Siesta Key: Day 3 (Tina's 58th Birthday)

Today is my Mom's Birthday! So when we all got up, around 9:30 AM or so, we were all in the birthday celebrating mood. We had to run an errand off the island then we went to pick up Dee and Sandy for lunch.

We ate lunch at Marina Jack's in Sarasota. It is right on the bay and is a beautiful location. A lot of really nice boats are docked at Marina Jack's.

3 Generation's!

Thanks Dee for taking this picture!

Miss Dee, Samantha and Mom strolling down boat row.

Mom and Samantha admiring all the boats! At one point Samantha kept saying, "Boat Boat Boat" so I told her that at some point this week we will ride on a boat...I said, "I promise". So she said, "I promise" over and over again.

After lunch we came home and Samantha took a nap. While she was napping I filled up the baby pool on mom's deck and put it in the sun to warm up the water. So when Samantha woke up she would have a nice warm pool to play in. Well the water did not get as warm as I would have liked for her but it was warm enough for her to play in.

Since the sun was starting to go down, the deck was shaded while she played so I did not have to put any clothes on her!

She climbed up on this lawn chair and said, "I sit over here". Which is her longest sentence ever! It has really just been within the last week or two that she started putting words together to make sentences. It was stuff like, "Mommy Outside", "Daddy Potty", "Bye Bye Daddy", "Hi Mommy", "I did it" or "I got it", "I sit", etc. She is going to be such a chatty little girl.

Probably my all time favorite picture! Aunt Sandy took this one and I just love love love it.

We went over to Miss Dee's for my mom's birthday dinner tonight. She made salad, pasta, bread, fruit and peach cobbler. It was delicious!!! Dee had even cut up some fresh peaches and Samantha and I both gobbled those down!

Happy Birthday Mom!

Siesta Key: Day 2

This morning Samantha woke up around 7:30 AM. She was in a wonderful mood, and I mean who wouldn't be when you wake up in Beautiful Florida?!?!?
She had a blueberry waffle, strawberries and blueberries for breakfast. She thinks she is just such a big girl getting to sit at the kid table and not in a high chair!


After breakfast we went on a 45 minute bike ride all over the island. Samantha loves riding on the bike! And when we got back we had to swing for a little bit. When we came back inside, and Gram was still sleeping, we went out back so we wouldn't wake her up. (Waking Gram up is similar to waking a Grizzly.) In the picture above, I asked her to stand there and say cheese, and she actually did it!

Once Gram woke up, she told me I could go ahead and put together the bike she got for Samantha. It is just like an old school Big Wheels but this one has Dora stickers all over it. Even though she cannot reach the pedals, she really likes her new bike.

After we got her bike put together, we had to go straight to Church. My Mom goes to a Church of Christ just off the island. And it was a really nice church even though it was a bit "older" than I typically like. Then after service we met up with Aunt Sandy and ate brunch at Peaches. Samantha then fell asleep on the way home and ended up sleeping until a little after 4 PM.

Once Samantha went down for her nap I rode my bike over to Aunt Sandy's condo and we walked from her condo down to the Point-of-Rocks. In total it was probably a 3 mile walk. And this Point-of-Rocks is one of Mandy and I's favorite places!

After Samantha woke up from her nap we ate some snacks out on the Lanai then got ready to ride our bikes to the beach. Every Sunday night there is a this show called the Drum Circle.

It is hard to see in this picture, but the drummers all all at the other side of the circle from where we were standing. It is just a random group of drummers every week that bring their own drums and puts own a show for all the beach goers the last hour before sunset. There were more than a hundred people there all just hanging out, listening to the drummers. It was so cool!

Samantha did not like the feel of sand on her feet so she ended up being held by one of us most of the time. How cute is she? She has her hands on top of my head and is resting her head on her hands...just watching the show.

Sitting on Gram's shoulders; fixing her hair!

We rode back to the house and got in the car to go to dinner. We met up with Aunt Dee and Steve at Chipolte. Then Mom, Samantha and I did a little shopping before heading home.

