Well, we came, we saw, we vacationed. And it's amazing how quickly it goes. Crazy that growing up we were able to go for two weeks every year, and that felt short. Now going for a week feels like the blink of an eye. But it was a great, relaxing blink that we're already planning on repeating next year.
Our story is best told through pictures, so that's what we're going to do. After a somewhat tiring flight due to some fighting girls, and far too much sugar early in the morning, we arrived, picked up our car and were on our way to the Key. Because everyone was a little tired, we started vacation out with a bang by meeting my parents at Captain Curt's, a Siesta Key staple. The weather wasn't great the first two days - don't get me wrong, far better than the 20 degrees we left behind, but it was in the 60s and cloudy/rainy so we eased into vacation.
But soon enough, the weather picked up and we were on our way with mornings spent at the beach and afternoons at the pool. Sawyer immediately got into the action and loved the sand, and spent much time running to and from our blanket to the water.
Isla took a bit more coaxing. She initially spent a lot of time on the blanket refusing to make her way to the water on the sand. She built herself some castles but ended up getting more sand on our blanket in her attempt not to step off.
That...and of course she busied herself with snacks while Sawyer was playing.
Playing in the sand is truly such hard work...
One of the highlights to break up the week was Grandpa's 65th birthday. Oddly enough, I realized that I was pregnant with Sawyer when we celebrated his 60th, and now again celebrating his 65th. The 70th better be a big blowout so that I can take advantage. It was fun regardless - we went out to the Oaks with some family and friends.
Got a picture of mom and dad with some lifelong friends... Aunt Zoo (Sue) is missing but I'm guessing perhaps she is entertaining Isla, which is what allowed me to take the picture.
This had been dubbed "fancy dinner"; which came about when Sawyer called my parents to tell them about all the new dresses she had gotten. When my Dad heard, he promised to take her out to a fancy dinner where she could wear one of her new dresses. Not to worry - she wore a new dress pretty much every day, but we did save a pretty one for fancy dinner. Here she is with her date, the birthday boy...
And of course coloring at the bar after dinner...
Sawyer is big into coloring and drawing, and created many a masterpiece for my parents while she was there. She made my dad line them up on the wall in his bar. She's serious about her coloring people. Here's a different angle.
Isla wasn't the most peachy when we first arrived, having woken up from a nap shortly before we left, but she pulled it together and behaved fairly well. I was a bit nervous when the maitre d told me how nice it was I brought my kids as they so rarely get children there. Overall I think they did well, and even stayed till 9:30, which is well past bedtime.
The rest of the week went even faster. Mark and I got out for a bite by ourselves, and even had Grandma snap a quick family picture. Isla's teachers keep asking me for a family photo and I keep telling them I don't have any because we usually only have three of us in pictures at once. We're a little fuzzy, but overall we got one!
By the end of the week, the girls started to get a little more accustomed to the beach - letting us stay longer. By our last day, we were loving life and were gone at the beach for over 4 hours, only to return and go directly to the pool for a few more.
Isla realized the sand actually is not scary...
And even became excited by the ocean...
Grandpa helped her get her feet wet. Despite a very cold Gulf - 64 degrees! - she was loving it.
Gradually she just kept taking herself deeper...
Tried to get a cute picture of the two together but Sawyer always had crazy hair in her face, and Isla wasn't sure she loved her sister's attention.
But put the girl on her own and she's a model in training...
I loved that yellow suit when I bought it for Sawyer but it's even more made for Isla with that fair skin and blond hair. Grandma and Grandpa made it to the beach with us a few days, including the last/best. The picture of retirement with their floppy hats...
Sawyer was bouncing around so much most of my pictures are of her being a whirlwind. Her and Mark did find a coconut in the dunes and it provided her much entertainment. She loved to shake it and hear the milk, though we did not open it up.
Her and Grandpa goofing around on the beach...
And finally, just a few from our time at the pool...
The water felt great and these kids didn't like to get out, including making sure they got a swim in the morning before our flight out...
By far Sawyer spent more time than anyone in that pool. She had her swim vest on and would go up and down the length of the pool, take it off and hang with one of the floaties, or would spend time swimming with her Dad.
Overall I'd say vacation was a success. A huge thank you to Grandma and Grandpa for letting us break in their new place with the kids - as Isla kept saying, "this is a gooood house" . We think we managed not to ruin anything though left many fingerprints on the windows, and both the kids enjoyed seeing their Grandparents so much, as did Mark and I. I can't wait to plan next year's trip - Sawyer and Isla love talking about the beach and pool, and besides, how else will this new baby be able to use all the cute 6/9 month summer clothes we have.
Sadly, reality has set in and we returned to snow in the driveway, four loads of laundry and a bare refrigerator. All of that has now been fixed and we're back to our Sunday routine. Now we're setting our sights on Friday when Maeve and Katie come for a visit!
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