florida photos: kids

kid photos today!  trying to get more florida photos blogged this trip as the family likes it.  :)

the boy cousins were out of town the first part of our visit, so g got to spend some quality time with baby riley, the other only in the family.  i think as only children, they must speak the same language as they always get along so well.  g really seems to like the role of big brother cousin and riley soaks it up.  (cell phone photos aren't always fabulous, but they sure capture a lot of moments that would be missed otherwise).

at the beach.  it was coooooooooooooold this day, but you just can't keep children out of the water.  g was being all responsible and protective of riley; she was wide open though.  (i was showing my old this day.  my camera finally went kapoot, so i had a hand-me-down model that i'd never used before.  i was so stressed out trying to figure out why my pics were all coming out blurry.  i couldn't seem to be able to figure out how to lock the focus like i like, i didn't know if it was because my close up vision has gone south and i couldn't see the viewfinder well, was it the sun glare?  egads!  got home and calmed down enough to realize the lens was on manual focus and i was shooting in autofocus.  duh!).

the day of riley's party.  first they did a little playing at the park.  (this view is just as "florida" to me as the beach one.  north florida is synonymous with pine woods.

then, of course, someone must hunt for creatures.  these two managed to nab an unsuspecting lizard.

it was crazy windy, so we had to call uncle greg aka "grandaddy" to bring a tarp.  stephen and troy tied down one end.  (don't worry, stephen's a professional!  he was in fsu's flying high circus back in the day!) . . .

and avery and aunt linda put up the other end (aunt linda has never been in the circus, but she can do anything).

after the birthday events there was more park play.  i think they were seeing how many kids could sit on gabriel in the tunnel . . .

and more hunting for unsuspecting creatures . . .

peepers this time.

and i think i shall scrapbook this one and title it "four greats and a grand."  being the youngest of five and with fourteen years between me and the oldest, i was just as close in age to the first crop of nieces and nephews as i was to most of my siblings.  so now my kid is a grandchild, but in age mixes in with the first crop of great grandchildren.    whatever they are, be it grands or greats, they are way too cute and well loved.  :)