Oh, that sunshine! What a treat that was! To leave grey skies and cold and then enter a world of warmth, abundant sunlight, and flowers… we sure appreciated our time in Florida, that’s for sure. There were trips to the beach and Bracken found his first sea glass with the help of his uncle, which he was super excited about. (We were also told there is a beach in Oregon that’s great for finding sea glass, anyone know where that is?) We swam in my mom’s pool and I dove in the ocean once (quickly, because my sister had just been stung by a jellyfish.)

It’s rare for me to swim in the ocean where we live in Oregon because it’s so cold, but I’m always amazed at how warm the ocean is in southern Florida even in the wintertime. Saltwater and sand make me happy. I absolutely love the feeling of saltwater on my skin and swimming in the ocean always feels so regenerating and cleansing on such a deep level. And bare feet on the sand? That feels amazing too. Everything about being at the beach feels amazing, especially when it’s so warm.

After letting our skin soak up a little sunshine, we would put on our sunhats and layers. My mom bought a scooter (with light up wheels!) for Bracken to use and he practiced using it on our walks. We went on walks at night too, to see the wheels in action. In other exciting news (to us), Bracken picked a few limes from his grandma’s tree and it seemed that everything we made in the kitchen needed just one more ingredient- some fresh squeezed lime juice. Wow, that tastes good, but do you know what would make it taste really amazing? Some lime. Yes! Yes! Some lime! 

We enjoyed local seafood at restaurants (my sister and I were both craving some Florida seafood) and made lots of meals at home too. I told my mom that she fed us all like kings and queens while we were there. All the meals gave me so much inspiration to bring home to my own kitchen (and the lamb my uncle marinated in olive oil, lime juice, garlic, and fresh rosemary is definitely worth repeating!)

The best part of the whole trip was getting to spend time with family. We had a few days with my mom and grandma and then my sister and her husband joined us, followed by my mom’s boyfriend and my aunt and uncle. When my mom’s friend came over for dinner, their table that night was as full as it could be, and we had a lot of fun.

Bracken caught a lizard and then kept it as a pet (for a few hours) until he could show his aunt and uncle when they arrived, and then he let it go. After that he enlisted the help of anyone who was willing, to catch more lizards. They were cute and tiny and were a highlight of his time in Florida, to be sure. Oh, and we also saw seahorses for the first time, in an aquarium. What magical little creatures they are! We were enamored.

We had such a great time and in some ways it was hard to leave, but we were ready to come home. I’m still  lingering a bit in those warm pictures, though!