The Stinson Family

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

10 Years

For our Ten Year Anniversary Celebration, we wanted to go somewhere warm, but we were limited to how many days we could be gone because Norah is still reliant on me for nourishment, and I am reliant on her for the taking of the nourishment (some will understand!). Anyway, we settled on South Beach for a long weekend.

We booked the most awesome Grandparents in the world to come and hang out with all three kids while we whisked away on American Airlines to the Miami airport. We took a cab to our hotel and we were upgraded to a penthouse room with a nice bottle of Champagne (kudos to the Hilton Bentley). We spent the rest of the weekend walking, eating, sleeping in, running, hanging out on the beach, and walking more (around 20 miles of walking over the entire weekend), and we ate a little more too!

I must say that the Cubans are some of the friendliest people. The there polite, extremely helpful, and unassuming. They cook up a pretty terrific meal as well!

The food was fantabulous! The first night, was our Anniversary and the most expensive meal, also one of our least favorites, but still great. For bfast we had an authentic Cuban bfast with Cafe con Letche and all, yum. Dinner that night was at a quaint little 26 seat restaurant called Otentic. It was French and wonderful! Inexpensive and delicious! The last night we ate at the hotel restaurant. The chef there had previously been awarded the James Beard award and the cuisine was Cuban. We LOVED it! We would go back, just for that meal! lol

We had a terrific time. I did not get too many pics b/c we walked so much that the camera was difficult to lug around. The kids did great with mom and dad, and we did miss them terribly!

A picture of a cruise ship leaving port. The hotel it spans + was a huge hotel in it own right!

North view towards Miami

My man

Many cruise ships leaving port from Miami

We were able to get on the beach Sunday right when the sun was rising.

Us watching sun rise. Coffee in hand...

Kite Surfer

Strange Jellyfish. I asked a local what it was. He looked at me, in his most Cuban accent and said... "umm, it isa, de jellyfish" "it willa stinga you, don't touch". Troy made such fun of me. He said, after we past... "Sir, could you tell me what this is (as he pointed to the ocean)", then replied for his made up conversation "ummm, it isa de ocean" "it is for da swimming, and da fishing"... The next night, he was the butt of the joke when he asked the waiter what Oxtail was. He replied "It isa from de animal ox...you know from the ox". I giggled.

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Day 40-55 of 395

Day 40 - Miami Beach (South Beach)

Day 41 - Last day in Miami

Day 42 - Grandma and Poppy go home, let the detox begin!

Day 43 - Sometimes Ben likes to wear multiple shirts, like 3...

Day 44 - Ems is staring to sound words out. :) The bottom says "thank you, come back soon". Sweetness

Day 45 - You never know what you might get at the Fullness Family Feast

Day 46 - Ballet Girl on Valentines Day

And the Valentines she made

Day 47 - Eating Carrots with Daddy

Day 48 - Love my Nori!

Day 49 - Heading down to the Mercedes Marathon race to cheer on our friends

and a trip to the Vulcan

Day 50 - Men and their fires!

Day 51 - This turnip from our garden was almost as big as Ben's head!

Day 52 - 6 Month Dr. Apt.

Day 53 - Pretty sure that this is not the intended use of a treadmill...

Day 54 - Yogurt for my sweet

Day 55 - Sunday Breakfast

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

33-39 of 365

Day 33 - PJ Breakfast Party sans PJ's b/c mommy has a terrible "renembery". Funny story: Ems can be particular about her shoes. This day, she wanted to wear some shoes that were all scuffed up and not "party material". I suggested that she wear boots that matched and she balked and stated that "you don't wear boots to parties". I told her that Sara (the birthday girl) would probably be wearing boots and that if she wasn't then Ems could have 2 donuts (a huge bet that I KNEW I would win). At the party I quickly realized that I forgot to have Ems wear PJ's. During donut time she ate one then stood to go retrieve another to which I quickly intervened. "Ems, whatcha doin' babe?" Ems: "I am getting another donut" Me: "Baby we only need one donut today". Ems, very respectfully comes to me and whispers" Mom, Sara is wearing slippers, not boots". And that is how a five year old wins a bet, and plays it nicely! She got her two donuts!