Jan 31 - Feb 11 (aka we miss Daddy)

On January 31st the kids and I said goodbye to Matt and flew south.  He had many many days of work ahead, and instead of attempting to do hotel-conference-life as a (essentially) single parent, we decided the best option for the family was for the kids and I to re-locate to a retreat center.

These guys just get more fun as the years pile up.  One short flight and one long drive and we were there!  

We filled our days with swimming and beaching and card-playing.  It really was a sweet spot to be.  But man we missed Matt.  

Fruit shake consumption was at an all-time high!  The little guys zipped through their allowance in record time :) 

Apart from one rainy day we had hot sunshine day-after-day.  I suggested these guys cool off with a "water picnic".   Fridge chilled water is so refreshing! 

A highlight of our time here is always the other families - some old friends and some new acquaintances.  This year the theme seemed to be football :) 

We read so many books!  I read Esperanza Rising to the big kids at the same time I was reading The Worst Hard Time.  It was neat to read these two books - set in the same time period - simultaneously.  Both were excellent.  After Esperanza Rising the bigs and I got hooked on The Penderwicks! We laugh out loud - those girls are so funny!!  And I read Born a Crime (filled with crass language, but so insightful, I liked it despite the language issue) and Small Great Things (loved loved loved it!) too.  

These four girls were quite the pack - always together, always finding something fun to do!

The pool was our typical morning spot, and afternoons we hit the beach (with a late pool trip to help wash off all the sand!)

Hermit crab races :) 

and a pretty seashore with Thai fishing boat in the background :) 

Our days passed quickly and we slept like rocks and I was thankful to be in such a sweet spot.  And really thankful the day we loaded the van and headed to Bangkok, eager to meet up with Matt!