Beautiful Florida Beaches

Ever since the BP oil spill in April everyone down in the south has been wondering what is this going to do to our beautiful Florida beaches, New Orleans and the Gulf Coast in general? What a terrible tragedy  occurring to all the life in and around the coast! My heart is breaking for the huge loss on our ecosystem! We are yet to know the devastation that has taken place and the loss of life that might not return in our lifetime! The Everglades have taken such a big hit and the end is nowhere in sight! I feel for the people dealing with this and all they continue to endure!

That being said, I was down in Florida last week and the oil spill was definitely the topic of conversation. The news has been tracking the oil and whether or not it would effect the Florida coastline since April. I think for the time being Florida is in the clear and should not be effected by the oil. I can tell you that the beaches were more gorgeous than ever and the water was crystal clear! Absolutely breathtaking to look at and happy this coastline was spared!

My parents have a place in San Destin and they go there quite often. It so happened that the week after the kids got out of school they were headed that direction! I was hesitant at first because I was worried about the quality of the beaches and water. However, I had also been told that if I were going to go to the beaches this summer, now would be the time! Brian was out of town for the week, so we packed up and headed to Florida for a week.

I always try and schedule driving trips around Henley’s nap time. That way if she is awake it is not for four hours in a car! This trip it did not happen like I planned, but it worked out fine. She only slept for an hour and was awake for three of them. She does quite well in the car and did not fuss at all. I think she is quite entertained by her brother! On the other hand, I had one child asking me every minute how much longer would we be in the car? When are we going to be there? As if he has any concept of what four hours means! :) Brian was working down in the panhandle that Monday, so he followed us down. It is always nice to have someone else around.......just in case! Brian left Monday morning and worked his way back up to Birmingham on Tuesday. He then flew out for Chicago for the rest of the week. The one big surprise of the trip was Sunday when we arrived. We were getting on the elevator when suddenly my SISTER appeared! For those that do not know... Heather lives in Indianapolis and I do not get to see her as often as I would like! I would love to have seen the expression on my face because I was shocked! Shocked that I had no idea they were keeping this secret so well from me for months! Christian was ecstatic to see his Aunt Heather and Henley was surprisingly at ease with her too! I mean that Heather actually got to hold her without any screaming! It was such a happy surprise...I miss spending time with her and it was nice to do so again!

The beach was so much fun this year with the kids. In the past Christian was not a huge fan of the ocean and Henley did not even remember it! Once we got there and got settled we went out to the beach to check it out. Christian automatically loved it! The beach, the ocean and everything about it! He was collecting seashells and little mussels in a cup! Running everywhere he was soaked and we had to take his shorts off! Henley was intrigued with the sand and not so sure of the ocean. It took a day, but she warmed up pretty quickly!

• 

The condo is across from Baytown Wharf and they have a golf cart down there, which is nice and convenient for getting short distances. We rode over to the wharf for dinner and ice cream. There is so much for little kids over there and they played forever on the playground. It had been a long day, so I tried to get everyone back for an early bedtime!

The next five days were basically filled with the same things. Exercise in the morning, beach/pool until 12-1, lunch and naps/quite time for Christian, back out to the beach, baths, dinner and always ice cream or some yummy dessert! The kids had a blast and really enjoyed the water whether it was the ocean or the pool. I even got some quite time out on the beach to relax in silence!  Both kids were so worn out that Christian actually was taking naps and one afternoon my dad stayed up in the condo with them! Thanks Dad!

All and all it was a good trip. There was one thing that occurred while we were down there that I will never forget. So many people have swam with stingrays on various occasions, but how many people just see them (tons of them) out in the ocean? Well, Thursday while we were out on the beach people kept stopping to warn everyone that there was a school of Stingrays headed down the beach. Stingrays are not exactly what you would think you would see in shallow water. When I mean shallow, I am talking about to my waist! At first it looked like a big dark shadow in the ocean and then once they got closer you could tell what they were! It was beautiful to see these sea creatures just swimming along the ocean without any concern of these crazy humans gathering to watch them. There were of course a few crazy people who in my opinion got way to close to the Stingrays. I mean... they can kill you! It might be rare, but it happens! We just watched from a far and admired the gracefulness of these beautiful animals! It truly was unbelievable! There were hundreds of them and they just kept passing over the next thirty minutes! I took pictures and some video, so I hope you can make it out! Christian was pretty fascinated with them too!
















