playing at the pool

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

cocoa beach

Even though I am not a “beach  person”,

I just loved watching the kids.

cousins

They could hardly wait to get down to the lake.

     

The pit crew was busy off and on. They were amazing with their positive attitudes and muscle power teaming up for successful launches all day long.

Very little  sleeping was taking place either in a bed or under the pool table, which is their favorite place to crash.

quilt for #3

Melanie and I like to do projects together. This one has been waiting for a long time. Nolan has been sharing Truman’s quilt

and Elliot’s quilt

  

for over a year now.

 

So, with our plans posted on the laundry room board and three little ones about, we pursued our plan for Nolan’s quilt.

 

I think he’s going to love it!

goodbye to the big one

When we  moved to Florida, I asked Doug to buy waverunners. I didn’t think I could manage a boat, but I wanted to teach my girls to ski. That was 14 years ago. I didn’t imagine then how much fun they would be or what a huge part they would play in our family life and traditions.

We wanted to name the two of them after a famous couple. We all thought of possibilities, but no one was able to lobby their personal favorite into reality, so they have always been “the big one” and “the little one”.

My favorite memories include

• learning how to drive them and ride them without sucking up the rope
• teaching a lot of people how to ski
• early mornings when it was only us and the dolphins
• checking the girls out of school to come and play with me
• eating pancakes when we came home no matter what time of day it was
• tucking Brianna in between us when she was a teeny tiny three year old and heading out for the day
• being stiff and sore but also very tan
• having their own place here at the Birdhouse
• and, of course, the joy of  a ski run

For the past so many years, we have wondered if they would fire up again. They did again this year, but then, the steering cable broke on “the big one”. While we were debating whether to try and fix it, again, and talking about how difficult it was getting to start, which was becoming a real process in it’s old age, it began to sink. Luckily, it was just off shore and we made a hasty rescue. However, it was only momentary because we had to admit, it was time to say goodbye.

I shed a tear, it is true. I will miss that inanimate object that has been the making of so many memories and so much fun. But already our Courtney has christened the replacement--

the new one

It is for our next generation of skiers and players and memory makers.

happy days

Papa went fishing with Tru and Elliot. Truman had remembered exactly what his fishing pole looked like from two years ago and although that pole was carried off to the dump in our garage cleaning extravaganza last year, Walmart still makes the same pole, which delighted a little fisherboy.  

Truman loves harvesting whatever is available and right now it’s a pineapple.

 

 

The tube rides were really fun, especially listening to the very delighted and excited laugh from Elliot as it bumped along. He asked for more bumps and when Truman learned that a “thumbs up” means go faster, he gave the signal…wahoo!

That cool boogie board that Truman got for his birthday is getting some lake use and practice before we take it to the beach.

  

Spencer hadn’t skied for a couple of years, but he remembered it all, impressing his sons who stopped all other activities to watch and clap for their dad.

 

These two boys came up with some impressive teamwork to haul this chair down two flights of stairs. Just at the last minute baby Nolan wanted to join in the effort…in a couple of years baby.

 

 

Truman loves cruising with his Papa.

Elliot loves teasing right back…Papa wanted a kiss, Elliot wanted bullets. They would go on and on…

Bullets!

Kiss!

Bullets!

Kiss!

 

…each demanding to have their want met first.

 

 

The boys hung out in the bathtub this afternoon when the tropical rains ruined their “back to the lake” plans after lunch.

celebrations!

Melanie’s family finally made it to the Birdhouse after an unplanned stayover in Atlanta. The first order of business was to celebrate EVERYBODYS birthday, but Truman got the cake. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

june garden

Sometimes I think that my garden looks prettier on the blog than it does in person. But that is not the case today. The garden is very pretty at the moment with lots of blooms to share on the blog. Of course, the temperatures and humidity are keeping me inside much more and enjoying the garden from the windows.

The lantana is in bloom all over the place. I would say that there are dozens of bushes that have propagated themselves all over the property through the years and we have lantana in every color. I was quite pleased that a black buzzing thing made a quick last second jump into the picture. It is a humming-buzzing time of year.

The herbs are quite happy in spite of the heat. The oregano is in bloom again. It grows like a weed in my garden and is therefore underappreciated.

I

This is the first birdcage that we ever bought. It is a wonderful rusty old thing that hangs in the garden, filled for the past couple of months with this pretty flowering plant.

 

 

 

 

I loved the echinacea (purple coneflower)  so much last year. I don’t know much about dividing plants, but since I had two of these I pulled one up and ripped it apart in the spring. I have my first bloom on one of the plants, but all three of the bushes are set to show with many blooms.  Soon the butterflies will be constant attendees. I think I will try the ripping thing again.

 

 

Yarrow

 

 

Butterfly bush

 

 

Purple Fan flower

 

 

 

 

We haven’t seen orchids for many months now. I was seriously worried about it. Then last week, I noticed that she was expecting septuplets!

 

The jasmine vine which was very late this year is still blooming profusely. The foxglove has started to send up flower spikes. I am hoping the black-eyed Susan’s will decide they like their new home.

A small stand of sunflowers is beginning show off.

The birds did find and seem to be enjoying the new feeder. I think this picture is so funny. I guess this blue jay is having a look to see if he likes what is on offer.