We started our adventure, much like any other year. Daddy spent the entire afternoon sleeping so that he could jet our silver fox to Florida through the night as our Houdini's slept. Everyone (except me) was asleep by 10 and slept soundly until about 4. I needed my third (yes third) potty break and the van needed refueled. All 3 kids woke up and, of course, the only gas station in sight was a dingy, smoke filled shack just large enough for a coffee pot, drinking fountain, and a bathroom stall (with no sink, soap or paper towels). Oh yeah...and about 4 slot machines hidden behind a see through curtain which were being used by 4 very dirty old women with missing teeth and fake fingernails. When they saw 3 tired, yet sweet, little ones walk in, they were distracted and used the opportunity to refill their coffee cups and light another cigarette. Suddenly, there were 4 strangers and my family of 5 crowded in an area smaller than my laundry room. It may have been my pregnancy or maybe my inner mother hen, but I needed to escape and save my kids from that dungeon as soon as possible. The smoke stench was making my throat hurt and the kids all had pinch faces. When we walked out into the parking lot, another family, taking a break from their travels, said, "That was an experience, wasn't it?" Nate finished with, "I can't believe how clean it was!" After another few hours of sleep Nate woke up and said, "Next time we stop, can it be at a Subway?"
Random thought: Eating almonds in the car at 4 a.m. is very difficult. Once the sun came up, I realized that more almonds hit the floor than actually made it to my mouth.
The rest of the morning and early afternoon was spent coloring, singing and watching Madagascar and Monsters, Inc. We arrived at the condo around 3 p.m. and while Daddy recuperated, the kids and I took in some pool time and met a few of the other families that will be here this week with us. I got to sport my baby bump (which you can't hide in a bathing suit...especially when I look 6 months pregnant instead of barely 4)) and honestly, felt like everyone was trying to decide if I was just plump or pregnant. An older couple walking by said, I think we've seen you here before and you were pregnant then, too! Nate quickly reminded me that I've been here, pregnant, 3 times! It made me really want a margarita!
The evening ended with a trip to the grocery store to fill our fridge for the week and a dinner at Conch Café. Matt made the executive decision this week that if we're going to eat out at all, we're going to do it at places we can't go in Pendleton. I'll admit, there is no place like The Conch Café in Pendleton.
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Traveling is really hard on Adri! She did wake up when her food came and devoured her chicken!
Now, off to sleep in a real bed and hopefully there will be no early risers...at least nothing before 7!
Sunday: Slept til 7:30 (that's sleeping in for our family), had a breakfast of champions (waffles and melon), spent the day at the pool and walking around the complex, had an early dinner (because we may have forgot to eat lunch) and then took the kids to see a movie in Venice because it decided to rain. Daddy may have disappeared for a few hours, starting at about 2:45, which may have been the exact time that IU played (and won)!
She loves the water!
The kids and Matt are eating hot dogs and chips everyday for lunch....this is my menu!
Random thought: This is the first day in the history of every Florida trip I've ever taken, that I have NOT burned! My, times have changed!
Monday: Waffles and fruit again :) I slept til 9 (thanks Matt). Then we had a second breakfast at the welcome center (donuts are a HUGE treat for our kids). The weather is beautiful and sunny, but only about 70. It's a bit cool when you hop out of the water, but we're not complaining...I hear they got a lot of snow in Indiana!
We ended the day with dinner out at the County Cooker (Whoooo, Matt sure can pick 'em), pudding for dessert (I think it's an old people thing) and movie night in the condo.
I have not had the camera out much. I'll try to do that more tomorrow:)
Random thought: I wasn't prepared for how uncomfortable seeing teenagers (and a few older women), in bikini's would make me...not for me...but for my boys and my husband. I feel like I need to protect their eyes! Lord, I pray that my daughter never wants to wear swim suits like I saw today.
Tuesday: Breakfast, beach, pool, out to lunch at the Parrotfish Grille...no kids menu...weird! (Matt was cold). Then we drove around a bit and stopped in a few shops. We finished the day with cheeseburgers on the grill, an ice cream run and then a movie night. Great day!
Gabe wouldn't sit...he's afraid a crab will bite him :)
Nate told me today that his favorite part of our vacations are that we have movie night every night. I'm glad we have to come to Florida to do that!
Random thought: There is this little mom and pop ice cream place that we try to visit every time we come down here (or two times or three). They have homemade ice cream and every flavor is delicious, but this time I tried the salted caramel and it was THE MOST DELICIOUS ice cream I've ever had!
