Afternoon siestas by the pool!  Of course we all swam before and tired ourselves out getting so much exercise.

I took a selfie of Gayla and I. She didn't even know I took it ha ha!  Kind of missed half of me.  Oh Well.

The top picture is one way you find the guys relaxing by the pool and this is the second way.  

I like these little palm trees.  This was taken next to our place before you walk on the beach.

Dad was supposed to take a pic of this and send it to me, but it came as a video.  Took a pic of it but then the arrow stayed in the middle.  Was such a fun walk with all of us, I put it on anyway.

Tonight when we were going to walk to hear the music and watch the sunset, this wedding was going on out on the beach.  It was beautiful.  

Took a close up but it's a little blurry.  Dad wanted me to take them in case he is ever asked to do a beach wedding.

Took a selfie of us watching our next to the last sunset.  Cute because dad said make sure you get my hand in it.  See his hand ha ha!

It was a beautiful sunset tonight.  Always love watching them.

After breakfast and devotions, Bill and I did the dishes (we do them lots together here), then we went shopping for a little while.  We also went to the Donut Experience.  I had them dip my warm donut in chocolate and then in candy bar crunch.  Yum!  Bill had two sugar donuts.  There was a really long line, but it sure was worth the wait.  We headed back, but the road didn't go through like he thought, so ended up having to turn around and go back the other way.  By the time we got back, Wes and Gayla were ready to leave.  We went to Bells for Joel to get swimming trunks, then met Joann at Olive Garden.  We all had soup, salad, and bread sticks except Bill who had spaghetti.  Afterwards we went to the nursing home to visit Joann's husband, Henry.  There was a sweet patient in the hall and I got to talk to her and ask her if Jesus was her Lord and Savior and talk to her about praying and talking to him.  We visited with Henry and then prayed as a group.  Bill then asked Henry if we could pray for him.  We did and it was so moving his wife was wiping the tears away afterward.  Bill gave him and "I'm believing God for a miracle" card.  Thanking God for the opportunities He gives us.  I got a wonderful package in the mail today.  It was from Kim Reminder who is in our care group.  It had a cute tiny purse with candies and cross earrings in it.  There was a card from all of our kids in our class at church and also a card from all of our care group.  She sure is an amazing friend and person.  Everything about the rest of the day is written under the pictures.

These were beautiful flowers on this bush behind Joel.

We were at a restaurant called Starfish, but it was so packed, we left and went to another restaurant.

This was the outside wall of the next restaurant.

This was our view from our outside table.  See the pelicans waiting for  fish in the water.

A nice guy offered to take a picture of all of us as I was going to take one.  It was a seafood restaurant but most of us got burgers.  The fish prices were outrageous for lunch.  I did get a free piece of Key Lime pie with oreo crust because it was my birthday.  Yummy!

This bird is a heron from South America.  It is one of the birds I took a picture of making the nest.  He landed right above my head so I snapped a picture.

He decided to take a drink out of our pool!

Loved my gift from all of you.  I knitted with them tonight and the  bamboo knitting needles are amazing.  I love the needle holder.  It is beautiful and made by beautiful daughter Kimmy.  Love the yarn too!  Great colors!  And I really love the card signed by everyone in my family!  Thanks for a great birthday and such special gifts.  I loved our conference call and your birthday song to me.

Bill, Wes, and Gayla threw a party for me and invited Louise, Becky, Dave,  and Ron.  We came back after eating out and went for a swim, then had a delicious cake Bill picked up at Der Dutchman Amish Restaurant yesterday.  It was delicious.  Wes and Gayla had picked up ice cream and that was delicious too. 

We played cards (3-13) then went for a nice walk on the beach.  The water felt great on our feet.

Went to listen to music and watch the sunset.  Dad took a picture of Joel on his watch.  It is below!

Here is my sweetie showing us Joel's picture he just took.

Notice that the sign says no standing at any time and look at what Louise and Becky are doing.  Good thing they didn't get arrested.

This was so sweet of Kim tonight.  In our kid's care group class she had a birthday party for me and took lots of pictures of my sweet kiddos.  This is their silly one.  Sure do miss and love all of them in the picture!  So sweet!

It was a very fun and special day.  Gayla wouldn't let me do anything today but relax.  Everyone was so sweet, those here and those back home.  I am truly blessed!  Thank you Jesus!!!

This is a picture I forgot to put on yesterday.  It shows the consistency of the soft sand pretty good. It was so soothing on my feet.  Never felt sand like this anywhere else.  I vote this beach #1 too!

Siesta Keys Beach....Voted #1 Beach in Whole USAThat

At Beautiful Siesta Beach!  The sand is soft like flour.  It felt so good on our feet.  Amazing creation of God!  Joel enjoyed the beach in the beach chair they had there for him to use.  The beach is in front of Joel and all that sand behind him is just as soft and white and wonderful as it is right up by the beach.  

