Beach Vacation...Two years in a row of warm sandy beaches with our kids. It has been wonderful. We might be spoiling our kids a little and we may have set the bar really high for someday when they want to go on vacations. We may be indulging a little, but isn't that what you do with your kids and family? Enjoy them, splurge on them, experience special times and make special memories. We love our kids and hope they will cherish these family vacations. I know I am. Last year around this same time we enjoyed Hawaii with my parents. That was pure paradise. This year, we chose to take the kids to Florida.In 2013 we took the kids to Disney. Mark and I have gone to Clearwater a couple times. Mark loves Florida, so my Jamaica idea was out. I looked into a new location, a little farther south in hopes of warmer weather. We chose Fort Meyers and I found a condo off the beaten path on a harbor near Santibel beach.
Sunday evening we flew from Iowa, leaving behind temperatures in the teens. We walked off the plane in Punta Gorda right outside, welcoming the heat and humidity. We had a big lunch back in Iowa and stopped for a snack as we drove our rental car to our condo arriving around 11PM. We had to contact our travel agent in order to get a code to unlock our room. That could have been a problem. Condos are not like checking into a hotel. The condo was big and roomy with a kitchen, two bedroom, two bath, a spacious living room, and a nice balcony overlooking the beach and ocean. The location was ideal and isolated from the crowded beaches around. We had the awesome white sandy beach and quiet tiny waves. I would call it perfect. We didn't have maid service, but with a washer, dryer, and dish washer it was not problem. With a family of 5, when we have stayed in a hotel room, we are stepping on each other and going crazy. This felt more like staying in a little home.
Day one... we opened our deck doors to see the ocean, beach, and sun shinning. It was a glorious day and we couldn't wait to get our shorts on. I loved our condo with the patio and sliding glass doors. I had it open most of the time we were in the room. It was the perfect weather all week! First thing, went for brunch at a local diner, then went to our condo beach. Because our condo was off the beaten path, it was very quiet and isolated, I loved it that way. The kids didn't want sunblock at first. I finally sprayed them down and they still all managed to burn somewhere. It was 82 degrees and perfect sunshine. The sun felt amazing and there is something about your feet in the white soft sand that I love! We rested and read books while Luke played in the sand and gathered sea shells. Jake is getting older and for the first time he didn't play in the sand, but listened to music and sun bathed in the chair. It makes me kind of sad when they stop playing. Poor Luke had to play alone. We also took a dip in the pool. We have 3 pools to choose from and they are heated to the perfect temperature. Luke did some swimming while the rest of us floated around.We skipped lunch and went across to Sanibel island for dinner. We ate at a fish house. Before heading back, we got some ice cream at a famous little shop. It was still warm at 9PM. The forecast for our entire week was between 82 and 86!!
Day two... we went separate ways, Jayden and I did a little shopping along the Fort Meyers beach area while the boys went with Mark to a military museum. The traffic was heavy everywhere we go so everything takes twice as long to get there. The shops were all the typical souvenir shops. I think they are the same whether you are in Jamaica, Hawaii, or Florida. The only difference is the state sprawled across everything you buy. There can be ten different shops, but inside they are all the same merchandise, just displayed a little different. I got tired of shopping rather quickly. Fort Meyers beach was long and busy. I was surprised out how many people were out on the beach and again was thankful for our private beach at our condo. We all had some quiet time in the afternoon and everyone read a book. The boys did so begrudgingly. In the evening, everyone except mom went on a dinner Cruise called the Princess, located next door. I stayed in and had some quiet time with a book and my dinner of apples and peanut butter. I know how I feel on a boat and it is not worth it. I also enjoy a little peace and quiet. I sat out on the patio and watched the boats, listened to the water, watched the sunset, read, and blogged. I could spend every night sitting on a deck looking out into the water, it is so refreshing, my kind of relaxation!
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