spring break {staycation style}

I feel like I've mentioned before how much Julia loves school and is routinely questioning why weekends have to be two whole days long because she hates to be gone for such an extended period of time from her dear classroom, I guess. So! You can imagine her horror when she was staring down a week and a half of spring break purgatory. It may as well have been an eternity in her little mind and gosh, I can't wait to explain the whole summer break situation to her. But, we made it. And it was actually pretty pleasant.

Simon took his first week off since he started his fellowship and a few of his college friends (including this traveling duo) and their wives (and one baby!) came down to spend some time in our neck of the woods which worked out perfectly. They rented a little beach house near(ish!) our house for the weekend so we went and hung out during the day and were able to bring the kids back to their cribs and beds at night.

Remember our teal kitchen? Maybe not but I still love that family of turquoise and would paint our house this color in a heartbeat. The house went by the name, "Tiffany's" ... get it? I thought you would.

Anyway ... the kids were in beach heaven and the weekend was really laid back. Adam and Leslie cooked gourmet dinners like it was no big deal, "this isn't even cooking!" they laughed after we all expressed how impressed we were while I had to introduce them to my paltry "cooking" standards and heartily disagree. It was funny because when other grown-ups roasted a pan of broccoli the kids were all over it but when I dare to do such a thing ... closed-mouth "nope" complete with a head shake.

Pat and Dev playing catch while Bosco looks on and contemplates going off the grid/towel and eating some sand (which he did and then never did again).

Before some Natty Light may or may not have made an appearance ...

I never understood why some beachside restaurants have thick, clear string (fishing line maybe?) strung all over the tops of their open air patios but after the kids brought some leftover hotdog buns out to the beach ... I got it. The gulls can smell a crumb from miles away.

Theo had an unfortunate, "you'll laugh later, I promise!" moment when a particularly brave seagull dipped down and grabbed his entire string cheese from his hand several trips ago and I think he's still scarred because that bird was going to get that cheese -- with or without Theo's hand. Theo eventually let go but he was prepared for the sunset descent this time around ...

handful of sand. that'll show 'em.

the sunset was so pretty that even Simon was moved to bust out his rusty cellular camera. teach me your ways, sunset.

Some of his friends hung around for a few more days and they were able to go deep sea fishing where everyone (except Simon who has always claimed to have terrible fishing luck) caught fish that we were able to grill and eat for dinner one night over at our place.

I contributed a pan of box made brownies and gave everyone a little taste of those aforementioned standards (but seriously - nothing I ever make will compete with these. ever).

They also rented bikes and pedaled all around Tampa which is apparently pretty bike friendly in case anyone was wondering.

And, that was that! Phoebe, who is usually a hater of all strangers, really loved having them around and still asks for them by name which is seriously high praise in her picky little book. If anyone's in the market for spring break numero dos ... we're here.

I'll even creep around and snap some high resolution keepers with my phone for you.

Happy Wednesday!