Gulfarium

On one of the mornings of our last beach trip, we decided to take the kids to the local Gulfarium.  Secretly, I think I wanted to go more than anyone else. 

I have a faint memory of going to this attraction when I was younger and the main part I remembered was the big, round tank where the dolphins performed.  Yeah, it's still there.  :-)

Here are the kids before the show.  Getting an up-close view of Lily (daughter - age 4), Delilah (mommy - age 36), or Ariel (rescue dolphin - age 7).  The girly dolphins at the aquarium.

Love how Landon is pulling down his glasses to get a clearer view of this huge ocean animal!!

Here one of the dolphins is splashing Lillian, Landon, and Robert!

An underwater view....so cool!






Waiting for the show.  As usual, Lillian was displaying LOTS of emotions.

















Olivia....wasn't a fan of my photography attempts.





Apparently, this trick (ball on nose) is really hard for dolphins to learn.  They don't have whiskers like the sea lions to help balance it.  But this (fairly new) little girl dolphin was doing a great job.





We couldn't help but be in awe of how well trained the dolphins were.  Seriously...how DO they do it!?!






Then we moved over to the "boy dolphin" area.  They let the boy sea lion and boy dolphins swim together.  It was sweet.  They kissed.  But Kyle (the boy sea lion) lives with his girlfriend (Phoebe) right now.  But they just wanted to show us that dolphins and sea lions got along together.





And to show us that, they let "Kyle" the boy sea lion, climb up on a HUGE platform and let the boy dolphin (I can't remember his name) eat a fish out of his mouth.

And they did...it was cute!  And AMAZING!

Then they showed off and each touch a buoy with their noses at the same time.

Again...HOW DO YOU TEACH TO DIFFERENT ANIMAL SPECIES TO DO THE SAME TRICK AT THE SAME TIME!?!?!?!?!





Amazing.

We also go to see some penguin, crocodiles, otters, crabs, stingrays, and turtles.  But they weren't quite as talented.  All in all, it was fun...for the adults and the kids!

Imperfect

Nobody's perfect.  We all know that.  And though most of the posts on this blog center around happy moments with my kids, there are definitely unhappy ones too.

I am not supermom.  And do not want to convey that at ALL through this blog.  I mean, would you all still read if I posted all the rough days and not happy ones?

Let me tell you about some of my days.  Some days, I don't make it out of my pjs.  I ride through the carpool line in fuzzy slippers, pjs, glasses, and makeup from the day before.  I have forgotten to sign report cards.  (Well ONE report card).  I have forgotten lunches and water bottles for my kids for school.  Sometimes dinner is STILL on the table the next morning.  Rarely, but it happens.  I forget to brush my kids teeth sometimes. (!yeah.true!) I forget to brush MY teeth sometimes. 

My kids bite.  Hit.  Yank things out of each other hands.  Lock each other out of rooms.  And hide each others toys.  And I'm guilty of raising my voice at them.  Some days there is a child crying all.day.long.  Or so it seems.

The other day, Landon threw an exercise ball at Lillian's head and it cut her eye.  There was discipline and tears. (And secretly I would have loved to have seen that happen - like how much air it got leaving her face)

They call each other names.  Lately it's "poo poo" and usually Lillian doing the name calling. 
 
I won't even tell you how long my sometimes bathrooms go without a GOOD scrub down.  Or how sometimes, I choose sleep or a couch break over laundry and mopping.  My sinks are rarely "toothpaste-glob" free.

 I promise...I can't and don't "do it all".

 BUT, I will say that I've seen changes in me.  I've seen my patience grow over the years.  My perspective shift a little.  I feel a less entitled to "my own time" and am OK if I don't get to leave the house and do something every.single.day.  I'll have ALL day to myself before I know it.  I know that on my deathbed, I'm not going to say, "Goodness, I wish I had had more time to myself when my kids were younger!"

 I guess you would call it contentment with my life right now.  And hope to keep growing and learning.

We ALL get overwhelmed sometimes.  But you just have to pick yourself up, brush yourself off, and KEEP GOING!


So to all mommies out there:


You are doing a GREAT JOB!


