living life...

i made
trace
the happiest boy

ever

when i bought himnew pj's

and rainbootsand let him

go outside in the rain!

a favorite blogger of mine, mckmama, inspired me recently with this post. i want to start living life to the fullest... so i started by letting trace play in the rain. :) he had a blast jumping mud puddles in his new rainboots (that he wore on the wrong feet!) even nate was like "are you crazy- he is in brand new pjs!" but that's ok, i threw them in the washer last night and now they are nice and clean again!

"life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's learning to dance in the rain!"

~ authorn unknown

Not Me! Monday

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

i did not buy a pair of cowboy boots the other day... and if i did, i most def would not have given in to the trend of wearing them with a dress. TO CHURCH. nope, not me!

i did not ask my husband to take a picture so that i could post it on facebook and show my bff in hawaii how the outfit looked. no way! and i do not love my new boots... and i'm not so excited for cooler weather to get here, because they do not look super cute with my new skinny jeans! :o)

so- what have you not been doing this week?

flashback friday

here's PROOF: that trace is my child! :)

obviously... this is me and shannon- i think around 1985! but i see how you might get confused and think it's a pic of trace and caden- wearing dresses! :) see- don't you think trace looks just like me here? crazy how he can look so much like mine AND nate's baby pics, but nate and i look(ed) nothing alike!

i love this pic... it was taken at nana and papaw's old house, in front of their garage. i can't believe the bows in our hair and ruffles on our socks- we were decked out and so... girly! :) and most of all, i love that i am looking like a lil hoochie with my short dress! for the record... my mom says that was the style. when i asked her why i was wearing a dress that was 3 sizes too small, she argued with me and said "look at the sleeves. they come to your wrist. the dress fits!" so yeah, what do i know?? ha!

i know we were pretty cute fo sho!

nate, trace, or lucas?

little nate! :)seriously... no wonder my boys are so stinkin' cute. they look JUST like nate did when he was little! :o) i don't even see the need to post side by side pics of trace and lucas with these baby pics of nate. i swear (except i don't), even though they look nothing like me, i am their mama! i carried them for 9 months and worked hard to deliver them! HA!
i could just pinch those sweet cheeks! :o)

so yeah, the whitt gene is obviously a strong one! it is so funny how the picture above looks like trace and laura grace, when really it's nate and rachel! i mean, thundercats sword and ninja turtle toys. looks like my house last christmas.

awwwwww!

maybe soon i will find some old pics of me... b/c believe it or not, trace does look a lot like his mama's baby pics! proof that he's my kid too- coming soon!

coolest.kids.ever.

ok. so it's no secret that i love old navy. i mean- their clothes are cute and affordable (*and it's the only place i have a credit card.) so what's not to love? well the boys are growing like weeds and trace especially needed some new pjs. so card and coupon in hand, off i went. poor lucas normally wears hand-me-downs, like 4x hand-me-downs, so many kids have worn them before lucas it's amazing they are still in good shape. but they are, so we are happy with them and so thankful for the blessing that is hand-me-down clothes. i wonder if anyone else is getting annoyed by the word hand-me-downs. (A.D.D. this is your cue to leave!) ok, anyways. so of course i love to match my boys so i chose 1 matching pair and so sweet lucas actually got something brand new. can you believe it. :) after seeing the boys in their new pj's last nite, i'm conviced they need to model for ON! come on, seriously... just read their pj's!

i had fun editing these last nite too. cute pjs + cute kids = cute photos. what more could a mama want? (to get a good nite's sleep for one, but ok, i won't go into that right now... ha!)

