The Gifts...

Because, let's face it, these occasions, like Mother's Day, are really all about the gifts.

And sleep.

Okay, so they're mostly about sleep.

Aubrey Kate gave me her gift on Friday.  She couldn't stand the wait.  Works out well since her teacher said the gift was breakable, thus, she dropped the package twice.  Miraculously, it didn't break.

Her precious finger prints!  LOVE IT.

I have a similar tile she gave me for Christmas a couple of years ago.  She was successful in breaking that one.  But I have every single piece of it packed away in the Christmas decor.  One year, when I have time, I'll glue it back together.  

Unfortunately, I had to tell her that story when she asked if she could play with the Mother's Day gift.  She has a weird thing about making me a gift but then wanting to take it back.  Bless.

On to Sunday.

We got hit with some bad thunderstorms early yesterday morning.  Sirens going off.  Thunder and lots of lightening.  So much for sleeping late.

But the kids.  Stinkers.

On a regular morning, say, like today, they wake up at 6:54.  Because "the sky's awake so I'm awake so we have to play!"

("Frozen" quote.)

(You're welcome.)

However, turn on the weather sirens, claps of thunder and lighting strikes every three seconds, well, SLEEPING ANGELS.

Chris was planning to get up with the kids so I could sleep in and/or take a shower ALL BY MYSELF.  I told him, before we went to bed, the kids are gonna sleep late tomorrow.

And thus they did.

UNTIL EIGHT AM.

Okay, well, Aubrey Kate didn't.  Oh no.  She woke up, got dressed and came out to color.  Without waking up a soul.

Sweet girl.

So technically, I did get to sleep late and take a shower alone.  As did Chris.  Which just makes it a regular Sunday for him.

I'm saying I should get to sleep in on Father's Day.  Just throwing that out there.

After Chris got finished laughing about our children sleeping in, he gave me his gift.  

It's pretty creative.  It's a map and he's filling in our pictures in each state we've been.  There are some photos that need to be reprinted, because bless him, Texas needs a 8x10 and not a 4x6.  And Florida needs a tall photo instead of a wide one. But he's done an amazing job so far!  

It was fun talking about the places we've been.  And there are some places we've been that we don't have a picture of anymore.  Like Iowa.  We went there in 2002 but, as far as I know, we have zero pictures to show for it.  Although, we could just post a picture of us standing in a corn field because that's pretty much all I remember seeing.  Mile after mile of cornfield.  

Oh, and he put a picture of us over Southern California but not Northern California.  So when we DO make it up there, we can have a new picture to show for it.

We talked about him building a frame for it and getting the glass cut.  We can do that soon.  I can't wait to see where we'll hang it!

Go ahead and steal the idea.  You know you love it!

As I'm sure you can guess from my explanation of the thunderstorm, it was raining yesterday.  A lot.  Which it's been doing for weeks now and, if the weather predictions hold, it will be raining the rest of the week.

When God decides to end a drought, He does so with finesse.

With all the rain, I really did not feel like going out.  At least not with the kids.  So we stopped by Fuzzy's on our way home from church and picked me up some chips and queso.  

Because I AM FANCY.

Rhys helped me eat the chips.  I was happy to share.  Sort of.

After lunch, I went out to do some antiquing and general window shopping.  I went to Grapevine Antiques.  I had never been there before and I must say, I'm in love!  Precious place.  I got a couple of great pieces!

They have an adorable restaurant named "Mason & Dixie."  That is so cute, I can hardly stand it.  Mom, we're going the next time you're here.  Even if the only thing I can safely get is a coke.  So be it.

The framed print is for the kids' bathroom and the vintage Coke crate is for me.  I've been on the hunt for one for several years but people think quite highly of these things.  Truly, I was not paying fifty bucks.  Just not.  But $18?  That seemed doable.

I feel I need to tell you that I could have purchased a Pepsi crate for $14 but, well, I am a Southerner and we don't drink Pepsi.  Have no use for the stuff, really.  And certainly no need to decorate or serve out of anything Pepsi related.  Vintage or not.

Every one's got their line.  Pepsi is mine.

I won't do that.

Plans are already brewing on how to use the crate.  But for now, it's in the pantry.

The framed print is in the kids' bathroom.  In case you were wondering.  Or not.

It has the aqua, yellow and grey in the bathroom.  I've wanted something to go along with the yellow bird and that print is perfect.  I may put a picture of the kids in there one day and hang the verse print somewhere else in the house.

Because I need to see verses all around me.  

As I was checking out, a man in an Auburn tee-shirt came up.  As a good Auburn family member, I said, "War Eagle!"  And he said, "War Eagle!" right back at me.

And angels sang with joy.

(Let it go, Dad.  Let. It. Go.)

(Also another "Frozen" quote but not intentional.  Just convenient.)

Then I wandered around Tuesday Morning (do y'all shop there?  I love it.  I mean, not like I love, love a HomeGoods but it's good stuff.) before I headed to the consignment shop.

AK has water day on Wednesday and dagnabit, the girl has outgrown her swimsuit from last year.  I picked up three options and headed home.

I'm no fool.  I only brought home character swimsuits.  I know my girl.  Ariel won.  Largely because Ariel was lose and not scratchy.  And it was less than five bucks.

Smack in the middle of the day, my SIL gave me the best gift of the day.

My new niece!

Corah Kay!

Y'all.  How precious is she?

And, can we just talk about how much she looks like her daddy?  How is it possible Brantley's gene pool trumps the Evans' gene pool???  The seems unreal to me.

However, Brantley makes a super cute baby girl!

My whole being is DYING to get home to love on her!  We're planning to head home in June sometime so it's gonna be a lllllooooonnnnnggggg month.  Mercy.

It was a great day.  Despite my expectation of sleeping in being a privilege all my own.  

And don't think I'm gonna let that go anytime soon.

Sleep is THAT important.