Lovers Key State Park Sunset

My husband and I watched the most fabulous sunset tonight!  We had such a nice evening!  We walked really far up the beach and found this area with all these huge dead trees right on the sand!  It was so cool!  I was going crazy with my camera and tripod and setting up all sorts of shots while my hubby was playing with the panoramic setting on his smartphone.  :)  We spent so much time taking photos waaaaaaay after sunset that a FWC officer on a four wheeler sped down the beach to find us and kick us out!  ha ha!  (He was super nice - they were just waiting to lock the gate of the park since they saw our truck in the parking lot....ooops).  AWESOME night...just me and my sweetie!  

Six Mile Cypress Slough

Playing at Nani's

More camping

Camping

Christmas

Christmas Eve

New trees

Wrestling with Daddy

The kids don't thing there is anything better in the world than playing and wrestling with their Daddy after a great day.  :)

Conch Train Christmas Lights Tour

We had such a great family night tonight!  The kids and I picked up Daddy at work and drove to Key West to have a special, long-awaited dinner at the Outback Steakhouse.  Thanks to our brilliant son and his straight A's, we had two gift certificates from his school - one for a free kid's meal and one for a free appetizer! :)  After dinner, we met friends and went on the Conch Train for their Christmas Lights tour.  It was a really COLD, windy night!! We bundled up in winter jackets and hoods/hats, but it was great!   It felt so Christmasy - it really put us in the spirit!  We had a blast singing along with the Christmas music, and we cuddled in the cold while enjoying all the beautiful lights.  What sweet memories...

boys

My gymnast

I have been amazed at my son's progress at gymnastics over the last few months!  Today, I watched him do back handsprings by HIMSELF and couldn't have been more proud!!!  What an awesome thing to watch my child doing what I used to love so much as a child..... gives me goosebumps.

Goofballs at breakfast

Just hanging out in the tupperware

"Hawky"

Lucky and blessed

In the drawer

My son called me into his room today, and when I got there, I couldn't find him!  It was obviously a game of hide and seek... I looked in the usual places: closet, behind his armchair, etc and he was nowhere to be found.... I actually started to worry, and then from UNDER his bed, I heard a "Hi Mom!".  Suddenly the big drawer, that is normally used for his toys, legos, etc., pushed open and my son smiled up at me!  He was so cute - wrapped in a blanket, with a pillow and his lovie.  I asked if he was claustrophobic under there, but he said it was cozy and cool.   Priceless.... So, I ran to get my camera, of course. 

Our "pet"

My little rock star

Baby hawk

Proud of his reindeer candycane

My sons were home sick from school today so we made the best of it and did some Christmas crafts together. One of the crafts was to make reindeer candy cane ornaments.  It turned out I did most of the work since the hot glue gun was my job.  But, the kids held the candy canes for me while I fastened noses and eyes, and then they helped wrap antlers around their heads and hung all 14 of them up on the tree.  My younger son was particularly proud of our work. :)

Brothers under the Christmas tree

This is how I found the boys when I walked into the living room.  They were both lying under the tree looking up at all the ornaments and giggling/talking. Aren't children the BEST?  They crack me up and make me smile and remind me daily what a joy life is. :)  

Christmas cactus blooming

I love the time of year when my Christmas cactus blooms!  After all the rain this morning, I hurried out to take some closeups of one of the buds that had lots of water droplets dripping off of it.  I think these blooms are so beautiful!  :)

Dinner and a movie with friends

My little preschooler

I volunteered all morning in my younger son's preK class today.  I had a great time!  I read Christmas books to the children, helped with crafts, and got to watch my son participating throughout the day! It made me so happy to see him doing so well in school!  Here he is during snack time. :)

Brothers

Cloudy

No more frogs

Beautiful sunset with friends

Trains and Christmas trees