My mom and I share a birth month. :)January 8th and 23rd respectively.
A couple months ago, we decided to get away for a weekend between our birthdays to the "family condo" in Fort Myers, Florida. My dad's parents lived here for many years before they passed and, since then, it has remained in the estate that my dad and his siblings inherited. So instead of selling it, it's like a family time share and everyone takes turns using it for vacations from time to time. We all keep track of the dates we are planning via a group e-mail chain and take care of the upkeep and clean-up with each visit. It really couldn't be easier to plan a vacation here. There's an older gentleman (a family friend) that lives in the same condominium complex that keeps watch over the place, opens it up from time to time and lets us know if anything needs our attention. He has keys to the condo and car so he picks us up from the airport in grandpa's old Lincoln so that we don't even have to concern ourselves with transportation! We just drive the car and make sure it is maintained as well. Nice!
Mom and I left straight from work for Detroit airport on Friday, January 13th and flew direct to Fort Myers. No bags checked - easy peasy. We even got a beverage at Starbucks (which is totally unlike me) to set the relaxing mood for our chill-out weekend.
It has been years since I was here last. College I think... with my cousin Molly, when grandma & grandpa were still living but grandma wasn't doing well. Coming back here brought lots of memories of my grandparents.
The condo sits on the edge of a golf course... of course. All the men in my family are golfers. And it's very peaceful to sit out on the wide-open, screened-in porch that faces the golf course and pond.
Upon arrival, we dropped our bags off at the condo and headed straight to a restaurant called Shoeless Joe's inside a Crowne Plaza hotel for dinner. It was after 10 when we finally ate and the food was so good! I'd never had sweet potato fries before! Then a quick stop at the grocery store for some breakfast/lunch/snack items and back "home" to bed. We were both pretty tired.
Upon arrival, we dropped our bags off at the condo and headed straight to a restaurant called Shoeless Joe's inside a Crowne Plaza hotel for dinner. It was after 10 when we finally ate and the food was so good! I'd never had sweet potato fries before! Then a quick stop at the grocery store for some breakfast/lunch/snack items and back "home" to bed. We were both pretty tired.The next morning, I got out for a four mile run while mom did some reading and then we showered, ate brunch and headed out for our day.
Our first stop was Sun Harvest Citrus for some fresh-squeezed, local, citrus juice. Sun Harvest is a family-owned business (with their grove in Vero Beach along the Indian River) since 1940, but their Fort Myers store has only been open to the public since 1990. Mom had been raving about their fresh-squeezed juices and I'm always interested in scoping out local produce/food!
Citrus fruit is seasonal here in Florida from about November to May depending on the variety.
Please excuse the poor picture quality. I only brought the tiny Nikon with me instead of my usual Canon.
Oh. My. Goodness. The flavor of these juices is UNREAL! They taste sweeter and more flavorful than any artificially or naturally sweetened beverage I've ever tasted. Seriously. They offered this juice bar with tiny paper cone cups to sample the different flavors and we went back so many times! 
I am a huge fan of grapefruit and grapefruit juice so that was one of my faves, but the orange was pretty incredible also. We tasted cranberry-orange and orange-strawberry too, but ultimately left with a half gallon of plain orange plus some gift shop items.
Mmm!!!
In the back of the store, off in a side room, they had a wide open glass viewing area of the shipping room where they ship their fresh citrus fruits and gift baskets all over the country! They have signs posted that warn customers that fruit is only picked at the peak of freshness, so depending on their order and the time it was placed, there may be a few days to a few weeks before the fruit is available for shipping... but it's always shipped the day it is picked and usually arrives within a day or two. They also add: "Please be patient. Genuine quality is always worth the wait." Amen! It is amazing how much better things taste when they are local and fresh/seasonal.
The rest of the store is set up as a typical Floridian gift shop. :) Mom and I had fun perusing the aprons, greeting cards, children's books and orange-based lotions and hand soaps.
