Vacation memories

Just wanted to share some vacation pictures and memories before the summer season is gone.  This year we were very blessed to have been able to spend a week in Florida in July.  My husbands parents and sister live down in the sunshine state, so we were able to spend time with them as well.  I was very glad I was able to stay the night with my cousin during our trip as well. She married a year ago and moved to Florida too.

We had a wonderful trip and it was so nice to just relax and remove ourselves from our everyday.  The place we stayed has a wonderful complementary breakfast.  Do you know how nice it is to walk over for breakfast and not have to get it cooked or clean up after.  Lily Rose and I put a dent in the number of strawberries the state of Florida has.  And to have someone else make the beds and clean the bathrooms up was a treat.  The first day after returning from the pool, we walked into our room and Lily Rose gasped and shouted, "Mom, someone cleaned our room."  The shock in her face was so funny.

our room for the week.

We visited the beach the first night down there and watched a drum circle on the beach.  So many sights and sounds and the fire twirler was icing on the cake.  But lets not forget the beautiful sunset.  The sunsets are so peaceful over the water.

drum circle

fire twirler

sunset

We visited Tarpon Springs, Fl.  If you are down there, you have to try to take a few hours to tour this very neat town.  We shopped in very neat, locally owned shops, ate desserts that were to die for, and went on a dolphin cruise to a beautiful island.  It was a wonderful day.  Watching the kids, especially my oldest watch as dolphins swam next to the boat would have been enough to make the day perfect by itself.  I would love to go back again sometime.

bringing in the sponges that were harvested

so yummy

this pic is getting enlarged and hung in our bedroom

watching the dolphins

ready to board the boat

Love this of the boys walking together.  Would love to know what they were talking about.

Lily Rose collecting every shell she  finds

She could not get enough of the boat

zooming in on a lighthouse while docked on anclote island

Of course you don't go to Florida without hitting the beach.  The boys stayed in the water the entire time.  The waves were so much fun.  Lily Rose enjoyed playing on the beach and even met another little girl named Lily. 

The rest of the trip included lots of visiting with family and just relaxing and taking in every colorful sunset there was.

My husbands family

My cousin and her new husband

So thankful for time with my family and time to take a step back and relax.