Sanibel Vacation Pictures

Wow!  I planned on posting this the day after my last post about why I love Sanibel!  So sorry it took so long - we've been a bit busy!  These pics have not been edited at all (didn't have time) - just straight out of the ol' camera!  Ha!  Enjoy some pictures of our little family on our special little island...

Greyson's first trip on and airplane AND to the beach....big week for our littlest man!

This is usually how we chilled on the beach!  Greyson is in his little "tiki hut" to protect him from the sun.  Our condo is right behind us...

Football on the beach is a favorite pastime!   The kiddos vs. Daddy...

The kiddos vs. Mommy (I have some stellar moves...like lightning)!  Ha!

Always fun to bury Mommy in the sand!

2 of my cutie patooties!

Greyson wasn't a huge fan of the ocean...but we dipped his feet a few times!

Sunset walks on the beach are always a family favorite!

What's better than a SUNSET walk?!!  A SUNRISE WALK!!!  Honestly, one of my favorite parts EVER about being on the beach!!!  Love finding treasures with my little munchkins!

We spend a lot of time doing this....(just chillin')!

One of Eva and Jaden's favorite activities...boogie boarding!

Biking Sanibel is always a favorite (see my two little people following behind their crazy Mama?)!!

Ate dinner and then walked down to the beach to watch the sunset together...

This little girl works on workbooks ALL. THE. TIME.  Cracks me up!

Learning to skip shells!

Hanging out at the pool with the little guy...

I took this through the screen on our lanai...this was the view as we left our condo to head to the airport.  Goodbye Sanibel...we love you!

Sanibel 2012

Ahhhh....Sanibel.  How do I love thee?  Let me count the ways....

Our family has just returned from our 2nd vacation to Sanibel Island and it's safe to say we have completely fallen in love with this little piece of Heaven.  I know some of you are anxious to see pics from our vacation, and I'll get to those asap....but first I want to share just what makes this little island so special to us...

1.  You don't feel like you are in the United States.  Seriously.  You cross that bridge from the mainland and all of a sudden you kind of feel like you're much further away from home than you are.  Matt and I have both commented on this numerous times.

2.  Bike Paths....EVERYWHERE!  Our family loves to bike together and Sanibel has bike paths around the whole island!  We can bike to breakfast...bike to lunch...bike to dinner...bike to go shopping...bike for ice cream...you catch my drift.

Our little bikers!

3.  Deserted Beaches.  Yes, I know that some people like the hustle and bustle of a busy beach....but we don't.  I'm perfectly content if we are the only ones as far as the eye can see.  Sanibel provides us with a very sparsely populated beach.  Not many people.  No music.  No large hotels in the background.  Just us...sand...and the ocean.  Perfect.

Matt and Greyson at sunset.

4.  Do you like large chain restaurants?  If you do, then Sanibel isn't for you.  There is ONE chain restaurant on the whole island...Dairy Queen.  There are soooo many yummy little island restaurants scattered all over that we have trouble choosing which ones we want to go to!  We have two favorites...Island Cow and Pinocchio's!  

Gotta love eating outside!!

5.  Sea Life.  Sanibel has AMAZING sea life.  The majority of the island is protected so the little critters on this island are amazing!  We loooove to go walk down to the ocean before the sun comes up to find all the treasures left the night before!  This year we found a lot of conch shells with the mussels still in them rooting back down into the sand, a few decent size sting rays, large hermit crabs, dolphins, and much more!!  Such fun for the kids to learn and explore!

6.  No stoplights or street lights on the whole island.  Want to wander the island at night?  Better take a flashlight!

7.  Sunrises AND sunsets on the ocean!!!  Very few places in the U.S. allow you to watch the sunrise over the ocean....and sunset over the ocean.

Honestly, I could go on and on.  We simply love that little island so much!!  More pics to come soon!!  Have a great day!

October Randomness...

Holy smokes it's already October!!  Here are a few things running through my mind on this Saturday morning...

1.  I love Halloween....looooooooove it.  I love decorating my house for it and the kiddos get even more excited than I do.  Such an easy way to bring smile to their little faces (and mine too)!!!  We've also already got their halloween costumes ready to roll and we are beyond excited!!

2.  Greyson is rolling over and sleeps on his tummy now.  Tooooo cute.

3.  I hate election time.  Seriously, it's just a bunch of mud-slinging and name calling.  Grow up.  My 5 year old knows better than that.

4.  We are planning a family vacation.  I am hyper-organized when it comes to packing....probably because I pack for FOUR people (Matt can pack himself).  I literally have a notebook that I keep track of everything in, from clothing that is to be packed to what we are wearing on the plane.  Matt laughs at my anal-organizing, but we RARELY (if ever) go on vacation and forget anything.  That being said, I find it humorous that the smallest member of our family requires the most "gear".  Eye-yi-yi!!!  Ha!  

5.  The kids and I are already planning our annual trip to the pumpkin patch.  Looooooove this tradition with our family!!!

6.  Yesterday I sat outside in 30ish degree weather for nearly 3 hours to watch Eva and Jaden play soccer.  Insane.  Explain to me again why we live where we do?!!!??!!!  Ha!  (I'm NOT a cold weather fan).

7.  As much as I don't love cold weather, I DO love fall cooking!!!  Mmmmm....soups, comfort food, and pumpkin molasses cookies - I've already tackled it all.  Love it!

8.  Eva's room is undergoing a COMPLETE makeover.  She is so excited about it!!  I'll post pics when it's all complete.

9.  We are going to have family pictures taken while we are on vacation.  In other words, I'll actually be IN the pictures.  Pure craziness I tell ya!!  Ha!

That's it for now my friends....happy Saturday!

XOXO....

jamie 

Jaden' FIRST Fieldtrip!

Jaden is experiencing his share of "firsts" this year since he started school!  This week he had a BIG "first"...his first fieldtrip!  He was soooo excited (we anxiously counted down the "sleeps" until the big day arrived)!  Here are a few pics from his special day...

Jaden's school does not have traditional bus service, but they do have buses for special events like fieldtrips.  Sooo, this was another FIRST for him!  He got to ride a school bus (by himself...he has been on one with me and his sister before) to the firestation.  He was so excited!!  Greyson and I met him at the firestation and we were sooooo excited when Jaden's bus pulled in!

Once we were at the firestation the firemen showed the kiddos a video and talked to them about fire safety.  Afterwards they took them into the part of the building where they keep all of the firetrucks.  SO exciting!

 

One fireman put on all of his gear (including his face mask and oxygen tank) and showed the children how he would look and sound different if he were ever to go into their house to rescue them.  He then got down on the floor and let the children touch him and talk to him so they knew it was still the same person under all of that equipment.  I LOVE this part of a firestation visit - it's SO important.  I've even taken my kiddos to the firestation on my own and asked a fireman to do the same thing (which they will gladly do).  I never want them to be afraid of a fireman.

 

The cutest little Pre-K kiddo I know....

 

The children ended the field trip by singing a song they had learned to the firemen and taking pictures next to the firetruck.  Seriously adorable. 

 

 

Did I mention this little ham joined us on our special day??...

 

I love spending days like this with my children.  Such simple joys and memories that are made for a lifetime (for all of us)!  We ended the day with a special lunch of Jaden's choice...

 

"The world is as many times new as there are children in our lives."

--Robert Brault