10th Anniversary Trip!

Thanks to our lovely babysitter Ashley, Stephen and I were able to celebrate our upcoming 10  year anniversary by jetting away on a trip to Destin for just shy of a week.  We had an absolute blast biking, playing tennis, kayaking, riding the waves and enjoying some amazing food.  

We had plenty of relaxing beach time; I was in heaven reading to my hearts content.  Notice my sand footrest my sweet husband made for me everyday.  He even moved it over as we moved our chairs to stay in the shade as the day went by.  It's the little things really that make my man so amazing.

I caught up on my reading and Stephen caught up some ZZZZZ's. 

Each night at dinner we would do a toast to our marriage, each other,etc.  Most of the toasts just made us both laugh but there is still no one that makes me laugh more than my husband and no one else I would rather spend all of my days with.   Here's to laughing for the next 50 years babe!  Love you so much.

We Love Daddy!

Happy Father's Day!  Daddy had a whole day devoted to him although he probably deserved a whole year devoted to him for how great he is to all of us.  Church and breakfast were followed by presents which the kids were super excited about.  They had picked out a Star Wars coffee mug, a Cubs tshirt and a backyard bean bag toss game.  I had the kids fill out little surveys about Stephen such as daddy's favorite food, his job, favorite t.v. show,etc.  The answers were really cute but my favorite was when I asked them what daddy's favorite outfit was and Luke shouted, "No shirt!"  You can take the boy out of Indiana but you can't take the Indiana out of the boy.

Destin Beach Trip

Woo Hoo, we are in Destin!!!

Stephen had a medical conference in Destin and it had been on our calendar for months.  However, a few days before he left he looked at the conference schedule and he was done every day at noon.  Sweet husband that he is, he invited the whole family along!  We spent a lot of time playing in the waves and relaxing in our cabana.

Amelia morphed completely into a fish on this trip, she was in the pool or the waves for about 12 hours every day.  She is such a social little thing that by the time I had set out our beach towels and toys she would come running up to me with a new little girl she met and say, "Mom, this is Autumn, she is almost 8 too and she is from Mississippi too!"  And off they would go for little girl, giggling fun.  And seriously, how can you not love that sunscreened, missing tooth, goggled girl?

At a dinner for the conference (free dinner? I am so there).

They also organized crafts for the kids, here they are painting sand dollars.

The "downtown" area of our resort, lots of restaurants, shops and a gazillion ways to spend money on your kids-carousal, ropes course, zipline, etc.

Early morning beach time while Daddy was getting his learn on.

This trip contained lots of this which meant it contained lots of relaxed smiles from mom and dad too.

Amelia took a picture of me and Addi, great job Mimi :)

My three little fish by the pool.

Seriously, what a life this one has.

Time with mommy in the pool, "throw me, throw me."  Even Addison loves to be thrown and yells, "Throw me bigger" meaning she likes to be thrown up high and go all the way under by herself.

Our sweet friends the Patinos were also in Destin this week so we were able to meet for dinner.  We all had a great time and the kids enjoyed laughing and goofing with their friends.

Amelia and Luke with their hermit crabs.  Stephen and I have been married for almost 10 years,  yet I learned something new about him on this trip...again.  Who knew I married this guy, "Go on kids, pick out anything you want" when he pulled into the souvenir shop.  What???  Anything you want???  I am panicking as I quickly scan the shop, seeing what I can quickly stash and hide so they don't pick it.  But alas, my kids who long for a pet with all their being both run to the giant cages of hermit crabs.  We now have two hermit crabs, who we must feed and water and mist, and take out and play with because apparently they are very social creatures.  Oh boy.  At least they can't chew on my furniture.

Because we had planned this trip for only Stephen, we had a one bedroom condo.  So couch bed it was for the kiddos, let's just say some nights ended up better than others but we made do.  

Amelia and her hermit crab.

We all loved boogie boarding.  I probably loved it the most after Amelia that is and Stephen did capture a picture of me.  However, look at my photo skills, shooting while they are actually catching the wave.  Stephen captured me while splayed out on the beach after a wave dumped me to shore.  Um, definitely not blog worthy.  Thanks honey.

Addison and I catching some waves.

Multiple times during the trip Stephen said to me, "I am so glad y'all came with me, I don't know what I would have done with all this free time without my family."  I immediately thought three things.  1. Man, I trained him well (his free time is our free time).  2.  The kids should be thanking their lucky stars mommy didn't have a conference in Destin because I would have been plopped in a beach chair reading a book for 5 days while they were at home.  3.  Wow, what an awesome man I have (Maybe this was my first thought, but the other ones did cross my mind).

We love the beach!

"The Club"

As most of you know, I went to college.  I have a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a Chemistry minor.  I then returned to school and have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.  But do you know what I daydreamed my life would be like while I was watching my DNA gels dry?  Not about the awesome microbiology lab I would have or all of the babies I would help deliver into this world, nope I dreamed I would have kids at "the club" and we would meet our friends there and lunch, swim and play tennis.  Pretty pathetic and probably nauseating to anyone who may have helped pay for aforementioned degrees, ahem dad.  But really, it's all I ever wanted and alas, my dream has come true!  We have joined "the club" and have spent our days swimming and playing tennis and it's been a dream.  

Here is Mimi with her awesome forehand.  She could give her dad and me a run for our money.  Stephen and I just played in our first tennis mixer (my first match in 12 years, Stephen's first match ever), thankfully it involved a lot of margarita's so hopefully no one realized how dreadful my tennis really is.  Well, no one except my partner who I nailed in the head with my first serve.  Classic, Jenni.  We were asked to be on a mixed doubles league starting up this month so we bravely said yes and I will be sure to pack plenty of margaritas for each match.  Oh, and ice for the unlucky soul that is my partner.

Addison enjoying pool time.  She loves to swim and even jumps off the diving board.  She is pretty fearless and also incredibly territorial.  She will scold people as they get into the pool, "No, Addi's pool."  I just sheepishly say to the other members, "Sorry, you know two year olds" and hope they notice how cute she is.  

The only shot I could get of all of them, when they are at the pool they scatter with their friends and it is near impossible to gather them again unless I tempt them over to the shade for some sort of snack.  I love summer, I love that we wake up and immediately put our bathing suits on, I love that beach towels are constantly drying on my back deck, I love that we never have to wear anything but flip flops, I love that lunch is watermelon, blueberries and popsicles pool side.  The only thing I don't love is that our monthly sunscreen bill can pretty much rival our mortgage.  

Schools Out for the Summer!

Woo Hoo!  Last day of school for Amelia and best friend Mckenzie, such sweet friends.  Amelia has been out of school for a week now and Luke about a week and a half.  We have kept busy at the pool, on the boat and playing tennis.  I LOVE SUMMER VACATION!!!!!!

Amelia's second grade teacher at Oak Park, Mrs. Latil.  Boy did we get lucky when Amelia switched schools, she was so warm and welcoming to Amelia.  Amelia came running off the bus her last day of school shouting, "Mom, mom I graduated to third grade!"  And Luke is proud to tell everyone he is now a Kindergartner, oh boy where has the time gone?  Am I seriously going to have an eight year old and a six year old?  (No, I haven't forgotten about my little one but I've decided she is going to stay two forever or I just can't bear it).