It's hard to believe that only weeks ago I was posting my first Life in 52 post about our record snow fall here in Charleston. Although it's technically still winter, we had beautiful sunny days with temperatures in the upper 70s all week. 

It. Has. Been. Glorious.

You'll often hear people complaining about the heat and humidity here in Charleston, SC. I've been known to grumble and complain on occasion myself (mostly during the 2 summers when I was pregnant), but I wouldn't trade it to live anywhere else.

I've only experienced real snow that actually stuck to the ground 3 or 4 times in my life. Because it's such a rare occurrence, it's always so exciting and fun.... for about 2 days. After that, I'm OVER IT. Maybe if I lived somewhere where snow was more common, I wouldn't feel that way because we'd be better equipped to handle the snow. However, I just don't enjoy the cold weather. My already dry skin becomes downright painful, and all I want to do is stay inside and eat all the unhealthy comfort food I can find.

I guess it's a good thing the cold weather usually only lasts a short time around here. We usually have beach appropriate weather from February until November - and there's no such thing as too many beach days.

I took my kids to the beach for the first time in 2018 this week. It was a bit of a spur of the moment decision. We checked the forecast - 0% chance of rain. Perfect. I loaded the kids and our beach cart in my minivan and headed to Isle of Palms. When we arrived, it was raining. So much for that 0%.

Little pop-up rain storms are very common, so I knew to just wait it out. I had packed plenty of snacks for the kids, so I kept them satiated with food for about 10 or 15 minutes until the rain passed. After that, the sun was back and the weather was PERFECT. 

The water was still a little too chilly to play in, but that didn't stop Bug. She repeatedly ran back and forth to the water filling buckets for the moat around her sand castle. Bubba excitedly ran towards the water once, but as soon as that cold water touched his toes, he cried and ran the other way. He was much happier sitting in the sand, digging holes, and burying his toys. 

I didn't bring my "big girl camera" to the beach that day. I just wanted to enjoy the sand and the sun with my babies without always looking for that perfect shot. However, you can't NOT document the first beach day of the year! This week's lifestyle photography challenge photo is actually just an iPhone photo. Not my most professional or artistic work, but a photo I treasure just the same.

See more from the Life in 52 challenge here.

I had imagined photos of my little valentines making crafts for week 7 of the Life in 52 lifestyle photography challenge. I could already see their sweet faces celebrating the day of love. However, this week has been heavy - weighed down by sadness and worry.

A heartbreaking death in my husband's family.

A little girl close to my daughter's age was abducted after her mother was brutally beaten not all that far from where we live. Miraculously, she was found safe, but we all know those stories don't often end that way. Plus, the fear and trauma that family will struggle with for years to come is unimaginable. 

Another school shooting not long after I registered my sweet girl for school next year.

My mama heart is weary. I'm anxious and unsure how to navigate this future where my babies will move farther and farther out into this frightening world and away from my bubble of protection. Do I prepare her for the darkness that exists in our fallen world? How do I do that without tarnishing her kind, tender spirit of which this world so desperately needs more? How do I find that balance?

I know I'm not the only mother lost in these worries. I can't decide if it's comforting or frustrating that no one else seems to know the answer to these questions either.

So I tiptoe in to watch her sleep, and find her resting peacefully with her hands clasped as if in prayer. My cup runneth over and for just a moment, my heart is at peace. 

See more from the Life in 52 challenge here.

If you've been reading my blog for a while, then you know we sold our house last summer and built a new one. We love our new house, but there's been one part that I haven't enjoyed.

Construction.

It's a relatively new neighborhood, and they started building on the lot next door pretty much as soon as we moved in. It's been 5 whole months of large trucks blocking our driveway, loud tools, and music blaring all day. Our new neighbors are set to move in very soon, and I can't WAIT.

My son, however, sees things a little differently than I do. He is OBSESSED with trucks and tractors and machinery. We even worked that love into his 2 year photos. When one of these large vehicles comes to work at the house next door, Bubba runs all over the house to find the window with the best view. Once he finds it, he will sit there - just watching - while they work. Every once in a while, someone will notice him watching and honk and wave. It's pretty much the highlight of his little toddler life.

This week, a cement truck came to pour the driveway next door and parked right in front of our house. I figured it was most likely the last time he would get to watch this, so I let him sit on top of the train table in the playroom and watch as long as he wanted.

This week has been pretty slow here in my family. Some people might think that's boring, but I embrace slow weeks. Working to build a business with two kids at home rarely provides truly relaxed weeks. 

The weather here in Charleston, SC has been tolerable. A little chilly for my taste but not terribly cold. I've enjoyed time with my kids and husband, managed to get my house back into some order, and even found the time to take in a couple of online business classes.  This week has been a blessing.

I will admit that my photography challenge photo from this week wasn't entirely candid. My daughter received one of those ribbon wands for Christmas (or was it her birthday? I don't really remember), and she's been trying to twirl it around the house for weeks. Unfortunately, she struggles to find an area in our house where her ribbon doesn't get wrapped around a doorknob, a dog, or a little brother.

Yesterday, as we were going out to the backyard to play, I saw the ribbon wand discarded in a tangled mess on the floor of our living room. I suggested to my daughter that she might have more luck twirling the ribbon outside where there were no obstacles. I grabbed my camera, untangled her ribbon, and waited.

It was a little windy yesterday. She actually got herself wrapped in ribbon a couple of times, but that never stopped her from twirling...

See more posts from the Life in 52 challenge here.