Vacation Favorites

We just got back from a wonderful beach vacation.  We had the best time and it really was our best vacation as a family of four.  The kids slept great, we kept things pretty low key with bouncing between plans at the pool and heading to the ocean and we made tons of fun memories.

My favorite parts of our trip were:

Sweet pictures snapped by my husband.
Both kids love the water and I think it's much more relaxing to be at the ocean with them than the pool.  They pick up shells, sit at the end of the water and love watching the boats, people and birds go by.

Donuts + tons of sprinkles.
Kevin got Dunkin Donuts for us and they were so good!  We loved their sprinkle combo.

Seashells
We had a great time collecting shells!  There were SO MANY each day and so many different kinds to choose from.  Olive has finally reached the age where she loves collecting them and doesn't throw them all back.  We have quite a fun collection at home that I decorate with every summer.

Of Mess and Moxie by Jen Hatmaker
Have you read it yet?  This book got delivered right before our trip.  I was excited to read one of Hatmaker's books since I hadn't read any of her books before.  She's a funny writer and you feel like you're reading a book by a friend.  I loved her sections on homemaking, decorating and parenting.  I felt like there was a bit of rambling in the "how to" sections so I just skimmed over them and moved onto the more interesting parts.  I was surprised to find recipes mixed into several of the chapters.  She's relatable and this book is a quick read.  She references and quotes her past books so if you are familiar with her you will recognize those.  I appreciated her views on parenting and her advice on the subject.  Her line "Let's send them off adored, believed in and treasured" really stuck with me.  The last half of the book (Part 3 & 4) were my favorites.  I think she makes a great case for family friends, making memories together and making your home a gathering place for everyone.  Her supper club tradition is something I'd like to start with my friends and I loved her idea of fangirling real people you encounter every day.  Hatmaker seems like a wonderful friend.  She gives lots of advice for helping women reach out to other women to build community.  I would say it's an overall good book, but some skimming might be required.
*I was gifted this book in exchange for an honest review of it.

Postcards.
We have a tradition of buying and sending postcards to friends/family on our trips.  They seem to be getting harder to find at souvenir shops, but I'm determined to keep my love of snail mail alive.  It was fun to pick them out and work on them together.

Emojis.
This emoji matching game was a big hit!  My MIL sent it for Olive and we played it several time a day.  I'd highly recommend it.  It's funny (poop emoji) and good for lots of ages.

Fruity drinks poolside.

Beachy decor.
I got to style the TV console for my in laws and had a blast.  I worked with what they had, did some rearranging and here's the finished product.  I love the feel of Florida homes!  Also, Moana should probably end up in one of my summer favorite posts.  We just adore this movie!

Shell Hunting.
We found some HUGE shells this trip!  It was fun to collect them and then put them back.  Most of the big ones were homes to slimey creatures - yuck!- so we happily tossed those back into the ocean.

Mohawk!
This handsome dude loved the water.  He did great on our flights, was friendly to everyone and made lots of new friends.  He showed off his muscles and happily ran around all week.  I just love his new outfit from Kohls.  Whoever said dressing boys isn't as much fun as dressing girls is wrong.  I just have to shop around a little more for him to find exactly what I like.

Super Dad.
Kevin took both kids out in the pool and the ocean.  I tried to keep up, but he was more fun.  I'd tag along right behind him and both kids would be yelling for their turn with dad.  He's the fun one and I'm okay with that.  

I've got to head to the store, do mounds of laundry and try to catch up with all the things around the house this weekend.  Low key is the name of the game.  Kevin will be busily preparing for his Fall semester of teaching.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!!

Week in Review @ Polka-Dotty Place 

Monday: Aldi Haul
Tuesday: Guilty Pleasures & Confessions
Wednesday: Organizing Challenge

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