Final Marco Island Pictures

First attempt at a beach picture.

The sun had gone down too much, so the picture turned out a bit dark.

Take two was better

sunset

A sea turtle nest

All the kids were fascinated by this.  There was a great article in a Marco Island magazine that talked all about the nesting season on the island.  It talked about the volunteers who patrol the beach every morning during nesting season finding and marking new nests.  This would be a great thing to further research with the kids before our trip next year.

One final picture from our beach trip!

Love it

 

"Teach us to number our days carefully so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts."

Psalm 90:12

 

Our Quest- To Find a Sand Dollar

 

One of the best things about the beach in my opinion is searching for shells.  I still love to walk the beach at night and look for that elusive shell and our kids are no exception.  This sign was posted on the boardwalk as you walked onto the beach. 

This is looking toward the south end of the Island.  The picture was taken at low tide, you can see the sand bar uncovered in this picture.  We walked almost every night with the exception of our last night there because we were so tired from the long trek we made the night before.

This is looking toward the north end of the island.  We walked this direction every night except for one because at the far north end of the island is an area called Sand Dollar Island.  According to the research we did, this area is the best for finding sand dollars.

This is what our nightly trek looked like.  Daddy got quite a work out all week pulling our three little ones in our beach wagon.

Even with Daddy doing most of the work, he still managed to score the biggest shell find of the week.

walking with their eyes glued to the shore in search of the elusive sand dollar

 

A funny story to share and remember happened on our second nightly walk.  The older kids, especially Nick and Emily were getting discouraged that they still hadn't found an unbroken sand dollar.  We had already found thousands of broken pieces!  We were walking along and met a guy who was fishing knee deep in the surf.  He reached down into the water and pulled something up, then called Andrew over to him.  It was a whole, unbroken sand dollar.  Our family just about died knowing that the first sand dollar to be found was given to our roughest child.  I'm sure you can guess the outcome of this story.  About 2 minutes later, the sand dollar was in several pieces!  Oh well, I'm sure God had a teaching point in here for us to learn!

The tip of Sand Dollar Island.

Looking back from the tip of Sand Dollar Island.  You can see the condos and resorts in the far distance.  It was quite a walk, but well worth it.  Everyone in the family ended up finding atleast one sand dollar at some point throughout the week.

Finally arriving back with the sun setting

We were all pooped!

 

"Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion.  For the Lord is a God of justice.  Blessed are all who wait for him."

Isaiah 30:18

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



A Day in the Pool

After a couple of days in the hot Florida beach sun, we decided a day spent at the house playing in the pool was in order.  Can you see the rainbow over the pool?

 

The kids were out swimming bright and early.  You can see that the sun only covers half the pool.

 

All the kids loved the pool, from the youngest to the oldest.

First up, our Luke, who floated through the week in his baby ring.  He splashed and chewed on diving sticks, but never cried once in the water.  The biggest challenge of the week was trying to sneak his adorable bucket hat (a birthday gift from Aunt Cara) on his head without him noticing so that he would keep it on.  Once he felt that hat on his head, he immediately threw it into the water!

 

 

Caroline won the award for most progress in the water this week.  She went from walking around the pool, to swimming in her baby ring, to swimming with Daddy, to swimming all alone with her water wings.  She got so brave that she even tried once or twice to swim to the deep end of the pool.  She absolutely loved the water!

First of all, you have to have all the necessary equipment to be ready to swim!  Aren't these goggles hilarious?

tube swimming

swimming with Daddy

on her own and one other note....the pacifier actually helped her not get water in her mouth.  Without it, she always had her mouth open and was swallowing water.

Really proud of herself and having the time of her life.

 

Kate is always ready to pose for a picture.

 

Andrew was busy all week jumping into the pool.

 

Matt found a new passion in diving and bringing up the sticks Brett bought for them.

He was swimming very well this year and loved being in the deep end.

 

Emily also spent the week jumping and diving for the diving sticks.  She mastered the underwater handstand and worked hard to learn to dive and jump without having to plug her nose.  She almost has it figured out!

Jake and Nick spent the week perfecting their cannon balls, playing ball tag, and racing each other.  Everything at this age turns into a competition!

 

 

One of our favorite activities was night swimming.  After a long walk on the beach, it was a much appreciated reward to relax in the pool water. 

 

"For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.  They will spring up like grass in a meadow, like poplar trees by flowing steams."

Isaiah 44:3-4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Swimming in the Gulf

The water in the Gulf is very calm and the waves are small and gentle for the most part.  The kids enjoyed the boogie boards while the little ones floated up and down in their rafts.  Luke actually took several naps bobbing up and down in the gentle waves.

Marco Island has a large sand bar located near the shore that all the kids enjoyed being on.

 

This is our snack crew!  Our kids never miss a chance for snacks and the beach was no exception.

Daddy's camp!  He worked hard each and every day to bring our umbrellas, chairs, cooler, blanket, towels, sand toys, boogie boards, and towels to the beach.  By the end of the week, he was an expert at setting up the beach umbrellas in record time to provide ample shade from the HOT gulf sun.

 

"They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved-you and your household."

Acts 16:31