FL part 2

For the second half of our Florida trip we took Big Papa's car and loaded it up and drove north to Sarasota to spend a long weekend with some friends.  Our friend was celebrating a milestone birthday which was important to her and therefore important for us to be apart of.  Our friend is Miss M's best friends mom so the kids are very familiar with each other. They actually play better together when there are four of them then they often do when there are three of them. It was too easy to hang out.  We went from playing zone defense to one on one defense as there were now four adults and four kids. Life is just easier with more adults.

After a day in the sun they needed some down time to relax and watch their new favorite show - Ninjago. I don't really know what it is and I don't really care.  It entertains them and my other friends approve of it for their kids which seems like enough.

Friday morning we ventured to the beach. We started our beach adventure with a walk. We were searching for treasure or shells.  The clouds burned off pretty quickly and we ended up with a gorgeous breezy/sunny day.

The waves were no joke. Miss M got beat up by a few waves but she showed her resilience and got up and went back in.

We are supposed to be surfing but the surfboard got cut off. So we just look goofy.

It was pretty much a slice of heaven.

The non-napper was pampered beyond belief.  She was wrapped up in a beach towel like a burrito, fed Doritos, rocked and sung to sleep.  She slept for a good two hours before we decided it was best to wake her so she would sleep that night.  She did in fact sleep that night but it wasn't without a fight. Andrew was responsible for putting her to bed and when I woke up at midnight to check on her she wasn't anywhere to be found. I panicked.  I was sure she'd escaped off the balcony and something had happened. It was midnight. I couldn't find my kid in a 300 sq ft room of course I thought something crazy happened.  Nope. She was curled up next to the sliding glass door behind the curtain hiding from Andrew b/c they were fighting about her not sleeping.  They are so similar it's good for him to deal with her defiance every once in awhile!

While Cater slept and I watched from the shaded lounge chair everyone else went out on boogie boards and jumped waves. The kids all said that the waves were their favorite part of the entire trip. Miss M and I were just talking about it tonight and she still says it was favorite part.

CHEESE

Big Will took a slumber pool-side one day.  And he woke up to a frozen concoction.  We haven't told the children this isn't real life and not to get use to it yet.  We will one day...

...But when you can ride a cheeseburger in a pool why spoil the fun.

We all know that all good things must come to an end.  We left with so many memories and in the end that's what we came for. Memories we can share with friends for years to come.

Tiffany's Graduation

Our Tiffany graduated from college.  I took it as a teaching opportunity for the children (mostly Miss M) and pulled her out of school (disregard irony) so she could experience graduation.  It was someone of a disaster and would have been much easier with two kids vs three but we managed.  The hardest part was even though Tiffany's graduating class was small it still took the same length of time as a university graduation.  We got there an hour before to get a seat and by the time the graduates started walking in the kids were DONE.  We toughed it out until Tiffany got her diploma then we high tailed it outside to walk around the campus.  

All big events need a picture on the porch!

Before the ceremony began.

The happiness was infectious. She worked so hard to get herself through school. No one made her finish. She finished b/c she knew it is what she wanted/needed to do to better herself.

Graduation was on Friday and our graduation party was on Saturday. I needed the extra time to get everything ready.  We'd planned to have a small party but by the time it was over there were over 50 people who rolled through the house.  And I think 30 of them stopped and mingled in the kitchen.  The house was packed.  We met some wonderful people. There were lots of laughs shared. I think Tiffany felt special and loved with all the people who came to support her.  We were all exhausted by the end of the night but there was no room to leave a mess b/c we were to fly to FL Sunday at 2pm.

Majority of the kids Tiffany babysits.  I got to be in the picture too b/c Cater wouldn't stand without me.  We've been going through a needy phase.  

We set up the lemonade stand for the kids and Miss M wrote a note on the chalkboard saying "We love you Tiff!". The kids do love her and one day she'll have to move on as Craig likes to remind me but for now we'll be happy with what we have.

FL part 1

Thankfully packing for a Florida vacation doesn't take much. Throw a swimsuit, pjs, lounge clothes and a toothbrush and you're set. I found a few minutes of free time between going to the store and prepping food for Tiffany's graduation party to pack summer clothes. It makes it easier when they aren't in the laundry but packed away at the back of a closet waiting to be rediscovered.  

12 hours after our last guests left the party we were rolling through the airport.  Tiffany came with us as our graduation gift to her.  And because she's amazing. And because the kids love her. And because frankly flying with three kids by myself sounds horrifying. Although I think I could do it if we bought another iPad - which might in the long run be cheaper than a flight for Tiffany but where's the fun in that!

You also know you've made it with three kids when they can all carry their own carry-on bags AND we get to use the escalator instead of the elevator. Elevators at airports notoriously suck as they take a long time and there's usually only one car for the 6 wheelchairs and 14 people waiting to ride it.  

All dressed up and ready to go!

Miss M and Tiff got their own row.  I was envious.  Very envious.

This was essentially Cater most of the trip.  Standing in her seat and being defiant.  I don't think she'd have cared if we did have another iPad.  She wasn't having any of it but I didn't care. The plane is loud. She wasn't crying. I wasn't crying either so I left her to her own entertainment. 

We swam as soon as we got to Poppy's house. It's all the kids could think/talk about during the flight. Poppy and Grammy are currently residing in a rental house approx. four blocks from their old house which is currently being rebuilt into their new house.  We got to walk through the new house and WE CAN'T WAIT.  It's going to be so awesome.

Cater is a fish in the water.  She loves to just lay back and get her head wet and float. She does it in the bathtub too. It's so serene to watch her close her eyes and relax. She doesn't relax much.  She's pretty much on fire from sun up to sun down.

The rental house also had a hot tub. Miss M wouldn't leave the hot tub. Mostly because she didn't have to wear her floaty b/c she could touch.

Big Papa and the kids sitting on the wall of his new hot tub...Can I get a "HOT TUB".  The kids screamed this most of the week.  It entertained me immensely.  

She's into her summer dresses right now.

Naked baby buns and Willie playing in the hot tub during an afternoon downpour.  The adults (and Miss M) sat under the covered area of the lanai while those yahoos frolicked.  Another sign you've made it in life with toddlers.

We ventured to the beach one afternoon. Cater was happy in the sand, digging and building.

Tiffany and the big two waded in the water.  They searched for dolphins and splashed around.

And of course they had a snack.  What's a day at the beach without a snack.

There's a great park area up the street from Big Papa's house that has a covered play area and a splash pad.  We killed some time there one day. It's not hard to kill time in Florida. Especially when the kids haven't seen temps reach 60 degrees since the previous October. 

How can you not be happy?

DON'T DRINK THE WATER.  Gross.  But she didn't die.  Or end up in the hospital with serious GI issues.  Phew. Escaped another potential nightmare.

I call this her Donald Trump hair do.  It occurs naturally after some sun and swimming.  And she's gonna have the best tan lines.  I'll spend my summers jealous of her golden skin tones while I am lathering SPF 100 on myself and the other kids.

I scream. You scream. We all scream for ice cream! Celebrating Big Papa's birthday with an ice cream cone and crazy children.