My heart flew to Nassau...then jumped off the docks!

With the Sailing Club came need for fundraisers! Of course, none of the people that have the passion to work with the kids and run the club are filthy rich (money-wise anyway), so the Club is always working on raising funds and support. These boats take a lot to maintain (I have seen the countless hours Dallas has put into them with repairs, so take my word for it)!

They took this one over to Stocking Island so we could try to get some of the winter resident boaters involved. They did pretty good. Didn't raise a ton of money on this event, but each one established them a little deeper with the community as a group that is working hard and making things happen. 

The kids had a ball and for many of them, this was their first time over to Stocking Island... I can't imagine that! Living on this island your whole life and never going to the beautiful island maybe a mile across the harbor! So crazy!

I'm guessing this was around Valentine's Day last year :) These were our little crafts in school. And the Barbie images are because Joss was mad that Barbie only had ducktape for clothing, so he begged me to make her some new clothes. I did what I could with what I had and he was thrilled :)

Nana & Papa had been asking for the boys to come and spend a couple days in Nassau, and our friend and neighbor, Ann Ligon was taking her 7 year old on a school track meet for a couple days in Nassau. So, it worked out well for us to try out the separation thing! My boys love her son, Mason, and they stayed with them at Nana & Papa's house, but they didn't really see them except for at night while they were there. The boys got to go to the pool, the zoo, ice cream, ice cream cake, soda, chips (you get it???) They had a blast! I on the other hand couldn't hardly breathe watching them get on a plane without me...

Dallas and I stood at the airport until we couldn't see the plane any longer and neither one of us liked the feeling we had. It was very strange! While they were away, I stayed as busy as I could on one project or another. 

 Here I was trying my hand at making my own bun feet for my new desk. Worked pretty good. And each one I made for free out of scraps I tallied the total cost of what I would have had to pay in the states or Nassau and get them here (and all the headache that goes with it). Exuma forces us to be DIYers, but I also very much love that extra little boost out of necessity to make something instead of just running out and buying it. 

My little furry helper never leaves my area when I'm working on the porch (unless our vicious neighbors come calling to say hi or just walk in their driveway--crazy dog)! She gets completely covered in sawdust and does not frighten at the saws, drills, sanders...the vaccuum runs her off, but other than that she's my trusty watch dog :) 

This project is very dear to my heart. A few months ago I read the book "Praying Circles Around Your Children" by Mark Batterson and LOVED it! Seriously, it is a super easy and short read, if you haven't read it.. give it a go. So, this little project was to serve as a reminder of prayers we're praying over them as they grow. Specific prayers, characteristics, verses and so forth. I asked our family (grandparents, aunts, uncles) to send us some verses that they wanted to use. My hope is that the family that sent them over will be mindful of the verses they shared and will help us lift our children up and surround them in prayer. I have all the bible verses written out for each word. They all mean something very special! 

These are hanging right above their side of the bed, and as they learn to read they will go to bed and wake up seeing these words of prophecy cheering them on. I plan to paint or print the bible verses and who it is from on the little rails on their bed so they can read those too. Most of them are from me and Dallas, but that's how it should be :) For the family that sent them in, please know how much it meant to us! 

 I know, random pig pictures huh!?!?! This was what Dallas was dealing with out on his trip around this time. This one lone pig on a big island managed to ransack his food supply and crush all of his eggs and eat all his vegetables for his 6 day trip (on day 2) so almost the entire week's supply of eggs and veggies that we had to replace. Have I ever told you that groceries, especially produce, is NOT cheap down here??? Talk about wanting to slaughter a pig. The lantern bags were the way a husband wished his wife Happy Birthday on the trip. Of course I had her some cupcakes too ;)

 These guys LOVE jumping off the docks! 

 They get so excited when we run down to the beach and tide is just right for jumping :) 

 "Ninjas shop. 

Ninjas chop.

Ninjas love to belly flllllllllloooooop!" 

excerpt from Hello Ninja (listen to the audio book--these guys LOVE it)

 Our crazy little dog has as much fun as they do!

 Another memorable afternoon on Hooper's Bay beach! One of my Happy Places ❣❣❣