~Elyssa's 5th Birthday Bash~

Elyssa woke up to balloons, got dressed in her big girl 5 year old outfit she picked out the night before, and headed off to celebrate her birthday with her preschool class.  After a yummy lunch we had our regular rest/art/movie time and then did VIP and backwards birthday presents with the family.

Elyssa was excited to give her presents to her siblings, and was super excited to open her present and cards from generous grandparents and aunties.

Then we loaded into the car and made our way to Omaha!  She was thrilled to swim with the family in the hotel pool in the middle of freezing January.  Though we had just been at a beach a few weeks before in Florida, there is also something fun about swimming in the warm clear water of a swimming pool.  

Everybody had a great time, so great that no one wanted to hold still long enough to really get a picture.  :-)

Elyssa very specifically said she wanted a Merida cake, Merida being the awesome princess from the movie, Brave.  I came up with a couple different ideas, but ultimately she said she wanted a white cake with green frosting, sprinkles and a Merida doll on top.  

Her wish was my command and she couldn't have been happier.

Then we watched movies and ate pizza and popcorn in bed there at the hotel room before falling asleep.  She thought it was a pretty awesome way to end her special day.

The next morning we headed off to the Omaha Zoo with beautiful weather and just about every person in Omaha.  Opps!  Turns out it was free day at the zoo and with the unseasonably warm weather everyone came out of the woodworks to see the animals.  We still had fun, but have learned our lesson to check the schedule before heading out next time. :-)

~Florida: Evening on the Beach~

Our last evening in Florida we made our way back over to the beach to take pictures and watch the sun set.  It was actually a lot cooler that day and with my achy pregnant body I wasn't about to get in the water, but the kids didn't seem to mind too much and still wanted to wear their swimsuits.

Seaweed collecting was a favorite pastime for Elyssa. She is a beach girl, like her mama.

Kungfu fighting?  Not sure what the little man was doing in these pictures. 

Grandma was there to make sure she didn't get swept away.  :-)

The kids used the sand and seaweed to build fairy beds or nests.

Our best attempt at a group shot.  Love Alec and Elyssa's faces.  

Then we tried to take some pictures of just our family, but the kids were feeling way to goofy to just stand and smile.  Lyssa has to be the best part of this picture.  

None of them were exactly wall worthy, but I think we still had fun.  

Nick and I have pictures of the two of us snuggled together at every beach we have ever been too. This was not going to be the exception just because I was pregnant.

Daddy and his daughters.  I must have been standing on higher ground here because I am not as tall as my sister.

I've never been one to take belly shots while pregnant.  I don't mind that other people do it. I just don't feel comfortable with it myself, but Ryan snapped this one really quick and painlessly and I actually think it's a beautiful picture.  If only that was a large as I ever get pregnant!  This was me, just over half way and is one of the only pregnant belly shots of me in existence.  Way to take a one and only, Ryan!

Beautiful Erin, a month behind me, expecting her first child, a sweet baby girl.  I was beyond thrilled when she told me.  I may have even cried.  

At a certain point I looked over and saw Elyssa having this beautiful moment and simply had to take a picture.  She was just staring off at the clouds and that beautiful place where the ocean meets the land, taking in natures beauty.  

Then I sent the other two munchkins to sit by her.  They are always so cute together.

This picture became my new computer desktop photo.  Two little monkeys, snuggled up being sweet together, with one little monkey calmly looking out at the world.  

We made our way back to the house, packed up our bags and prepared for the journey home.  We woke up before the dawn and drove back across the keys, up the coast to the airport in time to make our flights to our respective homes.  I wanted to cry when I hugged my parents goodbye at the airport, and some of my children may have shed a tear or two.  It's never long enough!  It was a beautiful vacation and a wonderful way to end 2012.  

Thank you, Grandma and Grandpa!  

We love you more than all the grains of sand in the ocean.

~Florida: Farmers Market & Key West~

After a long day before on the beach some of us were a little slow getting our sunburned bodies going, but eventually we were ready and out the door to experience the sites and sounds of Key West!  These chipper people were up and at them a bit earlier, with plenty of time to catch this darling grandparent/grandkid photo.  

