The Weekend

Monday is usually when I talk about what we did over the weekend. This weekend was stressful. Jasmine had to march at a football game Friday night. The band left school at noon on Friday. They went to an elementary school for a concert. Then they went to the game. They got back to the school to unload after 11, and she got to bed after midnight. 

She was up the next day to help us set up at a flea market. We were selling stuff to help the twins raise money for their mission trip. Unfortunately we didn't raise a lot because people wanted to pay a quarter for everything!!! I had all the clothes for $1 and people would walk up and ask if we'd take .25 for an almost new pair of men's pants. So frustrating. I had taken some of my books to sell, but never put them out because I knew they'd offer me a quarter!

Tara came to pick Jasmine up at 9:30 to take her to the school to go to two competitions in AL. The bus had problems, so they missed the first one. They were supposed to be home at 10 p.m. but got home at midnight! 

While Jasmine was at competition, we took the jet ski out one last time for the year. That's because the flea market was at the bay where we jet ski. Jessica ate lunch and took out a kayak and the jet ski once and then headed out. She'd been at the flea market since 6 a.m. setting up and had to work in the evening.

It was a beautiful day and hot even though it's cool in the mornings now.

We even went back and got the dogs after most people had left. First time the dogs had kayaked in a year.

Sadie's first time in the kayak.

Travis even went on the jet ski, although he wasn't sure he liked the noise.

I think they liked the grill hot dogs best of all.

Fun at the Bay

First, if you didn't do the randomness on the last post, please do! Fun to see other's answers.

Last week we had a six of our kids, four of our neighbors and three new friends as well as a three year old special needs child belonging to one of them at the bay with us. It was fun to have such a big group. It was the twins birthday, and we chose to celebrate at the beach.

birthday breakfast

Yes, she's that much taller

They each had their own kind of cupcakes.

Adam was really into it. He kept trying to get us to keep it up for a certain number of hits. I think we got up to about 14. But sometimes someone missed after the first or second hit.

Wearing Uncle Adam's hat

Not sure whose hat she has here.

We have a couple of beautiful days coming up so plan to hit a beach and the bay.

Hope you all have a great Memorial Day weekend.

Sunday Afternoon: Mother's Day

I posted a while back about trying to do family activities on Sunday afternoons. I was going to post about this past Sunday afternoon, but I realized I never posted our Mother's Day activities.

Rick and I went out on Saturday, and then on Sunday we took the kayaks to an island that is just that. An island. No buildings, potties, etc. So you take what you need with you. Not many people go by kayak, but it's doable and a challenge for us. 

On the side of the island we can access, there isn't any beach area. 

Travis came along.

Without a beach, we play in the water.

Beach volleyball is our new thing this year.

I think we look like castaways on Gilligan's island.

We took Subway subs along and sat on the kayaks to eat.

Lots more to post. Stay tuned.

Because Sometimes You Need a Road Trip

Sometimes you just need a road trip. So Felicia from Stare if You Must jumped in her van with six of her kids plus a friend and her son and drove down yesterday and spent the day today. It was beautiful and almost hit 80F--or maybe it did. 

Not all the kids were out on the beach yet when we started taking pictures. And for whatever reason, Felicia and I both had one who did not listen and bring a swimsuit. Or maybe they listened but decided not to bother. And neither was happy with the decision later.

The kids had a lot of fun playing on the beach and trying the kayaks in the waves. We are usually in more of an enclosed area so it was new to them. They found that once you got out past the waves, it was clear paddling.

Tyler helped pull people out past the waves.

If you get back into the waves and get hit from the side, you might end up swimming instead of kayaking!

Anthony can really throw a football.

 Kaleb could probably benefit from a few pointers.

 I took 149 photos and the little guys is probably in more than anyone else. I mean, look at that face.

 Posing for pictures wasn't in B's game plan.

 He let us get one.

 Then he was done. 
If this looks like a lot of kids, well, it's not. We actually have 19 between us. But both of us have the adult kids who are out of the house, those who show back up and then a younger group.

We decided it would be easy to just call out for pizza, so we did.

 The kids amused us with Twister Skip It while we waited for the pizza.

 Then it was down to the pool.

 And back up  to see the sunset.

 B had had enough. I think some of the others of us wanted to join him!

 Felicia made this for Jessica for the baby's room.

Us after a day on the beach. Felicia hadn't had a chance to change out of her swimsuit and my hair was a mess from wearing a hat earlier!

We are going over in the morning for a walk on the beach with them (or a hobble on the beach with my foot!) before they drive home.

I think we need to have an adoptive parents' get together here sometimes. The rates are really good this time of year.

Just a word of history here--Felicia and I some how connected on blogs a few years ago. Then in 2013 I found out they were going to be at Disney about the same time we were leaving out of Miami on a cruise. So I left early with two of the kids to go to Orlando and meet her and her family before going on to Miami. Not everyone was able to leave early, so not everyone was able to meet her and her family. 

 It was fun to meet because we felt like we already knew each other and each other's kids because of our blogs. I am sure there are people who blog who are not who they say they are, but with Felicia and I, who we are on our blogs is who we really are!

Then last summer we found out we were both going to be in the same town in Indiana at almost the same time. How weird is that--especially since I'm in FL and she's in SC. I adjusted our trip only by one or two days to make sure we were there together a whole week in case it was hard to meet up. If you go back to June, you can see pictures from that trip.

It's always fun to get together with other adoptive families because they get it if one of your kids decides to prove something by not bringing a suit or trying to manipulate someone and gets to sit out and watch or whatever. You never hear another adoptive parent (at least those who have adopted older children) say, "Why did you do that?" or "That poor child, he/she didn't mean to do that" or "Aww, couldn't you just let it go this time?"

I'm hopeful that we are going to be able to meet up at least for a couple of days next summer too. 

One last photo I missed. Jasmine made this jar to give Larissa.

They are fun to make and pretty easy too, although you can end up with paint in your hair or on your clothes and shoes! You can find out how to make one yourself--or have your kids make them for teacher gifts HERE.