This past weekend we went to see Madeline's cousins' dance recital. We got to see three of the four girls dance: Ava, Abby, and Adriann. Unfortunately Ava is the only one we got pictures of. 
Ava came to sit with us after she danced. She was a flower and at the beginning of the dance the dancers "grew" out of large flower pots. So cute!
Ava showing me the back of her costume.
The girls.
All three of the "littles".
This girl had her whole hand in there!!! I let her have a go at the frosting container after I frosted some fudgy brownies. And boy did she! Good thing I took her dress off!
The drunk baby look after the chocolate rush kicked in...oh yeah ;)
Madeline checking out the Best Friends necklace Jenna gave to her. Thanks Jenna!
That face says it all...poor Maddie had her first trip to the emergency room last Thursday after tripping and falling on the front step of our house. She fell face first on the wood on the threshold of the door. She skinned up her nose but the worst blow was to her brow area where she had 7 stitches (one inside and 6 on the surface). The picture above was pre-stitches. It was pretty deep like 1/4 inch which doesn't sound like much but is pretty deep in your skin. Madeline was so brave though and didn't cry at all during the hospital visit. During the last stitch her eyes did well up with tears a little but she never cried out loud. So brave!
Let me tell you, this place is beautiful. White, clean, powder-soft sand and clear warm water. Just perfect. I haven't been to a nicer beach anywhere.
Me and Mads with our toes in the sand...
My pretty girl on the beach. I wanted to get a few pics on the beach in her little dress.
She loved running in the water...
I love this one of her just gazing at the ocean.
Happiness is...
being with my family on the beach...
We loved walking along the shore in the sand...
...and wading in the water.
I tried to get a shot of Madeline with the "Florida 2011" that I made in the sand but of course she sat on the date. :)
Madeline had a blast digging in the sand and making sand castles then smashing them.
And just throwing sand around.
We had plenty of beach toys.
But we didn't always need them. Just rolling around in it was fun enough.
She liked being all sandy.
Here she was playing in the inner tubes at a little shop on the beach (I'm sure the sales person loved that)...
This is the restaurant for our hotel. Our hotel was right behind this. We ate there several times. We loved sitting outside and taking in the view of the beach.
Madeline posing at the restaurant.
Madeline and I near a playground in the sand.
How cool is that playground??? Covered on top and sand down below. Who needs that sandbox???
We took a few night walks on the beach. Unfortunately it was a new moon and pretty dark out there.
Mads loved having daddy bury her in the sand.
Me and my girl at a local bar & grill managed by a high school friend of my husband.
On our way home we stopped in Atlanta to visit a friend and in Memphis to visit Graceland. You can barely see me and Mads on the steps.
We had an awesome trip to Florida and can't wait to go back!CLEARWATER BEACH, FLORIDA!!!!!!!!!!!!
More pics to come soon!