First stop was at an outdoor market on Big Piney Key. 

We checked out the handy work of the locals (as well as some not so locals probably working in sweat shops across the ocean) and picked up some hats for the kids, a Florida Keys beach towel, and some pretty silver butterfly jewelry for me. 

We also got lots and lots of tiny bananas and fresh amazing strawberries that I quickly devoured.

Once we made our way down and across Key West, we took a tour of Ernest Hemmingway's home.  

Pregnant sisters after checking out the gardens and graveyard for the Hemmingway five toed cats.  

Picture depicting the Hemmingway house, covered in five toed cats.

This was a corner of the upstairs in the guest house, where Hemmingway escaped to do his writing.

An attempt at taking a family picture in the beautiful gardens.

Erin and Ryan at the Hemmingway house, our amazing tour guides/photographers for the trip.

Another attempt at a family picture.  The asian tourists couldn't help but gawk at us with our three young children and my big swollen belly.  

I'm pretty sure I actually noticed a few of them attempting to sneak a picture.  

We did more exploring around the historic parts of town, with lots of walking and merrymaking happening all around us.  The kids liked this old schooner, and were bummed they couldn't climb it.

Instead they went with Nick and Grandpa Steve in the ocean ship salvage museum and saw all sorts of cool things, like a giant heavy block of silver grandpa picked up.  Alec was impressed with his strength.

Is all this pirate treasure?  Huh?

After climbing many many steps the kids made it to the top of the look out tower.

This was a zoomed in view of those of us who decided to stay down below.  My legs were so terribly swollen and painful with the heat, humidity.  It was nice to take a break for a bit and relax.

What a beautiful view!

After messing around in the historical square...

We eventually made our way back to our cars.  It was quite the walk Nick, Cordy, Grandma and I did to get to our car with all the chaos and partying starting on the streets as the evening rolled in, but eventually we made it and took our tired bodies home to bed. 

~Florida: Beach & Canal Kayaking~

One of the biggest draws for me to go to the Florida Keys was the beach.  Where land meets water is pretty much my happy peaceful place, my center.  I love watching waves crash into the shore, the tides going back and forth.  I also loved the warmth and sunshine that come along with southern Florida in December.  Just what my pregnant weary mind needed.  We had a blast spending a day on the beach.

Jumping waves with pool noodles.  Genius!

The ever patient Ryan being buried by my darling Cordy.

Erin and Ryan in their coordinating glory.  So fun to be pregnant with my lovely sister.

Grandpa Steve got in on the water squirting action.  Alec and Elyssa loved it!

Taking it easy with my girls in my pregnant glory.  I was just sad I couldn't lay down flat and soak up the sunshine on my back, but such is the way of being very pregnant.

Sandcastle building with brilliant blue skies.

Seashell searching.  The seaweed was full of beautiful shells!

Taking a stroll down the beach with one boy in my belly and one holding my hand.  

Wave jumping!
Alec has no idea how lucky he is to have a grandma strong enough to do this with him.  

We walked over to the tidal pools and actually saw a few hand sized crabs.  So cool!

We also saw tons of tiny little hermit crabs and talked about the Eric Carle book "A House for Hermit Crab"  that we have read a million time over at home.  It was fun to see the book play out in reality.

The rocks were quite slippery and Cordy is fearless.  Grandma was a great help at keeping her safe.

After we got our fill of the beach we headed back to the house for showers and some kayaking around in the canals behind the house.

We saw all sorts of fish and Alec claimed many times over that he saw lemon sharks.  Not sure about the lemon sharks, but whatever they were they looked cool. 

These little monkeys were all DESPERATE to get a turn in the kayaks 

The girls went first with Nick and Ryan.

Alec was desperate to go with Grandma, but she was a little nervous being out with him alone so Grandpa Steve came along.

Erin and I were both a little more cautious than our husbands, and donned lifejackets with our pregnant bellies.  

Another fabulous, warm day in Florida. 

Next up Key West!