Fall Actually (Our Knoxville Visit in Pictures)

Bert left last weekend to go sailing for 10 days and after spending a fun weekend at home just the girls, we took off for Knoxville in hopes of experiencing actual fall weather. The drive up was mostly still green but we were lucky enough to drive home yesterday through the most gorgeous colorful mountains. It was such a treat to be up there at the peak and to get to do so many true fall activities. 

We skipped hiking this time for a trip to Oakes Farm for pumpkin picking, hay rides, a corn maze, farm animals and games. There is just something about looking out over the mountains and changing leaves while picking your pumpkin versus carving it in 80 degree weather surrounded by palm trees that get you in the spirit of autumn.

We hit up all of our favorite spots--The Plaid Apron, Tomato Head, Bliss, and of course, Mast General because who can resist store that has a whole section of candy bins? We also found some fun new antique stores and attended a few gallery showing for 1st Friday. 

My mom let Loulie do her hair and make up every morning and now she is ticked that I am not letting her wear make up every time she walks out the door. She said between the Paris tea room, the art show and getting her hair done; she feels like Fancy Nancy. 

I feel like being back in reality is a little too much after a fun week away.  SO thankful that we had a chance to get to the mountains this fall though. It was such a blessing to be with my parents and have a whole week off from school schedules and responsibility. 

Happy Monday to All!

1,050 Miles (a recap of our Southern Tour)

Loulie and I finally returned from our trip late Friday night. It really was such a fun time together that I didn't even notice how exhausted I was until I fell asleep sitting up yesterday afternoon. What can I say?--traveling alone with a three year old, no matter how much fun, can wear you down. Here is a little recap of our 1000 mile trek.

MILE 265

We ended up stopping in Macon Friday night on our way to Newnan. It was kind of hilarious leaving Charleston on Friday before the 4th. We were the one lone car pulling onto 17 while the opposite lanes were at a standstill with cars pouring in for the holiday. But that is how we like it--get out of town on the busy weekend and out of Bert's hair for his most daunting work week of the year. Not far into our trip, we were hit with a monsoon like thunderstorm. After about the third stop for Loulie to take a break, my sister in law called and offered for us to take a little detour to stay with them. It worked out perfect--we were able to have dinner with them and see my nephew, William who even as a teenager is about the sweetest kid I know. He spent hours playing with Loulie and helped her build quite an impressive Lego replica of an ice house.

                 

MILE 355

After one sleepless night, we packed up again to go to the 3rd annual family day at my college friend's farm in Newnan, GA. You want to talk about a beautiful spot--Heavenly Hollow basically speaks for itself. My friend and her husband are THE most gracious hosts you've ever met and invite all of our college friends and their families down once a year for a full day of swimming, fishing, hay rides, jump castles and grilling. It is like Disney for the kids and such a great opportunity for us to catch up. It has been over a year or more since seeing some of my college friends so getting to spend this time with them and their families was precious. It went by waaay to fast but I'm hoping this is a tradition we will keep up over the years. As we were pulling out, Loulie said, "Man, that was a good time there." I think this little Charleston girl liked her taste of the country. 

Loulie kept saying over and over "Mom, I really like our new friends." And each time I would say, "Loulie, these are my oldest friends." I don't know why but that just cracked my up. And it makes my heart practically explode to see our kids making memories together...

                      

MILE 395

You don't just drive 300 miles, pass through Atlanta and not stop. So we planned on stopping by Atlantic Station to have a little lunch, walk through IKEA and hit up a few of my favorite stores. It was nice and calm on a Sunday morning and Loulie was a trooper. It's funny how we get used to certain things living in a flat coastal town. The one thing Loulie was fascinated by in Atlanta?--underground parking and escalators! After thinking about it, you really don't see either where we live. It also goes to show it doesn't take much to impress a three year old--it's all exciting!

MILE 609

We finally made it to Knoxville, where we spent the majority of our vacation. My mother's sister joined us for the first two days which was a nice surprise and made for some totally hilarious moments. It reminded me of when I was a kid and we used to do everything with my aunts and cousins. 

We decided to spend out first day there out on the river since it was such pretty weather. Not tn minutes before our float down the river did the sky fall out with freezing cold rain. Loulie reenacted Dakota Fanning's scream from War of the Worlds. I really think windows broke in some mountain houses. I don't really blame her--I kind of wanted to scream too if I hadn't been laughing so hard at out luck. We made it up to her with ice cream from this new little spot in Townsend. It is an old train car--you order at the conductor's window and then go to the back of the car where they open a door to hand you your food. Super cute and I would think a big hit with little boys. 

Most days we spent taking long walks, shopping cute stores around Knoxville and hanging out with my parents. We did try the best lunch spot, The Plaid Apron. All the food was locally grown with original entrees. I splurged on probably the best french vanilla macaroon I have ever tasted. 

