Beach Day

My friends, Becca, Valentina and I (along with our kids) went to the beach this week. It was a perfect day. Jackson, Lilly and I LOVE the beach. I love sitting in the sand playing with the kids and sitting at the shore with them looking for shells, I love that its free, I love that my kids can stay busy doing a million things like digging a hole...

and "surfing the waves",

laying out,

making "sand angels",and Lilly's favorite thing to do - climb into the beach cart.

I love beach days! I am so grateful to live in FL where I live a short drive to amazing beaches.

Garden Update

I can't believe it, but things are actually growing in our mini garden! I think I'm going to have to make it larger and transplant some of the plants so their growth isn't stunted. I can't wait till we can actually eat something produced from it . So, again, we have watermelon, tomatoes, carrots, green beans, and corn ... can you tell what is where?

Pooped

Many people have witnessed it. We're having a nice dinner and then you look over at Jackson and see this...

And no he's not in mid-blink, he is out cold.

Can't they just stay this way?

Jackson is such a 3 year old. Everyday at random parts of the day he has to dress up, whether its Spider-Man, or Batman, or a pirate, or a Pajama wearing Ninja/Cowboy (Yes, it will be the middle of the afternoon and he asks to wear his pajamas and proceed to add a sword or cowboy boots and a hat to the gettup!). So here are a couple samples.

Ya gotta love those socks!

Yummay!

We made cookies today! Jackson loves making cookies but mostly he loves licking everything I'm done with, including a spoon with just flour on it. So we made some. They are so delicious they are called Award-Winning Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies, get the recipe here. They are my fave!

Jackson's favorite part is the batter but Lilly's is the actual cookie...

My favorite part is the clean up...

Why are bath pictures the cutest!?

How lucky am I?

I am so grateful for mornings! Every morning when my kids wake up, I make them both a sippy cup of chocolate milk. Then we go into my bed and talk about dreams we had, and what were going to do that day, and, of course,watch cartoons for the next 1/2 hour to hour. It is my favorite part of the day - its just me and them and we're all so still.

Aquarium annoyances

We visited the Florida Aquarium today. The kids had fun and I should've but I was pretty annoyed the whole day.

Annoyance #1: The last time I went to the aquarium it was a Friday (just like today) and between the two trips I have discovered that Fridays = School field trip day. So it was a "zoo"! There were kids everywhere that were loud and big and stepping in front and all over my kids. They were so loud, I found my self shouting to those who were with me to get their attention. I think I can deal better with crowds at places like the zoo or Disney World - outdoor places where you can manuever yourself around. Not at the aquarium, though. You're trapped. They start you all at the same place and herd you down a hallway through all the exhibits. You can't escape. I was soo looking forward to getting to the outside play area, which leads me to the next annoying thing.

A picture of Lilly before the crowd moved in on her.

Annoyance #2: The best part about the aquarium, the whole water play area, was closed for one week. I'll mention that the last time we went half of the water area was closed. So they played in the tiny, non-water play area.

I know I'm complaining about maybe insignificant things and they really are because Jackson and Lilly didn't notice a thing. They never realized they almost lost their lives in a stampede because they were to focused on the sea horses, sharks, trumpet fish, otters, eels and all the other amazing creatures. They were fine with the water area being closed because they got to play outside.

I know I need to be more like my children and focus on the positive, and I will. Maybe the crowd slowed us down to notice and spend more time at things we wouldn't have. Maybe my kids were saved from harmful sunburns had they played for a long time in the water (although, I did bring my sunscreen), you just never know. But you better believe the next time I go to the aquarium it will NOT be on a Friday and I will call to make sure the water area is opened.

And I will say after spending the day at the aquarium, it makes me so glad we have passes to the zoo!

To jump or not to?

SO, I've been thinking about buying a trampoline, or what some may know as a "tramp". My kids have a blast everytime they get on one. I've been weighing it out:

Pro's: They cost just as much as a Power Wheels.

Will entertain for many, many years (from now to forever)

They come with the safety net, so its basically impossible to fall off.

My kids would absolutely LOVE it!

Hours of fun while staying in the comfort of our own backyard.

Con's: The possiblity of injuries - broken necks, arms, legs.

I don't know maybe I still need to wait a few years, but I feel like every year I wait will be a whole year of "trampoline fun" lost...

What do you think?

"D" Day

Today I had my final hearing with my amazing attorney, Courtney. Hopefully this will be my one and only court appearance so I had to capture the moment.After leaving the courthouse I went to my friends to pick up the kids and then we all went and celebrated the best possible way ... is there anything better than a Happy Meal for a happy day?!

These are The Boys of McDonalds ...

It was a great, yet exhausting, day.

My First Tag

10 Thing I'm Horrible At:

Staying in touch
Coming Up with Lists
Running
Dancing
Being on diets ( I just don't do it)
Giving haircuts - I've tried and they are ALWAYS horrible
Singing
Picking out fruit
Going shopping for clothes just for me
Remembering to take the garbage out to the curb





10 Things I'm Good At:

Making new & different friends
Picking out and watching really good TV shows
Making popcorn
Saying what's on my mind
Being on time
Swimming
Getting out of the house in 15 minutes
Staying up late
Waking up early
Flying kites


That was way too hard...