• Life

    Memorial Day Weekend 2026

    June 26, 2026 - By 

    Another Memorial Day Weekend in the books, full of familiar traditions and new little moments that I’ll treasure. Even with a smaller crowd and a leaky old tent on its last adventure, the time together was exactly what we needed. Every year when the ‘kids’ get out in the yard and play it brings me back to the days when they were little. Now there’s wives and a baby… “Snackle box” for LA but we were all jealous of it. Mushrooms always fascinate me. Sunday lunch is usually at Niffer’s. I was so happy these 2 made it for the…

  • Life

    Monthly Digest – 5.2026

    June 4, 2026 - By 

    May moved fast in the best way with family updates, small wins, and a few big things, I finally shared here on the blog. I also made a big decision to start a brand new Instagram account. This is and will continue to be honestly a little painful to build from the ground up. I would truly love your support as I grow it. If you want to follow along with more day to day moments and behind the scenes pieces of our life, come join me over there. >>>>acameraandacookbook

  • Life

    Sentence a Day – May 2026

    June 3, 2026 - By 

    May carried a gentle mix of family time, small routines, and moments that reminded me to slow down and pay attention to the good right in front of me. Looking back, the month felt steady and full, shaped by simple joys, and the people who make my days meaningful. Here’s a look at the month one sentence at a time.

  • Life

    Big Announcement!

    June 2, 2026 - By 

    Now that it’s Facebook official, I can finally announce that I’m gonna be a LyLy (grandma) again! Baby girl coming end of September! We’ve known since January and just recently did Caitlyn finally make it public online. Drew wanted ‘proof’ that we knew they were expecting before her 1st birthday, so during LA’s one year photos we tucked this little sweater in her lap. A few weeks earlier, Caitlyn pulled out the same sweater and said, “I think we need to do a photo session with this soon.” That was how we found out they were expecting again. Looking back…

  • Life

    2026:Week 22

    June 1, 2026 - By 

    Besides fighting a cold, it was a pretty good week! + On Memorial Day, I was very happy to be home on a holiday because I wasn’t feeling good. I was also happy that Drew and Caitlyn and LA came over and brought us Chick-fil-a! + Saturday night, Rob and I went to the Gogue for Six the Musical. Didn’t know what to expect, but it was so good! Highly recommend!! + LA came over Saturday while her parents went to the Auburn baseball regional and instead of taking a nap she decided to open a brand new container of…

  • Life

    2026:Week 21

    May 29, 2026 - By 

    + LA kept sitting on her toys and the toy basket, so I got her this doggy chair. We call it “Spot.” + We also pulled out some of the boys’ old blocks. I’ve been teaching her how to play with them and not throw them. 🙂 + This past weekend we followed our long tradition of Memorial Day weekend at the lake with friends. It was LA’s 2nd year. + Glad that Alex and Madison could join us on Sunday. We always do lunch at Niffer’s across the street. + The tent we’ve had for probably 20 years and…

  • Life

    World Cup Friendly Comes to Auburn

    May 26, 2026 - By 

    A Global Moment in the Loveliest Village: Auburn University to Host an International Friendly Every once in a while, a moment arrives that makes a familiar place feel completely new. Auburn has always had a way of surprising me, but this one feels different. It feels bigger. It feels like the world is about to step right into the heart of campus. Just days before the World Cup begins, Auburn University will host an international friendly inside Jordan Hare Stadium, just blocks from my house! The idea alone feels almost unreal. We are used to fall Saturdays, the sound of…

  • Travel

    Carnival Legend 2025 – Day 14 – Grand Cayman

    May 20, 2026 - By 

    Grand Cayman: A Day of Coastlines, Quiet Roads, and Unexpected Beauty Today’s post is part of our 16 day Panama Canal cruise series, and day 14 brought us back to Grand Cayman. We have visited this island several times, but this time we wanted to see more than the usual spots. After tendering to shore, we skipped the excursions, grabbed a taxi to the airport, and rented a car so we could explore the east and north coasts. These were areas we had never taken the time to visit before, and they ended up being the most peaceful and beautiful…