For the fourth, we got to be a part of the Forest Brook 50th July 4th Celebration. Seriously, the cutest, most wholesome all-American July 4th you can imagine. My parents have been so lucky to have moved into this area and been surrounded by such nice people. Loulie and I have more fun each year. I actually got to attend the adult party this year while the most mature 11 year walked over to watch Loulie. I kept begging her to come back to Charleston with us. Louie participated in the parade on her own this year and despite a little crash at the end, was so proud of herself and her decorations. We left the picnic twice only for her to decide that she didn't want to miss out and headed back to the party. My mom and dad finally made her go home at dark. 

   

MILE 841

Unfortunately, we had to leave my parents Friday morning. What was already going to be a long and painful drive in vacation traffic became a little longer when I missed my exit ramp in Asheville and drove to Charlotte instead. Our stop here was brief--long enough for me to silently cuss my GPS, buy Loulie and ice cream and contemplate getting a hotel room. 

MILE 1050

In the long run, I decided that unpacking the car again would be more than I could handle so we crossed the entire state of SC to finally arrive home late Friday night. Saturday we celebrated being home by staying close to the water and cool breeze and taking a long walk downtown. It was the perfect family day. It feels good to be home.

I am Loving...

There are a few things I am not loving so much right now--this rainy weather, Bert's 14 hour work days, having to give Gillie back this weekend, spending 3 hrs at the vet finding out Bridget has a torn ACL, and that Loulie has gone to bed every night for two weeks at 11 and then woken up at least once in the middle of the night. How is it that I haven't had a newborn in 4 years and yet my sob story is always "I never get sleep." In lieu of my brief complaining (thanks for letting me get that off my chest), my "Love List" far outweighs any negative I might have going on.

Right now, I am loving..

- That we can finally announce that my sister is having a baby!!!!!!!!!!! Not due until Jan 9th so this might be the longest pregnancy ever. Loulie asks me everyday when Aunt Meme's baby is going to get here. Seriously, everyday! I cannot wait to hold that sweet little baby. I am not so secretly hoping for a boy since our family has never had one but obviously, I love girls and really just hope the baby is a big, healthy ball of squish. I'm pretty sure that being an aunt is going to be the greatest thing ever--I get all the benefits of loving on a sweet baby without raging hormones, sleepless nights or saving for college.

- The Office reruns on Netflix. How in the world did I go the past 8 years without getting into this show? Have I really been watching Grey's Anatomy instead of Steve Carrell every Thursday night? A friend posted some comment about the series finale on Facebook and I decided to check out the old shows (there is nothing on in the summer anyway). Obsessed! Jim and Pam are now in my top five favorite couples. Love the dry humor, the sexual innuendos, the random cast, LOVE IT!

- That tomorrow I am leaving for a week with Loulie to go on our annual Southern Tour (SC to Newnan to Atlanta to Knoxville to Charleston). I'm a little nervous about the long hours in the car alone with Loulie but I cannot wait to see my friends and their families and my parents. 

- The 9 day deep cleanse I just finished! I tried it at the suggestion of a friend after feeling sluggish and puffy all month. Amazing results--soooo much more energy, lost lbs and inches, and my skin is clearer. Definitely explaining in more detail in another post. I would recommend to anyone.

- A new favorite author, Rainbow Rowell. I just picked up her recent book from the library. It is like a John Hughes movie to the Nth. Seriously, the cutest misfit love story set in the 80s. You will love it from page one. The good news is she already has another book coming out with just as endearing characters and apparently as unique a plot. I love finding new authors--it's always nice to have a few favorites that you know you will enjoy their book when you pick it up. 

- That I won the $25 Trader Joe's gift card for bringing my own bag this week. I was beginning to think they never pick a winner. I enter every week and have never won. $25 at TJ's will be spent before I can even get past the flower section but there are few places where I would rather have free $!

- That 105 Charleston high schoolers left for Young Life camp this week. It's the first time in years that the number has been this high. We have been asked to pray for a specific few and I would love for anyone to join me in that. I cannot wait to see where God will move this week and how he will work in their lives when they return. We really feel like James Island is home and have started to try to dig more into the community. Of all the things we try to involve our family in, this mission gives me the most hope. That lost high school kids have an opportunity to hear about Jesus because some college kids have decided to commit their time to hanging out with them--it's just awesome! And I am so blessed to get to play some very small part in it.

So, that's it for now. I have a lot of packing left!

Happy Fourth Week!

Windy Gap recap

There aren't many places you can go to get away where it is cold and rainy all weekend and you still have the time of your life. This was our second year going to Young Life family camp. We have been attending the Young Life dinners and fundraisers since moving to Charleston but it wasn't until a year ago that we were finally able to go to camp. The stories are true--that place is sacred. 

Loulie has talked about it all year and couldn't wait for this past weekend. It was especially wonderful this year. For one, we had our own cabin with this breathtaking view. 2) Loulie was able to go to breakout sessions with an older group of kids. Bert and I would try to walk her to her group and she would turn around and hold her hand up for us to let her go alone. It's so safe there, we were able to give her independence. 3) We had a lot of friends there this year, friends that we love seeing in Charleston but staying in the same place for a long weekend as a family allows for more, less stressful hang out time. Loulie had buddies to play and dance with--it was sweet to see all the little girls feed off each other and share in worshipping Jesus at such a young age. 4) Loulie knew the ropes this year so she was less anxious. She knew exactly what to do and where to go and with a slight increase in height was able to tackle the ropes course. She was actually the youngest person at camp to get on the ropes course swing. (I was shaking just watching them climb so high.) When she finished, an older group of girls (9 or 10 maybe) were waiting at the bottom to high five her. The look on her face when those "big girls" were congratulating her on being so brave is something I will never forget. Throughout the rest of the weekend, people would pass Loulie and say "there's that little kid that did the swing." Being pretty shy, she rarely tries to draw attention to herself, but this praise of bravery she just ate up. 

