Nearly 5 years after our destination wedding, Ivan and I
decided it was finally about time for another hot getaway. The four of us just returned from a
week in Florida together, visiting ‘Oma & Papa’ (Ivan’s dad &
stepmom). We’ve never been away
during the winter before, so it almost felt like we were cheating nature to
escape the snow and trade it in for palm trees.
Since Mariah recently turned two, it was her first time
needing her own seat on the plane.
We thought this might make life easier since she usually enjoys feeling
like a big girl. But one thing she
likes more than independence is being a rebel – so she was not very happy with
the flight attendants who insisted that she sit down with her seatbelt on. Ivan and I wised up on the flight back
– we left at bedtime, and had plenty of lollipops, coloring books, and a handy
little blanket that just happened to cover the area where Mariah’s seatbelt may
or may not have been buckled.
But all the heartache of flying was well worth the excitement
of the trip.
Oma & Papa have a
winter home right on a canal, so each morning we awoke to a sunny sky
overlooking the calm water.
Rya
fell right into place since she has thoroughly been missing fresh air and
outdoor activities.
She would run
outside in her pajamas each day to talk to the dogs and sort rocks.
Some days we fished off the dock or
hopped onto the pontoon boat for a quick ride down the canal.
We had a good balance of small
sightseeing and shopping trips, and made pit stops at some great
restaurants.
But best of all was
the beach, which had lots in store for everyone.
Ivan and his dad smiled from ear to ear as they flew the kites
they had spent the first couple of days making together.
Oma and her little bff snuggled and enjoyed
long walks on the beach together.
Rya spent hours playing in the sand as I laid down next to her enjoying
the sun.
And every now and then we
all gave in to the temptation of the crashing waves, for a quick dip.
It was nice to see the girls spending
quality time with their grandparents, and of course, it was an added bonus to
have babysitters on hand so that Ivan and I could squeeze in some rest too : )
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| Papa G & Kassiah |
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| Oma and her pal
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