embrace the camera - july 1

welcome to an alabama summer my friends where it's never too hot for some backyard fun or hugs...

the freedom of trusting

one of the things i love most about the continuous setting on my camera is that it captures moments like this that happen to quickly for me to notice in totality. what i thought was simple game of 'airplane' was actually a lesson in trusting. and in turn the freedom that it brings. as she settled firmly on my size 11's, she slowly began to let go and experience the freedom of knowing i'd catch her should she wobble. what was scary at first, suddenly had the beauty to take her breath away and make her insides turn in delight.

i realized quickly as i looked at my uploaded pictures that this very simple childhood game also held the same lesson in trusting that i need to be reminded of. i thought my feet were big, but His are bigger. my reflexes are pretty quick should a wobble occur, but He orchestrates the wobbles. my arm span is far reaching, His is infinite. and as His child i have the freedom that trusting brings as well. the breathtaking, beautiful, inside turning, soul delighting freedom.

thank you Father for Jesus. and for airplane.

mornin'...

just a quick hello. be back soon...

seriously...

you aren't being deceived, although i wish that were the case. this really is right smack in the middle of our living room. the whole 'baby's-toys-take-up-all-our-space' thing has been taken to a whole new {convenient and obnoxious} level. i mean seriously people, i just can't stay outdoor all 12 of our waking hours. i'm just about to melt.

embrace the camera thursday

i happened upon this girls blog and have fallen in love with this idea. here's an bit from emily's blog about 'embrace the camera thursdays' :

do you have pictures of yourself, with your little people?
in this day and age of the "momarazzi", many of us are always behind the lens...rather in front of it.
some of you feel much more comfy behind the lens, and i get that.
look, you think i want pictures of myself in the same velour jogging suit for the 3rd day in a row {i slept in that jogging suit each night too---i know, gross, right?}
well, i don't really want those pictures...but my kids do---or, at least they will one day.
sadly, i don't have a lot of pictures with me and my mom from when i was younger.
i am off to change this for my kids.
i want them to have an abundance of pictures...to remind them of these days that we spent at home together.
the days may seem to drag...but honestly, the years fly.

love that! and so true. so not promising that our 'real' pictures will get posted every thursday but i'm committed to making sure that georgia has lots of pictures that tell the real story of how our days {and ourselves} looked when she was younger. if you blog or if you don't, i encourage you to do the same. these pictures will tell the real story of our lives long after we're gone.

the unfolding of a conversation...

not many words necessary here. just pay attention to the joy on her face build and the sterness of his face diminish....

{she's going in for the kill. she reaches for his arm and drops those eyes}

{this is her reaching for him to hold her. she's broken him down and knows it}

{the end. she's good. really good. like i need lessons good.}

twooooooooooo

last weekend we celebrated a very special day. you'll never guess whoooooooo turned twoooooooo....

these invitations started the whole process. i decided to watercolor the owl and then photoshop the orange polka dots in. then i printed and hand-glittered the bow and lashes. even i was pretty happy with the result. so i used the owl along with pink and orange for the whole theme....

at the last minute i pefected the buttercream icing recipe {thank you spring} and was even more happy with the way my cupcakes turned out. looking good is one thing, but when the taste matches up it's even better...

one of things i decided to do was pack a lunch for each child. i was a little anxious about getting 8 toddlers fed in an orderly manner, but having a 'lunch' for each of them already prepared worked beautifully...

these hydrangeas made their way from harold's grandmother's yard in georgia. she has the most gorgeous bushes and is so gracious to send a whole bushel full for georgia's parties....

i love this picture because we have almost the same exact picture from her first birthday party. i love this little girl even more. but you guys already know that. so there you have it. year two is gone and we had a hoot. {i know i know, i couldn't help it} now on to thinking about the next party. you may think i am a nerd for all of this but every single birthday we share together i will go out of my way to make sure it's special just for her. because she's that special to us.

