"Texas Forever!"

...said in my best Tim Riggins Southern accent.

We did this Thanksgiving Texas style.

And it was wonderful. While the Northwest was being hit with Artic Blast 2010, we were enjoying milder temps and afternoon runs in tank tops. We explored my aunt and uncles vast property on what Nick called "grown up toys"... I think he left wishing he lived on a piece of land that had 5 deer blinds in the back yard.

We stuffed ourselves silly with all the delicious food, including two different kinds of stuffing: Texas style and Louisiana style.

We napped...

Caught up and chatted...

And little birdie finally got to meet my grandparents...

It was a week of family time. Some more of that re-charging stuff that is oh-so-good for us.




A time to be so thankful for what we have, but also a time to be thankful for what we had. It's impossible to spend time with my dad's family and not feel a bit of an emptiness. With all of the happiness, along with that there is the missing.
He should be there with us. Celebrating with us. And it saddens me that he doesn't get to snuggle this sweet face...
Because he would have been such an awesome grandpa.

So we reflect. We reflect on our many blessings and hold on tight to each other because that's what it's about. The togetherness of it all.


And for this little one? My thankfulness cup overfloweth.

Doing it all.

Whew. Is it really only Wednesday?

I know that means that tomorrow is Thursday, which is almost Friday, and then before you know it, it's the sweet weekend again...but it's just been one of those weeks.

Racing weeks. A week where I can't quite seem to get everything done, be everywhere I'm supposed to or would like to be...a week where I can't possibly do it all.
And that's hard for me.

I'd like to think that I can juggle the multiple balls of the different aspects of my life, but sometimes it just feels like there are too many. Something's gotta give. And I just never want that something that's gotta give to be precious time with my girl.

So I've been asking myself tough questions...what activities can I continue and what do I need to bow out of? What is manageable and what is too much? How do I find that balance?

I'm certain these feelings are not something new. I'm certain working mom's and stay at home mom's alike ask themselves these same questions every day, and on some level that gives me peace...to know that I'm not alone in these questions, these feelings and these challenges.

Because ultimately...it doesn't matter if I can't do it all.

I CAN do many things...and of those many things, the most important is being a mama. Her mama. And I pledge with every inch of my being do do it well...to be present and engaged and make sure that she knows...with every inch of her being that she is the number one priority in our lives.

If I can do that, I am doing it all.

Your little hands wrapped around my finger
and it's so quiet in the world tonight
Your little eyes flutter cause you're dreaming
so I tuck you in
turn on your favorite night light.

To you, everything is funny
you got nothing to regret
I'd give all I had honey
if you could stay like that.

Oh, darling don't you ever grow up
Don't you ever grow up
Just stay this little
Oh, darling don't you ever grow up
Don't you ever grow up
It can stay this simple.

I won't let nobody hurt you, won't let no one break your heart
And no one will desert you
Just try to never grow up.
-Taylor Swift

Okay...so not really. Of course I am so happy and blessed that our squish is healthy and thriving and growing, but these last few weeks really feel like her "tiny baby" days are slipping away from us. She is changing and learning new things every day and it is amazing to be a witness to all the newness around her. I was reading in one of my books the other night and it was talking about your 5 month old baby and that they were in the large infant stage now. Say whaaaaat? I'm not ready to leave
little infant stage! I find myself holding on to her and repeating to myself: remember this. hold on to this.
she'll never be this little again. I am so in love with being her mama.

Yahoooooo. It's the weekend. Make it a good one friends!

Laying, reading, laughing, playing, tickling, loving.

With you.

The best part of my day. Every day.

Halloween Part II

As I mentioned in my previous post...we love our holidays around here. So we didn't just have one Halloween celebration, we had two.

And the second one wasn't just about Halloween, it was about a birthday too. Double the celebrations!

We enjoyed the most gorgeous fall meal prepared by Diggy and Ryan...complete with a
witches brew!

And with the ending of Halloween...November begins, brining with it all the lovely

warm-and-fuzzy holiday feelings that I wait all year for. And I can't wait to share it with our girl this year. Let the fun begin!