flowers, puppets and the beach

Alli has been interested in taking photos. She especially seems to enjoy photographing flowers. Her and Olivia also like to go outside with a sketchpad and draw the flowers they see on our street. Pretty cool. I've said before, but I must say again, I can't believe how GORGEOUS the flowers seem here. And, I know it is due to the fact that we get to see them all UP CLOSE. There aren't any front yards stretching out between the sidewalk and the home. So, any flowers on display are enjoyed right under my nose as I walk along. If I were in MI and wanted to see a flower that close up, I'd be trespassing on someone's front lawn! Anyways, I am torn. We currently do not have a real camera. Only the camera on the phone. It captures the moment and is very easily accessible. But, let's face it, it isn't much of a camera. So, do we invest in a real camera? Since I alone take about 50 - 100 pics a month? Or do we keep it simple and be satisfied with what we have?
Case in point. If I had a better camera, I would have zoomed in on this very cool puppet Alli is holding at her school performance! Her group made this huge puppet and as Alli recited a poem that she wrote, the group did some actions with the puppet. It was AWESOME! Alli's poem was "friendship". There were some VERY powerful poems written by 5th grade students. I was so impressed.
Happy Memorial Day! We went to the beach. The girls braved the cold water. It was a gorgeous, breezy, 80 something day. Ahhhhh.

Alli making muscles! Tough girl going into the cold ocean waves!

And, we did good with the sunscreen! NO SUNBURNS at all! I'm getting so much better at avoiding harmful rays. Yay me. Breaking the sun bathing addiction.

And, there is something so interesting to drive a mere 30 minutes from where we live, to arrive at a pretty beach on the Atlantic ocean, and to still see the NYC skyline in the distance. And, if that weren't enough to remind us that we are still in NYC.....perhaps seeing our friend who is an elderly man with a white beard dyed multiple colors, wearing a white fairy-like gown, different colored tube socks, a bright hat with a real parrot perched on top, pushing a white/hair dyed poodle in a baby stroller, while prancing around and smiling.....that reminds us that we are still in NYC. We saw this same friend at the Mets game. Liv pointed and said right in front of him "HA! MOM, LOOK AT THE FUNNY CLOWN!"

"Ummm, Liv, he isn't exactly a clown."

"What is he then?"

"Ummmm, I'm not sure."

This time Alli asked "mom, why does he do that?" I said, "Well, remember how you used to love playing dress up when you were little? He just never outgrew it I guess." She just looked at me like "seriously" and I just shrugged. I said "well, I guess deep down we all want to be paid attention to, right? I guess this is his way of getting some attention" .

Shortly after that we saw a guy in a speedo and were talking about how Europeans have a different style of beachwear. I explained that it is not uncommon for women to be topless in some parts of Europe. Well, wouldn't you know it, about 10 minutes later, as we were packed up and heading to the car, we pass two women exiting the restrooms, topless, wearing g-string bottoms, holding hands. OH boy. They walked right by us. I managed to not turn around and sneak a peak at their rear ends, but I believe the rest of my family failed to resist the urge. I looked at Timm and said "Isn't that illegal?" He replied "I would think so." And then I looked around and said "Well, I don't see anyone calling the police...."

What an interesting world we live in.