fabulous 4th

the family gathers to celebrate Independence Day

So let's see...Oh yeah, I'm almost caught up. It's only the 18th and I'm just now blogging about the 4th. It was that month hiatus that threw me. Anyhoo, as I was uploading these photos I was thinking, how shocking, another post about family and the beach and love and blessings. Is there more?

Well, sometimes there is Augustus yelling "NOOOO" at Frida, or Ree-ta as he calls her, and then they go into their three stooges routine with straight-arm whapping each other and hair pulling and head bonking and while it isn't really appropriate or loving behavior, sometimes I must say it is comical.

Sometimes I am less than a model of patience, understanding and speaking in a calm manner or loving tone, but since we don't have any photos of all that, we'll just stick with documenting and blogging about the glory of it all, not the gory details.

Aunt Tammy playing in the tidal pools with Augustus, Magdalena and a little buddy

Jeanna and Dave of the hat brigade, maxin' and relaxin' beach pool style.

pool time with the babes.

Magdalena would spend every second of every day in the pool if she could. I know she loves the beach and playing in the sand and the waves and the little tidal pools, but I think she only remembers how much she loves swimming in the pool because that is all she talks about. When are we going to the pool? Can we go to the pool now? I want to go to the pool. Get the picture? But can you blame her? To go from not being able to swim, to swimming, real staying-under-water-as-long-as-you-can, jumping in from the side, getting thrown by papa or me, doing under-water flips, retrieving dive sticks from the bottom Swimming! What freedom! What joy! I love watching her swim, it's the stuff summers are made of.

poolside with Uncle Neil

I think Augustus and Magdalena are the most fortunate children in the world. They have their abuela here, they have two sets of Aunties and Uncles living right here in Jax, and then they have Aunt Tammy and Uncle Neil close enough to see relatively often. Aunt Tammy and Uncle Neil come in town and immediately get most favored Aunt and Uncle status due to their exotic nature and scarce sightings and, need I mention, incredible goodies that seem to accompany them with each visit.

watching the fireworks with Uncle Neil

getting crafty with Aunt Tammy

Just in case you ever happen upon a craft that you just can't justify making yourself, like, oh, playing with yarn and glue, and you just must make that craft, then follow Tammy's lead and just get crafty with the little ones! And in case there isn't enough glue, remember, glue or paste, rather, is just flour and water! A cup, some flour and water, pieces of yarn and about a sticky 30 minutes later and you have your cups. Being that this is Florida and we used homemade paste, the cups took longer than planned to dry but turned out rather darling.

Augustus' cup

extended clan Barnas

So I have mentioned what a wonderful Aunt and Uncle Tammy and Neil are, but I haven't mentioned what wonderful people they are. Our family just feels more special when they are here, they are such a lovely addition. They're funny, beautiful, smart and loving and we're always thinking of an excuse to get them here.