Hydrangeas.

Life has been super busy for us lately.

Between having fun with friends, pool time, movies at the theatre, the park, visiting the museums, KJs and t-ball we have been having soooooooo much fun this summer.


The summer just seems to be whisking away way too fast!


Griffin and I went to see Toy Story 3 the other day. I loved that movie. It made me realize more than ever that Griffin is growing up. Oh my gosh! He'll begin kindergarten in August so I've made the decision to do as many fun things as we can this summer. We will be so limited for time when school starts. {sigh}

Who knows what is up for us today, tomorrow or the next day. What I do know for sure is it will be fun, fun, FUNNNNNNNNNNNN!!

Love.

I love the look on Griffin's face in this picture ...


We were outside working in the yard.
Taking a little lemonade break.

He climbed into my lap and was oh so sweet.

Gosh, how I love our boy.

A Smile.

Today I thought I would send a sweet smile your way.


I thank God every day for sending us this sweet soul to love.

T-Ball.

It's been a very busy week for us.

We've been enjoying our mornings at Vacation Bible School. Griffin is in the "big kid" class this year and I am volunteering with the preschoolers. In the afternoon we've been having lots of fun with friends and having a great time.

Last night ... it was the beginning of t-ball!

He was very excited to play baseball. Before we left the house he insisted he needed a baseball cap. Griffin isn't normally baseball cap wearer so I was surprised when he asked for one.


He learned how to properly throw the ball ...


And he had his first time up at bat ...


His team coaches were great ...

I'm so proud of his effort. We will be practicing here at home to get ready for his first game next week.

Swimming With The Dogs.

My mother-in-law Bett has this great pond on the front part of her property.


Griffin and I were down looking at the water and getting our toes wet when I asked him if he wanted to get in the water.


He was so happy when he was able to go swimming in the pond!


I think everyone was surprised I let him do it.

The dogs were in the water too so I felt good about it and I was right there on the shore.


I think the dogs Sara, Chip and Chaz had as much fun in the water with Griffin as he did with them.


This is Chip the older of the two dogs. Sara and Chip are actually Chaz's parents. Chip kept a good eye on Griffin. When Griffin would get a little too far out I would call for him to come closer. Chip actually ushered him closer to shore. I loved that. He was looking out for our boy.


Are they playing follow the leader?


Griffin took a little bit of a break to climb up on the little boat.


Ummmmm ... I'm not so sure Chip likes pond weeds for a snack.


Every boy needs a dog ...

I think we are going to get a furry family member when Griffin begins school in the fall.

Blue Berry Picking.

We went blueberry picking ... a first for us!

The best part?

It was only a few doors down from Bett's house.

Danny & Betty Thomas have this fantastic U-Pick Berry Farm. They are such lovely people and we had a great time there!


Bett and Griffin scouting out the blueberries.


There's one and there's one and there's another.


While we were there we saw our friend Connie and her grand daughter Kaylee.


Griffin and his new friend Kaylee checking out the vegetables.


Not only do they have blueberries they have a bunch of other vegetables as well. These tomatos were to-die for good!


And I had to take a picture of the egg plant because they looked so pretty!


Griffin's harvest ... blueberries, strawberries and peppers.

If you are ever in Winter Haven you MUST visit Thomas U-Pick Berry Farm!

Ahhhhh .... Watermelon!

Loving the summer right now ... and what better way to cool down than having a nice slice of watermelon!


I believe Bett (Grandma) must have found the sweetest watermelon on the vine.


Quite honestly Griffin has never been much of a watermelon eater but he devoured this one!

Cherry Pocket.

When most people think of Florida I believe they automatically think of Disney World or the beaches.

But the Florida I know and love is completely different.

I'm from Central Florida ... rural Florida.

Old Florida if you will ... land of lakes, spanish moss, palmettos and good 'ole country folk.


We went to a restaurant that fit this description to a tee ... it's called Cherry Pocket. It's on Lake Pierce.


There's some of those good 'ole country folk right there ... Tony, Mike, Bett and Griffin.


And looky there ... same folks minus Bett and I'm in the mix.


And what is this ... could it be ... nawwwwww ... well ... I declare ... it is ALLIGATOR!


Griffin has been dying to try eating alligator ... and he LOVED it!


Lake Pierce has a large population of alligators. We saw a few while we were having dinner. See that little bump in the water on the left? That's the gator.


Love this sign ... please don't feed the gators.


And our little family after enjoying a wonderful meal with folks we love.

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Boating On The Chain.

The water.

That's what I miss most about living in Winter Haven.

The water.

You see ... where I come from we have lakes a plenty. Every where you look there is a lake. In Winter Haven the lakes are actually attached together by a series of "chains" ... that's why the area is known as the Chain of Lakes or City of 100 Lakes.

I miss that ... terribly.

If you are going to be out on the boat ... you say you'll be out on the chain. Everyone knows what that means.


Here's a map of the lakes.

Luckily we were able to take Tony's boat out when we were on vacation.


Bett and Griffin getting ready to get on S.S. Tony

We put in down south at Lake Shipp and did some wonderful day boating through Lake May, Lake Howard, Lake Cannon, Lake Idylwild and Lake Jessie.


This was the first time Griffin was on a boat with Daddy as the captain. That's so foreign to me because Mike is his most natural behind the wheel of a boat. When we moved to Virginia we sold our flats boat because it was too shallow to use around here. I miss it. I miss seeing my husband behind the wheel of a boat.


Our handsome boy enjoying the warm sunshine and beautiful views!


Grandma and Griffin enjoying trolling through one of the canals. Some of the canals were pretty shallow however we made it through all of them.


I've always loved this particular canal between Lake Howard and Lake Cannon. The neighbors on either side of the canal have a bridge built over it. Boating through it looks like something out of Cypress Gardens.

Hey ... does anyone know if Burt Reynolds really owned that house on Lake Cannon or was it just an old wives tale?


And looky here ... who did we see when we got back to Lake Cannon?

Uncle Hut (Jerome)!

I couldn't believe it. He had his crew out there at Lake Shipp and we arrived just in time to see him.

What a great day we had!