Just Stay Little...

One thing I love about Wednesday nights is that I get a good dose of laughter, conversation, sometimes tears, coffee, and a reminder that all of us Mama's really want the same thing for our children. And, while we all want the same thing, sometimes the reality of us being messy humans gets in the way. We are all seeking ways to raise our children up to honor the Lord, and then the pressures from the world put on us as parents, and individuals, affect what else we inflict on our children.

The consensus from last night is that all of us "Mama's of girls" just want our little girls to stay little. We want them to cling tightly to innocence, tea parties, baby dolls, and ruffled socks. Why do I want this? Well, for the few short years that they are "little" Harper and Baylor wake up each morning believing they are princesses and to me and Nick, they are. They wake up and dress in clothes that cover their sweet bodies preciously and modestly. Right now, they still think that Mom and Dad are the coolest! I want my girls to know how fully they are loved by their parents, extended family and most importantly, by a God who knows each bird in the sky and flower on the Earth. If He knows that much about a bird, then just think about how much He must love the cherubs in my home. And, humbly, He loves me too....that much. Amazing!

When I think about all that I do want for my girls, I am reminded about what I don't want for them. Then I am immediately reminded that I am not in control. God is. I am here to guide, model, nurture, love and pray for them. It is easy to say, "Yeah, God is in control," but it is freeing to actually embrace those words and know them at soul level. I can't honestly say that I am 100% there yet, but I'm taking baby steps. I'm learning to trust. The tight grip of my own control is slowly loosening to make room for faith. It is a good thing. It is a God thing.

A Whole Hand...

SWEET HARPER IS NOW FIVE!!!!!


Another milestone at our house...Harper is now a whole hand! Big girl turned five on Monday and she STILL thinks it's her birthday. Actually, according to her, her birthday started on Saturday when she wanted to pick the restaurant. Then on Sunday she needed a "play date" since it was her birthday, and on Monday she really did pick the restaurant, Ronin Hibachi, for the actual celebration. I say actual, but we did just return from Orlando and a magical castle! She kept telling me that she, "gets to be the boss cause it's her birfday!"



Since I didn't have a party here, I promised her that I would bring cupcakes to school. Little did I realize that one box was not enough because there are 28 little ones and 3 teachers. Thus, I whipped up another box Sunday night and made, get this, home made frosting Monday morning. That is a big deal because I am not THAT mom that bakes from scratch. I must say that MY frosting was wayyyy better than Betty's.

The cupcakes were so good that we decided to share with our favorite neighbor, Mr. McGuire. It was the perfect excuse for our weekly visit. Mr. Doug always welcomes our noise into his quiet home. Harper usually heads straight for his special recliner that arcs into a full tilt. It is like a ride at the fair for her. Meanwhile, Baylor slaps happily at his elegant piano. Sweet music.



Baylor gets in one last hug before we head back home. I love moments like this that teach my girls how to love and respect their elders. I love that they bring boundless joy into his still home and walk away with hugs and kisses from our sweet friend. I'd say that makes for a pretty good birthday celebration.

She turned two...

Harper is making sure she knows how to blow out her candle....yea right!

one year ago...the big ONE!

How did that old sun make it around 365 times already? Two? My baby is two? Wow, where did the time, well, you know. Sweet Baylor, she lives up to her name. Baylor is the calm, the yin to Harper's yang. My sweet opposites.

I remember being pregnant with Baylor, wondering if I could love another baby the way I loved Harper. What is so wonderful and majestic about the gift of motherhood is that I don't love her just like I love Harper. I love both of them completely and uniquely. God made room in my heart when I wasn't sure if anything else could fit. I know that sounds crazy to my friends with big families, but you really don't know how to love MORE until you do it. It is an amazing ability of us mothers. We take out pieces of ourselves and watch them walk around on chubby legs before us, nurturing, snuggling and smelling their scents all along the way. It has been my privilege to be on the receiving end of this little lover. When she hugs me, she flips her wrists to pat my back. Already lovin' me back...making sure I know that she loves me too. My little old soul. My sweet Baylor Kate.

And Harper says, "Happy Spring to YOU!"

Where Dreams Come True

So I'm still nursing my Disney hangover. I swear, that trip took up one week before, one week of and a week after to plan, enjoy and recover! I'm still doing laundry!



The magic of the week hasn't left me, but the words to describe it have. Both girls got the stomach bug and God bless my mom for staying at the hotel to love 'em back to good health. She is a saint, Saint Juju, Patron Saint of Sick Babies. She rocked! Baylor was only out for one day and the toxic mess she produced during that 24 hours was well worthy of the panic stricken calls to housekeeping! Eventually they just left the air freshener with us.



Harper's bought with the bug came a day later and she was down and out for a good day and then struggled with the poopsies for two more days. Bless her little heart, on the drive home she finally said, "I can't take it anymore!" We stopped every hour of an eight hour drive so she could fart and fizzle. Poor darlin'. I hate taking care of that stuff in convenient stores and truck stops, but sometimes a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do-do! Ha!



All in all it was a great trip. I strongly suggest to anyone planning a trip to do the following:
1. stay in a Disney resort so you can travel by bus and boat to the parks, ect. Beats loading into the car
2. pack snacks for the hotel room and parks. I didn't do this and wish I would've.
3. take your own stroller
4. avoid the big, expensive mom camera. Take a small one you can fit in a pocket. The pros are stationed at every park and the photo pass will get almost every good shot you want.
5. DO a character meal. Breakfast with Cinderella and the Princesses was a highlight for the entire family, even Dad!
6. Take a babysitter!
7. Enjoy Epcot at night, one country at a time. You can travel there via boat from several resorts. Also, they have an amazing fireworks show every night!
8. Check out the Disney Boardwalk. Very casual with cool performers!
9. If you stay a week, take a day off in the middle.
10. Don't over pack. Do a load of laundry at the hotel.

