Day 4

Uncle Greg and I have started each morning with our annual walk!  I missed this so much  last year when I had to leave for work.  So far we are 3 for 3.  We typically walk about 2 miles round trip to get the morning paper.  So thankful for him and his generous spirit!!  This week wouldn't be possible without him!  As I was walking back up the 26 stairs this morning after our 2 mile walk, this view captured my attention...what a beautiful place that we get to spend an entire week!!

After breakfast, puzzle 1 was completed!!  

Andy and Caroline headed out this morning for a daddy/daughter date.  Mags and I stayed behind and enjoyed the beach and the pool.  While at Target, Caroline found a super cute bathing suit that she couldn't wait to show off!!  So glad they had that one on one time together!

Late this afternoon, the big kids got in the ocean.  All of a sudden, we heard screams and saw them running out of the water.  I didn't see it but Robin saw the tale end of it...apparently a spinner shark jumped about 20 feet from them.  Those folks ran like you have never seen.  Caroline told Andy "Well I almost died today!"  I think she was being a little dramatic...but none the less we are thankful all is well!

Mags asked to go to the park this afternoon. We are picked a book from the little library earlier in the week.  She wanted to leave her 'exchange' book which I thought was so sweet!

Then we headed to the playground for a while.

Tomi Jean and family headed to Frank's for dinner while Joy and Teressa headed to eat seafood.  That left just us at the villa.  We had taco's and played games.  It was so much fun!!  We laughed a lot!!

After dinner, Maggie and I headed to the pool for a night swim.  She loved swimming with the lights on.  We are so thankful to be so close to the pool.  We forgot Maggie's goggles and thankfully Caroline dropped them over the balcony!

 We came back after about 30 minutes because the mosquitoes were eating me alive!  When we got back, everyone was back from dinner and were enjoying dessert.  Another amazing day...

Day 3, Tomi Jean's birthday

What a gorgeous day to celebrate Aunt Tomi Jean's 56 year of life!  We are so thankful for her!!  Thankful that we get to celebrate with her at one of our favorite places.  This morning when I woke up, I noticed orange seeping through the blackout shades...I stepped on the balcony and captured this.  True sunrise wasn't for another 25 minutes and I was sleepy...I didn't capture the full sunrise but this was gorgeous!!!!

I love this kid...it's fun watching her grown into a young lady...sometimes she has not time or patience for our nonsense but today we managed to get a silly face!

Mags was pouting because Daddy made her come in a little...it's just NOT FAIR that Caroline gets to go out further...so this was Caroline's imitating what Maggie was doing!

Daddy saves the day...he goes in so they can all go out!

Next up, sand castles.  It takes Maggie a day or so to warm up to the idea of sand and sun.  She is definitely a pool girl but warms up to the beach and loves it!

We finish the day at the pool.  Thankful for these crazies that I call mine!

Handstand challenge

Seafood Dinner was the birthday girls request for dinner.  It was delicious!  We came home and enjoyed banana splits with fudge and caramel sauce, oreo's, snickers and peanut butter cups.  Of course, cherries and whip cream on top!

 

A beautiful day 2

It was another gorgeous day at the beach.  The weather the last two days have been absolutely amazing!!!  A wonderful breeze on the beach, low 80's.  Perfect beach weather!!  The girls started this morning doing cute hair styles.  

The tent crew headed to the beach to put up not one but three tents.  I am always so very thankful for this.  Yes, I am officially old and have migrated to the shade vs. full sun!

The beach is being refurbished.  We are so thankful because we have so much more beach to enjoy!  Because of the holiday weekend, they aren't working on the project right now.  The girls decided to climb to the top of the sand hill.  They loved it!

Our biggest sand castle yet!!

I'm on top of the world ehh...I'm on top of the world ehh...

Andy and Maggie headed up for lunch and this is what I found a few hours later when they didn't return...

Vacation isn't complete without a game of Yam Slam!

Late night entertainment!

 

Beach Vacay 2022 is HERE!!

Today is the day we have waited 365 days for!!  Beach Vacay with Aunt Tomi Jean, Uncle Greg and the rest of the family!  Since we are all in Villa's now, check in is on Saturday.  Although I liked getting here on Friday in years past when rented the house, it is much easier to leave on a Saturday morning vs. trying to prepare for the last day of school and be ready to leave immediately after school. 

Thankfully we had a smooth morning.  We took Charlie to the kennel.  I'm not sure he was too excited about his vacation...he likes camping and I think he thought he was going with us.  I know he will have a great time with Joey and Honey at the condo for the week.

Our new check in day tradition is to have lunch at one of our favorite restaurants, Bisqit, at the Hammock Shops.  Thankfully Tomi Jean made us a reservation so we were able to get seated shortly after we got there.  Lunch was delicious as always.  After lunch we walked around for a little bit before Uncle Greg called to let us know that our villa was ready!  

Unloading and setting up is my least favorite thing to do.  Thankfully we have an elevator so that does help with getting items upstairs.  However, we don't use the elevator to transport people so we have a flight of stairs that consist of 26 steep steps.  Hopefully I will loose a pound or two after this week.  Today alone I made the trip up 26 times!!! :-)  Once groceries were unloaded and bags were unpacked, the girls and I headed to the pool. I was honestly too tired to even put on my swim suit!!  But they had fun and I'm so thankful we are here!!

After the pool, we went to the park.  Caroline was an awesome big sister and played with Maggie at her request.  I enjoyed sitting under the nice oak tree doing nothing!  It felt great!

We headed over to the other villa for dinner.  Maggie and Caroline are so excited to have Grace and Jack 'home.'

And of course, it isn't vacation without a puzzle.  Let's see how long it takes to complete this one!!

 Tonight, I'm off to bed with a full and happy heart!  I am so thankful we get to experience this amazing trip one more time...can't wait to make memories with our family!

That's a wrap!

Well folks!  That's a wrap on the 2021-2022 school year!  Somehow we now have a rising 8th grader and rising 3rd grader!  Crazy!!  Both girls had amazing years!  They worked hard, did hard things and most of all had fun!  I am thankful for our school district and the amazing opportunities our girls have.  We are ready for summer break!  We look forward to the fun adventures ahead!  Side note:  Caroline sucker punched me in the gut tonight...she said "Guess what, I only have 5 years left before I got to college!"  Um, that didn't sit too well...how in the world is time going so quickly???

 

Saying goodbye to two special teachers...

Two years ago, after an absolute crazy ending to kindergarten, we registered Maggie for first grade. Things were still crazy and we didn’t know what the right answer was but felt the Lord calling us to trust Him and send her to school. There we met these angels! These ladies loved our Maggie through her weaknesses and shortcomings! They helped her see that she could do hard things! Her self confidence grew tremendously over the last two years!!

A few weeks ago they told me that they wouldn't be returning next year. Mrs. Kennedy took a job that is 3 minutes from her house. Totally understandable... While I am deeply saddened by this, I KNOW that the Lord placed them in Maggie’s life “for such a time as this.” This momma will be forever grateful for their love, support and kindness shown to our girl and us! Again I won’t cry because it’s over, I’ll smile because it happened!

Sports Banquet

Tonight we celebrated middle school sports.  What a fun event it was.  It was especially fun for the girls soccer team who went undefeated!!! They had the best record of all sports at school this year!  It has been so much fun to watch these girls reunite and enjoy middle school years together!!  So proud of them all!