deep south...

along with some deep lovin’ filled up this week of bliss. We packed up all 10 of our bags and headed to the small town of Adamsville, where we found some of the loveliest people around.

I believe that it is super important to know your roots, and I am not talking about becoming acquainted with photographs and tales of the good old days. I want Olivia to know all of the people she is made of.

And what fine people they are.

Adoring eyes and open arms welcomed my sweet baby girl. She is full of love.

Tales of pinochle, navy ships, and building your house from the ground up were shared over plates full of spaghetti. Okay... I missed the spaghetti picture (epic fail) but this breakfast was just as great!

Speaking of food… this place is a little piece of heaven, right here on earth. Their turkey casserole and peach cobbler is the finest in town. Mighty fine I tell ya!

On the way back from the Sawmeal, it happened. I just couldn’t help myself. I thought these only existed in the movies. You would have think I just saw bigfoot the way I jumped out of the car and barreled closer… just to snap a picture of this fine beauty.

Olivia was just as excited about tomato picking as I was about seeing the piggly wiggly. Let me tell you, papa really knows a thing or two about growing tomatoes. Liv was a little skeptical at first but now? I think pop should hire her as a garden hand; she picked those tomatoes like it was her job!

Some of us had breakfast in our pajamas, some of us had breakfast in the nude.

Why does everything taste better when it is cooked by your grandparents?

Why is salting your food so much funner (yes, I know that is not a real word) when you use a cat salt shaker?

Why are lessons of physics so much easier to understand when they are told by one of the smartest men I know?

Why is wearing Olivia wearing a bra? Not where you thought this was going huh?

Sorry, back to sweet family sentiment. I will let the next few pictures cap off this relaxing family weekend. I am so thankful for these people.

Small town treasures all around. But you know what my favorite part was? Sitting in a wooden rocking chair on the front porch, snugged up with my coffee, thinking this is exactly what I want to be doing as I watch my grandkids play in the front yard.

Love Adamsville, love the piggly wiggly, love deep fried southern food, and most of all… love the grandparents!

Love,

MamaT

love-a-dove-dove

Grandparent love is a special kind of love.

It’s an I want to hold you and squeeze you so tight it takes your breath away kind of love.

It's a we speak our own language kind of love.

It’s a I want to give you butterfly kisses on your sweet cheeks kind of love.

It’s a I don’t care how loud you scream because you are going back to your parent’s house soon kind of love.

It’s a squeal with excitement because so much has changed in one (or four) weeks kind of love.

It’s an I never get tired of throwing the ball because I don’t get to do it often enough kind of love.

It's an I will rock you to sleep until kingdom come because there is no other place I would rather be kind of love.

It’s a my heat melts when you call me on the phone to say hi kind of love.

It's a come and sit on my knee while I tell you about the good 'ol days kind of love.

It's a rolling on the floor in your sunday best kind of love.

It’s an everyday is Christmas with presents in tow kind of love.

It’s a you can eat 'ish' for every meal because it is your favorite food kind of love.

It's an I know all of your tickle spots kind of love.

It is some of the best kind of love.

XOXO,

mamaT

book worm

How lucky are we that Olivia L.O.V.E.S. books… I am talking loves books like this fat mama loves cake J Disclaimer: I promise that I brush my child's hair, just not today.

We love reading to her almost as much as she loves ‘reading’ to us, even if it is the same book 4,343 times in a row.

She beams with pride as she points out “Mo-Mo” (elmo), “Bir” (big bird) and “Moo” (mr. brown) and laughs hysterically at the sound a monkey makes.

Her sound impersonations are WAY better than mine. “twee-twee”, “baaaa”, “ohar” (roar), “oof-oof” and “mooow” (meow) are a few of our favorites. She even reads in spanish, yes... she is just that good.

This kid never ceases to amaze me at the things she knows. Read on sister!

XOXO,

MamaT

just a small town girl...

Me? Late blog entries? Never!! Hey, you should be thankful that I have returned to my little corner of the internet.

So, with that in mind let’s play a little game of pretend! You pretend that all of these events that I am about to post did not occur 3 months ago! Mkay?

I am going to pretend that I am sitting in a quiet coffee shop, snugged up with a pumpkin spice latte enjoying the warmth of a near by fire place, whilst typing another blog post… instead of the reality of my child using me as a ladder to get into something that I have told her not to touch 2,510,432 times. See… pretending is good for the soul.

Lets see… other happy thoughts. Oh yes, sweet Liv, husband, wine and a quaint street fair with some really delicious food. All right down the road from us, who knew?

This is straight from ‘You’ve Got Mail’, which is Mike’s all-time favorite movie… how sweet (read manly) is that? I seriously considered photo shopping in Meg Ryan, Mr. Fox and a couple of crazy kids in princess hats but I stink at editing. Just use your imagination… we are pretending here.

This day was already pretty rad, but then we stumbled upon this gem.

Sign me up! Wine, cheese and a charming toddler who was acting oh so sweet. Even her ‘poop face’ was charming!

We will definitely be returning, ‘mama’s wa-wa’ was delicious!! And afterwards I had her cheeks for dessert. How great is that?

XOXO,

Mama T

why, hello there!

So, there are 8,906 reasons why I have been a little, shall we say… absent. The biggest (and best) reason is this little turkey.

She is growing at lighting speed and I have dedicated my time to soaking it up. I am so full of love.

But, I feel like y’all should be soaking it up too. So I really am going to make a huge effort to share my little piece of heaven with all of you.

Here goes nothing… well, let’s hope that I can do a little better than nothing.

Enjoy!

XOXO,

Mama T

rain, rain...

COME BACK! Please, pretty please?

Is it funny that as soon as I heard the first drops hit our back window I ran outside with Olivia and my camera? The neighbors thought so.

This little miss has not really ever seen rain… I am serious. At least not the type of rain that makes you strip down to your skivvies and dance like a fool.

She wasn’t quite sure what to think at first.

Then she was quite sure that she didn’t like it… at all.

Well mama LOVED it, and so did our dead plants in the front yard.

Rain, you can come back for a visit anytime. We will welcome you with open arms. Well, at least most of us will!

XOXO,

Mama T