Life is a Beach II (with Pictures)

Well, after the last blog, we went crab hunting. Crab hunting you say? Yes, crab hunting. I've always found that a little funny since upon seeing one of the frightned creatures, my frightened creatures would commence to screaming and running the opposite direction. The element of surprise was definitely not on our side. As we were walking back, the thunder and lightening started. We were quite worried about getting rained on but we made it back in time. No one got any of Nature's home perms. (I really need help with my hair fetish)

The next day, needless to say, the water was quite rough. Paul and the girls went to St. Andrews Bay to go snorkeling and were stung yet again by jelly fish. They didn't get to see a lot of cool things because it started storming. Paul brought the kayaks out after lunch and the games began. As stated yesterday, he has an ocean kayak that I have mastered (ha ha), and he has one that is affectionately known as the "stunt" kayak.

I had watched several able bodied men set out to ride the waves in only to see them flip in the midst of one of the waves. I boldly said, I'll give it a try. Paul took me up on it. I couldn't go back on my word so after a brief adjustment to my last will and testament, I set off. Paul helped me get out far enough to not impale any of the innocent ocean waders. After the second huge wave that smacked me in the face, I decided I would turn around and head back to shore. Paul is all the while yelling, keep it straight!!!. I made it. I didn't flip. So forgive me as I gloat a tad "I AM NO ORDINARY LUNCH LADY" Nikki has a picture, I will post it when she e-mails it to me. Now I know that this is no sky diving attempt like my crazy brother did last week but for me it was quite a step. (Baby steps)

We are home now and I must say, there is no place like home. Again, it rained on us most of the way home and from what I hear it rained most of the day in SeaGrove. Either way, we were going to get wet. Thank you Lord for the safe trip home.

Anyway, I'll post the pictures now. Tricky how I made you read all of this just to simply look at the pictures. As I said before, I am no ordinary lunch lady.

Life is a Beach!!!

I couldn't do it. I couldn't wait until I got home to blog about my vacation. We have been having a wonderful time. We have been shopping, swimming, kayaking, boogie boarding, and let us not forget, jellyfish bitten.

We left Sunday after church and drove in the pouring rain. We are talking major down pours here. The kind that you have to turn the hazard lights on in order to let people know you are on the road. By the time we arrived (8:30 or 9:00) it was threatening to hit us again. It started raining the minute we got all of our luggage in the condo. Thank you God.

Monday it was still very cloudy and somewhat cool (if it can be cool in Florida). The ocean was very rough and we (I) chose to wait until the conditions were more favourable. In fact, apparently the word was out that the Whitton's had arrived and all of the marine life was here to welcome us. The jelly fish especially. Bayley (of course) was stung by lunch time. So needless to say, she has been very cautious when it comes to the ocean.

Tuesday the sun was out and the ocean was a little more calm, the jellyfish were are little less but the sea weed was horrible. We are talking, major sea weed. Not just the kind that is in a clump we are talking about that and the kind that looks like someone blew their nose in the ocean. Nikki and I tried to walk out into the ocean but proved to be more that I could handle. The thought of that slimy stuff touching me and getting stuck all in my crevasses was more than I could handle. Not to mention that I am more than certain that it would not be very attractive in my hair. You know how I am about my hair (and how Shana isn't about hers or Sara Kate's)

Today however, the sea weed was a little better in some spots and the jellyfish were a little more sparse. I went out and sat on the beach and enjoyed rubbing my feet in the sand. The heat finally got to me and I decided to venture into the water. We took off with total reckless abandon. It was the 3rd day of our vacation and I was not going to be hampered by some stinking sea weed. After swimming for a while, We decided to go out in the kayak. I am proud to say that I was allowed to man my own kayak. Paul was in the "stunt" kayak, and I was in the blue one. Nikki and Ed followed close behind in their kayak. We rowed out until you couldn't hear anything or anyone. We say very quietly and watched for cool fish to swim under us. Then it happened......
I looked over and saw a fin sticking up out of the water coming toward us. (I'm just kidding, but I had you going didn't I. ha ha p.s. Lord that is not a challenge.) Seriously, we saw several jellyfish that were very very very long. We also saw a school of fish swimming around. I looked down and saw a Manna War. You know those things that look like sting rays. I had a little passenger (Joseph) with me. I showed them to him and he calmly but very sincerely said. "Mrs. Shelley, lets go back." I had no problem with that. So we headed back to shore.

