"Family" Vacation

Well today is bitter sweet. My mom along with my sister and her family left for the beach this morning (my dad is meeting them later in the week) and Cody and I have chosen not to go with them this year.  We feel like we need time alone! We need to take our beach trip just the 4 of us and enjoy our little family.  It is amazing how much a "change up" and get you swinging harder than you would have with an expected "fast ball".   We have learned more about ourselves and more about our parenting skills in the past 9 months.  I would have never in a million years thought I would take this years vacation just us.... Because for the past 6 years we have only missed 1 vacation with them.... Most of those years the Destin Crew was.... My parents, My sister's family, and my In-Laws.  So this year we are changing it all up...

Here are a few pics to show the past few years of family vacation.

2007
I can't seem to find a picture from 2007. I know we took some but for some reason I can't find the album with the pictures in there. We took beach pics all together, matching in our jeans and white polo's. I will continue searching and upload a picture once I find them. But 2007 was the first year we ALL (including my family & Cody's family) went to the beach together. 


2008

We went on our honeymoon in 2008. So this is the one year we missed out on family vacation.  This is a picture of us with the friends we made. Angela and TJ. You can hear some on Angela's music on itunes, etc. Just look up Angela Wood. She is amazing and a wonderful singer! I pray her dreams come true and she becomes a very known country singer!

2009

In 2009 I was pregnant for Cohen. It was our last trip as a family of 2.

2010

This was our first vacation with a baby! Cohen was 10 months old and it was so much fun! He LOVED the water and sand.  And still does!


2011

I was pregnant for Sawyer during our 2011 trip.


But that's what happens, as a parent you have to make decisions that are best for your family.  We both feel that Cohen needs time with us centered ONLY around him and Sawyer and.... For a vacation himself.
I can't wait for OUR vacation, OUR family.  I will miss our parents, and nieces, but I am truthfully ecstatic about our trip. The new memories we will make on our own. Doing what our parents did for us. Going on a vacation with just them and their kids.  I know it will be more work. I know we will only have each other to tend to a 10 month old and 2 1/2 year old when we would have had a lot more than our hands to help out!  But it will only make us stronger! I just can't wait!

Superman x 2

You know those friends from childhood who were such a major part of growing up you can think of them in a second? I think that is the way these 2 will think of each other. I really hope they stay life long friends and can later reminisce of their childhood years.  I would have never imagined a few short years ago Cody and I would have our Best Friends right next door! "Aunt Lin" and "Uncle Mike" and Thomas have become a part of our family! and I am pretty sure they feel the same about us :) Thomas joined the clan shortly after Cohen started to think his "vacation home" was only a few steps away from his own front door.  Now his once, vacation home, is occupied by his best friend! 

They can even look back at how they matched their clothes for a good ole Saturday Bar-B-Q. 

The boys enjoyed their day. They played Baseball...

Nice Follow Through!

They played football...

They mowed the grass...

Then after a hard days work they cooled off with some water and a dip in the pool. 

"There is something about childhood friends that you just can't replace"

         -Unknown

Paradise

Cody has recently been saying that the song, "Paradise" by Coldplay reminds him of Sawyer.
He listens to it all the time, so I decided to listen, really listen. I didn't understand at first where he was coming from but now I think I do. Any song can have different meanings to any one person. You may think of this song one way (and it may or may not be the intentional meaning from the musician), but it is yours. So after taking in the lyrics:

                "When she was just a girl
                 She expected the world
                 But it flew away from her reach so
                 She ran away in her sleep
                 And dreamed of
                 Para-para-paradise, Para-para-paradise, Para-para-paradise
                 Everytime she closed her eyes"
                              -Coldplay

I actually had tears in my eyes when I first started thinking about it. But this song can have so much hope. My precious girl may have more obstacles to embrace than many other children. Yet with all of that, she honestly has the world at the tip of her fingers and I believe will always reach her PARADISE. She will dream of her paradise just like we all do. I pray that her dreams come to reality and the world will accept that we are all different. I can only pray that parents raise their own to love and respect everyone is this world. So next time you hear this song, you may think of it in this way or in another. I pray that my baby girls "paradise" never flies out of her reach, I pray that she gives others the light to see their own "paradise", that "paradise" is not only a dream, but a common reality to live in. My girl is so happy I pray no one ever takes that "full face" smile away from her or her dream of "Paradise".  Thank gosh she has the brother she does, because I know deep down inside Cohen will never allow anyone to take away Sawyer's love for life!