We've been around...

Just enjoying the summer...how about you? Lately our routine is to go swimming early in the morning, around 8, before the heat of the day and before the rest of the neighborhood decides it's a good day to swim too. We usually have the whole pool to ourselves until about 10 am, which is awesome! Then we come back, clean up, play for a bit before lunch and naps. What a life! I usually have to work later in the afternoon, so while they nap or before/after dinner. Even if I do, I've spent so much time with them earlier in the day I don't feel guilty any more for having to take time out to work. So glad we finally worked out a schedule for Florida living!

Last Sunday we went to St. Andrews State Park with our neighbors. John, Darcy and Garrison have a boat so they rode over to the beach and docked. It was very relaxing..the adults sat in the water and chatted while the kids played on the sand dunes just next to the water, snorkeled and tried to catch fish. There were stinging jellyfish about that day, which sucked, but they weren't too bad. Carson, a few of the other kids, and John all got stung but it went away pretty quickly. Then we went for a boat ride with John and the kids...that was awesome! The boys just love being out on the waves, and they aren't scared a bit. They love bouncing on the waves and all the wind--Trevor kept yelling "Go faster John!" :)

We were on the lookout for dolphins and saw a small group of them that weren't interested in us so we kept going. Reed and Garrison jumped off for a bit of a swim and I'm embarrassed to say I had no idea starfish were normally a dark grey color when they are alive. I'd never seen a live starfish! They caught several from the ocean floor to bring up for inspection but threw them back in before we took off again. This time we saw a friendly dolphin who not only came over to say "hi", but swam alongside us long enough for the boys to get a good look and have a friendly pat from Garrison! The boys haven't quit talking about the dolphin since we got home--the fact that he blew out his blowhole, hearing the squeaky sounds he made, Garrison getting to pet him..."He is so lucky!!" It was really a cool experience and I wish we'd seen more friendly ones or gotten to see him longer, but really, how many people get to experience wild dolphins on just a random Sunday??