A beachy afternoon

 Michael's truck decided that it doesn't want to be a member of our family currently, ie.... the transmission has gone out. So our schedule for the last several weeks has been quite difficult. Chaiya works north, Michael works south and the rest of the family has needs also. Driving has become our summer past time and this is something I am not pleased about at all.

 So... finally a free afternoon and our little beach was calling to us. I haven't been feeling quite well so I grabbed a yum book to inspire me. We boiled up some corn, grabbed a blanket and some towels and we were set.

Lydia is slowly overcoming her fear of water. She was able to float along the shoreline by herself without being frightened at all. Maybe by the end of summer, she will feel secure enough to get rid of her floaty suit and try to learn to swim.

 Chaiya came and joined in too. From their faces you would assume the water was cold but it was really perfect.

 Yum! Yum! I think Lydia ate the most corn tonight.

 Most of the time, Michael always looks mean. I love this picture because he is trying not to laugh at me while I take it.

 The baby ospreys are not small anymore! This nest is a good distance away. It is such a huge structure on that broken boat house. I'm sure they won't be in their nest too much longer.

 Michael dragged this large clay deposit out of the water so he could play with the crabs.

 If you look really close you will be able to see the crab trying to escape in the middle crevice. Chaiya and Michael were messing with the barnacles on the bottom. They seemed to have little tongues that they were sticking out.

Thayne is ever the fish. I don't think he left the water at all for a full five minutes. He would jump off of his daddy and do little flips. We took the floaty suit off and he is doing a good job of learning how to swim. If he would hold still long enough to try and float, he would do great.  

Even though the Pax river is not the ocean...the smell of the salt water from the Bay just down the way makes us live in our little illusion that we are on the ocean. Sun, sand and little waves make for the best afternoon.

two QOTD

This afternoon I was enjoying a wonderful conversation with my sweet sister Shawna. All of a sudden, she starts hollering " Get the elephant off the table, Get that elephant off the table! I'm trying to feed your brother"

This evening my stressed out husband is working on a mid-term. He states," Why do I keep coming back to fog"

Letterboxing in MD

Yesterday, we thought it would be a fun activity to continue our letterboxing adventures. We have been letterboxing since 2004 and our large journal book we use is about a quarter of the way full with images and memories. We headed out to St. Mary's state park.

 When I catch them helping each other so tenderly, it makes my heart melt.

 Come on Maliea, figure out the clues. We have a lot to find today!

Hey, this is not the letterbox.

 Thayne wanted to really check the little guy out anyway.

 There were so many awesome mushrooms all over the forest floor.

 Mom, I am so hot!

 Here brother, let me wipe your forehead with the tissue I brought.

 Whose idea was this? It is over 90 degrees out here and I am pouring sweat.

 What ever animal took a bite of this is probably regretting it.

 Chaiya, aka Sweaty Girl. "MOM! I'm hungry and tired"

 Okay so the trail wasn't always wheelchair friendly.

Best older brother ever!

We actually had a blast. It was so much fun and we got six new images. Although we did all decide that maybe letterboxing in Maryland is a sport that we should do in the Spring or Fall. We spent hours out there. Michael says he knows that eyebrows were invented to keep the sweat from getting into your eyes. I love my family so much! We make great memories together.

The 4th is Fabulous!

Highlights from our evening of fun and fireworks!

 One of the great things about Maryland is that we can do our own fireworks!

 Light it and run, Daddy

 So very much fun to enjoy fireworks right outside our front door.

 Wineberry and Blackberry Pie, of course!

Tired and happy kiddos!

Happy Independence Day

the smallest snail

We found this wee snail as we were foraging for berries in the woods yesterday. He is so very tiny!

baked oatmeal yumm!

Okay....so Heidi Swanson's baked oatmeal recipe has been a little bit of a star in the blogging world for awhile. I just never have gotten around to making it until now! Oh my what delight......

There are endless ways to make this with berry / fruit combinations. For ours, I took peaches, blackberries and wineberries. I forgot to add any nuts though. I adjusted the sweetener down a bit and the kiddos thought that it needed the full amount. Chaiya even added a bit of agave to hers. Michael and Thayne ate theirs with milk poured over the top. I think it would be delish with vanilla ice cream for a dessert also. This will probably become a staple in the winter time for cold mornings but it was yummy even on a warm summer one.