A couple of signs/plaques that I thought had such cute messages:
Our first stop was Sun Harvest Citrus for some fresh-squeezed, local, citrus juice. Sun Harvest is a family-owned business (with their grove in Vero Beach along the Indian River) since 1940, but their Fort Myers store has only been open to the public since 1990. Mom had been raving about their fresh-squeezed juices and I'm always interested in scoping out local produce/food!
Citrus fruit is seasonal here in Florida from about November to May depending on the variety. 
Please excuse the poor picture quality. I only brought the tiny Nikon with me instead of my usual Canon. 
Oh. My. Goodness. The flavor of these juices is UNREAL! They taste sweeter and more flavorful than any artificially or naturally sweetened beverage I've ever tasted. Seriously. They offered this juice bar with tiny paper cone cups to sample the different flavors and we went back so many times! I am a huge fan of grapefruit and grapefruit juice so that was one of my faves, but the orange was pretty incredible also. We tasted cranberry-orange and orange-strawberry too, but ultimately left with a half gallon of plain orange plus some gift shop items.
Mmm!!!
In the back of the store, off in a side room, they had a wide open glass viewing area of the shipping room where they ship their fresh citrus fruits and gift baskets all over the country! They have signs posted that warn customers that fruit is only picked at the peak of freshness, so depending on their order and the time it was placed, there may be a few days to a few weeks before the fruit is available for shipping... but it's always shipped the day it is picked and usually arrives within a day or two. They also add: "Please be patient. Genuine quality is always worth the wait." Amen! It is amazing how much better things taste when they are local and fresh/seasonal.
The rest of the store is set up as a typical Floridian gift shop. :) Mom and I had fun perusing the aprons, greeting cards, children's books and orange-based lotions and hand soaps.
A couple of signs/plaques that I thought had such cute messages:{"If they're crabby, put them in water." Haha!}
{"...giving each other a safe place in which to grow... not only marrying the right person... being the right partner"}
We picked up a birthday card and enjoyed a look-back on 1959 - the year mom was born. :)
Looking back toward the front of the store, there was a huge line for fruit smoothies and other beverages on the right... as well as a dessert counter with orange and vanilla twist ice cream cones on the left. Mmm - too bad we weren't quite ready for ice cream yet.
I bought a book for each of the kids: a lift-the-flap ocean friends book for Sophie and a book called I'm a Manatee in hardcover with a CD included of the text sung as a song. The author of Will's book is John Lithgow who is also an actor.
{"...giving each other a safe place in which to grow... not only marrying the right person... being the right partner"}
We picked up a birthday card and enjoyed a look-back on 1959 - the year mom was born. :)
Looking back toward the front of the store, there was a huge line for fruit smoothies and other beverages on the right... as well as a dessert counter with orange and vanilla twist ice cream cones on the left. Mmm - too bad we weren't quite ready for ice cream yet.
I bought a book for each of the kids: a lift-the-flap ocean friends book for Sophie and a book called I'm a Manatee in hardcover with a CD included of the text sung as a song. The author of Will's book is John Lithgow who is also an actor.After our juice store visit, we headed over to the Miromar Outlets (off of I-75 in Estero) for some shopping!
I love outdoor shopping malls. And they had so many great stores with excellent discount prices! We were in the children's row here.
Just goofing around.
Modeling a shirt and necklace she liked at Ann Taylor. :)
These were just my bags! And we were both seriously worried about making it back home with just our carry-on bags! But don't worry... we made it all fit. Rolling clothing jelly-roll style is key. ;-)
I got a couple cute black & white tops at WHBM and Ann Taylor, a Puma jacket for Craig and I, some running apparel at Nike for cold-weather running and a Carter gift for my new, soon-to-be (2nd?) cousin: Baby Wittman!
I love outdoor shopping malls. And they had so many great stores with excellent discount prices! We were in the children's row here.
Just goofing around.
