We've got a swimmer over here!

The boys have been doing alot of swimming already this summer. Zachary has been really good with his floats on and did really well last summer too. Today he actually swam without any floats! He's not afraid at all (good and bad) and can jump in on one side of the pool and swim to the other. He doesn't mind if his head goes under, he just keeps going. We are so proud of our little guy!

Alex still isn't quite ready yet. Since we got back from our trip he's been more confident to get in where he can touch bottom and walk around instead of just hanging on the steps or the baby pool (6 inches deep). We can't convince him to put on some floaties so we can help him. Maybe after watching Zachary for awhile.....

Beach trip

As soon as Chris got home from a nine day trip last week he had to repack for another trip the next day. This time he was going to a class in Corpus Christi and staying in a hotel right on the water. Well since the boys and I had been missing him we decided to come along on this trip. Chris did have classes during the day but we got to see him a few times during breaks or lunch and then of course in the evenings. Boy was it windy!! The boys and I took a walk across the street to see the boats in the marina. The hotel had a great indoor/outdoor pool that the boys wanted to be in 24/7. We only went to the beach once but the pool was so great (it even had a large sandbox full of sand toys) that we didn't miss it. I don't have any pictures at the pool but I did manage to get some at the beach.




On our last night we even got tickets to a baseball game. We had to sit in the grass seating but still had a good time. Zachary temporarily forgot about his obsession with soccer and was happy being a "baseball boy". Once the snacks were eaten Alex was just ready to leave and go back to the pool.

Unfortunately Chris is getting ready to leave on yet another, longer trip again. At least part of that time will be filled with visiting cousins so maybe it won't be all bad.

Back to nature

I should charge admission to this place with as many critters and things as we have around us. Of course we still have the window bombing red birds. Lets not forget these guys.
I can't keep them out of the bird food. So much for "squirrel proof" bird feeders - ha!

Our dog has been going crazy because we've got a turkey that's been wandering around in our front yard. I guess I associate turkeys with fall but we're seeing more now.

Our agarita bushes are nearly ready. They had pretty little yellow flowers in March.

Then in late April the berries started turning from yellow to red.

They are pretty much all red now and probably ready for eating. I have no idea what they taste like but they are edible. They are super duper prickly so the deer stay away. I read that the best way to pick them is to lay a sheet underneath and shake the bush to avoid being poked. I may or may not try that. Maybe I should taste one first and see if it's worth the effort. One website that I read also said that you can make them into wine........just saying.

We have an old mail box on a post in a pot on our front porch (got all that?) When we had so much rain the other day I went out and tipped it over to get the water out of the pot. (It used to have fake flowers in the bottom but I pulled them out to change them and never did anything.)
There were some old twigs in it that I thought were from birds last year. I didn't see anything so I dumped them out too. Today when I went out to water plants I noticed the clump of twigs on the ground had two eggs on it! Not only that but there was another stray egg that had rolled a few feet away..
The bird had already started rebuilding a nest in the mailbox so I put on gloves and carefully picked up the nest and extra egg and put it back in. I don't know what will happen but I tried!

Still here

Sorry for the long break in posts. I just didn't have much to say, I guess. Chris has been out of town and the boys and I have just been hanging out at home for the most part. This weekend though, one of my nephews had a soccer tournament not too far from us that we went to. Alex and Zachary had a great time and my sister, my two nephews, and one girlfriend all stayed Saturday night with us so they could avoid a 2 1/2 hour drive home and back the next morning. I didn't take a single picture the whole time. I never even had the camera with me. The most exciting part of our weekend other than Brandon's team winning all 3 games and him scoring a goal (he plays defense so that's unusual) was when Zachary decided to pee on the field. Yup, you heard me. He PEED on the soccer field! When the game ended my boys ran on the field with their own little soccer balls to play for a bit. They were kicking the balls around and even kicking them to the goals while the parents and players were packing up their stuff to leave. All of the sudden I look up and see Zachary standing in the goal and he drops his drawers and goes potty. I was so embarrassed! The whole crowd was laughing and one mom said that at least he had turned away from us so all we saw was tush. Thank you daddy, for teaching him well.....

Wordless Wednesday - Cousins

They're baaack!

Our crazy red birds are back. Although they are beautiful (especially the males ones which are the red ones) they are annoying. They see their reflections in windows and throw themselves up against it (to attack?). Yesterday morning Zachary woke up crying and saying that someone was hammering on his window.
The male red bird.

This is the female red bird thrashing up against our dining room window.

We're not sure what to do about them....or if there is even anything we can do.