We have spent the last 6 days in New Smyrna Beach Florida. We have had such a great time!! I hate to see it come to an end. . .but today was our last day at the beach, and then tomorrow we are off to Orlando--to spend a couple of days at Sea World. Cade is so excited about going to the place "where the dolphins come to life! Mamaw and Papaw Horne came down Sunday and stayed with us until Wednesday. We were so glad that they came for a few days. They got to spend some quality time with the kids, and also got to help celebrate my birthday!! They got me a cake, and we had a little party!!
We have had really good weather. . .Sunny and in the 90's, with an afternoon thunderstorm just about every day. . .but we really enjoyed sitting out on our patio and watching the storms pass us by. . .I got some awesome pics of the very first storm while we were here. . .the lifeguard said there was possible tornadic activity in this storm, and It really looked scary. . it didn't end up doing anything more than rain though.
Cade has absolutely NO FEAR!!! He got a boogie board while we were here, and he was all over the waves!! He dived under them, over them, and loved to ride them in to the shore. Ian and Macey played really well with Cade, and I think he actually does better in the ocean than either one of them ever did at his age. Salt water doesn't bother his eyes at all. . He is just SO TOUGH!! He cracks me up!!
Ian and I played paddle ball just about every day. . We plan to not put the paddle ball set up when we get home to Kingsport. We plan on practicing in the front yard when we get home, so next year people on the beach will be jealous at how good we are!! Ha ha ha ha!!
Macey loves to play in the sand. She rolls in it, and lays in it, and pours it all over her. .She and Cade pretended to be the sandman. . from Spiderman. . . They had a great time too. . .with their boogie boards. .Macey is not quite as tough as Cade--she got flipped a few times by some of the big waves, and she would cry and go back to the sand. . .She loves to swim in the pool--it is much more safe!!!
We saw dolphins about every day. .Ian and I saw some today really close to where we were swimming. . .They are my favorite animal. .I can't wait to see them close up at Sea World tomorrow. . .
Vacation is the best thing for my family. . Quality time spent together--doing nothing in particular, no alarm clocks, no schedules, no where to be. . . I love it!!!
We went to Warrior's Path park today to let the kids play on the playground. . . We ran into the Mumpower's when we got there, and imposed on their "First Annual Back to School Picnic". They had decided to start having a picnic this year, and we just invited ourselves to join them. Thanks Amie!!!
and Pat!!! 
The kids played for an hour or so, and then I had to take Macey to Basketball camp at church. Ian stayed with Parker at the playground,
and Cade and I took Macey to camp, while Amie went and picked up Pal's for the kids. . . I didn't get my camera until after I took Macey to camp, therefore the reason she isn't in any of the pics. . .Sorry Macey. The kids had a great time playing together. . .
Summer is almost over. . .and Back to School will be here in 5 more days. . . . So hard to believe. . .
Thanks Nicole!!
We went an extra step and decided to feed them. Macey wasn't too excited over the concept of having to touch a dead fish, but she did it and was so glad that she did!!
They are so sweet and gentle. As some of you know--I have that "list" of things to do--and swimming with the dolphins is on that list!!! I would love to do it!! We spent an hour and 1/2 or more at the dolphin tank--James had to pull us away!!! 
Ian has always loved to watch Discovery Channel or Animal Planet shows about sharks. So this exhibit was really AWESOME to him!! I didn't get a lot of good pics -because the shark section is on a moving escalator and it was hard to get good shots. . .I got a couple though. . .
We sat in the "splash zone" during the first show and got absolutely drenched!!! We were all cracking up, trying to make sure my camera stayed dry, laughing at each other, and looked down at Cade and he was screaming and crying!!! He didn't like getting wet by Shamu at all!!! 
The Believe show was very inspirational--it had such a good story--the general point of the show was that You can Be anything you want to be!! Ian wants nothing more than to be a whale trainer now!!! He talks about it every day. . I told him if he moves to Florida, I am going with him!!! Hee hee!! 
