Halloween and October Fun

Vacations!!

May started off with my parents coming down to Miami! Bella and I picked them up at the airport on Tuesday, May 4 and directly headed West to Marco Island. Zach unfortunately had to work all week. We stayed at the brand new Marriott Crystal Shores Vacation Condos (which were amazing to have 2 br 2 baths!). It was beautiful and relaxing and so much fun to spend time with mom and dad! Bella referred to our place as "our new home". We spent our mornings and afternoons at the beach, ate too much good food and swam at the pools in the evening! Mom spent her days reading to Bella over and over. "Fancy Nancy" has now become a favorite book.

On Friday we headed back to Miami and went to Lincoln Road that night. We are needing a lamp for our main room and found a neat one at CB 2, which we might have to go back and order. This decision is leaning toward a "yes" quickly as I am typing in the dark presently. Peter Lik is an amazing photographer of scenery. He hails from Australia and is famous for his Great Barrier Reef, Bryce Canyon, Zion, and other nature scenes. His photographs are put on this special light sensitive paper so when lit properly they look backlit and seem to glow. We just ordered one of his Great Barrier Reef picture for the wall behind our couch - can't wait for it to arrive! He has maybe 10 galleries, one in Key West that we saw last time we were there, and then one over on Lincoln Road. Mom and dad enjoyed the artwork, especially one of a cornfield in the morning mist. After looking at cornfields, we decided we needed to eat some cows, so   we stopped at the Meat Market and sat outside and people watched as we ate. Delicious!
Saturday was relaxing, a little shopping at Bayside, then mom and dad played babysitter for the evening while Zach and I had a date at Cheesecake Factory! I don't know who enjoyed it more, Bella, Mom or Dad. Sunday was Mothers Day and we celebrated with brunch at the Ritz on South Beach. Luckily we had inside seating on these plush couches, which was soooo comfy, especially considering it was sweltering outside. We toured Beering's estate, "Vizcaya" on Monday afternoon, which I am sure, was stunning in its' prime time. Bella had a good time running around the gardens and fountains!

I have to say a big thank you to mom and dad for making our week so much fun and happy! I miss them now! A special thanks to mom for helping me with my laundry and getting the place in order Monday night and Tuesday morning before they left. It was so helpful, because after I dropped them off at the airport Tuesday morning, Zach, Bella and I headed to Key West (and I like leaving and returning to a clean house).

The drive to Key West started at 11am and we got there right about 3pm. We did stop for Cracker Barrel on the way, but the trip went quickly and it was such a pretty drive. We stayed at Southernmost on the Beach in a newly renovated room which was kind of close to the Ocean. It was perfect. The hotel is on the quieter side of the island which we appreciated. We walked and window shopped the remainder of Tuesday and ended the day with a night swim. Bella loved that the pool lights changed colors. She truly was an angel the entire trip. We kept talking about how fun vacations are, and how we are on vacation (of course set to a quirky sing song tune). After Bella's experience on Marco, she kind of understood the whole hotel experience "thing", and I think she felt pretty special every time she would refer to "our NEW hotel room". Wednesday we started off at 10:30am and walked all the way to the cruise ship side of the island. Bella was bound and determined to ride one of those choo choo trains, aka the 90 minute sight seeing trolley. Luckily the 2 ladies at the trolley rides recommended the Toy Store a block away. This was as she was pouring out tears saying "please and thank you lets ride the choo choo train, i said please and thank you very nicely, let's ride the choo choo". It was such a sight to see, I guess I can laugh about it now. Unfortunately we just didn't have enough activities to keep her entertained for a 90 minute ride. Wish we could have just paid to go around the block. However, the toy store was AMAZING. It was like walking into Rainforest Cafe, only with TONS of creative games, old fashioned toys, crafts, a magic room where bella was given a balloon hat, a craft room where you could paint or put together any of your crafty toys you bought. It was sooo neat! I've never seen anything like it. Bella found this quirky bracelet and when we bought it Bella was given a free merry-go-round ride and a free ice cream token! After 2 long horsey rides we got her ice cream which was inside a homemade fudge shop....so a free ice cream token set us back $20 and 2 lbs of flavored scrumptiousness. For the rest of the trip the choo choo trains were "resting" or "out on a mission with other people" and she seemed okay with that. Bella fell asleep around 1 and we strolled home for a little siesta followed by a swim and dinner at a nice place called "Hot Tin Roof" where we watched the sunset. Since the restaurant was on the other side of the island and we were dressed up we opted for a cab. This was the first experience of "oh my gosh, did my daughter just say that"...we got in this bright pink cab and as I was talking to the driver I hear "this car is stiiiiiinnnnky" "daddy, this car is stiiiinnnkkyyy" (bella holding nose and getting louder and louder with each repitition, probably 8-10 times emphasizing both the "daaaaddddy" and "Stinky"). I proceded to just keep talking about anything to the driver in hopes he wouldn't hear her while Zach was trying to quiet her down but inside we were both laughing histerically. That cab did stink!
 Friday morning we were up and swimming early as we had to check out. A nice lady gave Isabella a snorkel. The couple were leaving that day and were carry-on only so they were getting rid of all the sundries they purchased. Bella liked her mask and the pool activies director gave her a Shirley Temple because she was diving for toys on the steps. Fun times! Wish we didn't have to leave!

