It's good to get a way with the family.
The five of us...together for five whole days.
No constant parting of ways to run to a practice or a game or a social event or meeting.
Days to simply be all together...having fun.
These are my people -- they make me who I am. They define my heart. It feels so good to be together.
No additional friends...The brother and sisters must be friends for these few days.
No distractions of a dirty house, laundry, errands. We can really listen and talk and laugh at each other and with each other.
We fly to Florida ....definitely a bonus when the family get-a-way has us leaving behind snow and heading to 85 degrees.
We visit my mom and dad...another added benefit...spending quality time with 'rents.
On a Sunday morning we go to a Nature Reserve and my dad in his wisdom says that sometimes observing God's creation is just as good as going to church. An act of worship to marvel at the creativity of God.
Vacations are a time of creating memories and inside jokes that will stick.
Like when Paige said she was going to "Blow a casket."
Or when grandpa said we should just "Sleep until we wake up." (Meaning no alarms.) And Carter dryly points out that he always sleeps until he wakes up since when he's not sleeping he's awake.
Or when playing password (giving one word clues to your team mate to get them to guess a certain word). I say "Pimento" -- Paige guesses "Aspirin"...thinking a pimento was like Ibuprofen. (Good Grief!) Yes, the word was "olive". And Carter is giving clues to try to get us to guess the word "Box" and his first clue is "Fun." (Really? I was to guess "Box" from the word "Fun". He is an easily entertained boy.)
(And here's the thing with inside jokes -- they probably should be kept "inside" because written out...they aren't nearly as funny as the side splitting laughter they produced in the moment. Oh well!)
More great memories were created in the magical land of Disney's Hollywood Studios.
Probably our favorite day was our day at Cocoa Beach.
Family...the greatest gift God has given me in life.
My mom said while we were down there that every age that she has reached has been rich and full...but if she had to pick a time that she would go back to it would be the years when my brother and sister and I were in our school days...when we were active, involved, dreaming, thinking, discussing under their roof. The stage our kids are at right now.
These kids of ours...they are so quickly moving forward in their life's journey. And before we know it, they will have moved on...
But now...Now is our time!
The five of us...together for five whole days.
No constant parting of ways to run to a practice or a game or a social event or meeting.
Days to simply be all together...having fun.
These are my people -- they make me who I am. They define my heart. It feels so good to be together.
No additional friends...The brother and sisters must be friends for these few days.
No distractions of a dirty house, laundry, errands. We can really listen and talk and laugh at each other and with each other.
We fly to Florida ....definitely a bonus when the family get-a-way has us leaving behind snow and heading to 85 degrees.
We visit my mom and dad...another added benefit...spending quality time with 'rents.
On a Sunday morning we go to a Nature Reserve and my dad in his wisdom says that sometimes observing God's creation is just as good as going to church. An act of worship to marvel at the creativity of God.
Moss Laden Trees
Storks, cranes, spoonbills, Ibis, Herons, Egrets and more -- my dad with his bird book names them all.
Except he can't find these odd ducks in his book.
Gators
Girl and her dad
Boy and his grandma
Vacations are a time of creating memories and inside jokes that will stick.
Like when Paige said she was going to "Blow a casket."
Or when grandpa said we should just "Sleep until we wake up." (Meaning no alarms.) And Carter dryly points out that he always sleeps until he wakes up since when he's not sleeping he's awake.
Or when playing password (giving one word clues to your team mate to get them to guess a certain word). I say "Pimento" -- Paige guesses "Aspirin"...thinking a pimento was like Ibuprofen. (Good Grief!) Yes, the word was "olive". And Carter is giving clues to try to get us to guess the word "Box" and his first clue is "Fun." (Really? I was to guess "Box" from the word "Fun". He is an easily entertained boy.)
(And here's the thing with inside jokes -- they probably should be kept "inside" because written out...they aren't nearly as funny as the side splitting laughter they produced in the moment. Oh well!)
More great memories were created in the magical land of Disney's Hollywood Studios.
Huge AI fans and this Disney version of the show did not disappoint
Paige is not known for her soft-spoken ways and she let us have it on the Rock-n-Roller Coaster. She screamed at the top of her lungs from the moment of departure till we got off. At one point she was screaming "I'm going to pee my pants." Carter - well he was speechless. I had to nudge him at the end of the ride because he looked stunned. I'm not sure if it was the speed or embarrassment over his sis.
Probably our favorite day was our day at Cocoa Beach.
We couldn't get this boy out of the water.
Screaming again! Although her real screaming occurred when she was attacked by a flock of 30 sea gulls as she was eating a bag of Doritos. It was quite a sight to behold. Cal joked that he should have put some crushed chips in her belly button while she was laying out.
Looking for the perfect wave
And the perfect shells to bring home for every kid in her class.
Family...the greatest gift God has given me in life.
My mom said while we were down there that every age that she has reached has been rich and full...but if she had to pick a time that she would go back to it would be the years when my brother and sister and I were in our school days...when we were active, involved, dreaming, thinking, discussing under their roof. The stage our kids are at right now.
These kids of ours...they are so quickly moving forward in their life's journey. And before we know it, they will have moved on...
But now...Now is our time!
