Florida Part 2

1) Josie met a dog named Josie. 2) The whole gang. We have grown from a group of 4 to a group of 9!

When we visit Florida - we always look forward to seeing our good friends Jeff & Jaime Moses. Our friendship goes back to our days at IU. We've spent plenty of FUN times with them over the years. It has been SO fun watching our families grow together over the past 6 years!

 Our crew...Landon (2), Nolan (1.5), Josie (4), Cameron (5), and Jack (6).

We spent the morning on the beach! It was crazy fun! After the kids were completely worn out - we headed off for a late lunch and ice cream. Then we let them burn off their sugar highs at a park... Our drive home was a 15 minute battle to keep everyone's eyes open. And my kids were ALSEEP by 6:45pm.

We HEAR that the Mosi will be planning a trip up north this fall. (If I write it on the internet - then it MUST be true). Come NORTH, Moses family! We can't wait to show you MICHIGAN!

Celebrating 10 years in Cancun!

Once upon a time - two boys with backpacks met on a bus in Bloomington... They were Kelley MBA students. They both loved sports. They were both married to teachers. And the rest is history. 

We met our friends Jeff & Jaime in 2006 while we were in Bloomington. We shared lots of fun times. Lots. Then we parted ways. They were off to NYC, then Miami. We were off to Detroit, then Fort Wayne...and then back to Detroit. But they're life-long friends and we do our best to see them as often as we can...preferably in tropical locations.

Between us - we have 19 years of marriage (9 for them, 10 for us) and FIVE kids (4 boys and Josie). We had a good reason to plan a vacation to Cancun, so we did.

Jaime and I started the vacation off right. Our first time flying First Class. (Thanks, Jeff!)

Once we arrived - we ate some lunch, enjoyed some drinks, lounged by the pool, and enjoyed the ocean. Then we pretty much just repeated that for 3 days in a row...

The "dads" looking out over the infinity pool into the Caribbean Sea.

Happy 10 years...or close enough...to us! I had a "bucket list" moment - when we went to the beach one night after dinner and a baby sea turtle was hanging out in the oceanside shower. It's hatching season and some babies were being held in a crate (to be released)...and this one happened to escape the crate. I picked him up. I touched a sea turtle!!!

This was an intense game of Backgammon. And also a drink called a "Barney" - not recommended.

The "moms" - right after about 12 banana-coladas...and before our mid-afternoon cabana nap, poolside. It was an AMAZING time. Always fun to get away, enjoy some adult conversation, adult beverages, great food, and peace.

We are home again now. Thankful to Grandma Nancy & Grandma Shirlee - who took care of the kids while we were gone.  We are already planning another trip...but this time I think the GRANDPAS will be on duty.

Naples

On Monday we headed West to Naples for a fun beach day with our good friends - the Moses family. Tyson & I met Jeff & Jaime when the husbands were at the Kelley School of Business together.  Jeff & Tyson rode the bus together (isn't that cute?) and Jaime & I became fast friends. We lived it up in Btown! Now they live in a suburb of Miami and we LOVE seeing them when we visit the Sunshine State. They have TWO adorable little boys - Cameron (3) & Landon (5mths).

We spent the day playing on Naples Beach! The boys played in the sand, took a walk to the Naples Pier for ice cream with their daddies, and had a really fun time squirting each other. Josie loved the ocean for the first 15 minutes - then took a big gulp of salt water and didn't think it was AS great after that. She still had fun running around the beach.

It was so fun to see the kids together and to catch up with our good friends. We hope the weather in Michigan warms up soon, so we can lure them north for a lake weekend!

After the beach, we ate a late, light lunch. Josie slept through most of it. She was SO tired. Not only did she play hard on the beach, she also had to make sure her mommy didn't hold baby Landon. (let's just say, it got ugly when I did hold him...poor Josie) Tyson & Jeff left the restaurant early with Cameron & Jack...but they didn't make it far. They were quickly sidetracked for some ice cream along 5th Ave. The boys thought they hit the jackpot - TWO ice creams in ONE day!

After the beach, we headed north a bit to Uncle Jon's Bachelor Pad. He lives in a gorgeous house! Jack thinks Uncle Jon is awesome because instead of having a boring old dining room table - he has a ping pong table. So fun!

Jack tried to win over the dogs by playing some fetch. Blade seems to be enjoying his new {warm} home.

We left the three dogs (Hogan, Hunter, & Blade) at Jon's house and went out for a quick bite. Dinner was interrupted by a phone call from one of Jon's neighbors informing us he had Hunter. It seems Hogan {aka: Houdini} opened the front door and let all of the dogs out. They were "terrorizing" the neighborhood. Jon & Dad rushed back to coral them.

It was definitely a fun and exciting day in Naples! So good to see so many people we MISS SO MUCH!

Miami (Part 2)

Part Two of our trip was visiting some of our FAVORITE people - Jeff & Jaime Moses (and their son, Cameron). We call them "the Mosi" and they were our buddies when we lived in Bloomington. It has been TWO years and we finally met Cameron. Finally.

Tyson was missing Jack, so Cameron let him fly him all over the house like Superman. Win, win.

 Isn't he the cutest?? I think he and Jack would have a blast together!

The Mosi

On our way to the airport - we passed this… I think Florida wanted us to stay. They named a road after us.

And on a final note, I'm am officially NOT FRIENDS with Mother Nature. It's snowing right now. Like HUGE flakes of snow. I'm so over you, Winter. Move along.