Collage Friday - From The Beach (BEECH)!
Friday, February 1, 2013 at 5:00AM
It's been a wonderful week.
We traveled to Florida last Sunday and have been enjoying the wonderful weather and a visit with my parents.
The end of the week marks the beginning of The BEECH Retreat - which I'm sure I'll share about next week.
We did have a few hiccups. My husband threw his back out on Tuesday (thank you Urgent Care and good medication). I know some of the travelers to BEECH will be having less than desirable weather. I'm hoping we all arrive with eager hearts and minds ready to learn so many new things about being better bloggers.
I'm praying for safe travels home for my husband and children and they will all do well while I am gone for four entire days. I've never left all of them before - while it's an odd feeling I'm glad for the time they can spend together and know they will be JUST FINE.
1. This was our first view of the water as we neared our destination. I miss living in Florida and this first sight of blue just makes me happy.
2. The ride down was very peaceful. Both kids had movies playing, and Anna spent lots of time listening to music. The kids are at the ages now where they are very good travelers.
3. A HUGE milestone occured in the car! Grant blew his first bubble with bubble gum. He spent much of the trip pointing out huge bubbles to his dad and I. Cuteness!
4. I vowed to maintain the healthy habits of the past month during our trip. So far I have succeeded. We packed yummy salads in our cooler for lunch during the trip. I have also managed to avoid all of the wonderful goodies that grandma and grandpa made for everyone - cookies, etc... It really hasn't been that hard. We went out to lunch one day at a local rib place. I LOVE ribs. I ordered a grilled chicken salad and didn't miss the ribs.
5. You MUST READ Little Princes: One Man's Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal.
6. Our sweet doggie, Gizmo, is staying with a dog sitter this week. We all miss him when we are away. Something is just missing without him around.
1. Staying healthy while on vacation included walking each morning. My husband and I could get in a nice early morning walk several days.
2. I love this picture of my two best guys. They are two peas in a pod.
3. The kids enjoyed a lot of time in the pool.
4. My kids love the chance to spend time with Grandma. My mother is a highly creative person. She organizes all of the displays in large glass cases of the clubhouse where they live. She does a beautiful job and was proud to share this with the kids. She and Anna also did a lot of decorating for Valentine's Day. My mom was always the room mom, the mom who made sure I had the most fun birthday parties, and the grandma who does the best stuff with the grandkids. Aren't my kids lucky?
5. I was very relaxed at the pool, reading my book and watching the kids play. I'm thankful for this vacation.
6. My view for some of the week (over my book) was my cute toenails and the kids in the pool.
7. Grant is trying to learn to use a snorkel. After a million demonstrations and coaching from his dad, sister, and I, he still can't use it correctly. It cracked us up how he tried so hard and never got discouraged.
I am so thankful for some time we spent at the beach. There is a wonderful state park here in Naples - lots of shells and just beautiful beaches as far as the eye can see.
Sometimes I just miss my original home so much.
Can you believe the gorgeous shells we found?
Goings on from the blog this week:
Valentine "I Love Being a Bookworm" Printable
The Perfect Blogging (or anything else!) Bag
Please join me for Collage Friday!
The rules are simple. Link your post (that incudes photo collages) about your homeschool week. Be sure to grab a Collage Friday button or text link back to this post in some way. Then, be sure to visit the other blogs on the list to offer support and gain ideas. This is a wonderful community and I love reading through your blogs each weekend and seeing how you all encourage each other.
Reader Comments (15)
Glad to see that you are having a good time! Enjoy your blogging retreat!
Hey, your pictures look great. You all had a great time, that can be seen. I am sorry to hear about hubby's back. That isn't fun.
Hope you have a great time at the BEECH Retreat! Looks like you have had fun so far.
Oh, my! Those shells are beautiful. The beach pictures are incredible. I have always wanted to go to Florida. Congratulations on your healthy lifestyle!
What incredible weather! Am I allowed to be slightly jealous?! It sounds a glorious week, and there really is no place like the home you grow up in!
Have a wonderful retreat!
Wow....it looks sun-shine-y and warm there. ::sigh:: Cabin Fever is setting in here and we're longing for warm temperatures and days at the lake again! Good for you for sticking to a healthy eating plan!
Ooh that sea and sunshine is just what I needed to see on this cold English winter's day! (Dreaming of summer days at the beach (my toenails looking slightly better than they do now...))
Have a great time at the Retreat - looking forward to hearing all about it. Lucinda
Sounds like you get your creativity from your mother!
Way to go with healthy eating on the road, Mary! That's hard to do and it sounds like you were successful:)
So glad you got to spend time "back home"...I know what it's like to miss home, and I am so grateful that we only leave 3-4 hours away from where I grew up!
What a wonderful trip!! And you have way more willpower than me. I am not passing up ribs. lol
What a relaxing, peaceful week! Love your beautiful pictures! I'm so proud of you for sticking to your healthy lifestyle. You inspire me in so many ways =)
Great pictures. I am so glad you had a nice vacation - it's great to get away now and then! I look forward to hearing about Beech Retreat.
Can't wait to hear about the Beech Retreat! And that salad pic made me hungry. Off to go see what fresh veggies I can snack on!
It's hard to tell from the small picture, but does Anna look just like your mom??