Our STAYcation

My parents were here visiting this week and, although I'm sure for them it's just a habit, it seems to me that it's a tradition to watch CBS Sunday Morning with my parents before church. This week Bill Geist did a piece on energy conservation by canceling his plans for a vacation and had a "staycation" at home. He ordered room service (pizza delivery), got a fake tan, and played badminton with the trash man. It was kind of funny. So this week we had a staycation of sorts, it probably helps that we're living near the beach to start with.

One of the perks of a staycation is that when little kids need naps, you just go home! But we got off to a start by fishing on a pier in Matlacha.
Matlacha is pronounced "Matt LaShea", I pretend it's the name of some guy from Louisiana when I'd rather pronounce it "Mat lah chuh". Anyway, Matlacha is a little island right off the mainland and just west of Cape Coral, which is just west of Ft. Myers - about 15 minutes away.
Rob bought live shrimp to use as bait. On this venture out they didn't catch anything, but Rob and my dad went at night (shhh Caleb doesn't know) and they caught 3 catfish. The drawbridge in Matlacha is supposedly the "World's Fishingest Bridge".

On Memorial Day, we took a cruise on the Caloosahatchee River - give or take 3 miles from home.
The "Captain JP" has 3 decks - here's Annalise on the front of the 2nd deck.
And Caleb joined in the dances on the 2nd deck.

Tuesday we took my parents to a nearby gourmet coffee and doughnut shop. I like this picture, I think the fork looks kind of artsy :)

Then my parents and I took the kids to Ft. Myers beach - about 20 miles from where we're staying.
Have I ever mentioned how soft the sand is here?
Caleb and Grandpa swimming.
Caleb and Mommy making a sandcastle.
So far our strategy with Annalise at the beach is to park her on a beach towel under an umbrella and distract her with ample toys so she won't eat sand. Sometimes we succeed, but often we fail.
Sandy boy :)

Wednesday we went to the Six Mile Cypress Slough (pronounced "slew") Preserve - it's sort of like the Everglades, but more hardwoods. Actually this is the end of the dry season, so it was sort of a collection of muddy holes. We are going to try to go back after the wet season kicks up - about 15 miles away.
Some flora and fauna pictures. This is a pink lichen growing on the tree. Some trivia - lichen is when algae and fungi live and grow together.
Purple flower, I know no trivia about it.
Playful squirrel - we also saw big woodpeckers.
Crusty turtle.
Annalise and Grandpa in the woods. Annalise was actually very fussy at the Slough. I discovered later that she is cutting her top two front teeth both at the same time!
Lots of fun with Grandma and Grandpa!

It was a nice staycation...I don't know if it quenched my hopes for a vacation though. We are going to Vero Beach for a wedding this weekend. Believe it or not, the couple's last name will be Love!