Summer Vacation 2011, Day 1

by // // Comments off

On Day 1 of summer vacation, the kids and I piled into the swagger wagon and headed to Honeymoon Island, which is one of our favorite local beaches.  The girls and I love the beach so a day trip there seemed like the best way to start summer vacation.

Although Little Lion Man loves the water and the sand…

…he enjoys anything with wheels more.

After splashing in the sun, we visited the Nature Center for a scavenger hunt, which the girls love because park rangers always award them with a small bag of seashells.  While the girls hunt through the center, I enjoy rereading the history of Honeymoon Island.

In the 1939, Life Magazine held a contest where couples could win a two week stay on the island.  After which Hog Island became a popular destination for young couples, hence its name change to Honeymoon Island.

At today’s visit, the park ranger shared two treasures that another visitor recently found on the beach: a Lighting Whelk egg casing and a large sea sponge.  The girls were very intrigued, especially when the park ranger said some tiny hidden eggs were still attached inside the casing.

Fun in the sun mixed with a little learning.

It seems we’re definitely off to a good start this summer!

About the author

Denise
From start to finish, Denise is Run DMT, a Tampa Bay homeschooling mom on the run trying to maintain an easy pace through it all between races and raising three beautiful, brilliant adultish kids (ages 23, 19, 14). In 2007, I discovered a passion for running and in February 2015, I completed my tenth marathon. I continue to train for a variety of races and even host annual 5K. In 2023, I became a certified group fitness instructor and teach P.E. in my homeschool co-op.

8 comments

  2. Sarcasm Goddess says:

    This post brings back many great memories of summers at the beach when I was growing up. Love the pictures. Your kids are adorable…and the little one – so cute! He is going to love it when he is older and has girlfriend over and you pull out the photo album!

    Thanks for visiting my blog and leaving a comment. Comments = happiness! 🙂
    (LBS Tea Party gal.)

  3. monicastangledweb says:

    Such beautiful, colorful photos–and adorable kids. Looks like a lovely island, and sounds like you had a very nice vacation day. Thanks for sharing. Don’t you just love LBS? 🙂

  4. Mrsbear says:

    What a perfect start to the summer! Makes me eager to get my brood to the beach for the first time this year. I can smell the ocean already.

    Stopping by from the LBS Tea Party.

  5. Cinnamon says:

    There is NOTHING cuter than naked baby pictures…LOL They are sweet when they are little, and then you can use the pictures as blackmail material when they are older….ha ha

    Stopping by from LBS.

  7. John says:

    Honeymoon Island has calm water and is wonderfully uncrowded. It also has a nature center, and its interior has a pond and at least two hiking trails. Sometime I would like to take a whole day to walk its trails and circle it by walking its entire shoreline!

Comments are closed.