Every good thing comes to an end

Our time in Florida is over. We had a marvelous time and it was even better than my wildest dreams. To be honest though, my wildest dreams really just had us surviving the 2 weeks there. The fact that it went so well, that everyone had fun, and we all got along was a bonus. Fabulous weather and wonderful memories was the icing on the cake. I was actually sad to leave! I thought going home would be a relief (due to my children, not so much the extended family!), but the time went so well that I did not want to go home. But we did. We got home yesterday evening after 2 days and about 13 hours of traveling. The kids were surprisingly great for the drive as well. So I declare the Great Florida Vacation to be a success!

For the most part, I haven't got anything new to say, except that with all these cranky kids, I'm wishing I was still in Florida! And I don't really have pictures of us doing anything new, but I'm going to put some up anyway!

This is us. This is all of Dan's side of the family that was there. These are all the people that were squeezed into a very large beach house for a week. And these are the people I had a wonderful time with!

And they did not spend all their time at the beach! Joshua was thrilled to have cousins who had Nintendo DSs. He has wanted one for a very long time, but I refuse to buy something so expensive that I really don't want him playing anyway. He was happy to spend his free time playing on the DS while he could.

Here are all the kids on the balcony of the beach house. Aren't they great?! And yes, that would be my child, climbing on the railing.

Delaney said, "Take a picture of me with my eyes closed!"

The kids and and adults spent a lot of their beach time over the course of the week digging holes. They dug one up high enough that it lasted a while. It lasted until Marian climbed into it and Callie and I helped to bury her.

After Marian climbed out of the fairly deep hole. Callie lay down in it and we buried her! I love, love, loved that the girls played nicely together. There was so much less unkindness going on last week. It was so nice to see my girls getting along.

And these 2 had a lot of fun too. I don't know how many castles were built and then stomped on. It was about as much fun as the water itself.

I am grateful to have a wonderful family. I am so blessed to have wonderful in-laws. I think it was my sister-in-law who said she kind of imagined that the Celestial Kingdom would be like the beach house. We would all be together and having fun and enjoying each other. I hope it will be like that. I am so blessed!