Monday, June 25, 2012

Summer Vacation 2012

Florida bound!  All loaded up and ready to drive all night!  I love road trips.  Especially when all the kids are sleeping!

Made it through the night and a quick stop for breakfast.

Love the gas prices down south!

Finally!   But we still had 4 hours to go.

Isaac loved the water.

No toe-dipping here.  He RAN and jumped in.  Belly-smackers, pencil-dives, head-first, summersaults and flips.  But only if he had his Floaties on.

Father's Day 2012.  My kids have the best dad ever.  End of story :)

Ella is a fish and the queen of treading water.  She is always in the deep end.  Abby is a great swimmer but super-cautious.  She gained a lot of confidence this year and even let Carl throw her in a few times.

Indian Rocks Beach is beautiful!

Buried in the sand.

Loving the ocean!


Fish hands!

Shark's tooth Carl found on the beach.

Heading out to LightHouse Donuts


Just a short walk away.

Key Lime and Chocolate


PJ's for lunch.  Great seafood, and dollar bills on every inch of the wall, and a parrot.

Crabby Bills for dinner.  (not all in the same day :)


The sunsets were amazing!  Carl caught lots of pinfish, ladyfish, and a jack.  He was really hoping for a shark.  Maybe next year.

Cuteness!

Ella's turn


Caleb trying out the waves.

Canon Ball!

They can all jump in without holding their nose.  How do they do that?  I really want to know!

Caleb is a master bubble blower.  He can blow ring bubbles under water!

Abby

Last day.



We drove all day and then spent the night in Gatlinburg.

The next morning we went on a hike through the mountains.

And got to see this.

Awesome!




Laurel Falls.  A 75 foot waterfall

Huge boulders

Downtown Gatlinburg 

And another short hike along a stream to Cataract Falls.


Best vacation ever!  Then we headed Home Sweet Home.  

6 comments:

abby said...

i had so much fun spending time with my family in florida i was very exited that i saw a bear in the smokies thanks for putin up with me

love abby

Anonymous said...

LOL on Abbys comment!!! : )
Great PICS!!!!! Looks like FUN!!!
Glad you're back safe and sound! : )
~JS

The Dickinsons said...

Janie, just got back from spending some days at the ocean ourselves (and visiting our church in Cartagena). Looks like y'all had a blast as well. Loved all your pics. Love the pic of you and Carl on the beach. =) I was DYING to see a bear last time I was in the Smokeys in May, but they must have been "out for lunch" for I never saw one. I'm GLAD y'all got to see one. =)

So GLAD y'all got to spend some FUN time as a family!

Love,
~Heather~

Misty said...

Looks like lots of fun! Reminds me of our vacation to Madang =)

~Carla~ said...

Oh you guys had wayyyy to much fun!! :) Thanks for takin us all along on your journey.......you have such a GORGEOUS family!

Stephanie said...

Might I say that you NEVER fail to disappoint!! I enjoyed the trip via your pictures...and agree...what a wonderful vacation!

Love your billowy yellow skirt ~ favorite pics:

~the family one on the beach
~you & Carl on the beach
~the kiddos jumping action pics!!
~the sunset pic with Carl fishing (great photo opp!!!)

I love your sassy self and your pinch-my-cheeks adorable family!