L-A-Z-Y

A quick shoutout to a sweet blurker who outed herself via snailmail, P. Thanks for the sweet card!

Hi, my name is Autumn Lockett and I'm a lazy picture taker lately. I promise that my camera will be an appendage this week.

In the past few days I have cooked for massive amounts of people, deep cleaned our house, hosted an international law function, taught Ava lots of important things in school, kept up with laundry like never before, and spent lots of time as a single mom due to HLS's school events. I'm not making excuses, just filling you in on events without picture evidence. Most of the week I wore some combination of t-shirt, tights, and whatever makeup didn't smudge off on my pillow the night before. Most of the week Ava wore her Rapunzel (ahem, REpunzel according to her) dress and no shoes. A barefoot princess, really Disney? Anyway, here is barefoot REpunzel sprinkling cut-up carrots in the backyard. Because of course she is.

We spotted the most darling little cottontail rabbit in our back yard one night. He appeared to be desperately foraging for food and my heart went out to him. The next morning I told Ava about our little visitor, and we had the idea to leave him a little sustenance - thus the barefoot carrot episode. The carrots have slowly disappeared over the course of this week, though we haven't seen the rabbit again. This mommy just hopes his little rabbit tummy is full.

This Sunday was our last to teach Sunday school for the month (my Stacy* and I teach Ava's class every other month). We talked about the beatitudes and used bees to make the concept more fun. The girls were supposed to finger paint bees onto yellow construction paper, but our little group of firstborns were simply not having it. {Please zoom in on Ava's face at the idea of mucking up her fingers with gooey paint.}

*That's right Rich. It's not a typo. My Stacy. Deal.

"Um, Ms. Stacy can we please just use a paint brush?" I swear it's like a room full of Ava James. So here are our dainty princesses brush painting their bees.

We listened to Flight of the Bumblebee and were amazed at how the instruments could really sound like bees.

After our lesson covering Jesus' eight beatitudes, we worked on our peacemaking skills while we played together.

While teaching this lesson I realized how long it had been since I read over these verses, so I decided to post them here.

Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they who mourn,
for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek,
for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they shall be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful,
for they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the pure of heart,
for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they shall be called children of God.

Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:3-10


Heavy stuff for 4-year-olds, heavier still for those of us who are old enough to practice what we're preaching. May we all work to be peacemakers in our corners of the world this week. Thanks for reading along with us.

A post 2 years in the making

When we decided to move to Oklahoma for Josh to attend law school, we put our house in Texas on the market. We figured it would sell in a month or so. Fast forward two years and we've finally sold our house! (Yes, that is an exclamation-mark-worthy event.) The contract arrived through the crazy snow via Fed Ex, so we headed up to the law school to sign.

Ava found some fresh, untouched snow.

Love the frosting in the trees

See Josh sign.

See Autumn sign.

See Josh and Autumn sign.

See Josh and Autumn celebrate.

See all three Locketts celebrate.

It has always been our tradition for Josh to cook Valentine's dinner for me. Restaurants are so crowded, loud and impersonal. This year he included Ava in the cooking process.

Such a helper

Her tongue out tells you she's really concentrating.

Ava had a bottle of her own sparkling grape juice and some shrimp cocktail. She took a little snack break while Josh grilled the snapper.

The master chef hard at work

Ava kept careful watch on the dessert.

She enjoyed the special dinner by candlelight.

Baby herb salad with petite shrimp, garlic bread, rice pilaf, grilled snapper with seafood sauce (crawfish, crab and gobs of butter).

We have been outside enjoying the warmer temperatures this week.

Fun in the sun

Some stubborn snow is still hanging around despite the shorts weather.

Thanks for reading and catching up with us. Hope you enjoy some rain to read by and sunshine to soak in this week. Crossing my fingers for one more bout of snow before spring, but shhh don't tell any of the snow haters.

Curly Sushi Snow

Ava loves to smell all the Scentsy bars, so I let her choose the next one to melt. Even the smallest things can be thrilling when you're snowed in for four days straight.

Her choice: Spiced Grapefruit

We've been playing sushi with her Melissa & Doug set for a few weeks. Josh decided it was time for her to learn to roll real sushi.

Measuring out the rice

and water into the pot

Setting the table all by herself

Preparing the mat with cellophane

Rice is ready. It's time to start.

Captive audience

Roll it up

All done

Best sushi ever, no lie.

We continued a steady pattern of sledding, sleeping, and stuffing our faces through Friday.

Does it get any cuter than this?


By Saturday we were ready to leave the house. Ava and Josh decided to head to the Daddy Daughter Dance. Like all good dances, this one started with the curling process.

To maintain curl in high wind, I began with a curling iron then let the hair cool in sponge rollers.

Ava enjoyed playing her new Olivia app on my phone (best $1.99 ever spent).

Curly and ready in the snow

Daddy looks handsome, even without curls.

Just a little smooch

The two off on their date. The dance was held at the Norman Embassy Suites. You'll remember from this post that Ava once thought we were going to live at this particular hotel.

Posing in the lobby

Making a b-line for the ballroom

Almost there


Y'all should have seen all the precious daughters with their daddies. Oh my goodness, it was 'make your ovaries hurt' adorable.

They were both beaming when I came to pick them up, Ava proudly holding her little yellow rose. We've driven by the Embassy Suites a few times since the dance and each time Ava says, "Do you remember when we went to the Daddy Daughter Dance? That was so much fun!"

What kids do while their parents play boardgames.

Sometimes you just need a snocone, even when there's snow piled in the background.

We decided to take a quick Barnes and Noble trip before the next snow storm.

Huge piles of snow left in the parking lots

Wednesday (today) was another snow day!

Ava took a sled ride to mail her Valentines (be watching your mailboxes).

Down the hill with Daddy

Refusing our advice to climb the right side of the hill back to the top. Sign of things to come? Probably.

She finally did make it to the top.

Down the hill with Mommy

The snow was so powdery today, resulting in much slower sledding.

Brave girl down the hill by herself. At one point we all three sledded down together - sure wish we had photo evidence of that one.

Waiting for Ava to come back up the hill.

If you have to be snowed in, I highly recommend being stuck with these two.