Just Along for the Ride

Getting things done!  Sometimes that is how our days go.  I have an agenda.  Today we hiked Thompson park with Stephanie and her twins then went to buy PawPaw a present at the mall.  The boys were good campers for both--thank goodness!

 At Thompson Park                                           In the soft play area at North Point Mall

A Hiking We Will Go!

It is nice to divide and conquer with the kids.  They get that one on one attention and feel special.  This afternoon I took Bennett to meet up with a couple of my college friends to hike Kennesaw Mnt.  Daddy stayed at home with Trenton and went to the pool.  It was fun for all!

JJ with baby Ellie, Megan with Bennett, and Mary

Happy Anniversary!

We celebrated our 6th anniversary with dinner out in Roswell and watching 24 on the DVR.  We were behind on episodes and that sounded great to us since the boys were spending the night at Granna and Opa's house.   

June Zoo

Zoo time!  We took our neighbor with us to the zoo and had one of my friends Brittany meet us there with a girl she was watching.  It was a nice day of seeing all the animals.

 Can't pass these by!

Watching the merekats.

 The good ol' Willie B. statue.  Someone should tells these monkeys that those animals are pandas! :)

 Ready for the train ride.  We're the caboose!

Riding the carousel.

Mommy and Trenton's Day at Six Flags

We were adventurous today.  I took Trenton to Six Flags.  He had reached 42 in mark and that qualified him for the next bracket of rides.  (The last time we went he was only 36 in.)  I was so proud of Trenton's patience as we waited in lines, bravery as he dared crazy things for a 4 year old, and positive attitude as he began to get tired, but didn't once complain.  I think the atmosphere of this being a day for just the two of us helped.  We rode roller coasters, bumper cars, all the water rides--thunder river, log jamboree, splash river falls, twirly rides, up high rides, driving rides.....if Trenton was a of size and wanted to do it, we did it!  We had a slight rain delay mid afternoon, but lasted it out and called it a day at 5.  Skipping nap (except for a catnap on my shoulder during one line wait--he couldn't keep his eyes open but was bound and determined to do this last water ride.)    

 Yes!  I'm barely tall enough!

 Trenton after his first roller coaster ride, The Mine Train.  It was shaky, but Momma held on to him tight and he loved it.

 Driving Momma around the park.

 Riding the boat.

 Up, up and away on the hot air balloons and swings.

 It shocked me that he was tall enough for the Scream Machine, Mine Bender, and Georgia Cyclone.....those were some of the best (and only!) roller coasters I rode on growing up.

 He liked it, somewhat.  He didn't complain.  Never cried or frowned.  Plain out said, "Let's not do that one again."  I laughed and told him I thought it was way too fast for a kid his age.  Their necks just aren't strong enough.   Again, I was holding on to him the entire time as we jerked around.  At least we tried it.

And this is how Trenton flies a plane.

 Dancing at the Loony Toon block party.  Funny story.....when I said it was time to go to the Loony Toon area, Trenton said but I just want to see Bugs Bunny.   He'd never heard of Loony Toons.  My how times (and cartoons!) have changed, probably for the better.  :)

Trenton and the "real" batmobile....so we decided.

Sprayground

The pros.....

1.  It's cool and refreshing, especially on a hot summer day.

2.  It's cheap....only $2

3.  It's nearby.

The cons.........

1.  No food and my boys always want a snack.

2. No toys.....hats have cleverly become toys to the boys while there.

3.  They don't last long.

Hindsight, we'll go to the splash pad but for the effort it takes to get ready and go, this might not be the best option.  We're happy with our 2 visits this summer.

 Water spraying up is fun!

 Cooling off on a hot summer day!

 Silly boys!

And we're done!

Thunder=Catch Air

It had been thundering for the boy's entire nap.  Therefore, the pool was not an option this afternoon.  We headed over to Catch Air for a little indoor playtime.  It is such a great children's center and we don't make it there enough!

 Looping around on the jungle gym.

 Bennett rides the merry go round and Trenton swings on the balls.

See those specks.  Those are the boys high up in the playground.  The triple slide was super fun.  They'd do it together.

