glory days.

I have to admit; I am sucker for a teenage/high school tv drama.

I own every season of Dawson's Creek, I tend to watch episodes of Glee numerous times each, Gossip Girl and 90210 clog up my DVR, and now that the hubs gifted the household with Netflix instant, my queue is blasted with old episodes of Friday Night Lights and One Tree Hill. I cannot get enough.

But I have to admit, sometimes watching these shows gives me a tinge of the sadness and brings out my emo side. I can't quite put my finger on why.

Maybe it's the fact that they're overcoming all these obstacles and shining in basketball games or at state regionals. Maybe it's the young love fresh with all those giggles and "does he like me?"s that only new love comes with. Maybe it's the group of best friends that you get to see all day every day while at school.

When I was in high school, I was told "everyone says that high school is the best time of your life, but they're wrong; college is". Then in college I heard "everyone says college is the best times of your life but they're wrong; your twenties are". When I was in high school, I was pretty sure that the life I was living was the best it could be, my glory days if you will. I would later find out that the best was still yet to come, but seventeen year old me had no clue that was the case.

It's not a good thing usually when someone is described as "peaking in high school". It tends to mean that those were your best days, the ones you still want to be in and therefore usually forfeit some of your present by living in the past. And while I definitely wouldn't say that I "peaked" in high school, I do tend to think of them as my "glory days".

Let's face it; I'm never going to rock a soccer field again. Numerous knee injuries, a hip injury, and way too loose ankles have killed that. I'm probably never going to walk the halls of a building and have nine out of ten people know my name and say hi to me. I had that time. It was freaking awesome, but it's done.

I think it's normal to miss those feelings. To miss the high you get after scoring the winning goal or acing a Calculus test. To miss the butterflies you got when the most popular boy in school wants to take you out on a Friday night. To miss the camaraderie of a group of friends that spend every day together at school but then want to be together on the weekends too. I just don't think it's good to dwell on it so much that you miss out on what's right in front of you.

Personally, I can't wait for the day that BG is old enough to listen to some of my stories. When I can tell her that her Mom was a pretty darn good soccer player and people knew it. How when she tore her knee just a couple of games into the season and was out the rest of her senior year, the coaches and other players' parents knew our shot at the championship that year was over. How I dislocated my shoulder in a game, ran to the sideline and had the trainer pop it back in and was back in the game in less than five minutes. I'll tell her about being prom queen and how much fun my best friends and I had living in our small town. Oh yea.. she's going to have to hear the stories.

While I'm glad I didn't "peak" in high school and while I did go on to college and play soccer a few more years and had even more fun than high school, I still think high school might have been my "glory days".



But were they? Just for grins and giggles, I set out to Goog*le myself the other day. It took hours (I do have the most common maiden name on the planet) but eventually I found the old articles about my soccer games and academic achievements and all that. Know why it took so long? Because they were in the archives of the paper y'all. The freaking archives.

They don't really matter anymore. Let's be honest, if you see me walking down the street these days, you're never going to think, "Heck, she looks like an awesome athlete!" or "man she must be super smart!". My soccer stats and my GPA will never be on my tombstone. They just don't matter anymore.

So were those my glory days? Or are they now?

Are they in how I raise BG? Are they in how I share Christ with others? Is this my glory days?

While the past was a blast (ha), it is just that; the past. It doesn't matter anymore. Yes, it helped shape who I am today but at the same time, if you spend too much time looking back, you'll miss something these days. That is not what I want to happen.

I had a good time. I did what I did well and was proud of myself. I'm still proud of myself. At the time, they were my glory days. But now? this life? this raising my child and forming a family with Mr. P? this is my glory days. And I fully intend to rock these as well.

Project 366: Week 7

Sunday, February 12th:



We decided to go to the evening church service on Sunday so we had a VERY lazy Sunday morning and it was glorious. BG was at her very own little "drive in" tv show. She's nuts.

Monday, February 13th:



I stayed up way too late making these Valentine's and cookies for BG's school party the next day, but I loved the way they turned out.

Tuesday, February 14th:



Checking our her stash from her party.

Wednesday, February 15th:



Visiting Daddy at work and checking out his way cool shades.

Thursday, February 16th:



Mr. P got BG this monkey for Valentine's Day and I got her this doll stroller. She has decided that they obviously go together. She pushes this poor monkey all over the house now.

Friday, February 17th:



BG's teacher sent me this picture of the girls on their morning walk. How excited does BG look?! Love it!

Saturday, February 18th:

I'm afraid I've started a bad tradition as the little one now seems to think this is a Target "tradition" and wants and ICEE the minute we walk in. However, it's a "tradition" that lets me wander the aisles aimlessly so it just may stick around.

