Accepting donations for my next trip!

Even though it's been (relatively) nice here, I'd still rather be in Florida :)

Matt, Mom, Sarah and I went to Florida a couple of weeks ago. We stayed in Marco Island for most of our stay, but we made a couple of trips to Fort Myers to watch two Twins spring training games. I had never been to Marco Island before, but I think it only took one visit for me to fall in love with the place!

The main entrance to our hotel -- Marco Island Marriott Resort and Spa

It was SO hot at the games that TC was walking around with a super soaker!

Cheesin' for the camera :)

Mama Bear and I were sitting under their seats at the drink rail for a while because of the shade!

There were shells EVERYWHERE on the beach! Ouch...

I loved the feathers on his head!

Sarah and I played Pepper on the beach a couple of times

My awesome food at the Snook Inn -- crab cake stuffed shrimp. Yummmm.

This sand sculpture was inside the hotel. How do you think they get it to stick so well?

We saw quite a few of these little guys...

AHHHHH!!! (Yes, I was feeding the birds)

Antipasto Misto salad with warm garlic bread! Sooo good.

We came upon this during our morning walk. I don't know what it is...

Loved walking in the water on this day! The sand bar was pretty cool -- you can see how deep the water is on both sides.

Gorgeous :)

Below is a picture of the view from our room...panoramic style!

The kiddy pool was outside of our room and the main pool was on the other side. Is it sad that I didn't even set foot in the pool areas? No, of course not! We have pools in Iowa...we DON'T have the ocean, I mean, Gulf of Mexico!

Mahi Mahi fish tacos. De-ricious.

The view I had while eating my fish tacos... :)

We got to go golfing while in Florida, too. Do you see the crocodile swimming through the pond?

I felt like a pro golfer playing on this course! Never have I seen so many sand traps in my LIFE!

Ta ta for now, Marco Island!

Thanks Mom and Matt!!

(PS :: We went PARASAILING, too! Stay tuned for pictures!)

Happy Birthday, Bagheera Becker Schauermann! (Mr. Sch-meow-ermann)

Bagheera had his first birthday on the 16th of this month. (We actually just made up the date since we aren't for sure when he was born since he was adopted!) But anywho, the boy has to have a birthday, right?! Haha :)

Bags' favorite past time is watching the birds.

From the same spot.

Every. Single. Day.

Like this...

While I was on vacation, Keats bought him a birthday present (cute, huh?) but he waited until I got home to give it to Bagheera. (Even cuter, huh?) I think he found the best present ever.......ARE YA CURIOUS?!

A bird feeder!! Keats put it up on Monday and Bagsy has been in kitty heaven ever since. He loves to go out on the patio, too. He's only tried to sneak off of it a couple of times.

We snapped this picture while we were...um...laying on the floor watching birds with the cat.

PS :: I'll post a blog full of pictures from Florida sometime this weekend!

"You Play Bunco?"

Well, I'm (unfortunately) back from California!

I had SO much fun while I was out there, I didn't want to come back to finish the semester! I did miss Keats and Bagsy Boy though. :)

While in California, we......

went to Dave and Buster's to eat and play games...

went to Tyler's band practice/jam session...

Boo and I brushed our teeth...

We got In-n Out Burger (and waited in THIS line)...

for THIS food! Dad got a 4 x 4 and ate it all!...

(It was so worth it, fyi.)

We drove to West LA (finally, a pic of the whole group!)....

and waited in the rain for a long time (Cyn 'borrowed' an umbrella)...

to see PENDULUM!...

We ate at Warehouse Pizza and had awesome food...

We went to the NHRA Winternationals among the b-e-a-utiful mountains

(and I wore a scarf because it had been rainy and COLD!! for most of our trip)...

The cars went by and my eyeballs literally shook because of the unbelievably loud cars and vibrations. WHOA!...Also, I didn't really get pics of the cars because they were too fast. 305.84 mph in 4.121 seconds?! Yikes.

But I did get pictures of us with John and Cyn's neighbor, Dave. :)

And last but not least, we played with Boo (Cheyenne)!

She calls Uncle Tyler "Unkylo" and Auntie Courtney "Ottie Ko-tie"

I had the best time! Thanks Dad and Tylo :)

(and John, Cyn, Boo, and Dave!)