New Nephew Photoshoot

Another adorable addition to our family. My nephew Reid is already a month old! Hard to believe. 

When we were home in March I snapped a few photos of the sweet little guy. It seems like just last week that I snapped the same photos of his big brother.

Showing a sweet little smile. I'm sure it was from the "Knock-Knock" joke I had just told him.

Big Bro showing me how he gives the baby kisses.

Sleepy dude.

I love the way the processing on this photo turned out.

He's a cuddly little thing. Which of course I just LOVE.

Snuggles with Mimi. 

Same hat his brother wore. Made by Mimi.

Matt and I are incredibly blessed to have such sweet nephews. Their mom has always made sure Gray knows who me and Matt are. He's never been shy to see us and always acts like we've just been gone a few hours instead of a few months between visits. Can't wait to watch this guy's personality start to take shape.

A Major Award

Tiffany has sent me a MAJOR AWARD (guess the movie), the Liebster award and I must follow through with the winner's procedures. 1. because I won a MAJOR AWARD and 2. because this is really fun:

Here are the rules:
 
1. You must post 11 random things about yourself.
2. Answer the questions that the nominator set for you. 
3. Create 11 questions for the people you nominate. 
4. Choose blogs you love for the nomination (I'm choosing folks who read this blog - they're not necessarily bloggers, though)
5. Leave your info in the comments!
 

11 Random Things About Me:

1. One of the reasons I love my neighborhood in Tampa is because it reminds me of home in Alabama. I love the tree lined streets, the older homes and the charm I see in Florence, Tuscumbia and Sheffield and I like how Seminole Heights is similar to that.

2. My favorite food is Italian. I love pasta, cheese, bread and tomatoes - but I am not a fan of Italian desserts. I think it's either too bland or too sweet. I guess I just love my Americanized cakes and cookies too much.

3. I really wanna go to Europe someday. Specifically the British Isles. Matt and I would love to rent a little car in Ireland and go from castle to castle. The final episode of Downton Abbey when they were in Scotland walking around hunting outside made me drool over the landscapes - so fresh and green and crisp. I also want to go to London to enjoy all the touristy goodness it has to offer. 

4. I am NOT a cat person. I can cuddle a kitten and even pet a few cats that belong to other folks, but I have no interest in owning one. Litterbox = gross.

5. I am geeky, and I kinda always have been. Folks that don't know me well are usually surprised by this - I watched Star Trek - TNG (the next generation) and the original series with my dad when I was younger. (Since he controlled the remote I saw a lot of 007, Atlanta Braves, Falcons or Hawks and The Three Stooges, too). I'm a new fan of Dr. Who thanks to Netflix and Star Wars has been loved since the 7th grade when a group of us girls decided there was no one more handsome than Luke Skywalker looking pensively out over the multiple moons of Tatooine.

6. My perfect situation would be to have a part time job that paid very well and that I loved. Then I'd finally have the time for projects around the house and time to just enjoy my house, but I'd still be able to afford the decor or the supplies for my crazy project ideas. 

7. I feel like when I take a sick day and am actually home on those days I'm not allowed to do projects (I do laundry, though, but that doesn't count). I guess it goes back to those days when I was younger and my mom said, "if you're staying home sick, then you'll be sick all day".

8. I feel there are certain seasons for certain foods. Chili during football season. Ice cream and shaved ice in the summer. Pumpkin stuff in the fall, strawberry stuff in the spring, mango/coconut/pineapple stuff in the summer.

9. I want to paint my front door a crazy color, but I am not brave enough to pick a color and actually do it.

10. I strongly dislike eggplant.

11. Final random fact: Coming up with unique random facts was HARD.

Tiff's questions:

1. Why do you blog?

My family and friends read this blog and it's a nice way to stay in touch and keep them updated. It's also a bit of  a diary for me. I've been posting things we did and saw for 4 years now and it's cool to look back. 

2. You have one hour to yourself. What do you do?

If I have a book or TV show I am in midst of, I will sit down to continue the adventure. If not, I will probably  lay down on the couch or the bed, snuggle with the puppies and relax. Don't have to fall asleep, but when you're constantly "on" at work it's nice to just BE.

3. What's a typical day for you?

Up at 7:20ish, but I lay in the bed a little longer. Get up and do the morning routine: shower, clothes, primping, etc. I shower everyday, but don't wash my hair everyday. I've seen enough pins on Pinterest to know this is no big deal. I'm going to end up putting in a bun or ponytail anyways. Get dressed, grab breakfast and on the road between 8:00 and 8:15 am. At work by 8:30 and I eat breakfast at my desk while catching up on overnight emails. From 8:30-4:30 I work. I'm at my desk helping students, answering the phone, helping faculty, working on paperwork and browsing the internet news and blogs in between. I leave campus at 4:30 and get home about 5. I feed the puppies and let them outside. Then depending evening plans I go to the grocery store, relax until meeting friends for dinner, do a little house cleaning or just sit and decompress with the puppies to cuddle. Matt gets home about 7. If I haven't already eaten we'll eat supper and depending on what we feel like doing, go for a walk, watch a movie or he might play a video game. We're pretty low key and at least once or twice a week we have supper plans with friends or a girl's night for me. So when we don't have plans we take advantage of just relaxing at home. We save most of our errands and chores for the weekends. Usually in bed by 11:00pm.

4. What have you been reading lately?

I haven't been able to find a really good book to get into lately. I need some suggestions. Lately I've been reading from the Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover's Soul. Not a Pulitzer, but I enjoy it. I need some good fiction suggestions. I want a nice escape.

5. What's your dream job? Or what's a job you could see yourself doing if you didn't have the one you do now?

See above #6. I'd find a way to do photography and graphic design part time. But competition is stiff in a career like that as there are lots of other ladies with the same interests and ideas. 

