Realizing that our trip to Florida was filled with so many wonderful memories, I'll have to post about it in segments to try and capture even a few. But, first of all, I want to express my utmost thanks to the Ginder family for their generosity & hospitality - we had a wonderful time! There aren't a lot of vacations that are "fun" to do with young children, but Shawn & I both had a blast. And, the boys did, too! Thanks for welcoming us into your sunshine state. :)
On Friday morning, Caleb woke up around 4ish to eat and I decided to stay up rather than go back to sleep for less than an hour after he was done. We packed two suitcases (one with lots of outfits for the kids and their essentials and one for us), our laptop bag with the laptop and my Bible and homework things (along with videos for the Bean for the airplane), and a diaper bag stocked to the max. We also had the stroller, snuggli, puppy and Joshua's beloved blankey...
We got to the airport with no problems, got through security just fine, and we had better-than-we-could-have-expected-or-hoped-for flights both ways. The back half of the plane was literally empty, and we sat in the very back. Both kids did extremely well - no crying or fussing at all. We kept our things with us below our feet and still had lots of leg room. Plus, the seats on Soutwest are VERY comfortable. One the the gals at the airport said this is the best time of year to fly because kids are back in school and the holidays haven't started. Hooray! I also learned (for the other moms out there reading my blog) that only one lap child is typically allowed per row because there are only four face masks and three seats. But, since there wasn't anyone around us on either flight we could all sit together. Next time, I'll know to pack two diaper bags 'in case.'
Once we landed (early) at Fort Myers, I changed the boys diapers and they were already calling our names to grab our luggage since the airport is small and the flight was light. Grandma & Grandpa were waiting there and Joshua ran right up to them. He started saying "Grandpa" and "Erica" this trip (in fact, riding home last night, he kept saying "bye-bye, Auntie...bye-bye, Erica" in a sad little voice. And this morning he asked me about Grandma when we got in the car since she sat next to him in the van much of the trip). Our first stop was lunch - we were starving! We went straight to Harpoon Harry's, which looked right out onto the water. It was BEAUTIFUL! The food and company were also a nice treat. :)
From there, we went back to the hotel to settle in. The room was PERFECT! We had two large firm beds with lots of fluffy pillows, a microwave and fridge, a 32" TV (not that we ever watched it), a nice comfortable chair and lots of space to spread out. There were waters in the fridge and diapers on the desk waiting for us. Shawn's parents were VERY thoughtful. We didn't need a thing. Even breakfast was served daily next door to us with a delicious spread. We didn't take advantage of the pool or exercise room, though. No time! (And let's be honest, no energy!)
The bathrooms had granite countertops, too. The first thing Joshua did when we got to the room? He jumped into the tub! Our bathtub is too deep for him to be able to crawl into, but this was the perfect size. The poor kid never did get a bath down there, though, because we were spent 'til we got back to the room each night.
That first night we tried naps with no success, so we called and the mini-van "limo" driver came back to pick us up and take us to see their new house, which was absolutely beautiful. I loved the open floor plan and the lanai with the pool. I can't believe we didn't get any real pictures of it. I wasn't quick with the camera this vacation, though. Most of these shots were taken by the Ginders or Shawn. The first night we had delicious sandwiches and snacks for supper and enjoyed swimming. Joshua, who previously this year hadn't liked getting into pools, got right in with no fear. He was a regular old fish, going from person to person and asking about the "turtle" or "quack quack" (you can see it in the picture below).
After watching a little video with Grandpa and enjoying some dessert, we headed back to crash in the hotel. We started out Daddy & Mommy in one bed, Caleb in the crib, and Joshua in the other bed. Soon, with Caleb waking up often, it became Mommy & Caleb in one bed and Joshua & Daddy in the other. It was a great first day!
On Friday morning, Caleb woke up around 4ish to eat and I decided to stay up rather than go back to sleep for less than an hour after he was done. We packed two suitcases (one with lots of outfits for the kids and their essentials and one for us), our laptop bag with the laptop and my Bible and homework things (along with videos for the Bean for the airplane), and a diaper bag stocked to the max. We also had the stroller, snuggli, puppy and Joshua's beloved blankey...
We got to the airport with no problems, got through security just fine, and we had better-than-we-could-have-expected-or-hoped-for flights both ways. The back half of the plane was literally empty, and we sat in the very back. Both kids did extremely well - no crying or fussing at all. We kept our things with us below our feet and still had lots of leg room. Plus, the seats on Soutwest are VERY comfortable. One the the gals at the airport said this is the best time of year to fly because kids are back in school and the holidays haven't started. Hooray! I also learned (for the other moms out there reading my blog) that only one lap child is typically allowed per row because there are only four face masks and three seats. But, since there wasn't anyone around us on either flight we could all sit together. Next time, I'll know to pack two diaper bags 'in case.'Once we landed (early) at Fort Myers, I changed the boys diapers and they were already calling our names to grab our luggage since the airport is small and the flight was light. Grandma & Grandpa were waiting there and Joshua ran right up to them. He started saying "Grandpa" and "Erica" this trip (in fact, riding home last night, he kept saying "bye-bye, Auntie...bye-bye, Erica" in a sad little voice. And this morning he asked me about Grandma when we got in the car since she sat next to him in the van much of the trip). Our first stop was lunch - we were starving! We went straight to Harpoon Harry's, which looked right out onto the water. It was BEAUTIFUL! The food and company were also a nice treat. :)From there, we went back to the hotel to settle in. The room was PERFECT! We had two large firm beds with lots of fluffy pillows, a microwave and fridge, a 32" TV (not that we ever watched it), a nice comfortable chair and lots of space to spread out. There were waters in the fridge and diapers on the desk waiting for us. Shawn's parents were VERY thoughtful. We didn't need a thing. Even breakfast was served daily next door to us with a delicious spread. We didn't take advantage of the pool or exercise room, though. No time! (And let's be honest, no energy!)The bathrooms had granite countertops, too. The first thing Joshua did when we got to the room? He jumped into the tub! Our bathtub is too deep for him to be able to crawl into, but this was the perfect size. The poor kid never did get a bath down there, though, because we were spent 'til we got back to the room each night.That first night we tried naps with no success, so we called and the mini-van "limo" driver came back to pick us up and take us to see their new house, which was absolutely beautiful. I loved the open floor plan and the lanai with the pool. I can't believe we didn't get any real pictures of it. I wasn't quick with the camera this vacation, though. Most of these shots were taken by the Ginders or Shawn. The first night we had delicious sandwiches and snacks for supper and enjoyed swimming. Joshua, who previously this year hadn't liked getting into pools, got right in with no fear. He was a regular old fish, going from person to person and asking about the "turtle" or "quack quack" (you can see it in the picture below).After watching a little video with Grandpa and enjoying some dessert, we headed back to crash in the hotel. We started out Daddy & Mommy in one bed, Caleb in the crib, and Joshua in the other bed. Soon, with Caleb waking up often, it became Mommy & Caleb in one bed and Joshua & Daddy in the other. It was a great first day!
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