All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go...

But I'm not leavin' on a jet plane. Nope, we are driving. All the way to Orlando. Not even snow or "winter mix" will keep the Cauley's + Juju from the magic that awaits us.

I wonder if I'm the only mother that begins to "glisten" just thinking about all the necessities for a nine day trip with two small chillins. Pack n play, diapers, wipes, swimsuits, do I need floaties?, comfy shoes, dinner shoes, pull overs, play clothes, jammies, blankies, lovies, sippie cups, tylenol, benadryl, ...... you get the idea. What makes it worse is that we are leaving in snow and driving to the mild 60-70's. What's a mom to do? Simple - over pack! Why take less when I might need it? Really, are a couple of extra outfits per person going to affect our gas mileage? Heck no. Problem solved.

I am so ready for this. Harper is SO ready for this. We have our "free" maps marked up with "must do" and Biernbaum's tabbed and ready to go. Itinerary - check. Reservation confirmation - check.

Fabulous pictures and stories to come as Harper and Baylor will MEET Cinderella and her royal gang at the royal table. Yes, birthday celebrations will take place on Friday with special guests to arrive on...well, you'll see.

Happy Disney!

More fun in photos...GFW 2011

Lemonade Dreams

Sometimes life throws you lemons so you make lemonade. And sometimes that lemonade is so sweet, so refreshing, so perfectly tangy that you suck in your cheeks and draw back your tongue. Nobody ever stops drinking the pulpy sweetness, you always go back for another sip. That is what Girlfriend Weekend is for me. And just as lemonade is the perfect relief from the blistering heat of summer, GFW is the slow-sippin', soul warming hot pink concoction of a usually gray January.

When I tell my non-PWQ (Pulpwood Queen) friends that I am spending the weekend at a book event, they usually smirk and say, "Yeah, have fun at that...book thing." I smile my Southern smile, the one that hides my thoughts, and reply, "Yes I will. Maybe you can come next year." They just don't know. "Bless your heart," doesn't even work in that situation. They really just don't know.

Girlfriend weekend, the brainchild of Kathy Patrick, is the estrogen laden highlight of my year. Tucked away in the Spanish moss and pine trees of Jefferson, Texas, this trip is more like a family reunion than a book conference. A room full of women who all love books. Authors, budding and some in full bloom, eagerly wait to show off the petals of hard work, soul searching, and hours of solitude. Among this room full of women, peppered with a few men, tears are choked back, jaws drop, and bosoms heavy with the weight of womanly responsibility unload their burdens with soul purging laughter. It's beautiful.

And it was at this event, in 2004, where I realized my dream. I didn't know it was my dream at the time, which is less coincidental and more like a testament to God's perfect timing and unraveling of His intricate plan for my life. At this event, six years ago, I knew I wanted to write. I want to be an author at Girlfriend Weekend. I want share my stories and bare my soul. I want to bring a wave of laughter to a quiet room and then bring tears out of those same smiling eyes. I want. But I'm waiting. I'm writing. I'm doing my part and praying that this is also what God wants. Time will tell.

The QUEEN BEE, Kathy Patrick

My new soul sista, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, aka Queen Ester, from www.allthingssouthern.com and my dorky real sister, the QUEEN...Le Tricia Wilbanks

Mom and her adopted son, Michael Morris author of "A Place Called Wiregrass,"
"Slow Way Home" and "Live Like You Are Dying"

Rocking out with Maa-shulll
Robin, Mary Ann, Marshall, Mom and me

Authors and Educators, Bernie Schein, me and Pat Conroy
my new mission is to read every one of PC's books!!

Helen Simonson, author of "Major Pettigrew's Last Stand"

Fun is an understatement!

The Pulpwood Queens of Northwest Houston (and Ruston and Longview)

and the winner of the Big Ball of Hair is......MY SISSY! YEA, so proud of you!!! xoxo

I'm back! (imagine me saying that with a wide grin and jazz hands...you can see me now can't you!)

I skipped over the real festivities of Christmas day and now I'm here, in the now.

Last weekend took me to Jefferson, Texas for Kathy Patrick's 11th Annual Girlfriend Weekend and Author Extravaganza!


I can't possibly list all of the amazing details that make this an incredible weekend for me personally, and for the other 250 women in the room. The words, the books, the wardrobes...really, I'm speechless. I made new friends (shout out Frieda!) and connected with friends who are now considered extended family.

Susan Parker - author of "Walking in the Deep End"

To sum up the fun we had, I am going to list the best quotes (according to our group) from the weekend: (drum roll please)

1. "Baby Girl, put er in park and take a swiga this!"
2. "I only gyrate when it matters."
3. "You gotta have a lotta class to wear them boots and girl, you are rockin' em!"
4. "Standardized tests suck!"
5. "It's ok, sweetie. I'm FROM he-uh."
6. "You're prettier than Farrah Fawcet."
7. "I love everybody! I love everything!"

Marshall Chapman - one of my favorite people. Marshall, if you read this and you wanna know why, you have to email me! : ) Me and the girls "performed" one of my classic GNO (Girl's Night Out) songs for Marshall, Kris and the Queen of Hearts.
Marshall's new book is "They Came to Nashville."

8. "What I want to know is, who is your dentist?"
9. "Mary Ann has such great lats."
10. "I'm just not ready to go up yet."
11. "Oh, I can't wait to get home and google ya'll!"
12. "It'll be late, and I'll be drunk, but I'll be here and I'll dance with you as much as you want."