AWKWARD!!!!

Piper's been experiencing an awkward phase lately. Her beautiful smile has been changing drastically in the past month or so. It all started with the bottom teeth, she has 4 new ones coming into a small crowded mouth. Those suckers are popping up in back of all the others and just look like they need a little space. Well about two weeks ago we noticed her top teeth just didn't look the same. It stared with a gap forming, then we had a mutant tooth sticking right out at us, as if it was waving hello every time she smiled. It finally got to the point that she would stop smiling but the offending tooth would still be sticking out of her closed lips. It was pretty darn funny! We got number one out without much of a problem but then the one next to it was really bizarre. It kept pushing down and outward but at an angle. So she had one missing tooth and one that was going sideways. It was not a pretty look so I went about trying to get it pulled out too. What an event, it was quite ready and still had a nerve connecting it. Poor sweetheart got scared once Mommy started the process. I had to hold her still while Jason finished plucking it out. Yes Mom, next time there is a loose one we will wait and let it find it's own way out.

Front view - actually not too bad

Side views - not quite right

And now, two weeks later all is filling in. It's so funny to watch her eat and once in a while she talks a bit funny too. Ahh growing pains...

Sunny, wonderful Florida!!!!

Oh Florida, we miss you already. We had such a nice trip, the weather was perfectly sunny and near 80 degrees each day. We are already counting down until next year. We want to say a big HUGE thank you to Mom and Dad/Robin and Lonny/Grandma and Papa for such a great time, we love you!

We took a little kayaking trip with the kids from Captiva across the bay (not sure what to call it) to the mangroves off the coast. Jason and I took this same trip 10 years ago. Piper just found the pictures when we got back and sure enough they were dated 2001. Wow, time flies! I was a little nervous about taking the kids as they usually have a pretty short attention span when we kayak at the cabin and it we were departing at lunch time for an hour and a half trip but the kids had a blast! Piper was looking forward to seeing the "mancaves" and Reagan kept telling me how much fun she was having and thanking me for bringing her. It was really sweet!

Drum fish caught off the dock

The kids were given little nets to try catching the little crabs in the trees. We were under the impression that they were about impossible to catch but sure enough Piper scooped one right up in her net. They were really gross, they were really little but looked like big, giant spiders.

Of course we always have plenty of fun at the beach, the above pictures are from the beach on Captiva.

The girls were so excited to have Aunt Claire come down on Saturday. Here is the dock, we ate a few of our meals there and spent time fishing, and spotting manatees and dolphins. The view from the dock is spectacular!

The girls of course couldn't wait to get in the pool.

Reagan and Papa were making pictures from the shells the girls collected at the beach.

Our little mermaids

Running from the waves is always fun!

The day we went boating was a great day as just about everyone else with a boat were out and about as well.

I can't believe I got a picture of this bird after he caught a fish. We saw dolphins ever day, close by too but I never got a picture of them, it's just too hard to predict where they are going to come up and when to have the camera ready.

The morning we were to leave it started out really foggy. When we first woke up you could barely see the boat, by the time we left it was clear and sunny again. It's kind of odd, when we left Minnesota for Florida it was foggy.

The girls and I near the dock, this is the view of the bridge we take to get over to Cape Coral.

Sanibel

Once you get past a certain age your knees don't appreciate sitting like this. Claire and I were getting a giggle out of Reagan's pose.

Boats in the channel, I should have zoomed in a bit so you could actually see how many there were, it was pretty crazy.

Reagan's little crab tube kind of bit the dust after many years of use so I got out the water wings for her. It took a little coaxing but she gave them a try and did really well with them.

I think this is the coolest picture, I managed to get the birds flying above his head.

We had to get some more beach time in. The entire time we were boating Reagan was asking to drive up to the beach. Poor girl sat there looking at it all day and never got to set foot on it. So the next day we headed back out. We went over to Ft. Myers Beach and it was packed! Half the beach had disappeared too, it was really narrow but we carved out a little spot for ourselves and the girls were completely oblivious to all the people walking around them. Robin and I both noticed, they just went about their business and never bothered looking up. People were literally walking 1 foot away from them, there was not a lot of room.

The water was actually pretty warm. Not warm enough for either Jason or I to dive in (we never even dove into the pool which was 80 some degrees) but warm enough to wade into. The girls were fearless and just kept walking. Reagan loved it until a wave splashed her in the face, she wasn't too thrilled about the salty water. Piper stayed out there for quite a while with Jason. I really have to get her swimming lessons, she wants to be in the water as much as possible and once she knows how to swim she will love the feeling of freedom.

Our deer friends

We've seen countless deer and rabbit tracks all over the yard, pasture and even up and down the driveway but haven't really seen many deer until one afternoon I glanced out the kitchen window to see 8 standing at our cherry trees. I've never seen deer so close, it was so much fun for the girls and I to watch them nibble away at the cherries.

I took this picture from Piper's window upstairs. You can't see all of them in this picture but there were 8 total up by the trees and I counted a few more across the driveway by the pine trees and then even a couple more in the pasture.

They visited for the week, clearing the bottom (reachable) branches of the cherries and then moved on.