Vacation memories

I almost feel bad writing this post as it will move our vacation post to history instead of most recent. I just looked at it again and am in love with the pictures. We had some good times. Our last day, Summer just had to do a craft before the pool would even interest her. Since the kids slept late, it wasn't too hard to accommodate her. Clint watched Lexie while we went down to make her last craft: a tile trivet. First, she made a pattern with the tiles and then she transferred it to the one with the wet grout. She ended up moving some of the tiles, but it was really a random pattern anyways. More like lets see how many tiles we can get of the different shapes and colors. I am really excited about this craft and hope she will end up letting me have it for my kitchen. But, she has already said she wants it for her play kitchen. I'll have to share a pic when I take one. Lexie came down and waited somewhat patiently so we could go to the pool. Of course, she was into everything. But, luckily, they had quite a selection of animals to stuff so I didn't really think she could hurt them. She played in the tiles too and amazingly did not break any....at least that I saw. She's definitely more mischievous than Summer ever was; you've got to watch that girl.



The kiddie pool was fun as usual. Summer ran round and round. She tackled me and used me like a playground. I must say that this was the most perfect kiddie pool ever. Not warm like it was full of pee. It was still cool and very refreshing even with the hot sun bearing down on us. The play area shoots water from all kinds of places and has a slide that is small enough not to be dangerous, but still plenty of fun. Clint, Amanda and I all went down it a time or two or more. I lost my favorite silly band going down it with Lexie. She loved wearing her floaties and a ring float and just hanging out. The kids loved to be chased around the pool. It was truly a paradise for us to enjoy.



Lunch we ate at Johnny Rockets where we were so cold with our wet bathing suits next to our skin. Afterwards, we headed back to the room. Summer saw them giving henna tattoos by the pool and wanted one. So, we tried a few different places before we actually got one. The airbrush place was not working. The pool place had a line and the pool deck was hot and she was shoeless. So, while Clint, Amanda and Josh went to the water park across the street, I took the girls out tattoo hunting and souvenir shopping. Summer got two dolphins on her arm, and Lexie got a panda bear which I thought was cute since we used to call her mom panda bear. Summer actually picked it out for her, unknowing that fact. The girls both got a souvenir too.


When we got back to the room, they were already back from the water park. We ordered some takeout from Napoli's across the street. I almost think it would've been quicker for pick-up than delivery, but it turned out to be good and everyone ate until their bellies were stuffed. The girls were in for one more round at the kiddie pool before bedtime. Summer saw her friend Liz, who apparently did not really know when she was leaving Florida. In no time she was off to the big pool to play with her. She took her picture, but it didn't really turn out good because of the lighting and all. I did get several pics of them playing together though. Liz is older than Summer; I think she said she was 8 or 9. She reminded me of Punky Brewster for some reason. Maybe it was her freckles. But, she played with Summer as long as there weren't any bigger kids there who could actually jump in the pool and go under the water like she could.

The next morning Summer and I got up and went to the beach. I was pretty excited because we got to see the sun rise. We walked for a while before it came up. But, when it did, it was awesome. Summer kept saying it was the sunset. We snapped some pictures of it and I hope at least one of them is a good. We picked up a few more shells which Summer is prepared to share with whoever wants them. She had to take them to church yesterday so Memaw and Nanny could pick out some for themselves. We also saw a dead bird on the shoreline. The whole bird. Not like the bird head Amanda saw by the pool.

The car ride home was long and somewhat painful. "Mom, are we almost there?" "Are we there yet?" Over. And over. And over. Thank God for naps in the car! And, DVD players. The girls watched a Mommy & Me video a couple of times. Lexie really seemed to enjoy it. Summer and I have been watching it together for years. Now I'm going to have to be sure to pull it out when we have Lexie over. Even I got a short one after we filled our bellies up with Red Lobster. The only seafood we had on vacation other than that was at a sushi restaurant. I guess we don't go to the beach for the food.

The kids at church got to go to Chuck E. Cheese yesterday. Summer and Lexie had a blast. Summer was Miss Independent...at last! She left me, and I had to search for her on occasion when I wanted to check on her. She was with the other kids though so I wasn't too worried. Well, maybe I was, but I let her have fun. I had Lexie to contend with anyway so I am thankful Summer was able to be a big kid. I think she is the youngest one that went. There might be another one that is 4 too, but mostly it was elementary age kids. For once, we did not get our picture taken together. That is how much we were separated. I think I only watched her play 3 games out of 30 tokens. She left there with some tiny crayons in a Chuck E. shaped head, a glittery picture of Chuck E. on a skateboard, and a Tootsie Roll pop. She was using the crayons to color in the white sky on the picture before we got to our next destination.

I'm sure it will be another day of craftiness and mass production for her. I think she hung 5 or 6 pictures on my bedroom door yesterday. Some of them after I went to bed. She is waiting to show them to me now. So, I've got to go.