Back to the Blue

It is always nice getting back home after a few weeks away. The boys were so excited to see their daddy again. A couple times during our trip they would come up to me all sad saying, "I miss my Daddy." Now I get to hear them doing the same thing for CC....that's the struggle with living apart I suppose, always someone to miss. 

 We went out sailing one day right after we got home and the boys and I were so happy to be back on the water... 

 About a day after I got home, I had a call for some headboards. A lady ordered 4 of these, and she just now ordered 2 more in a different size. I was very happy with the way they turned out. It was a hectic time because I was trying to finish up Joss' bed for Ana White and then Jeremy & Heather & Mason were coming to visit. Not that it was hectic because company was coming, but I had a mess everywhere I turned, and unfortunately I did not get it taken care of before they came. 

 Luckily, when company is in town, we're usually only at the house for a little while. There are often other activities we try to do :) 

 I love this shot of Joss and Dallas counting under water. He's holding his breath with daddy... and getting to be such a big boy. He'll be spearing before we know it!

 Emit loves hats... he'll find them all the time and put them on. 

 Joss snapped these next couple of photos... not too bad either, he'll be passing mommy in photography skills in no time also!

 Mason was more than happy to give Joss a big smile :) 

 Dallas and Jeremy went for an overnight fishing trip/work run while they were in town. We needed some boats towed back from Staniel Cay, and it was such a struggle to get the brothers to tag team that 'work' and turn it into and overnighter. That said, here's part of their bloody weekend.

Biggest Mahi Mahi to-date for us! Not bad boys...

 Not bad at all! Yes, that look of strain they have is from holding up that big ole fish :) 

Man, I feel like these days right now are slipping by so quickly and that I'm not remembering to 'sticky-note' all my moments to put on here. Joss and Emit are so crazy, so funny, so ornery, so sweet, so spoiled, so smart and SO many other things all at once! I can't keep up with them most days. I try my best, but there are many days that I feel like I haven't played with them enough, I haven't loved on them enough, I haven't given them enough of ME, but on the same note there are many days when I feel like I have given them everything I had that day. 

 Emit has the sweetest way of asking questions. And trust me... these guys ask a TON of questions. Our friend Andrew S. is here right now helping Dallas run a trip, and he was listening to the boys run through their list of questions and responses to something the other day. His response to all their many questions was, "Well, they are all legitimate questions." And they are, I have to give them that. They don't just ask WHY anymore, it has specifics attached to it now. 

 Just as an example of Emit's phrasing, when we were on the airplane he saw all the action going on outside the windows and he said, "dat hairplane moving...how?" Meaning, 'How is that airplane moving?' Or "the truck stop, why?" "it's raining harder, why?" "the power came back on, how?" 

 Playing at our beach and what did we see swimming a few yards away....A dolphin :) I know it isn't a very close shot, but it was pretty close. We don't see many in the bay off our beach, so this was a treat. Jeremy & Heather & Mason were there to enjoy it as well. 

 Dallas was doing a little 'strip tease' for me :) HA HA, gotcha babe!! Ah the joys of seeing your sweetheart in a swimsuit all the time ;) wink wink

 This is how we roll with potty training on the island....

 Bro Code, Article 2012: Bros can only work on their tans together if they are in fact Bros :) 

 Joss saying hi to Toothless and Hiccup in the 'Dragon Cave' over on Mystery Beach.

 Joss and Emit get into an argument every single night almost over who gets to get out of the bath tub first. Silly, right, but apparently to a 2 and 4 year old it is pretty serious business. Well, I mentioned that we should make a chart so that we knew whose turn it was to get out each night to stop the fighting. Soon as I mentioned a chart Joss got super excited! Seriously, I've got to make more charts because this kid loves them. It's called "Me First!" because that's what they would race to shout to see who got out first. All it has is boxes with a J and E in them and each night we put an X over the one that got to go first, then we know who goes the next night. Not all my charts have worked like this one, but this sucker has been golden! Joss loves to look at it (it is hanging up right outside the tub) and tell me who gets to go, and then of course marking the X is big deal too. He'll look and see that "E" gets to go first tonight and he'll say, "I'm not going to cry or get mad since the chart says it is Emit's turn." Tell me he's not a smart little booger!

 Emit had so much fun running back and forth with Daddy in these waves :) 

 Run Away (said in my best Halo alien voice)!!!! The water was actually a bit chilly, so he really was running from the cold :)  

 These kind of pictures make for a fun background for our praise and worship sets that I do for church :)

 He's playing hard-to-get with his smile right here.

 Never lasts too long though :)

 We have a very sweet morning routine going these days. The little 'bug' clock I got them back at Christmas lights up around 7:30am (which is awesome!!!). Sometimes they wake up and start chattering before then. Some mornings it is really sweet pillow talk, but then there are some mornings that just seem to start off with bickering. So, we've started the routine now that when the bug lights up at 7:30, they come and get in bed with us. Joss tends to sleep a little longer than Emit every now and then, but we wait for them both to get in bed with us and then we read a little bible devotional for toddlers. Then we pray together and THEN we all get up and get going. Some days go a little sweeter than others, but at least we are trying to start it off on the right foot. 

 This is another view of Mystery Beach on Stocking Island. I want us to kayak around to this beach in the summer to do a little family camp-out. Could be fun :) 

 The always fun, swings over at Chat-n-Chill. 

 I took the boys over to Palm Bay the other day for a little lunch date when Dallas was out on one of his many trips lately. They felt so special to be going to a restaurant during the middle of the day. Palm Bay has a pool table and they get so excited to play the 'ball game' when we go in there. They each got to help me load the quarters and then we watched the balls fall down the side. Watching the balls zigzag on the side is Joss' favorite part, but Emit gets heartbroken when the balls go down the pocket and don't come back out. I had to talk him out of carrying about four balls off with him. He was very fragile and on the verge of tears at the thought of me returning the balls to their home with the rest of them, and then our food came and they were given a small swig of coke :) Phew, crisis averted for the time being!

 While we were eating lunch we were the only ones in the restaurant and the manager was making the boys feel extra special. He brought them chalk to draw on the kids chalk tables and then he even found these little toy dinosaurs, army men, horses, little things like that and the boys thought it was Christmas all over again :) Joss was so sweet when they were drawing with the chalk on the table. He asked me to show him how to draw a heart. So I did. And then he drew me a heart and said, "This means I love you mommy!" I think he was having fun on our mommy-sons lunch date! May just have to repeat that one :) 

 I love Emit's little feet above!

 All of the boys took a turn with their daddy pushing them in the swing :) 

 I've got more pics to come and more stories of my stinkers to tell. Thanks for listening :)