a week not so far away...

ok...
so i am totally a sentimental type of girl, seriously, brian laughs at the things i choose to keep simply for their memory value.
and while we only went 10 minuets down the road from where we live,
i was overwhelmed with sentiment this whole week.

first of all...
i took in every second with my husband,
and learned to love him on a level i haven't really thought about before.
being part of his family's business i have learned that it's just that...
more then a "job" to him, but family as much as the kids and me.
so, from the very beginning of "us" i've shared him with the restaurant.
but, for a man who works no less then 10am-11pm 6 days a week,
i can honestly say... HE KNOWS HIS WIFE, HE KNOWS HIS KIDS.
while i think i have known this fact about him for forever, i really got to appreciate it this week.
he always takes his time to love each one of us the way we need to feel his love, and there is no question in his head as to what it takes, he just knows. god truly gave me a precious gift in the man i married, and i, in the most simplest of words; adore him. :)


the main talk of the week was awe and amusement that i have been going to that very condo for as far back as i can remember. with each new thing we did, one of the kids would ask if i did it "just like that" when i was a kid. which actually brought up a bigger conversation and thought when we picked up our dog at nana and papa's house last night.

i remember coming down to florida on vacation my whole life, although i never really knew the whole story.
but, levi was interested and asked my dad the second we walked in the door. and now i know...

right after i was born, my mom wanted a simple vacation, something where they wouldn't have to pack up and do a ton of activities with their 5 kids and a newborn. so my dad asked around and heard that siesta key was a beautiful place. ironically, they took one trip the summer of 1982, and never went on vacation anywhere else again.
and i actually remember complaining about never going anywhere other then florida for vacation. but, i realized last night, for the first time...
that them finding the condo in 1982, buying it in 1984, visiting yoder's for the first time the summer of 1986...
was the path that lead me straight to where i am now.
married to the greatest friend i have ever had, mother to 3 of the most amazing kids, and another on the way.
living the most blessed life i could possibly imagine.

and i can't help but think...
what steps are brian and i taking right now that will one day shape the life of our kids???
pretty amazing thought!

our get away that didn't change life...

back when kyle had his birthday party at the condo brian and i got the great idea to have a little mini get away with the kids. we thought it would be great fun to take them and stay at the condo for a week or so.

cause lets face it...
i hate sand, but more then that i hate sand in my car.
staying at the condo would solve at least half of this problem.

we had a week filled!

swimming, beaching, fishing and eating absolute junk!
the kids enjoyed late nights filled with ice cream and freeze pops.

it was very cute to see all three sleeping in one room together.
bringing back good memories of my younger years when i shared that very same room with my brothers.



both of the kids got used to fishing and touching the fish when they reeled them up. not so surprisingly, it has quickly become levis favorite hobby. he already knows how to brag with exaggeration with his catches. although he is still a little skeptical at touching the shrimp that go on the hook.
but not alivia....
she reaches her hand right down into that bucket and practically pulls those suckers right up....
laughing and giggling all the while saying "i touched it".





kyle and kathleen came out a couple nights and we all had fun swimming and fishing. glad to have them in our lives...
so glad they are jumping onboard the parent bandwagon.



and although brian did have to work a most of the days. we managed to get quite a bit of rest and relaxation. a fun family adventure filled with lot of memories and good laughs. and i actually have a bit of a tan going on here...
first time in three summers!

almost can't wait till we go back and stay there again.

attention, attention...

we have a new swimmer in the family...

yes, yes it's true after three short lessons with miss ashley and one fun time swim with aunt kathleen levi is an official fishy!

he's jumping right in, swimming this way and that way. taking breaths and going back in. he's diving for deep sea toys. laughing and having an absolute blast the whole time he is in the water. hard to believe that just three short weeks ago this the boy swimming around with no floaties was the same boy who feared for his dear life at the thought of even sticking his mouth in the water!

my oh my,
what a quick, sharp learning, handsome squirt i have on my hands.

p.s...
may i not forget to mention the fact that i finally got alivia away from the steps as well,
even if it is only with her hot pink tube...
it's a start!