Adventures of The Parch Family

Waiting.....for big brother to come home from school

Waiting round two...for daddy to come home from work.

They hear his car in the driveway and then i proceed to yell DADDY'S HOME!

Well, its actually more like-

DADDY'S HOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMME! DADDY'S HOME DADDY'S HOME!!!

And the kids and dogs go crazy.

We love Daddy.

(Sammy's in that big group hug above...just squeeezed in on the other side :) you can see his little legs. (sorry thats the mom in me trying to make everything even steven. lol)

Whenever we have a jellybeans moment between the kids, like if i am hugging on one and the other gets their feathers ruffled about it...i always say WE SHARE THE LOVE in this family! gotta share the love my little birds, always!

Sam decided to climb up on the table while i was sitting there drinking my morning coffee. He likes the way coffee smells and i have to watch that he doesn't drink it! I am quite sure he would if i let him. My little morning coffee buddy.

Driving is serious business folks.

I think i took like 12938712984146 pics of this trying to get the perfect shot.

This'll work. lol

A rare moment of snuggles between sam and liam.

*sigh*

I'll take it, and cherish it, but i cant wait until they get along better!

maybe in 10 years? lol jk

vrooom

sam and daisy silliness.

daisy hiding under the covers and sam tried to pounce on her but she popped out right before he attempted to tackle the "lump" under the covers and was cracking up.

I walk 3- 5 times a week downtown and where i begin the walk there is a pretty veterans memorial park that we go through...and twice a year (spring and fall) there is a sudden explosion of these not so little guys. its always right between two big flowering bushes. I guess its like their "resort" of some kind....there are so many of them i have to watch where i step and/or push the stroller so as not to run them over. crazy and cool.

Have you ever seen grasshoppers mating? I have. If you disturb them (we were walking past) they hop away....still attached. Its weird.

Sam refused to smile for me on camera.

He's all like, Hmmf.

Daze and Liam made up for it though :)

Conducting baby business.

They're movers and shakers.

Random love-liness.

Our other children, Woodrow and MoeJoe.

Love and light,

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres".

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Indeed :)

We arrived in Orlando on a Sunday morning after driving all night.

It was Liams 4th birthday, so we spent the day celebrating, recovering from the overnight drive, and getting the kids settled in as Jason and I prepared to leave the next morning for our first ever kid free mini vacation adventure extravaganza. I was a little nervous, but ultimately the excitement of our pending 3 days of freedom, kicked any anxieties i had right in the arse.

We headed out in the morning, making a a quick stop at Perkins before getting on the interstate. Georgia doesn't have Perkins! We had to take advantage :)

We got to Tampa around 1030 and headed straight to Busch Gardens. I hadn't been to Busch gardens since i was in high school! Jason and i both love, roller coasters, zoo's and beer...so ya. This place is like, perfect.

First stop at Busch Gardens, the sky lift!

Can you see the relaxation in our faces?
Oh, its there. :)

I love how close up and intimate some of the animal displays are...

Licking what we were told was a meat popsicle.

(Thats what she said?)

Can Hyenas be cuddly? This one sure was. I wanted to rub its little tummy.

The Busch Gardens Zoo is really, really cool.

I took a bunch more pics but then this blog post would need to just be called Animals of Busch Gardens so....moving on.:)
*

Hmmm....3 is my lucky number.... ;)

Our first day was glorious.
We spent the entire day riding roller coasters, walking through gardens and checking out the animals at Busch Gardens...arm in arm.
Around 3 pm, we called it a day and went and checked in to our hotel.
We got situated in the room, which was pretty decent, cozy and clean.
Turned the AC on full blast...and then we napped.
Hard.
Like, best nap ever.

Me and my best friend.

We awoke around 7pm, refreshed and rested...and got ready to head out for the evening.

I had 3 desires for our evening , that it be on the water , that there be music and that the food be decent.

On a recommendation from a friend (Thanks Dani!) We decided to check out Bahama Breeze.

It was a beautiful night. The sky was clear and the there was a nice soft wind. I dont think i have felt this relaxed in .....well i cant remember. lol
I felt like i was 25 again.

We ordered drinks and decided to just do a bunch of appetizers and share. The food was good!The music that night was a guy on a guitar, playing covers of some chill tunes.

He began playing Wonderwall by Oasis. J and I just smiled at each other. A few songs later, 3 little birds by Bob Marley. Then Foo Fighters, Everlong. I know it sounds silly, but i felt like he was there just to play for J and I. :)

We ended the night by taking a walk down a dock at the back of the restaurant.

Our view of Old Tampa Bay...I should have used the flash but didnt want to be THAT person. ;)

*Happiness, is a day and night spent falling in love with your husband of 13 years...again and again*

We found a little gem of a diner off Nebraska Ave called 3 Coins Diner.

We ate breakfast there every morning of our 3 day visit.

(There are those 3's again...just noticed that...ha!)

Big helpings, fresh coffee and delicious waffles and pancakes.

You cant beat $4.50 for a full breakfast, coffee included.

The location is little bit hood-rific, but if that doesnt bother you (we came to embrace our inner hoodrificness after living ITP for almost 10 years, 7 being in EAV. so....its all good in the hood for us. lol) then i highly recommend this place to eat.

The next day, after round two of Busch Gardens, we drove up to Clearwater beach to watch the sunset and then find a place to eat dinner.

Florida girl at heart.

We walked across the street from the pier and figured you couldn't get a more beach-y vibe than a restaurant called Crabby Bills. The beer was cold and the food was good.

After dinner we took a stroll.

There was a few street performers. This guy was crazy. A little cheesy, but talented.

Our moonlit walk, and my sandy feet.

Our last day, we forfeited the opportunity to go to Busch Gardens again.
There is such a thing as riding on a roller caster too many times i think. lol

Instead we slept in, took our time lounging and getting ready.

We left sort of aimlessly, pausing for lunch before driving the Skyway Bridge.
We stopped at one end to check out the views.