Vacation is Good for...

Chillin'...

donut eatin'...

shoppin'...

sunnin'...

rockin'...

mohawkin'...

smilin'...

stylin'...

sand diggin'...

wave watchin'...

runnin'...

marvelin'...

Vacation is good for the soul.

Go Fish

Before our vacation Carter's knowledge of fishing was limited to playing a game of Go Fish every once in a while. But thanks to Pops while we were on vacation she had her very first real fishing experience. When the sun set we headed down to the dock to do a little night fishing...

The pictures aren't that great because it was pitch black and I couldn't exactly see what, or who I was photographing! They were using shrimp as live bait...

Pops baited the hook...


Then they threw their line out into the water...


and BINGO!! They caught themselves a whopper...


okay, well maybe not quite a whopper, but Carter didn't know the difference...


They were highly successful and there was a lot of reeling in going on...


I was busy playing the part of nervous mom...a little nervous that I would be jumping into the dark water if Carter fell off the dock, so I had her plant her booty on the dock when she wasn't busy catching fish...


It was really sweet because every time we caught one we tried to get her to touch it, but she wasn't to keen on that. Well, when we were heading in for the night she decided she just had to do it. Pops didn't miss a beat, hooked a shrimp on and caught her one more just so she could touch it...


It was one of those nights that I hope will be a early childhood memory for her. Thanks Dad for making it happen, you tops when it comes to Pops!!

If I Could Write a Letter to Me

I've been learning a lesson this week. As I drove home from Target last night it all sort of came together for me. It's not necessarily a brand new thought or revelation, but one that has been constantly evolving over the past four and a half years.

I kept thinking about that song, Letter to Me by Brad Paisley. But I'm not thinking about sending it back to my seventeen year old self, more so I'm thinking about me 20 years from now sending it to the "me" of right now. I think with each passing day I realize more and more about how special (and short) this period of life is. So I think my letter might go a little something like this...

Dear Beth,

It's me...the older, somewhat wiser, and much more rested you. Ahhhh sleep, it's a beautiful thing. I know you are missing that right now, along with time to yourself, and the things you sometimes wish you could squeeze in like reading, heading out for a night on the town, or just a little peace and quiet. But trust me on the peace and quiet thing, it's not all it's cracked up to be. Really it's kinda' overrated but here a few things that aren't...

Those sweet little baby grins...take them all in. They don't last long, before you know it those gums are full of teeth and have a lot to say, but for now take in the coos and smiles, they are priceless.

Speaking of priceless...Carter cuddling in your lap won't last forever. Those long legs just keep getting longer and in the not too distant future she won't be able to tuck them up and wrap her tiny hands around your neck. When she finds you and just wants to sit...do it. Don't let the moment pass you by. Be present, give her your undivided attention, take it all in...nothing could be more important.

Kiss your sweet husband a few extra times a day. Tell him how much you appreciate all he does to make your life a little easier. Make sure he knows what you already do in your heart...he's all you ever dreamed of and more.

Don't sweat the small stuff...I mean it...DON'T sweat the small stuff. When you get a little overwhelmed just let it go. Don't worry so much about things being clean, finished, perfect. Life is short and in the end they won't remember if you ate on paper plates...they'll remember you were there.

I know you're doing the best you can, but I just want to say this. Enjoy where you're at. Don't look ahead and don't look back. Just be right where you are. Live everyday...and don't just live...enjoy it. Love your babies, they won't be babies for long. Life is good every step of the way take the time to appreciate this one. They are each unique and deserve to be treasured.

Love,

Me

Firecracker, Firecracker, BOOM BOOM BOOM!

Down By the Bay

We just returned from a sweet little trip down to the Texas shore. We spent the better part of last week with friends and family in Port Aransas. We managed a day a sunshine before the rain hit and had a great time relaxing and being together.

Our first night we headed out to eat "The Catch of the Day" (literally we ate the fish my dad and Laynce caught that morning). It was a great little joint where they fix what you caught and add delicious sides. Such a treat. Here are the girls waiting for dinner...

My cute parents...

Our "original" family (minus Clint)...

Kim and Lyndsay and I...

and Nate who was busy with his own little catch of the day...

He'd reeled in a whopper...

and strung her up by the toes...

we were hoping our little fish might be up for a family photo, but we weren't having much luck...

but as the saying goes, if at first you don't succeed...

try...

and try some more...

and then bribe her with the promise of a little ice cream!

And, as a quick side note, a big topic of conversation around here is who Emme looks like, whether or not she and Carter look alike, etc. So for a quick comparison Carter (at 6 months)...

and Emme (at almost 6 months)...

I think it's safe to say they are looking like their own little people! Next up...night fishing with Pops!

Far Away Places

We're vacationing on the Texas coast. Sitting and enjoying the rain, the wind and the bad weather. Funny how being cooped up with people you really like in a place where you have nothing to do can be just what the doctor ordered.

Catching up on a few of the photos I have taken recently I ran across these of my girls. We were pretending to fly...

imagining that my feet had a little magic...

just enough to take us wherever our little hearts desired...

giggles mixed with a few rays of sunshine coming in through the window...

and suddenly you're somewhere you never expected to be...

as far away as your mind can take you.

Gone Fishin'

See ya' when we get back!