Greetings from Miami

This weather is the main reason (other than to see my mom and sister) why we escaped so abruptly from Amsterdam. It's been glorious! To be able to wear sandals and shorts everyday, and see my kids running around freely is priceless.
We usually wait until the summer to come to Miami, but we couldn't wait this year. The weather had been a bit too cold, and the tickets weren't as expensive as they usually are during the summer.

This time to change from our daily routine which consists pretty much as; pool, and beach, and then everyday repeat, we decided to take a short road trip to Orlando. My older son will be 12 really soon, and when we asked what he wanted for his birthday he said he wanted to go to one of the parks in Orlando. So he picked Islands of Adventure, and off we went. He had a blast!! Me?? Not so much. When he was blasting off the Hulk or Harry Potter's dragons, I was looking after the little one. But it was definitely nice to see him soooo happy, and the weather wasn't the scorching heat of the summer.

It was nice to spend two days there, especially because we got to stay with some friends whom we haven't seen in so long.
Miami has been great, Orlando was "magical" (pun intended), the weather has been amazing. I'm not trying to make any of you, who are still stuck in winter weather, jealous. I'm just so very grateful that we got to do this, and see the beautiful blue skies everyday.

Wishing you all a great weekend.
Giova

Visiting "Hotel MOM"

Every year for two weeks we visit my mom in Miami. It is our time to "relax" and my mom's time to spend with her grandchildren. We switch to shorts and sandals and go from beach to pool, from pool to beach.

The laundry gets miraculously done every two days or so, the service and amenities are unlike any hotel, and there is even a cat for my kids to chase around. What more can we really ask for? The only terrible thing is the goodbye, every year we cry even though we know we'll be back!

 Lorenzo the cat

 Some other visitors at hotel Mom; Mr. Mirla, Mr. Bluejay and Mr. Carpenter (my favorite)!

 My favorite picture from this summer!

August is birthday season in my family. My mother's, my husband's and mine! A good excuse to get balloons, dress up and take pictures! 

I hope you had a great summer, and that you had plenty of time to relax.Are you still in summer mood? Here in Amsterdam the weather is changing, a cool breeze is replacing the no breeze from days before. What was your favorite part of the summer? Mine was being able to spend hours in the ocean looking at the horizon, pretty radical isn't it?

Have fun, and if there is still summer where you are enjoy it! Have a great weekend!!

Giova
P.S: Thank you Mom for all the things that you do when we visit you!!