Y-E-S, my boys are standing up in their (ahem, rocking) chairs. but hey, noone was hurt and it made for better pics. so no worries!

the boys were in RARE form last nite. it was cute the first few times to see lucas stand in the rocking chair and try and balance. but after several attempts and a few close calls, we had to call it quits and put the chairs up! :) this last pic is hilarious to me. the kids were crazy i tell you. gotta love 'em though.

so there ya have it folks. please write to your local congressman old navy retailer and tell them the whitt boys should be available for their first modeling debut next week, or whenever i get around to washing these pj's! :o)

i think...

my tracecar is so stinkin' cute
in his new pj's!

don't you agree?? :)

18 months

not sure why this sweet little cow pic is at the top of my post, but just ignore it for a few minutes :)

so my baby lucas is 18 months old now. i'm pretty sure that means he is officially growing up. things that prove he is hardly a baby anymore:

•• he talks ALL the time. he learns new words without me even teaching him! a few of his newest words are milk, up/down, light, cow, moo, AMEN (my fav... he is so stinkin sweet when he says it!) caden, lala, mae mae, ken, pool, bath, and many many more. he is putting more words together now as well. his newest thing is to say "hey mama" when he sees me! :)

•• he loves to swim, read, run wild, play with flashlights, cars, basketballs, and all things boy! he also loves dora... not really considered all things boy, but ya know! i think all the sword fights with trace def make up for the dora time! haha.

•• he gets in trouble almost daily for getting into my chapstick. he has a fetish like his mama, what can i say? trace always yells- mama, hurry. wucas has your wipsticks! :) lucas also loves to bring me my phone, the remote controls, and all things he is not supposed to be playing with. he thinks if he looks at me all cute and says "here ya go" then he won't get in trouble! :P

•• there are boo-boos EVERYWHERE on that kid. seriously... it looks like i abuse him. i can't remember the last time he didn't have more than 3 bumps or bruises on his sweet little head! and his legs are scratched and bruised to pieces. the kid goes 90 to nothing wherever he goes. you'd think he kept his eyes closed the way he runs into things!

•• he loves binx, my old cat that lives at my parents house. when we drive up their driveway, he calls out, in this order, "bit-sy, pop pop, CAT- meow!" :) it's so funny b/c he acts like the cat is part of the family. ok, she kinda is!

•• lucas has no fear of water. he walked off the diving board (into uncle josh's arms) at a friends pool the other day, and thought it was hilarious! meanwhile, i was having a heart attack in the shallow end! ALSO, he loves the slides at the kiddie pool at alabama adventure... you know the 3-4 white slides that you have to go around the pool and hike up the stairs to get to? yeah, he takes that little walk by himself, steps down into the waiting area, and slides down with the biggest grin on his face, ALL BY HIMSELF. sometimes he is backwards or sideways, but he loves it! he doesn't wear water wings or anything!! he is SO BIG!

•• he wants to feed himself these days... he loves to use a fork and spoon. sometimes he flat refuses to eat, unless i let him do it by himself. and he loves to HOLD my drink and drink it. yes, that almost always results in a big mess!

•• lucas is sleeping less these days, shorter naps and much less sleep at night. i'm hoping this is a quick phase and my baby who loves to sleep will get back to normal soon! since he and trace share a room now, when he cries, i mean SCREAMS in the middle of the nite, or bright and early at 5 am, he disturbs the whole house, including poor trace who is across the room. this morning, no lie, trace told me "mama, lucas is screaming and it hurts my ears. maybe he needs to learn how to sleep!" ha, i couldn't agree more tracecar!!

•• he is mr. independent. he says "i wanna go" when i get him out of his carseat, which means he doesn't want me to hold him. he wants to be FREE! he doesn't even want me to hold his hand. however, if we are at home, he still wants me to hold him often. and by often i really mean all waking moments. that boy is STILL a mama's boy 100%.

•• speaking of STILL, he is STILL throwing major fits. ya'll, sometimes this sweet boy of mine makes me LOSE MY MIND. i honestly don't remember trace throwing these kind of fits. maybe he did. if that's the case, hopefully i can remember these days later down the road and remember the fun times with lucas and not think "those were the worst days of my LIFE!" seriously. we spank him, use mr. pop, put him in time out, ignore him... we've tried a ton of things, and the kid just throws a worse fit. i am open to suggestions on how to deal with them!! b/c they are getting really old really fast! oh dear lord i hope this stage ends soon. or there may be a (sometimes) sweet boy named lucas up for adoption. LAINE, are you intersted? :) j/k!!!

