Cousin Time

Bev and the kids were spending time in Perdido Key while Robert was getting started at his new job in Iowa, so I said they should just drive an extra eight hours to come see us!  It had been two years since we last saw them, so it was a real treat to be together again. 

We had Cannon's party on Saturday and church on Sunday.  It rained all day on Monday so we took the kids to the indoor playground at Highland Rec Center.  Tuesday after it stopped raining we spent the rest of the afternoon at Largo Central Park.  Wednesday and Thursday they went to Disney World and then met up with us on Friday in Boca Raton. 

Jade became Blue's best friend!  Blue wanted to sleep with her every night while Ryan was gone.  Jade made little dog bone accessories for Blue to wear on her collar. 

And Blue claimed Jade's pillow, which she let her keep. 

Ryan returned from his trip early Friday morning and then we drove out to Boca Raton.  We had planned to attend the Ft. Lauderdale Temple open house on Saturday, so we thought it would be fun to stay at a hotel on the beach Friday night.  Ryan got us a hotel at the fancy Boca Beach Club - Waldorf Astoria.  It was definitely the nicest hotel I have ever stayed at!  We had to go through gated security and the valets took care of everything.  Ryan is a diamond member and he usually gets free upgrades to suites, but since it was spring break they were all full.  As an apology, they gave us $100 free credit towards food and discounts for the spa and other things. 

The beach was gorgeous!  Lots of big waves and the water color was turquoise.  It was a little cold at first, but once you got in it was fine.  The waves were too big for Cannon and Ally so Bev took them to the pool and Ryan and I stayed with Jade and T to go boogey boarding.  It was so fun to hang out with the big kids!

The salt water was stinging Ally's sensitive skin.

Jade and JT had the best time in the ocean!

Ryan teaching JT how to boogey board.

Portuguese Man O' War!  These balloon creatures started to wash up onto the shore.  Very cool, but I head they are more painful than jellyfish! They feel like slimy plastic outside and inside they are hollow, like a balloon. 

For dinner that night we used our free money to eat at one of the resort's many restaurants called Serendipity.  The shuttle took us to the main hotel and village where they have all the restaurants.  Serendipity is a cute little ice cream parlor made to look like a soda shop from the 1950's.  The kids had fun looking at all the vintage toys like Gumby and Pokey.  Bev and I really wanted to try their Cronuts, but they weren't making them until noon the next day, so we settled for frozen hot chocolate! 

Super yummy frozen hot chocolate!

We got up early Saturday morning to go on a tour of the new Ft. Lauderdale Temple.  I was so excited to be able to go with the kids.  Ryan invited one of his friends from work to come with us and Ryan picked her up at the airport on the way to the temple.  It was a very special experience to talk with Cannon as we went to each room.  He knows that Ryan and I go to the temple to do work and now he can have a picture in his mind.  We also talked about when Ryan and I were married and sealed in the temple.  I hope that Cannon will always keep this memory and that it will serve as a testimony to him of the importance of temples. 

Here we are two years ago when they had just started construction!

On the way back we stopped at Ryan's favorite pizza place, Grimaldi's, in Ft. Meyers and then finished the long drive home.  As soon as we got home Bev and I had to leave again to attend the women's conference at church.  And after that to pick up Blue who was being babysat by the Longs.  It was an exhausting weekend, but SO much fun!  Bev had to drive back to Alabama Sunday morning. 

Blue and Trixy - their last time together

Cannon fit right in with all the kids.  He admires Jade and T so much and values their opinions.  He got along well with Ally and they were so cute together.  Cannon pretty much wanted to play with T all day and T was such a good sport about playing football with him and they made up a game called "bad doctor."  Family is so important to Cannon and I was happy that he had this time with his cousins.