We Got Our Toes in the Sand!

Doug and I had not been on a true week long vacation since our trip to France last April. He had a business meeting in Paris for a few days, and we took the opportunity to fly me over there and spend a week traveling the countryside. That was our last big vacation before Callen. Since Cal's birth, we have done a lot of day trips to visit family, go hiking, and get away from Greenville. About a month ago the three of us went to Lexington, KY, for a weekend to visit Keeneland. These have all been great times, but Doug and I were looking forward to a nice long getaway; I am sure him more than me so he could be away from work for a week and spend lots of time with Callen. We had a wedding in Charleston last Saturday, so we planned to spend a few days in Charleston, head north to Sunset Beach for a few days with Doug's dad and stepmom, and then back to Charleston for a few more days. This proved to be a great time for all of us. We had wonderful weather, great adventures, and fabulous time with family. 

Pictures will pretty much do the talking for this blog. I will say that Callen loved the beach! He played, ate, and rolled all in the sand. He loved knocking down the sandcastles Doug had built for him. He had no fear of the water and crawled straight into it without hesitation! 
Here are some of the highlights from Sunset Beach!

Demolition of the sandcastles!

More sand in the mouth than on the beach at times! Pretty sure we cleaned sand out of Cal for 3 days straight!

Playing paddleball with daddy

Cal cut his first tooth, so chewing on the ball felt really good!

 

 

 

 

Riding the waves!

All this activity made him soooo tired!

Going for an evening walk on the beach!

After three great days at Sunset with Charley and Linda, we headed back to Charleston. Here are the highlights from that part of the trip.

More beach time...at Sullivan's Island

Boat ride for Happy Hour...Callen had to rest up before we got to our docking spot!

My daddy is soooo silly

Stealing my mommy's champagne! (don't worry, he didn't actually drink any)

Working on my standing

Riding back and forth in the living room on my cars. (He loved Doug's car from the 70's!)

Pimpin' in my Uncle Dave's outfit from 1970

Playing some cornhole. Trying to teach my daddy and Oupa how to play

Relaxing after a long week of new adventures!

We had a wonderful vacation. A huge thanks to Charley and Linda for allowing us to join them on their vacation. It was nice to spend time with you guys and have a chance for Callen to hang out with you for a couple of days. We loved all the bike rides and walks on the beach as well as the fun times in the sand and on the dock! Another huge thanks to Jan and Ken for all of their hospitality. We always have a great time while visiting you guys, and now more with Callen. He loved all the toys and adventures we got into while there. The pool, beach, bike and boat rides were awesome, but hanging out on the veranda with you guys was best. Thanks for helping make the rest of our vacation as good as the first part!

Mother's Day Celebration

What a wonderful weekend I had with my boys! Doug and I decided that we would celebrate Mother's Day on Saturday. We knew with church and everything else that needs to get done on Sundays, we would not be able to enjoy Mother's Day as much. 
I woke up Saturday morning not knowing what our plans would be for the day. Doug came to me with a 'menu' for the day's activities. I had many options to pick from on the menu...I could spend time with Doug and Cal, go shopping on my own, hang out all day...my choice! I started with breakfast in bed. I am not one for breakfast in bed, but I must admit it was nice to sit and watch a TV show while eating, and not have to worry about Callen! I spend most of my meals making sure he is getting enough food (in his mouth and not all over the place), not lifting his try off the highchair, and all the other fun meal time activities that go with having a 9 month old.

Such a big help to daddy!

My choice for the day was to go hiking with my boys! I found a spot in North Carolina called Panthertown Valley. Neither of us had heard of the area before so we were up for the adventure. There are lots of waterfalls there and loop trails that will allow you to explore many areas in the region. We didn't realize the weather was going to be so much cooler compared to Greenville...and raining! Luckily I had some baby clothes in the trunk to take to a friend, so we were able to dress Cal in something warmer. However, we raced through some of the trails to get to one of the waterfalls because of the rain. At the waterfall, Cal was already wet and cold, and the water spraying off the waterfall made it even cooler. He was shivering and pretty miserable looking, so we had to cut our afternoon short. We really enjoyed the area and look forward to going back there soon.

