Matilda Jane – save the date!

The new fall line from my new favorite children’s clothing designer will be out on Monday! And guess what? I am hosting a “virtual” trunk show! Matilda Jane clothes are only sold through home shows, so while you can view the line on their website, you can’t actually place an order unless you are invited to a trunk show. Well . . . you’re all invited! My trunk show will be on Monday, August 1st – the same day as the launch of the new fall line, You & Me. All of the items will be available for previewing online but to place your order you will need to email me. I can’t wait to see the new line! There have been a few hints and sneak peeks on the Matilda Jane blog, and it looks amazing. And since Lola Gray has lived in her MJ outfits all summer, I can attest to the quality of the clothing. These are items designed with kids in mind – easy and comfortable to wear but truly standout pieces. We get compliments every time Lo wears an MJ outfit. No kidding. Every. single. time.

Sooooooo . . . . mark your calendars now and be sure to check the Matilda Jane website on Monday, August 1st to view the new line! Happy shopping!

I {heart} faces photo challenge: water!

This week’s challenge over at I Heart Faces is water. I love this photo of Lola taken on a toy underwater camera. The camera screen is nearly impossible to see under water, so it is always a surprise to see the photos – which, frankly, is half the fun!

Missing my babies

Fletcher & Lola are off to Alabama tonight for a long overdue visit with the Gaddy clan. I know they are going to have a wonderful week, but right now I am missing these sweet faces like crazy . . .

Wassaw Island

Even though we have lived here for more than 10 years now, there is a whole other life in Savannah that we have yet to really experience. A life on the water, bound by tides and an intimate knowledge of salt creeks, rivers and marshes. We got a taste of that life today when good friends took us boating to Wassaw Island, a coastal barrier island designated as a National Wildlife Refuge. Accessible only by boat, Wassaw is one of many barrier islands I have longed to visit and it did not disappoint. We saw dolphins by the dozens (including two that were jumping straight into the air, completely out of the water – the type of acrobatics I thought you could only experience at Sea World!), found star fish and crabs and jelly fish galore, watched a small shark splashing wildly on the edge of a tidal creek, and found tracks from a bird with feet bigger than Fletcher’s! It was a magical day, made all the more so for being able to share it with friends.

mornings

The break in the heat last week was sadly, though not unexpectedly, brief. Temperatures are back up into the 90′s with the heat index hovering between 110 and 120. The kids have settled into a routine of playing outside first thing in the morning and then again in the evening before the heat is completely unbearable. Mid-day brings Lego building and reading and general laziness. It is not a bad routine.

This morning Fletcher came to the breakfast table wearing his shorts and ready to collect his buddies and start scootering. I couldn’t help smiling, and said something to the effect of  “Is there anything cuter than a bare chested boy wearing flip flops?” I mean, really, he just looks so much like a boy today and I love it. His response? “Especially if his name is Fletcher, right?”

outside lookin’ in

There has been a lot of traffic through that back door this summer. Seems like no sooner is everyone out the door than they are back, looking for popsicles or lemonade or a toy . . . or just to stand in the air conditioning for a bit. As hot as it has been, I can’t really blame them – but it does get annoying after a while.

I don’t know how the door got locked behind them this morning.

Honestly. I really don’t.

Ummmm . . . lest anyone think this was a less than stellar parenting moment, I promise they were only locked out long enough to snap these photos!

Makin’ a splash

After more than 50 consecutive days of temperatures well into the 90′s, you start to forget what comfortable feels like. I’m not talking cold . . . just not miserable. And make no mistake, it has been pretty miserable. Pair 95 degree temps and 65% humidity, and it just isn’t a pretty picture.

But yesterday, finally, the heat wave broke. Rain swept through and dropped temperatures into the 80′s – it is amazing how cool 82 feels (even with 85% humidity) when it has been two months since you last experienced it!

We spent the day yesterday at Splash in the Boro. It was overcast and rained periodically, but we were blissfully cool all day and didn’t mind the clouds or drizzle one bit! The kids are still too short to attempt the big water slides, but the lazy river was a big hit, as were the splash pools. Fletcher and Raymond made many runs down the mat racer which, honestly, scared me to death. That thing is tall! Lola’s favorite was the wave rider, where she was a pro boogie boarder. She must have ridden the thing 20 times. Perhaps we have a little future surfer on our hands? Videos are included below. I made them on my phone, so there was no zoom option. I don’t know if you will be able to tell just how huge their smiles were, but trust me, they were huge. Priceless.

Thanks, Martha!

Yesterday, the kids and I spent the entire morning scouring the mall in search of a sun hat for Lola Gray. Apparently, there are tons of hats for infants and toddlers, tons for adult women, and absolutely none for five year old girls. Especially five year old girls with their own very strong sense of style. We even searched the internet and found nothing. What’s a mom to do?

Well, we can thank Martha Stewart for saving the day! I whipped up this adorable hat last night from scrap fabric and, shockingly, Lola loves it! I am so pleased I think I might even make one for myself!

Whistle

Once my little bird learned to whistle, she hasn’t stopped. I wouldn’t be surprised to catch her whistling in her sleep! It is a good thing she is so darn cute, because the constant whistle gets pretty annoying!!

Ku plink, ku plank, ku plunk

Just like Little Sal and her mother (and the bear cub and his mother) the kids and I picked blueberries yesterday. And just like Little Sal, Fletcher & Lola ate waaaaay more blueberries than actually made it into their pails! We still managed to come home with 4 quarts of delicious, sweet, plump berries, though most of those have already been eaten! I’m hoping to make another trip to the blueberry bushes soon so maybe we can freeze some berries for the winter.