Category Archives: Family

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Move over Michael Phelps….

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Move over Michael Phelps and Rebecca Soni, here come Carter and Ammon swimming up behind you! It’s the London 2012 Summer Olympics or bust, and my children might take your place on the United States swim team! Nah, just kiddin’! They’re just 2 and a half.

I’ve been so proud to watch Ammon and Carter swim around and make it to the edge of the pool during their lessons. It has been two weeks, and thanks to Mr. Will, their instructor, things are going fine. The school isn’t certifying for lifeguard training, but I am taking comparable lessons, so as to be able to save my family if the necessity arises (let’s hope not!!!!).

Enjoy your Friday, everyone!

Carter and Mr. Will

 

Ammon and Mr. Will

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Headed to Mamaw’s

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Because of major time needed to pack/throw things away, Carter and Ammon are headed to my mother’s house for the day. They LOVE going to Mamaw’s house. Carter especially will ask several times a week while we are playing,  “We go Mamaw’s house?”. I kinda feel the same way. The house is where I grew up in Varnell, Georgia. This June will make Mamaw’s 40th year living there. I could write and write about Mamaw, but all I am going to say today is that she is one of my heroes in life: wonderful wife, devoted daughter to her parents, awesome mother, spectacular grandmother to her four grandchildren and one great-grandchild, breast cancer survivor, and so much more. Mamaw, we love you!

Mamaw, Ammon, Carter, & Sophie July 2010

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Look down!

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One more Nanny Caylor story for the week:

My Nanny’s ancestors (The Hartsfields) settled her house and land in 1867 in Varnell, Georgia. As I was growing up, her yard had a plethora of different species of daffodils (including eggs and butter) and bearded irises that she had collected from all over the Southeast, and so much more! She had a special, plain, red rose from a clipping off her Aunt Dolly’s grave in Sugar Valley,  Georgia. There were herbs such as ruby and emerald basil and yucca that had been sent to her house from Oklahoma/Texas from before the turn of the 2oth century. There were also wild violets by the hundreds. When I saw this violet on Monday, it made me think of my Nanny. Take time to look down today and see some of God’s beauty that we often neglect and walk right over.

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“Pretty is as Pretty Does” (Nanny Alexander)

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 On Sunday after church, a friend tracked me down in the foyer and said, “I just want you know that you have the most beautiful daughter. My son and I see her and always say to each other, ‘There goes the little princess.’ I was very gracious, and I finally said, “I really appreciate the compliment.”

First of all, I am very thankful to God that I have two beautiful children. I am told quite often not only from family members and friends but from total strangers all over the world how beautiful they are. However, I love this philosophy from life from my great-grandmother. Her name was Sarah Maro Cox Alexander, and she was born and raised in Varnell, Georgia. She lived from 1886 until 1945. She lived through two world wars and the Great Depression. She also raised three lovely daughters one being my Nanny Caylor. Whenever someone complimented the beauty of her daughters she quickly stated, “Pretty is as pretty does.” Since I have my Carter, I have to include, “Handsome is as handsome does.” I don’t care if my children win beauty contests or become international super models. If they do not have a beautiful inner being, then they are not beautiful on the outside. However, they are off to a good start being beautiful inside and out.