Scalloping 2012

Phil and I go scalloping EVERY YEAR.  It is quite possibly one of our favorite things to do together, and this was our 8th year "hunting" the waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

This picture looks strikingly similar to one from last year,

but that is likely due to the fact that we have a pretty good routine figured out by now.

This is a fuzzy picture of the large sea turtle that we saw while on the water.

 This was the first time in FOUR YEARS that I wasn't either pregnant or nursing while on our scalloping adventure. 

 We had a successful day, and we ended up with somewhere around 175 scallops.

Guess what we had for dinner and then breakfast???

Imagine bacon wrapped around those little beauties!

The other success of the day was that I finished reading my first book since last summer.  After a few hours of diving for scallops, I usually take a break to read.  Ahhh.....

2011 Scalloping Trip

2010 Scalloping Trip (not recorded for some reason)

2009 Scalloping Trip

2008 Scalloping Trip (largely PREGNANT)

Isaac Intrudes

While Tropical Storm Isaac has been brewing all around us 
(Schools are closed today as well as Busch Gardens...which never closes), 

our own little Isaac is a hurricane all his own!

 At 21-months, he is a ham bone!

His screams (as described here) seem to be largely replaced with laughter.  AMEN to that!

He goes through several new phases every week (i.e. insistently walking around with only one shoe on, carrying his tooth brush all over the house like it permanently belongs in his hand, LOVING socks and then hating them, wrapping blankets around his neck like he's a boxer), and his current obsession is wearing mittens (mismatched fuzzy mittens that used to be Clare's)...even into bed.

 Stylin' Guy with sticker jewelry and mismatched mittens.

He's about 30-pounds of solid BOY!  He climbs, runs, throws, kicks, grunts, and destroys anything within his power.  Much like Tropical Storm Isaac, our little guy can quickly turn this place upside down in a matter of seconds.  He sees no boundaries or limits on his world, and we see that as a uniquely powerful trait of his.  He will undoubtedly grow up to do/create BIG things!
(Note only one shoe in this short video.)

 On the sweeter side, he has become a big cuddle-bug (something that we never experienced with Clare), and we find ourselves soaking up all of his hugs...and oftentimes begging for them.

Watch out world...here comes ISAAC!  :)

Fremont Lake

My parents live on a lake in Michigan, and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE spending time there. 
It just brings me back to my childhood
and all of the wonderful memories I had on/in/near that lake.

 We were blessed to have FOUR weeks in Fremont this summer.

My little ones quickly adopted my sentiment for the lake!

Clare happily swam with ANYONE who was willing to go in the water with her. 

 This was our first night on the lake...and the Huissens were happy to get out of the heat and into the water.

 Unfortunately, Phil wasn't able to join us in Michigan...

so Uncle Brian had to take over with the tossing of my kids in the air.

 Clare loved SO MANY aspects of this trip, and this picture highlights several of them:

COUSINS, lake, swimming, being outside, and having FUN, FUN, FUN!

 Grant, Clare, and Jeb were in and out of the lake more times than I could count.

 They perfected their synchronized jumping after watching all of the Olympic divers.

 Isaac liked playing by shore more than waddling around in a life jacket.

 I don't know if I've said it before (Ok, I just don't know how many TIMES I've said it before), but Isaac beats to his own little drum.  :)

 Our trip was filled with family and friends, and this was a night on the water with my Aunt Jan and cousin, Laura.  :)

 After several years of not being able to ski (pregnancies, broken boat, etc.), I was finally able to try my legs at water-skiing again.

 Ahhh...like riding a bike.

Now that we're back in steamy Florida, I find myself wishing that we were back on Fremont Lake.  Clare looked at one of the pictures and rubbed her face all over it.  When I asked her what she was doing, she told me that she wanted to jump inside the picture.  I know the feeling.  :)

Something Special about November 9th

After the umpteen posts about our trip to Montana, I am finally moving on to our time in Michigan.  Granted, these pictures are already a month old...but I'm gettin' there!

Two of my good friends (one from high school, Hillary, and the other from college, Heidi) both had babies born on the EXACT same day (November 9th, 2010) as Isaac.

 None of the 21-month-olds live in the same area, BUT Isaac and Colbie happened to be in Michigan at the same time...thus the premise of the post!

 They weren't quite sure what to think of each other.  Once minute they were high-fiving, the next they were trying to hug and kiss, and the next they were sharing crackers like they had been friends for ever. 

I really think the crackers were the hit of the day!

It was fun watching them together.

 Of course, Clare couldn't miss any of the fun...or the crackers!

 Another highlight of the day was that our mutual friend, Lisa, 

was able to join in on all the fun.  So wonderful seeing both of you!!!

Check out Hillary's blog to see more pictures from this special day.

HIking in Glacier

There were so many things that I loved about Glacier, 

and hiking was near the top of my list!

 There was one day that was extra special because we (Ann, Phil, and I) were able to hike for ten miles without any kids.  Thank you, Mom and Dad!!!

 In addition to soaking in all of the beauty, we had a lot of fun.  I actually didn't know about the Steve Irwin reincarnation until loading all of our pictures.

I love my sister!

 I love my husband...goofy as he might be!

 I loved hiking in Glacier National Park

This was our last evening in Glacier...

The Hillary Clan

 The Durham Gang

 This was early in the morning...

before we hopped in the car for our eight hour drive back to Bozeman.

 Glimpse of the 8-hour drive!

I was warned to never post this picture, but we'll just see who's checking up on me.

 Happy Boy...almost home!!!

Many Glacier

We had the blessing of staying in this resort for one of our nights in Glacier.

This was the view from our room.

 AMAZING!

 I felt like we should be in Switzerland, or in the middle of some other country, but I just LOVED the fact that this beauty was right within our own country!

This was BRIGHT and EARLY on the morning of our stay in Many Glacier.  In a desperate attempt for a few more minutes of sleep,
we turned on the little DVD player for the kiddos.

 Isaac starts "singing" and bouncing whenever he hears the "Veggie Tales" theme song, but big sister didn't want to let him have too much fun.

This was on the balcony of the lodge.  Again, I say AMAZING!

Clare and her cousins played in the ice cold water for a while.

 Isaac was happy to play with a stick.

I know it goes without saying, but these are two of my favorite guys!