Me soaking up the sun and enjoying the beach!  I got stung by a bee right before this pic.  Ouch!  I gave him a swat but wasn't fast enough.  Left his big ole stinger in my arm.  Can't figure out why a bee would be out where it is all sand and water.  Couldn't make mud to put on it that's for sure.

Parasailors above.  Gayla is just getting out of the water.  She was testing it with her feet.

Wes and Bill were brave and got wet all over!  The color of the water was absolutely beautiful.  84 degrees out today

That's as far as I went in.  It wasn't too cold, but not warm like our pool that I'm used to.

I was talking with this beautiful daughter when we were on the beach.  Miss her and my other two beautiful daughters too!

Joel loved relaxing on this beach chair.  Wish we had one on our beach for him.  It has huge wheels so we could push him close to the beach.

Dad and I took a mile long walk on the beach.  It was breathtaking.  We found a few shells.

We decided to take a selfie on our walk.

We decided to do a footie while our feet were in the water close to shore.

Can you believe all the people on the beach.  Do you recognize an arm?  One thing, when you walk, even though there's lots of people, most people are walking and getting out of your way so it doesn't seem crowed when walking.

We all got hungry after almost 3 hours on the beach.  Decided to leave and head for an amazing Amish Restaurant.

This is the walk way to the beach!  There is a restaurant here and they sell things too. 

This is the restaurant.  The food is behind the glass panels.  It was a huge buffet with tons of homemade food the Amish cooked.  They had the best chicken I've ever tasted.  They had desserts too and ice cream came with our meal besides.  We were super stuffed.  Gayla and I had out swim suits under our clothes so that made us seem extra full.

The food was indescribably delicious!  

Gayla was being silly with her chubby full cheeks.

After we ate, we walked up here and looked at the stuff in the store.  It went in a square all around this opening.  You could go up either staircase and they also had an elevator.

I looked down at Wes and Joel and snapped their picture.

This is what part of the upstairs store looked like.

Downstairs they had all food, breads, jams, etc.  Can you see dad at the counter?

Outside porch of the restaurant.

This is the outside view of the restaurant and sign.  These are some of the bikes the Amish workers ride to work.  Even the older ladies ride them with their dresses on.  

It was a fun filled day.  When we got home we were all to stuffed to eat supper so dad and I went for a swim and Wes, Gayla and Joel sat out by the pool and relaxed.  We went out and sat by the fire pit but it was very windy so didn't keep it on long.  Watched the beautiful sunset, then came in and watched the movie, 'The Hiding Place".  Was so blessed to be able to be on the phone with all 3 precious daughters at the same time.  Vikki had us practice for tomorrow so I can open my present from them with them on the phone.  Such a great idea....can't wait to open this package that came from them in the mail and kept me wondering all week.  Love, Prayers and blessings to my wonderful family and dear friends!

After breakfast this morning, dad did the dishes (washed and dried) while Gayla and I went to the laundromat and did laundry.  Dad and I went shopping to spend our Bell's Bucks.  We got $102's worth of free stuff because Wes and Gayla gave us their bucks too.  Dad got tennis shoes and I got a top.  We got back and saw that Wes, Gayla and Joel were at the beach.  We grabbed our Sportsbrella, chairs and beach bag and walked to the beach.  We were their quite a while relaxing and watching all the people on the beach. It was absolutely beautiful weather again.

If you look close you will see two handsome beach bums at the very left coming out of the water. Isn't the color of the water gorgeous.  It's breathtaking!

Love this picture of Joel enjoying a nice cold pepsi!

Dad suntanning by the sportsbrella.

Me shading under the sportsbrella.  Our place we are staying is right behind us to the right.

Love seeing all the colorful umbrellas.  We had to laugh when an old guy walked by us in a speedo.  Gayla said  Bill and Wes couldn't wear one because they love the doughnut experience too much.  

Our neighbors on the beach!

Saw this big bird on our walk back to resort.  Some kind of heron.

Dad and Wes walking to see the sunset straight ahead on the beach.  To the left is our resort.

It was a fun and relaxing day.  After spending the afternoon on the beach, we came home for a swim.  Then Gayla and I made spaghetti, garlic toast, and fresh green beans.  We ate watermelon for dessert.  Missing my family and can't wait to hug them when I get home.  Got to talk to all of them on the phone.  Called Hailey to tell her how much we love the book she made for us.  We can only read one every week.  It is so sweet and it is a treasure we will keep forever.  Thank you sweet Hailey!  Loved getting to talk to each of the boys too.  Also had a special treat and got to face time Vikki and the kids to watch the sun set together.
The people playing the music, played How Great Thou Art and I can Only Imagine when the sun was setting.