b.u.s.y.

i know i keep saying it, but gosh are your days flying by at warp speed as well??? we aren't really busy doing anything in particular, but just busy with the normal-ness of summer time and toddlerhood. and yes, georgia is way more busy than me. in fact, this is how busy she is...

she grabbed her purse, sunglasses and my keys and said she was going to 'Cot-Co' {aka Costco}.

she told me she needed some money {i am not joking} and then proceeded to look in the foyer table for some...
there's none in there if you're wondering, but she did find my walkman {circa 1992} and just so you know it works better than my ipod anyday. anyway, she got my walkman...

and then told me she was going to exercise. so she went and found my shoes...

so off she goes. exercise then costco. which sounds a lot like our days so she's listening. and i must say...she does kinda looks like a smaller, more accessorized and certainly cuter version of richard simmons so maybe jazzercise videos are in her future :)

uncle tim

if you've been around here long enough you've heard me talk about uncle tim. he is harold's baby brother and georgia is his first and only niece. he's the one who sends her the georgia cheerleading outfits you see each fall and shows up at our house with a 3 foot long gummy worm. that's uncle tim.

he's smart and funny and almost as good looking as his older brother. almost. he's successful and single and most of all, he's just darn crazy about his georgia marie...

this was the first time he laid eyes on her. if you look hard enough you'll see her eyes looking up at him too. and over the past two years each time they've seen each other, it hasn't taken long for them to side by side again. anyway, he popped into town a few weeks ago for the day {which was nice since he lives in Arizona we don't get to see him much} and we all were glad to spend some time with uncle tim...

now here's the fun part. okay see uncle tim's 'stickers'? otherwise known as tattoo's...georgia loved them. she kept saying 'uncle tim has stickers'. she loves them and she loves him. and he feels the same. want proof?

are you sure?

because i wasn't ready for this when i opened up this email attachment. so be sure.

okay, here you go...

i know i know. i can't believe it either. he got this on georgia's birthday and emailed us the pic that night. my jaw literally dropped open. i called tim that morning and told him that he wins the best uncle award for that one. i mean seriously. but uncle tim is cool like that. he threw in all his chips.

and he may be mr. bachelor but don't be fooled. his heart has been stolen by a little curly headed girl and he ain't ashamed....

well here we are...

it's june 11 and our family has a very good reason to celebrate. year two has come and gone as quick as the tide. maybe three will take it a little slower. nevertheless, thanks for hanging out with me this past month. you can't imagine how much fun i've had looking through old pictures each day. and speaking of pictures i'll have lots and lots to share next week when my energy and time return to a somewhat normal level. until then...

happy 2nd birthday georgia marie. happy happy birthday baby.

a picture a day...1 day to go

yesterday i kissed her. the day before that i kissed her. as soon as she wakes up i will kiss her. in fact, i'll just end here and go now to kiss her sleeping face...

have i told you that i love her?

a picture a day...2 days to go

she no longer fits in the bottom drawer of the changing table. in fact, we longer have the changing table.

too big. too quick. and two more days to go.

a picture(s) a day...3 days to go

just a few pictures from the lake last month...

we only spent one real day there so I didn't get that many pictures, but this next one is a favorite. georgia wanted to play in the tailgate all day. she liked pretending to drink a coke {see above and no i don't allow her to drink cola} anyway, she didn't care anything about the lake...she wanted to play in chief's tailgate. this picture and the look on my husband's face is hilarious...

i get this look often. it's means 'why is she so busy?' we crack up daily because this little child is so so busy. and nosy. and in to everything her little hands can fit it. and she gets is honest.

a picture a day...5 days to go

we're on our way to vacation bible school this week. so i picked this picture because a) it is adorable and b) she's a princess alright and this week she'll be learning that her real daddy is the King of kings!

God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.
1 Timothy 6:15-16

a picture a day...6 days to go

another favorite from christmas time. we're getting close my friends :)