Family Vacation in FL

We had a FABULOUS trip to Florida!

The whole family packed up the 23rd of May to head down south to the warm sunshine and get some real summer weather! We had a full week of activities planned and here's how it played out!

23rd Friday: Supposed to arrive in ORLANDO at 11:57...translation...only Gordon got to sleep at all until just 10 minutes before landing then Ellie and Oscar joined the sleep squad, but that was not to be...the pilot landed the plane at about 11:58 then promptly turned on all the lights on the plane...then taxied and waited about 20 yards from our gate for 35 minutes (no exaggeration) for a plane to move. The whole time Oscar's crying because he is EXHAUSTED and is a bear when you wake him up--thanks pilot! Once we get to the gate we are the LAST people off the plane while we try to round up all the junk we had with us to entertain our little ones. Then we proceed to the rental car place...welcome to the world of having to get our OWN car...gone are the days when we could just squeeze in with whoever was picking us up...nope! 1:36 am we pull out of the parking garage with our white MiniVan...thank heavens for on-site Rentals! Finally at 2:08 am we pulled up to Kara and Sam's house (just down the street from my parents) to sleep for our first night.

24th Saturday: TAMPA for BBQ and Sleepover with all of our Friends! Thanks so much Sarah, Suzanne & Jami!! We had so much fun. The food was GREAT! And a special mention and THANK YOU to Shane for saving Oscar from drowning!!

25th Sunday: We went to Church at the Odessa Branch! We LOVE the people in that branch! Really, we looked around and saw so many people that we loved and knew they loved us...it brought tears to my eyes, no surprise I know, to think of the amazing group of people living in that area! We loved our time there and if we can control things we will probably end up there!
After Lunch at the Anderson's we headed back over to the Hacienda to meet up with the Munns family for dinner...no small thing with about 30 people there! Then all the adults talked while the kids entertained themselves...We found a bunch of boys snuggled up to watch a movie in Grandma & Go-Dad's bed (Henry, Gordon, Sam, Jett, Aiden, Duce)...I love having my kids wit their cousins!!!

26th Monday: MEMORIAL DAY BBQ @ Munns Hacienda. All the usual guests and all the usual fun: air boating rides (Thanks Daniel), volleyball, swimming, talking, picture taking and lots of eating! SUCH FUN!!! Who could ask for a better time?

all the kids were milling around while the parents were busy either playing volleyball or sitting and talking so we gave them the charge to dig a hole or something...luckily for them Go-Dad always has shovels by the truckload...so they got their shovels and got SO dirty....but it kept them well occupied!

Gordon was nodding off in the water at the end of the day....Austin (kara & sam) & Gordy were twins from behind!

Gordon and Duce both have deemed each other, on different occasions, best friend cousins! Who cares that they're 1/2 the size of each other...and that on other occaisions tears are shed about having to sleep in the same room...best friends right?

27th & 28th Tues & Wed: Steve had to work so the kids & I played with cousins at the park, minnow hunted, rode the Kubota, and SWAM ALL DAY LONG!!! Wednesday all the sisters & mom took Shanda to get pedicures for the Big Day! Then we all went to dinner at Outback! Yum...I swear I cannot quite understand the allure but we had a platter of Aussie Fries that went in the blink of an eye!! Dang...it's like ordering a platter of heart-attack!

29th Thursday: DISNEY DAY...this one gets it's own post...check back for that one!

30th Friday: Wedding Prep and Shanda's Graduation! Congratulations Shanda! We love you!

31st Saturday: Jordan & Shanda's Wedding! It was beautiful...the lake view was to die for! I was so fun to get to dress all alike again! I love to have everyone match...the outfits looks so good together!

Tiffany & Lucy, Vanessa & Declan, Me & E, Kara & Kate, Shelly & Goldie, Erika & Tee, Heather & Lilly

June 1st Sunday: Church in the Saint Cloud ward with all the family...the nursery had 3 extra kids just from the family that were visiting! I'll tell you that pack of 5 two year olds can be DANGEROUS...but SO SO Darling! Steve left to back to the J.O.B. while I got to stay for almost another week...doing all sorts of fun things: gaming...America's next top model...you name it!

YET ANOTHER WONDERFUL FAMILY VACATION!!!
thanks mom & dad for helping us get there...and thanks Jordy & Shanda for getting marrie so we had a good reason to all get together!