Lovin' Summer

Is there nothing better than summer vacation?  I don't care if you're a kid or a grown up---summer vacation rocks.

Once we hit an  age where Sunshine started sleeping in on weekends life changed for us.  There was no worry about "what if she wakes up at 6 am?" Most days she's asleep until at least 8.  If not later.     Let me tell you, if I can sleep from 11:30 until 8 am, I'm a happy girl.

Summer is a time away from volunteering.  I love doing what I do at school and I count my blessings that I am able to stay home.  But, everyone needs down time.  This is mine.

We've settled into a wonderful non-schedule of days now that our trip to Florida and VBS are over.  We get up when we're ready, eat breakfast in a lazy fashion and plan our day as necessary.  This week has been pool week.  The first summer we were in our house we joined a neighboring subdivision's pool.  Five years later finds us enjoying the pool as much as ever and Hunter on the board of the pool.  "Voluntold" he calls it.
But, it's our home away from home.  There's rarely a day that friends aren't there.  I keep Hunter's old Nook in the pool bag so that I have something to read (my Kindle Fire HD isn't great for outdoor reading).  The water has been wonderfully refreshing in the summer heat.

Tonight we're having a relaxing evening---laundry is going, I made stuffed peppers (sausage, quinoa, onions, toma tomatoes & gouda) for dinner and we're watching a movie.  Tomorrow is more pool time.

Oh summer. . .how I love you!

Vacation Hangover

Two thumbs up after para sailing

Toes in the sand. . . 

I don't know what's worse. . .the waiting for vacation to come or after you get home and it's over.

I have such a bad vacation hangover right now, it's not funny.   We spent last week on Longboat Key.  A wonderful, wonderful week.  So wonderful in fact, that we started discussing the option of moving there instead of to VA.

In addition to the usual beach vacation type things, Sunshine and Hunter went para sailing over the Gulf of Mexico.  I got some great pics of them up 500 feet but sadly didn't get to see any dolphins while we were out on the boat.  We did see some while we were on Coquina Beach.  And Hunter & Sunshine were a few feet away from a manatee while they were swimming at the beach near our condo.  Me?  I had gotten out of the water & was sitting on the beach.  You know, so I could snap the picture!

We love the Anna Maria Island/Longboat Key/ Sarasota area----very little crime, the cost of living isn't horrible, great lifestyle and really just heaven.  But, living there would leave us even further away from family.  Which is the point of us moving from GA to VA.   Closer to Hunter's family and close enough to mine that going up for a long weekend would be feasible.

The other thing that deters us is that we both really miss winter. We miss having 4 real seasons.  It's something we don't have here and certainly something that we wouldn't have in FL.

Maybe one day my need for snow, woolen hand knits and chilly weather will lessen and we'll be on the beach.

I'm not holding my breath either but it could happen!