florida part 1!

I meant to get this post up much sooner, but it's taken all week just to get back into the swing of things post-vacation. Mostly me trying to figure out what to do with the girls without my Mom and Dad around swooning over them and retraining my kids what a bedtime is- because that was definitely nonexistent the whole time we were there.

We got to spend two weeks in Florida this time, which was perfect! We were able to see a lot of friends and family and get in a lot of pool and beach time. I think we'll have to start going in two week stints from now on.

 ^There are 6 grandkids in our family and 5 of them are girls. So naturally Uncle James got a fancy makeover!

 Pool time with cousins! We went swimming almost every day we where there. (I think I only bathed my kids with soap like 4 times in 2 weeks...swimming counts as a bath sometimes, right? ;-) Don't judge me.)

 Olivia is so fearless in the water- it's a little alarming!

 ^Olivia inspecting Baby Benji's tiny toes with Papa while eating at Mellow Mushroom! Afterward we saw Finding Dory- we all loved it!

One morning we went to a neighbor's corn field to get some corn to enjoy at our family reunion! Fortunately it didn't take very long because it was hotter than all get out (and only 10am!). You forget what the middle of a Florida summer is like when you haven't been in one in a while! Utah gets just as hot temperature wise, but the humidity is a total game changer.

 ^The best part about fresh corn is eating it right after picking it! So sweet and delicious. 

 

^My cousin Jenn now lives in Utah so we get to see her often (lucky us!), but since she was in Florida at the same time as us for our reunion, we got together with one of our childhood friends and our collective EIGHT kids! Each of our oldest starts kindergarten this fall. *sob.

 One day we drove over to Fernandina Beach where a good family friend is living for the summer. They're some of my favorite people on the planet, so spending a day with them at my favorite place on the planet was magic. 

^Confession. I don't like my sunglasses- they're annoyingly large. I sat on mine the day before we left and had to pick up a random pair on the way to the beach that day from CVS. But I paid $20 for them so I guess I'm keepin' 'em until I sit on them again, or Olivia gets a hold of them- whichever comes first. :-D

Olivia's last beach trip was to California last summer, where she tried to just eat the sand as quickly as she could. Fortunately this year that wasn't her thing. (Now she just sticks random objects up her nose...but that's another story).

^See...now you're checking out my giant sunglasses wondering if you like them or not either. It's fine. ;-)

 ^We brought home so many great shells!

 ^Nana and Papa with all the grandkids! 

Since my parents are selling their house it's a little bittersweet that this was our last big hoo-rah at the home we all grew up in. But we made so many great memories and I know there will be more to come in their new house too!

More pictures to come!