playing catch up

Today is Monday, 3/19, and we just returned with my friend Stephanie who flew in to Key West from Albuquerque, NM.  Before I do today's blog (I took at least another 50+ pics today) I am going to play catch up on the three folders of pics and stories I have yet posted.  We are far too busy for folks that are semi-retired and on vacation!  Prior to last night's blog, I think I left off with our youngest, Ellen, visiting Marquesa on Spring Break. (See the blog entry called "so much to see and do" to get yourself up to speed on our spring break week with the kids.)  Jennessa, (our oldest) her fiance, Andrew, and the two grandkids were also down visiting on their spring break.  They spent the majority of their break with Andrew's parents in Boca Raton, and came down here for just two days.  We crammed as much fun as possible into those two days, true to McDaniel style.  We don't let any grass grow under our feet :)  Not that Ava and Eli would let us anyhow- they have enough energy to power up this whole marina, lol!  This will be a pictoral blog to get you, and myself, all caught up.  Enjoy!

This is Ava and Eli with their silly grins!  They were
pretty excited about seeing dolphins in the lagoon at
the Dolphin Research Center :)

If seeing this beautiful creature pop out of the water to get a closer
look at you does not make you smile, then I don't know what will!

Tursi and Luna were putting on quite a show before Ness
and the kids did their "Meet and Greet" session.  You
can see them standing on the dock in the background.
(Just to clarify, the big man behind Ness is NOT her fiance!)

There's nothing like petting a dolphin for the first time!

Or 'shaking flippers' for the first time :)

The smile says it all :)

Love this...Nessie looks so beautiful to me in the pic :)

Tursi is showing off tailwalking!  Interestingly, this
is a behavior the dolphins have taught each other,
not the trainers.

Here Jax is showing off...you can always tell which one he is because
his dorsal fin was chewed off by a shark.  Stupid sharks.

Here you get a better look at Jax' dorsal fin...he was swimming like a shark,
thrashing side to side, rather than the usual way in which dolphins swim.
It cracks me up to see them do this every time!

The vet was on site that day. Here he's doing an ultrasound on one of the dolphins.

Well, hello, sir.

I know I'm biased, but they're pretty cute kids.  After we left DRC, we had
lunch out at Paradise Pointe with Mayor Dan, and his wife Biddi.
She fixed us a chicken stew with french bread...

After lunch we headed to the pool.  No, Grandma, we didn't wait a half
hour before swimming- not that the grandkids would have let us!
We tried our best to wear them out, no such luck!

Here's Elle, with her SB besties, Kelly and Loren...

Flat Stanley joined the girlies poolside.  He had
to work that day- he was lifeguarding.

The clouds were approaching late in the afternoon, so
we attempted to squeeze in a sail- albeit a quick sail!

It's safe to say that Ava loves sailing (and driving!)

Within an hour a storm hit, and it absolutely poured.  We
sent everybody down below for cover, while we sorted out the
mess topsides- taking down the sail, starting the engine, and
such.  Ness snapped this pic from down below, as we were
singing the theme song to Gilligan's Island.  Andrew astutely
noticed that Cap'n seemed more concerned about saving his
new $1200 chartplotter, than the First Mate at the helm, lol.

After we got cleaned up and dressed for dinner, we headed to Big Pine
Key in search of key deer, and No Name Pub.  Found the deer!

and found the pub!

Eli had no trouble finding the pizza!

We all took a turn leaving our mark there, can you read my dollar bill?!

Ness and Andrew shared a moment after she stapled her dollar bill up :)

While the adults settled up the bill (thanks again, Andrew :)
the kids were found outside up a tree- naturally, lol
No suprise there- trees were made for climbing!

After dinner we found some more deer, and got silly
by a street sign.  It's a McDaniel family tradition when
we took the kids on vacations...getting silly by street signs.
The tradition continues into the next generation, I see!

Ness and Andrew took the kids back to Mamaw and Papaw's to put them to
bed.  They had an early start the next morning, back up to Boca Raton.
We bid our goodbyes to the kiddies, then went in search of the alligator
at the Blue Hole.  It's been years since we were there....a very creepy
place late at night.  Elle and I were a little scared, not gonna lie!

Found one- YIKES! 

After we got back to Marathon, Donnie and I met up with Andrew and Ness for

a night cap and some adult conversation at the Hurricane.  It was good to share

a bit of paradise with them :)  And THAT was last Thursday, 3/15/12- whew!