Cousin-ing and Wild Manatees.

On Sunday we took a drive to have a birthday lunch for my FIL.

Along with the inlaws, it's always entertaining when all five cousins get together!

Lo and Kristy compare leg injuries. Lo pinched a nerve in her hip while diving at softball practice. 

Kristy fell off the back of a (non moving) pick up truck. I'm not even going there. 

Lindsay and Bryan compared calf sizes.

As the coach says: Those aren't calves Bryan, those are Steer!

 A photo of Grandpa and his favorite grandchild. 

 Ok, maybe it's not nice to pick favorites. 

 Of course, I was always a favorite to all my Grandparents. I'm sure you already assumed this.

On the way home, we stopped by the manatee park. (right next to the power plant) The manatee flourish here during the winter...warm water=happy manatees! 

 Do you see the Coach's calves steer?

 Despite the reputation they have been given, Manatee are not man eaters.

Do you see them here? They are hard to photograph because they only jump out about once an hour.

 Lindsay walks all over them. Cruel.

For your viewing pleasure, I caught one of the manatees doing their famous 'once an hour' jump. 

Did you see it? Nice right?

See why I was a favorite of my Grandparents...I never fib!

For some reason, the video is available to some, but not others. I hope you are not an other. 

Can you spare an ampersand?

If you were paying attention, and I pay you to pay attention, you will recall that I jazzed up my photo ledges for Christmas this year. This was the very first time that I removed ALL the photos and misc stuff and had ONLY Christmas goodies. And by goodies,  I mean old candy. 

Well, when I declared CHRISTMAS IS OVER!!!!... I started with another clean slate. I decided to change things up. I was tired of the old family photos...needed some newer/updated ones. Lucky for them, I'm not so tired of the family itself. Well, for today anyway.

I had the "S" already. (It was for our last name, now it is for my first name. Oh Snap...the internet knows my initials now! Might as well give my my social security number.)

I found the "J" at Marshall's.

"'J" is for Coach. Yes it is!

{Lo's pottery class pears; so darn cute}

I thought it would be cute to put an ampersand (&) in the middle of the J and S. {by the way, our college child didn't know what an ampersand was. Can we get a refund? On the tuition, not the child, I'm pretty sure they don't give $ back on kids anymore.}

While I was fussing around with the shelves...I said out loud: Oh, if I can't find an ampersand, I can put a plus in the middle of J and S and then an equal sign....with L and L at the end.

Confusing?

Oh, it would be like this: J+S=L&L.

Lindsay said: Gross.

Lauren said: Ewww.

Hey, I was just doing the math.

Actually, I should get credit because I restrained myself from saying: See those wine corks?

Well, J+S+wine=L & L. 

I know you were thinking this as well. 

Anyhoo....I would still need an ampersand for the gross/ewww equation.

And I need to get some people to pose for some new family photos too. I've got much work to do.

Do you have an ampersand I can borrow?

Green Acres...is the place for me.

A few weeks ago the Coach and I cleaned out the garden. I had apparently left it quite neglected because I accumulated a lifetime supply of weeds. If only we could live on weeds!

Well, some people live on weed...but not this kind. 

I decided to NOT photograph the garden while full of weeds...it was just so sad and pitiful. I was bummed. I went into my garden supply bench looking for tools and I found this guy all curled up and warm. I was over my depression...only because he surprised it out of me! 

Don't you know, one of my children asked if we 'could keep him'. 

Yeah, we'll keep him...IN THE YARD!

He is just an innocent little corn snake. No biggie. I asked him to kindly move OUT of my garden bench while I needed to get my stuff. You'd be surprised at how polite snakes are when you approach them without screaming your head off. 

After the garden was cleaned, the girls and I planted our seeds. Within a week, they were growing like crazy!

I was trying to get a photo of the seedlings REACHING FOR THE SUN and I unknowingly caught a photo of Harley's Kanga Pouch. Get away from my baby plants and go do some sit ups!

And just when I thought I was ahead of the garden game this year, my neighbor brought over this bounty of sweet peppers....yes, he is a garden bragger of sorts. 

In addition to all the peppers, he gave us as many plump tomatoes. 

I'll accept his bragging garden gifts....delish. The Coach and I ate roasted peppers and tomatoes for 8 days straight! And no one even complained!

Anyone else planning their spring garden this week? 

What? Did you just give me the finger? NOT NICE! 

Tripping over milestones

I've been up to my eyeballs in stuff. I'm doing W2's, 1099's, year end reports and other stuff that I've NEVER done before in my life!!! Learning is exhausting...just ask me. I've stepped so far out of my comfortable little box.... and surprisingly it's not that uncomfortable. 

BIG NEWS!!!!!

Guess who got her license...

This is great news!!! But then again, if you ask her, "I won't let her go anywhere" so, what's the point?

It's my job to suck the fun out of every moment...I should get a raise cause I am really good at it!

And guess who is incompetent?

Did I say incompetent?

I meant: incontinence. 

Yeah, she is 49 7 and is losing her bladder skills. Welcome to my world Cocoa!

Luckily, they have pills for this now. 

*****

 I've been dealing with some sort of inner ear issue that is effecting my outer body. I feel like I am in a cave with really really loud people shouting at me. Similar to my visits to NYC. 

Today,  I woke up with a bit of vertigo too. 

I am a PARTY I tell ya!

Going back to bed, perhaps I'll wake up feeling normal-er.

*****

If you don't have dogs or care for dogs, then stop right here and leave a nice comment. 

This is mindless. Silliness. Goofiness. And it cracked us up when we watched it.

If you have a dog, you will appreciate how hard it was for these canines to NOT attack the plates.

Have a great weekend....keep that bladder in check and drive carefully! Doing both at the same time is a good thing.

xoxox