Reece the big "5"

Here is the hurricane baby. The little boy born 5 days before the Big One hit. Reece was the first boy born in the Parrish family since Rick. And it looks like, unless Robin decides to have one more, he will be the only boy also. A little blondie at birth and very calm. Boy, what an ugly boppy he's laying on.

For his actual birthday on September 10 we did presents, Red Robin for hamburgers and then a chocolate Mickey Mouse cake

These gifts were the bane of his existence all day, taunting him. I wouldn't let him open them until everyone was home from school and work. He just sat ON the table staring and touching them.

His Triple Play party was a blast. Here is Adeline and her best friend Abigail, they are just a few months apart

Reece on the back side of the mega slide, he loves to jump into the air as he goes down to get better zoom capability

They have this cool compressed air ball shooting thing and I just stood by it shoving balls in the sucker box, so the balls would just cascade all over the kids like it was raining balls

Optimus Rick and Mega Emma

Reece blowing out his Transformers cake while Optimus Jake looks on. For all the sweet hugs I get in the morning and at bed, for all the times I need to listen to how Bumblebee is better than Optimus Prime, and watch you at gymnastics flip like you were born tumbling, when I fix your hair in the morning in that little boy swoop and have to smooth down the rooster tails, listening to you sing in Preschool when you don't know I'm watching, amazed when you launch yourself off the side of the pool with no inhibitions, and creep in while you sleep with a knit cat under one arm and Spiderman under the other, I'm so glad God chose me to be your mother. I didn't know what my life was missing until you came into it 5 years ago and now I couldn't imagine a day without your smile that melts me every time. Happy Birthday Little Guy, Reecers Monkey

Friday Night Lights

This past Friday was hot and perfect for an evening out at Quietwater Cove. Rick brought the sunfish and even though there was no wind and the water was glass like, the kids loved it.

Returning from their voyage Emma leaped in to start snorkeling for little spade fish

Reece loves going out on the docks with Rick and looking at the speed boats and catamarans. Mommy loves taking the walk down to Surf Burger and getting a Bushwhacker.

The kids could see a flame from across the beach as it got darker and like moths, searched it out until they discovered it was a tiki torch at the Bimini Beach Bar.

Adeline just helped herself up onto this rental catamaran. I think she thought it was a trampoline because she was just bouncing and jumping on it. It was a really nice time spent with the kids, a practically empty beach, clear water, and daddy home for once on a Friday night.

On our way home from the beach, the giant stadium lights were on over Gulf Breeze high school for their football game. We thought, " what the heck, we've never taken any of the kids to a high school football game before". So, we went. It was hot and sticky, but fun, we sandwiched ourselves between the band and about 30 kids dressed in toga outfits with Burger King crowns painted gold and bedazzled. It was Homecoming that night and the kids got to see the pretty dresses and tuxs, while also getting riled up. Go Dolphins, Show us some Fin. All the kids had on High School shirts that said Fins of Fury. Somehow I can't see a dolphin getting that angry.

September Birthdays

On Labor Day weekend, we went to a party out at Flounder's. It was a pirate theme and the kids got to dig up buried treasure. Everyone received an eye patch and sword.

Adeline waited for the kiddie mac n cheese to arrive

We went out on Sunday to help another friend celebrate his son turning 4. We made a fire on the beach and enjoyed a Cars cake. A scary moment happened when the guys kept throwing dry wood on the fire from the woods and after it started burning, something little and brown came racing out of the fire. It was a small scorpion, I didn't even know Florida HAD scorpions! The guys killed it in the sand.

The weather was really strange that day, thunderstorms all to the north and this big rolling cloud right over the water. But, we stayed dry and warm. Rick was rockin his mater hat.

For my birthday on Tuesday, we tried the new restaurant The Mellow Mushroom, which is like a California Pizza Kitchen. We got the Philosopher's Pie. I was sung to and got my obligatory gooey chocolate melty dessert. Adeline helped herself.

Had a girl come and clean for me the other day, and I didn't know she was only 22. But, she asked how old I was and I said " I just turned 35 yesterday." She was like " Wow, you look REALLY good for being 35." And I'm like, WTF girly, 35 isn't ancient, what did you expect wrinkles, crow's feet, grey hair, oh wait I do have those.

Backpacks, new shoes, sharpened pencils, smiling faces

Reece started the free state funded 4 year old program this year at St Paul's Lutheran.
This is the same school he was at last year and my shy little guy was all smiles, even though his best friend Jake is in a different class.

Here is my obligatory first day of school pose with "Backpack" the penguin

His teacher Miss Kathy, gave her stuffed dog a breed change operation and it is now a trans-gender dog changed into a cat, with the help of hot glue and pipe cleaner whiskers. Reece has to find his name every morning and crack open Coco's head to put his name inside.

He immediately found a fun activity and went to work, didn't even wave bye to mom, but I snuck a kiss in anyhow

Emma changed schools this year from St. Paul's Catholic to N.B. Cook magnet school for the arts. I think this change will be a good one, not only for the class size being smaller, but b/c my first born is so imaginative and creative. She loves the dance class and drama is going to be her favorite she tells me. They already performed a small play, where Emma was Brownie the Bear.

Isn't this a cool entrance?

No school uniform for the first day of school. She loves waking up everyday and picking out her favorite outfits. But, we already broke a clothing rule by the 2nd week. I sent her in these super cute suede boots, and apparently Mom doesn't know the P.E. schedule yet, b/c she was forced to sit against the wall the entire class, due to inappropriate footwear. Sorry Emma.

As for Addie, she still is at home with me, by my choice, not hers. She threw herself down in the parking lot of Reece's school when she found out her best friend Abigail is in school and not her.

Backyard Beauty

Waist high weeds, tangles of briars, crazy jasmine, virginia creeper....I had to take the giant pruning shears to this gate to the pool, just to get it open. Do you see the hidden wash basin in this photo, that luckily when I was running the electric clippers over, I didn't hit.

Ferns out the ying yang, dead crazy weeds, and let's all not forget about the snakes!!!

This was our backyard looking out my kitchen window in March. Unusable, scary and an eyesore.

Then came the trees, hello ladies.

Ta Da, thanks to Rick's amazing knack for feng sui, he always has an idea before he even starts.

I planted these, thank you very much.

A palm tree closer up, these are from the genus Washingtonian.

Everything is so lush and beautiful

My little garden, where the dead ferns were. Soooo if this isn't enticement enough to fly over here and visit us, I don't know what is. Maybe a ride on Old Moldy our pontoon boat.