We Must Love Florida

To date, we have spent nearly half the month of June in Florida. I can't really think of a better place to be this sweltering hot summer. Between the beach and being the home to the majority of our family, we truly do love that state.

Our most recent visit was nothing short of eventful. First airplane rides, hurricane gust winds for family beach pictures, a day in the sun and sand, skinny dipping, toys, toys, and more toys, lots of creatures, hard naps, and a little family lovin'.

It's getting harder and harder for Jack to leave and I can totally relate to him. I hated leaving my Grandma and Grandpa's house as a kid. Sweet little Jack woke up Sunday morning with tiny tears streaming down his face as he told me he "wasn't ready to go home" and he "was going to be sad all the day". {I told you...we really do love Florida.} The good news is we had a late afternoon flight and so that gave him a full day to continue his vacation, not to mention he really wasn't sad "all the day". The proof is in the pictures.

Maggie took her first flight. She was such a trooper. Sometimes wiggly {okay, often wiggly} and very flirtatious, but a great travel companion, none the less.

After professional family beach pictures Friday night, we hit the beach Saturday for some free play. I went to get my camera and came back to find Daddy, Jack and Maggie out to sea. I even walked up to my waist in the water to get this picture...they were wayyyy out there.

Jack was in sea and sand heaven with his cousins Whit and Larkin there to play with. Larkin was schooling Jack on various sea creatures throughout the afternoon. Not sure what they had captured here.

Maybe this?

Whit even caught a fish for Jack. A Speckled Tarpon or something? Now, that was "cool". Especially considering his big cousin caught it.

Maggie mainly ignored the sea life and dug in the sand instead. Yes, she finally gave that ol' gritty sand a chance and it wasn't so bad after all.

But better than sand was Grammy's baby doll and stroller. That was Maggie's prized toy all weekend. She even spotted one at Jack's school this afternoon in an abandoned classroom--it was all I could do to keep her from strolling that baby home. Hmmm...Birthday present idea?

Jack was busy playing airplanes, but decided that stroller didn't look so bad {correction girly} after all. He convinced Maggie to give him a turn.

And this is what it looked like...push the baby as hard and as fast as you can and then let it go. All boy and all girl around here. Lord, help me.

Jack and his lovely Grammy. I didn't even have to ask him twice to take a picture with her.

Then we tried to add Maggie and you can see how well that went. 1) Mommy wasn't holding her anymore and 2) Jack was 'entertaining' her. Maybe one day we will get a picture of Maggie with someone other than me or Daddy.

Jack spent countless moments in the hot tub, which was more like a mini-pool to him. He even found more creatures to play with. After tormenting this poor frog...

...this is where it ended up. I was very happy I had pants on.

I figured Jack was pretty "pictured" out. So I decided to spice things up a bit. I told him to make his funniest faces. First, I got this.

Then, I got this.

And finally, I got this. Now, if this doesn't put a smile on your face, I don't know what will. [it was obviously slightly edited for publishing purposes, but you get the just}