Ready to go for a tram ride.

OMMMMMGGGGG... If you saw the panties picture, pretend you didn't. If you didn't, count yourself lucky! And yes, that was some unidentified stranger whose name will remain anonymous! OMMMmgggggg... she'd KILL ME!! Hahahahahaha

Can you tell I am more into the story telling of my pictures than my actual pictures themselves?! I got kinda caught up! This is prior to a little running around the resort grounds. These days the more trampy it is, the more my oldest daughter likes it! This cute little Ralph Lauren white denim skirt is actually Gabbi's and with the right top, would be so cute!!

Ellie takes it, pairs it with a tank which has a little built in bra, and adds a 1/2 sweater adn is capable of skankin' it right on up. But. She did this entire outfit all by herself!! ANd I don't know if you can tell it, but she's pretty jazzed by it!

But one thing remains... they are pretty sweet to each other. ANd for now, I will certainly take that!

Ellie thinks she is about 10 years older than Gabbi and refers to her as a "baby" or refers to she and Madi as "the big girls". SHe does NOT have the concept that they are only 13 months apart! ! She is going to be in for a rude awakening!! Ok, so no panty shots today! And Mary, to answer your question, I still intend to do an art retreat or two this summer. I've just gotta schedule that sucker and DO IT! And I need to go ahead with that virgin voyage and see how it all goes. I have so many fun ideas. I just need to MAKE It happen! Just like I MADE this vacation happen! Alrighty then, if you were coming to an art retreat, what would be the thing you would most like to see happening there? Scrapbooking, sewing, jewelry design, ....???. Lemme know.

MO

Chillin in the condo.

As promised...

Is there anything sweeter than some messy haired kids with silky pajamas?! And you know her skin is warm from being sun-kissed! ahhhh... bliss! Nevermind that whole "Bliss" thing!! This one prefers anything paint splattered, or with a peace sign. WHERE does she get this? She is at an in-home daycare!! geeez!!

Hayden THOUGHT he'd sleep in a little. Hahahahahhahahaaahhahaaaaaaa. NOT with my kids around!

This is what Ellie had to say about his sleeping late on that blow up mattress!

Geronnnimmmmoooo!

Keeeeee ya!

Drake, Hayden's friend, gave up. He just went ahead and got up and got his shower. Why fight the inevitable?!

She's at the ready!!

And back to this... lalalalala... It's like a changing scene in a movie from a tiger attack to a lady in a long dress picking daylillies. ANd imagine the music playing in the background of each said scene. Well, THAT is my Ellie and Gabbi!!

The dichotomy that is my children!!

Which one are you!?

20 posts!!

Get crackalackin.

MO

What we are doing now.

Ok, glad I could provide so much comic relief! And no, I did NOT realize it was that funny. But now that makes it even funnier! Glad I could be so entertaining! Fatty!


Soooo, this is what we are doing this morning. That, in Ellie's hand, would be a marshmallow. We have college students staying with us, and everyone should remember that in college, there were many creative things to eat because no one really knew how to cook, but everyone had to feed themselves... .soooo, Courtney has been toasting marshmallows over the eye of the stove! On a toothpick. My poor kids!

Good Lord. Please, dear Sweet Baby Jesus... keep her IN my house til she's, like, 18!!

And since things were a little slow around here, I taught CoCo to make jewelry. KK was too busy cleaning up. She's very responsible like that!

CoCo dove right in!

Ta Da!! Check out these earrings. Way to go, CoCo!!

And then, we have the "dressy" pair!! Purple, gold, and pearl.

That is quite impressive. Two pair in about 15 minutes. "KK, get that bathroom cleaned up. " STAT!

I made this. I brought a whole bunch of leather and pearls to make some cool stuff. OHhhhh, and what's that you say?!

The nails? YES those ARE mine! I had let them grow about as long as they have been in a LONG, LONG time. I can't work with nails, because of massage, and some of you know that I am now doing women's health (internal pelvic floor work), so I can't exactly keep them long. BUT... I found myself in the perfect storm. On vacation for two weeks, and they were moderately long. Sooooooo, I had them done! These are my ACTUAL nails! More on this in a later post!

Ellie is now the proud wearer of this one... on her ankle. SHe should be asurfer girl. She actually looks like one. I think if she was growny, she'd be a Cameron Diaz. Beachy, tan, likes the mini skirts and tanks, blond carefree hair. I would be Rosie O'Donnell, before she got all defensive and liberated, and... nah. I am not her AT ALL! . Gabbi, ummm... maybe Anne Hathaway. I let the sitters choose theirs. KK is Julie Roberts. (But now she's adding Tina Fey,Reese Witherspoon,( and I am waiting for something like, "Condoleeza Rice" to fly out of her responsible little mouth!) And courtney....she's Kate Hudson.

