Spa Day

It's Spa Day at casa de Ward. Kickin' back, munching on some M&M's, taking a bubble bath. Glad we could oblige Buddy and Holly today, because in less than 8 hours...it's back to work!! No rest for the weary. Wonder if I could squeeze in their bubble bath? I could use one too. Maybe some M&M's.

He's baaaaack.

Buddy is back in town. And, he decided to bring a friend with this year. So, we are officially welcoming Holly to town. The girls picked the name. I think it's pretty cute. So they are here, and I'm thinking Buddy and Holly have some fun stuff up their sleeves this year. Don't ask me how I know....I just do. ;)

family

One of my favorites from our photo session with Kim. You can tell the girls were into it way more than the boys. ;) And this is how it feels sometimes doesn't it?! The push and pull of life tugging at you from every direction. So important to have family. Both near and far. As we pack up and head out to Texas today for Thanksgiving, we are excited to see our family. No family is perfect, everyone knows that. But every family was put together for a purpose. To take the sharp edges that make up a unit and soften them. To accept each one for who they are. To train and raise up. I love our little family unit under this roof, but I also love the extended family units we get to be a part of. Marching through this thing called life, and doing our best to lift each other up when the tug and pull of life feels like it's coming from both directions. Feeling thankful we are all here another year. Healthy and happy and marching forward....not back. Happy Thanksgiving!!

Let's Get Rockin'

Dreaming of his next guitar. My little man. He looks HUGE to me in this picture. He is rocking and rolling in his School of Rock that we enrolled him in. It makes me so happy to see him truly loving something. I don't have to tell him to practice his guitar, he just does. Like 3 times a day. The next step for him is to learn to play an electric guitar. He is now good enough to do some "jam sessions" with other kids his age. But....you can't really "jam" with an acoustic guitar. Unless it's an "unplugged jam". Cool to me, not so much to him. So he is saving his pennies. ;) We'll have to see if this one is on his "wish list" for Christmas. Santa may go broke if he buys this one.

Pictures

We had some wonderful friends from Austin come and visit last weekend. And one of them just happens to be a super talented photographer who took some family pictures for us. I somehow got a few on my computer while we were peeking at them over the weekend, but I am waiting on all the fun ones to come with the editing.

It's always tough to do family pictures because either the weather doesn't cooperate, or someone is upset with someone who keeps teasing, or if nothing else the dog keeps getting distracted by every single squirrel that runs by. For me though I love it, crazy weather and all. Love that we get a quick chance to capture life right now at this moment. The good and the bad. Yes, Grace hates her braces, but I love them. I love that I can have pictures to look back on to remember how sweet she looks in them. Just one more sign that she is growing up too fast. Caleb is at that awkward 12-year old stage where he doesn't quite know how to do his hair, or if he really even would ever shower if I didn't force him to. And Miss Madeline is my baby. The one who will still let me hand her a furry vest for pictures and will wear it with a smile. Her crazy smile with her crazy little teeth and beautiful freckles totally melt my heart. Soon enough she will be in braces. So, I'm loving this totally unedited picture of me and my girls. The good and the bad. The braces, the crooked teeth, and the fact that my feet look like they are about to take over the picture. It's totally us. Although......I'm sure I'll be really happy when I see the edited one in a few weeks. ;)

Turkey

Our first Brownie troop meeting is today!! So excited. I've practiced my Brownie handshake, Girl Scout promise, and the Girl Scout Law. ;) Girl Scouts is a big deal here in Tennessee. Excited to see what these little girls are going to teach me this year as their leader. And praying my fearless partner and I get our footing quickly since we are a few months behind some of the other troops. So thankful all the stars aligned and we were able to get 8 girls off a wait list and join a troop. Here we go!!

Halloween

I took one picture on Halloween. One. Mom of the year right here. I have no idea what I was doing instead of taking pictures. Eating candy? Talking too much to my neighbors? Sleeping? What! Thankfully I had a few friends send me a picture or two, or I'd be really sad. Note to self. Lay off the candy next year and engage in Halloween festivities.