Goldy's Run

This year's annual E & S on E & S photo following year five of Goldy's run for this duo (with a photobombing G'pa Tom on the T).

Spring Break 2018 | Key Largo

On our final full day of fun, we broke the bank and doubled-down on excursions in Key Largo, snorkeling with Ocean Divers and swimming with dolphins at Dolphin Plus Marine Mammal Responder.  

The littlest ones were a bit intimidated by the waves and stress of keeping your snorkel water free... as well as the 5-foot barracuda that was hovering near the boat's ladder.  But, the rest of us spend nearly an hour near Molasses Reef and saw thousands of colorful fish, a few sea turtles, a stingray and even a 4-foot adolescent shark (equal parts cool and unnerving, as momma shark couldn't have been too far away, right?).

The dolphin swimming was THE week's highlight for the kiddos.  The rode the fins, were propelled through the water by a pair of dolphins pushing their feet, got kisses, and coached their new friends Tug, Baby Bit and Dinghy to jump, wave and dance.  I'm not sure I've seen bigger smiles on anyone.

Spring Break 2018 | Wynwood Walls

Partially to avoid the sun for a day, and partially because I fell in love with this neighborhood five years ago on a private street art tour with my guy, Mikel Cirkus, the crew spent an afternoon in Miami's Wynwood neighborhood.  Wynwood is famous for the recent gentrification and impressive street art scene that went hand-in-hand over the past decade. 

We toured the Walls and surrounding neighborhood, breaking for coffee at Panther, treats at Salty Donut, dinner at the Wynwood Diner... and to chat with a local street artist, Anonymous, who was putting the final touches on a piece (inspiring Sawyer to tag a street sigh with a sticker she purchased).

Spring Break 2018 | The Beaches

 

Most days, we packed up the boogie boards, football, towels, umbrella and cooler and headed toward South Beach (Crandon Park, South Pointe Pier, Lummus Park) or the Hollywood Beach Boardwalk for as long as our Midwestern skin could handle.  Sometimes we tried to beat the sun, others we tried to time the sunset.

Our beach routine was pretty similar each day.  A little football toss, a little bobbing in the swell of the waves, a little bodysurfing, a little sea shell searching, a little sandcastle/mermaid fun... and a LOT of taking in the scenery (the girls got an education in thongs and "European" sunbathing, for example).  Oh, and one morning we saw a school of baby sharks, and Savanna got stung by a jellyfish!

Spring Break 2018 | The "Cabin"

Miami, FL was this year's spring break destination, though our shared VRBO (with the Jungs) was in Kendall, 20 miles SW of the city.  Kendall itself didn't offer much, but we logged MANY hours at our home base on it's patio's outdoor kitchen and in the pool and hot tub.