Christmas Break in Bonita

I realize that we were just there less than 1 month ago, but man do we miss this place every single time we leave.  It really has become our home away from home.  And it truly is the best place for us to spend Christmas each year.  We arrived on Dec. 23 and enjoyed some beach time, food time and just general family time before Christmas Day.


On Christmas Eve, we headed out to Sanibel Island to hit Doc Fords for some yummy food and we tried shelling at a new beach we haven't tried yet at Blind Pass.  There is limited parking so we got there early.  We got loads of shells, saw a ton of dolphins and had a super fun day.

Since we missed out on Stone Crab over Thanksgiving, we got smart this time and pre-ordered a couple pounds for ourselves.  Oh and man was it worth it.

Lily and Chris at Bonita Beach (sunset time)

Dolphins from the beach

And some hole digging

Getting in the Christmas Spirit

This weekend was a perfect warm up for Christmas in so many ways.  We went out for dinner and saw the Nutcracker on Friday night with some friends.  Then Saturday Lily got to go to a Girls Scouts Christmas event most the day.  Then in the evening we had dinner together followed by movie night.  Complete with hot cocoa with candy cane topping (Lily's idea).  Then on Sunday we got to have brunch at the club with Santa & Mrs. Claus visiting and a great cookie station.  Followed by a whole house full of friends all Sunday afternoon for soup, chili and some serious cookie baking and decorating.  Super fun times, but I was so busy making cookies I didn't get any pictures of our cookie making.  Ugh.

Still a little snow left

Delaware actually got more snow than PA did so there was still a lot of snow on the ground on Monday morning as Lily and the other neighborhood kids headed to school.

Alyssa & Lily

Our annual trip to Hershey Park

This is our third year of heading up to Hershey at the beginning of December.  Some years are cold, some years are really warm and other years (this year) are very snowy.  But we were ready for the cold and all bundled up.  Only to dethaw in our swimming suits at the new indoor water park.  It really was a magical weekend.

An extended weekend of fun - first up DC & American Girl Tea Party

To make a long story short, I had to take Lily out of school on Friday so we could pick up Rut and make the rest of the weekend work.  So we decided to make the most of her day off school and hit the American Girl store in Tyson's Mall for a Mommy/Daughter Tea Party.  And then we stopped for some sushi.  And had a little Justice shopping spree.  It was a super fun day.

Lily is the best daughter ever

Since I leave her notes in her lunch box, she decided she would leave me one at home.  Must say that I feel like the luckiest Mom alive.

A weekend of fun - the first weekend in December

Despite many other plans... we were flexible this last weekend and still had a great time.  Friday night we saw the movie Wonder which was awesome.  Saturday, Lily rode on a float in the local Millsboro parade.  Then Sunday, we headed up to Wilmington and spent the day with Sam and Chloe so their parents could pack.  We watched Coco, went shopping and had fun at the park. 

Lily reading to Sam & Chloe at the local Barnes & Noble

Smoothies obviously make all the kids happy