Thanks to my parents for having us down. We had a great time! I am really looking forward to all the other beach trips we have planned this summer knowing how much the kids loved it! I am so happy that the Florida beaches have been spared for now and just pray it stays that way!

I forgot to write in here that one night we went to a restaurant for dinner called Fudpuckers. This place is basically for children (no great dinners out with two little ones). The restaurant had miniature alligators that you could feed from a fishing type rod. We would buy the meat and hook it on the line with a clip of some sort and the alligators would take it. We all had fun doing this, but I think Christian thought it was really cool! Christian was even able to pet a live alligator and feel how soft it’s belly was! I did not get that picture because they charge for pictures with the alligators and they would not allow it.

Busy Weekend!

So what do you call a weekend that includes a best friend’s wedding, your husband’s birthday and Mother’s day wrapped all into one...Tiring!!!

First, we would like to extend our very happy, heartfelt congratulations to two people we love! Stefano and Toni have been waiting for a very long time for this day...it it finally came! They deserve their very own happy ending and we could not be happier for them. We wish them the best life together and many fun times with them in our future!!! I wish I could post a picture, but some how the nights got away from me and I did not get a pic of the bride and groom together at all!!! Agh...I am so mad at myself for that! I am going to scrounge and see what I can find to post!

Their rehearsal dinner was Thursday night and Brian being in the wedding had prepared a toast for his best friend Stefano! He wanted it to be perfect and talk about what Stefano means to him. It was a great speech and I think everyone knew how important Stefano and Brian’s friendship is to both of them! Here is a picture of Brian giving his toast!

It was a delicious sit down dinner at the New Orleans Country Club with a great jazz band playing in the background. I believe everyone was on their best behavior and I think some gentlemen even had curfews for the night! The wedding was black tie and at 7:00pm, but the next day had many tasks for the groomsmen and they needed to all  be well rested!

The next day was Friday, May 7th! The day Brian Banta entered this world...anybody hear angels singing??? Alright, so maybe he is not as important to some of you as he is to Christian, Henley and I! In Brian like fashion, “don’t they know who I be?” Well, to the three of us he is our best friend and someone who we probably do not tell enough how much we love him! I believe the kids when asked, “who is your best friend” they both say, “ Daddy!!” :) When Toni and Stefano called to ask if Brian minded if they got married on his birthday, he told them he would be honored! The day of the wedding everyone kept telling him Happy Birthday and that it was his day! Brian would just smile politely and say, “thanks, but it is Stefano and Toni’s day today!” I personally thought that it was very sweet how Brian wanted this particular May 7th to be their day!!! We love you and hope you had a great birthday! We had already celebrated Brian’s birthday and given him his gifts before we left for New Orleans! We also went to Cafe Du Monde for breakfast with some friends that morning and had mimosa’s too! We love some New Orleans beignets!!! Powdered sugar from your head to your toes!!!

The Wedding was at 7:00pm Friday night, but the boys all had to go and try on and pick up their  tuxes! They were leaving around 1:30 so I met up with a friend and we had lunch and drinks! I am enjoying my adult beverages while I still can because soon enough I will have to for go them for awhile! Anyway, our friend Farron invited me to have drinks before the wedding and ride together too! So Brian left at 4:30 to meet up with Stefano and I met Farron and her husband Wade around 5:15. I had to call a friend to come to my room and zip up my dress because I could not do it by myself! :)

The wedding was a beautiful Catholic ceremony...being Catholic I enjoyed it and the length was not too long! Toni was absolutely beautiful and her father and son Riley walked her down the isle! It was so sweet that he was a part of giving his mother away! Stefano was quite handsome in his tux and showed NO signs of nervousness! I know they were both relieved when it was over and the party was just getting started!

The reception was at the New Orleans Country Club and they had great food and Great entertainment! I think anyone who went to an SEC school knows who Super T is...right? Well, Super Tyrone was the band they had playing at the reception and he is a blast!!! He played at Auburn all the time and we were always there dancing into the wee hours of the night! It was fun to take a little trip back in time to the old college days! :)

Toni and Stefano did something that was a lot of fun for everybody at the reception. They had a photo booth for all their guests to get into sometime during the night. Then when you were down with your photos, you cut them out and glued them in a book. Along with your picture you wrote a message to the new couple for them to remember and look back on!