6. Any phobias? (Please make me feel better about being scared of birds.)

Heights. I need a railing at just about any height. I always thought the balcony railing at the church I grew up in was a little too low. And now at the church we visit in Tampa I cannot wear heels and stand in the balcony seats. They are very "stadium-like" and steep and even if I'm only about 5'4" in the heels I still get dizzy being in the heels with the steep grade.

7. What topics are off-limits at family holidays? Or is your family one of those get-it-all-out-in-the-open kinds?

We don't have many off-limit topics. I know some of my political opinions are much different than my families', but we're all pretty respectful of the differences. I don't dislike them or think they are ignorant for their opinions, they have their reasons - just as I have mine. I'm usually so excited to be home that I am oblivious to conflicts anyways. I'm too busy running back and forth across the river to see everyone I want to see and get in as much quality time as possible. It's not that these topics are off limits, but in these all too short visits, we know better than to waste our time.

8. What's your favorite thing about the place you live?

The friend's we have made here. Tampa is a beautiful metropolitan city, but it's the friends we have made and the fun things we do that make all the difference.

9. What is the hardest thing for you to make time to do?

The craft ideas I see on Pinterest. I see them, I pin them, I know where it will work in my house and I even go so far as to buy the supplies and then I never do them. I just have the supplies sitting around so long I forget I bought them. 

10. What do you like about yourself?

My sense of humor. I like to laugh and can usually find things to giggle about. Matt shares this with me and we handle a lot of stress by finding things to giggle about. True, sometimes they are immature or just plain silly, but it's a valuable bonding and coping mechanism for us. 

11. Where is next on your to-visit list?

See my random fact above: Ireland/Scotland/England

OK - here are my questions:

1. What is the perfect color for a bedroom? Why?

2. What outfit do you wear that makes you feel the most confident and beautiful?

3. What's your go to meal for a potluck or dinner party? (be prepared to share a recipe!)

4. What do you like about yourself? (Stealing this one from Tiffany because I loved it.)

5. Describe your favorite photo of yourself from when you were little. Why is it your favorite?

6. What is a skill you wish you had, but just can't seem to develop?

7. If you were to get another pet, what would you name it? Why?

8. Location of your very best vacation. What made it the best?

9. Your favorite book? (yes, I'm digging for suggestions here)

10. Favorite Muppet? Why? (I'm partial to Miss Piggy. She cracks me up.)

11. Favorite character on Downton Abbey? Why? (Sybil or Mary for me)

I'm tagging the sweet folks who I know read my blog posts: Karen, Andrea, Allison, Dawn, Tina, Nancy and Margaret. Love y'all!

Home. New Nephew.

Home for Easter. We did MANY things....

First, a photoshoot with my nephews. I'll post more of these once I get the edits ready.

This is the newest addition to the family, my nephew, Reid.

He's pretty adorable. He likes to cuddle up into a little ball when you hold him. He loves to snuggle. 

 This little booger (who's not so little anymore....) wanted to pose for some photos with Ashwey, too. 

I couldn't NOT snap a photo of this adorableness.

We spent most of the day on Friday at Margaret's playing, napping and snuggling. Here's me and the little cuddler after a tasty bottle. Love this guy. I've actually got a photo of me holding Gray wearing the exact same outfit (the baby outfit, not me).

(me and Gray, circa 2010)

Gray gave me a very special present for my birthday: wooden people colored by Gray to look like Gray and Ashley. 

I can't tell you how my heart melted when Gray would say to me, "Let's play Gray and Ashwey". 

Yes. Yes, yes - let's play Gray and Ashwey.

Sometimes Gray would be Ashwey and I would be Gray. Those times were most funny. 

Me (as Gray): "Aunt Ashwey, can I have chocolate milk? 

Gray (as me): "Um, no. Not today"

Me: "Ashwey, I need to use the potty."

Gray: "Wash your hands!" 

As he helped me flush the inanimate object we had decided was a play potty.

In the photo above we're playing "park" and sliding down the pillow "slide". I had a blast.

Another shot of Gray and Ashwey having a serious discussion in the kitchen. 

Gray has been enjoying being a new big brother and all the fun that comes with it. Uncle Matt and I (both being the oldest in our families) also knew it can be hard to have a new baby in the house. We took Gray to the park and it was such fun for everyone. Matt and I loved watching him play and run and scream with such happiness and abandon. He ran up to kids twice his age and said "Hey Boy, I'm Gray-Gray." the grin and laughter never leaving his face. He was just so dang glad to be there.

We played on every toy Deibert park had to offer.

We headed over to Mimi and Pop's house that afternoon and had dinner there. Marg and Tyson came over with Reid. It was nice to relax and enjoy the family.

On Saturday I met up with my parents and and enjoyed some shopping in Downtown Tuscumbia.

I had a DELICIOUS footlong from Sparkey's in Spring Park.

This isn't my best photo ever take, but it's a memory for me. I loved playing in Spring park when I was little and looking up at the Tuscumbia Water Tower on the skyline. 

We had an early dinner with my Grandma and Pawpaw and then retired to the basement for relaxing on the couch and watching the Three Stooges. Quality TV. I laughed out loud at several parts. Start your kids early on the Stooges. My dad did this for us. Strong comedic foundations.

I didn't bring my puppies home, but I made up for it by doing a lot of snuggling and treat sneaking to this fellow. Andrea's dog, Charlie. He's incredibly sweet.

 

And finally on Saturday night we received this photo in a text from Margaret.

Gray drew this picture of his Uncle Map.

The realism in this is quite remarkable for a three-year-old artist.

Example:

It was a wonderful weekend and I wished it could have lasted longer. As I always do with a good trip home.