Wednesday: I slept til 9 this morning and was the 1st one up! Whoo hooo! I did some picking up around here and then watched the birds and boats on the bay from the back deck. My quiet time only lasted for about 30 minutes before Houdini 1 and 2 woke up begging for breakfast.
We need a break from the sun today and Matt says that 70 is too cold to swim, so we're heading to Sarasota to visit the aquarium. We could use a break from the sun in the most intense hours of the day anyway. Adri and Gabe have VERY sun kissed cheeks and for some reason, my sunscreen application abilities are faltering. I missed some pretty important areas on myself yesterday. For that reason, I couldn't sleep on my sides all night last night. My earlobes were burning!
After a leisurely (not really) visit to the Mote Aquarium, we ventured to Rum Bay for dinner. We had to take a boat to the island and we treated the kids to virgin strawberry daiquiris. Nate told me later tonight that he couldn't wait to be a grownup so that he could drink those everyday! Yikes...I'm a little scared :) Now, it's a movie ice cream kind of night (yes, again) :)
He was pretending...I think!
The boat ride to dinner was a bit cold!
Thursday: Matt zipped out of here just after waking up to pick up the boat that we're renting for the day and with about as much excitement as Matt can show he texts me, "It's a cabin cruiser!" Am I supposed to be excited about that? I guess the only thing on my mind is that I get an entire day of NOT CHASING KIDS! If they're on a boat, how far can they go, right? Lord, I hope that's true...I don't want to dive into the ocean to rescue children!
Actually, the fact that we rented a cabin cruiser was quite fun! The kids spent most of the time inside the cabin playing house and pretending the boat was going to tip over!
Nate suggested that we lock the kids inside this cabin and pretend they were gone. Then, it would be like we were on the boat alone...good idea, Nate! We may or may not have done that, just for a little while :)
Of course, boat rides make you hungry. The kids ate all afternoon!
We stopped at Stomp Pass for lunch at a little café. We had to pose for a photo shoot :)
Fishin' with Dad!
{love}
Check out this Sheepsfish that Matt caught!
I imagine that God put 'human' looking teeth on this little fellow so that one day Matt would pull this out of the ocean and do more than drop his jaw! Even after we got back home, we were still talking and laughing about how creepy these teeth were!
Random thought: I have officially failed at my attempt to make it through this entire trip without getting a sunburn. I guess we were having too much fun to think about putting on sunscreen every hour! A shower and a bowl of ice cream should do the trick (yes, we have ice cream every night...we're on vacation)!
Friday: Spent the day lounging at the beach and pool and trying to eat all of our leftover food so that we didn't have to throw anything away. It's our last day :(
I LOVE this view!
Matt tried to fly our kite today but apparently, kite flying takes talent. Matt's good at a lot of things, but kite flying isn't one of them...it's a gift that all 5 of us lack!
Saturday/Sunday: We're headed back to Indiana! Two days in the car with the kids doesn't excite me...we're splitting up the trip and driving to Atlanta today and then finishing up tomorrow. Matt didn't think he could pull an all nighter again! I don't blame him, however, driving at night is MUCH more pleasant with our Houdini's! We stopped about every two hours for bathroom breaks, snack breaks and traffic! URRRGGG! We made it home safe, though :)
I woke up in the hotel on Sunday morning, while everyone else was asleep (I have to use the bathroom a lot) and couldn't go back to sleep. It was quite and still dark. I was so thankful for all 6 of us in that room (even the little peanut who was the reason I got up to begin with) and for another pretty incredible reason. It was EASTER! Thank you, Lord, for sending your Son to us, allowing HIM to die on the cross so that I get to spend eternity with YOU! I don't deserve that! I don't even deserve all of the blessings that surround me in this little hotel room. But I am SO THANKFUL for Your GRACE!
There were a few moments of peace, though :)
After arriving home, the kids discovered their Easter baskets! And they thought the Easter bunny had forgot!
These are the Resurrection eggs that I purchased earlier this month and have been opening one egg per day leading up to Easter with the kids. Every egg represents another part of the life and death of Jesus and has a little item inside to help tell His story. The kids really enjoyed it (I did, too), and we look forward to doing it again next year :)
Back home today...our normal routine...grocery store, picking up, laundry, meal prep and NAPS! Adri's sleeping now and I think I may partake in some hummas and tortilla chips while catching up on Army Wives!
Happy Spring!
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