lucky me…

Photobucket

I really feel lucky… what a life I have… it’s simple and beautiful and just the way I like it… The past week I had my 31st birthday… it was so fantastic… one evening we got together with friends at the beach for a sunset picnic… the next night my parents had a family bar-b-q… and my actual birthday was spent with our family… I couldn’t ask for more.

Photobucket

Photobucket

a sweet friend brought me a hydrangea flower.. so nice…

Photobucket

we all brought something to share… spread it all over the blankets and you have a perfect feast! sand and all… nothing like it… this time of year our white sandy beaches are glowey with that evening sun light… the air is a bit dryer and the water is still bath warm… you can sit on the shore until the stars come out…

Photobucket

the kids splashed as the parents chatted and had some drinks..

Photobucket

one sweet friend even brought ice cream and sprinkles… how fitting… eating an ice cream cone as your up to your ankles in the gulf… the salty air calmly swaying the waves back and forth… the pelicans flying over head to catch their dinner… fish of course… no ice cream cones…

Photobucket

our daughter and her pal Grant… always full of it those two…

Photobucket

and our other little girl examining things…

Photobucket

so we all sat enjoying conversations… the kids giggles… being together… the summer is ending, even here in Florida… the rhythms start to fall into place as schools are starting… vacations are ending… the hint of less humidity and cooler nights is creeping in… it’s really funny here in Florida… when fall approaches we start to open windows, sit outside for every meal, go for long walks… just when in the cooler areas start to close the windows and play more indoors… even though in the summer months we do enjoy the heat, flip flops, swims in the calm gulf… there is nothing like when the heat lets up a bit….

Photobucket

I feel so lucky that our girls have so many close friends… our families have sort of grown up together… becoming parents… and now being really good at it…

Photobucket

these are some of my best girl friends.. not everyone could make it… and not everyone lives close by… but this sweet group of friends is lovely… I feel so lucky to have each one of them…