The Inlet

The kids and I made a last minute decision to meet the cousins in Orlando for a visit to Island of Adventure. We decided to break up the drive by stopping in Stuart to visit my Aunt Sharon and Uncle Jim Griffin who happen to be Mason's godparents as well.

The Griffins own a beautiful home on the St. Lucie inlet.



And of course, no one lives on the inlet without owning a boat.





This visit was extra special because my cousin Kayla just happened to be there as well. Her week long vacation was coming to an end and she was heading back to work in Atlanta.



We headed out at sunset to grill dinner on an island. We stayed late into the evening and were able to watch shooting stars.



We felt honored to meet Kayla's new beau, Nick.









The next day Kayla wowed us with her outstanding water skiing.



And I gave the tube a try.





Thanks Jim and Sharon, it was a wonderful weekend. Thanks so much for hosting us on such short notice.

the cousins were here, the cousins were here

That's right folks, the Tennessee cousins were here. They arrived on July 17th - the evening of Tanner's 12th birthday.





The next day we introduced Tanner and Taylor to the Naples Botanical Garden.



We were blessed with a nice breeze while at the garden. We knew it would be hot so we had the children wear their swimsuits so they could cool off in the fountains.

















Thank you Uncle Derek for all of your hours driving in the car so the cousins could spend time together.



While the cousins were here we were able to witness history in the making. We were fortunate enough to hear the final sonic boom of a NASA spacecraft. Not only did we hear the double boom, we were also able see Atlantis traveling towards the Kennedy Space Center. We had to wake up early in the morning but it was worth it.







The rest of our days were spent at the water park and swimming in our pool. On the last day, the girls headed to the mall while the boys hit the beach to try out one of Tanner's birthday presents.







The cousins had to leave after only three short days but as you will soon see, we meet up again.

Goodbye Brunch

It has become a tradition for Darin's mother, Carolyn, to prepare a goodbye brunch on the last day of our visits to Texas. For those of you who don't know Carolyn, she is the most amazing cook. She is able to prepare the most delicious meals with such ease. I only wish I could be half the cook she is.











Thanks to all the Morgans in Texas for their hospitality during our stay!

Tomorrow's post, the cousins are coming.

My Dallas BFF

While in Dallas, I was able to visit with my former college roommate and sorority pledge sister, Diane Degenfelder. I have been friends with Diane longer than I have even known Darin. Diane is one of those cool people who lives in a large metropolitan area and works at the headquarters of a really interesting corporation, Fritolay. Diane and I can go years without seeing each other but once we get together we cannot stop talking. Thanks Diane for always taking time out of your busy schedule to hang with us at a Tex/Mex restaurant.

Cowboy Stadium

While in Dallas, we had the opportunity to take a guided tour of the new Dallas Cowboys' stadium. It was amazing! We were allowed to tour the post-game interview room and both the Cowboys locker room and the Cheerleaders locker room. The best part, we were allowed on the actual field.



Look who decided to join us for the tour, Grandpa Morgan.







Not only we were allowed on the field, you could actually kick field goals, make passes and run down the yard lines. Since we didn't know this ahead of time we had to purchase a football in the pro shop for Mason to use on the field.







After the guided tour we were allowed to stay on the field until closing time. Mason was having so much fun that he could have stayed all afternoon. However, we felt the need to leave after Mason nailed a teenager while attempting a field goal. All of us found it quite funny including the teenager's father. Well, all of us found it funny except for the teenager. After that, it was time for us to go.

Next post, my Dallas BFF.

Sisterly Love

We made a second trip back to the lake to meet up with my sister and her family from Lubbock.



It was great to spend time with my niece, Lindsay, and my nephew, Hunter. Because we live so far apart we don't get to see them very often.



Like our first trip to the lake, we spent most of our time on the boat.



But this time look who was behind the wheel.







I love this picture. You can see Darin's reflection in Deborah's sunglasses.



We decided to bring along someone who could answer all of our lake questions. Of course, it was an added bonus that she and Mackenzie love hanging with each other 24/7. Thank you Miss Katie!







Steve even found himself a fishing buddy.



A funny story about the lake. The nearest town is a good 20 to 25 minute drive. It is best if you take all of your provisions with you. We made a list of items and made one run to the grocery store. For our last night, we planned a goodbye celebration at a local all you can eat Catfish House which was about 5 minutes from the lake. We all showered, dressed, piled in the car only to find out that the restaurant was only open on weekends. Needless to say, it was too late to make a run to the nearest town. We ended up eating our last meal from a gas station called Snappy Pappy's. Not exactly the celebration we had planned but at least we didn't go hungry.

Next post, the new Dallas Cowboy stadium.