Once back in Greenville, we rode our bikes downtown to our favorite spot for happy hour and food. We enjoyed hanging out and talking to new people that sat down by us waiting for tables. Cal was a trooper all day and went with the flow. Once home, we put Cal to bed and Doug and I sat on the front porch and enjoyed a bottle of champagne and relaxed with the nice weather. 

 

I don't think I could have asked for a better day (other than the weather). I loved spending time with my boys, and I was spoiled all day...Doug didn't let me change a diaper...woohoo!!! I got constant smiles and hugs from Cal, and I'm not sure there is much better than that! I hope this becomes an annual Mother's Day tradition. It was nice to have a full day on Saturday, and then spend Sunday visiting and calling all the other mothers in our lives.

Happy Mother's Day!!!

A special Mother's Day wish to all! 

 

Taken the day Callen came home from the hospital

Taken about a month ago in Lexington, KY...slightly larger child sitting in my lap!!

After my mom passed away in 2008, I didn't really want anything to do with Mother's Day. It was a day in which I had to hear everyone talking about what they were getting their moms, what they were going to do for them, and how they were going to spend the day with them. I wasn't a mother, and felt jealous that I didn't have that special person in my life anymore to share the day with. As Doug and I were trying to become pregnant, Mother's Day became even more of a sad day for me. Not only did I not have my mother, I didn't know if I would become a mother of my own. I have much better feelings today!


This year (and even last year to an extent), Mother's Day has become a little more relevant in my life. I absolutely love being a mother. It is the best job I have ever had and probably will ever have (although I hear being a grandparent is pretty awesome!). My worst day with Callen beats the best day at any job I have ever had. The smiles, love, and laughter I get every day are soooo awesome. That boy just puts a smile on my face...even when he is being a little stinker. I am so fortunate to be able to stay home and care for Cal on a daily basis. There are some trying times, no doubt, but at the end of the day all I want to do is snuggle with Cal and rub his little face as he falls asleep in my arms. For Mother's Day,  I don't want Doug and Callen to go out and buy me anything special or do something out of the ordinary to make me feel good; they do these things everyday. Doug's ability to love Callen and be a great dad is gift enough for me. Callen's love of life and adorable smile make my day everyday. I just want to have family time with the two of them, and be able to spend the day doing something we all three enjoy.

To all the wonderful mothers out there, Happy Mother's Day!! To those who wanted to be mothers but never could because of whatever reason, Happy Mother's Day!! To those who have lost mothers and can't celebrate with them, cherish the times you did have with your mother (and Happy Mother's Day to those that have passed!)! 


I have been so blessed to have had so many special ladies in my life that have helped guide me and love me along the way. Several of these ladies stepped up in ways I could not have imagined after my mom's passing. So, to Kathy, Ann, and Melissa, Happy Mother's Day to you. I appreciate all you have done in my life, my family's life, and now with Callen. A girl could not ask for better best friends of her mom! I love you all!!

Happy Mother's Day to Grandmom! You are a wonderful mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. You have so much spunk and energy...Doug and I wish we had half of your energy! We enjoy visiting with you and watching you love these great grandbabies. We love you!

Happy Mother's Day to Linda/Ender! I know you mean a lot to Doug, and I have enjoyed spending time with you these last 7 years. I enjoy our talks and ability for you to understand losing a mom to cancer at a young age. You love Callen so much and get so excited to see him in person and through FaceTime. Your positive outlook and sense of adventure are wonderful! We love you!!

Happy Mother's Day to Malinda/Mimi M! I'm not sure you knew what you were getting yourself into when you joined our family almost 4 years ago!! Your kindness and willingness to love each of us is amazing. You have stepped right in and loved these grandbabies like your own. I know Callen gets a smile on his face every time he sees you. You bring joy to all those around you and we thank you for all that you do. I know I appreciate you watching him while I work out, and Callen loves that one on one time with you. We love you!!!

I didn't have a pic of Doug and me with you...so you get 2 with Callen.

I didn't think you would mind!!

