A glimpse back to tiny, tiny toes...

One of  my favorite pages in the baby book...

The "little hands and little feet"! 

I can remember this day so vividly in my mind.  Late August, 2010...only 6 weeks old!  We put William down for his nap so we could have one-on-one time with Griggs to do his special keepsake page together.  I often look back to this page in his baby book, reflecting back to how tiny his little hands and feet were.  It makes my heart skip a beat every time, knowing how fast time goes and how so very blessed we are to have our wonderful bundle from above... 

Hope you like the pictures :)

August 2010...Griggs Meets Aunt Babs! A day trip to Navarre

Looking back, still catching up...it's an excuse to trail down memory lane, to flip through pictures from last year and have those moments where I can sit and just remember.  Just relive some special moments and cherish them in my heart.  A chance to count my blessings...


This post is a brief glimpse back to a special day trip with my moma and 2 sweet babies of mine...a reflection to one of my favorites... to My Aunt Babs!  Aunt Babs is my great-aunt on my dad's side.  She is Grannymart's sister.  I love her dearly.  She's always been so loving and such a bright joy to me.  I can remember so many memories of my childhood that included trips to see Aunt Babs with either my parents or my grandparents.  She is one special lady and I am blessed to have a wonderful relationship with her.  She lived in Navarre Beach most of my life.  Around my college years, she moved off the beach and up the road to Holly (but it still was Navarre to me!)  I can remember childhood trips to visit her at the beach as well as high school and college trips.  In fact, that's where I went right after high school graduation!  My parents and I and a few friends went down to spend the weekend with her at her beach house :)    Now, when Philip and I started dating, I loved that she was only about an hour and 15 minutes from Seagrove!!  When I moved to Florida, the year we were engaged, I got to see her more often!  I can remember those first few years of mine, living in Florida, when I would call her up and we'd plan a date for me to come over and visit, and most times spend the night.  It was a good feeling to know that while I was missing my parents and my grandparents, she was right there for me.  We'd spend afternoon visits just chatting and talking about life and catching up.  When Philip proposed, after our parents and grandparents had been told, I made my family promise not to call her b/c I wanted to tell her in person!  He proposed on my birthday, the same year Hurricane Ivan hit.  We called her and said we were bringing her some dinner since her power had been knocked out and to check on things for her due to the storm.  After a little chatting, I finally said "We have some news...!"  She was tickled and said "it's about time!" 

Anyway, through the years, I knew she wanted to move back to Shreveport to live nearby her daughter, Aimee and her family, and I supported that dream.  I knew there would be an answer to prayer for her and that she'd sell her beautiful home and make the big move.  I just wanted to enjoy as much time with her nearby as I could, so quite often, either Philip and I would go over with William or just William and I would go over to visit. We'd most always have lunch at our favorite spot "Sailor's Grill"!  William loved playing in her kitchen with her little baskets of kitchen gadgets while we chatted.  A few of my favorite memories included the night she babysat William when he was 4 months old so we could have a date!  She said they rolled on the floor and sang and bounced the night away.  Another fun memory was a weekend visit when Grannymart was down to see her.  We drove over to have dinner with them at "Gator's"...a well known local hole in the wall.  We even taught them a domino game that night!  I know I sound extra sentimental, but I can't help it!  This post is about the last visit to her home in Navarre that I made with my boys.  Griggs was only 5 weeks old.  My mom had come down to see me and I asked her if she would ride over with me to see Aunt Babs so she could Griggs. 


I couldn't wait to see my Aunt holding my new baby!!  We had a splendid day together!  Even had lunch at Sailor's Grill!  It was wonderful to spend the afternoon, soaking up family time.  I loved the pictures from this visit!  It was a short visit, but a perfect visit, nonetheless!  This was August.  Only 2 months later we heard the WONDERFUL news that she'd had an offer on her house and would be moving to Shreveport soon!!  She was tickled!  We were so happy for her!  She'd be moving to be near her daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren!!  I knew a piece of my heart was leaving my "area", but would always be a phone call, text or email away.  I was extra happy when she said she'd be up in Dothan for Thanksgiving!  That meant I'd get to see her and she'd get to see my boys again!  After Thanksgiving, time moved so quickly and before I knew it, she had moved... 




I miss her being just down the road.  I miss my impromptu drives over to Navarre to spend the day with her.  But, I am so thankful for the years I had to have her nearby and I am so very happy for her to be with her daughter.  God is wonderful and as you can tell, has blessed me with family beyond measure.  Having such a wonderful great-aunt that could tell me stories about my grannymart and my daddy as a child and just to share her life with me, well...I am blessed.  I'll always consider her a best friend of mine.  I can't wait to see her soon...


I wonder what Philip would say if I said I was thinking of making the drive to Shreveport...hmmmm :)

July 2010 (videos)...sweet words about a fun cake

Yes, these are from A YEAR AGO!!  I am steadily working on getting caught up on my blog for my family.  I felt it was perfect timing that as I've been trying to get caught up, here I sit a year later, and come across these videos of William last year decorating his Flag Cake!  I can remember how sweet my 2 year old baby was as he sat up on the counter, enjoying most of the fruit decorations on his cake :) 

Happy 4th!  Always!

Lauren

Summer 2010 Sand Cake in the makings...

William making his sand cake

summertime chef! more video moments

a few video "interviews" of the little kitchen chef...

Precious moments captured...

Balloons and Dr. William! Life captured in videos

some more cute videos of life with our boys