Summer

I LOVE having the kids home for summer break but it comes with the hefty price tag of a messy, disorganized house. 

Toys played with and then walked away from. Cups half full and forgotten. Throw pillows used for fighting, cat beds, skates, and anything but looking nice on the sofa. 

But the flip side is happy noise, a glimpse into their imaginary world, and the sweet sounds of childhood.

There are also pajamas all day or the pool in the morning and pajamas upon our return. Story times and movies with popcorn instead of lunch. Games of hide-and-seek. Dance parties. Tea parties. Mario marrying Barbie. Dancing with The Wiggles...

A tidy house would sure be nice and I don't welcome every mess or abandoned toy I see, but a magazine layout style house would mean no sweet little faces or handprints...guess the price of Summer isn't so hefty after all...

been thinking about things...

this is Zac Brown of the Zac Brown band

he's a gold 'ol boy...love his music

seen this show? 

we love it...

note they have beards too.

they're also from the south

all these beards got me thinking about my favorite guy...

what's the verdict? 

like Matthew with a beard?

(no more than he likes me with photoshop).

Aquatic Petting Zoo

We got to get away to the coast with our dear friends last week. There was junk food, sand, sun, salt water on day one and on day two, a whole new adventure.  

JP brought his casting net and was catching mullet, shrimp, spot, sun fish, and crabs off the dock. He'd throw it out, bring it back in, and empty it on the grass where the kids would transport the critters to a bucket. 

They could hardly contain themselves while waiting to see what the net would bring in.

Everyone was gently picking up the new creatures and inspecting them (yep, even the girls). 

Ever seen a fresh, live shrimp? They were cool!

At one point we started letting the kids put the critters into a baby pool filled with bucket after bucket of salt water. The shrimp were swimming harmoniously with the fish we caught, but after awhile, we added the crabs (we caught earlier from the crab pots) and let the kids watch with amazement as they chased and ate the shrimp...to say the whole day was awesome is an understatement.

It was the perfect way to spend a gray, cloudy day.

But then, a cloudy day with friends at the coast is better than a sunny day alone at home anytime!

(And you can bet I've got a casting net on my last for Santa this year!)

Tea Party

Antique-ish place mats and napkins, REAL tea, cookies, and rice krispy petit fors...

this is what awaited the girls today after quiet time

I sure hope my kids will remember these moments and not just the yelling, time outs, threats of an early bedtime, and nagging. The will, won't they? 

1st Grade

Q: What has grown three inches since the start of Kindergarten, has her first wiggly tooth, and is first grade bound?

A: THIS GIRL!

Dance Recital

Caroline's first dance recital was today, and she was AWESOME! I am sure every mom says that, but it is true. Just a little over a year ago, we tried dance and she wasn't able to go in without crying and wanting to go home. Today she was on stage, smiling and performing each and every step perfectly for a crowd of a couple hundred. I was so impressed and proud!!! 

We are already looking forward to next year's event! I know there will be one because as soon I picked her up she said, "I can't wait to do that again!"...You go girl!

Bringing the beach home

Memorial Day 2012 was wonderful. It was the first time we've celebrated or been together as a family since Gramps became Heaven's favorite soul, and we missed him, but the weekend was a glorious one. The kids got some cousin time in at The Doc's Inn (my inlaws second place) as well as some time with my parents in the back yard. 

After a weekend with salt air, sunscreen, and wet bathing suits, it was hard to come back to this. My house. Hodge-podgy and mish-mashy. Yuck. 

Before

After

 I emptied the room, gave it a thorough cleaning, patched the walls, touched up the paint, and played! I got busy adding candles here and shells there. A few throw pillows and some sea glass and my living room felt much more cottage-y and cozy. I didn't go hog wild and I didn't spend very much, but it gave the room a little umph. 

 the scent of these candles is called "beach glass" and they are awesome (and at under $5 a piece, I really love them)...

 there is nothing that an image of a sail boat can't fix for me...

a staple gun, some ribbon, some printer images of our honeymoon beach...

 though not beachy, I couldn't turn down these prints of birds and nests today when I found them in the clearance section for under $10 each! 

If you can't be at the beach you love, love the beach your with.