The Brantons: Florida

We decided before we left Illinois that we needed one day of nothing. Just rest and relaxation by the pool. So that's how we spent Monday. We were the first people there and stayed until Talan was in dire need of a nap. At that point I went back to the condo and helped Kevin get the kids down. He had work to do so he was tethered to his computer at that point. Me? I decided to take complete advantage and headed back to the pool for 2 whole hours of bliss. I read magazines and soaked up the sun and silence. It was fabulous.

That evening we went to The Pier. Basically a huge tourist trap. Lots of expensive stores and rides. We were playing the role of tourists so we dove right in. The kids were so excited to bounce.

It worked out for us that we went late in the day. Once the sun went down it got a little chilly. The kids were cold so we had to leave before we drained our bank account on obnoxiously priced 4-minute rides. They weren't too upset though, knowing what the next day had in store.

We were all pretty excited for the next super cheesy tourist activity....the pirate ship.

It's very safe to say that this was a true highlight for the kids. They had an absolute blast! And it was a lot of fun for us big people, too. We both love boating, even with obnoxious pirates with fake accents and a million out-of-towners. And the real treat for us was that said obnoxious pirates kept the kids entertained for two hours while we took in the view and sipped on cold beverages. It was pretty awesome.

We are used to seeing dolphin having grown up in the area....but it really never gets old. This particular pod had a mother and baby. It was so awesome to sit and watch them.

After our trip, we had just enough time for a short nap before heading out again to meet some friends for dinner. This time we went to Seagrove Beach. We drove through one of the newer developments, Alys Beach. It was insanely gorgeous.