Live in the Sunshine...

"Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air's salubrity" -Ralph Waldo Emerson

I am an ocean lover and we don't spend nearly enough time there.  Nowhere does life calm itself quite the same way as it is does near the ocean.  Some of my favorite childhood memories are filled with sand and salt water.  I am hoping to recreate the same for my kids.  In the spirit of that, we surprised the kids with a day at the beach on Good Friday.

I cannot remember a time in 9 1/2 years that we have gone down to Galveston with just our family.  Every memory involves extended family and friends.  That made this trip all the more special.

Something we have never done before but will do again is take our bikes down and ride the sea wall.  SO FUN!  Even Rylee only complained just a little at the end.  She hates riding when we are camping because there are hills to go up (even though the down hill is a blast!).  The sea wall is flat and paved- easy enough for her!

Colton has decided the waves are called waterfalls.  Everytime waves came toward him, he would run back to shore screaming (happily) "the waterfalls are getting me".  IT.WAS.ADORABLE.

Over time I have learned there are a few things that MUST happen on a trip to the beach:

1. Sand in the eyes.   You must have sand in the eyes for atleast one beach goer.

2. Bury yourself in the sand.  You must cover 100% of some portion of your body in sand.

New favorite pic of this girl!

3.  Sand bucket "sand castle".  You must empty a bucket and have it successfully stand for a decent length of time and therefore declare it a "sandcastle".

I have the son that adores his dad and of course with 2 girls coming first, daddy thinks his son is golden, too. While laying down in the sand looking up at them, I caught one of  those moments.  I absolutely adore these two guys.

And watching them play soccer in the sand (yes, with a volleyball) was great.  And, catching a photo of them walking toward the ball in perfect step with each other, well, that was priceless.

I love these next pictures because one day soon my girls will not be behaving this way at the beach.  They will someday soon be lying on a beach towel in their bikinis tanning their skin and consider that a great time.  I did.  Until that time, I will revel in these wet sand covered little girls.

Daddy also got a hold of the camera and managed to catch a picture of me with each of the girls (I am RARELY in pictures!)

We finished off our beach day with showers at the State Park (thank you State Park Pass!), dinner at Joe's Crab Shack (mediocre food, fun by all), and dessert on the Strand at La Kings.

Oh my!  Ice cream at La Kings is a new must do for us when in Galveston.  Cute little ice cream and candy shop with DELICIOUS ice cream.  How we haven't tried this before I don't know!

Fun in a classic phone booth on the strand.  They were fascinated!

Our family had an amazing day, and we cannot wait to do it again!  It's getting me excited for 6 days in Destin this summer!!!

A Tale of Two Chairs

Finally another crafty/DIY post!  It certainly isn't an original project, that's for sure.  We have all seen a million chair makeovers.  They are fun, though.  Especially when they are almost free!

Nearly a year ago (if not longer), Amanda gave me a set of 2 dining chairs that she no longer needed, and I had a place for.  Apparently that place was our shed until a week ago.

Here is the before:

I started out by removing the seat, and lightly sanding (with 120 grit) just enough to help the paint stick.  Then, using a Rustoleum high gloss white, I applied a million coats.  Okay, not really a million, but I haven't mastered the thin, even coats idea yet.  I am impatient, and believe I should rush everything rather than taking my time and getting it right the first time.  I am also determined to become better at these DIY projects myself.  Yes, Rusty could have painted this chair and there would not be a single paint drip dried on it.  Yes, because I painted it there maybe 1 or 2 (or 10) dried drips on them.  My thinking is if I can do these things without assistance, then I don't have to run my harebrained ideas by him first.  So long as it doesn't cost him his time (or a significant amount of money) he won't tell me no.

Back to the chair...sanding, painting a coat, drying, repeat.  Then I wrapped the chairs (I just covered the existing fabric) with fabric that I picked up on sale at Joanns.  One a bold purple and white paisley print on sale for $3.49 a yard and a solid pink for $2.49 a yard.  An entire yard of both were purchased and have enough left over of both for a throw pillow for each room the chairs are moving into.