•• he is growing like a weed. not sure what he weighs/how tall he is, but he goes to the dr in 2 weeks for his well visit and we will find out then. he is wearing size 18-24 month clothes, and has just grown out of his first pair of size 5 new balance shoes. so sad! he still wears a size 4 diaper.

•• and last, getting back to the cute little cow picture, lucas is OBSESSED with cows! he loves them. this is our friend's baby cow (guess that makes him a calf!) charlie. lucas kept going up to the fence while we were swimming and saying "hey cow!" it's adorable. and he loves to say cow- mooo! i bet he would have climbed in the fence with charlie if i would have let him! i love this pic, where he is on his tippy toes to see that sweet cow!

hey cow!

MOOOOOOOO!

i really can't believe lucas is already 18 months. though he rocked our world a year and a half ago, and it hasn't been the same since, we wouldn't trade it for anything! we love our sweet boy and can't wait to continue watching him grow up! happy (year and a half) birthday little lucas james!

remembering papaw

In Loving Memory of My Papaw
James "Jim" Monroe Bagwell
February 9, 1931 - July 29, 2010

my papaw (my mom's dad) went to be with jesus last thursday nite. 6 years ago he had a stroke, and he had really gone downhill the past 2 years, and especially the past few months. a week ago he was diagnosed with pneumonia, and hospice gave him 2 weeks to live. we are so thankful he didn't suffer long. he passed away with family at his side, and as my dad played "turn your eyes upon jesus" on his harmonica, papaw breathed his last breath here on earth. it brings us such comfort to know he is now in heaven... walking with jesus. he is reunited with many family members, and his body is now perfect. papaw was a great man of honor and strength. he was loving and full of life, he was a man of conviction and determination. he had a great sense of humor. he was loved by many, and will be missed by all who knew him. he meant so much to so many different people. he was an incredible husband to my nana for 54 years. WOW, 54 years! a very loving dad to his 5 children, the best papaw in the world to his 12 grandchildren and so sweet to his 4 great-grandchildren. i have such great memories of my papaw. our family was so blessed to have him in our lives. i want to share some things i remember from way back in the day! (these pictures were taken on monday, july 26, just 4 days before he passed. i wanted to make sure i had some pictures of papaw and the boys. they were so sweet to him and i am so thankful i took a few pics.)

i don't even know where to start. most of my memories from papaw were at his old house in mt. olive. he and nana built that house and raised their children there. i remember... * sorting and rolling coins that were in the coffee cans in papaw's closet. he'd always let us keep a little bit of it :) * playing games on the old computer in the office in his room * having to be quiet because papaw often worked late nites, so he loved to sleep in late * eating his cashews * reading where's goldbug books * sitting on the back porch * playing hide n seek and getting in trouble for playing in nana's sewing area downstairs * always playing yatzee * the old organs/guitars in the piano room * christmases with presents overflowing under the tree * reading books in the loft (usually national geographics and condensed readers digest- ha!) * taking walks and hiking in the woods, creeks, and indian caves * the old dog darlin * nana always cooking, cheese sauce on toast was def a favorite, and still is! * christmas caroling to the neighbors * going to hamburger heaven one time and they got my order wrong... i didn't eat there again for about 15 years :) * picking veggies from the garden * papaw coming to my softball games. he would always cheer super loud and yell GO LOU LOU- it would embarrass me! he always called me jamie lou lou and shannon shanny lou :) now we call lucas lulu and i love that... even if it is a girly nickname * he would make funny faces at the dinner table... us kids would laugh and he'd get us in trouble. all.the.time =) * singing the "mcdonald's is my kind of place, they feed me rattlesnakes" song! * nana and papaw always had breyers real vanilla icecream with the black speckles in it! * we took several beach trips to gulf shores... he'd spoil us rotten! * them coming to my indoor track meets at the horse barn in priceville * papaw loaned me money to buy my very first car, and taught me the importance of saving to pay him back * the ponds he built outside the old house * the swing in the yard * the big huge black mailbox- 5353 bluffview road * nana made my wedding gown and papaw saw those first few fittings made out of a bedsheet *


those are several memories of papaw, before he had his stroke. i will never forget the day i got the call that he had a stroke. i was working at southtrust bank in trussvile, and mom called and was so upset i could barely understand her. little did we know how that morning would change our lives forever. next i want to share some memories from after the stroke.

