Spring Break Simple Sweetness

My husband has been gone for a couple of days...I miss his handsome face. The kids have been soooo good though, the time hasn't dragged by. I've been full of energy and joy and have been truly delighting in my littles (it's easier to do that when you feel good.)
I got the little baby pool out that I've been saving since my last year clearance find (I think I got it for 4 dollars in September or something?) Anyways, it's always fun to have things stashed away that I forget are there..and then when everyones getting a teeny bit bored....bring the *newness* out with a smile. The kids acted like I had just shown them tickets to Disney World or something...they were that excited about water play.
I went to the kitchen and quickly whipped up a couple pans of blueberry muffins....running back and forth from the kitchen to the front porch so I could moniter my little screaming pool hoppers. The sweet baby bug stayed with his mama...helped lick the spoon and got to munch on pretzels.
My Brady boy has been doing INCREDIBLY well on his spring break. He is being so completely sweet and compliant and has been completely overtaken with creating "movie posters." He takes a piece of paper and draws some elaborate picture of a super hero and then titles it, always is sure to write how many seasons, how many episodes...and how many minutes each episode is. Before he shows it to me I have to guess the title (I get three guesses) and then how many seasons...and so on. It's pretty hilarious and his drawings are getting really good. I think he may have inherited a little bit of his mother's creativity...just maybe? AND another exciting thing to happen is that he got to ride a Spirit Horse at an autism awareness event we went to together this past Sunday. I wish SOOO badly I would have had my camera - he had such great posture and was so brave. The horses were incredibly gentle and beautiful...I would love to someday have him involved in some type of animal therapy....another little thing to add to my wish list for the future.
So, twas a sweet day that ended with muffins and lemonade. I have more good memories to stash away in my heart, and more to come tomorrow. Before bed Brady wanted to created a Woody Woodpecker costume so I'll be working on that in the morning, Trin gets to go to a sleepover, and in the evening I get to pick up my best friend.

Panama City Beach

Enough of the gloomy stuff...let's talk about something fun. Our trip to Panama City Beach...I'm happy to report...was a complete success! At first I was nervous (a constant character trait of mine) at the responsibility of taking care of four littles on a sandy beach. I mean....waves grabbing children and taking them out to sea, the sun wreaking havoc on their fair skin....grains of sand getting stuck in eyes...my mind definitely was prepared for the worst. Despite these fears that were nagging in the back of my brain...I continued telling myself "it's worth it...you'll have fun....good memories are to be made."

And good memories are indeed what we came away with. First of all...the weather was lovely. It was pretty hot...but that just made the water refreshing.

Last year at the beach, Brady was terrified of the ocean and said that the noise bothered his ears (the waves crashing.) This year he was a little nervous, but we just gradually worked with him and took him in slowly...then he would start standing next to us holding our hands...then not holding our hands - before we knew it he was swimming back and forth by himself. By the second day...Zac said (I was with my grandparents on the second day so didn't see for myself) that brady would go into the ocean by himself with Zac still sitting on shore. Success.

Aren't they such a cute group of people....ahhh...the fruit of my womb (except Zac, Mama C gets all the glory in that department.)

The warm sand in our toes is so very therapeutic...no wonder they make foot scrubs and such. God is indeed the master of creativity and design.

Part of the time little Finnster had to sit in his car seat with mama's wrap over him to block the sun. Let's just say that he "slept like a baby" that night from such and overdose of vitamin d. He didn't get sunburned at all...I'm a little hypersensitive about "too much sun" ever since my little basal cell episode a couple years ago. No new skin cancers for now, if you please....

His first time at the ocean....he was pretty mesmerized by the water.

And little Trinity, my surfer girl. She didn't actually "surf" but she looks like she could have! I loved the way her blond curls would get tousled and blown by the breeze...

The next morning we went for a walk on the shore to collect shells. A friend of ours gave Trin this little dress from Ecuador...it had the perfect two little front pockets for storing her treasures in.

Tristan loved the ocean so much the day before that when we went for our walk we had to strap him on Zac's back so that he wouldn't run into the water and get his clothes all wet.

Psalm 8:1-8

O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!
Your glory is higher than the heavens.
2You have taught children and infants
to tell of your strength,b
silencing your enemies
and all who oppose you.
3When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—
the moon and the stars you set in place—
4what are mere mortals that you should think about them,
human beings that you should care for them?c
5Yet you made them only a little lower than Godd
and crowned theme with glory and honor.
6You gave them charge of everything you made,
putting all things under their authority—
7the flocks and the herds
and all the wild animals,
8the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea,
and everything that swims the ocean currents.