You are valuable and blessed and your hard work does not go unnoticed!! 

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. "
Matthew 6:19-21

Flashback Friday

Olivia - Summer 2003 - around 5/6 months old at the Lake.

Bubbly

Don't worry (to any germ phobs out there)....I lysoled and cleaned the sink before I put him in.

I think we have a new bathtime routine! :-)

Water Babies

Heated pools.

It's like takin' a bath...for as long as your parents let you. :-)


We had a few water babies last week.


First water baby:

...the one who plays it UBER safe in the water (always holding onto something).  As frustrating as Robert and I find it sometimes, I can't help but appreciate the "he's just cautious" card I play for him all the time.

Second water baby:

Fearless.  Feisty.  Independent.  And semi-pool-safe with arm floaties, goggles, and a big pink bow.



You know....all the necessities of cute pool swimming.

Third water baby:

Has LOVED water since birth.  Swims like a fish...can hold her breath like no other.  I don't know if I like that or not....but she's a GREAT swimmer!





Fourth water baby:

Well....he only put his toes in the water during this beach trip.  We'll save the "water experience" for later.

But he looked super cute in his beach hat! :-)

And here's a few more pics from the bathtub...I mean...pool at the beach.









Rhodes watched from the sidelines...a lot.  But seemed completely entertained!







Love some wet Daddy kisses!









And this one.  What will we do with her.  I'm just thankful she was receptive to the arm floaties.  We've tried them before, but she just wasn't having them.

I guess the "freedom factor" won out over the "uncomfortable factor" of the blown up plastic things on her arms.







'Cause she just floated around that pool until her little body was all pruned up.  And her tongue was out a LOT.  Guess she like the flavor of the pool.  Lots of burps followed as well.  :-)






And here he is again....just chillin' by the pool.  He was great.  And it was a BEAUTIFUL day!





Did I mention it was BEAUTIFUL while we were down there???

Beach Babies

As you know, last week was our Spring Break and I am oh so lucky to have some wonderful grand parents (the kids great-grandparents!) to join us in a trip to the beautiful Gulf Coast!!!

We couldn't have had more perfect weather for this early in March.  Not a cloud in the sky!  A heated pool helps too....but the kids really preferred the beach.

And they are at the perfect ages to just dig away - completely self entertained!  I've been waiting for this day!!  Except Rhodes has a little ways to go - but lots of older sibling to help him out one day!

He stayed up in the condo most of the time being rocked by his Sugar.  :-)  He was definitely the most spoiled.  ;-)


He also decided to start rolling over (back to stomach) and sitting up while we were down there!  FINALLY (thought I'd never see the day), but I guess he just never had enough floor time at home to perfect it - not safe around here on the floor. :-)

They caught a lot of sand fleas and shells!  The cold water didn't seem to phase them.  Crazy kids.










Love bottoms! :-)

Rhodes enjoyed the beach for a little bit...in his bumbo. 




He had to sit this round out of the sand.  Maybe next year.  But he enjoyed watching!

We dug a lot.  Shovels.  $2.50 at Wallyworld.  Best $$ spent at the beach!

We pretty much had the beach to ourselves! 






Except for the occasional spring break crew/couple that would walk by.  And we practically had to "ear muff" our kids.  I kept thinking, "please don't let the kids ask me what means....please don' let the kids ask me what means....."  Olivia called out one college girl for smoking.  :-)

BUT the spring breakers kept Robert and I entertained.  Under our dark sunglasses.....oh, if they only knew how ridiculous some of them looked and acted.  Oh, and we managed to NOT be on the beach when two guys in THONG SPEEDOS (I kid you not...they sell them at Alvin's Island) walked by.  Pretty sure I would have said something (from my "flesh man", of course) and run my kids off the beach.  Even on a private beach we're not safe.

We had lots of adventures that I'll share about this week!  This was one of the best trips with the 4 kids yet - wait, like the only trip we've taken with 4 kids.  Still, very fun.  Absolutely exhausting, but well worth it!

I hope we didn't wear my grand parents out too much.  I'm sure they're not used to as much noise as we make all day, every day.

Maybe we should call them up and make some racket over the phone for them!  ;-)