Be Still My Heart

Lake Fun

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The Conversation Jar

I hope other mommas of little boys can relate. And if you can't, good for you! I'm happy for you if you don't have to pry and plead with your wee one to get him to tell you about his day. Just one little morsel. Just one teeny tiny tidbit of information. PLEASE!!!

Banks has always been a chatterbox. There have been days, and still are days, where I thought he would never. stop. talking. But as soon as I'm trying to get something specific out of him, mums the word. Silence. The dreaded "nothing" or, even worse, "I can't remember." Yes, son, I also can't recall what I had for breakfast this morning but two children and sleep deprivation did that to me. What's your excuse?!

After days of begging for him to tell me about his day, we implemented the conversation jar. It is no more than a small ice cream dish. For every story he tells me about his day at school, he gets a penny. The color of the day was orange?! Great! A penny. You colored orange things? Fantastic. Another penny. You get to go on a teddy bear picnic tomorrow! I've always wanted to do that! Two pennies.

And so it went. It took two weeks, but we filled that jar up sharing our lives and days together. We celebrated with a mommy and Banks only trip to get ice cream! Oh, and he got to keep the pennies.

Worth it.

Morning Run

It would appear my running partner found a distraction.

Mini-Vaca

With the big move this summer, plus Jonathan's new job, we knew it would be really hard impossible to take a week-long trip to the beach this summer. We hated it... as Banks loves the beach more than just about any place in the world. What child doesn't, I suppose? There's just something magical about the waves when you're a child. Like they are almost alive as they come crashing to shore... way before you can begin to understand tides. (Do most adults really understand tides? Or do we just accept them as reality and fail to see the beauty or God's hand in them anymore?)

We gave ourselves the month of July to settle into the new house...er...make the house livable. Then we carved out a long weekend in August to enjoy the beach with family. We really missed Ben, Melissa, Mac and Wells this year - but enjoying Papa, Yaya, CJ and Boo Boo was a special treat, too!

Here are some of my favorite pictures from the vacation! We mostly played on the beach, but also enjoyed some go-kart action and great meals!

Ready to go!!

Eli's First Tubing Adventure

Tenth Anniversary

Happy Tenth Anniversary to my best friend and love of my life! Ten years ago I could not have fathomed the life changes and adventures that would be in our path. Two beautiful children who are so full of love and life. Three homes in three different phases of life. (PS - I really love this one! Let's stay here a while...) Four countries (Mexico, Italy, Dominican Republic and Fiji) of world travels and memories.

I love you so much, and thank God for giving you to me!

Ten years later on a surprise trip to Charleston! Still a romantic after all the years!