Purdy

I tend to take mostly pictures of my kids. I cannot help it. They are adorable...and you would take lots of pictures of them too if you could capture the sweetness...anyway, in an effort to take more photos of not my kids, I found the pods on our magnolias are changing. They were this horrible black (almost evil) looking podish things last week and this week they are either pretty red seeds or a pretty red fuzzy thing.

I think this if Florida's version of the fall leaves changing, as the leaves just don't change into the beautiful fall foliage I knew in Ohio...but that's another story for another day.
Until that happens, I will continue to enjoy wearing my flip flops and shorts down here!

My catch makes a catch!

Tom went salt water fishing this past weekend. Much to our surprise he actually caught some fish! (and real ones at that!)



They also caught a "bat ray" which looks alot like a sting ray to me, so I am not too sure what makes it a "bat". Either way, this critter sports a mighty pointy stinger too.



They also found about a zillion fiddler crabs that seem to be trying to take over the world, or at least that part of the beach anyway.
And a little puffer fish, that was all puffed with his lack of enthusiasm of being caught.





Looked like Tom had a great time. I am impressed with his fisherman skillz as we all enjoyed a delicious flounder dinner (that I didn't have to prepare making it all the sweeter).
I am also beginning to wonder if maybe his smile was because none of those Bennett girls were there to follow him around all day!

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.