Making love or war? You decide.

I saw these birds on our veranda this morning.  Veranda sounds so Southern and elegant - brings to mind  sipping on a nice tall glass of sweet tea while rocking beside your sweetheart enjoying a nice summer breeze.  Veranda definitely sounds much better than porch, deck, or patio, don't you think?

Anyway, I couldn't decide what these two birds were doing on our veranda.

First, they looked like they were kissing.  Yes, I'm a hopeless romantic.  I know.  

They could have been fighting over territory.  It is a nice veranda with a view...

Then biting each other. 

Love pecks like a friendly little pat on your husband's bottom as he walks by. 

Or a bite like Mike Tyson and an ear.

Then sweet kisses again.  Or a shot to the jugular.

She really knocked him off his feet!  Or tried to push him off the balcony.

And then both of them flew away. 

I say it was love. 

David thinks it was war...

Smiling baby

Faith smiles so easily.

She laughs now, too.

She's growing up much too fast.

Good morning

Grace wanted me to take her picture in her winter jammies.

The bottoms are so neat the way you can roll the legs down to make little footies.

Grace insisted on holding "Bait" (Faith) so I took a few pictures of them still wearing their pajamas.

Apparently Grace thought Faith was hungry.  Or something. 

Poor Faith.  She's so tolerant of her big sister.

Finally a picture of both girls smiling.  Not sure what's going on with Faith's pajamas though.  She looks like a linebacker.  sigh.  One of these days I'm going to get the perfect picture of them.  I'm not giving up hope yet.

Fishing in the wind

We went to the pier today.

It was windy outside. 

Very windy.  So Grace wore my sweater for a bit.

And threw the bait bucket in the bay. 

Fortunately it was tied to a post so we didn't lose it.

Then Grace decided to set some of our bait free.

We watched as the sun set and then headed back inside before it got too cold.

And yes, I'm still trying out the lens I borrowed.

I'm really liking it.

So much so that I'm tempted to keep it...

Purposeful play

We went to Lulu's today.

As usual, Grace really enjoyed herself.

She also had a purpose.

She filled buckets with water.

And systematically wet the entire walkway.  All by herself.

Then she collected various sand buckets and sorted them according to shape and size.

She's the only kid I know that would try to clean up a sand box...

Smocked up

I decided to try and take some pictures of the girls wearing their pretty smocked dresses.

Grace wanted to play her "tax-oh-fone" (saxophone).

Bless her heart, she loves music.

And having her picture made.

She's quite the camera hog.

And she loves her baby sister.

I've decided it's quite the challenge to get a good picture of the girls together.

When Grace smiles, Faith doesn't.

In fact, I think Faith is already over all this picture taking business.

But I keep trying in hopes of getting the perfect shot.

Getting closer.

And closer!  Look at the sweet embrace.

If I can just get Faith to move that hand...

Then Grace just rolls Faith over.  See what I mean?  That perfect shot is so elusive...

Two in the bed

I put Faith down for a nap today and Grace said she needed one, too.

And she insisted on climbing in the crib with Faith.  And she needed her "peent mon-tee" (pink monkey) since Faith had her monkey.

Surprise, surprise.  Both girls napped.