eleven.
i remember it as though it were yesterday and yet it seems so long ago
that you blessed our lives. you were such a sweet and happy baby with
a fuzzy head and a super shy disposition.  it has been such a treat to watch
you slowly emerge from your shell and gently step into the girl you've become.
i am constantly amazed by you and hope that as you explore and uncover your dreams
you will continue to grow with such grace.
i love you more than anything my sweet "belle".
xoxo,
mom

treasure from the sea

summer is slowly fading
late evenings are beginning to bring a hint of fall.
depending on the day
i am either eager to welcome it or
i feel nostalgic for summer.
either way,
i am holding on to every second of
the blazing sun and bare feet.

after a long time of quietly sitting,
watching, planning, thinking,
dreaming,
and most of all waiting,
my path is clear
and i feel renewed.
a fresh start.
and i hope to have many days of viewing
the sunset from an open road.

i tend to consider fall as the new year.

school starts and everything seems fresh again.
we sign up for new activities as well as some old favorites
and settle into a routine revolved around school and
dreams of what the year will hold.
this year, I am learning to take small steps,
i have a tendency to leap into things wildly or do nothing at all.
so this will be the year that i make active choices~one step at a time.
a 5 year plan is slowly evolving of places we want to visit, things we want to do
and there is talk of where we want to rest our souls and grow our roots,
a gentle tugging for some and a restless pull for me.

off on a new adventure.
i can not wait to hear all about it.

summers best gift is that of time.
lazy days and endless nights have been the norm for us.
sleeping away the mornings and playing under the stars is my preferred
schedule and luckily the girls have fallen for my ways.
but as we merge back into the school year, it will all shift.
we will watch as the sun rises while eating breakfast and be in the bed as the last
of the days light falls to dark.
although mother nature's seasons are not quite transitioning here in the deep south
the seasons are definitely shifting in our hearts.
and we are ready for it.
to celebrate the last weekend of summer
we enjoyed a slow stroll along the waters edge after a picnic by the pier
and left our footprints in the sand as we explored a small beach that changes
with each passing tide.
we collected driftwood and feathers and imagined all the things we can make with our
treasures while dreaming of the exciting things that a new school year brings.

another birthday celebration last weekend.
july through september are nonstop birthdays for us
so we decided to throw the girls a combined pool party to celebrate
their birthdays with all of our family and friends.
we had a candy bar that was a huge success even with the adults.
it was a great afternoon that ended with a sleep over of cousins and
friends and a great way to wind down the summer.
august marks the cruelest days of summer as well as the start of school.
sweet summer...we will miss you but we'll visit on the weekends as we know
your heat and humidity will linger for quite a while.

another birthday celebration,
this time for the youngest in the house,
ice cream cake, cupcakes and
a birthday serenade while wearing a sombrero.