Sunday, November 16, 2008

Florida 2008

Florida Trip

November 2008


I was able to visit my friend, Judy, in Sarasota, Florida along with my good friends, Vicki, Laurette and Heather. All of us had lived in Louisville, KY at the same time. With job changes and transfers only one of the group still lives in Louisville and the rest of us live all over the place. I came from Phoenix, Vicki came from Louisville, Laurette came from Dallas, Judy lives in Florida and Heather came from Budapest, Hungary. Heather came all the way from Europe for the weekend. We hadn't all been together for a few years. We had such a blast. I seriously haven't laughed that hard in years! The weather was beautiful too. It was just what I needed - to get away and have a great time with some girlfriends. It's amazing how many magazines you can read flying across country without kids! Matt was a wonderful, supportive husband to take care the kids and get them where they needed to be. He even took all 5 of them to the Fall Festival at school!

Here we all are a few minutes after I got to Judy's house. I was the last to arrive. Judy had left her husband's car at the airport in Tampa and somehow GPS got me all the way to her house in Sarasota without getting lost.

Heather, me and Laurette

Of course I had to go running while in Florida. Judy lives on a golf course with ponds all over the place. Judy said alligators live in those ponds. She's seen them from time to time. So, I was a little nervous to find one while out running. I ran in the middle of the street to be as far away as possible-just in case one decided to venture out to the street!

Laurette and I taking over the kitchen.


Vicki and I on the way to the beach

Heather, Vicki and I at Siesta Key Beach

Laurette, Heather, Vicki and I

Ryan, Heather's 5 month old son, was our little mascot for the weekend. He is the BEST baby. She said he was great on the long flight from Europe and he hardly made a peep the whole time we were there. He makes me ALMOST want to have another baby!

Being in Florida, the average age at the beach was about 75 years old!! Lots of leather-looking ,wrinkly skinned people in bikinis and speedos were around us. This guy was sitting right by us flaunting his great physique!


Too much excitement for Ryan!

Vicki and I ready for a night out on the town.


Judy's husband, Jerry, was in CA so we had to take most of our group pictures with the camera's timer! This is before our night on the town!


While in Florida, you have to go out for Cuban food! Especially when your husband is part Cuban, like mine. We went to a well know Cuban restaurant in a super cool area called St. Armand's Circle.

The weather was perfect to eat outside.

On Saturday, we went shopping and had to have lunch at Jersey Mike's -Heather's favorite from when we lived in Louisville. Then we went to the beach once again.


Vicki, Heather, Judy and I in the hot tub.

The girls!

All of us right before we left for the airport. We all got the same Nike pullovers at the Nike outlet the day before. They were such a great deal and totally cute and comfy. We look like total dorks !



We were crammed in the back of the Escalade on the way to the airport. We were all leaving at about the same time. Even Judy, was flying out to CA. So with 5 women, one baby and all the luggage-we barely fit!

I'm so glad Vicki pinned us all down and made us commit to this girls weekend. It was so much fun. We stayed up late talking and laughing each night. I was so tired after the weekend and we pretty much ATE EVERYTHING, but it was worth it! We already have made plans to do it again in 15 months. I'm already looking forward to it!

17 comments:

Shanen said...

What a fun trip. That is great to have such great friends to take those trips with. I bet everyone enjoyed a well-deserved break. Yeah for you.

Glazier5 said...

Yeah for a girls getaway! You deserve one more than anyone I know! Yeah for Matt for setting such a good example in sending the wifey on a trip. And yeah for training your kids not to answer the door for anyone! :-) Glad you had a good time!

Val & Terri Galvan said...

That sounds like so much fun!! I'm glad the aligators didn't eat you!
You did a great job yesterday!!

Deanna said...

Nice picture of the hot man on the beach by the way. Great pics. We are loving FLORIDA!! Looks like a blast. I'm so glad you went. Now, the FOUR (4) of us NEED to go next. We need a Cuban tour guide too!

Bill and Tara said...

WoW! That looks like soooo much fun! I am impressed you ran with the possibility of alligator jumping out of ponds-maybe that can be a new way to increase your speed. :) Glad you got to get away. You look FABULOUS in those pictures by the way.

mateo said...

That guy on the beach needs a manzier, or maybe a bro.

foreveryoung said...

Girl trips are the best! Don't you feel so rejuvinated? (either that or you realize how much easier life was without kids and you don't want to come back :) The speedo man is totally posing for you, I think Matt's got some competition, ha! And that's crazy about the crocodile. When I went to Fla. for my girls trip, Kylie was so worried that I would get attacked by a crocodile, so maybe I better not tell her how you really saw one!

Unknown said...

Can I go next time?

Chelsea said...

so cute Julie, awesome that you are all still close enough to have a fun girls trip!

Shanen said...

That's funny the twins were talking about Kruz because during Sacrament Kruz turned around and kepy saying "Riley" It took me a few minutes to figure it out, but then say Matt sitting with the twins. SO cute, they must just be in class together.

Amy Jo said...

What a great girls trip, lucky you!

Bunch of Brooks' said...

Looks like you had a blast!! You gotta take one of those kinds of trips every once in awhile to keep sane; it's atleast a good excuse for one!!!

Nichols Family said...

That old guy rules. Glad you got to go! I have family in FL too, love it!

bstoutfamily said...

Hey Julie!! So how fun that you all were able to go out there and have a fabulous girls weekend!!! My mom had SO much fun with all of you!!! It is so fun to see all of your great pictures!!! :)

Kristi said...

WHATEVER. I am not even jealous...

And by they way, you guys look totally GAY in your matching shirts.... (okay, so I'm a little jealous still)

Colorado Oldroyds said...

Sorry we missed you. We'll be back, we love Arizona "winters." Todd wanted to show up at your house with a HT message as a joke. Matt must be so jealous of your beach "friend."

Cheryl said...

Girls trip to Florida, not too bad of a set up, esp. when you all lives in different places and all once live in Louisville.

Looked like so much fun. Very happy to know you'll be repeating it every year. Perfect.