Modeling a shirt and necklace she liked at Ann Taylor. :)
These were just my bags! And we were both seriously worried about making it back home with just our carry-on bags! But don't worry... we made it all fit. Rolling clothing jelly-roll style is key. ;-)
I got a couple cute black & white tops at WHBM and Ann Taylor, a Puma jacket for Craig and I, some running apparel at Nike for cold-weather running and a Carter gift for my new, soon-to-be (2nd?) cousin: Baby Wittman!By the time we left, we were starving! Mom took me to Bahama Breeze - a restaurant she said we had to get to during our stay - and we were both pleased to see the big, outdoor, fire pit blazing. There was live music playing fairly softly, a friendly local couple to share some more hot spots, Bahama-ritas (delish!!) and really good food.
It was such a fun, relaxing atmosphere.
Ha! Onion rings are typically not something I order but these had coconut and some sort of chili-something-or-other in the batter and that just sounded so good. It was funny because Craig text me a picture of his sandwich with avocado and a bunch of veggies on it while he was skiing, with a message that said "I think you're rubbing off on me!" So I text him a picture of my onion rings with the same message. Haha! I also got that cute little stack of shrimp and crab meat with avocado, pineapple/mango chutney, chili sauce and these seasoned tortilla crisps. Yum!
After dinner, we got our jammies on, grabbed some blankets (it was kind of chilly!) and watched Crazy Stupid Love while playing Skip-Bo. :) I also painted my fingernails and toenails finally since... well, it is vacation after all, and I was wearing sandals!
Aaaand... there was some ice cream and reading involved this night also.
Each of our three mornings in Florida, our breakfast consisted of honey wheat bagels, honey nut cream cheese, sliced strawberries and milk & fresh o.j.
On Sunday morning, we walked for about an hour after breakfast...
Crossing the San Carlos Bay on the Sanibel Causeway, which connects South Fort Myers (and Florida's mainland) to Sanibel Island. There's a $6 toll for island-bound visitors to drive on the causeway.
We decided to just take a driving tour of Sanibel, passing many beaches, local restaurants, a museum, theater, school, etc. before crossing over Blind Pass into Captiva. We then drove the length of Captiva as well before settling on a pretty beach right near the Pass on Captiva. Parking fee was $2 for 1 hour.
Blind Pass. You can see the Sanibel-Captiva Road crossing over in the far left of the picture. These two islands were once joined before being severed by a hurricane in 1926.
Collecting shells on the beach... for Will & Sophie and for mom's preschool science table. ;)
Happy Birthday, mommy!
I'm not gonna' lie... this water was COLD!
It was such a fun, relaxing atmosphere.
Ha! Onion rings are typically not something I order but these had coconut and some sort of chili-something-or-other in the batter and that just sounded so good. It was funny because Craig text me a picture of his sandwich with avocado and a bunch of veggies on it while he was skiing, with a message that said "I think you're rubbing off on me!" So I text him a picture of my onion rings with the same message. Haha! I also got that cute little stack of shrimp and crab meat with avocado, pineapple/mango chutney, chili sauce and these seasoned tortilla crisps. Yum!
After dinner, we got our jammies on, grabbed some blankets (it was kind of chilly!) and watched Crazy Stupid Love while playing Skip-Bo. :) I also painted my fingernails and toenails finally since... well, it is vacation after all, and I was wearing sandals!
Aaaand... there was some ice cream and reading involved this night also.
Each of our three mornings in Florida, our breakfast consisted of honey wheat bagels, honey nut cream cheese, sliced strawberries and milk & fresh o.j.
On Sunday morning, we walked for about an hour after breakfast... ...and then came back to read on the porch for awhile before showering and leaving the condo.
Crossing the San Carlos Bay on the Sanibel Causeway, which connects South Fort Myers (and Florida's mainland) to Sanibel Island. There's a $6 toll for island-bound visitors to drive on the causeway.
We decided to just take a driving tour of Sanibel, passing many beaches, local restaurants, a museum, theater, school, etc. before crossing over Blind Pass into Captiva. We then drove the length of Captiva as well before settling on a pretty beach right near the Pass on Captiva. Parking fee was $2 for 1 hour.
