florida revisited.

robin surprised my inbox with another handful of pictures from my trip to florida.

{a whole month ago. i don't believe it.}

i learned a few things about motherhood on that trip... 

like, how constant a job it is.

how the radio is not really yours to control. teach your children to like your kind of music from an early age.

how much more quickly the time passes when the children are at school and there is peace and quiet than when they are home, all up in your business. NEVER WASTE THOSE PRECIOUS HOURS. 

but above it all, i learned that adults have no say in the shape of a sugar cookie or what kind of sprinkles go on it when kids are in the room. gone were my plans for simple, round, just-a-speck-of-sprinkles cookies. helllllllo gingerbread men and bunny ears in 100 degree august!

there's a gallon-size lesson in giving up control that i'm yet to master when it comes to parenting.

also, when you can't find the perfect flamingo souvenir, work it out in the next best manner: dressing like one.

while the older kids were at school, ollie and i mixed up a batch of sugar cookie dough. no matter how mundane the task, kids want to help. that sweet ollie boy  didn't once let go of the mixer and helped me pour every single measuring cup into the bowl.

 

i'll risk sounding like a creep - there's no other way to say this - but there's not a sweeter sight than ollie making cookies in his underwear. those little white boy legs just killllllll me. i could gobble them up.

also so noteworthy, the welcome signs at my door, made by parker and macy. 

so sweet.

 

it's snowing here today. can i go back?

nina.

i remember this cute little chubby cheeked girl who looked kind of mexican but didnt speak the language. her mom rebecca and i were friends through church. i cant remember exactly when my daughter holly and aubry became friends but it seems like they always were. 

i think aubry was one of hollys most loyal friends. she would be hollys page turner at the piano. aubry doesnt play or read music but she would sit by holly at every performance and turn the pages. i think holly had to poke her so she would know when it was time for page turning. 

aubry never missed any of hollys concerts for their high schools vocal shows. it really impressed me that aubry would do that for her friend holly. i remember signing aubry and holly out of school during their senior year. (sorry rebecca). we would do fun things like go to the matinee. one movie that i totally remember seeing with the girls was life is beautiful. and then the shopping for their apartment in college. 

oh boy. aubry will always be one of my other daughters. she treats my grand children like she was their auntie (she really is). i love aubry and want to wish her the best in everything. heres to 30 years of awesomeness!!!

IT'S BIRTHDAY MONTH!

i wrote that in all caps because i meant it.

welcome to november, my friends.

my favorite month of all.

via.

now that it's november, it's officially acceptable to:

wear three layers, colorful tight, and boots. everyday.

eat soup for every meal.

bake warm crispy dessert to share with all my friends.

cash in on all the incoming birthday discounts from my favorite retail establishments.

stay inside. play games. watch movies.

eat mashed potatoes and gravy.

start shopping for next year's calendar.

and celebrate with my fellow november babies.



so, let's party!