Our Happily Ever After.......After One Year Part 4

See what I mean???? Shells everywhere!! I was just beside myself!
This is Captiva Island...very beautiful! The pictures just don't give the place justice!!!
While on Captiva Island Tim spotted this street sign! Look Aunt Trish and Uncle Al...apparently you have relatives on Captiva Island...maybe we can get some free lodging!!??? Haha! We thought of you on our trip and took this pic for you!
We noticed a very busy little guy (actually kinda big) on the beach. He'd peak his head out of his hole to make sure the coast was clear. Then he would have a little claw full of sand and throw it to the side. He'd look around then scamper back in this hole. Tim and I must have looked so silly because we hovered over this sand hole with the camera in ready position staying as still as possible! Lots of Europeans on the island and must have thought us Americans were VERY STRANGE to stare at sand for so long!!!

Our Happily Ever After.......After One Year Part 3

While staying in Ft. Myers Beach we decided to cruise over to Sanibel...for guess what??? SHELLING!!!! We were told by Dan and Tree our Mango Street Innkeepers that Bowman's Beach was where to go and they were soooo right!!!
Tim is the most AMAZING shell hunter! He went a little deeper and scoured the ocean floor for great shells! You frequently find alive shells as the one below is. Of course we had to take a photo before setting Mr. Shell back into the ocean. We were soooo amazed at this little guy...well he was kinda big as you can see in Tim's hands.

I loved this flower on the trellis at the Mango Street Inn....SO UNIQUE! I'm hoping my grandma can identify it so we see about getting this plant in our yard. How cool is that flower???
The precious Mango Street Inn...we loved it here! If you ever go to Ft. Myers Beach...stay here! Wonderful hospitality, warm and friendly, Dan's a chef so we had gourmet breakfasts and I learned about jicama slices like french fries drizzled in lime juice with chili powder!!! DELISH!!! 

The Mango Street Inn is also awarded for being eco friendly. They use rain barrels to water their lawns and flowers, have water sparing toilets/showers/faucets, recycle and conserve energy at all cost. So cool!!! Tim and I have been researching rain barrels for our home given all the Florida rain so seeing their system really inspired us. 

Our Happily Ever After.......After One Year Part 2

As you can see we were very busy on our trip. This begins our journey at Ft. Myers Beach, Sanibel Island and Captiva Island....AMAZING PLACES!!! This pup you see exhausted from a hard day of lounging is named Cookie. He is the proud owner of Dan and Tree at the Mango Street Inn in Ft. Myers Beach. :) 
Cookie loves to be pet but if you delay....he does this dance! Tim and I loved the dance...As you can see Tim picked up the moves quickly!
This pic of Tim above is a little out of order but very important! This was taken at the condo his family took them too when they were young in Long Boat Key! Tim found it on the strip and needed to stop and reminisce. It was really special for him since he had so many great stories and memories there! 
Back to our Ft. Myers portion of the trip. One day we took an Eco Tour of Estero Bay. We stopped of at Hickory Island for some shelling....MY FAVE!!!! As you can see...white sand beaches and clear water! I was in awww the whole time. The shells we found were amazing!!! They are everywhere!!!

Our Happily Ever After.......After One Year

We decided after the Dave Matthews Band concert in West Palm Beach we should stay in South Florida for a week to celebrate our one year anniversary. We both travel quite a bit with work and have been very busy with other engagements, home projects and just life in general. I have learned with being married how important it is to celebrate the love and relationship given to us by God. I find myself so much more in love with my best friend Tim as each day passes. We had originally thought to travel to the Dominican Republic but the thought of another airport and all the stress of that....why bother!? So we wanted to see our own state and support our local economy. 

Above is a photo of Anna Maria Island Beach...who needs the US Virgin Island beaches right??? Amazingly white sand beach and clear water. 

Each evening we took in the West Coast sunset amazed at all the colors on the horizon. We would take our beach chairs and just wait for the sun to go to sleep. It was such a peaceful way to close our evenings!
I decided the best way to stay cool while reading home design magazines was to sit in the ocean!!! It was so peaceful! Of course the water can make magazine reading a little challenging but life couldn't have been better! My husbando must have liked the view because he took a bunch of pics of me like this!!!! hehe!
Our week away we wanted to break away from the hotel chains and try the local culture so we stayed at B & B's as rated on tripadvisor.com. What a way to travel! This is the Harrington House in Anna Maria Island. Gourmet breakfasts and wonderful hospitality!!!

Technically, this is part 2 of our trip....i loaded the pictures backwards and was too lazy to start over!!! haha!!! 

West Palm and the GrooGrux King

August 14th Ashley, Bryan, Tim and I headed to West Palm Beach, FL for some R & R and the Dave Matthews Band concert! It was wonderful...as seeing them usually is! I had this feeling, since I was trying to be economical when purchasing tickets on the lawn, that we might be in store for rain. So I suggested we snag up ponchos...BOY AM I GLAD WE DID!!! The hour before the concert it rained bucket loads! We were packed under a picnic table umbrella like sardines before the concert cursing the weather!!! Then...the sky was fabulous and we enjoyed an evening of DMB followed by two GIGANTIC Papa John's Pizza's....DELISH! We love taking time to enjoy life with our friends on mini-vacations! Cheers Bry and Ash...thanks for hangin!!!! Till the next concert......

09 AUG 09

On August 09, 2009 Michael Derek married Becca Townsend at The Oldest House in St. Augustine, FL. Of course, I sobbed..... Actually, I was sobbing because Michael D. was. See, his best friend Jason Calvert, whom he's known for 20+ years married them. The night before Jason collected quotes from family and friends. The last quote was one from our mom, "I'll love you forever. I'll love you always. For as long as you live, my baby you'll be." My mom has said that to us for years. Michael welled up in tears...what's a sister to do???

They had a beautiful wedding! Cheers to happily ever after Michael Derek! I love you Becca and am so happy to have you join the Freeland clan!

When Michael returned from his honeymoon, he came to work to find his cubicle decorated by one of the ladies at work, Arta Tibbits. SOOOO FUNNY! He was soooo surprised and loved every moment! They love him at work....I have to admit, what's not to love???

CONGRATS MICHAEL AND BECCA!!! The new MR. AND MRS. FREELAND!

How Time Goes By....

I am sitting on the couch and looking back over the years. I remember my "little" brother Michael playing at the corner of our driveway on 231 Sunshine Dr in Bolingbrook, IL. I think he was 3 or 4 then. He had white blonde hair. It was curly around the back and his body frame was so small. He wasn't allowed to play in the corner of the driveway because he would create a mud hole with a cup full of water and his favorite Tonka trucks. He couldn't say, "dirt", so he said, "durt". It was sooo cute. He always got in trouble, but my favorite picture over the years is him looking up from his mud hole with specks of dirt all over his precious face. He was adorable then and still is today.

In two weeks my "little" brother is getting married. I couldn't be more happy for him and his fiance', Becca. It's hard to know how the time flew. I can only imagine how my loving parents must feel. Michael will also be 30 this coming May...What??? 

I am just so proud of Michael, his accomplishments, his love for his family and the man he has become. I have always adored Michael and been a bit more protective than I probably should have. It is a little strange taking on a new role with him as Becca becomes the woman who protects him. 

I love Michael so much and the family I call "The Freelands". I have been blessed beyond measure. My parent's story is truly one of a Miracle from God. 

Today I am thankful for who I am and the roots I have.