Tubesock Tuesdays

So, did I mention that I somehow managed to get myself signed up for another YMCA challenge?
Yes, this one starts next week and its called "YFL". We grouped up into teams of 4 Our team is called the Power Puffs. Which I thought was pretty cute. We have a very strong team of 4 die-hard well 3 die hards and myself. (although truth be known, I am pretty sure that I am the weak link on the team).

We'll see if this gets as serious as the Survivor challenge did. They actually ranked all 15ish teams and we ranked at number 4!! I am pretty sure this is because no one checked my statistics very well. People are talking smack already, so this should make for some fun butt-kicking. Whose butt kicks whose? Dunno yet.

For the past couple weeks, one of the trainers has been trying to get everyone to wear tubesocks on Tuesdays....some people did. I was one that did not take this very seriously, until today.
A couple gym members went and bought a bunch of tubesocks for all of us to wear. Of course I pulled the pink socks with red, yellow and green stripes. Definately, not a look I will be trying to pull off anywhere but the Y on Tuesday. But it was fun. Everyone put on their mismatched socks and sported them for CARDIO INTERVAL class.
I am going to try and get my hands on a picture of the tubesock group as I think it was quite a spendiferous sight to behold and I am thinking the photo may be worth a little money one day.
And as uncool as I felt, I thought there is probably no other gym I'd rather be. Oh my beloved Y.

Our weekend in mostly pictures...

...because I am just too lazy to type much right now.

Ava enjoyed a little R&R this weekend on our front lawn. (not too sure what she was doing, but she was cute doing it).




These are the most adorable girls shoes ever! If I thought I could cram my foot into these, I'd be sporting a pair of these sparkly babies (and they'd be worth every blister).




Bryn's "school hair" look that seems to take over her head by the end of the day. It seems to be the hazard of playing hard. Obviously she's perfected the art of looking like a raggamuffin.



Of course, we also made it to the pool once more (although the water is starting to get a little cooler). Ava decided to try Bryn's flippers on, but this was about as far as she's go as she kept tripping and got mad at them.




Bryn continued her usual pool jumping and all things Brynnie. I think the girl jumped no less than 100 times and she still wanted to stay and play when we left!
(where oh where do I find her energy and bottle it to make millions?)


Of course any day is just not complete without playing a bedtime round of "Animals in the Forest" with her beloved Daddy.
It's pretty much the same as 20 Questions with various animals. It's actually fun to play with Bryn because she knows her animals better than any of us and will try to trip us up with something obscure like a "whale shark". Smart girl.



Yep. Another great weekend here at our house.

Snake!

While playing in the garage the other day, I heard the unmistakable sound of a snake slither...and looked in the corner of the garage to find a 3 foot snake looking at me with the same look of surprise. Poisonous or not, it was a snake, and that in itself is enough to freak my stuff!
After refreshing Bryn's memory with the "911" number (just in case this snake was poinsonous and just in case he decided to bite), I appraoched him with a rather large broom and tried to persuade him out of the garage. Reluctantly, he left and took refuge in the neighbors yard. All 3 feet of him!

As it turns out, I think he was a garter snake, but I just didn't like the way he looked at me. I don't think I will ever get used to the big a$$ bugs and snakes down here.
Of course, Bryn and Ava were giddy with excitement trying to follow him through the grass. Bryn The Reptile Whisperer wanted to catch him and probably name him "Lila". Although I think he looks more like a "Cujo".

Beauty and the Beast

Well...not really, but sometimes that's who I think I may live with. Can you tell which is Beauty and which is the Beast?

Of course, I say "Beauty", but she's more like a little Diva constantly demanding her ballet tiaras and juice.




We are thinking of renaming Ava to "The-Other-One Bennett". There is a permanent grump to Ava that I have come to adore.
As you can see for yourself...

A wonderfully ordinary weekend

This was a relaxing weekend. Relaxing in the sense that we didn't have anywhere that required a car to go, nor anything in particular to do. (not relaxing in the fact that we still had 2 little people to contend with).
I spent the weekend organizing closets, puddle jumping and playing "Little People".
As my youngest gets older, I realize that these days of just playing are numbered. We spent a good portion of Saturday playing with her toys- you know, the place where seals drive cars and turtles drive the buses.
Although I am quick to complain about the noise, the headaches and chaos that a couple youngins' bring, I am really going to miss these days of silliness and pigtails (oh how I love me those pigtails).






Bryn also decided that she would take Ava for a nice Sunday stroll in her Jammin' Barbie jeep. It always makes me laugh to see them cruising down the street trying to sing along with the gospel songs (as that seems to be the only station that works in this jeep). But I suppose it could be worse...I suppose they could stumble across one of those 'Tween Disney sensations and make me listen to it over and over (and I think that day is coming sooner than I am willing to accept too).






We also spent waaaay too much time puddle jumping as its the rainy season here. Secretly, I love me some puddle jumping with the girls because I know I'd look mighty crazy doing it all by myself! Playing outside right now often requires rainboots and umbrellas.



All in all, it was a perfectly ordinary weekend.

If he were candy, I'd eat him!

Yes. This is what my 4.5 year old said to me when she spied a teeny tiny frog in our garage this weekend.

Bryn (lover of all things lizard and reptile) shrieked- "Mom! Look- a baby frog! He's so cute! If he were candy, I'd eat him!"

So snap-happy me went and got my camera to take a picture of this remarkably tiny (but you can't really tell from this picture) and sweet little guy, that jumped his little heart out to get away from Bryn's clutches.

I just laughed and tried to figure out which show she heard this expression, so I could ban it from my house! (Although sadly we all know, if it had to do with eating candy, it was probably something I said).

