surprise visit

two weeks ago, seems like just yesterday, stephanie & brad showed up for a surprise visit !!!

they were in desperate need of some sun and fun ! the long chicago winter was getting the best of them !!!

we rented a car big enough for four and got on alligator alley headed for the west side of the state. our first destination: the beach !

lu & i got in our beach chairs with nothing more to do than catch some rays.

then the celebration began !

dad was thrilled to cast a line in the gulf of mexico.

when the sun went down, we played a little shuffleboard.

we rented kayaks early the next morning and went exploring.

the bird sightings were numerous. here sits a brown pelican.

lu was soooo happy to be at the beach!

we were very competitive at our efforts at shuffleboard. the girls were teamed up against the guys. the girls won. of course  :)  :)

dad did all the work (surprise!) my job was to look pretty :)

we had a blast. we rented a condo on the beach.

lu attempting to school fashie on the finer tips of the game.

we cruised through the waterways filled with mangrove trees.

the weather was absolutely beautiful !

our favorite eatery was the over easy cafe. we ate there several times.

it was important to choose a kayak that matched my outfit !  ha, ha ! j/k  :)

lu & i spent a lot of time collecting seashells. they were plentiful & beautiful.

lu kept us all entertained !