Swimming' With the Dauphins {Island}

Last summer we did the mountains for our vacation. The kids missed the beach so we made it happen this year. We decided to try something new--
Dauphin Island, Alabama. But first, a pit stop along the way.

We love when Grannie gets to make memories with us!

Getting there is half the fun. Give these 3 kids a luggage cart and they can have hours of entertainment.

And a swimming pool. Plus a few games of Marco Polo.

Finally--the beach!!

The beach wouldn't be the beach without burying someone in the sand.

After the surf and the sand we always hit the pool!

Daisy and Grannie spent some time practicing their show.

Nightfall means crab hunting! 

 We have gotten pretty good at catching them, but we were smart enough to know not to pick this big guy up. The big guys pinch hard!

Shower, sleep, repeat.

Lijee and I spent an afternoon making a sand castle with a large moat.

The donut floats were a hit.

Wuv. Twue wuv.

Daisy and I love to search for cool shells together.

We got a warning that the water was filled with sting rays that had put a couple people in the ER. Apparently it is not common for that beach; lucky us. We were scared at first, but shuffled our feet when we walked. Fortunately we avoided the sting rays. Here was a dead one that floated up on shore.

Unfortunately Lijee got a little too close to a jellyfish and got a little sting. All six of us were in the water at the time. I grabbed Elijah and rushed to the shore. Daisy was stuck on Grannie's pink floatie and was freaking out. She was straddled on top of the tube on all fours, screaming. As the floatie reached the shore it bumped and she fell over the front onto the sand, screaming the whole time. Zeke and I got a good laugh from it. Aww, good memories.

One afternoon Zeke, Daisy and I decided to go for a jet ski ride.

Here we are, out on the ocean.

Zeke wanted to take a turn driving.

Daisy was a little nervous, but she gave it a go, too. 

While we were out jet-setting, Daddy and Lijee took a tour of Historic Fort Gaines.

Fort Gaines is one of the key sites in the famous Battle of Mobile Bay where Admiral Farragut shouted his now-famous order, "Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!" The fort has original cannons, a blacksmith shop, kitchens, and tunnels.

We joined them once we were finished.

It was hot out there touring the fort, so time to take a quick pool break.

Daisy and Grannie, aka "The Flip Girls," put on a fabulous show for us.

You guessed it--I found time to take some pictures. I forced the family to take pictures.

Daddy and his girl.

Mommy and her boys.

There were some pesky little bugs out, and this is how everyone felt about pictures with pesky little bugs flying about:

My Daiser hung with me despite the bugs.

I love my girl.

Enough is enough, and even Daisy got tired of posing.

Our last night a big rainstorm rolled in just as we were about all packed up. Beautiful rainbow afterwards.

My people.

Because Science

Our church does these backyard family gatherings after the evening service throughout the summer. This particular one spoke to my science nerds.

At first glance you may see this periodic table of elements chart and think that Lijee is just at home in my bedroom, but he is actually at church.

Professor Zeke was busy mixing some crazy concoction.

Country Time

Summer wouldn't be summer without a visit to the grandfolks'. At least that's what the kids told me.

I scheduled time for a mini-photo session.

The boys weren't as into it as I was.

But I can always talk Daisy into pictures.

We also had some fun cousin time with Reika.

I caught Koko resting.

I also sat down and eavesdropped on the humming birds.

Grampa took us out to check out the longhorn they lodge in the pasture for the summer.

It does city kids good to spend some time in the country.

Abe With The Ring In Jamaica

Fifteen years in!

My bestie and I celebrated 15 years of wedded bliss. We celebrated with our favorite people, which happen to be the people we created.

To celebrate we played Clue. Not even the real deal, but the Simpson's Clue. #keepinitclassy

It's not about what we did on the 28th of July, 2018. It's about what we did on the 28th of July 15 years ago, and what we have done since. I'm pretty satisfied with it.

The Things We Do For Our Kids

If Disney is the happiest place on Earth, it's possible that Hurricane Harbor is the nastiest. But we have free passes with our Six Flags, so I go with the kids once a summer.

The day started good.

But sometime after lunch attitudes took a turn south. This picture was shortly after Mommy lectured them on acting entitled.

This is really what their attitudes were. For real, the staged picture was the smiley one.

On a happier note, we played a lot of games this summer. Ticket To Ride was a family fave.

Elijah often wore his new hat.

Divin' Into Summer

Put your hands up is you love summer!

 Another summer, another round of swimming lessons.

 The bigs worked on diving off the blocks.

 The first day Zekers went he told me he lost the ability to have a family when he landed on the water. #LOL

 Cannon balllll!