The pink chair is now at home in the girls bedroom with their $25 Goodwill vanity we made over for them. Yes, they are still missing pulls on the drawer.  Apparently the size of the original handle (which was WAY to modern for this vanity and their bedroom) isn't a standard size.  I would like 2 crystal (ish) pulls and just haven't filled the current holes, sanded and repainted the drawer yet.  Maybe soon....

The purple paisley now resides at my craft desk in our family room.  While every other main room downstairs was made over last year for a lighter, more neutral appearance, we have gone much bolder and more playful in our family room.  By far the most used room in our house.

My dining room chairs desperately all need to be redone.  When I get around to those, we will not use a brush.  We will purchase a spray gun for our air compressor.  I think that would be so much easier for 8 chairs.  I am very happy though with the chairs!

I am sharing over at Domestically Speaking's Power of Paint Party, Kristen's Creations and Home Stories A2Z

Wild, Wild Whiskers

So much personality is squeezed into such a little person.  Rylee is mischievous, strong willed, freckle faced, curly haired, strong, naturally funny, music loving, tough, friendly, smart, sporty, determined.  Touch is her love language (as far as when I am involved).  She keeps me on my toes like none of my other kids ever could.

She loves her music and she is her mothers child when it comes to country music.  One of Rusty and I's favorite past times is listening to Rylee sing lyrics incorrectly.  Of course, she has no idea that she is singing them wrong.

The last 2 aren't the greatest pictures as far as lighting and focus go, but it still captures the belting out that is occuring.

Just yesterday, we were blaring American Honey by Lady Antebellum in the car.

Lady Antebellum "Wild, wild, whisper blowing in the wind"
Rylee "Wild, wild whiskers growing in the wind"

And if she isn't singing, she is dancing (well, both girls are in fact).  Even a trip to the beach is no excuse to stop dancing.

Oh the hours of entertainment this kid provides me.

Pictures of a Wedding I Didn't Even Attend

I grew up EXTREMELY close to my cousins Mandy & Amy.  I spent as much time as allowed with this girls as kids.  They lived in Magnolia and so very many of my fondest childhood memories happened there.

This city girl got to experience the country because of these people.  At six years old, I remember being out in the backyard of their property and being dared by Mandy (5) and Amy (4) to pick up one of the chicks being escorted around by momma hen.  This city girl had no idea momma hen's weren't ok with this.  Some 25 years later and my right eye shows a faint scar from that lesson learned.

(From Left to Right) Amy (4), Mandy (5), Alicia (6)
 May 1987

20 years ago, Tomball and Magnolia weren't what they are today.  Lots of untouched woods covered the acres.  Many afternoons were spent by us 10 and 11 year olds wandering the woods, swimming in any creek with standing water.  Childhood untainted by modern day, big city fears and concerns.

Fast forward 20 something years later, Mandy has met the man of her dreams and married James Kaiser a few weeks ago in an out of town wedding with immediate family.

Mandy had a relative take her photos, and asked me if I would be willing to edit them.  I jumped at the chance.  I got Photoshop Elements 10 for my birthday and am constantly looking for photos to play with.  Boy, oh, boy I have learned why wedding photographers charge so much!  It is a lot of pressure to create something that is moving enough to have captured this couples moment in time.  And, I didn't even take the pictures!!!  I have stressed to Mandy over and over again I am not a professional (and have NO desire to be), I just enjoy my camera and photoshop.  I promised to do my best, and I do think we have come up with quite a few wonderful pictures.  Here are a few before and afters of what has consumed my time the past 2 weeks.

Mr and Mrs James Kaiser

My absolute favorite picture

Congratulations Mandy and James.  I pray that you will have many, many years of happiness ahead of you.

