Hair cuts all around....

What can I say... I am THAT mom!

We finally took Aydin in for a much needed hair cut!! He had not had a hair cut since April 2008!!! What can I say- I loved the long surfer shag look- UNTIL- this summer when it got out of control. Since school is starting at the end of this month and football starts this weekend we thought today was a 'the' day. I can not believe how different he looks. He loved being able to pick out his hair cut out of a look book and be in control of what he was going to look like.

Before....

During....

AFTER.....

Are you ready.....

While he was getting his hair done- I thought it would be good to have Morgan get a trim.

SO- Today Morgan had her very fist hair cut- EVER! Yes you read correctly... it only took me 4 years, 4 months and 3 weeks to finally get a trim. She was so happy to be 'pampered' while she got her hair washed, brushed (nicely- because apparently I do not brush her hair nice), cut, the blow dried straight. She is in love with her hair!!

Before...

Washing... her favorite

Cutting....

After- She loved it!!!

Our yard and plants...

Steve and I love living in an area where we can grow almost any tropical plant we want. This year we added a few more plants in the front. They have taken off and we love it!! Our back yard- we didnt do a whole lot of changes... but we did add banana trees along the fence. I do love how our citrus trees are finally growing back- after the hard freeze we had during the winter. Here are a few pictures of our yard.

Here is our front yard...

Ginger- our newest addition to the front (along with a banana tree right behind it)

Our much loved plumerias- we took a stem from Hawaii and grew these in our backyard. These are my favorite flowers.

This is our back yard... with our new banana trees

More beach days...

Here are just some random pictures of this months beach pictures... We are there at least 3 days a week and we LOVE it!!

Aydin catching waves- or in the middle of one :)....

Aydin and his friend Ty

Morgan riding the waves- This is her favorite thing to do now!!

Our Cruise to the Bahamas

Thursday we were lucky enough to take a cruise to the Bahamas. Steve and I went with some friends Brad and Monica to Nassau and Freeport. We had a great time! We spent Thursday and Friday out at sea, so we had a lot of free time. We went to karaoke, trivia, newlywed game (where Brad and Monica were called up to play- and won), ate, ate some more and hung out.

leaving Jacksonville

the four of us after triva

the best server ever- Juan

Saturday we went to Nassau and spent all day there. We first got off the boat and started walking- just to look around and ended up walking about 5 miles.. maybe more to the hotel Atlantis. We then walked more- around the hotel... got rained on for about an hour... left the resort and walked more!!
After about another 5 miles..we finally got a taxi back to the boat- where we then rented scooters. This was the best part of the day!! I was looking forward to renting scooters to see the other part of the island and coastline. Well- the traffic was so awful and the drivers were even worse... (Yes- WAY worse than me!!) Monica jumped off. She was done- didnt want to die on a scooter! So her and I walked back- about a mile to the port side shopping and downtown while the guys took off to see the island. I was a little bummed at first- but there was no way I was going to leave her by herself. Well about 2 hours later we see the guys (back early) to find our their bikes had broken down. Steves bike stopped while he was still driving- so he had to jump on Brads bike (I wish I had pictures!!) and about 2 miles later Brads bike broke down. They then have to hitch a ride back to the port (30 minutes away) to where Steve has to go back with the rental guy to show where the bikes were. We walked around for a little while after Steve came back but had to get back on the boat. We will never forget our adventurous day in Nassau.

at the Atlantis hotel

scooter time

the parade they put on for our Independence Day


Sunday was the best day of the trip!! We stopped in Freeport and we all loved it! It reminded us all of Hawaii. Slow paced, green, clean, and beautiful. We got a taxi to Port Lucaya to snorkel. We were the only ones that signed up- so we were on our own boat. This was SO much fun!! Went went about a mile of shore, settled on a reef and jumped in. I loved it!! We didnt have too much time in Freeport so we didnt do much else but snorkel and shop the market. It was a blast though.

I am so grateful I had the chance to take this trip with Steve- to spend time together, the have great friends Brad and Monica with us and so grateful for Amy and Kevin to watch the kids for us while we went. I will always remember this trip and the laughter we had.