Florida- Day 6, 7 & 8

Thursday:

A quiet sunrise before heading to a day at Busch Gardens.

Shaun and I marveled at how easy the kids were this trip. We are anxious for an empty nest enjoyed the benefits of having older children. For the first time, there was no stroller or diaper bag to schlep and it was ok if naps didn't happen. Shaun and I even went out for a long, early-morning walk together, leaving sleeping children at home, but knowing if any one of them woke up, they'd be fine without us for a bit. We've had nearly ten years of vacationing with little ones and its noticeably pleasant to do it with not-so-little ones.

 We all love this park...there are plenty of good things for everyone.

 Props to grandparents who do roller coasters!

 Friday:
Nathan and Shaun are both entrepreneurs...so it wasn't surprising that they met a real estate agent to look at a rental house in the area. It wasn't a good fit, but their wheels got turning.

 Nana made her traditional blueberry pancake breakfast, along with her lovely assistant. So yummy!

 Nathan + John = Trouble.

 The family that plays poker together stays together.

 Per tradition, Nana and John treated us to a dining experience at The Melting Pot...a grand finale to a wonderful week. After, I bugged everyone for a couple group pictures.

 I didn't really grow up with grandparents, but when Shaun and I started dating, I was happy to adopt his grandparents as my own. I've been so blessed to call this lady "Nana" for nearly 25 years. She is smart, has an amazing memory and is a whiz at crossword puzzles. She is brave and strong...she has faced much adversity and come out with her head high and meeting each new day with a smile. Nana's always ready with a hearty laugh and truly delights in watching her family succeed. She's also the reason my husband and kids are chocolate fiends.

I love that she requested a picture, just us girls.

 Saturday:
One last sunrise....

 ...and time in "my spot".

 ...and a dip in the ocean.

 ...before hitting the road.

We're so grateful to Nana and Grandpa John for making this trip possible for us each year. Many great memories have been made over the years but for sure this one will always stand out.