Beach Bound 2009!

As you know from earlier posts, last weekend we were given a great opportunity to go to Florida, thanks to Marty's sister, Connie and her husband, Kyle. Without them, there would have been NO WAY we would have ever been able to afford going anywhere this year.

We had an INCREDIBLE time!

I was determined to get a TON of good pictures this year, including the typical "beach photos". I want to have SOME record of our entire family together....not just photos of the kids. This trip gave us that opportunity!

Sorry there are so many photos in this post, but not only do I blog to share my life with all of you, I also use this blog as an online photo album or digital scrapbook for my family. I hope you won't get TOO bored! LOL

The first group of pictures just chronicles our "adventuresome" drive to Florida...which, BTW, is about a 6 hour drive.

-----------------------------------------

Marty was in school for work the day we were to leave, so me and the kiddos asked to ride down with Kyle and Connie to give the kids a little more time at the beach. When Marty's class was done for the week, he drove down in our car and met us there. Chelsea had a BALL riding with Connie and Kyle. She is just so mature, you know.

First, a breakfast stop at Sonic.

Jameson ready for the trip with a new DVD to watch.

MOVE TRUCK! We got places to GO! (Hi Kyle!)

Stopping at Dairy Queen for a much needed break! (Hey Connie!) Chili dog anyone??

**grumble, grumble** Road construction.....

UGH! RAIN!

Chelsea just "DONE" with the trip and her little brother.

MORE road construction!

Even MORE road construction...PLUS we are stuck behind a DUMP TRUCK! Are we EVER going to get to the beach??????

WAIT! It's our first blurry view of the beach!!!

Finally at the condo!!

View from the balcony.

View of the condo's two pools.

Chelsea going down to the beach for the first time.

The sunset the first night there.

This is Jameson our first night. I have NO IDEA how my poor baby curved around in the shape and actually fell asleep. He was SOOO sleepy!

Day 2: My fat feet....Oh, and the beach is in the background...lol!

Jameson playing in the ocean.

Hottie Hubby!!

Kyle and Connie. THANK YOU FOR THE TRIP!!!

Jameson and Marty getting ready to ride the wave!

Chelsea enjoying the pool. (She doesn't swim....she just sits...lol)

Sibling Love

Jameson jumping into the pool...that was one of his FAVORITE things to do!

Our pool fun was quickly interrupted by an afternoon thunderstorm.

Bummer!

After the thunderstorm, we were relaxing on the balcony where we saw a commotion going on at the beach. While a family was taking beach pictures, one of the guys decided to do a wedding proposal. It was SOOOO SWEET! He got down on one knee with the ring in his hand. She grabbed him and hugged him, causing him to drop the ring! They quickly found it and he put it on her finger. Then they kissed! SO ROMANTIC! Beats getting engaged in the Hardee's parking lot, any day!

Jameson and the sunset. This is my favorite picture of the entire trip....and I didn't even take it! Thank you Connie!!

Chelsea was getting a little homesick at this point and we ended up having a little "Mommy/Daughter" time together. But more on that in a later post.

Day 3: Chelsea getting ready for some bumper boat fun!

Appeasing Mama while waiting on the bumper boats.

Marty in his ride.

Chelsea in her ride.

Jameson in his ride.

Marty getting sprayed. (NO clue who could have been doing that.....)

Chelsea and Marty spraying each other.

Jameson looking for his next victim.

Marty

We were SOAKED when we got done with these, but we had a BLAST!

Jameson getting ready to roll!

He doesn't look too happy driving that number 88...lol!

HE WON!

Don't they look so Embarrassed happy to be with their Mama?

"Gimmie a kiss!"

This is the entrance to the Ripley's Believe It Or Not Museum in PCB, FL. When I was a kid, I remember VERY vividly my parents taking me to the Ripley's Museum in St. Augustine, Florida. I wanted my kids to have the same fun memories! I took a ton of pictures inside....but I won't bore you with them, since I am already boring you with all of these other family photos...lol!

My life!

Group shot.

Me and My girl! (I got her to take off the glasses for a minute!)

My babies!

They are supposed to be holding "rabbit ears" over each other.

The two men in my life!

One of my favorite group shots.
(The reason that everyone (but me) has on sunglasses is that EVERYONE in my family have problems keeping their eyes open at the same time...the sunglasses fixed that problem...lol)

Us laughing.

Me and my fat self! I ALMOST didn't make it back up! LOL

Me and my guy.

You should have heard them fussin' while we were taking these pictures!

This would have been a great picture if Jameson had cooperated. He was SO irritated that we made him stop hunting shells.

Don't you just LOVE that NASTY seaweed?

Jameson

Jameson..for some reason, BOTH kids ended up with sand on their faces.

My find....and boy does it STINK (still)!

Our combined loot for the day.

Chelsea

Chelsea

Day 4: A gorgeous rainbow on Sunday morning.
It made me start singing "God put a rainbow in the clouds".

Rain clouds on Sunday morning.

Jameson's GIANT hole.

Our family in the sunset on our last night.

Just look at that face....he was DONE with pictures!

Hottie Hubby (with Jameson in the background).

Connie and Chelsea

Jameson

Chelsea

Chelsea


It was around this time that Connie noticed the commotion around the Sea Turtle nest, and we rushed over and got to witness THAT Miracle!

We hated to go in that night, but we knew we had to eventually get some rest. Connie and I ended up staying awake talking WELL into the night just trying to squeek just a few more minutes out of the trip.

But like all good things, our vacation came to an end. WAAAAY too soon for all of us...except for Chelsea. She was upset that she was missing General Hospital (and her Nana), and couldn't wait to get back home....lol!

I was so tired on the ride home, I don't think I even took any pictures. (Aren't you glad??)

I can honestly say it was the best vacation our family has ever been on.

I hope we get to do it again someday!

--------------------------------------

Check back soon because I have a little something I got on vacation that one lucky blog buddy can win!!

-------------------------------------