Vacation...The END!

Hopefully my last post about this awesome vacation.  The reason for the whole thing was my sister graduating with her doctorate in physical therapy.  We attended the ceremony that Friday. Congratulations!!  You worked your rear off the last 3 years! I would have more pictures, but I was holding a sign in one hand and Caleb in the other. 

 We all went out to eat at the Conch House to celebrate after.

 We headed back toward home on Saturday and made it near Navarre Beach so we stopped by to take it in that evening.  Way different than St. Augustine beach.  Very steep, huge waves, lots of jellyfish and soooo windy. 

  This entire vacation was awesome!!  Couldn't have asked for better weather or better activities.  Chris didn't cut off any fingers or get bitten by a shark.  His luck may be improving!  This boys were so excited about everything and just hung in there with us as we jumped into everything!  

Vacation

The last few days of our vacation, we moved to a beach house to stay with my parents and my sister.  We found this awesome park downtown that I brought the boys to one afternoon.

You can see Adam's head in the tower.

 Argh!!  Pirate Caleb

Me and the boys

 Sunset from the roofdeck of our beach house.

One night, Chris and my Dad grilled a seafood smorgasbord.  Stone Crabs, Shrimp, Oysters, Fish, Asparagus, Potatoes.  YUM!!!

Vacation

After we kayaked with the dolphins, we decided to check out this little island.  We found these tiny, tiny crabs.

 I love this pic of Caleb. He figured out he made footprints when he walked, so he just kept walking.

Riding bikes on the beach at dusk....gorgeous!!

Chris and I headed out to try kayaking in the actual ocean.  It's harder that you would think.  Getting out past the waves is hard and then when you're out there, don't turn sideways.  I did and was knocked out.  Killer bruise on the heel.  Chris and my Dad tried several more times and got better.   

Adam is a natural boogie boarder.  He fell in love with this.

 He said, "Boogie Boarding is my super favorite thing!"

Vacation

The next few days of our vacation we spent exploring the beaches of St. Augustine and the Intercoastal Waterway on our kayaks.  The second night we got some fresh seafood and took our grill out to the beach at our campground. Chris grilled fresh shrimp and steamed clams for dinner while the kids explored and played with waterguns.  At one point we had to stop everything and search under the sand for wherever Adam buried the waterguns.  He couldn't remember where he put them. 

 This shrimp was soooo good.  I don't know how we kept the sand out of it.  Lemon zest, salt, pepper...all you need. The boys and I devoured it. 

Chris steamed clams for himself.

 Now to the coolest part of our entire vacation!!  We launched our kayaks in the intercoastal waterway just wanting to check out the awesome beach homes and sailboats anchored there.  We paddled around to where the water opened into the ocean and my sister yells, "Look! Dolphins!"  We scanned this very shallow area where we saw a family of dolphins PLAYING in the shallows.  There were about 3 adults and 3 babies that we could tell.  We paddled up to about 10-15 yards from them as they just tooled around, rolling against each other, and bobbing up and down.  We watched them and followed them around the shallows for at least 30 minutes.  We were in awe!!  I think I took about 50 pictures of them, but only got a dolphin in the shot of about 10 pics. 

Caleb remembered how to squeak at them from our trip to the dolphin exhibit the day before so you can hear him in the video trying to communicate with them as they go by. 

Vacation

The next part of our trip was in St. Augustine Florida.  We spent a few days in this historic, small, beautiful city on the Atlantic (just south of Jacksonville).  My sister, who's lived here for the last few years while going to school, showed us some of her favorite things to do. 

She loves to stick her hands in the fountains...she's showing Caleb how to do it!  Ha ha

 First night, we ate at an Irish Pub

We walked down the street with all the shops and Caleb was mesmerized by the musician we passed.  He danced his little heart out.  Later, Chris discovered a gourmet Popsicle shop that he fell in love with.  They had  Habanero and Pear/Riesling flavors. 

Adam vs. the waves

Caleb vs. the waves

Gorgeous, flat, deserted beaches!!  Love the non-people aspect of these beaches!!

Watching a dolphin show.  Caleb quickly developed the ability to speak to dolphins.  He would squeak at them and then clap when they did a trick. 

Vacation

We began our vacation this year by going to kayak on the Blackwater River in Florida.  We spent a few days there on this beautiful sandy bottom river enjoying the weather and the water.  The first day we did about 3 miles to see how the boys would do and they had a blast.  The next day we did about 11 miles with a local outfitter dropping us off up river.  It took about 6 hours, but it was so much fun and so relaxing.  We stopped and played in the sand whenever we wanted. We had peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch.  We fed  the fish, Caleb took a nap, and Adam loved floating behind Chris' kayak.

Caleb getting used to sand

I'm ready for Niagra Falls!

Adam did not get out of the water for the entire trip

Chris made a sand alligator

Adam floating behind

On the lookout for fish

We made some great meals at the campsite...Caleb helped

Caleb passed out each day on the kayak trips.  He was no match for the peace and quiet.

Climbing trees

Caterpillars Invade!

So Weird!!  On our back trees, we had these masses of caterpillars, like 10-13 groupings like this one.  Don't have a clue what they were doing, but it was neat to watch.  I think they were cannibal caterpillars because now, 3 weeks later, there's caterpillar body parts stuck all over the trees.