Puppies and Sweatbands

When we were younger, my brother and I for the most part got along really well. Sista was much, much younger than us so usually it was just me and him. I did mostly "boy things". I never really played with dolls or barbies. For one I couldn't stand the mess it made and for two, those plastic faces just genuinely freaked me out and still do. So we did alot outside. We built BMX trails in the woods and had dirt-bomb wars. We rode bikes and built ramps. We played by a creek in our neighborhood that was super creepy and chased crawdads. We played outside.

Brother was always good to me. Sure we had our share of wrestling matches. I broke his arm once. He almost pushed me down the stairs another time. But we loved eachother and were and still are good friends.

Big and Lil' have a really good relationship too. I am afraid however that Big has inherited my knack for pickin'. He is constantly messing with her, trying to get a rise out of her. Since the day she was born, he has made it his job to make her scream and yell. He loves her for sure. He just loves to pick also.

Yesterday, while Big was at school, Lil' came to me with a question about a note that Big had left her. The note was taped to one of the little houses that she plays with constantly. It read:
"Hey Lil' -
Where are your little puppies you play with all the time?
Signed, Big"

I read it outloud before I had a chance to understand what he had done. It was a ransom note and he was out for blood this time. The look on Lil's face said it all. She would get to the bottom of this and quickly. She tore apart her room. She went through all of her buckets and buckets of small tiny plastic creatures. The puppies were gone and only Big knew where they were.

She couldn't wait for us to pick him up from school. She had her dooks up and she was ready to dance. "Hey Big, I got your note. Where are my puppies?" An evil grin spread across his face like butter on warm bread. "I don't know. I haven't seen them," he said. "Oh you haven't? Well I haven't seen your sweatbands either."

Stay tuned until next week when we discover the truth about puppies and sweatbands....

Returned the Favor

Daddy's away right now and my big ol' bed is feeling empty. So I let Big sleep with me the other night. He climbed right in and got in my pocket. You know the pocket right? We all have a pocket. He fits right in there. Still.

After a while, I turned over. He did too. Then he spread his skinny little body out all over the place. This is the same little body that used to take up hardly any space at all. Now it takes up almost the whole bed.

After another little while, he wrapped his arms around me. Putting me in his pocket. I have spent so many nights and naps holding Big. Making him feel safe and warm. For the first time in his life, he held me the other night and returned the favor.

A Crush on Fall

Can you smell it? Can you taste it? Can you see it? Can you feeeeeeeel it? Here's how I know it's almost Fall....

I wanna buy apples. Any kind of apple. Preferably one that says "Mountain" on it.

I don't wanna wear just tank tops. No, no friends. They must be layered now - underneath things.

There are leaves in my garage. And dog hair. And leaves.

I bought red wine today instead of white. On purpose. Oh and I've been thinking of whiskey.

And camping.

Almost every male member of my family has a little grin on their face because hunting season is just around the corner.

I wanna take my sweet little Mamas to get rubbed on. Oh, you've got a dirty mind. I'm talkin' bout my boots!

Yes, Fall is here. The wind has shifted from heavy and thick, to thin and chilly. The sky looks different and the shadows are longer. Fall is a page turner for those of us down South. Not necessarily a whole chapter. It's a brief moment to catch our breath. To breathe in and to breathe out  and take in all that nature gives us.

I've got a secret and please, don't tell Summer...I think I've got a crush on Fall.

Get It Done.

Get it done Son. Get.It.Done.

How To Shine

Welp, she's finally made it. Lil' has waited and waited for her birthday and it finally came. On Thursday, we had a little family dinner at her favorite spot in town. She's a big soup eater that one. Loves it. Miso, Chicken, Clear, you name it...she's a fan. So that's what she had.

She's also a big Barbie fan. And a pink fan. And an anything small fan. Oh and a makeup, dress-up, let your inner girliest girl out fan. So we had that type of party. And it was fun... oh, yes friends. It.Was.Fun. Let's start at the beginning. Shall we?

There was a little jewlery involved.

 Just a touch of makeup...

A few other details...

Some Nettie French Twists...

 

And a few really good friends...

Of course some friends may have gotten more carried away than others....

get it?

Yes, in this crazy world, sometimes we all need to pretend for a while because....

the truth is never too far behind. Had to ;)

Happy 5th Birthday to my sweetest little Lil'. You are my star and I watch you every single day to learn how to shine.

Close By

I don't even know how to say what I want to say about Warren. I've started and stopped over and over. I've thought that maybe I shouldn't write anything at all. But then I realized that I want to remember. I don't want to forget. To say how much I loved him out loud is the least I can do for him. Especially after all he did for me.

Last week was gut wrenching. Horribly sad and unforgettable all for the wrong reasons. To make the decision about when my best friend's life should stop was as another friend put it, "ridiculous".

He lived a lifetime with me. He was quite simply, the first member of my own little family. He was there before Daddy. There before I even began to think mature, adult thoughts. There before I ever grew up. So we did it together and he was patient.

I keep looking for him. He is everywhere and no where all at the same time. He's watching me in the garden. He's sleeping in the yard. He magically appears on the porch and is propped up in a box in the garage. He is alive in my mind and close by in my heart.