Key West with Dad

A few days in Fort Pierce and some manatee spottings before we headed to Key West

the ride there went pretty smooth!

Conor was working at the hospital while the kids and I had a blast around town.  

the kids were hilarious watching the underwater, 3-D movie of the Dry Tortugas at the Key West Discovery Center

they kept reaching out in front of themselves to "touch" the fish and then taking their glasses on and off to check out the difference. 

there is a new, pretty epic playground in Key West

Terror or Total Joy?
 She wasn't sure

drying her hair

Fort Zack and sand snowmen

the kids are "in jail" at Fort Zack

when Dad, the celebrity, comes home, we all can't get enough of him!

lovely morning spent at the Aquarium

When it was our turn to feed the nurse sharks, another mom at the Aquarium offered to take our picture.  Only a fellow mom would understand that the only photos us moms are usually in are selfies. haha.  

one of the Aquarium employees was taking their tortoise for "a walk."  I'm not sure if this is standard practice at all Aquariums or if this is only a "Key West" thing, but the kids were totally stoked to see this beautiful turtle out and about. 

A trip to the magical Butterfly Conservatory

Last time I went with Conor on a work trip to Key West, we only had little Elwood.  We went to the Butterfly Conservatory then so it was special to go back this time with our growing family. Below are a few pictures of baby Woody at the Butterfly Conservatory many years ago.  

the girls peacefully looking at all the butterflies

hello blue morph.

The kids were excited to see the blue morphs again because we see them flying around our yard in Panama.

I'm sure all these butterflies are completely happy in their lovely conservatory with all the flowers and extra fruit left out for them but I couldn't help but feel that the ones in Panama had a little bit more of a free and exciting life flying around the jungle.  .  .

Or maybe I just feel that all creatures, big and small, should be able to choose between a life of comfort yet contained or wild yet free.   

putting out the "land on me" vibe

it was windy haha

I spotted Francie the first few times she climbed up this tricky latter but she seemed fine so instead of standing underneath her waiting to catch her if needed,  I took a picture of a dangerous two year in a tutu with an American flag in the background. haha

checking out our butterfly mood rings we got at the Butterfly Conservatory during our lunch picnic.  I loved a mood ring as a kid and I love a mood ring as an adult. 

they are at the age where they don't even need money in the machines. 

Woody burned through some dollars trying out the games.  He was less entertained by the "no money" start screen. 

ice creeeeaaammmm!

as we were taking a family selfie, a very nice man offered to take our picture instead.  He took 5 very lovely and very blurry pictures.  He handed my phone back telling me, "I took a bunch so you'll have some to choose from." haha.  Thanks buddy.  I think the selfie would have been better. 

Mini Golf!
 Woody was very into it.  He wanted to follow the rules and count all the strokes and play for real but those damn sisters of his were total rogue players.  And it burned him so bad when Tohi got a whole in one.  Twice. 

Hole-in-One!

After I put the kids to bed, I heard a lot of ruckus but I didn't go in because no one was crying.  When thing got quiet, I went in to check on them and found them all asleep in their tent. Too cute. 

our friend, Jessica, invited us to a kids gymnastics class at her new gym

feeding the snappers

checking out the street performers at
Mallory Square

One more "flashback" photo of our last work trip with Conor back in 2013.  

same place, same shoulders, different kiddo

two friends rocking their side fanny packs

on the walk back to the car, all the kids were jumping and climbing on everything, inspired by all the acrobatic street performers. 

Everyone loves Bryan and Angie's backyard

new friends

10 years later and Key West is still full of special friends and plenty of good times

driving north

Everything coordinated and clicked this one morning, and then Tohi knew how to swing by herself.  Life changing! haha! She and I were both so excited and proud! Another big kid milestone!