34 years...

Worth every smile and tear to get me here!

Pink Pirate Birthday

He is learning. My husband is becoming a planner! When we booked my "birthday week" back in February, an email went out to all our friend to join us. My best friend and her family took us up on the offer. Thanks to my husband for a fabulous party, to my BF for making the perfect birthday cake and joining us for the week, and to all of you who participated and sent in pirate photos from all over the world...from Texas to Ohio, from Italy to Africa...I love you all!

Crabby Crabs

Crab catching is a favorite past time of all the beach goers once the sun is down. Grab a net, bucket, and flash light...and lets get crab'n!

Seaside Friends...

Busy morning watching all of our seaside friends. Tyndall Air force Base is located just north of here. Every hour or so the Earth shakes as the planes fly by. A real treat for everyone. Flipper and his sister decided to come play on our beach. And Kermit the Hermit was held captive in one of our sand buckets most of the morning. Here is Ms. Pink telling him bye!

Scoops, Shells, & Snacks

Evening walks down the street to 'Scoops' is a treat for all as they have a variety of Blue Bell favorites. This overcast morning allowed us to create a "take home beach" as we collected a few of our favorite nature treasures. And who can resist the state fruit as a cold morning snack!

She sails sea shells...

During low tide, the sea shell searching is amazing. Grab a spool of fishing line, shells and a piece of drift wood for beautiful homemade wind chimes. The boys even found enough courage to give the cutie neighbor girls one!

Sandy Smiles

You can't beat the smile on a kids face in a sand pit, especially when you have the world's largest swimming pool at your side.

Windshield Woes

Ever get a chip in your windshield and think "what an awful day?" Try getting a chip and not but 15 miles later having a boulder ejected towards you by a tire that immediately starts a massive crack that is moving across the windshield faster than lightening! We are marking the progress with a crayon...













And speaking of cracks, I am in love with this one!

One more month...

One more month until Big has his first day of Kindergarten.
One more month until Little and Ms. Pink start preschool.
One more month until I get to hear silence.
One more month until I get to work part-time again.
One more month until I get a little bit of "me" time.

Until then...we will continue hammering away, swimming like fish, bargaining for naps, and living on the go!

Cheese Please

My kids LOVE shredded cheese. Something about it beats out cubed, sliced, and even stringed at our house. The other day they asked "How does cheese get this shape?" It immediately brought back those wonderful memories of Finland, the land where you can't buy shredded cheese. You have to shred it yourself (oh, the conveniences I missed). Since our return, I have yet to shred my own cheese.

This evening I let them shred away as I prepared a yummy quiche for dinner. They enjoyed the job but ate more then they saved!

Successful Swimming!

We just finished our 2 weeks of swimming lessons up at the city pool. The boys graduated to the next level and actually can pull off a stroke or 2. Underwater swimming may be a thing in the past.

My Plan...

I Took His Hand and Followed
By Mrs. Roy L. Peifer

My dishes went unwashed today,
I didn't make the bed,
I took his hand and followed
Where his eager footsteps led.

Oh yes, we went adventuring,
My little son and I...
Exploring all the great outdoors
Beneath the summer sky

We waded in a crystal stream,
We wandered through a wood...
My kitchen wasn't swept today
But life was gay and good.

We found a cool, sun-dappled glade
And now my small son knows
How Mother Bunny hides her nest,
Where jack-in-the-pulpit grows.

We watched a robin feed her young,
We climbed a sunlit hill...
Saw cloud-sheep scamper through the sky,
We plucked a daffodil.

That my house was neglected,
That I didn't brush the stairs,
In twenty years, no one on earth
Will know, or even care.

But that I've helped my little boy
To noble manhood grow,
In twenty years, the whole wide world
May look and see and know.

Pudd'n Pies

Looking for easy ways to avoid TV and take a break from the heat, we decided to let the boys make dessert for tonight. Grab the mini graham crusts, instant pudding, and some whip in a can...voila! Pudd'n Pies for everyone.

Stars & Stripes

A great and BUSY 4th of July...a neighborhood parade, 2 pool parties, and a sunset cruise with front row seats to every firework show in the metroplex. Happy Birthday America!

Polka Dot Princesses

Something every mother-daughter has to do eventually...wear matching outfits. But who would have thought my mom and grandmother would have decided on polka dots too! To 4 generations of matching outfits...