Time with our cousins

One of the best parts of our trip to Florida is that we always get to see our cousins.  Charlie and Adam usually come for Christmas too.  

These two have a lot of fun together!

The 4 big kids

Lunchtime smoothies are a must! 

Waterbugs! 

Sorting the daily shells

We also get to see our Florida cousins which is always SO fun!

Brenda braids everyones hair...boys included. 

Charlie is the best big cousin! Audrey adores him!

All 9 cousins were there in time for New Years Eve.  They had so much fun together.  

       

Who doesn't have their bathing suit on, sparkling grape juice in hand, on a boogie board (in the hallway) during a NYE party?!?

                              

                                                      

    

When the party moved upstairs she did put her pjs on but took the boogie board with her. 

Wild and crazy NYE

Can't beat New Years Day in the pool with lots of cousins!

Emmerson is so happy that Adam loves to color as much as she does.  They kept very busy at restaurants. 

Many stops at Strawberries Ice Cream Shop makes for 4 happy kids and 1 left out baby.

Nana and Pop Pop with the gang

Early morning shelling 

Sweet cousins! 

Surber cousins warming up the dance floor at the bar in the condo building. 

Three little water bugs

These three LOVE the water!  

Even in a bucket

Audrey is wild in the water.   She loves it and wanted to stay in all day. 

She would jump in over and over.

The big girls only got out of the pool to go to the beach!

The bucket was a HUGE hit!  (and gave Mom and Dad a little break from the pool)

as were the goggles. 

Claire has always loved the water but really took off with learning to swim this trip.

Very best buddies!

Claire didn't want to wear her floaties now that she THINKS she can swim so thank goodness for lots of extra adults!

This sweet girl would just hang on the side.

When with the boys you have to play football...a lot of football!

I think someone loves Hutchison Island just as much as her sisters.   Even though this was her third trip in 16 months it was the first time she was big enough to really play.

Sand between our toes

Emmerson has always loved the beach.  Never been terribly brave in the water but loved being on the beach.  Claire always took awhile to warm up to the beach, but this trip she finally really liked it!  We spent lots of time with our toes in the sand this trip! 

Our path to the beach!  It's literally out our front door and we usually have it almost to ourselves.  

Even Audrey had her toes in the sand and ocean. 

Plenty of jumping waves!

Lots of searching for and sharing shells. 

and just running wild!  

They love to dig pools deep enough to sit in.

Our happy place!

Florida round 2

Next up on our two week vacation was a week on Manasota Key.  We decided not head back to school and work and stay a bit longer.  Grandma and Grandpa's condo was sitting empty and we figured this would be the last year we can justify Emmerson missing a whole week of school.  We had another great week.   

I am pretty sure they thought we were never going home. 

We spend the mornings at the beach and the afternoons at the pool. 

Audrey was a little braver with the waves than Emmerson was comfortable with.

I would have loved to hear the conversation they were having...

Taking in the views for the last time!  Claire said, " taking our last summer breaths". 

Emmerson said she didn't love sharing a bed with Claire... we weren't sure why?!?

Our last day there was a chilly day so we went for a walk at a park. 

And had a picnic.