Beach Fun with Family & Friends

We got to go to the beach!  It's been 4 years since Jimmy & I went to Amelia Island, Florida, where we spent our honeymoon 9 years ago.  We talked about bringing our future family there one day, and our dream was fulfilled!  Even though we had 3 days of rain and cloudy windy skies (thanks to Tropical Storm Debby), being wrapped up in a towel at the beach was better than enduring the blistering heat wave in Tennessee.  Just a day into the trip we had a grand surprise orchestrated by my sweet husband...my parents arrived and spent an evening and one day with us!  I knew they were coming to surprise the boys, but they came a night early and surprised me!  What fun!  I'm so glad they got to see the boys enjoying the beach and waves!  In fact, they helped ease the boys into it.  Aside from sand castles, shell hunting and wave jumping, we also ate some fantastic meals...Brett's Waterway Cafe, Sandy Bottoms and Townies in Fernandina.  We were also blessed to drive a little way south to St. Augustine and see our dear friends who generously drove up from Orlando to see us.  We love you Zakhary Family and appreicate you orgnaizing a wonderful afternoon for us!  The boys made instant best friends, which we thought they would.  Just glad they like each other because we hope to visit again as soon as possible!  Suffice it to say, Florida is our favorite vacation spot, and getting to have Family join us, along with seeing our best long-distance Friends just put icing on the cake!  Here's some photos from our trip...

Spring

As soon as I think I have a chance to post, someone wakes up from a nap (which is a miracle in itself to get them both down at the same time for any amount of time)...so as quickly as I can I'm going to try to get a few photos from Spring 2012 up here. 

Easter Sunday

(And wedding attire, they weren't in the wedding, just attended a few)

Hiking the trail behind Bud Ogle's cabin in Roaring Fork, The Great Smoky Mountains! (one of our favorite short vacation destinations) We were there for the weekend for my cousin's wedding.  I don't have a picture of us all dressed up at the wedding...yet...but here we are earlier that day...out in the woods! 

I plan to post wedding pictures, too.  It was beautiful and so much fun!!!

Our house...a normal day just the boys and me playing outside

(No, I don't normally put the baby in a basket...it just kept him from crawling off the table so I could snap a photo.)

January, Where has the time gone?

Wow! January is usually a slow month, and February is usually slower as, well, for me, winter endures and we await Spring.  But with this Spring-like weather...it hasn't been so bad.  We have been outside so much more than usual, and had a great month, which leaves me wondering..."Where has the time gone?"

We celebrated Carter's 3rd Birthday...

Carter's 3rd Birthday! Monster Trucks!

And Colby turned 5 months old...

Rolling, sitting up and...smiling!

Around three years ago an experienced mother told me a saying that sticks with me. "The days are long, but the years are short."  I tucked the thought away, but now I totally believe it!  I'm living it!  I can't believe it's been 3 years since Carter was our newborn baby.  Now he's our big boy.  I'm amazed at the things he knows and can do. He makes me proud, entertained and sometimes completely worn out.  But most importantly, I've learned more about love, care and family than I ever have in my life.  His love for his brother and Colby's fascination with Carter amaze me each day.  I cherish those moments because I suspect it won't be long before these sweet moments turn into fighting.  Haha! 

But back to the the saying above, I recently read an article on Kronos time (time of day) and Chairos time (special moments) and whether or not to carpe diem (seize the day and enjoy every moment).  Like the author, I've experienced a certain amount of guilt in moments I find unenjoyable and think to myself, "enjoy this because it will be gone so soon."  This latter thought usually brings me back to reality to handle situtaitons with patience and tenderness.  However, there are some moments (potty training) that just get my goat!  I will not miss potty training at all!  So I'm learning that as time is going so quickly to cherish these Chairos moments like the birthday party, Carter singing in the rain splashing in his rainboots. Colby rolling over only to greet me with the biggest grin I've ever seen in my life and falling asleep in my lap.  Rocking and singing with both boys in the rocking chair or playing tractors in the floor.  These moments will outshine those rough ones, and I know I'll look back on these quickly fleeting years and say, "Where has the time gone?"