Beach Day 1

 Greetings from our ocean side paradise. After a smooth morning of travel, which may be the first time this has occurred for our little family, we quickly settled into our high rise by the sea. The apartment is amazing, full of space for us to spread out with a beautiful view. We have access to two wonderful pools (assuming I can get the boys out of the ocean.)

To be completely honest, I would be happy to spend my days in the pool. I love to look at the ocean, but I hate walking on the sand and swimming in its waves. I quickly become unbalanced and uncomfortable in my prosthesis at the beach. I would much rather look at the ocean from the comfort of a warm pool.

Unfortunately, the boys do not hold my same opinion on the beach. They are all excited to hit the surf. I'll be there, trudging behind and watching them from a beach chair. I will probably get in the water a little bit, but not enough to become submerged. Thankfully Scott loves the ocean, so I am happy to let him take the lead on these activities.

The weather is shaping up to be beautiful. I'm sure we are going to have a fabulous day (even if it is on the sand.)  Stay tuned for pics!

 

Heading South

We are packed up, excited and ready to head to Florida. To say that we are excited would be an understatement.  Timmy has been begging to go to the beach for several years. Robby is eager to return to his sea turtle beach. Scott and I are looking forward to hearing the ocean and unwinding for a few days. Although, when you vacation with kids, unwinding rarely becomes a reality.

Yesterday I spent the majority of the afternoon packing, repacking and then fretting about what we packed. By the time the sun began to set I called an end to packing, zipped up the suitcase and put it into the car. I know that I packed the essentials (medications, water leg and puppy blanket) so if we forgot anything else we can pick it up in Florida.

This morning we are hopping onto a plane and heading south. Wish us luck!

Vacation Bound

Yesterday was hot. I'm talking 106 heat index hot. Normally I would have been miserable, but instead I was happy and comfortable in our pool. (Have I mentioned how happy I am to have a pool?)

I knew that the temperatures were going to soar, so I woke up early to get my work done. By the time everybody started to roll out of bed I had already clocked five hours. I was able to log off after lunch to play for a few hours. In the evening I finished my work while the boys were tuckered out from the heat and the pool.

I'm not a morning person, but my summer schedule is working beautifully. Of course, just as I'm starting to get back into the groove of a routine it will be disrupted. Tomorrow we are heading to Florida for a few days. It has been several years since we visited the beach, and everybody is excited for this long overdue vacation. (I will still be working, but the oceanfront scenery certainly will be an upgrade from my couch.)

While we are in Florida, my sister and her kiddos will be vacationing at our house. Between the woods, the stream and our pool, they are going to have a great time. As a bonus, I don't have to secure a cat sitter and my pool shouldn't be green when we return home. 

Our vacation begins in about 26 hours and I'm feeling overwhelmed with everything that needs to be done. After working and swimming, I will be busy packing and getting the house ready for our house guests. I am going to stock the pantry with their favorite snacks and treats. After all, I have to keep my status as World's Best Aunt!

18th Ampuversary

 After a long trip to Ohio and two plumbing disasters, I was in desperate need of a respite. On Friday the boys and I piled into the car and drove to visit my Mom. Robby and Timmy were excited to spend time with their cousins while I was eager to unwind and relax. Sometimes, there is nothing better than going home to visit your mom!

On Saturday I celebrated my 18th Ampuversary. It is hard to comprehend that so much time has passed since my amputation. Every year on July 3 my mind drifts back to that difficult day. As much as I try to celebrate overcoming and thriving, I can't help but remember the fear and uncertainty that I felt in 2003. I have never been one to dwell, but once a year I feel an avalanche of painful memories. 

In spite of my Ampuversary, we had a great time at my Mom's house. Robby and my niece laughed and schemed throughout the weekend. They enjoyed late nights of TV watching and card games. We even managed to squeeze a few mini adventures into our short visit. Between some mischievous activities that cannot be revealed (wink wink), trips to Dave and Buster's and setting off fireworks, we unofficially kicked off our summer of adventures.

Today I'm back home and back to reality. It is always hard to leave, but it is equally as comforting to be home again. In a few weeks we will return to my Mom's for an extended visit. I can't wait!