Blind Pass. You can see the Sanibel-Captiva Road crossing over in the far left of the picture. These two islands were once joined before being severed by a hurricane in 1926.
Collecting shells on the beach... for Will & Sophie and for mom's preschool science table. ;)
Happy Birthday, mommy!
I'm not gonna' lie... this water was COLD!
A flock of Royal Terns.
My hair's a bit wind blown. I had massive tangles after our walk on the beach. ;)
A quick stop back at the car for beach towels, sweatshirts and Bananagrams...
We played MANY rounds of Bananagrams over the weekend and I think we're still due for a rubber match. Or maybe that was with our Farkle game?
This was soooo peaceful to just sit there with the sounds of the birds and the water in the background.
From there, we drove back across to the other side of Sanibel where the Sanibel Island Light stands.
Another $2 parking fee granted us access to the grounds and beach area around the lighthouse and pier. In the far off distance you can just barely see the city of Fort Myers from here.
A handful of fishermen were out on the pier.
From the end of the pier, you can see the Sanibel Causeway leading back to the mainland.
It was nearing sunset, so we stopped back at the car to grab our picnic dinner and water bottles and set ourselves up on the beach.
You'll never guess what I made...
A couple walked by in front of us and the man was carrying a HUGE lens on his camera. I was having lens envy, especially since I just had my little pocket-size camera, so I took a picture of his. :) They were just walking the beach and he was squatting down to take pictures of seabirds. Maybe he was a bird enthusiast or maybe he took pictures for a calendar company. But either way, aren't there enough pictures of seabirds standing on the beach available out there? Why waste your time and skill of that lens on a seabird? And, man, did his wife (?) have some patience! They weren't talking at all as far as I could tell. She just walked along carrying a bag with their shoes. Do you ever like to people watch and try to guess peoples' stories? I do!
Ha! On that note... here's a picture of another seabird. Actually, this guy was standing just a few feet from our picnic and kept looking from side to side like he wasn't paying attention to us as he inched closer. And then he did this crazy stand on one leg with his wings out front and back and tilting his body awkwardly. Mom and I just laughed at him with his "look what I can do" trick, just trying to earn a handout. ;-) Unfortunately I didn't get a picture of the trick 'cause I didn't get my camera out fast enough.
And don't laugh at this 2nd after-the-fact picture 'cause it's all I have and it was a cool moment! Two porpoises came swimming up about 15 feet from the shore and did several jumps out of the water before one of them caught a fish or something and splashed around right in front of us! It was so cool to watch and everyone standing nearby rushed over to see.
After our dinner picnic, we came back home to eat way too much ice cream, play several more games and read till we fell asleep.
My hair's a bit wind blown. I had massive tangles after our walk on the beach. ;) 
A quick stop back at the car for beach towels, sweatshirts and Bananagrams...
We played MANY rounds of Bananagrams over the weekend and I think we're still due for a rubber match. Or maybe that was with our Farkle game?
This was soooo peaceful to just sit there with the sounds of the birds and the water in the background.
From there, we drove back across to the other side of Sanibel where the Sanibel Island Light stands.
Another $2 parking fee granted us access to the grounds and beach area around the lighthouse and pier. In the far off distance you can just barely see the city of Fort Myers from here.
A handful of fishermen were out on the pier.
From the end of the pier, you can see the Sanibel Causeway leading back to the mainland.
It was nearing sunset, so we stopped back at the car to grab our picnic dinner and water bottles and set ourselves up on the beach. 
You'll never guess what I made...Okay, if you know me at all, maybe you will.
White bean dip with baked pita chips and raw veggies! :)
A couple walked by in front of us and the man was carrying a HUGE lens on his camera. I was having lens envy, especially since I just had my little pocket-size camera, so I took a picture of his. :) They were just walking the beach and he was squatting down to take pictures of seabirds. Maybe he was a bird enthusiast or maybe he took pictures for a calendar company. But either way, aren't there enough pictures of seabirds standing on the beach available out there? Why waste your time and skill of that lens on a seabird? And, man, did his wife (?) have some patience! They weren't talking at all as far as I could tell. She just walked along carrying a bag with their shoes. Do you ever like to people watch and try to guess peoples' stories? I do!
