a river vacation

I recently took advantage of my new job by using PTO for the first time in years.  At the day care I never was paid for time off.  Therefore I didn't often take it.  Over the labor day weekend I took Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday.  To my delight my hubby did too.  We loaded the camper, hooked our river boat to it and headed to our buddy Stevie & Brooke's river lot.  It's just under an hour away.  Katie bug had her first boat ride... then wanted nothing to do with it, my friend Brooke and I got to try out my new river floats, and take it easy was our theme.  We didn't get in much of a hurry to do anything.  We ate, drank, laughed, floated, rock hunted, drank coffee and whatever else we wanted.  I am so thankful for our pals and their spot on the river.

They look like a lazy river ride at Opryland don't they :)

Shaun took this of me.  I told him it looks like I am fishing naked!

This is my new fishing lure.  It casts great but didn't catch anything.  Casting is fun though.

Florida Vacation

Just a few more pictures from my trip to Florida with my family.  Some of them are just too dreamy to not share.

 Our daily set up.  We loved the semi circle they laid out for us.

I even feed birds on the beach.

To precious not to sneak a pic.

 My sweet Ma.

A storm blew most of us in.  Three of us hid under the umbrellas from the rain.

My dearest Pa.

Three nieces and I ate breakfast on Tuesday at the place where my Baked Brie obsession was born... Another Broken Egg Cafe in Baytowne Wharf, Sandestin.  Here is my recipe for Beautiful Baked Brie.

I actually like my recipe better now.

lovin right now

With a most lovely Florida vacation now in my back pocket, I am holding on to a select few things and calling it "loving right now".  For starters I was introduced to Hawaiian Tropic's shimmer sunscreen tanning lotion by my nieces a couple of weeks before the vacation and picked up a bottle for myself, along with Neutrogena's  spray spf 70 and lotion 30 spf.  I found myself spraying down with the 70, lathering on the 30 and topping it off with shimmer lotion like cool whip on jello before sunning on the beach every day.  

On the way down my niece Lacey pulled out a bag of Bigs dill pickle sunflower seeds.  The first mouth full was a bit sour in taste but after I got through it I wanted more.  And more I had... all... week... long.  I found myself on the beach tucked up under an umbrella spittin seeds, drinking Bud Light tomato beers with my nose crunched in Fifty Shades of Grey.  I don't care who says it's raunchy.... I think it's the fastest I have ever read in my life.  I love the story line although it's a bit far fetched and plain out fan-tasty.  

Speaking of tasty... Nature's Harvest honey sesame sticks and plain M&Ms mixed together in harmony inside a sandwich sized Ziplock are ta-ha-sty.  Did I mention I had a Birkenstock goal in mind way before I even headed south on I65? Well I did... and I achieved my goal on Monday.  Why wait to break in a good thing??  We visited the local Florida Birkenstock store and they were mine in minutes and I love them.  I wasn't home a day and they had garden dirt all over them.  I can't have nothin I tell ya.  

So.. there's my post vaca "lovin it".  xoxo

weekend adventures: florida vaca

over the weekend... i joined ten family members, mom, dad, one sister, one brother-in-law, five nieces and one nephew.  in three vehicles we came down to white sandy beaches and so far... wind, a touch of sun yesterday on the beach and one massive ocean thunderstorm that woke us all up last night.  amazing.  i also brought my yoga practice with me for two mornings in a row so far.  i feel fantastic and am ready to do some gypsy shopping.