Jekyll Beach Vacation

We sure enjoyed spending a week at the beach with Granna and Opa!  Here is all the fun we had!

We gathered sand dollars!  Carried bucket after bucket full of water out to hole.

Dug and played in the sand.

The boys were so good at entertaining themselves, but of course......

.........the adults joined them, too!

Trenton-4 and Bennett-2

Sunday we celebrated Father's Day.  Trenton picked out this card for Opa.

And this card for Daddy.  He insisted on opening and "reading" Daddy's.

The splash swords were big hits in the water.  They boys attacked waves or

 we played sword fights together.

 One morning we had a good view of the shrimp boats.

Having the tent set up offered a perfect, shady spot to watch the fun.

Granna made this.

Trenton and Daddy going out to play in the waves.  Bennett reaching for me to take him out. 

Grannna took this one as we jumped waves.

Snacks......don't leave home without them!

Father's Day dinner at SeaJay's

We ate outside overlooking the marina.

Then we walked down to the marina afterwards to see the boats.

We thoroughly enjoyed driving the Red Bug everywhere we went on the island.  The boys got a kick out of them and would ask to go Red Buggin'.

We had fun flying kites in the evening hours.

 It was neat to see holes/sandcastle made from people that day.  We played in their abandoned creations.

Wading in the water.

The boys would watch a movie each night before bed.  If we were watching the college world series on TV, they set up their little TV.

 We climbed trees in the historic district.

Trenton with Opa.

Then, we biked from the historic district to the Horton House following the marsh.  

We were proud of Trenton who rode the entire 4 miles all on his own!  Mommy ran the 4 miles next to him in case he needed something.

What a gorgeous trail to bike on!

We finally made it to the Horton House where Granna and Opa met us on the Red Bug.  

Back to the beach and riding waves.  They were best at high tide.

Trenton and his boogie board.  Bennett fascinated with the horseshoe crab we discovered in the wading pool once it became low tide.

It was obviously dead.  We examined it closely.  They boys loved nature at its finest.

Here is the wading pool, still full from a recent high tide.  The tide changes drastically on Jekyll due to its location between Florida and South Carolina at the fold.  It is at the "bite" as the call it.

Building sandcastles with Mommy.  Brought me back to my childhood drip castle days.  :)

Bennett sure loved digging and getting dirty!

Then destroying it with McMissile

The is always something to do at the beach!

We spent one day at the pool instead.

Our little burrito.  Then we went to the turtle center one afternoon.

Looking into the rehabilitation tanks with Daddy.

Comparing Trenton's head to the turtles.

Playing crossing the street game to see just how dangerous the terrapin turtles have it on the causeway.

Other learning activities......if only we could read!

Watching the veterinarians perform a surgery.

This terrapin had been struck by a car and had a shell fracture.

Sitting outside the center afterwards.

Another evening at the beach.  The boys spotted two deer just feet above us on the sand dunes.

They were pretty.  What a sight in the sun's light!

 Doing balloon rockets during low tide.

 Relaxing and enjoying the cool, breezy part of the beach.

 We brought Trenton's bike down there, too.

 One evening we headed to driftwood beach where the beach has eroded so trees have fallen.

 And we brought our nets to catch crabs this time!

 They were crawling all over the logs.

 Trenton caught the first one!

 Trying to convince the boys to also catch fish.  All they wanted were crabs here.

 Bennett caught one, too, with Daddy's help.

 Enjoying the evening.

 Fun family time!

 Another day of bike riding.  We love all Jekyll's biking trails.  We went by the beach, through the maritime forest, into the historic district, alongside the marsh, and back into the residential area in the morning.  Then, again to get ice cream that evening.  So fun!  Loved the 20+ miles of biking exercise!

 Stopping by the original red bugs to play.

 The Jekyll Club

 And this is how we rode.  Daddy had Bennett in the carrier and Mommy had Trenton on the trail-behind.

 That evening, Kevin and I got a date night!  We saw this beautiful sunset.

And enjoyed dinner at The "Rah" Bar on one of Jekyll's piers where they had a live band.