  • Life

    2026:Week 20

    May 18, 2026 - By 

    Another week in my life through my iPhone… + Wednesday night we headed up to Alex City to go to the restaurant Alex works at Springhouse. SpringHouse in Alexander City is a rustic‑elegant, Southern-inspired restaurant known for its dramatic architecture, farm-driven menu, and sweeping views over the Russell Lands property. It sits on a hilltop at 12 Benson Mill Road, blending stone, timber, and ironwork to create a warm, lodge-like atmosphere. The cuisine focuses on modern Southern dishes built from local and regional ingredients, with menus that change frequently to reflect what’s in season. + Here he is at work.…

  • Life

    Mother’s Day 2026

    May 16, 2026 - By 

    I almost did not want to write this post, because I let the day get by without getting a photo with my boys. There was only a small window when they were both here together, since Alex had to work brunch at Springhouse and did not arrive until after we had eaten. It was such a beautiful day with so much love and meaning even without the photo, and I wanted it to have a place on my blog for memory’s sake regardless. After we all went to church, we gathered at our house. Rob, Drew, and Rob’s brother worked…

  • Life

    2026:Week 19

    May 13, 2026 - By 

    This past week had a little bit of everything, and it left me smiling more than once. + LA keeps sitting on everything, her toy basket and her train cars, and the way she does it cracks me up. It is like her bum has its own set of eyes guiding her into position. (1st 2 pics) + LA and I hanging out on Mother’s Day at our new table which you can’t see, but its the feature image on top. I plan to write separate post about Mother’s Day. + Rob and LA and Kayleigh and I went on…

  • Life

    Monthly Digest – 4.2026

    May 8, 2026 - By 

    April moved at an easy pace, filled with small moments that shaped the month in quiet but meaningful ways. Nothing dramatic, just real life unfolding with its mix of good news, a few frustrations, and the kind of everyday memories that stay with you. Here is a look at what the past few weeks held and the things that stood out along the way.

  • Life

    Sentence a Day – April 2026

    May 5, 2026 - By 

    April felt full in a really good way. Nothing dramatic, just real life showing up in small moments that mattered. There were family visits, quiet days, a few tiring stretches, and plenty of things that made me pause and feel grateful. Looking back, it is a mix of ordinary days and sweet moments that made the month feel steady and good.

  • Life

    2026:Week 18

    May 4, 2026 - By 

    Putting this post together I realized I didn’t do a great job of taking pics. I supposed that’s good because I was in the moment.

  • Travel

    Carnival Legend 2025 – Day 13 – Day at Sea

    April 30, 2026 - By 

    Day 13 was one of those easy sea days that feel like a long exhale. We started slow and spent a little time on the balcony watching the Atlantic stretch out in every direction. The water was calm and bright, with sunshine on the surface, yellow seaweed drifting by, and the occasional flying fish appearing for a moment before disappearing again. The birds that had been following the ship earlier in the week were gone, probably off to wherever they were headed in South America. We grabbed a granola bar before heading over to the naturalist talk about Grand Cayman,…

  • Tech & Entertainment

    Watching & Listening – Mar/Apr 2026

    April 29, 2026 - By 

    Lately I’ve been bouncing between movies, docuseries, TV shows, YouTube rabbit holes, and a couple of standout podcasts, and it’s been a surprisingly good mix. Some were light and easy, some hit harder than expected, and a few stayed with me long after I finished them. Here’s what I’ve been watching, listening to, and loving (or not loving) this month.

  • Life

    2026:Week 17

    April 27, 2026 - By 

    This last week was an exciting week with some ups and downs. I’m just going to talk about the ups here! + On Thursday, the Blue Angels flew over campus as a good luck to our students on finals that are this week. Really, really cool! + This past weekend Univ of Oklahoma was in town to play our Auburn Tigers in baseball. I’m a Texas girl that loathes OU… + Squirrel hanging out when I was walking on campus. He wasn’t scared of me taking a picture like usual. + LA hanging with me. + She spent Friday night…