Final Family Florida Day

Our last day in Florida started with a huge breakfast at the Athenian. While we waited, we entertained ourselves with silliness! Apparently the Brenningmeyer nose works better for spoon holding than the Albracht nose. Opa just couldn't make it happen & it didn't come easy for D! ;-)

I felt like a lucky girl to spend the day with these handsome fellas!

The afternoon was spent with "more of the same" glorious relaxation!  

Poolnaps + a novel = a happy Mama!

Our last dinner together was out at Bubba's for bbq.  Derek and I remembered the salad from our last visit to Oma & Opa.  It was a nice evening with the guys!  Cole loved the peanuts more than anything!

That night Derek loaded the car with Oma's things from the house for Opa's spring garage sale.  The following morning Derek and Opa headed out around 5 am while Cole and I slept until around 7:30 (<3 vacation!).  Cole and I packed up our things for Mr. Randy & Mrs. Joyce to drive us to the airport.  Our flight back was far better than the flight down.  We didn't depart Ft. Myers until 3:20 and Cole lasted until the tarmac before he passed out.  He woke later in flight to play his Leapster (thank you, Na!) and peacefully land.

I'll say again - what a treat!  Not only was the weather really great, but the company of Derek & Cole, Opa, and JayJay was wonderful.

Thank you Opa, for allowing us the getaway and treating us so well on this trip (as always)! 

Thank you Jamie, for chauffeuring us, putting us up, and putting up with us in your environment!  (and thanks to Erica & Kate!)

Thank you Derek, for all you do to help with Cole.  Your help may go unnoticed at home...or at least un-thanked.  I realized on this trip how much I need and appreciate your help!  Cole and I are so lucky to have you!

Thank you Cole, for being fun and cute and reminding me to re-lax and enjoy! 

Until next time, Community!  I am ready to retire!

Sunny days in the Community

We spent Tuesday, our first sunny day together in Florida, at the pool...all day!

It felt so nice to get some sunshine (mid 70's weather was perfect in the heated pool!) 

and take a swim in the middle of January!

We stretched our day in the sun as long as possible, including nap and snack time!

Such a good day!

Life in the Community on a rainy day.

 golf cart rides and gator hunting

 putzing on the computer and playing Wii

dinner with Lowel & Arrilda

...and it feels so good!

Sunday morning we woke in Tampa and tiptoed around Jayjay's apartment, played with Milo, drank coffee and milk, pedi'd some neglected Midwest-in-the-winter toes, and tried not to wake Jayjay and her roommates!

We eventually woke Jamie and headed to the beach at Siesta Key!  However, Cole didn't make it.  He fell asleep just a few minutes into our trip.  I decided that since he had continued to be on (*ahem) the crabby side, we should drive on to Ft. Myers and let him sleep.  Good in theory....until he wakes up just a few minutes past our exit in an even more awful mood!  ....and that mood stuck around for the next hour of the drive.  >;-/  There was no consoling the boy.
Luckily Jamie and I had enjoyed the first hour of our drive chatting about life and sister-stuff.  <3
We arrived at Ft. Myers to find Derek working around Opa's.  Reunited!

We reloaded and headed for the beach with D in tow!  Not knowing our way, we flip-flopped between following signs that read "beach," following the advice of Jamie's out-of-touch Tom Tom, and reading the map.  We encountered a lot of traffic and had a limited amount of time due to the retirement community rules*.  Eventually we landed at the first beach we saw en route to Sanibel Island.  

 It wasn't the biggest or most fabulous beach...in fact it wasn't even away from the Intercoastal waters...but it did the trick for our Midwestern-selves!

 We were happy to be together!  (I have never been more relieved/happy to share parenting with Derek.  We make a far better parenting team than I can do on my own!)

Baby's first trip to the beach.

After a short trip, we loaded up, got Jayjay's car all sandy, and headed back to meet Opa for dinner out.  It may have been a short trip to a 'weak' beach, but it fed my soul (that and being reunited with D)!  Please tell my why we lived in the landlocked Midwest!?

*retirement community rules: 

community members shall eat two meals per day - breakfast at 9 am and dinner at 4 pm.
community members shall eat at least one meal per day in a restaurant - bonus points for those restaurants that offer senior menus.

community members shall transport as slowly as possible - via golf cart as much as possible.

community members shall complain about the pool water temperature at all times - when the pool heater is on, the water is too warm - when the pool heater is off, the water is too cold.

community members shall think that my child is the cutest ever - I can't blame them!  ;-)