Beach Bum Parade

Definition: The Beach Bum Parade might surprise the unsuspecting visitor. Like most parades, there are floats pulled behind cars and trucks. Unlike most parades, however, the floats, often trailers or boats, are filled with water-throwing paraphernalia. Spectators, lined up along the parade route on Butler Avenue, are armed with buckets, squirt guns and hoses. What results is an all-out water war for fun loving beach bums of all ages.

Friday was this annual Beach Bum Parade and this is an EVENT! This crazy, mostly family-friendly, entire island water fight starts way before the actual parade and continues well past the last float. That's because everyone is not only throwing water on the paraders, but dousing each other before and after the parade.  Mathieu was completely into it this year. The raincoat is only because it was down pouring.

Memere and Pepere

Memere and Pepere came to visit us a few weeks ago and besides cleaning our house, helping with home improvement projects, and perfecting our garden, my parents had so much fun with Mathieu.  Here's some of the highlights from the trip!

1.  Lots of fishing, both on the beach and off the dock

Our fishing efforts were lost on the sting ray.  We caught 3. 

Mathieu LOVED casting the line.  He wasn't too keen on waiting for the fish to bite, however.  He immediately wanted to reel in in order to go for another cast.  I'd say, "Mathieu, we need to wait for the fish to tug on the line." Mathieu's reply:  " I feel a tug, Mommy," as he pulled on the line himself :)

23 Weeks Pregnant!

 2. Dolphin Cruise

Just a sampling of the many dolphins we saw

 3.Strawberry picking at the Bamboo Farm

Strawberry picking in April! I love it.  We picked 8 1/2 lbs of berry goodness.

The Bamboo Farm is part of the UGA cooperative extension service so it's mission is not just strawberries, but applied research in horticultural and environmental sciences ... hence the banana trees above and all the bamboo below.

Mathieu pretending he's a fireman sliding down the pole

4. Fort Pulaski: Mathieu and I have been coming to Ft. Pulaski, every week, for 2 years.  This place never gets old!

Wall building.  The answer to the question, "What ARE all those  pictures about?" in case there needed to be a reason for fun in the water and mud.

 5. Misc.

Mathieu's interest in heart beats has been piqued because of OB visits. My mom brought her stethoscope so we could listen to each other's hearts beating.

It's not often you get a forklift haul hundreds of bricks into your backyard.

View from our backyard

Lots of silliness