In the summertime...

Our goal most days around here is to make it through the day with lots of laughs, lots of fun and lots of good memories. Some days we have to squeeze in 'work' time which results in a lot of responses like, "I can't right now" "Give me just a few more minutes" "Mommy needs a few minutes to do some work" "Daddy needs to get this finished before he can play", and things like that which we both hate saying to the boys. Working out of the home is very tricky at times like this when we want to play but we have to work a little too. I can't do all my work between the hours of 8pm-2am. I try sometimes.. but I just can't keep that going. 

Add to this the fact that the boys don't go (and won't be going) to school outside of the home for a good chunk of time during the workdays means we have to find a rhythm that works for all. Most days I think we are doing pretty well, this one with the game of catch in their room was one of them :) 

I love Emit's posture in the one above :) He's ready...for what exactly, I don't know, but he's ready :) 

Had to get some jumping shots, just for fun, and of course they are naked underneath the shirts, so thanks to Photoshop these are safe for public viewing :) 

Emit was a little late on the jumping cue, but they had fun still. 

The first week in June Dallas flew to Atlanta to spend the weekend with his mom, dad, grandfather (D), brothers and sisters attending a Neil Diamond concert! Neil goes way back with this family, and I was glad they all got to go to the concert together. I knew it would be tight on us if the boys and I tried to go, and I felt like Dallas could probably have a little more fun reminiscing with his family without having to worry about me having a good time at the concert. From the sounds of it they had a blast!! Dallas got to spend the rest of the weekend in Birmingham with Jeremy, Heather, Mason, April, Olivia, Luke & Levi. Lots of little ones for sure, but Uncle Dallas had fun hanging out with them all and getting to meet Levi. I still haven't met him, and have barely spent time with Luke & Olivia. Feel like I know little Mason a little more because I see him more and have their blog to follow. I've said it before... the hardest part about being in Exuma is living so far away from family. 

The boys were waiting for Daddy to land at the 'hairport' with their paper airplanes. I'm sure I've mentioned the coconut tree that they beg to play at every time we go to the airport. 

Summer time brings on our fun afternoon thunderstorms. They rarely are anything to that get out of control, so it's always kind of refreshing when they come along. We were eating lunch at Palm Bay when this water spout popped up in the harbor. It got pretty big, but I'm pretty sure everyone 'weathered' it without any damage. It reminds me of living out in Kansas as a little girl seeing the thunder and lightning storms out there for miles and miles at a time. It was nice because I was in the shelter of the restaurant as this one came in, not sitting out under a shade tarp at my campsite :) 

The boys get so excited when we go to Palm Bay for lunch. 

They love to play with the toys and draw on this little table. Whenever they draw anything (on this table or at home, or anywhere) they have us close our eyes and 'don't look' when they draw it so they can draw the whole thing. Most of the things Joss draws us is hearts. He really likes to draw them when he's doing something he likes a lot. One of the first ones he drew me was at this table while we were having a lunch like this. Emit loves to draw "ovals". Not the letter O or circles, but ovals :) 

There is always one toy in the bunch that becomes the hit at that outting and they both want it the whole time... This little scuba guy was that one toy, this particular day. Next time it will be the 'kangaroo dinosaur', maybe. 

Can you see the AWESOME picture Joss drew on the table???? He drew our whole family!!!!!! I was so proud of this.... he's getting so creative with his drawings and so much more detailed. I still have to do a post on his artwork too. Sorry!

This scene below always seems to make me nervous. In the group get-together's I never quite seem to find just the right way to hang out. When it is just me with a group of women (rarely happens) I can hold my own, but throw the kiddos in there and I just am not the kind of mom that can sit back while my kids play and entertain themselves. I don't mean to say that in a 'self-righteous' kind of way at all. For starters, my boys rarely let me just sit and watch them play anyways. I have to get in there and play with them. And another reason is that I am still very cautious just letting my boys run free and do whatever they want, increase that by 100 when we're near the water. So, I always feel a bit awkward in these settings. I don't want to be a 'snob' that doesn't socialize, but I can't socialize while I supervise, and I don't just want to supervise, I want to play with my kids, and the list goes on. See what a mess this gal is!?!?!

We had fun though playing over on Stocking Island. I think this was for Lyndsay's b-day. The boys had a blast jumping off this dock, that was about 6 inches above the water :) 

My sweet little Emit! I am so jealous of his eyelashes. This picture doesn't even do them justice, but they really are quite beautiful.

Emit gets spooked really easy with all sorts of things. Cartoons, songs, voices, he is very particular about things most of the time. This one cartoon called Fireman Sam that came with a Thomas the Train & Bob the Builder combo pack scares him to bits. He'll start crying soon as he hears the song if he's not expecting it. I'm not sure what it is that scares him so much about it, but I think it is all the chaos and sirens and loud fire alarms and things that do it. If I'm reading something in a voice he doesn't like, or if I'm playing with them and get too loud he'll tell me, "use your soft boyce (voice) momma, shhh soft boyce". Bless him, he knows he's got a loud momma already. 

One proud Daddy with his little swimmer :) He's teaching him to dive little by little. Joss was so excited the other day that he saw down about 4-5 feet and touch a sea fan. He just squeals with delight. Every time he sees a fish he gets excited and squeals too, reminds me of his mom with that one!

Sporting my Mother's Day gift from Dallas and the boys above. My very own "Ana White" tool belt. Girly and SOOOO handy. It is so much better than the cheapo one I had before, and looks so much cuter than the heavier duty ones you can get. Plus, it was made by a fellow DIYer that is teamed up with Ana White... 3 for 3 in my book. It is full of sawdust just the way I like it!

Sailing with the boys has gotten much more enjoyable. Emit used to get really nervous with the tipping and leaning, but now he wants to sit with Joss like a big boy and loves to pretend he's fishing with the lines and ropes on the boat while we sail along. Their favorite one to use for 'fishing' is the line attached to the leeboards. So whenever we have one side up that is the side they can 'fish' from. By fish I mean throw the rope and handle in the water and giggle and the gurgling sound the handle makes going through the waves. :)

"Oh Captain, my Captain!" 

Joss is on a constant search for starfish or anything really interesting. His favorite spot is way up front on the bow like this, or another spot you'll see in a minute....

All swimmed out and ready for a sail back home, isn't he handsome :) 

Joss loves to take the camera in the water casing and snap away. Some turn out pretty cute. I do NOT like this shot of me below, but for 'documenting' sake it was the best one he took too of us. He took quite a few trying to get a decent one (or half way decent).

Ahh, that's where the camera should point :) 

And now we have JOSS SAILING ALL BY HIMSELF!!!!!! And eating a cracker, of course, captains need a snack too you know. 

"All systems, a okay!" This one got posted on the American Sailing Association's FB page too. He's going to be sailing better than me before long. I'm trying to stay ahead of him, but I know it's only a matter of time. 

Stay tuned... our visit with CC & Poppy coming soon :)