Our tristan and his love for dirt...he was in heaven in the world's largest sandbox.

Vacation Part 2

Needless to say, I'm playing catch up. Catch up on the laundry...catch up on stocking the ol' fridge, catch up on "quiet quality time with the kids" (reading, crafts, just talking), and FINALLY catching up on uploading the 342 pictures from the last 5 days. Yikes.
Last time I wrote we had enjoyed a nice day at the beach and were feasting on meatloaf. Wednesday we were going to go to the beach again...I was making breakfast for all and then Zac and I with Mama C were going to take all of the clan (minus Andy and Kristi) to the beach. Tristan had been playing in his Tupperware cabinet that Kristi so generously gave to him to explore...when I heard the most horrible terrifying scream ever. I looked down to see Tristy at my feet with blood surrounding him....so horrible. After yelling for Zac to come quick and trying to figure out the location of the blood flow...turns out it was coming from his finger (I thought it was coming from his face since he had wiped blood all over his neck.) It was determined that he would need stitches so Zac and I just ran out of the house and left before Mama C got there. In retrospect maybe not such a good idea leaving five kids alone but Tristan's finger looked horrible so I didn't really think - so to speak. Five hours in the emergency room and 5 stitches later...all was well. It was really sad to see him being poked and prodded...he also received his first vaccine just because the doctors were "quiet concerned" and successfully put me in a corner. Oh well...I wanted him to have the tetanus vaccine...I just wanted to wait until after his second birthday.

Brady FINALLY was able to sit down with Granddaddy and show him his America book. This has been a much talked about event leading up to Florida time.

Thursday morning was party time. Kaitlyn was turning 7 so Kristi took all of the cousins to Chucke Cheese for a couple hours of over stimulating entertainment. I always feel so pushed around in that place...it's like there are always over 200 hundred kids (not really) that run around me, steal tokens and try to push my kids out of the way. I seriously feel my whole body start heating up in those places...but the kids loved it - kind of.

We had a little party that night with pizza and cake. I think Kaitlyn probably got everything and anything a little girl could ever wish to receive...we contributed Hannah Montana hair glitter and nail polish to the stash...she came out looking like a little punch rocker immediately after the party. I should have gotten a picture of that.

Friday was another sunny day at the beach and was GLORIOUS. Being there with so much family was really great not just because we got to spend time with them but ALSO because there was at least one time that Zac and I looked at each other and it was just us....no kids. We boogy boarded for at least 30 minutes together...I LOVED it! My first try I rode it in all the way to the shore...I was impressed with myself but Zac didn't see it.

Sometime I'll post about the last part of our trip. I say "sometime" just because I make no promises.

Today I've been busy catching up on laundry and have even done 'school' with Brady. It feels good to be back...a bit lonely though. I thought a lot last night about house things were before our vacation...lots of craziness and events that got Zac and I both out of our routine. I think it's ready to restore all of that...get back in the swing of things - start my simple creative living again...that's when I really do feel the most fulfilled. So...here's to a busy week...hopefully full of a little more structure and a little more family time....sweet moments with the tv turned off and our hearts turned on....candles lit with soft music....home made bread (finally) and maybe some freezer jam. I'm glad to be home....

Vacation Part 1

I feel extremely productive today...not that I've actually worked on anything...produced anything...baked anything (I did fry 2 eggs this morning) - but today i feel like "me." We are in Florida for a week visiting parents and siblings (grandparents and cousins to our littles.) Our beach experience this morning was a total success....no sunburns, no wailing or knashing of teeth, no shark attacks to be noted....Brady was quite concerned about being swept away by the ocean and was almost too content to be on the safe shore builing the best sand castle ever. Trini on the other hand LOVED the water and giggled as soon as she was the sea...and would NOT stop laughing with every splash and mouthful of salty water.

Zac's knee is healing but not well enough that he could get in the water...sniff sniff. We're having tons of fun with Andy's clan and the kids love their cousins and all the toys. Trin walked into her cousin Kaitlyns room and said "wow....there are toys EVERYWHERE!" Tristan slept through the night last night and at this VERY moment all three kids are asleep...and have been for a full 3 hours.

So...no floors have been swept today...no laundry done - BUT I feel productive in the sense of I have enjoyed the day...I have laughed without effort...true honest laughter that has started from my toes, crept up my body and spouted out of my mouth...I have enjoyed two cups of coffee uninterrupted and Mama C is coming over with cinnamon rolls and mashed potatoes and meatloaf....could life be sweeter?