Laugh.

Children laugh an average of three hundred or more times a day; adults 

laugh an average of five times a day. We have a lot of catching up to do.

-Heather King, Crib Notes

I found this quote in Real Simple magazine 4 years ago. I cut it out and it has been clipped to my daily planner ever since. It is a reminder to myself to see the positive and pure joy in life and of course, to continue to laugh a heck of a lot more!

Do you want a challenge?

It's a 30 day photo challenge starting this Thursday that I have placed on myself and I still hope you Michelle! Now anyone else want to join in on the fun? I am not a photographer by any means (any means at all), but I am a girl who is having fun learning to use her camera to take photos of the little loves in her life as well as the many inspiring things she comes across on a daily basis. Here goes...day one is a self-portrait. Eeek!

via

5 of 600ish

As I mentioned on Friday, we took a family vacation to Hilton Head Island, SC. It was kinda our first family vacation as our little family of four (and grandma GiGi for 4 days). We had an absolutely fantastic time! When traveling with two young, busy boys to a new(er) location involving planes, rental cars and new beds you never know how it may go. Being the excited, adaptable little guys that they are, we hoped for the best and truly expected that they would love it as much has their parents. Now, I say newer location because back when I was pregnant with Jack (10 weeks), Pat and I took a trip to HHI (thanks for introducing us Pat..this time we stayed in Palmetto Dunes) for a week. Over the years, we have always talked about that trip, how much we enjoyed it, and how experiencing HHI again with our family in tow would be da bomb! Well, we decided to stop talking about it and make it happen. I have to say, it was one of the best decisions we've ever made and we're hoping that it will become a tradition.

Now it was hot down there, like really hot. So hot that when you step outside you immediately have sweat dripping off your upper lip and down the middle of your back. But, the upside to this was that the Atlantic Ocean was as warm as bathwater which we all, (Owen maybe a little) thoroughly enjoyed. In all of the fun, excitement and wave jumping, I took 600 or so pictures. I found that being on this island with the sites and sounds of the ocean (and all that come with it) inspired me in many ways. I think I am destined to live near/on water, but that's a whole separate subject/post/rant.  As I go through the 600ish pictures, I will leave you with my attempt at an impromptu photo shoot with my boys.

Friday Five.

1.
Dear Hurricane Irene,

Phew, you just missed us! I thank you so much for this, but please don't be too cruel to the others in your  path. Slow down and move out into the ocean.

Sincerely,

Nicole

2. I now have before me, the one, the only, "World's Longest Straw" built by thee Jackers.

We needed to get creative with the boys in order to make it through our fifth dinner (in a row) out to eat.

It worked.

Talking Carl helps a lot too (alot!)

3. Reason number two, why we need to buy ourselves a deep fryer....

Hush Puppies 

Those little round yummies are deep fried cornbread, which were exceptionally tasty and even more so with butter lathered on top! Oh and the drink is an Arnie Palmer cause I'm getting old!

Reason number one can be found here. 

Pat P., can you guess where we are? We love it here!

4. Owen looks at Jack with this affection quite often, this quote is brilliant and so fitting for my little men.

5. Jack has loved the playing on the beach and swimming in the ocean.

Owen tolerated both as I think the ocean was too salty and the beach was too sandy for his liking. You wouldn't be able to tell from these photos. He loved swimming in the pool though and he cried for it everyday. Swimming in the pool gives him the independence he yearns for.

However, I am certain that the highlight (per the boys) of our week long vacation to Hilton Head Island, SC will be that the boys fed turtles a dinner of bread each night before bed.

The Boys and Beach Grass.

Then:

 Now:

Just Keep Clicking.

 When trying to get a decent good photograph of your kidlets, do as Dory says,"Just keep swimming, just keep swimming. What do we do? We swim and swim".

Except change the obvious and say to yourself, "Just keep clicking, just keep clicking. What do we do? We click and click". Editing helps too!

 You might just get yourself a keeper or even a framer?!

What are the chances?

The Sea.

Brotherly Love.

Owen: "Jack, you my brotha?"

Jack: "Yes."

Owen: "I love you Jack, my brotha"

Jack: "I love you too Owen."

A Cabin Weekend.

A cabin weekend all in pictures due to the fact that it has taken me the past two days to simply upload these photos to Blogger and now I'm pooped with a side a lazy. I say, "Boo" to technical difficulties. Anyway, on our drive up to my in-law's cabin the weather forecast was looking grim, but it just so ended up be an absolute beautiful weekend spent mostly in and around the water. Perfection!

I know you want to snuggle this cutie-smooch face!

I did quite a bit over the weekend...I miss him already.

Fishing with my boys was such a blast...I can't wait to go again!

"I no touch it Ammy Tami (Auntie Tami), I scauued" ~ Owen

Photo taken by my niece, Ellie.

Cousins: Owen (2.5), Jack (4.5), Lauren (6), Ellie (9) and Annie (11)