia and then DD hours thrown in there for fun! ha!

Saturday night, this group celebrated Misty and her birthday! Love her like a sister!

Lily was excited to hang out with Reese and show off her new cellphone too. THAT girl! :)

Sunday....she went with Reese to the Braves game. We havent been to a game in years so she was SUPER excited to be with one of her best friends and enjoy the game!

Life Lately!

 Whew, this month is flying by...and we have been busy but I just havent taken many pictures of all the action!

We have been doing life full of cross country practice, cheer practice/workouts, Alexis working, Tyler and I working, throwing in some pickleball since we have not played in forever.... just alot! :)

After Cross Country practice, these two had a fun day of lunch, shopping and then hitting Starbucks before coming to our house and hanging out. These two are super cute and Ryker is such a sweetie! He insisted on buying her lunch!

Wordless Wednesday!

 

THIS cracks me up! :)

Wordless Wednesday!

 

Lifeguard Lex!

 Just call her 'Lifeguard Lex!'

Since she had to work the track pool party, I got to see her in action!

Trent and Lex, to save the day!

So proud of her!

Checking on alll those kiddos swimming!

Lily's track pizza and pool party!

 We got home from our trip and had just enough time to unpack, some, get some laundry going....and then head to Lily's track pizza and pool party!

They had such a great season so it was so fun for the team to have fun swimming!

BONUS.........Alexis worked it!

So, I got to see her in action too!

Lily and her track ribbons!

Ryker and Lily!

Rebecca and Lily!

Never felt more safe...than with these two working! Love Trent!

Our trip, Part 2!

 We spent the rest of our trip just enjoying the ocean, the pool, the jet ski, the boat rides, dinner with Pam and Richard, and then just hanging out!

We had so much fun and already cant wait until next year!

Heading out for a fun time!

Came back and they said they had a blast!

HITTING the pool!

Doing alllll the things!

Dinner to meet Pam and Richard!

Surprise, they sang Alexis Happy Birthday! She got a yummy piece of key lime pie for it! 

Of course we have to say hello to the parrot at Flounders. (Our favorite place to eat!)

We also took a nice and long boat ride to Alabama to have lunch!

It was a great view too!

Until next time!

4th of July beaching it with fam!

 We always look forward to every 4th going down and spending time with Brittney and her growing two kiddos...and Mitchell too, of course! :)

My girls LOVE Kennedy and Briggs and I just LOVE watching them grow!

We had the best time and everything was pretty much on repeat the entire trip!

Wednesday afternoon we got settled and this crew spent the rest of the afternoon and night doing this! GLOW swim party! :)

And doing this! :)

AND....doing this too!

Then, Thursday was the 4th!! We did THIS! All getting ready to hit the ocean on the boat!

Look at Briggs face! Solid white from sunscreen! ha!

Snow cones before we left for the win!

And Lily made Briggs a shirt with all his favorite things! He is REALLY into sharks right now...and then his favorite stuffed teddy bear (named Pinkie, because it is pink) riding on top of the shark! He would not take that shirt off he loved it SO much! Lily did SO great at making it!

BOAT time! All crew..............was ready!

Our spot for the rest of the day!

JUST beautiful!

We all loved playing on this!

This boy....and THOSE fish! He kept feeding them...and they loved him! I told Brittney that I was stealing him and bringing him home with me. She didnt like that very much...but I think I could have done it, and I should have! :)

Our camp out spot! ha!

Saw the most beautiful sunset!

We came back and ate dinner at their home and then went back out on the boat to watch the fireworks over the water! There is NO place better than over the ocean watching the best fireworks!

Right after this picture...Kennedy hit that cushion and was OUT!

The only picture I took the entire time! Full of sun, sand, and USA! :)