I am down in Florida in our very favorite, most cherished vacation spot - Amelia Island (picture above compliments of my niece, Kendall)... The place where my boys learned how to walk, ride their bikes, surf, find sharks' teeth, eat snow crab, fish.... We arrived on Sunday at noon and spent the rest of the day and the following with my sister and brother-in-law and my nieces and nephews. We had a ball!! It was very bittersweet as we were so happy to spend time together but really sad that we wouldn't have more time together. Way back when our kids were young (& we didn't have so many), we used to get together several times a week and hang out while our kids played - but then our kids grew up and started school and then sports - and well, you know how it is now....
They left the day after we arrived and that evening, my dear friend, Kerri, arrived with her 9 year old son and 1 year old daughter. We had so much fun catching up and watching each others' children. When she lived in Atlanta, we used to see each other almost every single day but since she moved, our times together are few and far between, though we talk on the phone almost every day.
Not only is catching up with these wonderful women so great, but it's fun to learn "mommy" things from them - be it activities, items, recipes, etc. My sister-in-law, Allison, a.k.a. "teacher extraordinaire", shared with me a fun idea that she is going to do with her family during the Olympics this year. Everyone in her family is going to pick a country (other than the U.S.) and she's going to make a chart on which everyone tracks their country's progress. She will have a bowl of pennies (for bronze medals), nickels (for silver medals) and then gold coins for the gold medals. They will track their country's progress on a chart (poster board). How awesome is that idea? I don't care how old you are - - - that is FUN stuff and a way to become really engaged in this year's games. Thank you, Allison... I shall purchase my poster board when I get back home.
Kerri and I have the same age children, and our littlest ones rarely spend time with kids their age, so it was fun to see them interact with each other. Brooke really illustrated her dominant personality with her high pitched squeals and free flowing "NO!!"'s.
I admire Kerri and Allison so much and feel really really blessed that they are in my life. Do you ever have that feeling inside when you're with certain people that feels like you're home? Not home in your house, necessarily - but home like you can truly be your God given self and it just feels right? That's how I feel with these two....
Kerri and I enjoyed fish tacos that we made with Mahi Mahi topped with homemade slaw. I would share the recipe except that I didn't use one - it was a little of this and a little of that and it all just came together beautifully. As an appetizer, we made bacon wrapped cheese stuffed dates. I got this recipe from the nanny of a good friend of mine. Holy cow - they were a cinch to make and the flavors were so amazing that Kerri and I couldn't stop eating them one after another. We ate so many, in fact, that we couldn't eat dinner afterwards. Here's how you do it:
Purchase fresh dates from the grocery store. They are available at Fresh Market and Harris Teeter - probably at Publix, too, though I cannot confirm that. Cut a slit in the top (lengthwise) and remove the pit. Cut up some good sharp white cheddar cheese and stuff the date with cheese - don't be shy with the cheese as the sweet date and savory bacon need the balance that the flavor of the cheese brings. Cut slices of bacon in half and use one half to wrap each date. Place on a cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until bacon is cooked. Simple, elegant, full of fiber..... DELICIOUS!!! If you want to impress your dinner guests but don't want to spend a whole lot of time in the kitchen prepping, this is what you should make.
We've cooked well while we've been here - so well, in fact, that we have only dined out once! We have enjoyed fish, scallops. snow crab, lots of fresh fruit and vegetables. And in addition to all of that, we have had fun on our almost daily ice cream trips. I've never seen my kids eat so much, but they work hard for hours every day surfing and boogie boarding, and little Brooke's legs have never taken so many steps out on the beach. We bike, we run, we surf, we walk, we play golf, we play tennis, we boogie board... work hard, play hard = eat well, play well.
Sometimes one week just isn't enough time to fully unwind and escape the reality of home and all the stresses that come with it - so this year, I decided that we needed two weeks. I'm so fortunate to work for a company that is allowing me to do this (haven't done this in over 5 years!). I must say that I am FULLY relaxed and 100% in vacation mode. It's like my sister-in-law says... there's something so wonderfully comforting about having all your chickens in one safe place - eating together, playing together, sleeping under the same roof... knowing they're all safe and healthy and well. Nothing beats the "beach bubble"!
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