Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale...

A tale of a happy trip...

That started from this tropic port...

Aboard this tiny ship...

Annnnnnnnnnnd..... that's gunna be all of the gilligan's island...

but we really did set out on a tiny ship, a boat taxi actually, (boat taxi? funny right?) to a little island called peanut island for a day.  It was a beautiful little paradise that was perfect for snorkeling, camping, and little bird's personal favorite...eating sand.

We have seen quite a few animals that are native to florida while we've been here. Here's our list:

1. Alligator

2.Egret

4. Needle Fish (gotta look closely for them)

5. Rat Snake (that Ari boldly touched!)

6. SEA TURTLES!

I told this turtle to "stick 'em up!"

 We visited the Loggerhead turtle rehabilitation center. 

 Turtles recovering from alcoholism come there.

that's a joke.

Turtles recovering from injuries involving shark bites, getting hit by a boat, or

sicknesses are bought there.

Have you ever seen a turtle on an IV before? Now you have.

This poor guy was hit by a boat and when they found him they discovered 2 lbs of sand as well as a live crab inside his cavity.

After the turtle museum Adriana and Luci were ready for the beach again. Unfortunately, Adriana grabbed her four-wheeler for some fun crusin in the sand when Luci decided  to build a sandcastle... Adriana was slightly disgusted in the fact that she had to hit the brakes...

on a different note......

Our Florida Adventure

Little bird and I are enjoying our time on this little island off the coast of Florida.  It may be very tough to go home and have considered just sending for our Papa Bear, puppy, and a few of our things...but then we realize that we would miss the rest of our dear family very much...

We are living the life.  When people talk or invision their happy place, well, let's just say I'm in mine... It helps that we have connections via my beautiful friend lauren and are able to experience this beauty with the least amount of tourist litter, if you know what I mean... 

We visited a new beach this last week that was off the inlet and was a perfect place for the babies to enjoy calm, peaceful water. It was a perfect place to relax, collect shells...maybe have a little picnic...  Lauren and I walked out in the mangroves a bit and found different kinds of snails and crabs...

Little bird even enjoyed a delightful snooze on the beach...(please note the big orange arrow pointing to her head..just in case you have trouble locating her...)

Nothing like a good nature walk for a fun vacation day.  My baby's first real "nature walk". I look forward to many more encounters with the big world for her in the future... It will be so fun to "re-experience" things with her as I'm sure many parents can relate to...

We spent a day at the John Mc. Arther State Park...

So glad we had Ranger Rick there to help discribe the many trees and wildlife.  Couldn't help but notice that everything he had to say was almost word for word from the video we watched in the nature center but he was a cute old man and you could tell he took his job very seriously....

This interaction is quite common between grayson and adriana. 

 He's kinda a get up in your face kind of guy...

Ari took this educational adventure very seiously and was sure to document everything she saw...I can't believe that I will turn around and my little baby will be doing these thing shortly...

The nature center at the park did a fish and turtle feeding that was fun to watch.  This is a little loggerhead sea turtle.

Can't remember what kind of fish this was but little bird enjoyed watching them...

The beauty of this place overwhelms me.  Can you imagine waking up and taking a jog to the beach every morning on this beautiful path? pictures really don't do justice.

Beware: extremely adorable surfer chic who is ready to hit the waves...or maybe just eat sand... :)

This last set of pictures are for my grandpa because he was concerned with the fact that adriana was not wearing a hat in some of her pictures.  Trust me, if she doesn't have a hat on then she has an ungodly amount of sunscreen on top of her almost bald head ;) but for those times when she forgets to apply sunscreen to her noggin she has mama's hat she can borrow...

the heart of a mother.

I'm honored to be able to write a few posts for my darling girl's blog...

This motherhood journey has been more than I could ever dream and it has only just begun.  Sometimes I can hardly believe that I am in this season of life. This little-old-ladies-stop-me-in-the-grocery-store-to-make-certain I-know- "best days of my life".

I was meant for this. 

God has blessed me with this child.  God chose me out of all other women to be Adriana's mother.

OK. The thought of that sometimes freaks me out...but thank goodness for grace.

That is one reason we chose her name... "adri" means "mountain" and "ana" means "grace"....

...we want more than anything for our daughter to encounter the majestic, unmerited favor that can only be extended through knowing her Heavenly Father... 

...strong in character, with beauty on the inside and out...

my husband and I haven taken up the task of training this child with grace.

I have had plenty of time on this vacation to think about the task at hand.  I've already felt the sting of days that are passing...moments that are gone...not to dwell with a heavy heart but to make the most of these days and gather up the memories and store them in my heart...

OK. so who wants to see more pictures of my baby on the beach? :)

I am learning to shoot in manual and have LOTS of practicing to do but here some

 shots from the last few days...

There's a reason she has the nickname 'little bird'... she looks pretty dang cute in a tree. :)

First experience with bubbles...

the beach.

so we have finally made it! it was well worth the drive. this is a completely different world from my home surroundings... different air... different plants...and instead of sweaters and indoors all day- i can be outside learning about the big world around me. i love the flowers and the trees. there is new beauty all around me.

luci and i plan to have long serious talks about dolls and learning to crawl or walk, out in the garden, while sipping tea.

trees are very new and interesting to me already and then i saw this tree. i have never seen anything like this before. the roots grow out of the branches and then down into the ground so that the tree spreads.

my very first site of the ocean was an emotional thing for me.  it is bigger than anything i've ever seen before and i'm glad that i was close to my mama.

sand is very....um...interesting.... and it doesn't taste so great either. just to let you know.

so we have the pleasure of enjoying this beach house while we are here on vacation. it is quaint and perfect. yes i did use the word quaint. i'm a seven-month-old with an extensive vocabulary...

so I have strongly considered hiring my mama to run my blog. she really enjoys photography, watching me grow, and making memories that will last forever.  she has agreed to write about our family growing, creating childhood for me, and someday hopefully i can look back and appreciate this thing we have started together. :)
so.......for a few of the next following posts she will write from her point of view...

with love, Adriana