Scalloping in Crystal River

Third year in a row of scalloping was a success! We stayed at the Crystal River Plantation (same as last year) and had a fun filled 3 nights with our friends. Late nights of swimming and soccer and long days on the water always make for a great make for a great mini vacation. We also picked up a special surprise on our way home...

Back to School

Just before school ended in May, I had grand ideas of the many things I could do with my kids and the places we could go on a whim. I thought that the summer vacation was too short and we needed more time for sleeping in and staying up late. At least, this is how I felt for the first month. By the second month, I was wondering why we even needed a summer break and I even gave serious consideration to the idea of adoption. Well, maybe not serious consideration but there were several times when the idea uncontrollably popped into my mind. I enjoy spending as much time as I can with my kids, but I also happen to thrive when I get to have a bit of solitude and am able to hear my own thoughts instead of the screaming and fighting that occurs 75 percent of the time that I am with them. The other 25 percent is when they are sleeping. I jest, of course, but the percentages are really not that far off. Anyway, my day finally arrived August 16th when the kids headed off to 1st and 3rd grade. They lucked out this year and both got great teachers. Harrison has Mrs. Preston and Brooks has Mrs. Benison (Harrison also had her for 1st). I do think there needs to be a "first day of school" picture for all the moms so that it can be documented what true joy looks like on our faces. But instead, all I have to show is how adorable my kiddos look on their big day. The first picture seen below is the usual "happy for the first day photo" and the second is a more accurate portrayal of what my kids look like on a normal day of school.

Vacation to Anna Maria Island

We took a fun, end of summer trip to Anna Maria Island at the end of July for 5 days. The trip was wonderful and we were fortunate to stay in a beachfront condo that belonged to one of Robert's business associates. This was our first trip to Anna Maria but hopefully not our last. The island is amazing with lots of fun restaurants and you can get everywhere by bike. We had a great time spending the days at the beach then biking or swimming in the pool in the later afternoons. I'm hoping we can take another adventure there soon!

Sarasota with the Hartmans

Another fun highlight to our summer was getting to spend a day at the beach with Nat Nat, Zach, Davis, and Palmer. We drove up to Sarasota and enjoyed playing in the sand and in the ocean with our DC cousins. It wasn't enough time but we will take what we can get!

Athens & Jacksonville

Summer has come and gone but I still have a couple posts to write about on some of our big highlights. We started this summer off with a bang by dropping the kids off in Athens right after school. Harrison drove up with Robert while Brooks and I flew. It was her very first flight so that was a highlight all in itself. Robert and I immediately flew out to Vegas for a work related trip but also for some fun. And after that, we took an amazing adventure out to Sonoma, California for my 40th birthday with 3 other couples that we love. This trip deserves a post all on it's own but let me just say, it was incredible. And after our 4 night stay in California, we headed back to Athens for the week to be with the kids and also so Robert could play in the Member/Guest tournament with his dad. While we were there, Harrison got to be in a baseball camp at the University and Brooks went to a camp at the Academy. It was a great time! After Athens, our original plan was to head right back to Naples but we found out that my mom would be going through chemo again since her leukemia came back. This was not the kind of news we wanted to hear but I wanted to be with her so Robert dropped me and the kids off in Jacksonville and we stayed with Carter, Leigh, James and Christine. We made the most of the trip with fun sleepovers and tennis camp and I was able to send a lot of time in the hospital with my mom. Brooks also had another first when she lost her tooth on our first night in Jacksonville. There was a lot crammed into our first 3 weeks of summer and we have great memories of it all!