I can only tell you that the more people drank, the more funny the pictures became! I would love to see the book and what all their friends put into it! Great idea! It was a fun thing to do and you even got to keep some of your pictures! Congratulations guys! We love you both and wish you a lifetime of happiness!!!

Now, the final event of the weekend was Mother’s Day! We flew home on Saturday and had all day with the kids. Brian got up with Henley Sunday morning at the crack of dawn when our little sunshine likes to rise! Although, it was not very long before she was in our room hollering for her mommy! The kids gave me cards and a manicure and pedicure...which I cashed in later that afternoon! We all ate breakfast and went to church. We all just relaxed that afternoon and Brian cooked dinner for us that evening! It was a nice day spent with the family. I am so blessed to have such a loving husband and wonderful children whom I adore! Unfortunately, I am the only one in my household who takes photographs so there is not one of me and the kids to post from this occaison!

                  

Bahama Mama!

Well last week I think Brian and I had the first long vacation from the kids in a long time. We have gone on a few weekenders here and there, but this was for 5 whole days! Thanks to by hubby for being so fabulous at what he does for a living! If he did not have the love and passion for his profession, he would not be so successful! Brian’s success is what allowed us to go on this great vacation! He was a top producer at Lincoln again and we were blessed to be given this wonderful trip to Atlantis in the Bahamas. Thanks honey...I needed a break! :) A free pair of Maui Jims on Lincoln is not so bad either!

Anyone, who has never been to the Bahamas is definitely missing out on a wonderful place! I never thought much about the Bahamas because it seemed so accessible and uninteresting?  I know that sounds bad, but I thought everybody seems to go there and I never really heard great things? Well, I was wrong! This place is unbelievable and somewhere we will go again and again! When they were building this place, they thought of everyone from kids to grandparents! We had so much fun and I do not think we even touched the surface of what you can do!

We stayed at the Cove, which is the nicest of the places in Atlantis and it was beautiful! We were closest to the Adult pool where no children are allowed! They have bars, black jack, roulette and craps all right there!  There is the option to go topless at this pool if you choose, but I passed on that choice! :) This is where we spent a lot of out time during the day. However, we made sure to test out all the fun water slides they had to offer, as well as the lazy (not so lazy) river! They had slides for young, old, brave and not so brave! They had fast slides, 60 foot drop slides, slides that went through shark tanks and slides on inner tubes! We have never had so much fun playing since we were kids! Although, someone who remains nameless still thinks HE is a kid! I passed on the 60 foot drop, but Brian was brave enough to go down and I got a picture!

They tube slides all empty out into the lazy river, which is really the rapid river? There is lots of waves and rapids and I think that makes it more fun! We actually got passed by Kid Rock and his entourage while riding along the rapids! Famous people were everywhere on this trip!

The best and most fun thing I think I have ever done is swim and play with the dolphins! We did a shallow adventure with a dolphin named Cosmo! I have to be honest as an animal lover, I wanted to just jump in the water and hug this dolphin! It was hands down the best experience I have ever had! Being that close to an animal like that was amazing! We later found out that for $400.00 we could have been a trainer for the day and interacted so much more with the dolphins! Oh well, something to look forward to next time when we take the kids! They are a little young now, but in a few years it will be the best vacation! The wetsuits we had to wear were pretty hot too! I think I might purchase one for future beach trips!!!:)

The night life in Atlantis was great too! The casino’s, bars and restaurants are fabulous! Brian stayed up very late each night trying to make a million, but I am the one who came home with the cash! I am the smart one in the family because I know when to cash in the money and just be happy! I brought home $500.00! Brian still has not told me what he did or did not come home with!:)

All in all we had a really, much needed unbelievable time! Thanks to Brian again for all the hard work you do to make these trips happen! Thanks to Nene and Poppy who came to Birmingham to watch our children! We have already been slated to go on next year’s trip...here we come Italy! Do I have any dibs on babysitting??? :)