Fun in Miami!

We had a GREAT time in Miami, so I thought I'd post a few pictures. Most of the pictures that I really love the girls won't let me post, so to protect their privacy and to preserve our relationship....I won't. :o/ It is so funny...because now when something funny (or humiliating) happens I hear a stern voice saying, "Mom, you better not blog this!" LOL Jeff worked alot of long hours so it was just the girls and I most of the time. I really missed being with him.

PRAISE the Lord my brother let me take his GPS, or I would have never found anything. People there drive FAST AND CRAZY, very aggressive. We took a rental car and my brother advised that we pay for the extra insurance. Although we did not have to use it, it helped with the stress level a bit while driving in the madness.

Our first day we just ventured out to Wal Mart and Sams,
reckon we can go anywhere and not go to Wal Mart? :o/
This was our first lesson in the fact that very few people speak
English as a first language,
if at all!!!
On day 2 we went to Bayside, that was pretty neat watching
all those beautiful yachts and sailboats coming in and out.

Bayside is also a neat shopping place catering to the tourist of course.

Another thing we learned quickly was that woman are very proud of their breast
and they want everyone to see them! lol...
This picture was taken while we were eating at Bayside...
actually we had alot of reactions like Olivia's here!
btw...this picture was NOT staged, Emma was taking the picture of us
and Olivia was shocked at something she saw...Too Funny!
We country folk live in such a bubble.

Day 3 we went drove up to Fort Lauderdale after spending the afternoon trying to find a place to park at Miami Beach or was it South Beach??? One of those.
How do people afford to live like that???
We ended up at Dania Beach and really enjoyed it,
once we found it, parking was a breeze!
Sooo...do you know what happens when you feed ONE bird?

You end up feeding DOZENS!

My child with no fear loved it!
She has always been like this and I think it is people like her that make great missionaries!!!
(I did not know when we named her Emma that it meant, Full of Energy!)

My peaceful child preferred to simply enjoy the view and reflect on deep thoughts...
that is until her sister insisted she get wet!
I won't post those pictures...lol...
(Olivia Katherine's name means pure and peaceful.)

My brother lives in a BEAUTIFUL gated community, it looks like a resort area!
This is Emma doing her water acrobats in the pool.
There were actually 3 pools, this one shaped like a big lagoon with 3 waterfalls,
one big regular pool for lap swimming and water aerobics,
then there is a kiddie pool and then the jacuzzi with it's own waterfall.
Too cool!

This is the only picture of Olivia swimming I will post. :o)
See how much I love you Liv?!

I sat poolside and worked on a new writing project.
It was so beautiful and QUIET, except for the waterfalls.
I did enjoy the jacuzzi and the heated pool!
Well... it was quiet until a woman undressed in front of us,
she was changing her clothes,
right there in the open...completely!
I thought the girls were going to have a stroke!
There were only about 5-6 people in the whole place,
I guess everyone has to work to pay for those million dollar houses!
They were beautiful.

In the middle of this community is a restaurant and lounge,
a weight room and the pools.
On the other side of the pools was a beach area with a lake and volleyball net.
It was really nice!

Here are the three of us...with our toes not painted completely! :oO
Every time we go on a trip now I have this lurking feeling of how our family is changing.
Joshua is 19 and has moved out of the house.
Olivia is 17...how many more family trips will we have?
I wonder if they will marry and move away? I just can't stand the thought!
We had alot of fun this past week and I am so enjoying the stage they are at,
but a part of me wants to freeze the time!
I LOVE being a mother.

This is Olivia's favorite past time.
She agrees strongly with Thomas Jefferson when he said,
"I cannot live without books!"

Emma favorite past time is HAVING FUN!
She had a good time with Uncle Jimmy's drums, his cats and his bird that keeps asking you, "What are you doing?"
Jimmy is not a quiet person. :o)
He and Emma have alot in common!

Olivia did a great job of cooking for all 9 us just about every night!
My sil is a Navy Officer with a very demanding job.
We tried to be good guest and chip in to do as much as we could as not to be a burden.

The last night we were there the guys knocked off work early
(most nights they got home between 11-1 am)
and my brother took us out to the
neatest restaurant, The Texas de Brazil!
These men walk around with different meats on a HUGE kabob like thing and serve you.
They have an incredible salad/seafood and cheese bar!
I don't even know what half the food was we had.
Incredible! Did I already say that?

Here is our nephew Axl with Olivia and Emma.
I can't believe the batteries in camera went dead while we were there! ugh!

Here are Axl and Tyler working Josh over.
What is it about boys and the need to wrestle? lol
2 on 1? Is that fair? :o)

Olivia and Emma were able to help Uncle Jimmy pack some equipment.
They enjoyed helping.

Emma logging the goods out.
(See Emma, I told you learning to write
your numbers would come in handy one day! lol...)

And here is the Mastermind (my brother) behind it all!

He works long and hard.
Don't forget if you need a new theater in your jet I can give you his number!

:o)

We had a GREAT time,
but I am glad to be back in
Home Sweet Home Alabama!