The Big Weekend: Part 1

It's a big weekend. Andrew has four days off, I have a birthday, and of course it's Memorial Day weekend too. We started things off with a trip to Okaloosa Island right after breakfast.

The boys played in the sand a little. Then, they were ready for the water. It was clear and gorgeous. There are lots of things to love about the Emerald Coast and the water is a big one. 

 We saw schools of fish swimming by our legs. A seagull came by and dropped a present: a dead fish. Maddox and Jude were kinda fascinated and watched the poor fish float on by.

Jude hated the seagulls. He liked them at first, but when they swarmed the goldfish he had dropped in the sand, he freaked out. "Bird! Bird!" He yelled at them, spit at them, but still they grabbed the goldfish and ignored all his gestures.

After 2 hours, we called it a day. Sandy and a little toasty, we came home, all took a nap and then ate lots and lots of chicken pasta. And this.

This (banana peanut butter frozen yogurt) is heaven. But I'm never buying it again...or else I'd be 300 lbs.

And just because I didn't blog for a couple weeks, here are a couple pictures of the boys to catch you up on all their cuteness.

 It's just the usual. You know, driving cars...

...youtubin'....

...and growing out the 'fro. 

Few Words, More Pictures

We ate our first strawberry from the "kid garden." So far, it has been the only one, but more are growing! We also have a little tomato in the works and a fig.

The weather is hot; the days are long (but good). Last week the Therrells came for a visit. We missed out on the beach and the water park (boys got sick, of course!) but we did have some good eating, shopping and visiting. And the hubby and I squeezed in a couple much-needed dates! 

I was too lazy to caption all the pictures.

But, the point is we had fun. 

A picture is worth a thousand words, after all!

Kid Garden: Part 1

I started the kid garden today. It's not really ALL a garden, but I don't know what else to call it. Andrew hauled the lumber over from the vacant lot and sadly about half of it was rotten, so it took me a good thirty minutes playing around with different designs and figuring out where to "build" it. Finally I just decided on a basic square and put it in the shade, near the sand table.

 I made a dirt section with toy animals and cars, then there is the flower section (mostly pretty weeds in jars that we can collect and replace every few days), the water table and a little area that is waiting for a tomato plant. I also want to add some rocks, sticks, windmills, a cute welcome sign and some flagstone in the entryway between the trees. But so far, so good! I hope the boys enjoy it.

Maddox and his telescope. 

I had one extra piece of wood so I staked it in the ground and the boys love their new "balance beam." They stand on the stump, wait for the "ready, set, go," and then the wobble across to the finish line. 

Please excuse the fact that Maddox is wearing a pajama top with cargo shorts. It was pretty early. In fact, I was bra-less and wearing Andrew's flip-flops and my sweatpants. Hopefully the neighbors didn't look too close. 

a garden fit for a kid

I worked in the yard all weekend. It was hours of blood, sweat, and tears. Maybe that is a little dramatic, but I have the scratches and splinters (thank you knockout roses) to prove it.

Our yard is big and needs a lot of work. It will take time to get it how I want it, but I've started the gardening thing and now I can't stop. Today the boys watched me when they needed a break from the pool, sprinkler and their quickly melting ice cream cones.

They were very tempted to pull at my flowers, "help" me dig (picture Jude lifting the giant shovel in a mere 1/2 second) and play in the dirt. But of course, I had to say, "Don't pull my flowers! Leave them alone! Go play!"

And then tonight, the thought hit me. I should make them their own little garden, where they can help and go crazy and do what they want to do. There is a perfect spot next to where they love to play. And there is even an already-built flower bed behind the vacant lot next to us that I am going to move to our yard. (It's not stealing! The house burned down three years ago so no one lives there.)

I'm thinking of getting some edible plants, putting some rocks in there, just making it eclectic and cute. I am more excited about doing a kid garden than my grown up garden! Here's some ideas I found online. Pretty cute, huh? Stay tuned.

My Little Sickies

Maddox thinks that all doctors are supposed to blow you big soap bubbles because, well, his doctor (Dr. Rigby) does it - each and every time we visit. But today we had to see Dr. Sheldon and there were no bubbles. What a letdown! But I think the Elmo sticker cheered Maddox up. And Jude, while sick with the same snotty/coughing thing, has never quit smiling. He smiles when he tries to blow his nose (see below), when he runs away from us at the doctor's office, when he steals my guacamole at Moe's, when he tries to climb out the shopping cart. 

Yep.

Always getting into mischief...and smiling about it.

I made a very primitive chart to keep up with all the medicines the boys were prescribed. They each have THREE, for a total of six medicine bottles in my cabinet and fridge. And of course they have a different dose for each bottle.

Tomorrow, Andrew is on dayshift and that means I get to conquer breakfast alone. I'm prepared, though. I have the coffee ready to go (very important step), the sippies filled, the quiche cooking, and my clothes laid out. Did I mention that the roofers are coming at 7:30 am?

Hmm, I think it is time to redo the boys' silhouettes. Jude has a neck now. 

The time is flying by, isn't it?