Spring Break!!!

Oh what fun!!!!

Here we are; getting in the car again, but this time to the airport!  We have been so excited to have a little break from EVERYTHING.  I know Nick doesn't look like it, but he had fun, too.  After state wrestling we had a few days of appointments; dentist, eyes, and hair - you know, the usual fun things.  Then we got ready for some sunshine!

Gracie with me at the airport

We didn't fly out until Thursday 3/30 late afternoon/evening, so had plenty of time to get ready on Thursday.  Deb was nice enough to come pick us up from the airport at 11:30pm.  Ugh.

The next day, Nick and I drove up to Gainesville to watch Mizzou Tennis and the kids stayed back to have a fun day with Gramma Deb.  I think they went kayaking and spent some time in the pool.

Sitting in the hot tub and eating pizza; not a bad day.

More time by the pool

Thumbs up for pizza

Gainesville is nowhere near the ocean, but I caught a pretty sunset by a lake!

The tennis match was pretty uneventful and Mizzou lost, but I'm glad I went to see the girls play.  It was fun to support them.  Nick and I went to "The Swamp" bar and grill downtown.  It was fine and they had a big screen outside to watch the women's NCAA basketball game.  I think it was one of the final 4 games.  We returned home around 8:30pm and the rest of the night was pretty uneventful.

The following day we spent time at 2 different beaches and Nick found another great place to eat!  The Lazy Lizard!!!  Great food, really good drinks, and right by a river.  We had a great afternoon!

More thumbs up from Gracie

No hesitation from her about getting in the water.

The first place we went to was a small reservoir - not really the ocean, but it was great to be in the sun on the beach.  It makes me pretty happy.

Yes!!!  

Owen was pretty quiet.  I think he was still tired and just took a nap in the sun.

He did not get nearly as fried as Gracie, though.

Happy girl!

Did I mention that I love the sun and being warm!

Gracie stole my phone and took a .5

The arm looks so weird in these pics.

This is where we at a very late lunch.  There were turtles all over in the river.

It was so great to sit outside and eat.

On to the Next Beach

Hernando Beach

We went further north this time and found Hernando Beach.  Again, no hesitation from Gracie to get into the water.  Owen actually got in here after some encouragement from his dad. :)

Nick and Gracie having fun

Gracie and Owen in the water

Finally some smiles from Owen!

Gracie and Deb enjoying the day.

More fun in the sun/water

Owen prefers the pool, always has.

He spent hours in the pool.

Playing with the hot tub jets.

One more day in the sun.

Our trip was short and we spent the last day at John's Pass/Medeira Beach.  After some pretty poor service at Bubba Gump's, we went back to the beach one last time.  Gracie got in the ocean again with Nick and Deb, Owen, and I enjoyed the sun from the sand.

Stackable cups, who knew???

Getting his feet wet in the ocean

Gracie and Nick having fun

Playing catch with dad.

Smiles from Owen again.

We brought Flat Stanley!!!

We almost forgot to take pics.

But remember on our way back to the airport.

The past two years have been brief visits to Florida, but I never regret when we decide to go.  I just need that little bit of sun and warmth to get me through to our summer.  I am actually still paying for it... my skin will not stop peeling even though it has been two weeks.  We got to see Deb's new house and her roommate, DeAnne!  Lots of fun with family.

When we returned, we jumped right back in.  Owen is doing track, and freestyle wrestling practices.  Gracie is doing softball and will hopefully be able to start practicing basketball again soon.  Owen was supposed to go to a track meet the Wednesday that we got back, but asked his coach about missing due to a prior commitment... wrestling banquet.  However, since then, he has only been to one track meet.  They have to limit the participants who compete, and only take the top two entries from each grade level for most meets.  He hasn't made that list yet.  He did get to try throwing shot last week....I'll include more of that later.  Back to the wrestling banquet.  

CWC puts on such a good banquet each year, and I am so thankful to be part of it.  We get one more year of it before Owen is done with youth wrestling.  This year, Owen received a couple awards.  He was recognized for raising money for the Pin Cancer campaign that they do each year.  He raised enough money to earn a back pack and hoodie from the organization.  He also was recognized for his 3rd place finish at state, and was the 12U outstanding wrestler this year.  He had a great competitive season!

Owen and Nick after the banquet

Owen with Bryce after the banquet.

Bryce was the 14U Outstanding Wrestler.  

They will both be 14U next year.  I can't wait to see what they can do. They are so fun to watch.

A little Easter fun

Gracie went to spend some time at Chase's house the night before Easter, and Owen was home with us.  I was being a little sarcastic when I asked him if he would like to color some Easter eggs.  To my surprise, he was all about it!  We found an old box of dye in our pantry and he owned the Easter egg dying process!  He even tried the tie dye, but it didn't work out very well.

Tie-dying Easter eggs didn't really work.  They just ended up purple.

But he seems so excited about it.

The regular process worked much better.

Easter morning there was chocolate and we went to church - the first time since sometime in January, I think.  Both kids wanted to go and were excited to not have to go to the 8am service like we did last year.  After church, we came home briefly to change and get Ruby and then headed to the lake to see my parents.  We had lunch there and I sat in the sun with my mom the rest of the afternoon while others napped.  :)  

Owen and Gracie after church

He doesn't look like he is enjoying the moment

Nick is missing... he did go to churc with us.

And here they are, both happy.

and silly.

It must have been hard getting up to go to church.

Nick and Owen taking their nap.

This is strange...usually it's Gracie taking a nap.

This was not on Easter, but a great sunrise, regardless of the day.

 We are moving on with spring.  We'll see how many track meets Owen gets to go to; I honestly don't think he really wants to go except that is time spent with his friends.  I'm kind of bummed that he doesn't get to go to all of them, but on the other hand, that means I have a little more freedom and he can go to more wrestling.  I guess it all works out.  He will continue with both track and wrestling in the evenings through the first week in May.  

Gracie will have a softball tournament in Columbia this coming weekend that she is pretty excited for.  The first weekend in May, she is supposed to have a basketball tournament and softball tournament, and also a spring choir concert.  That is also the weekend of Mizzou's grad sash reception and alternative graduation.  Should be a crazy busy weekend.  

I can't believe we are less than three weeks away from classes being done at Mizzou.  It is going to fly by.  Nick and I were finally able to sit down this weekend to plan out June and July for traveling/softball.  However, we still do not have any information about SBC basketball for the summer.  We'll have to fit that in somehow, too.  June and July will be a little bit crazy.  But we have to get through the rest of April and May first.