Mainly, it was just an amazing time as a family relaxing, enjoying God's creation and spending time with good friends. I hope this is something we will always get to do. I think as life gets busier, this weekend is one that I will look forward to and treasure always.

Loulie is on vacation

I am actually sitting in bed with a cup of coffee reading blogs with the Today Show in the background. I think the last time I did this was 2003. I got in late last night from Atlanta where Loulie and I met up with my mother, stayed in a "castle", ate at my favorite restaurant and hit a few of our favorite shopping spots. We are so not shoppers but once or twice a year I love to just look around, get ideas and show Loulie pretty things. These days everything is somehow correlated to what a princess would use. The winding stairs at Boxwoods?-- just like what Belle walked down. The bathtub at the hotel?--what Ariel took a bath in. We were there a mere 24hrs but it was fun. So fun to be with my mother and my daughter doing girly things in one of my favorite places. Our whole reason for being there was to meet up with my mother so that she could take Loulie for a few days. So yesterday afternoon in the kindest way possible Loulie told me to beat it and the two of them headed off for Camp Lovey.

While it was momentarily upsetting to watch my child carelessly leave me, I am so grateful to my mother for spending these few days with her so I can get some work done. I also love that the two of them are so close and that Loulie's idea of the perfect vacation is to go to KnoxvilleTennessee (all one word in Loulie dialect) to hang out with Lovey and GDaddyBoy.

I am going to enjoy these next few moments of listening to the rain fall, sipping my coffee and reading before I close my computer and hit the longest to do list EVER!

Stay dry friends!

Where the Past Meets the Prsent

It might sound trivial to some that we got away for a long weekend but it is a big deal for Bert to leave town for four days in the summer, something he has not done in over three years. But one of my favorite people in the world invited us to her farm in GA to spend time with friends and after stewing over it, we decided we could leave work and make a tour of it. So from Charleston to Macon to Newnan to Atlanta to Highlands and back to Charleston we went. 

We took a little vacation and it did my heart well.....

-to see my nephews playing with Loulie late into the night. They could be way too cool to play with their baby cousin but their hearts are just too good for that. Instead they surprised her with presents and attention and playtime with their stuff. To say that I am thankful that they love her the way they do is an understatement. I only hope someone else out there is raising boys this well because William and Lukie are setting some high standards.

-to see my college friends' children and Loulie playing together, to spend time with longtime (I don't use 'old' anymore) friends and to enjoy the insanely good food and scenery at my friend's home.

-to take Loulie to Atlanta for the first time. If she had been a teenager, she would have rolled her eyes every five seconds with our trip down memory lane. "there's where daddy went to college. There's mama's first office," etc, etc.

-to hear Loulie Giglio preach at Passion City Church.

- to experience Loulie's first "Castle"(hotel) stay. She is still talking about her princess castle with a pool  and elevator that she is going to live in at college. I also managed to squeeze in a little Ikea stop. I'll admit, it did my heart well to stock up on a few things--Bert's, it did not. He looks like he may cry in the picture leaving the store. I will be hard pressed to get him back there again.

- to hike and play with Loulie in the mountains. The nice part about vacation is not having anything else to do so there are no "I'll be right there" or "Wait just a minute." We were able to hike and play and eat at our leisure and see some pretty views along the way.

 

 

So, we finally went on a vacation. It did my heart well. I think I needed a change of scenery and some rest to get me through a hot, slow August. It wasn't Disney or Europe or out west; but it was exactly what we needed.

P.S. I know you noticed my circa 1998 Gloria Rae luggage. Don't knock it, you know you had some too. I obviously need  a new suitcase. Or maybe I'll hold on to it another half decade. Then will it be considered retro vintage?

July in Photos

I've always had a love/hate relationship with the Charleston summer. Usually by July I get a little contrary. Between the unbearable heat, influx of tourists and Bert's 24/7 work schedule, I always find myself counting down the days until fall begins. But this year has been different. After looking over the pictures from the past four weeks and thinking about how much fun Loulie has had with all the friends and family visiting, fun outings and finding creative ways to cool off. In addition to my change in attitude, I was talking to a lady this week visiting here from PA. Her family paid $7,000 to come to Charleston for a week! $7,000 just so they could be at the beach. And all I could think was, "Lauren, get your head straight. It is a blessing to live where people save to visit." 
Guess I'm now leaning towards a love/love!
Hope everyone is having a relaxing and happy summer, that in the midst of some yucky headlines in the news that you are enjoying family and finding thankfulness in the little things. I am!