Happy Day!

My little boy (well he's never really been little in the traditional sense but little to me) who they questioned if he would reach six months has hit 216 months today and is still going strong.  People wonder why I'm not big into doctors or statistics, but I digress :-)

The celebration of my beautiful boy's birthday started out early with William coming over and bringing a new WW2 game.  It took them two hours to read the instructions but for these two WW2 fans it was fun all the same.  

Later in the week he was able to put together his new COBI set, the long awaited Battleship Bismark.  Amazingly it took a couple days to complete, there were so many pieces.

Throughout the week everyone played Memoir '44 with him and most of us more than once.  Notice I said "us".  As a birthday gift I finally sat down with him and learned to play, I even came back for more the next day.

In the evenings of his birthday week he got to choose the movies.  We watched Midway for the first time on the new TV and Sully to name a few favorites.  

At the dance on Saturday, the whole group sang him Happy Birthday as a surprise!

Today, his actual birthday, was spent in the traditional manner.... ball pelting to "Celebration", french toast breakfast, and pizza and spice cake for dinner.

This has been quite the year for Jared, a lot of big items checked off his life list (graduation, black-belt, employment, etc.).  His creativity and entrepreneurial focus continue to amaze and the dojang has honed in his people and leadership skills.  We are so proud of the young man he is today.  Can't wait to see what he adds and completes on his list in the coming year. 

After the Tide

Before vacation this month... we expanded the chick run, Titus and Amber completed their EOGs and we finished history.  However, when we got back from vacation it was time to start all over again.

Baseball playoffs started the Monday after we got back.  Titus did an amazing job during the first game, made some excellent plays in the outfield and then a phenomenal job as pitcher shutting out the game for the teams second win of the season.  Tuesday, well... it was their last game and now it's time to focus on Summer Swim Team.

The following Friday, Lance and Jared, went to the L-House for Game Night.  They had some new and interesting social games to play and the boys enjoyed themselves as usual with this great group of kids.

Saturday was a full day with Kimberly over for a playdate with Amber, and Titus at TKD most of the day.  The pool also officially opened but the weather wasn't exactly cooperative.

Lance has continued catching for Pros a couple times a week, a family at TKD let him take their Porsche for a drive (quite the dream come true) and in strange news he was traded (didn't know that was a thing) from F-V Twins to Carolina Pirates (collegiate summer teams).

The last Saturday of the month was the beginning of Summer Swing Dance season for Lance and Jared.

Sunday was a much awaited day.  All the kids went to the see the Super Mario Brothers Movie in the theater.  This was Amber's first time going to a theater, she was sat between Lance and Jared.  Lance had a little buddy on the other side to discuss the fine points of the movie with.  The movie did not disappoint, all the kids said they were laughing the whole way through.  They concluded Dad will love it as well, but they're not so sure about me :-)

Also, Titus decided to give the poor squirrels a break and build them their own feeder below the bird feeders they so valiantly try for but can never attain.

The Waves Call Us

Sometimes I think they actually do call us back, to calm us and renew our strength.  

The weather was absolutely beautiful this week.  We stayed in a new unit this year (our old one was being remodeled) and it was even nicer than our old.  The back patio was literally over a pond in the back with an adorable island full of turtles, it really added to the peacefulness. The unit was also much newer and closer to the beach, for all those reasons we decided we'll choose this one again in the future.

We follow pretty much the same routine everyday.  

Go to the beach....

Fish....

I decided to try casting with Lance's pole and was immediately rewarded with the weirdest catch of the week.  I literally snagged a jelly fish as I was reeling it back in LOL.

Walk....

This was my favorite find on our walks this week (large hermit crab).  A close second were the huge living Welk and Starfish (in the "fight club")

Boogie Board....

Change, go walk to have late Lunch...

See our friends....

Play at the park....

Go back to Condo play games (Jenga, Chess and Connect Four were this years favorites), read books, etc....

Go to the beach....

Fish....  

Build dams....

and help them collapse... 

Go back to condo, eat left overs for dinner....

Watch a movie...

Go the beach..... 

Play Bocce.... 

Build a castle..... 

and watch it collapse.....

Fish...

 

Lots of fish were caught this week by nearly everyone.  Lance started with this Sail Catfish (very venomous), and followed it with a decent sized sting ray. Titus caught a huge Sail Catfish as well (up above), Amber caught a Whiting and I actually caught a real fish too, a Weak Fish.

Walk at night....

Sleep and Repeat.

The only change to the schedule above is to go play Putt-putt one day.  Already looking forward to our return trip on September to do it all over again!