Here are a few pictures I took while we were waiting for the fireworks on the beach.

The following clips will probably bore most of you... but they are specifically for my husband who could not be with the kids on their first visit to the ocean. Honey -I missed you being there!

"Well, if Eli and Faith can surf on a surf board, so can I"
This is the whole crew in the water. Have you ever tried watching 7 kids at a beach? Forget relaxing!
Jacob spent hours trying to learn to surf. It is much harder then it looks!
This is what happens when you take real lessons and live on a beach!
Ri enjoyed playing in the sand. He met this little boy. It was funny to see them play together. Neither said a word and neither really interacted, but they seemed to enjoy being around each other.
The little boy had spent the morning collecting shells and discovered a few critters in those shells. He had fun showing them to Ri.
Elizabeth and Ri played in the sand, but Elizabeth enjoyed the waves much more.
This is Elizabeths first expression when she stood in the ocean. She was in awe.
Erin is one of Emily's "charges" for the week. She joined us at the beach for Elizabeth & Ri's first experience.
We were the only ones who wanted to head out early.
Jacob was very, very sweet with Ri.
Our friends from California flew into Florida for a Disney Cruise. We discovered that we could meet before they boarded the boat. We met for breakfast. It was so much fun. The kids (except for Emily) have not seen each other for 2 years. In a week, they are flying to Ohio and spending 6 days with us! Yeah!
Elizabeth warmed up to Sam as soon as Sam started playing games with her. She was wonderful with Elizabeth and Ri (you can sure tell that she has younger siblings!)
Here is the group of all the kids that met up for breakfast. We were missing Sam and Erin and Jacob
Christy and I could not believe how much the girls looked alike. They are just precious together.

Things have been very calm and laid back. That is a bit unusual for me. It is a very strange feeling; one I think I am really enjoying. I have found that I have much more patience and calmness. There is something about Florida or my brother's house that just puts a calming "balm" around me. I can't figure it out, but there is something. We have been here since 9:30pm Sunday night. We have spent 3 days doing nothing other then sit by the pool and watch tv and relax. We did make a trip to an outlet mall for a couple of hours, but that is about it. I tried to take the kids to the beach, but Jacob and Emily both insisted we not go. We will be spending Friday-Sunday on the beach in a condo, so they just wanted to hang here and relax. My neice and nephew are at a camp all week long. They don't get home until 3:30 every day, so it is kind of quiet around here. Elizabeth and Ri have discovered the joy of Faith's Littlest Pet Shop animals. She has a container full of them and a house that they can go in.... they have spent hours and hours playing with them.

Emily has been blessed with an opportunity to earn $500.00 while we are here. She has been hired by friends of my brother & sister-in-law to babysit for 5 days. She begins tomorrow. She is very excited. The family has a gorgeous home, a pool and a hot tub in their backyard, she has access to their car and a golf cart. The kids are at camp Thursday and Friday and Monday during the day until 5:00 and they go to bed at 9:00. Emily is so good with young kids. These 2 are in 2nd and 3rd grade. I think Emily will have a lot of fun.

Sam is really missing not being here. I feel so badly that he and Mark can not come. I feel bad for Erin as well, but part of the reason the other 2 can not come is because Erin had to be dropped off at a soccer camp on June 28th. There was no flexibility. We were going to all come at the end of July; everyone would have been able to come then. It was Mark and I's decision for Erin to attend the camp. In fact, we almost insisted she go. So, it isn't really her fault; but the end result is that neither Mark nor Sam could come. I even went so far to see if I could get Sam and Mark here on a one-way ticket. Unfortunately, Mark can NOT get off work until July 13th. We are coming home July 11th.

I have not been able to speak with Erin much, that has really been hard on me. I only recieved text messages for the first 2 days and none of them encouraged me. I got a very broken cell phone call and I couldn't tell if she was in tears or if the reception was so bad that I just couldn't understand her. So... I have been aching, hoping and praying that her week went well. The heat in Alabama is incredibly more intense then she has ever played before! But I spoke with her last night and felt much better. I finally heard the spark in her voice and the excitement behind her words. I am anxious to hear more.

Elizabeth and Emily both seem to be suffering from swimmers ear. I think I will be taking them to the doctor tomorrow. So... that covers a little with our trip. We are looking forward to more time with my family in Florida. When we come home, we will have a week with our very special friends from California! I am so looking forward to seeing them!

Eli and Faith having fun on the trampoline.
Our little swimmer who proudly announced that he is not drowning, but he is swimming.
Jacob and Faith having fun in the water hose on the tramp.
Our beautiful neice, Caitlyn.
Caitlyn talking things over with her mom (my sister, Lisa).
This is my brother feeding thier iguana. My neice, Caitlyn, is helping him.
This is Elizabeth's look when she is very shy/uncomfortable with someone new in the room. She doesn't say a word for hours, just responds with her eyes. Here, my sister and my neice are sitting around the pool. Elizabeth doesn't want to look at them or say anything.

This is my neice, Faith. She reminded me of a crocodile.