Florida

Last week we returned from a trip to Florida.

It was oh so needed and welcomed.

On the way down, (yes we drove...oy) we had the chance to stop in Hattiesburg, MS to see where Tristan's grandpa was buried since he'd never been. I'm glad I got to meet him a year before he passed away.

We stopped in Mobile, AL to see this submarine, USS Drum and the battleship (below), USS Alabama.

Tris trying to fit through the doors on the submarine...I sure hope no one had to get anywhere quick! You'd have bruises on both your head and shins.

Aren't those guns huge!! The ones on the ship are pretty big too! ;)

It was awesome!! This picture doesn't show the tippy-top, but we went as high as we could go. My arms were burning by the end cuz I was carrying Luke. There were only these teeny ladders to get from floor to floor.

Nearby was this cruise-ship still in port. I never realized how HUGE cruise-ships are.

And finally we made it to the beach. I can't imagine him being any happier.

Pretty much it was heaven...the biggest sandbox in the world and water water everywhere.

Of course, besides sand and water I guess we had other necessities like food.

And more food.

G thought we were really going to turn him into a mermaid/man. After a slight panic attack, he was okay with it in the end. 

Bocce ball on the beach beats the grass any day.

This was my FA-VO-RITE past-time. We'd walk holding the boys hands up and down the beach looking for shells or crabs on running away from the water.

We were successful in finding said shells...

...and a few crabs. I must admit that I may have done an eebie-jeebie dance after I thought I had found a huge shell...only to discover it was a crab, alive and kicking. And i may have done the dance again when I positioned myself in a safe place completely forgetting they crawl SIDEWAYS, not forward and backward.

What a goof!

Seriously love my chunky L

His favorite past-time was collecting shells.

Not one was forgotten.

There may be a shortage at your local craft store.

This was only the first bucket, with many more to come. 

Our mornings were beautiful. We were so close to the water!

G and Tris make a snowman.

We went out fishing one day.

We passed a replica of one of Columbus' ships. It was rather small. 

My lovely attire. Better than wearing Lobster-red for the next week or two!

We love to fish, but don't like to eat them...where we would usually throw them back, we decided to feed the to the dolphins. (You can see him just below the surface.)

I love this boys wind-swept hair! He told me on the way back that he wasn't sleeping. He was "thinking." Right, Got it.

My little dude turned 4, and despite oh-so-many-things going wrong with the cake, it turned out okay. He loved it, and that's what mattered. (L loved it for other reasons.)

Many shared gifts since their birthdays are so close.

And lots of smiles.

The boys insisted on helping. Why, thank you boys.

We stopped in Jackson, MS on the way home to see Tris' extended family. Besides the many many gnats, it was BEAUTIFUL. 

This is L fishing in their fountain. We start 'em young.

I think they had fun. We sure did!