Fourth Fun & Popsicles

Lucy dancing with her best buddy Joon

Does he look like Dennis the Menace to anyone else?

Fourth Fireworks

I am learning how to take pictures with manual focus using an old Canon AE-1P and my first big challenge was shooting fireworks.  We went to the ball field by Andy's mom's house and set up my tripod for the big show.  If you know anything about our house/yard, we have many large pine trees and are close to the marsh and our grass is pretty pathetic.  Most of the yard is covered with pine straw and sticks and the dirt itself is sandy.  It's not really an ideal place to run around in your bare feet anyway.  When we got to the park surrounding the ball field the kids flipped out about how nice and plush the grass was.  We all took our shoes off and ran around like fools. It was so lovely!  I laid in the grass with them and felt like a kid again. The heat wasn't too bad and there was a nice breeze.  The whole evening was lovely.  Anyway, here are a few fireworks I shot.

Mini Vacation

Happy Kids at Hilton Head Beach

 Andy was off work on Tuesday so we made an impromptu trip to Hilton Head to have a little min vacation with the kids.  We knew we won't have a chance to go anywhere big so we wanted to do something special.  We made an afternoon of the Sandbox Children's Museum and then went to the beach at Hilton Head.  I can't believe how clean the beaches are there compared to Tybee!  The sand was so soft and the public bathrooms were readily available and clean too! Anyway the kids had a really good time and so did we.  We didn't tell them where we going beforehand so they were about ready to bust by the time we got there. 

PS-  Eli stayed with Andy's mom and had a fun time with cousins.  Sometimes it's hard to spend one on one time with the older kids when tending to a toddler. 

Little Merman at the Sandbox Children's Museum

Jacob building a city with giant Lego's

On the way to Hilton Head there are some giant elephants out front of a fireworks store.  I've always wanted to get out and take pictures there so we finally did.

Of course Lucy is in love with the pink one!

Lucy making beautiful art at the Sandbox Children's Museum

Andy and Dylan having a checkers tournament at the Sandbox Children's Museum

Lucy having a puppy tea party at the Sandbox Children's Museum

Hilton Head

Hilton Head beach ~ July 5, 2011

Maters and Bikes (ie Summer Nights)

Pickin' Maters

Mmmm, Eli approved!

Our bounty

Easy Rider

Look Out!
Here comes the Spiderman!

Happy July!

Garden

Some buggies are enjoying our flowers too!

Lucy and I have been working hard in our little garden this summer.  We have a few flowers on one side and a few veggies on the other.  Our tomatoes seem to be the most prolific plants so far, but we do have quite a few hot peppers and green bell peppers.  The little sweet 100 tomatoes are so juicy and sweet!  We tend to just eat them off the vine like candy every time we walk by.  We also planted cucumbers and squash but haven't had any vegetables off of them yet.  I think they must not be pollinating correctly because we have plants with flowers that don't produce. Andy and are I already scheming up some raised beds for a much larger crop next year. 

Jacob & Lucy

I really enjoy taking pics of Jacob and Lucy.  They have a good time posing for the camera and I am able to take lots of shots.  I really like the lighting when I did their pics and it just looks so much like summertime to me!  

 

Dylan + Eli

 

Here are a few pics of my oldest and youngest.  Dylan had to be coerced into getting his taken and the baby wouldn't smile for anything.  Either way, I think they are both pretty charming little guys.  Hope you enjoy them!