52 Week Photo Challenge Week 14

All of my kid's new favorite picture.  Colton thinks he's flying.  The sweetness of childhood.  Someone please make this boy stop growing up so fast.  Before we know it, Daddy won't be able to do this anymore.  I'm not ready yet.

Happy Birthday Miss Kinley

The last 48 hours have been one of the points in time where I have found myself incredibly grateful for where God has placed me.  8 years ago my heart was so incredibly heavy, and I began to cry out to God for friends.  Fast forward to today, and God has placed us in a church that has allowed us to develop those friendships.  It is an incredibly moving place to be in when you realize that you have several 2 AM friends (and they aren't all family!).

On Tuesday afternoon I was honored to join one of my dearest, closest friends in the world, along side her mom and husband, as they welcomed their 4th child.  There is nothing quite like being present for a birth (whether your own or a loved ones).   Seeing the first moments mommy and daddy meet their new baby is absolutely priceless.  Hands down my favorite pictures from all the of my children are the first pictures of Rusty seeing his babies.

There is a particular moment I never want to forget just after Kinley was born.  Amanda had given the responsibility of her name over to Aaron and they had already decided on Kinley.   The middle name was undecided up until the birth.  Just after the baby was handed over to Aaron, Dr Lee asked if they had decided on her name yet or were they keeping it to themselves longer.  Aaron said (very softly and seriously), "No, no, it's Kinley Rae (Rae being Amanda's middle name)."  The sweet sincerity in his voice was one of the most tender things I had ever heard.  I lost it.  Tears began to flow behind my lens.  I look down to tell Amanda's mom that I was crying now, and she had started crying too!

My kiddos love this entire family as much as we do, and they couldn't wait to meet Miss Kinley in the hospital.  Aaron and Amanda were wonderful, and allowed all of us to have dinner in the hospital with them on Wed night.

The girls were in love.  This picture of Rylee brings back to mind memories of when Colton made Rylee into a big sister.  My heart loves this.

Colton was far more interest in performing and playing with Mr. Aaron than in the baby.

I somehow managed to NOT take a picture of Jadyn and Kinley together.  I did take a picture of Kinley while in Jadyn's arms though.  To soften the blow to Jadyn that she is not in the picture, I edited it a little more fun just for her.

Collins family congratulations on Kinley's healthy arrival and I am so blessed and honored to have been a part of her arrival.  We love you guys and look forward to many, many years watching all these kids of ours grow up together.  I love y'all.

And, now I am wiping tears.

Lucky Dog

We found his owner.

Lucky went home tonight at around 9 pm.  After 24 hrs between us and our neighbors.  To say our children fell in love would be an understatement.  As I was taking this picture of Colton, I heard him whisper (unprompted) "I love you."  All this is before we found the missing poster.

Once the poster was found, my girls lost it.  No pictures were snapped of this out of sensitivity to mommy and girls.  I had one on each arm as we all 3 cried.  And while Daddy grinned at his emotional women.

He was 12 years old and belonged to a family of 6 kids.  The "daddy" has had him since he was a puppy and was very missed.  Truthfully, had we not found him so quickly and moved him to our backyard, I think they would have found him last night.  His home was only a couple streets away.

As were we eating our dinner (waiting on the family to arrive) Jadyn says, "I have to tell you the truth about something.  I found a poster on our mailbox earlier today and I threw it away.  I felt bad as soon as I did it."  Yes, I am devastated that she did it to begin with, but I am so happy she felt like she had to confess.  I know my girl, she wouldn't have been able to sleep tonight.  It was a wonderful opportunity to talk about that "bad" feeling right away was the Holy Spirit speaking to her heart.  It has always moved me as to how loudly Jadyn hears the Spirit convict her.  I pray the older she gets, the more she will be willing to act in response sooner rather than later.  The heartache and pain she will be saved!

As Champ (his real name) was jumping into the car of his real family, Colton called out "Where's my dog?".  VERY emotional Friday night for us Burress'.