Early Rock :)

We saw 'chord buddy' (http://.chordbuddy.com) on our favorite family TV show, Shark Tank and decided that it's a sign. We need to start a band :). So we went over to the music store to buy a couple of guitars and a keyboard at the weekend. When we got there, they were filming a movie outside!

 

 

I've never seen a real, live movie set before - that's a lot of people for a scene with just two kids...

 

...and one dog. Evidently "Robo Dog" plays the lead in the new movie...

Basically, they did this about 50 times...

 

Good preparation for when we are shooting our first video. We bought our new instruments, crammed them into the car and hurried home to start our new rock career...

 

 

Mike has practiced pretty diligently so far...

 

 

But Maddy gave up after a half an hour of You Tubes and started texting her friends instead. Nice work on the Rock and Roll attitude Maddy!

 

 

Now we just need a band name...

Lacrosse Awards

Here's Maddy with her BFF and coaches getting their awards for their first season playing Lacrosse. We are so proud that they saw it through and Maddy loved it - great job girls!

Not so Tricky...

Maddy looked especially beautiful at her dance recital (she's on the far left - second one in)...great job Maddy!

Twitchin' Again

I know it sounds nerdy but I have really gotten into bird watching lately. The trees by the house are always full of all kinds of birds and I can lose hours on a weekend just chasing them around  to get a photo or getting a good look to make sure I've properly ID'd them. I just love it - and when I'm twitchin' - I'm not thinking (or worrying) about anything else. It's my therapy :)

 

Meritt Island National Wildlife Refuge is an important US National Wildlife Refuge on the Atlantic coast of Florida about an hour East of Orlando. It is also a 'gateway site' for the Great Florida Birding Trail :). It occupies about 140,000 acres including the location of Kennedy Space Center. Since public access is controlled in various ways, the refuge is part of a very substantial area of relatively undisturbed wildlife habitat.

 

Now that beach season is here, we went over to look around at the weekend. Space X were preparing for a rocket launch the next day so we could see the launch set up in the distance...

 

And the birds were everywhere, including the endangered Florida Scrub Jay (which I saw but didn't manage a decent picture of :()...

 

I also got to see a nudist beach for the first time (which was quite interesting) but we opted for a more conservative spot to set up for the day. Mike gave up with the canopy...



 

And took to the water with surfer girl...

 

While I read a book :)

And took pictures of them fighting in the water!

 

And calling a truce...

 

We saw some interesting wildlife on the driving trail too, including a bobcat who was way too quick for me to get a photo of. This guy moved at more my pace...

 

The scenery is just so pretty...

 

Beach days are back :)

The Cary Earlys and Cormac's Baptism!

We have been looking forward to a visit from the Cary Earlys since forever! Steph and the kids came down to Florida for Cormac's baptism last week and stayed with us for a couple of wonderful days before the ceremony. Mya came over to join the party too so Mike and I had six kids in the house!

 

 

On the first night Mike took everyone down to see the sunset from his favorite spot and we all watched Disney fireworks from the launch point...

 

 

It was lovely to have a houseful of amazing kids:) I didn't want to go to work and miss out on the morning fun...

 

 

Everyone was so excited to spend a full day at Magic Kingdom - they made sure to be there right as the park opened. So Mike took the morning shift...

 

...and I couldn't wait to join the crew after work...

 

 

Even waiting in line is fun with this crowd...



 

I even rode a couple of rides ;)

 

 

And got strapped in with Kobe so he couldn't stop me kissing him to death! Hahahahaha!

 

 

But Jake loved the princesses more...:(

 

 

Zoe, Ali, Jake and Steph all made it through a full day to see the fireworks from the castle - that's a high energy group!

 

 

On Saturday morning we drove up to Gainesville for Cormac's baptism...

 

 

He was so good and looked so handsome:)

 

 

After the service we went over to Liz and Matt's for some family time. The boys played "horseballs"?!

 

And the girls showed off their adorable new dresses...

 

 

The little man of the day...

 

 

 It was a only a matter of time before our water babies ended up in the pool!

 

I love and miss my gorgeous, hilarious sister so much - thank you for coming Stephanie :)

 

And in a flash it was over :(. Sorry you couldn't make it Pete (and Maizey) and get well soon. We love you and come back soon!!!