Shake it out

*

Regrets collect like old friends
Here to relive your darkest moments
I can see no way, I can see no way
And all of the ghouls come out to play

And every demon wants his pound of flesh
But I like to keep some things to myself
I like to keep my issues drawn
It's always darkest before the dawn

And I've been a fool and I've been blind
I can never leave the past behind
I can see no way, I can see no way
I'm always dragging that horse around

Our love is questioned, such a mournful sound
Tonight I'm gonna bury that horse in the ground
So I like to keep my issues drawn
But it's always darkest before the dawn

Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa
And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back
So shake him off, oh whoa

And I am done with my graceless heart
So tonight I'm gonna cut it out and then restart
'Cause I like to keep my issues drawn
It's always darkest before the dawn

Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa
And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back
So shake him off, oh whoa

And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back
And given half the chance would I take any of it back
It's a fine romance but it's left me so undone
It's always darkest before the dawn

Oh whoa, oh whoa...

And I'm damned if I do and I'm damned if I don't
So here's to drinks in the dark at the end of my road
And I'm ready to suffer and I'm ready to hope
It's a shot in the dark aimed right at my throat
'Cause looking for heaven, found the devil in me
Looking for heaven, found the devil in me
Well what the hell I'm gonna let it happen to me, yeah

Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa
And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back
So shake him off, oh whoa

Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa
And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back
So shake him off, oh whoa

Claytons visit

Welcome back to your Atlanta home Clayton! 

We've missed you!

(it was the pilots last flight before retirement and they had a small celebration on board Claytons flight, hence the party hat)

I said-say cheese! and this is what i get. lol

btw... He got so TALL. omg 

Sammy and Clayton getting their bonding on 

Daisy had been going through a stranger anxiety phase  lately...so i was fully expecting her to freak out  for about an hour or so when Clayton arrived. Instead, she just stared at him with a look of total and complete curiosity. This lasted for about 10 minutes. When we went outside to play she began to slowwwwwwly make her way over to him.....

 

....she put her hand on his lap and began patting him...

Its like she knew.

From that moment on....

It was on!

The birds love their big brother Clayton. 

Liam lovins :)

Sam is a peek a boo expert.

Just having him sitting on the couch next me watching movies, makes my heart smile. 

#littlethings

When babies attack ;)

(Jenny got back from Orlando a few days after Clayton arrived...and this was the morning of her arrival)

***

We decided to go on a Zoo Atlanta Adventure.

We had so much fun!

Oh, Jenny. 

lol

Mama life.

taking a little break from the strollers at the zoos playground

But the BIG HIT of our Zoo adventure was the petting zoo!

Daisy was in sheep/goat heaven. She could not get enough!

Sammy was a little Eh about the petting zoo...i think all the in-yo-face animals kinda freaked him out a little... 

Adorable.

These two :)

Love this kid.

***

park daze...

Boys will be boys...

Should I jump? 

NO. 

lol

***

Clayton and I decided to embark on a hiking adventure.

We drove out to the Cochran Mills Nature Center in search of waterfalls...it was a little rainy at first but the trees created a canopy of leaves that  kept us from getting rained on....it stopped right as we came out into the first of many cool clearings and waterfalls...

This is the second of many selfies to come. 

Just sayin...youve been forwarned...

 lol

crazy tree. 

termites?

We kept finding mini things. This looks like a mini forest.

There were lots of butterflies flying around every waterfall we visited....

There were alllll sorts of weird, crazy mushrooms at every turn...

Funky bugs too...

 (this one was dead...i probably would have freaked if i had come across it alive....kinda like this guy below....lol)

Oh check this out.....wait....whaaa?!?!?!!!??? AHHHH! 

nothing makes you jump like a spider web to the face in a random forest.

lol

spider disaster averted.

Lets take a picture! ;)

Whatever that means?

Chillin with a butterfly by the water. I kept waiting for it to land on me.....

Making our way back out......

This pic doesnt do it justice. 

It went back so deep...it was so quiet....It felt like i was going to see a fairy fly out of the marsh or something.....lol

We got a little lost trying to find our way back so instead of going around in circles for hours we met a nice lady hiking with her sons and she told us how to find the road...we followed it back to the nature center.

Above is a property we walked past that a huge veggie garden with soooo many tomatoes. 

I totally had garden envy. 

back at the center and we decided to check out their birds...owls and all sorts of crazy feathered friends.

The hike was def one of my fav adventures while Clayton was here...

***

Later that evening...

***

We paid a visit to Six Flags White Water and had so much fun.

Pee water woo hooo! ;)

***

We are a funky, crazy little family and i wouldnt have it any other way!

***

Although we've stayed in touch via social media, phone calls and texting, almost two years had passed since our last visit together, and its amazing how much changes in that span of time.

Because he is getting older, I feel like this time around he and I were able to connect on a different level. 

We spent a lot of time talking, hanging out and just getting to know each other a little bit more.

Is hard to explain, but when he's here it feels like he's always been here. Like that's the way its always been. 

When he's here, I feel like my heart is complete. Full to the brim. :)

We had such a good time! 

10 days flew by too fast.

I am left feeling happy, amazed and just totally loving what a cool and awesome human this kid is.

So proud of Our Clayton. 

On the 6th he turned 17.

?!....17....?!

I cant wait to see you again and...

*** I hope your 17th year on this earth brings you a lot of peace, clarity, happiness and good times!***

...I love you , my Tall Boy ;) 

Love and light, 

A