August 13

I feel like it has taken an entire week for me to recover from being gone on vacation for a week. I got unpacked "right away" and of course, did the laundry that needed to be done, but from then on I feel like I've been a race horse going around a track. Getting ready for school, keeping up with summer activities like swimming and friends, not letting the yard be neglected, looking in Michael's drawers and realizing that all of his clothes are too small, staying on top of all of the ordinary tasks that don't thrill me like dishes and mopping - these are the things that have kept me busy these past few days. I'm waiting for a moment for it to all slow down so that I can catch my breath before school starts next week!! I'm really looking forward to school starting again, but I keep trying to remind myself that summer isn't over yet. We still have a few days, and thankfully the big girls are home with us this weekend so we can have a final summer celebration. Today we are going to ride our bikes over to school because the class lists for the big girls have been posted. This is such a fun time for them to find out which friends they are in class with.

Today is my sweet niece Brittany's birthday. She is 9 and "oh so FINE". I remember driving out to Nebraska very early in the morning to see her shortly after she was born. I remember being on the phone with Lisa as she was starting labor, and then Lisa called me an hour or so later and Brittany had already been born - I couldn' t believe how fast she had been born. Brittany was a very beautiful and very "long" baby. She is 9 months younger than Marky, and seemed inches longer when she was born. She still is much taller than Marky and is still so very beautiful!! So... Happy Birthday, sweet Brittany. You are precious to me and I love you. I hope that your birthday is as sweet and special as you are.

Michael

Michael told us many times on this trip that he was a big boy. And really, he was! He walked every where, slept good, ate the same food that we ate, sat on the plane in his own seat the whole flight - it was my first vacation that I didn't feel like we had a baby with us. He really is a big boy!

Back home

We traveled to Florida and back and had the best time ever. I think that it is always so good to get away and come back refreshed and ready to face the same old stuff with a new spirit. It is always exhausting to get everything and everyone ready to go on vacation, but the memories that we make and the fun that we have is always worth it. Some of the highlights of our trip were...
1. This was our first trip that we didn't take a stroller - everyone walked! (except when they "had" to be carried somewhere.)
2. Our big rental car - a Tahoe - which was initially called by Marky a "taco". The kids liked driving in something other than a van.
3. Seeing Grandpop Henricks, cousins Trase and Trisdyn, and Aunt Lynn and Uncle Stephen.
4. The drive to Naples was shorter this time. 2 hours instead of 5
5. Coming down the street to our favorite spot - the Ritz Carlton
6. Sleeping until 10:00 am one morning!
7. Michael got his first pair of flip flops
8. Ritz Carlton staff in the hotel and at the pool and on the beach.
9. Canoeing on the canal
10. Mommy and Daddy getting pictures taken on the beach.
11. Cable tv in the hotel room
12. playing video games with Trase
13. 90 degree ocean water
14. no sunburn or sickness!!!!!
15. the house was clean (just like mommy left it) when we got home!!!