Yet more lizards.

The lizard hunting thing is starting to get out of control. Bryn is obsessed with going outside to catch lizards. I blame Tom for this.
The girls were once using the little nets from their "Elefun" game to catch the lizards, but their Dad decided that they needed more proficient nets, so he bought them these professional, oversized butterfly nets.



And it seemed to have worked, as Bryn can catch almost anything she sets out to. I think the lizards are aware of this as I have actually seen less of them lately.
I believe that these two were called "Sarah" and "Lila", although I am not sure which is which.



And despite the fact that these nets are taller than Ava, she continues to try and catch things too.
Leezards, frogs, mulch...
Unfortunately, her "leezards" are a little more on the plastic side. This one is called "Katrina".
But no worries, all the lizards were safely re-released into the wild.

Move Over Julia Child

This is just too funny not to share, but Bryn is totally enraptured in a tv show called "Chef Class".
Today she is learning to make her own broth based soups. I suppose I should encourage this so she can start making dinner around here, as heaven knows cooking is not my forte, nor my favorite thing to do.

Bryn has always enjoyed baking and helping me with dinner, so I am not surprised that she likes to cook, but I didn't realize she'd be glued to the tv watching a show on how to make soup.
I suppose she'll be asking for a food processor for Christmas too?

Mama Bear

While driving in the car today, I had an interesting conversation with Bryn. It went a little something like this.

Bryn- "Mom, what goes GRRRRRRR?"
Me- "A bear"
Bryn- "What else?"
Me- "A dog"
Bryn- "But what else?!"
Me- "I dunno Bryn, I give up...give me a hint".
Bryn- "A GRUMPY MUMMY!"

Oof! I suppose with Tom being out of town, I am starting to get a little on the grumpy side. Thank heaven he'll be home in a couple more days, or else it looks like I may end up eating my own young. (I kid!)

I can not brain today.

I think this picture totally sums up how I feel today.

Triangles and Flamingos

Awhile ago, Miss Ava came up to me and asked me to wear her "Triangle Pajamas". Baffled by this I simply reminded her that "You don't own any triangle pjs".
But, adament Ava ran away to her room and brought back her flamingo pajamas.
"See Mummy? My triangle pajamas!"
Then I realized just how smart this little cookie was as I could now see the triangle shape the flamingo's legs made.

Once again wee Ava was right. At this rate, she's going to be smarter then her mother by the time she's 5.
Of course I also managed to catch a picture of a flamingo when it's more parallel lines than a triangle. But she hasn't learned those linear terms yet.

After the Storm

We decided to head the the beach on Friday evening to check out the waves and see if anything exciting washed up onshore from Tropical Storm Hannah.


Although it's hard to tell from these pictures, the waves were pretty huge! The shore was full of surfers trying to catch a good wave (also known as suicide in my humble opinion).



There were lots of big washed up shells (as usual, as this particular beach is mostly shelly and a bugger to get off your skin). But we discovered another starfish, which is always cool. And it was released back into the waters, so no worries.


We just enjoyed walking up and down the beach (which means running for Bryn as she's got more energy than the Energizer bunny).
I collected a few new shells for my collection and the girls just tried to get sand in all the places it didn't belong.





Tom played in the waves. He almost went in for a "swim" when the waves pulled one of his flip flops off!


And of course, the artsy "beach picture of Tom" (as scenic as he's going to get anyway!)


I also got some neat pictures of the houses along the beach. This is the one place my secret desire to own a pink and purple house would work! The houses are every color and it works here.
I am hoping one day when we retire, we can afford to live down here in the winters.



I am not too sure what this castle is called, but since St Augustine is the oldest city, I am willing to bet it's got a good story to it!
All in all, just another pefectly beachy day!

There's a Lizard on my Head!

Well...not my on head, but the girls thought it was pretty darned funny to be sporting some lizards on their heads! (Eww!) Once again, the girls spent some time searching the bushes and trees in our yard for lizards. Bryn is actually getting quite good at catching them too (which may or may not be a good thing).
She puts them into a beach pail and gives them grass, twigs and stones to help them feel more at home. Then she pets them and names them "Lila" or "Sarah". Then we let them go.
But now they have started to play games with the poor lizard as well. No worries, no lizards were harmed in this session of "there's a lizard on your head"!








I don't know where they get this lizard loving thing...it must be from one of Tom's genes. Although I like to watch the little lizards, I am certainly not a fan of sporting them!
Oh well...now I have to try and keep them away from the 3 tree frogs that have nestled in my back window!

First Day of Pre-K

Awww. Man, here we go again. Today was Bryn's first day of Pre-Kindergarten. She will now be attending school 5 mornings per week. At first I was thrilled that she would go everyday, as she's such a social butterfly and I would get some time with Ava, but then it sunk in that I have to get up and take her everyday. (guess I should have thought that one through a little better).
Already, I can tell that I will be looking forward to each day off school to spend a little more time with Bryn (and not have to get up so early).

Although I am thrilled to pieces that Bryn was eager to go to school, I was slightly broken hearted that she jumped out of the car yelling "Bye Mummy!" with such enthusiasm. She is such an independant little girl already, I wonder if she'll even need me by the time she's 10?

I want her to keep her wide-eyed optimism and desire to learn. I hope we give her all the tools she needs to face those times when people may not be so nice with grace and ease.

I am sure years from now when I am at her wedding, this will be the mental image that will stay with me. My sweet little girl in her braids, with her knee socks and her back pack. Looking so ready to take her ever growing place in this big wide world.

Happy First Day of School Brynnie. You make my heart happy!