* visiting papaw in the hospital and he was flirting with the nurses ;) * hearing about a dream he had where he saw jesus and felt warm rain- that was god's grace. papaw rededicated his life to the lord in the hospital. amen! * visiting him in the nursing home and sneaking him french fries and milkshakes * helping him in therapy a few days, and watching him learn to walk again * cheering him on for all his rehab accomplishments * seeing him on my wedding day, only a month after his stroke. it was so special having him there. i will never forget that. he and nana were so stinkin' sweet * going to church with him at the trussville nursing home. he'd raise his hands and sing the "praise god" verse of amazing grace. it was so precious * me, nate, shannon and josh singing "sing alleluia" at his baptism at our church. another awesome memory * he and nana moving into their new house in argo * anytime someone asked papaw how he was, clear as day he would say from his wheelchair "i'm blessed." he never complained about the hand he was delt. amazing! * sharing christmas brunch together the past 5 years... since he and nana added onto mom and dad's house, we see nana and papaw so much.. it truly is such a blessing to be so close to my grandparents * hearing trace and lucas run into nana and papaw's house yelling "na-naaa, pap-pawwwwwwwwwwwwww." i can hear sweet little lucas saying that and it just brings tears to my eyes * the boys would always go see papaw and pat his leg, kiss his head, and tickle his toes * on the monday these pics were taken, when i told trace to give papaw a kiss, papaw was responsive and he held his chin up. it was so sweet. of course i cried... that's the last time i saw papaw *

we have been praying for papaw with the kids for a while. we told them he was very sick and would be going to heaven soon to see jesus. so after he passed away, we explained to the kids that papaw was in heaven, and they wouldn't see him again at nana's house. so when caden went over there, he looked for papaw in the bed and said something like "nope, he's totally not here. he must be in heaven!" :) oh the faith of a child. and when we told trace papaw had gone to heaven, he said " aww, is nana in heaven too? i wanna go to heaven." and lucas walked into nana and papaw's room and kept saying "pap-paaaaw. pap-pawwww" looking for him. it was so sweet! then when we went to visitation sat nite, we weren't planning on letting the kids see papaw's body. but they wanted to, so we let them. and he looked so good. i am so glad to have a lasting memory of him looking so good... in his shamrock tie and alabama hat! :) since trace had been told papaw was in heaven when he saw papaw's body in the casket, he said "yep, there he is. there's heaven! " :) we explained that was so not heaven! you can tell trace is still too young to understand exactly what is going on, but we are doing our best to explain it, and praying it opens doors for his salvation soon.

the service today for papaw was so sweet. several of us were crying so hard while trying to sing it is well. wow, it sure is hard to sing when you are crying. but it was so sweet. nana has taken such good care of papaw the past 6 years. she has sacrificed so much for him, so have my parents and many others. i know it wasn't always easy, but i also know they will never regret a minute of it. papaw was so loved. and the memories people shared of papaw at the services today were amazing. what an incredible man he was. it was almost unbearably hot for the graveside service, and there was a little hiccup in the folding of the flag. wow. papaw was irish, and a lady played the bagpipes. it was really pretty. but we seriously were dripping sweat while we were out there. but hey, papaw loved to be outside and enjoy god's creation... so it's fitting that we sweated a little while laying him to rest! at his request, he was buried in the back of the cemetary, near the railroad tracks! his daddy was a railroader. i will think of him every time i hear/see a train go by.

during the last few days, i have been so overwhelmed by the love from our family, friends, and especially our church family. for anyone who has prayed for us, brought food, called, left fb messages, visited, helped with the services, anything... THANK YOU. from the bottom of our hearts, thank you for everything. we have truly felt god's love and peace during this time of sorrow. we are comforted by the fact that one day- there will be a day, with no more tears. no more pain, no more fears... thank you jesus!

papaw, we will miss you so very much. we will think about you often, and as uncle tim said today... when we think of you papaw, we will do it joyfully with a smile on our face and a song in our hearts. we love you papaw.