Really, I think I'd choose Bette Midler. Hands down. I've always loved her. OH LORD. Now I am associating myself with the "older" actresses. I mean, seriously, Reese W doesn't even cross my radar anymore, except that she's from the south. Who do you think you associate with?

Dang there's a BIG bird!

And for those who have not been playing along.... 10 comments gets a new post. BUT, I am running low on pics and low on time, sooooo, let's make that 20! can you do it?!

Mo

Gabbi Girl in the pool.

Way to go, peeps. Noon and we are already posting again! This time... it's Gabbi in the pool! Oh yeah. ANd her mama's big fat butt. Just bear with me.

Gabbi is a FISH! I mean, she wants to head out bright and earlly and cries when it's time to come in.

This is us in the big center pool at the Beahc Club. There are 4 outdoor pools here and one indoor.

And there you had a boob shot. Just sayin"!

Remember all that weight I lost? Well, it's done been found!!

But I can still do synchronized swimming with the best of em. I am a little bit bouyant!

Breath support. Breath support!

Peep pye you little cutie pie.

I think the big girls had come in for a nap! Slackers.

KK and I stayed for a little Gabbi Girl as the center of attention time!

Do you think I have a good sitter? She LOVES my girls and my girls LOVE her!

And KK and I were determined Gabbi Girl would learn to swim. Once we took her floaties off, she refused to let us put them back on her. I mean WOULD NOT have it!

And Staci was sitting poolside, snapping pics. OF ME!

Initially it was of Gabbi, but I was in the background being immature. The way I like to be.

See Gabbi's bow in the foreground? I think she seriously thought I thought she was still taking pics of GG. I KNEW what she was doing. Duh. I've been her sister for like, 38 years.

So, pose it up is what I did.
In all my near nakedness.

Ya know. I wish I was skinny. But, it is what it is . And what it is ain't all that pretty. But I'm fun!!

Look at this baby. That's what it's all about! She'll be swimming before her two growny sidekicks.

Loving all the comments. What is it? 30 days to make a habit?! So, I'll keep on "rewarding" the good behavior!!

Mo

Heading out to eat. Family photo.

Anytime we try to get a family photo on this trip, it's been an ordeal! I mean, we DO have a ripe ol 15 year old and three toddlers. He is WAAAAAY too cool to pose with them. Or us either for that matter! We got a few in. I think this one was a good effort. Lighting could've been better. We've got glare, shadows, and well, I will just shut up and take it!

It's a problem. I THINK I am "chill", but actually, deep down, I KNOW I am anal retentive! It's a trait. JinJin has it too. Staci does NOT! Neither does our daddy.

Hey, to each his own, right?! Look at all these Massey/ Raborn/ Groves girls! We are just missing our Hunter Bunter! He was with a pal down in south Louisiana when we left. He is scheming to make it down while Todd the Bod comes down. Staci and her crew head back today.

Shadows/ glare/ or whatever... I may be blowing this one up for my condo wall.

I like the way my entire torso is hidden. Yep. I am right back up to my fightin' weight, if ya know what I mean!

This is Hayden's equally COOL friend, Drake, who made the trip down with us. He is TOTALLY diggin' my kissing him. Can you tell!?

And then, we tried to get a few of just Staci and Hayden. This was the best one I got. But, I like this moment captured between mama and son.

And believe it or not, despite many tries, this is the best one of these three.

You know how it is. As the kids age, it seems that it's impossible to get everyone together at the same time. teens, particularly, have so many big important things to do and to be at, that they can't all line up to come on a family vacay at once. My girls have about 14 or so years, I hope, til we have that same issue.

Have you met my daughter, Ellie? She likes to POSE!

She can hold a pose for ooooh, a good 5 minutes, if she thinks a camera is around.

So, I get this text from JinJin regarding a friend of hers from high school whose son owns a restaurant down here in Gulf Shores. Since I donate my condo for a week every year to the Shake 4 Jake event as an auction item, it is a great idea to create a "bigger" package this year with things to do while you are here, should you win the condo package.

How cool is it that the owners of this joint are adding a pretty significant tab to the auction package. Now, I need to round up a manicure/ pedicure, a round of golf, and maybe another dinner, and that is a GREAT package.
SO, thanks to the Peningers for giving to a good cause!! (and thanks for the awesome snow crab legs. They were great!)

More to come. Better be sneaking to your computers tomorrow to get those 10 comments registered so I can update. I have lots of pics!!

10 comments and awwaaaaay we go!!

MO