Vacation

Ahhhh vacation. What a great word. This lovely shot is the sunrise over Fort Lauderdale beach last week. Ain't it grand?

I had the opportunity to attend a conference there and was able to add a couple of extra days for a little personal time. How fortunate for me and my hubby.

I love, love, love the beach. The sand, the sun, the trees, and the wonderful sound of the waves crashing into the shore. I think I could just sit there for hours and hours just watching and listening. But alas, my nose gets too red - even with sunscreen. So I had the chance to love the beach and ocean in small doses.

The hotel we stayed at was literally across the street from the beach. We stayed at the BahiaMar. A great resort hotel. The conference was held there so that made it even better! We would attend sessions from 8:00 to 3:30 or 4:00 every day - then we had evenings free. I think I swam in the ocean every day we were there (except one - I had to rest my poor sunburned back!). My idea of a great time.

David and I took a little bit of time on Saturday and drove to the closest part of the Everglades and did something EXTREMELY fun. We rode on one of those airboats. I always think of Flipper when I think about airboats... Seems like I remember the dad on that show being a ranger or something and riding around on one. Hmm...

We also accomplished something else I wanted to do. See alligators in their natural environment. Our guide took us out in the swampy glades and sure enough there they were. So cool. Personally I could have just riden around on that airboat all day long. It rode so smooth and the landscape was just so different from everything in Oklahoma! THEN as you can see by the photo I got to hold an alligator! It was a small one. And yes, they had taped it's little mouth shut so it wouldn't bite. (Do you think I would be holding it any other way?) It was amazing. Just like the first time I held a big snake, I was amazed at how soft and smooth it was. The guide said stroke up under it's neck and feel how soft it was there. Simply amazing. And I just realized I have used the word amazing or some form of that word way too many times in this last paragraph. But it was.

It was time to come home all too soon. But then we turned right around and went to Branson for 4 days. Ahhh vacation. This time we didn't try to jam a lot of stuff in and we were staying with our daughter and her husband in his bosses' condo that is right on the golf course. Very relaxing and such a beautiful place. Dave loves to go out on the patio and watch the golfers.

Jamie and I shopped a lot and the guys played golf. We found a cute set of kiddy golf clubs at the Disney store there and Alyssa had a blast playing around with them. She thought she was really something rolling her little bag around with the pink and purple plastic clubs and yellow golf balls.

And then back home we came. I must admit I was ready to get back home. We really only had a pit stop between trips - long enough to wash the necessary laundry and then pack it back for round 2!

It's back to work for both of us this week. Tonight I am taking a quiet rest - no one here - Dave at work - Dan gone on vacation with Ryan. So it's just me and my buddy Joe. I think I may get to bed before midnight tonight! Sweet dreams everyone.