Hidy Ho, friends from near and far! Welcome to the weekend! Woot! Man, I love a nice, short week. Our kiddos were out of school on Monday, which meant only four days of school and now the weekend is back already! And y'all...we have ZERO plans. I mean, not even a single sports practice!!! Our baseball, teeball, and flag football practices begin next week and we have nary a thing on the schedule this weekend, and I am just thrilled about that! Thrilled, I tell ya! Well, there is that one thing. That one big thing for my girls and me: every year, on Oscars Sunday, we get all fancied up (dresses! hair! make-up!) and watch the red carpet show before the Oscars begin. I started this years ago with my dress-loving Raleigh, and we haven't missed a year since! Last year, Bella was home and able to join in the fun, and the three of us will be glammed and ready come Sunday afternoon. Cannot WAIT! But still, no leave-the-house kind of plans, aside from a workout here and some church there. So, bring it on, weekend. We are ready for you!
And now, a few more things we're saying CHEERS to as we welcome in the weekend with open arms:
And now, a few more things we're saying CHEERS to as we welcome in the weekend with open arms:
Aiken Getaway. Last weekend, my hub and I snuck away for a night to stay in The Willcox in Aiken, South Carolina, as a delayed Valentine's celebration. Although we have been to Aiken, my hub's hometown, over and over and over again over the last 17 years, I had never even heard of The Willcox, and my hub had never been. WOW. This beautiful, historic place has been rated one of the best hotels in the world, and it's tucked away in sweet Aiken! We both kept saying that we felt like we had been transported somewhere else. It was just so beautiful and timeless. We started our getaway by picnicking at the exact spot in Hopeland Gardens where we said our "I do's" nearly 15 years ago. <3 We were also able to walk around the quaintness that is downtown Aiken (it is within walking distance from The Willcox) and then returned and sat fireside in the lobby, enjoying a beverage and more lovely, laidback conversation. We enjoyed a yummy dinner in The Willcox's award-winning restaurant and had such a lovely evening in our room - the weather was cold, drizzly, and gloomy that night, which made the fireplace in our room just feel extra cozy. If you are ever in Aiken and looking for a special place to stay, neither one of us could recommend The Willcox any more highly. I can't wait to visit again one day! Love you, hub. Happy Valentine's Day to my one and only. <3
Cousin time. Meanwhile, our s{quad} got some highly anticipated time with all of their Lu cousins! They just had the BEST time together - the giggles and chats and playtime didn't stop for a single second the entire 48 hours at Nana and Pop's. We loved seeing, and spending time with, our family and are so thankful for a wonderful weekend for all! And thank you SO much, Nana and Pop, for orchestrating such an awesome weekend for everyone. <3
Cousin time. Meanwhile, our s{quad} got some highly anticipated time with all of their Lu cousins! They just had the BEST time together - the giggles and chats and playtime didn't stop for a single second the entire 48 hours at Nana and Pop's. We loved seeing, and spending time with, our family and are so thankful for a wonderful weekend for all! And thank you SO much, Nana and Pop, for orchestrating such an awesome weekend for everyone. <3
New health plan. Last month, we met with our new, highly recommended doctor, who offers a holistic approach to treatment. Under his care, we acquired blood, urine, and stool samples for Bella, which were then analyzed for a number of things. After several weeks of anxious waiting, we met with him last Friday to review the findings and discuss the treatment plan. While I will keep some details private here, I will share that we have now begun a holistic approach to Bella's wellness and health, one that is focusing on cleaning out her gut, healing her of infections, and promoting areas of health deficiency. This week, we began our journey, which consists of a strict (long-term) diet, one that is being supported by the provision of specifically prescribed supplements and holistic therapies. Additionally, a few weeks ago, we started using oils with Bella (and for the whole family, really!). Each bedroom in our home now has a diffuser and I "roll" the kids with oils each morning - targeting immunity and sleep for them all as well as a few extras for Bella to target more specific areas of need. To be totally honest, I am in a place of sort of holding my breath, crossing fingers and toes, hoping for the best, and praying to God for his healing and support. <3 I will keep y'all posted on our holistic journey as we continue to work hard to do all we can for our littlest Lu. Based on what I've seen in just a few short days, I am very hopeful but would appreciate every single prayer you can throw our way! Thank you in advance for your continued prayers for our sweet little warrior.
Basketball season comes to a close. Well, last Saturday our Bankster played his absolute heart out in the basketball championship game. It was a hard fought battle but our team lost and ended the season as runner-up. BUT Banks was thrilled to be surprised by his Bammy and Digby, and his aunt, uncle, and cousins, who all showed up to cheer him on. <3 And I am so proud of him. Banks just eats, sleeps, and breathes sports. He LOVES watching them but loves playing them even more. To be honest, a couple seasons ago, he was terrible at basketball - it just wasn't his strong suit. But he has worked so hard during both the on- and off-season since then, and he had a heck of a season this year, often scoring 20-25 points per game and playing some pretty awesome defense. And I credit his improvement to three factors: (1) a hard-working kid who practices for hours upon hours to improve (even practicing alone, outside, in the pouring rain the morning of the championship, unbeknownst to me until I walked outside to load the car and saw him shooting, soaking wet), (2) a very hands-on dad who gives him all kinds of advice and practice and encouragement, and (3) fantastic coaches who pour into him and his teammates. So, while he may not have ended the season with the W, we are so proud of how far he has come and can't wait to cheer him on in his Spring sport of choice: baseball! Way to go, buddy. We will always be your biggest fans, and we will always have your back.
Basketball season comes to a close. Well, last Saturday our Bankster played his absolute heart out in the basketball championship game. It was a hard fought battle but our team lost and ended the season as runner-up. BUT Banks was thrilled to be surprised by his Bammy and Digby, and his aunt, uncle, and cousins, who all showed up to cheer him on. <3 And I am so proud of him. Banks just eats, sleeps, and breathes sports. He LOVES watching them but loves playing them even more. To be honest, a couple seasons ago, he was terrible at basketball - it just wasn't his strong suit. But he has worked so hard during both the on- and off-season since then, and he had a heck of a season this year, often scoring 20-25 points per game and playing some pretty awesome defense. And I credit his improvement to three factors: (1) a hard-working kid who practices for hours upon hours to improve (even practicing alone, outside, in the pouring rain the morning of the championship, unbeknownst to me until I walked outside to load the car and saw him shooting, soaking wet), (2) a very hands-on dad who gives him all kinds of advice and practice and encouragement, and (3) fantastic coaches who pour into him and his teammates. So, while he may not have ended the season with the W, we are so proud of how far he has come and can't wait to cheer him on in his Spring sport of choice: baseball! Way to go, buddy. We will always be your biggest fans, and we will always have your back.
And that's that, y'all. Have a wonderful weekend! Here's to all the adventure, rest, and relaxation you desire. On to the [plan-free!!!!] weekend my Lu Crew goes!
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