it was worth it.

we are home now.
and i lived.
and even had fun.
i am super grateful to have in-laws like i have.
people who i can spend a week with.
and still love, want to talk to and look forward to seeing again soon.
it was a good week and i am so glad that i was brave enough to do it alone.
we missed doug...but my boys got a week of time and love from their family.  and that was worth it.
here's our week in as few words as i can muster.

we swam.  a lot.  i think the average temp for many of the days was 95-100 plus gobs of humidity.

we played with cousins. at the lake that daddy grew up on.

we spent time with Doug's grandparents.  both who are nearly 90.

this photo is precious to me...nearly 90 great-pa having a chat with four of his great grandkids.  precious.

the boys got to see all of their aunts and uncles.
another reason that made me go.
how often would they get the to see them all at the same time?
not often.

the boys had lots of fun and memorable times with grandma...

...who gifted me with these dream bowls of mine. :)

the great grandparents got to see ALL of their great grand kids at once.
and all but three of their grandkids.
i'm so glad i didn't wuss out.

i shared a room with this kid.
i don't miss 5:14am wake up calls.

the boys made memories at a place that is super special to doug.

i learned how to make a norwegian wedding cake.
which moses has requested for his birthday.
norway is a special place to us and we are just heartbroken over the events there.

the wedding cake tastes awesome.
i had it for breakfast on sunday and lunch today.

moses got to have  six hour swim day with ALL of his extended cousins.
it was SO fun to see all these little kids running around with different shades of blonde.
they were a bunch of little norges for sure.

and these four got lots of quality time together.
it was a great week.
lots of memories made.
and i only made two wrong turns the ENTIRE week.
and if you know my lack of internal GPS, is pretty amazing.

somehow i feel ready to get my bum in gear and get to work.
i've ordered lots of new fabrics and plan on lots of hobo's and headbands. :)

thanks for enduring all my photos.
xo

lazy. {or a post about my vacation with 30 photos}

between vacation and house stuff...i am still not in reality.
i am getting very little done besides keeping my house clean between visits.
so i'm going to document my vacation, okay?
can you hang in there for a lot of photos?
just some thoughts and moments i don't want to forget.
above is hoho's first look at the ocean.
he loved it.  and it's sand.

 

no fear of it whatsoever. 

totally the opposite of moses last year.

but this year, moses totally kicked that fear to the curb.

he loved the ocean and waves.  

going in as far as his chest.

 his first day there he found the worlds smallest hermit crab.
we kept it for the day and then released him to find his mommy.

 hoho played shuffle board.

a short drive from where we stay in florida is the worlds best playground.
enormous. fun.  family friendly.  and FREE.
there are all the normal playground stuff...plus tunnels and activites and loads of fun things.
it's one of our favorite places in boca.

 more playground.

more playground.
see doug?

across the street from where we stay is an inlet to the inter-coastal water way.
we would go there every day to see the tropical fish.
it's like this huge aquarium right there for you.

the best part of our vacation this year was the boys LOVE of the water.
both boys were fearless and loved jumping in and swimming around.
without us.
they didn't seem to care if we were in or out of the water.
they had their floaties on and did their thing.
some days we spent more the four hours at the pool.
it was wonderful.
i love vacation with older kids.

this was taken with the boys IN the pool.
this is how relaxing it was.
seriously laid back and wonderful.

 like my enormous $1 sunglasses?

 imagine this 1oo's of times. :)

many afternoons were spent at the beach.
then we would shower off the sand and go back to the pool.

 lots of digging in the sand.

 lots of jumping in the waves.

on our last day we went to our most favorite zoo ever.
moses got to pet a two year old alligator.
the zoo was our big outing.
we really didn't want or need more than the pool and the beach.
and our condo was stationed right between the two.
perfect.

some asked where we went.
every year we go to boca raton in florida.
doug's grandparents own a condo down there that they are gracious enough to bless us with the use of.
and doug's mom goes with us.
and i love my mother in law so it is a wonderful, good, blessing.
we are a block (maybe) from the beach and even closer to the pool.

it is wonderful and heavenly.
we got to go on dates alone (thanks to the wonderful mother in law).
we went for walks everyday.

i learned that i LOVE vacation with older children.
next year we won't have to bring DIAPERS OR A STROLLER.
imagine it?!
convinced me even more that i am perfectly content with two OLDER kids and that i am more than ok being done with babies.
the boys were old enough to make vacation enjoyable and relaxing again.
i loved it.

we had a great vacation and we plan to go back every single year for as many years as we can.

we are thankful for grandparents who are generous.
we are super thankful for my fabulous mom (in law) in NJ who goes with us and lets us enjoy some time together.
and we like being with her too.

we are blessed and spoiled.

and i can't wait to go back next year with my three and five year old.

:)

recovering.

i'm trying to regroup back here in reality. 
we've been gone for nine wonderful happy days.
we had THE best vacation ever.  EVER.
we are so so spoiled.

we came home and IMMEDIATELY had to get our house "show" ready.
immediately.
like we got home at 7:45pm.
put the kids in bed.
and doug was cutting grass by 8pm. 
we cleaned until 11:30pm.
and then woke up and cleaned for two more hours.

but we are prayerful that it will all be worth it.

we are ready for big changes.
because, if i am being honest, i did NOT want to come home.

i am FINALLY sitting down.
and i am exhausted.

so i hope you can understand if i'm a little lazy for a while.

and pray for me as i recover from my husband going back to work.

:)