#236

Happy (belated) birthday, Marine Corps.  You’ve been good to us and besides, I like getting dressed up once a year.

November!

Woo-hoo!  I’m finally in the right month—I haven’t been this close to being fully caught up in AGES.  So, here goes . . .

Yes, it’s still warm enough here for outdoor water play.

Jake attempted a backyard campout with Logan but it didn’t last long because someone was too excited and wiggly to sleep.

  Naomi and baby, off on another whirlwind adventure!

I wasn’t along for this one; Jake took the kids and went exploring.

The tour guide says it’s time for a rest.

 

Just a couple of cute kids hanging out at the playground.  It’s what we do best!

Logan shows off his homemade skateboard.

  
Walking a mile (more or less) in Daddy’s combat boots.

All Hallow’s Eve

Arrgh!  It be the dread pirate Logan.

And a sweet cupcake who didn’t want to hold still for pictures :)

I got the shot though!  Both of them smiling and everything!

Many thanks to Logan for being a very cooperative and helpful big brother!

He even posed nicely with Henry!

Naomi did not pose so nicely, but then she’s one.  Actually, she reminded me a lot of Logan at roughly the same age.  Remember the year he was the Musketeer and he wouldn’t keep his hat on?   It’s actually the same hat he’s using for his pirate costume. 

Anyways, on to the harvest carnival . . .

Nothing says “tough pirate” like an ice cream cone, right?

Logan stops bouncing for a minute to listen to the music.

It’s the little things that are so special. 

Fashion Forward

She looks angelic, doesn’t she?

The reality is funnier though.  She brought me several random items from the laundry pile, so I obliged and put them all on, to include: one set of footie pajamas, arms only inserted so that the feet  flopped behind like the tails on a tux jacket,  a second shirt worn more-or-less like a scarf, one of my ankle-length socks which covered her knee, and a single shoe on the non-sock covered foot.

Don’t ask me what’s going on with his shorts/kilt.  The only thing I can tell you is, he’s three and yes, he wanted them that way and it wasn’t worth arguing about.

Naomi does her best to express her own fashion sensibilities, but right now she’s mostly limited to ripping out any kind of hair clip that I try to put in.

They are good kids though.  I can’t really complain if a few odd clothing choices is the worst I have to deal with.

It doesn’t stop us from having lots of fun.

 

 

 

More unusual clothing coming up: the next round will be Halloween.  (What you thought I was caught up?  Not yet, but I’m getting there.)

Manzamo, Part Two

We finally get under the water . . .

Giant blue starfish and a ton of sea anemones.  Oh, and great visibility.

The textures of the coral were amazing.

A few new fish species, but none that wanted to be photographed.  A lot of familiar friends down there as well.

A clam puckers up nicely for its portrait.

The puffer didn’t really want to play.

Trying to get back in to shore to let Jake have his turn, I initially came up on the wrong beach.  Nice little hideaway though.

The days most spectacular, but slightly sad, find was this baby sea turtle trapped among the rocks on the beach.  (Logan was actually the one who stumbled across it.)  It was still alive but not looking too strong.  We released it into the water so maybe, hopefully, we were able to give it a chance to survive.     

Jake found another variety of puffer.

Nothing like a couple of nice Moorish idol to make you feel tropical.

  And a number of very large starfish to boot! 

All in all, a very good day!

Manzamo, Part One

We actually found this somewhat by accident.  We were headed out looking for a new snorkeling site and ended up here.

It DOES look like it would be great snorkeling (see the coral formation in the water?) except for two small problems.  1-it’s a little rough and 2-there’s no way to get down there (and while it’s not exactly clear in the picture, it’s a LONG way down).

Yah, there’s no way to get there.  Definitely not.  Especially with the kids in tow.  (Who am I kidding?  Look back up at that first picture; look at those cliffs!  Kids or no kids doesn’t make a bit of difference; it’s just not happening.)

Jake is confident we’ll find a better site a little further up the road.

Yep, he says, there’s another beach right over there that looks pretty good.  You can see the coral outline and there’s an actual beach approach instead of cliffs.

Off we go!

Ah yes, this is a little more accessible.

Logan stakes out his play area.

  To be continued . . .