Buddies

We have tree frogs!

Just hanging around

Cool in their shades

My boys

Decorating with my babies

Family :)

Thanksgiving

Lions, Giraffes, and Rhinos Oh My!

Jupiter

Jacksonville

We went over from Jacksonville by ferry to Fort Clinch in Amelia Island to explore the beaches and nature trails today.  It was very overcast and cloudy, but we made the best of it and had a lot of fun all together!  Here is one shot of the beach by the fort.

Jacksonville Foam

Erich and I drove up to Jacksonville today to spend a couple days with my brother-in-law and his girlfriend. It was COLD and windy, and the waves were big and messy.  The boys couldn't go surfing, but we biked up to the beach anyway.  There was sea foam all over the beach - it was really beautiful!   

Nothing better than cousins :)

Is there anything better than hanging out and laughing with your cousins?  The sound of the kids' giggles was awesome tonight.  :)

PreK Thanksgiving

I spent the morning volunteering in my younger son's PreK/VPK class. They had their Thanksgiving celebration.  Our day included lots of circle time and special centers with some playtime outside and a big feast to end the day.  Here's my son checking out his painted hand after making turkey hand prints. :)  

Beautiful night on the beach

Tonight, it was a beautiful evening at the beach!  After the sun set, the sky and water turned gorgeous pinks and blues.  I saw this heron peacefully walking along the shore as I was driving out of the park and pulled over to quickly take his picture. :)

My little reader

This boy loves to read!  He reads at every opportunity... How cute is he in his alien jammies reading his magazine in his room?  Ugh....  

Boys on their way to school

I couldn't help stopping the boys on their way down the stairs this morning to take their picture.   They were so adorable! They just happened to be wearing matching clothes.  My husband was all worried about being late and I think I made him mad when I said I wanted to snap their photo, but I felt compelled to capture the moment.  I sometimes stop with a jolt when I realize that they are both in school now...they are growing up so fast.  This is something that you hear everyday: "They grow up so fast".  But, it is scarily true.  I need to figure out a way to stop time or at least to enjoy every single moment and soak it all up to the max.  It is such good, precious, invaluable time....life is so fleeting.  The good stuff goes by so fast....it is really a crime to miss even a second of it with stress, worry, or "small stuff".  If there is one thing I need to practice, it is living in the present because the present is so GOOD. :)

Making autumn cookies

Today the kids and I made "autumn cookies".  They rolled the dough, cut, scooped, and decorated them almost completely by themselves.  It was impressive. :)  The cookies came out great, and they're yummy! :)

Brothers playing

My sons had a little jam session today on the porch.  Can you even imagine anything cuter?  I literally almost killed myself running into the house to get my camera while my husband was grilling dinner behind me.  SO cute!

Birthday party fun

We spent the afternoon at my son's close friend's house for his 8th birthday party.  The highlights of the day were the "donut contest" where the kids had to race to see who could finish eating the donuts hanging from a tree by fishing line the fastest and the "spit ball" game where the kids got to go crazy blowing these small balls out of these tubes at each other (and me).  They were hilarious.  They all ganged up on me at one point, and I got attacked!  Ah....all for the pictures. :)

Playing in the sandbox in jammies

My son loves the sandbox on our porch. He plays in it every day...and makes a total mess.  Today he insisted on going out there in his pj's and his home depot apron (don't ask) after his nap... Here he is playing with the broom (since I was sweeping off all the sand that he was depositing on the porch).  

Tissue crafts

When we went to the Butterfly Garden yesterday, I bought a tissue paper craft box for the boys.  They LOVED it!  They did all the crafts today!  They were enthralled: at least one and a half hours went by with almost total peace and quiet!  I need to get more of these tissue art crafts! ha ha!  I now have to find a place to hang and display them all.  They're really beautiful!

Key West Butterfly Garden

So my older son has pink eye....ugh!!! I had to keep him home from school for two days to give the eye drops (antibiotics) time to do their thing.  So, I decided to take the boys down to the Key West Butterfly Garden.  

We had so much fun!  The kids were so interested in learning all about the life cycle of a caterpillar and how it turns into a butterfly.  My older son is an expert...a bounty of knowledge on the topic, but my little one was such a sponge.  He kept running over to check out the chrysalises and shouting, "Oh my GOODNESS!".  Just melt me...

  
We also saw two turtles, and a bunch of gorgeous finches and hummingbirds.  What a great trip! I love spending the day with these little boys.  I wish I could stop time for awhile....

Floating in the tub

This is my silly goose floating on his back in the tub tonight.  He likes to yell "What?!" and pretend he can't hear me when his ears are under the water in the soap suds.  What a goofball. 

Our cutie at the dinner table

Tonight, after my younger son ate dinner, he just sat with his head in his hands staring at his Daddy finishing his meal.  I would have loved to have known what he was thinking as he watched his father with such curiosity.  So sweet.

Sunset behind the pines

Tonight the sun set an early earlier due to Daylight Savings Time.   I had the chance to catch the sun sinking below the pines just in time.  The sky was so red....just beautiful!!!

Trains in the yard

My husband helped the boys set up the train set that Opa gave them in the yard this afternoon.  They had so much fun watching it go around their slide while they played. :)  

Boys playing Wii

The boys got a new Wii game today and had a great time snow skiing with their Daddy down  the mountain in their own little world. :)  My younger son is really starting to get the hang of it too.  SO cute!

Climbing

My sons love to climb this rope in our yard.  They fight over it all the time.  Seriously?  My husband built them this amazing fort and all they want to do is climb the rope?  Silly boys.  Guess we might need 2 ropes in the yard, Daddy.....