Briley's Birthday

She was two weeks late. She sat on my pelvis like 8 pounds of bowling ball. I'm pretty sure she thought she owned my body. I craved Waffle House eggs, bacon, potatoes, and grits every single day. I was sick every single day of my pregnancy and the meanest person ever. I gained 40 pounds with her. I had heartburn even when I drank water.They said it was because she would have a lot of hair. She has a head full of hair. She refused to cry when she was born. She only drank goats milk and refused to drink any other milk as a baby.. She slept in my bed (and continues to sneak into my bed) until she was 3. I am thankful for every single year I have with my 6 year old firecracker. Yesterday was her birthday. Happy Birthday Briley H. Diva.

The Day my Family Eloped

A Holiday

by Ella Wheeler

The Wife
The house is like a garden,
The children are the flowers,
The gardener should come methinks...

The Husband
Impossible! You women do not know
The toil it takes to make a business grow.
I cannot join you until very late,
So hurry home, nor let the dinner wait.

Source: http://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/a-holiday-by-ella-wheeler-wilcox#ixzz3lkPCVlEa
 

This weekend we eloped; we being the whole entire family of me, Jordan, the kids, and the two fur kids. Our elopement was marked by flip-flops, sandy hair, shaggy sweaters, and two overly excited dogs. The Atlantic Ocean was our music and the menu was salt water and jelly fish.

We secretly ran off to become one again. 

Our family needed to run off. We literally were forgetting to look at each other.

We needed to have a reason to take a break from the social media, tablets, and cellphones (especially me).

Outside of work, we really don't travel as much as I would like us to travel.  (Keywords: as much as I would like us to travel).  If my partner had it his way, we would stay within the confines of our 75 mile radius.  I, on the other hand, am a born rolling stone.  I really MUST have the wind beneath my wings.

This weekend, my dreams were temporarily placated with a trip to the beach. We even brought our fur children with us who got to experience the Atlantic Ocean (and sand, and beach, and wind, and everything else) for the first times in their short little lives.

This was probably one of the shortest most entertaining days I've had in a long time.  There's nothing more comforting and absolutely delicious than the looks on my dogs face when they entered the warm ocean for the first time.

xo

Enjoy

Ollie

Dismals Canyon, Alabama: My Haven Away From Home

I'm not a creature of habit for the most part.  Most times, in my life, when I find I'm doing something that IS becoming a bit too monotonous, I have to do something to shake things up.  But, lets be fair. Some habits are pretty cool.

What is a habit?

I define a habit as something that done more than three times. A tradition is done countless times.

Dismal's Canyon in my new tradition, although I have only visited it twice. However, it is a tradition that has become one because my mother has taken both of my children down in this canyon on hikes, treating both children as if this was her first adventure there.

I'm so lucky to have this very special private tradition for the children, my mother, and myself. When you look at these pictures, feel my memories and embrace nature.

What is Dismal's Canyon?

Dismal's Canyon Conservatory is "Intentionally private, Dismals Canyon - in keeping with its pristine surroundings - offers a quiet and unspoiled oasis in Alabama’s last secret hiding place. A secluded wilderness filled with natural phenomena tucked deep within the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains." 

It is also one of the many sad spots and stopping places along the trail of tears.  Carvings can still be observed on the walls within the canyons and there's almost a haunting feeling as you pass within the water washed walls of history.