Valentine's Day 2012

I've said it before and I'll say it again; this girl? is a sucker for Valentine's Day.

I freaking love it.

My girl AP said it best and hit the nail on the head with everything I think about this day in this post. Read it. Seriously.

Now moving on..

Yesterday was Valentine's Day. Duh.

BG had a school party and I had a mini "who the heck am I?!" moment as I sat on my couch on Monday night making Valentine's for her class the next day.  But craft I did. And dare I say I think they turned out amazeballs. Thank you Pinterest.




We did cards and stuff with the little before school. Mr. P hit the ball out of the park with a stuffed monkey and a balloon. She loved it. He so knows his girl.

After we got her off to school, we did some stuff around the house before heading out for a nice, childless (holy heavens thank you God) lunch. The first one we've had since, well, I can't even remember. It's been that long.


We nixed our movie plans in favor of an afternoon on the couch watching Netflix.

AKA, this girl ate too much at lunch and wanted her yoga pants back. Mr. P sure is lucky he got this one I tell ya.

While we ate lunch, BG enjoyed her party with her classmates. A lot judging by the looks of the text I got from her teacher.



Yay sugar. ::insert sarcasm font::

Eventually I drug myself off the couch to pick up my sugar highed out toddler. We spent the afternoon dancing with that balloon, opening her Valentine's cards from her classmates, and getting really excited about each individual piece of candy.





I forgot to take a picture pre-cupcake painting, but how cute is her outfit?!? Thanks so much Ashley!!







Loving her cards. Like loving loving. And ignore the laundry in the back. K thanks.


All in all, a great day. A total win.

Like I said, I pink puffy heart Valentine's Day. It doesn't need to be super special and over the top, but a day where I get to focus on my absolute favorite people and eat lots of chocolate? I'm so there.

Our Love Story

So I've seen this floating around le blog land for a while now and being in the spirit of Love Day and all, I thought I'd give it a whirl. I'm linking up with Becky from Mrs. to Mama for this link up. Without further adieu, our love story...

1. How long have you and your significant other been together?

Mr. P and I met way back in September of 2004 so almost eight years ago. I feel like that makes me old..
2. How did you meet? {What's your "love" story?}

I had a job working for a big retailer at the time and was chosen to go help open another store in Myrtle Beach. After a few days there, I got into an "argument" of sorts with one of the new stores managers. Turned out, it was Mr. P. Apparently that argument caught his attention. We went out one time while I was still at the beach where he took me on a tour of some of the more haunted areas in town (right up my alley). I left the beach not really expecting to hear from him again. And I didn't. Finally I got the nerve to call him and call him out on not calling. He ended up driving the four hours down to Savannah with his buddy that very night and spending my birthday weekend in town with me. The rest is history.

3. If married, how long have you been married? If not, is this the guy you hope to marry? {do tell}

We got married in May of 2005 so we've been married almost seven years.
4. If you are married, where did you get married at? Big or small wedding? If not, where would you like to get married? And will it be big or small?

We got married in Savannah on the bluff overlooking the river at my grandparent's house. I didn't have a church home at the moment and honestly couldn't think of another place I wanted that memory to be held at. It was a smallish wedding. Just family and my closest friends. It was perfect.

5. Do you have any nick-names that you call one another? Do share!

I mainly call him "B". There's the occasional "babes" and stuff like that. Nothing too crazy.
6. Name 3 things you love most about your honey.

He's an amazing family man. Family comes first. He's a great spiritual leader for us. I know that he's doing his best to lead his family the way God has called him too. Oh, and he's hilarious. Love me a funny man.

7. Tell us how he proposed? Or your ideal proposal?

So funny story. About a month after we started dating, we were rearranging some things in his closet when he asked me to marry him. It just happened. He says he knew right away that he was going to marry me and at that moment, he already had a ring. I said yes, but then told him that it was very important to me that he ask my Dad first. So he did and then we got engaged "for real" on Christmas Eve. Quick? absolutely but just plain right.

8. Is he a flowers and teddy bear kind of guy for v-day, or strawberries, champagne, and rose petals?

He's a card and some chocolates kind of guy. And it took me years to train him to realize that a gift is basically null and void without a card (I LOVE cards). I don't do flowers so he knows better than that.
9. Are you a sunset dinner on the beach kind of girl, or pop a movie in and relax on the couch?

Completely a movie in kind of girl. Occasionally I'm for going all out, but most of the time I want my comfy clothes and my couch. I'm a homebody.
10. Tell us one thing you'd like to do with your significant one day. If you could do anything? Go anywhere?

