Just watch him play

In the throws of baseball season, and the busyness of life, my mind often remembers the slower days. 

When my little boy and I would head to our back yard and I would just watch him play.

At the time those days seemed so long.

And now they seem so long ago.

If it were humanly possible, I would transport myself back into this picture.

And watch my little boy once again.

Flashback Friday!

First up, I just wanted to link up with Tracey's blog where she did an update on Griffin. I'm happy to report that just a mere three days after open heart surgery he is home. That my friends, is crazy town. Thank you so much for your prayers, I know that they were SO appreciated. 

And I just wanted to share a few sweet pictures my dad has sent me. 

He's been going through stuff and has sent us some pretty sweet gems. Seriously the older you get, the more you really do appreciate stuff like this...

Like my Grandad giving me a bottle when I'm just an infant. I don't ever remember seeing this picture, ever. I love it. 

This one is especially awesome. Check out how my Grandma blends in with the couch like they are one.  They 1970's were a desperately ugly era.

And a little baby G desperate to escape the clinches of her sister. OR maybe I was just crying because I was blinded by my brothers pants. Either way, God bless 1974.

Flashback Friday!

There was that time that I told a four year old Pierce to "go get dressed" so we could go on playdate....

And he came out proud as a peacock, for not only getting his self dressed, but also for getting fancy for the event. 

Tie with a shark shirt?

DON'T MIND IF I DO. 

Hold my baby sisters hand until she screams?

SIGN ME UP.

And I regret to inform you that I made him take that tie off before we left.

DUMB MOVE, MOM.

Flashback Friday!

When I came across this photo the other day, I stopped in my tracks. 

My gosh, who are those poor children and what did I do to them? 

Bruised little legs and dirty little feet. Solemn little faces and sweat on their brows. Sad little lunches of hot dogs and pretzels. And an even sadder set-up of a cooler for a table. 

Are these poor children abused?

Are the neglected?

WHAT COULD IT BE? 

Some do call it abuse...

 But actually it's camping.

And they loved every minute of it, as sad and abused as they look.



P.S. I miss these days.

Flashback Friday! 1982 and so awesome.

Just in case you need a pick-me-up on this fine Friday, look NO FURTHER, because what I have right here is golden. 

Gretchen, circa 1982. 

Part boy, part pilgrim. 

ALL AWESOME. 

Happy Friday guys.

What's not to love?

 It's Friday morning, which means I'm scurrying around the house like a mad woman trying to get myself to work on time. But I know that on this Friday I will have a little extra PEP in my my step, because I have a visitor this weekend.

We have no major plans, but that's okay...

We just enjoy each others company, and are content to just be.

I'm blessed to have a person in my life that has never once criticized me, understands my snarky humor, has a huge heart for Jesus, and has fabulous hair.

I mean, what's not to love?

Flashback Friday!

First and foremost: TWO MORE DAYS.

Now I can move on.  

My dad e-mailed me two pictures this week that are just so sweet, and I wanted to share.

I am a sentimental softie, and whenever I see pictures of someone when they were little, it makes me sad. I'm not sure if that's normal, but that's what I do. 

Especially pictures of my parents little...my sweet little mom....

And my sweet little dad.

I really have nothing else to say about these pictures, except that they makes me sad. Which is dumb.


And speaking of dumb, my nephew graduates high school this weekend, and that is dumb. (And by dumb, I mean sad.)

We are headed up to the land that flows with milk-and-honey so we can sit through a boring graduation.

But that's what love does, it sits through boring graduations just so you can hear that one special name called.

Have a good weekend my bloggy people!

Flashback Friday!

I will blame my lack of Flashback Friday posts on ball, because I pretty much blame everything on ball right now..."no kids, you don't get dinner tonight, we have ball!" (I kid. Sort of) 

But with Mother's Day this Sunday, I decided to do a little ode to some swell moms I know. 

 I'll never forget when my sister became a mom. I was so worried she wouldn't like her kids, (I'm a loyal and confident sister like that) but then to watch her fall madly in love with a baby, was both surreal and comforting.

 But if you are reading this boys, YOU CAN STOP GROWING UP. Mmmm, k?

Of course, there's my mother-in-law.

She raised some great kids, and I gotta give her props for that! (And Tom, I gotta give you props for your mad-chops!)

Man, can anybody spot the Pierce clone?? Have mercy.

And I can't  flashback and not talk about my mom. (G was in utero)

You never really understand the joys, the worries, the heartbreaks, and just plain hard work your mom did until you step into the role yourself.

Thank you, mom.

Flashback Friday!

It's been a while since I've done a Flashback Friday, but Katherine did one last week and made me feel all nostalgic. And errrbody knows what a nostalgic sap I am, so I decided to jump back on the flashback train. 

With so much of our energy focused on our nephews for the games, and the baby, I thought why not look back at how much they have changed the last few years. 

Just over 6 years ago Cody was definitely in the throws of "becoming a man." I know if he reads this that will make him want to hurt me. But it's true! I mean look at his little fuzzy upper lip! And if it makes you feel any better Cody, I am in the throws of expanding hips, thanks to a baby in the belly. 

I take so many pictures, and I know that annoys everyone, but how else would we have such sweet pictures like this? I MEAN, COME ON.

Or gems like this?

 I adore my nephews, and I just can't help but get all choked up when it comes to them.

They've been through their fair share, and I just see them as sweet baby boys.

And I'm so happy that we will be able to join the family this Saturday to watch Cody play his last game, ever.

No matter the outcome, I predict tears.

Flashing back makes me want to eat my feelings.

Pierce, current day with his worried expression. 

Pierce, 4 years ago with same worried expression.

I went looking for pictures of him the last time he played basketball, or should I say biddy-ball, and well, what do you think these pictures did to a sentimental sap such as myself?

They make me want to hurl myself down a flight of stairs. 

We had such an awful camera back then, but hey, at least we were able to capture important things like biddy-ball with a favorite aunt as the coach.

And obviously the coach had a favorite.

And while I'm ready to throw myself down the stairs, check out how little my baby was.

So, if you need me today, I'll be at the kitchen sink eating brownies and crying.

Flashback Friday! I am a product of the 80's.

With my impending JBJ engagement, I've been thinking lots about that horribly-glorious era, known as  the 1980's. So I thought, why not take a little stroll down the 80's lane, for some Flashback Friday! 

The 80's for myself, was what I would call a half-n-half era.

Half of it, playing with my Cabbage Patch dolls

And rockin' a Trapper Keeper.

And the other half of it, with me wanting to grow up and look something like this fine lady. 

I took those first pubescent steps to growing up, by asserting my fashion sense with choices that I thought were bold.

 Like color blocked earrings.

Swatch watches.

And Hot Sticks.

And my most fashion-forward statement had to be my high-top Reebok. They looked EXACTLY like these. Seriously.

In my mind, I dressed something like this..

But in reality, it was more like this.

And all the while, trying to achieve Whitney Houston's makeup.

And always the background music behind it all was none other....

On my wicked awesome boombox.

Because as the pictures tells, I am a product of the 80's.