Well, although it is not the end of our vacation, it is however, the end of this blog. We miss everyone, and we'll post again later. I am using Paul's new laptop and can't figure out how to do the pictures. He is in the pool and I'll have to get him to show me how.

The new and improved Bayley

Well, I don't know that she needed much improvement, but see for yourself. She got her hair cut today and I told Granda that I would post a picture of her so she could see it.

This may quite possibly be the shortest blog I have ever written. After all, they do say that a picture is worth a thousand words.

We love you Granda and hope you feel better soon!!!!!

VBS

We are winding down VBS this week. Part of me is happy because it is very tiring. But the inner hula girl in me is kind of sad. It is a lot of fun. Sandy and I are in charge of the music. We have to teach the children the motions and words of a new song every night. Some of the motions were made up by the guy that writes the songs, but sometimes(and there was a lot this year) we add our own signs.

It is amazing how quickly the kids pick them up and how well they participate. I have been very proud of each of the classes from 3's and Pre-K to the teenagers. Yes the teenagers, (Middle school through High school). It is 2 hours and 40 minutes of aerobic workout. That is the part of me that is a little happy to see it end. But as you will see in the video that I have attached. I should be doing this 24/7.

Bryce and Sara Kate were an absolute joy to have. Their teachers Holli and Jamie loved them and were so sad to see them go. Holli is a student at UGA and Jamie is going to be a freshman at Shorter this fall. They are both a wonderful example to my girls. I adore them both. Their class was very full every night so far. But they handled it with an endless energy that I would love to bottle. And I can not forget, Ryan, Holli's boyfriend was along for the ride too. He is a major help and one of our best Hula Dancers. :)

The Hair!!!!

Life in Lizella has been changed forever. Bryce and Sara Kate are here for a visit. We are having lots of fun and are staying very busy. Although, Manasseh only weighs 5 pounds, he is a source of quite a lot of pandemonium. Bryce and Sara Kate are not accustomed to a dog that exerts a lot of energy. Their beloved Gigi is quite a bit calmer than Manasseh. Sara Kate has also brought out a little bit of Manasseh's inner freak. I was getting ready to work on my VBS songs and she was standing beside me and she said (and I quote) "Manasseh stop humping my leg". Those are words that make dog owner so proud. Not to mention the pride it brings to the aunt of a 3 yr old. Oh well, Sorry Shana.

Back to the reason for this blog. I adore my sister. She is all the things I'm not like organized, disciplined, loving, helpful and the list goes on. There is one thing however, that I do have over her. In case you don't know, it is the ability, no the neurotic need, to be so particular with the way my girls look. Others call it vain, I choose to call it paying attention to detail. From birth, my children have been burdened with bows and ribbons on anything and everything they wear. Sara Kate, not so much. It it probably because she is so darn cute. But my argument is, if she is naturally that adorable, imagine how adorable she would be with a bow or even a simple ribbon. The sky is the limit.

So.... without further adieu please see pictures below of the limitless beauty which I call Sara Kate.

Here she is looking good watching T.V. (television)

And to the right, the look is complete with a ribbon. (To think it only took 30 sec. to tie that ribbon)

SUMMER TIME WITH THE FAM!!

It is officially summertime. Although, I am more than certain that it is no where near as hot here as it is in Macon however, it is all the same very, very, HOT. Thank goodness that Granda and G Daddy have a pool. So... right before we completely melted away to a liquid form of ourselves, the kids decided that they would go swimming. After a helping (or two) of Granda's home made Lasagna, we took off to the pool.

When we were young, we had an old tractor tire inner tube that we played on in the pool. Two of us would get on either side of the tube and would rock back and forth to try and see if we could make our partner fall off. It made for a great work out and provided hours of entertainment. Well, we found a inner tube float and watched as Maci, Bayley, and Bryce tried to all get on it. Mom and I enjoyed watching them get on. I think they laughed as hard as we did. Sara Kate was waiting patiently on the side of the pool to get on when things were stable, but that never happened. She finally gave up and started playing on her own.

I tried to capture some of them playing and falling off. I posted some pictures for your enjoyment. However, I am using Mom and Dad's computer and it is a MAC, that is all I have to say. I would put captions under each picture, but I can't figure out how to do that either.

Happy Summertime.