Marco Island!

Well, we're back. Last Monday we left for 5 days and met Jeff's parents in Florida. Marco Island, Florida, to be exact. I don't think there was a cloud in the sky for all 5 days. The weather was warm and resort was super family friendly. We can't think of a thing we'd change. Well, maybe one...when they started playing Christmas music the day after Thanksgiving, and you hear, "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas" while laying out by the pool, it just doesn't have the same effect.

We stayed at the Marriott resort there and they had endless amounts of fun things for the kids to do. Every night at 7 pm, they did a movie on a big blow-up screen by the pool. We caught Madagascar, Charlie Brown's Thanksgiving and Herbie Fully Loaded. Delaney watched all of Herbie from the pool.

The first day there, Grandma took Delaney to get her hair done. Not only did it look super cute, but I can't believe how maintenance free it made her hair for the whole trip.

She is still sportin' the look here at home and is thrilled to pieces when someone mentions it to her.

My older kiddos are pretty low-maintenance when it comes to vacation at the beach. All they want to do is go to the beach or the pool. Every day. All day. They never get bored. Here's Jackson working on one of many sand castles for the week.

And enjoying one of the two pools they had at the resort. I've never been to the Gulf Coast of Florida, but the sand is as white and soft as flour. Plus, there are more sea shells to collect that you can imagine. Delaney loved collecting them and spent most of her days collecting, cleaning and organizing them all. Little bit OCD (we think she gets this from her Grandpa Critt).
This picture of Addie Cate makes me want to nibble on her all day long.

This is the reaction we got when we dipped Addie's pigs into the cold beach water.

We got a much better reaction when she went into the pool. They kept it at bath temperature, because us crazy Northerners come down and come heck or high water...we're swimmin'! I love her bathing suit ($3 on clearance at Carter's) and the big kids couldn't keep their hands off her in the pool. All in all, it was a successful first swim for Miss Addie.

Thanksgiving at the resort was great. That morning they did cider and donuts for the kids in the lobby, while showing the Macy's parade on a big screen. It didn't last long for Jackson and Delaney (too many commercials!), but the food was good. Thanksgiving dinner was perfect. Neither I, nor my mother-in-law, love to cook. So, we didn't feel like we were missing out on getting to prepare a feast. The hotel had a yummy Thanksgiving Buffet that was more food than we could even sample. And the best part, as Barbara reminded us, we didn't have to clean up, either!

All in all, it was a great week. We left wishing for more and we're now home to snow today. I suppose the consolation prize is the fact it's now the Christmas season. Snow is okay with me as long as it's Christmas. Come December 26th, though, I'm going to be ticked at this weather.


Thanks Grandma and Grandpa for a wonderful week! We love getting to spend time with you!