Ha! On that note... here's a picture of another seabird. Actually, this guy was standing just a few feet from our picnic and kept looking from side to side like he wasn't paying attention to us as he inched closer. And then he did this crazy stand on one leg with his wings out front and back and tilting his body awkwardly. Mom and I just laughed at him with his "look what I can do" trick, just trying to earn a handout. ;-) Unfortunately I didn't get a picture of the trick 'cause I didn't get my camera out fast enough.
And don't laugh at this 2nd after-the-fact picture 'cause it's all I have and it was a cool moment! Two porpoises came swimming up about 15 feet from the shore and did several jumps out of the water before one of them caught a fish or something and splashed around right in front of us! It was so cool to watch and everyone standing nearby rushed over to see.
After our dinner picnic, we came back home to eat way too much ice cream, play several more games and read till we fell asleep.The next morning, I got up for another four mile run followed by another hour long walk with mom. This was the warmest day of our weekend (also coincidentally our last/shortest day) so we didn't hesitate to get our swimsuits on and get down to lay out by the pool in our complex for a couple hours. It was glorious. ;) Soaking up some sunshine in the middle of winter, even if only a couple hours, does wonders for the soul.
The essentials: water bottles, blender drinks (what? at noon? why yes... we weren't driving anywhere for the rest of the day ;-) haha!), sunscreen, books, Bananagrams (didn't get used here) and phones.
Bliss. Happy Birthday to me. :)
Around 2:00, we went up to shower, pack and clean up the condo. Then that neighbor friend came over to pick us up, drive us to the airport and home we went! We arrived home around 10 p.m. and I was exhausted. It was nice to see Craig, kiss the kids goodnight and crash. I was exhausted!
Thanks, mom, for a wonderful, memorable, much-needed weekend with one of my favorite ladies on the planet! I love you sooooo much! Happy Birthday!
The essentials: water bottles, blender drinks (what? at noon? why yes... we weren't driving anywhere for the rest of the day ;-) haha!), sunscreen, books, Bananagrams (didn't get used here) and phones.
Bliss. Happy Birthday to me. :)
Around 2:00, we went up to shower, pack and clean up the condo. Then that neighbor friend came over to pick us up, drive us to the airport and home we went! We arrived home around 10 p.m. and I was exhausted. It was nice to see Craig, kiss the kids goodnight and crash. I was exhausted!Craig did a wonderful job while I was gone, but he did have a bit of a glazed-over look in his eyes when I got home. ;) And I laughed when he said to me: "Do you realize Sophie talks non-stop?And she only ever stops talking to sing?" LOL
It was good to be home. :)
I took Tuesday off from work and mom and I continued our "birthday vacation" with a massage in the morning and lunch to follow. The lady we went to for the massage is extremely interesting, very knowledgeable and has a very clean/holistic approach to health and the body. Mom typically sees her monthly and LOVES her. She gave me several good tips and advice based on what she could feel with my body, including this book on Bikram's Yoga as a means of extending the longevity and strength of my joints with running. (Something I've had on my mind lately.) This is her book that I was reading while mom was getting her massage. There was quite an extensive library of books on health and wellness in her home, which she encourages her guests to browse.
Thanks, mom, for a wonderful, memorable, much-needed weekend with one of my favorite ladies on the planet! I love you sooooo much! Happy Birthday!
2 comments:
Wow what a fun and awesome trip! Florida sounds like such a perfect escape right now! And how cool for just you and your mom to just get away and relax. :) We love Sanibel and Captiva and now I'm really missing the sunshine state! Great pictures and info.. that juice place looked cool, too! Basically, I just loved this post. And your mom is adorable as are you!
And I almost forgot... a very belated happy birthday to you!!!! :)
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