Sunday, September 20, 2009

Shae goes to Florida. Again.

Shae's first trip to Florida was back in February, so now it's just old hat! Luckily our first flight (Denver to Houston) wasn't jam-packed, so Shae got her own seat for a little while.
How big is Shae? (Current favorite game!)
Phew! Glad to finally be off the plane(s)! Kind of TO'd, though, that she's still confined to a stroller in the airport.
What do you mean Naples is a 90-minute drive from Fort Lauderdale? Now I have to sit in my carseat?? NOT FAIR!!
Finally! Freedom! (And humidity -- the camera did not appreciate the sudden introduction of warm, moist air.)
Shae woke up on Saturday morning to discover that her best pal, Carson, had shown up while she was sleeping!
Let's get this show on the road and do some swimming!
Chillaxin' with dad on the lanai before heading to the pool (no beach today -- the weather isn't cooperating).
Shae loves her Auntie Joe!
Finally pool time!
Dads and kids.
Shae's ladybug pool floatie might just be the best $25 investment of all time -- she's definitely a water baby!
Pool time is cool time.
You know how sometimes there are photos that just make you laugh, mostly because you can imagine using it as "ammunition" in 18-or-so years in a high school graduation montage or in a wedding photo slide show or something similar? Yeah, this is that picture.
T-R-O-U-B-L-E! Shae going in for a smooch on Carson. Uh ohhhhhhh.
The utterly adorable Carson Lee Ring.
Let's hear it for breakfast! Woot woot!!
Finally made it to the beach! The unsettled weather made the Gulf very wavy -- Shae wasn't too sure about the whole situation at first.
Sand? Sure! I like sand! Tastes delish.
Quiet time under the umbrellas trying to get the kiddos to nap.
Success!
Playing in the surf with dad.
Let's hear it for dinner! Woot woot! (All meals are a source of celebration for Shae.)
Mmmmmm. Lasagna!
Back to the beach. Shae loves the beach!
Faux hawk in the pool. Proof positive that Shae actually does have hair.
Very Jetson-like with fun stacking discs on each limb.
An example of why I can never, ever, EVER actually move to Florida, no matter how much we talk about doing it. The spider seen just above the wall, to the left of the tree in this photo is a banana spider. This photo was taken from the sidewalk at about a 20-foot distance... yet you can still very clearly see the spider-the-size-of-my-hand. And they're everywhere. GROSS!
Snoozin' Susan. Shae was a joy of energy and learning on this trip (she learned how to sit up all by herself!), but when snooze time came along she slept like it was her J-O-B.
It took all week to get just one mediocre family photo. Oops.
Headed home -- the last moments of freedom in the airport before being confined yet again to laps on airplanes.

Grams and Gramps come to visit

An attempt to recreate the famous National Geographic Magazine cover of the striking Afghan girl (click here for reference: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2002/04/afghan-girl/index-text).
Oh let's just laugh about it instead!
Enjoying a bite of food -- Shae likes to share food!
Reading with Grams. Compelling stuff!
Really, Grams? I had no idea! Thank you for imparting your vast knowledge to me.

Monday, September 7, 2009

No laboring on Labor Day!

I could totally crawl (and stand) if I wanted to -- I just choose not to do those things at this time.
Mama and Shae self-photo on Shae's first-ever merry-go-round ride.
Shae shows cousin Courtney how it's done.
Dad tried very hard to get Shae to look for a photo each time her horse came around...
Emmy and her friend talked us into riding the Cyclone.
There is absolutely no way the rickety old wooden rollercoaster is up to code, but it was a fun ride!
Dad and Uncle Kyle decided to build some new stairs off our back deck. (Shortly after this photo was taken, Jody shot a 4" nail into Kyle's hand with a pneumatic nail gun. Yay for DIY projects!)
Shae was present to manage the project.
Doing good, fellas. Doing real good.
I have no doubt that there are about 27 different things wrong with this photo, but it cracks me up.
Go Badgers!!