Tampa Bay

It appears blogger is taking liberty with arranging the photos as they want! This is actually a photo of Sam when we got home, and I had unpacked the suitcase. It made me laugh because, I remember that I used to love climbing in my Dad's suitcase when he would get back from trips or when he was preparing to leave, all the while begging him to take me with him. It is totally not the same, but it still left me thinking of that time when I was tiny, and my world revolved around my Daddy.Nana and Sam had a big time while Cody and I took our first long weekend away. They did lots of playing and book reading. Uncle Dennis (or 'Hamp' as Sam calls him) came and picked them up. They spent the majority of the weekend with the Hauck's. Sam really enjoyed his cousins, and slept really good according to Nana. He is missing Nana lots, and has asked about her at least once everyday since she has left.

Now, for the trip! We got in late Thursday night and just enjoyed a few drinks at the Westin's bar. We stayed up past 9:30 (our usual bedtime) and slept in to 8:30. Such rebels! Friday was the best day of the trip! We got in a good workout and headed out to explore the area. We drove to the closest beaches in St. Petes...I was hugely disappointed to find that it was unseasonably cold. Although it was really a gorgeous day, the temperature just hovered over 60. No swimming! I did dip my toes in the water though. We had lunch at this outdoor, beach front bar and noshed on some tasty fish sandwiches. After lunch, we went to the Salvador Dali museum. It was totally amazing! The guides were so knowledgeable. It was especially great to see Cody into it, he isn't typically a museum type...but Dali's exhibits are far from typical.

We headed back to the hotel to clean up for dinner. We made reservations at Bern's Steak House. It was an incredible meal! If you like steak and are ever in Tampa, it is a MUST do! No detail went left undone, and lets just say they have a dessert room. After that, we then went on to an "after party" following the rehearsal dinner for out of town guests. It was outside and freezing! Honestly, it was hard to enjoy.

Here I am trying not to look cold.

This was the view from the hotel room. It was a spectacular view, I wish we had a balcony.

The wedding weekend was something indescribable. There is no adjective that can summarize such lavish celebrations. I mean really...nothing. I really, really, really wish I had brought my camera with us, but I forgot my dressy purse and didn't want to carry it around. A few of the details were 2 bands (one of which was headed up by Beyonce's sister)...zebra rugs laid out in the bar areas...personal monogrammed linen cocktail napkins...food stations that included fillet, salmon, sea bass, venison, and mussels...a raw bar...personally designed, hand sewn gown...and a 60foot yaught send off to their honeymoon in Barbados. Crazy. Wild. There are so many more things but you'd need to see it to believe it. Who were these people you ask? Cody's partner's son...he married well. Real well. Although, it isn't my style wedding, you always want for a girl to have her dream, fairytale wedding. And, I think it is safe to say this lovely bride got her fairytale. And me, I got my fairytale weekend away with Cody. It was fantastic to spend the weekend eating, sleeping in and having a conversation that didn't revolve around naps, snacks, and diapers.