After this fun filled day, I am whipped and am going to bed. Tomorrow is Gram's birthday.

Siesta Key: Day 1

This morning Samantha and I got up and flew to Florida! This time we came down on Southwest (where bags fly free) into Tampa. My Mom and Aunt Sandy were there waiting for us right when we got out of security! It was so cool seeing Samantha recognize her Gram! From Tampa, it is about little over an hour drive to Siesta Key. Which was actually nice to just sit in the car and relax for a little bit. Samantha was in a great mood the whole trip. She never even slept on the plane or in the car ride. It wasn't until we got to Gram's house that she took a nap. And right after she fell asleep, Gram and I took naps too!

After everyone woke up refreshed, Aunt Dee stopped over for a little visit. Mom had borrowed a stroller from someone in the neighborhood and she had to go return it so Dee walked with Mom and I rode my bike with Samantha...see Jeff's post for picture. Samantha loved loved loved riding in the bike with me. And she kept saying, "hat" for her helmet! I really had fun on the bike ride too and think I will be taking Samantha around a lot on that bike!

When we got back home from the bike ride, Samantha spied the swing. And since she can say "swing" it was very clear what she wanted to do. So she swung for a little while before we went back in to clean up for dinner...see Jeff's post for picture.

Mom and I ran to Walgreen's for a few things I forgot...baby wipes, hair ties for Samantha, etc. Then we met up with Sandy for dinner at Longhorn. By the time we got home from dinner it was bath, reading and bedtime for Samantha. She still got to stay up late compared to what she normally does!

Seeing how excited Samantha has been all day makes me want to move down here so she can be and outdoorsy kid. She seems so happy outsides, and well I do too for that matter. Maybe I am just trying to make up any excuse to say down here forever. If I could just convince Jeff...

We were in the front row on the plane so Samantha had a little room to get down and play once the "fasten-seat belt light" was turned off!

I miss my girls already...

Early this morning before the sun came up Lauren and Samantha boarded a plane bound for sunny Florida. Lauren definitely deserves a vacation and since Samantha has become such a fan of swimming, I am sure she will have a blast!
However, I do miss them a TON already and the quietness of the house is eerie. See below for pics Lauren sent. Beautiful!!!

Groveport Rec Center

Today, after Samantha's morning nap we took her to the Groveport Rec Center to swim. As soon as we told Samantha we were taking her swimming, she was really excited...see above.

They have a zero depth pool just like the Westerville pool has...although it is not as nice as Westerville. Mostly because there is not as much play toys in the pool, for kids. Just one slide, and Samantha did love that slide!

You can see the frog slide in the background of this one.

After a couple of hours of swimming, we started getting ready to leave and she really was not in the mood for leaving. But she did have a great time and crashed hard when we got home! I have to say, Samantha really is a little fish in the water!

Just Samantha and I...

I know we have done a poor job lately keeping up the blog. We are sorry. I think part of the challenge is Samantha just does not stand around and pose anymore; she is always into something.

Lauren had to leave early this morning for an overnight business trip. It has just been Samantha and me and I truly do love my daughter more everyday. I was just telling a co-worker today that she is the most fun she has ever been and I love seeing her doing something new each day. Regardless of it being a new word, new face or new dance move; she really is fun to hang out with.

The picture below is the "Good Morning Mommy" picture I sent to Lauren this morning. I asked Samantha where she wanted her Mommy to kiss her and that is where she pointed. (That isn't really what happened but it sounded nice)




A few weeks ago, we got in the habit of always playing a DVD while in my truck. However we have been trying to break that habit as we dont want Samantha to get hooked. Tonight when I picked her up, she said Elmo and I knew she was tired and I just wanted her to enjoy the ride home. She is loving her some "Elmo's Riding..."


We got home, had a quick dinner and she was beat. With Lauren being gone, Samantha was at the sitter for almost 11 hours and doesnt nap well there. She got a new diaper, got into some comfy pajamas and 3 books later she was out at 6:40pm! My angel will surely sleep well tonight.

Hurry home Mommy...your family misses you!!