I'd like to travel overseas. Greece or Ireland preferably. But I don't really have too many crazy travel dreams. I really don't. Someday I want to just be sitting on my wraparound porch with my babe and absolutely no worries. Oh, and grandkids running around. Duh.

11. Tell us what you plan on doing on this Valentine's Day.

We had a special lunch while the kiddo was at school. Then we skipped the movie we picked in favor of an afternoon on the couch watching Sons of Anarchy. Seriously obsessed.
12. Are you asking for anything this Valentine's day?

I wasn't. But I got chocolate. The way to this girl's heart...

13. Give us one piece of advice of keeping a relationship strong and full of love.

You've got to talk to each other. One secret, one bad thought; it can boil and fester until it's a disaster. You're going to argue. Not every argument is cause for dismissal. Basically make the decision that it's going to work and then make it happen. Oh, and laugh. A lot. Don't lose yourselves in your kids. You were two first.
14. Show us a picture of what love means to you.

22 months

Well it's official.. you are almost two. Sigh..

While it kind of stinks because you are growing up so dang fast, it's pretty awesome at the same time because you are just such an amazing kid. I know, I know, everyone says that about their kid, but BG, you really, really are.

You have such a distinct little personality. Even at such a young age, you know what you like and what you don't and you are emphatic about these things. You have an attitude the size of Texas, but fortunately, a heart that large too. You are just so fun to be around. Not kidding, you're the coolest kid I've ever known.

So what are you up to these days...

You are obsessed with writing. You walk around with a pad of paper and something to write with all the time. Apparently you get this honest as I've been told I did the same thing at this age.

You are sort of bossy. Good thing you're adorable.. You love to tell the dogs to "stop it!" or "hush!". You've recently started telling them to "go!" as you push them out of the way. Endearing no?

You talk non stop. NON STOP. Like I can't even explain how much you talk. It must be seen.

You have a new obsession with Blue's Clues. I hear "I want Doggy" and "I want Steve" way too many times a day.

You are still a pretty great eater. Not so much a breakfast fan anymore but you get that honest in this house.

You have zero fear. You jump all the time and your new thing is just to jump off things; stairs, the couch, you don't care. It's not a thing at all to you. You even drove your car down the stairs the other day and couldn't figure out why we wouldn't let you do it again.

You still love to dance, and girl.. you've got some moves. You did not get those from me.

You've taken to calling your Dad by his first name. It cracks me up. He is not as big of a fan but I remind him daily this is just a phase.

You really like to ask where people and things are. But you say "ah" instead of "where". Such as "ah Zoie go?" for hours after we leave school in the afternoon. Or "ah cat go?" when he runs from you for the fiftieth time that day.

You are still an amazing sleeper. I will never be able to thank you enough for this. Ever.

You like to sing. You sing your "ABC's" and can sing up to E by yourself as well as W, X, Y, Z. You like to sing the "tickle song" (Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star) and you're learning "Jesus Loves Me". You are getting better about recognizing your letters although you lose interest before we tackle too many. You are also learning to count and can say up to ten and recognize some of them as well. You are starting to attempt to draw your letters as well, but they're still pretty unrecognizable. :)

If we ask you how old you are, you say one but then we say "and you're almost.." and you holler TWO!

You've started asking for nose kisses and I think it is just about the sweetest thing ever.

Every night when we lay you down, you like to holler out "I love you Mommy!" and "I love you Daddy!" loud enough for us to hear as we walk away. When we holler back, you bust out laughing and then we do it a few more times. That might actually be the sweetest thing ever...

You like to carry around your purse or your bookbag. Then you get your keys and say "Ella go!" as you walk off to your next adventure.

You love your school friends. You talk about them all. the. time.


You are so fun to be around. You make us laugh non stop and then you get all excited and scream "Ella funny!". Yes, sweetie you are.

We love you so much little one. While the tantrums aren't fun and sometimes you make me want to pull my hair out, I can think of no person I love the way I love you. You're my little pal. You're my heart sweet child. No matter how many gray hairs you give me, or how many anxiety attacks, you will always be my heart.


STATS:

Height: 34 ish inchs

Weight: 33 lbs.

Sleep: 7:30 pm to 8:30 am and a two hour nap around noon.

Teeth: still waiting on one eye tooth. It might even be there. I'm not sticking my hand in there to find out!

Clothes: 2T some 3T

Favorite foods: avacados, cheese, yogurt, applesauce, ice (yes, weird), Goldfish, cereal bars. You are in a dipping phase. You like to have something to dip your food in at all times.

Favorite toys: you like carrying around bags and purses, Elmo, Violet, Abby, your Cozy Coupe

I love you so big sweet girl.