Road Trip Part 2 - Palm Bay

After leaving Gainesville the children and I headed over and down to Palm Bay to stay at my parents house. When I was growing up, we lived about 30 minutes north in Melbourne from when I was 8 until I left for college. So while the children and I were visiting, we also got to see many of my old high school friends that I've kept in touch with (thank you, Facebook). 

One day we met up with friends at an indoor play place. Here the kids are playing in the sand room with their friends, Levi and Ezra (the boys in red). 

Will just loves these drive around cars. He would stay in it the whole time if I didn't force him to occasionally share with others. Honestly, if we had a larger house, I would really consider buying him one.

Erin, me, and Cheree... it's been a long time since high school! 

On Friday the 1st, my dad took us to the Brevard Zoo for some fun. The kids really enjoyed looking at the animals. It had been quite a while since our last trip to a zoo... in Hawaii, actually... so the children were excited.

Grandpa was playing shy for the camera...

 ... but the girls managed to coax him into a photo. Sort of. 

My friend Robin and her son, Lincoln, came to meet us for a little while at the zoo. I find this photo very funny with the three boys doing their own things while the girls smile nicely. Boys.

We took the train ride at the zoo. Or as Will would say, the choo-choo-train ride.

Photo op:

They didn't have enough holes for our family, so we improvised with Grandpa. He's a trooper!

It's not really a trip to Florida without a trip to the beach, right? So on July 4th we headed out and let the kids play in the sand. I took them in regular clothes because the plan was to avoid getting in the water... but yeah, the kids had other intentions. They had a blast.

Bella and Grandpa watching Spy Kids:

One night we met up with friends: Jenny, Chris, and Mackenzie:

The children at the mall play area with Anna, the daughter of a friend: 

My favorite part of my parents house is my mother's garden. When you walk through their front door, it opens into this courtyard and screened-in garden with pond. It's a little sanctuary of beauty.

There were many fun outings that weren't documented with photos: we went to Chuck E. Cheese not once, but twice with our friends the Tolleys; we went to the movies twice - once to see Cars 2 and once to see Rio; we visited my 'home church' where I first met the Lord and was baptized; and we celebrated Independence Day by watching a pretty impressive fireworks display. It was a very full and fun vacation.