Vitamin D

I've been cold... super cold...a lot. I can't get over being cold. I don't like being cold. I would much rather be hot. My family constantly pick on me for always being cold. Especially family in the cold north or west... But it's who I am. Always cold.

Then miraculously - the [ahem] freezing temps...O allllll right... the cooler temps...turned a bit warmer - even pleasant. Then almost hot.

I danced. I jigged. Maybe this would help me feel better. Maybe my heart could smile again. I am trying. Then I remember and I feel cold. But the warm sun... it helps. It soothes. There is something about sunshine and a warm breeze. We had a long weekend last weekend and it was fantastic. I needed to be with my kiddos. I needed to feel them around me. I needed to just be with my family.

The girls and I decided that since Daddy had to work on Monday we would head to the beach...but we knew that everyone would be heading that way - so we decided to head south to Shark Tooth beach (or at least that's what we call it). It was still rather busy...but TO THE BEACH we headed.

It. was. FANTASTIC. I just spent time with Sweetpea and BooBoo. Just the two of us. It was wonderful. It truly was what my soul needed. What we all needed.


I just relaxed. Watched. Sunned. Played. Tried to get in the water... like I said I don't like cold. The water temp was 62 degrees - but the air - it was beautiful and the sun felt so wonderful.
First day at the beach February 21st!

And for some reason Blogger will not let me upload photos... so I guess they will have to wait till next time!
It just doesn't get any better than that!!

Love her...

We had a wonderful visit with Nana "de" Blanche! It makes me happy to see her again....and my babies adore her. When she first arrived Monday AM... my girls had no idea... they were so shocked... Sweetpea was SPEECHLESS!!! BooBooBear was absolutely shocked she didn't know what to do... It was wonderful. We surprised them at school for Effort Honor Roll. Both girls enjoyed showing off to their Nana how well they've done in school!! We are all super proud of the job they've done in school!

We truly relaxed all week - no major projects this time around, no set agenda. Just visiting, enjoying time together, shopping, just being with no crazy schedule. It was FANTASTIC. I was trying to think what day was my favorite... Nana running off the tram to give me a hug & the surprise and happiness of my girls seeing her, or shopping around Crowder's.... NOPE has to be running around on the beach in rainy weather! Carrying umbrellas -  watching the girls running in the rain - trying to take photos was so much fun!

A very sweet week.
Thank you for everything Nana "de" Blanche...

I absolutely love, love, love this shot... so sweet!!!

Another lovely one...

Glad I have you Blanchey!

It got chilly REALLY quickly...

And rather windy too!

Then again... the pajama party was awful fun too...

TRAVEL TRAVEL TRAVELING!!

Oh the excitement... the anticipation... the joy at the preparation (NOT!!!! Come on my friends are you kidding me? I HATE the prep...) - HOWEVER - I do like the trip (albeit tiring) and just the fun of traveling.

We have done this wonderful trek to Garden City, SC (south of Myrtle Beach) since I was about FOUR or FIVE years old... 31-ish years!!! WHAT a tradition! This is something that as a little girl I would look forward to alllll year long. We would take that long trip down from VT/NH... And it was so easy to pack then - I just needed music, books, and whatever else in my carry-on but now... BOY do I know what my mom must have gone through - now that I am doing it!

Ahhh the tradition continues with the Marriners now... MY FAMILY! My parents fly in from UT and we travel all together. It's fun to catch up and visit before we leave. I really miss them -we're a very close knit family! Then we get up at an incredibly AWFUL (early) hour in the AM and travel 10ish hours north. My girls have been going since they were born and it creates such memories... Now I view the anticipation in their faces. I hear how they speak of it... And it reminds me of the innocence and just fun of vacation and traveling!!

Just tonight little Boo asks me "Momma are you excited for the beach (always how we refer to our vacation). And I could unequivocately answer YES!! Everything was packed and ready to go and now the excitement to get outta dodge and just go relax at a house, right on the beach, TRAVELING to a new, yet familiar place is just AWESOME!

I dislike the preps for traveling. I get nervous and stressed a bit (Chris would say A LOT more than a bit). However - I love to go places, I love to do new things, I love to see new places, eat and drink in the culture...

But right now - I love going to "the beach". I love being with friends & family. I love that we go EVERY year and I have only missed going twice (1st - 16yrs old - I was in Zimbabwe, Africa on a mission trip & 2nd I had just had my 2nd baby girl and she was only 2 weeks old). I even went 3 days after my surgery on my back last summer!!!

Our family loves "the beach". It's true. The travling, the fun, the excitement, it is alll part of vacation!!!!

This is a bit choppy and rambling... but I just am excited and wanted to write a little about our TRAVELING!!! It's been a wonderful summer... but we need our VACATION finally!

musing on travels... my mind wanders on allll the other places i want to go sometime soon....

A day to remember...

Well I am telling you... it has not been my week... (even though today's Monday). I have been down, tired, hurting, upset, & stressed... HOWEVER... my last post was about the journey - not the destination. To look at the little things and be happy... so I have been telling myself to "GET OVER me and stop dwelling on the negative".

Well I forced myself out of bed this AM (after another LATE night of no sleep) and little Boo had a list of what we were to do today (you see - it was just the two of us today and I wanted her to have a GREAT day). It went something like this:

"Things to Do. Cep

Crac fo Coyt. Pant

My Bol.

Pik yellow

ToMatos.

PLay Pale

Paciks.

Wach a Mvee.

Go to The

Bech.

Mame

aNd Boo (backwards B)"

(Translation if you must... and must I didn't I am proud to say: Keep track of Couette (coo-yett in Boo lang) -her special blankie since she was BORN). Paint my bowl. Pick yellow tomatoes (I am growing in my aero-garden). Play Polly Pockets. Watch a movie. Go to the beach. Mommy and Boo).

This was my Boo's list and it just lit my heart on fire. I knew that no matter what...(and especially after preaching to myself in my post, last night, about "the little things") I needed to do as much as I could on that list with Boo today. I needed to really be in the moment today with her. Ya see, I want excellent memories for her of time spent with me for BOTH my girls. I find it tres tres important.

So... after I used up all the hot water to loosen my back, packed up, we set out to the beach. See I thought we could hit 2 things on her list at once! We played Polly pockets ON the beach!!! AH ha HA!! Smart thinking Mame...!!! It started off a bit rocky. On the way to the beach Mame had a little break-down and needed Mr Daddy's help. He did what Mr Daddy does and tried to fix me... saying "do you know how many mom's out there REALLY wish that they could do what you're doin'?". Honestly... it didn't make me mad... very sad that I was feeling the way I was and guilty too. Why was I blubbering on about everything. But he didn't say it to offend me - only to get me to grab on to my baby and cherish this day.

Sure things were not perfect with certain situations arising... but ya know... this day was perfect for us - Mame and BooBooBear. At first I had to force myself to get moving and really BE with Boo... but then it was so much fun! SO MUCH FUN!

And do you know we did EVERYTHING and THEN some on that list!??!

Yes we did...

Musing on a great... no... on a PERFECT day!