Pictures are here:

http://bellaseasterandzoo.shutterfly.com/

April has been BUSY!

April has started off with a bang, and has not stopped! Climbing temperatures have enabled us to enjoy the pool a bit more, and the beach a few times too! Isabella is now exploring the "Princess Phase" in full force. "May I watch Cinderella (although she still doesn't pronounce "L's" so it's Cindereyya) please and thank you mommy" is a daily quote from her, usually coupled with a dress up ensemble in her hands. This picture is from her first official Cinderella viewing.

March 29th brought Zach's brother Dominic, and his 6 (almost 7 year old) son, Dominic, down for a week for vacation. We cooked Cuban, oh wait, ZACH cooked Cuban churrasco steak Monday night which was AMAZING and perfect for their arrival night. Tuesday the boys went to golf at Crandon on Key Biscayne while I got my blonde, um, blonder at Van Michaels. That night we travelled up to Rainforest Cafe in Fort Lauderdale which was lots of fun! Wednesday we all got too much sun at the beach, but it was super fun and we rented jet skis! Thursday was a "relax inside from sun" for the boys while Zach and I had to work  ventured to the relic "Rusty Pelican" for dinner. Friday was more golfing and then a quick trip to Aventura and Cheesecake Factory! Saturday we went to the zoo for their Easter Celebration!

Easter Sunday the three of us attended Brunch at the Biltmore. The day was glorious and we sat out in the courtyard by the fountain. Bella was an angel and the whole morning was delicious, delightful and best of all - QUIET :)  We hosted our own private Easter Egg Hunt for Bella at the park when we got home, and, like last year; it was lots of fun.We all were on sugar highs for the rest of the day.

This Saturday, April 10th we headed to the beach at noon. Early enough to get a good parking spot although it was severly overcast and the waves were a little rough. By 2pm the sun was out and it was perfect, high 70's and slight breeze. We have found this convenient location in front of the Eden Roc Hotel to rent a big umbrella and recliners and are able to enjoy the caribbean/vacation music pumping through the hotel speakers. Makes me feel like I'm on vacation!  

March Fun!

Bella loves to get ready for school at her vanity! We've been pretty busy getting her room finally completed with furniture! Every time we take pictures and I say "pose" she puts a hand on her hip and kinda cocks sideways. It cracks me up.

When it got a little warmer out we went to Jungle Island. We were there for about 3 1/2 hours and she was asleep and snoring before we even got out of the parking garage when we left :)

She was a little hesitant to touch these giant turtles, because they were "bumpy and rough" feeling. They don't bite, the guide assured me!

Every time we go to Jungle Island, one of the biggest hits is the playground!

They have 2 tigers here and one Liger, a cross breed between a female tiger and male lion. They are the biggest cats alive, and the one they have here is in the Guiness Book of World Records. Neither the female tiger or male lion has a growth stunting gene, so that's why Ligers get so big. If you cross a male tiger with a female lion you get a Tigon. However both the male tiger and female lion both have growth stopping genes, so Tigons are very small. Fun fact of the day!
All the animals at Jungle Island move each night to a 15 acre preserve in SE Florida, and when they are not here in Florida, they are on the 50 acre wildlife preserve in South Carolina! They have all sorts of Tigers and 4 Ligers at the big reserve, that you can tour if in the area!

http://www.tigerfriends.com/

That makes me feel so good that these animals are well taken care of!

Watching the Tiger Show!

The Golden Tiger

Fun Times at Key Biscayne Playground!

Here's some show off pictures in the outfit from Aunt Jill! Bella wore it to school on Wednesday!

Taaaa Daaaa

Manatees playing in the bay! Every day there are up to 10 of them!




Nothing like a few weeks before Easter eating a Halloween popsicle in a Christmas shirt....

I have no idea why she felt the urge to have 2 pairs of sunglasses on. I turned around from working at my desk to find her being silly.

Putting the new big girl bed together! We had a discussion that now that she has a big girl bed there are no more bottles and no more diapers. we'll see how that goes...

I think she likes it.