Summer 2014- Beach Part 2

Back to the beach!

As promised, here are a few more pictures from our Tybee Island vacation. Being on the east coast we don’t get the magnificent sunsets of the Pacific, but we get a pretty amazing sunrise. I told myself that if I managed to wake up by sunrise one morning that I was going to get some pictures. I wasn’t about to set an alarm, because, let’s face it- this was vacation. But while we’re facing facts here, its also a vacation with three children five and under so waking up at 6:50 AM with the sun peeking over the horizon is a real possibility.

One morning I woke up, glanced at the clock and what do you know- it’s the perfect time to throw on a change of clothes and head to the beach. Only my mother in law was awake, and I’m pretty sure I freaked her out a little bit when she heard the door close as I scurried to capture some photos before the sun rose too high.

The first image is from our balcony. Talk about a seriously spectacular view.

 

After that I ran down to the beach and grabbed some more shots. The perk of taking sunrise photos versus sunset is that most people are still sleeping, so I had lots of room to shoot. Only a few walkers, joggers and early risers enjoyed the morning with me. It was beautiful and peaceful. and next time I think I'll just go sans camera and sit and enjoy the view.

I also took some shots of the walkway from our hotel to the beach. Until Tybee Island last year, I’d never seen sand grass and sea dunes. They create a gorgeous segue onto the beach.

So obviously, we loved the beach. We also made a stop in Savannah and visited Forsyth Park. The historic district in Savannah is gorgeous, but it was on our way home, the boys were exhausted and whiny, so Forsyth Park was the only stop we made and it was a quick one. Next time we might hit up Savannah on day one so as to avoid all the whine and fuss.

There's something about large trees draped in Spanish moss that lends and air of age and mystery to the city. I can't wait to explore it more.

Tuesday Teatime

This year, while planning out all the wonderful homeschooly things we were going to do, I struggled with when to fit in the extras. The things that would be nice, but aren't necessary for a kindergarten curriculum. When would we read poetry in addition to our other books? Study art? Music? I didn't want them to be an everyday part of our activities, it was just to much for kindy, but I also didn't want to neglect them either. It was then that I stumbled upon the idea of teatime.

Once a week, we were to set aside a time in the afternoon for contemplation. Tuesday Teatime has a nice ring to it, so I was sold. We'd rotate- poetry twice a month, art study and composer study once a month each. We'd sip tea and listen to said composer and then talk about what we heard or felt in the music. Or What is the artist was trying to express in this painting? Or what do you think of that poem?  Except... we are six weeks into the school year and I've yet to do a Tuesday Teatime. Ahem. I found it harder to put into practice than I imagined. The boys are always outside playing, the baby is napping. (If I'm lucky- if not, well... we won't go there. Ha!) There was always something going on. I couldn't seem to make it flow into our day.

But I finally determined it was time, somehow I was going to squeeze it in. Today was our first Tuesday Teatime! Its still balmy and warm here in the south, 84 was today's high. So instead of tea and scones (or something equally English sounding) I decided on lemonade. Quite front-porch-southern if I do say so myself. Maybe not as southern as sweet tea, but we all have our limits. 

Since the baby was napping inside, we took our lemonade outside on the back porch. We sat right on the deck eating fruit, sipping lemonade and reading poems. I read from A.A. Milne's When We Were Very Young. He's the wonderful author of the Winnie the Pooh series, which we just finished a few weeks ago. The boys enjoyed listening and some were a bit silly, making for some giggles.

The boys' favorite poem from today was, "The Four Friends", about an elephant, lion, goat and mouse. They also enjoyed, "Corner of the Street". It was such a wonderful change from our morning homeschool routine. I stopped to enjoy the day, the moment, the poem. It's probably one of my favorite homeschooling moments to date. The boys didn't want me to stop reading and I can't wait to do it again. Hopefully as fall draws nearer we can do a more traditional teatime in the house. Scones and all.

Summer 2014- The Beach Part 1

It may be September and school might’ve started and Pumpkin Spice Lattes might just be being served at Starbucks, but we’re still in the midst of heat and sun here in Georgia. And, somewhat amazingly, I’m not bothered by it. I do believe that I’ve acclimated to the south ya’ll! This Michigan transplant is not bemoaning that fact that autumn has yet to grace us with her presence. Typically mid-September hits and I’m suddenly expecting to be able to don my favorite comfy sweatshirt and sip hot apple cider or a chocolaty cocoa, never mind the fact that last week it was still 90+ degrees out. Never mind that at all.

However, this year I’m embracing the last vestiges of summer. At least I hope the last of it. Uh-oh. Well, I suppose that I’ll always yearn a bit for fall; it is my favorite season after all. But… back  embracing the last of summer!

I thought it’d be fun to put up some pictures of our trip to Tybee Island, and a teeny visit to Savannah (filled with impatient boys) as a tribute to our summer fun.

My in-laws met us there all the way from Michigan. The boys just love the ocean and only left it to head to the pool.

Our second day there we headed off on a boat tour to see if we could spot some dolphins. There's something very majestic about those beautiful animals. They love to frolic and follow the shrimp boats around catching leftovers.

 

We spent some time everyday at the beach. Hayden (much to this mama's anxiousness) went without a floatie. And Mason- oh my. That boy has no fear. He loved to ride the boogie board and swim. Even Sawyer enjoyed his first time in the ocean.

 

 

Needless to say we had a blast. I think I'll save the sunrise and Savannah pictures for later in the week so that I don't overwhelm this post with pictures. Is fall upon you already? Or are your still enjoying (or not) the summer heat?

Carpe Diem

Carpe Diem... Seize the day. We've all probably heard it repeated time and again. It was a well loved and often used saying of my favorite creative writing teacher in high school. (Robin Williams starring in Dead Poets Society anyone?) To me seizing the day meant capturing those special, magical, irreplaceable moments in life and holding onto them. But over the last few years I've come to realize that most of our days are not magical. Occasionally a day hints at greatness, but most of the time it does not. Yesterday's chores must be done again- beds made, dishes washed, lessons done. Rinse and repeat. Our dinner menu and our clothing may be different, but the essence of our days is much the same. They're... ordinary.

That insight has lead me to believe that seizing the day doesn't just mean to hold onto only the special times, nor to make everyday some exercise in the exceptional, but to seize the beauty in the ordinary day. To wake with an awareness that though the quilt is the same as yesterday's, its weight brought us warmly into the day. To know that lunch maybe peanut butter and jelly- again, but we still smile at the licking of jam off of sticky little fingers, the giggles between bites. To face bedtime chaos with a heart that knows that after the running, pajamas, and teeth brushing battles, those kisses and snuggles are no different from any other night, but we can still seize them.

I am far from remembering that those everyday moments are worthy of being seized. I often forget when juice is spilled or laundry piling up. But with effort I will remember. Barefoot Southern Life is a place for me to write about our plain old, wonderfully ordinary days. I write and photograph and slow down in order help me focus, to recognize the beauty in the chaos and moments to cherish in the quiet.

I hope that you are looking at your days too. Hold tight to the ordinary, whatever that day may look like. Embrace it with a full heart and content spirit. That my friends, is seizing the day. Carpe Diem.

Capturing the last days of Summer

Homegrown water slide