- Wild and ONEderful -

Days turn into weeks and weeks into months, but I'm just not sure when the months turned into ONE YEAR...

...so holy fastest year of my entire life...

...and HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY, Juliette Thérèse!

She just went down for her morning nap a few minutes ago and her big sisters are at school today, and I am just absolutely loving going back through all the photos from a year ago!  Sappy trips down memory lane...MY FAVE.  Who knew the way an itty bitty 6 pound, 6 ounce nugget would change our lives and our hearts so so much in just one year's time...!

Juli Bear, we love you to. the. moon. and [I say this way too often ...like every year on each kid's birthday, but] I truly cannot remember life before loving you!!!  You are THE BEST addition to our family.  Happy happppppy birthday, beautiful girl!  

You are "Wild and ONEderful!"

 

xoxox

- We blinked once... -

...or maybe "twenty one hundred a thousand" times [as Scarlett would say]... 

...but literally *IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE*, a full year came and went...

...and our little babe is ONE!  From month 1 to month 12 [today!!!] and every single month and milestone in between, words will never express how much we've enjoyed watching this girl grow! 

Let it be known that the "12 month" chalkboard photo did NOT slip my mind, but Juliette + a rocking chair is a nearly impossible combination these days and Brian has checked himself out of assisting with photo sessions [L to the O to the L] and so! Wild and ONEderful, this is you at 12 months! *heart-eye emojis all around*

Happy birthday, Juliette!  Cheers to you... Cheers to the fastest year of our lives! 

- Life's a BEACH: Family Photos -

Smelling the sea and feeling the sky...
Letting our souls and spirits fly! 

#live #love #beach  <3

- Life's a BEACH! -

The mountains ocean is calling, and WE MUST GO! 

We've been "saving the date" and looking forward to this trip for monthssss now after Brian's sister booked all of us a glorious 7-bedroom house on the beach last winter!  We have a little sweet spot in our hearts for Destin after visiting there on babymoon #1 and babymoon #2, and I wasn't even a little bit mad to head back for another round of sand and waves and sun. [Edited to add: I just reread the posts from our prior vacations here and #zomg we are most DEFINITELY a couple creatures of habit because holy whoaaaa.  Same. Itinerary. To. The. Max.  Pedis and carsickness and overembellished-roadtrip-fun, OH MY.  Followed by:  do other restaurants besides The Back Porch and The Donut Hole even exist?  ...We shall never ever know.   Just read and re-read and you shall seeeeeeee.]

Alas, same sh*t, different year:  pedis for all the girls!  Scarlett rocked her first time at the nail salon and only had to have one smudged toe touched up before we bailed.

After HOURS of list-making and packing packing packing some mo', we finally hit the road!  Thank youuuu to everyone who responded to my Facebook post requesting activities to keep the kids entertained in the car.  We had binders filled with coloring books and activity pages, tons of wrapped toys from the Dollar Tree, borrowed DVD players, glow sticks, and snacks to the max that kept everyone semi-smiling for 11+ hours.  Thank you!

^^ In true Flem family fashion, car sickness reared its ugly head yet again for both of the sweet babes.  I get a little more experienced in the backseat-puking department each year, and this time we FINALLY came prepared with our sand castle beach buckets loaded with "peel away" Walmart bags... #winning.  After a dose of Dramamine for Harper and a few wardrobe changes for Scarlett, we made it to Sweet Home Alabama [where Scarlett was VERY much dissatisfied with the musty 2-star hotel that I scored us on Hotwire -- but only $69!]...

...and thennnn the next day, we made it to FLORIDA! Hello, beach!!!

^^ There was a private pool on the deck of the house that was a huge hit for the kids [and the adults, too!].  Harper was thrilled to see that no one was swimming naked after she thought I had been continuously referring to it as "the privates pool."  Oy. 

Some screenshots of my camera roll after Harper disappeared with the phone for a couple hours...

Overall: family fun for everyone!

So lucky to be a part of this amazing family! Thanks again to Aunt Sarah for planning!  We had an absolutely awesome time and hated to say goodbye! :(

But! Until next time...

#lifesabeach