So you all know that I have been slacking in my blog posts. It's just been so darn crazy around our house. We are in Hilton Head right now and I thought I would have lots of time to get updated. Boy! Was I wrong. 5 kids under the age of 7 will keep you busy. We have been going from sunup to sundown.

I am back in the cottage right now with a sick baby. I will not share the pictures, but I just ask that you say a little prayer for Lucy. She has, what we think is, Impetigo. She has a horrible blistery-rash under her arm and on her chin. It is starting to spread to her face as well. The Dr. has called in some major antibiotics and medicated ointment and she is being a real trouper to take them without much fuss.


So we are staying back to get some much-needed rest. And besides, she can't do much swimming anyway. What better way for me to past the time than play catch-up with my Blog!


Here are some pictures from fun days in my Mom and Dad's back yard.

Ella's first attempt at skiing. She was a little nervous and once she fell was not willing to try again. Oh, well. We still have plenty of summer left.

Ella got herself ready for the pool!

Dad helping Ella climb the diving platform. I knew she was brave, but I really did not think she would actually jump.

But she did!

Self Portrait

Those eyes....

So Tired

The girls are so tired from our vacation. They have played harder than they ever have the past 3 days.

How hard you ask?

We all three were just taking a nap and Lucy just went "pee pee" all over me and the bed."

How tired am I?

I didn't even care.

Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

That is where we are right now. I've only been on this side of the coast a few times. It's a lot different from the shores at Gulf Shores, but it's nice. Erik's parents have a time share at this really neat resort. It's almost like a campground, but without the tents and campers. It's more like this neighborhood of several hundred cottages. Each cottage "group" has a pool, tennis courts and playground. We are only a mile bike ride from the beach. EVERYONE here rides a bike. It's really neat. I miss being able to see the ocean from the balcony, but there are some definate trade-offs here.

One, there are cousins here. 3 to be exact (which is a lot compared to the zero that we have back home.)

Two, there are alligators here. In our back yard. 10 feet from our patio. Seriously!



Three, Erik's parents and sisters are here. We've never taken a vacation with them, so that's pretty cool.

(this is Ella spotting dolphins)

July in Review

Needless to say this month is flying by and I don't have any postings to show for it. So for scrapbooking purposes I am going to review:

• We've swam almost every day.
• I have processed over 100 tomatoes with 2 more months still to go.
• I've made more than 20 loaves of zucchini bread--all in an effort to do something with our bountiful harvest.
• We went to the lake for July 4th---it rained us out of seeing the fireworks, but we still had a great time.
• Grandma and Grandpa came to visit the first week of July.
• I have started mentally and physically preparing myself for my new job. I made my first trip to The Knowledge Tree and it was so much fun. I could have gotten into a lot of trouble there!
• The girls and I are getting ready for our second summer trip!
• I've been trying to complete projects that I put on my to-do list at the beginning of summer.
• Ella is jumping off the high-dive platform at Nanny and Pop's pond.

That is just a brief synopsis of our lives right now. I look forward to catching up on my pictures this coming week. Lots more to post in the coming days!