Last day - Day 365 - Sleepover

My sister and her family are coming to visit for a long weekend to help me celebrate my 40th birthday.  We decided to give her two little boys our boys' rooms, so we set the kids up in our room with two mattresses and all their stuffed animals, etc.  They were SO excited!!  My youngest has never slept in our room with us (well, except for when he was an infant and when we go camping and all sleep in the tent), so he was thrilled!  They were so cute, and my youngest secretly asked if they could wear "matching jammies" for the occasion.  :)  I could hear them giggling and whispering in the room for a good half hour before they fell asleep.  It was precious....good stuff.  This picture will mean so much to me and the boys one day.  What a way to end my One Photo a Day, 365 day blog.  

My little sandbox monster

My son just absolutely loves playing with his trucks in the sandbox on our porch.  :)

My son's special party

Last night, my son's best friend's family had a special party for him because they probably won't be able to make it to his birthday party next week.  How thoughtful and sweet!  We had a campfire and roasted sausages for dinner, the kids played, and then we had homemade cupcakes.  The kids had a blast.  This is my son surrounded by his friends getting ready to blow out his #8 candle.  I tried something cool partly accidentally and party on purpose: I hand held the camera (didn't have my flash or tripod), used a really slow shutter speed, and then held as still as possible to keep the faces crisp but create a funky, light-show effect with the Christmas lights that surrounded us in the trees.  It worked - pretty neat!

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.