Happy Mother's Day to Jan/Nana! You are an awesome mother in law to me! Thank You for always remembering my mom and how special she was. Thank you for loving me like your own daughter and now loving Callen with all your heart. I couldn't have picked a better mother in law! And Callen is so lucky to have you as his Nana. He loves his FaceTime sessions, but even more enjoys when you are here with him. He is one spoiled little guy with you around!  We love you!

And Happy Mother's Day to the most special mom I could ever ask for...Momma Lou! You were always my biggest fan and biggest supporter. You made me believe in myself when I thought no one else cared about me and I lost my own confidence. You stood by me through everything...good times, bad times, and just the everyday. You taught me how to be a fighter and to love unconditionally. I wouldn't be the person I am today without you. You taught me values and life lessons that I will pass on to Callen. Not a day goes by that I don't think of you and wish you were here. Callen would love you so much. I think we would have non stop fights...only because you would want to be here EVERYDAY and I would have to tell you no, we need our space!! Doug and I show pictures of you to Callen and tell any story we can. We want him to 'know' you as much as possible and love the memories of you. Like I always told you... I LOVE YOU. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!

You were so much fun. I don't think I realized how crazy you were until I started looking back at pictures and hearing stories!!

Everyday Activities

Callen and I have gotten into a pretty good routine during the week. I think it helps Callen know what to expect, and helps me to pass the day (without being frazzled from beginning to end!). I didn't realize until yesterday how much Cal enjoys the routine. My sister, Brittany, went back to work on Monday. Family and friends are all helping to take care of sweet Ella for a few weeks to help her avoid daycare until about 3 months of age. Cal and I had the privilege of watching Ella yesterday. Cal loved being with his baby cousin...and tried a time or two to show her who's boss...and wanted to touch her and snuggle close as much as possible. What I didn't realize until the end of the day was that we didn't get much one on one time. I wasn't able to take him and swing him in the swing. We were able to go ride in the car, but I had Ella in one arm and couldn't be as fun and wild with Cal as I normally am. He enjoys our routine and the stuff we do. I'm not saying we do the exact same thing everyday, but he is used to certain activities happening around the same times each day. 

Watching over Ella

Giving Ella some love!

Rocking Ella in her carseat

In the morning we get up and eat breakfast. Cal loves to eat anything I am eating. Oatmeal, sausage, yogurt, fruit, bagels...you name it, he will eat it. I made him a smoothie yesterday and today, and he was drinking it up (through a straw!). After breakfast (and cleaning the kitchen Cal somehow managed to destroy in 15 minutes), we head out for a walk or to the gym. Once home from exercising, Cal will often take a nap and I will quickly take a shower before his 30 min nap is over. Pretty soon it is lunch time. Once again, whatever is on my plate goes into his mouth! Notice he eats what I am eating, and not what Doug is eating...we want Callen to have a more adventurous palate. We have lunch and then play for a while. We will head out in the early afternoon for a few errands if needed. Cal may take another short nap in the mid afternoon if he didn't already take one in the car. Throw in some cleaning, baking, or arts and crafts (for mommy), and it is late afternoon already! By 3:30-4:00, we are outside playing in the swing, riding the car, or walking around the neighborhood. Cal loves to be outside, and we spend much of our time hanging outdoors. We get so excited to see Doug driving down the street around 5:30!!

Watching the city vehicles outside the window while eating breakfast

Of course playing with anything that is NOT a toy!

Playtime means getting into mommy's stuff in the bathroom!

I love the park!

I am also trying to take Cal to the pool once a week. One...it wears him OUT!! We don't get out of the YMCA parking lot before he is sound asleep. Two...Doug and I are swimmers. Cal was born in the water. He needs to be a swimmer and love the water like we do! Each time we go, I see his confidence growing larger and larger. He absolutely loves going and watching the people, being thrown in the air, and falling off the side into my arms. 

These pics are from the first time we took Cal swimming...a little easier to snap photos with an extra set of hands!

It's not the most exciting life, but Cal and I have a good time with our little routine. I like to know what to expect each day and I am sure Callen enjoys it too. We definitely enjoy when daddy comes home, and really enjoy the weekends when we can play together as a family!