Heaven...

Is a place on Earth. 

And we got to experience it together.

We got up extra-early to board a plane that would soon drop us off to have one of the most memorable weeks of our lives.

 Love At First Sight

The air. The smell. The warmth. The beauty.

The boys embraced the feeling in an instant.

I immediately knew it was going to be an amazing week.

There is something very special about being on vacation. 

You get to enjoy the moments and be more present.

You notice everything.

Emotions are high.

I will never, as long as I live, forget our first day on the beach. It was magical.

The Three Amigos

I would like to thank these three tiny souls for making this vacation live up to it's potential.

First up...

Landon Robert

Our resident "surfer dude", he enjoyed every second on the beach he was given. With skin as golden as the sun, he ran into the waves with reckless abandon (it's a good thing his mom and dad stayed extra close). This boy was made for the beach, the sand and the water. And his parents loved watching him shine!

Next up...

Kellen Jones

This baby blossomed at the beach.  He was a true explorer. Drinking the salty water, grinding his teeth on the sand. Standing still, ten pudgy toes nestled in the sand, waiting and watching for the water to rush up and bury his feet farther. Everything he did he did with a smile. Naps were never a priority, as he was obviously worried he would miss some of the party! He made Daytona glow and he enjoyed every minute of his vacation.

And Finally...

Blake Elizabeth

Our beautiful baby girl. Blake has brought so much joy to this family. She is quite possibly the sweetest baby on the planet. Fiercely smart, Blake could easily enrol in kindergarten this year! Blake is calm and gentle and is a wonderful friend to my boys. Blake was cautious of the water. Her hesitation made it all the more sweet when my brother would patiently wade into the water, inch-by-inch, with his baby to help her feel comfortable. She is a very lucky girl with parents, aunts, uncles, cousins and a grandma that truly adore her.  



Walking On Sunshine

One of my best memories will always be the morning walks I had with my mom.

The sky was enchanting.

It was lovely, beautiful and perfect and I drank up every minute of our daily strolls.

It was so special for both of us. And...if the kids were lucky, we would bring one of them along to bask in the glory!

Hang Ten, Dude!

If you ask Landon what his favorite part of vacation was he will, without hesitation, scream "SURFING"!!!

It took Landon three tries and two pretty awesome coaches and within minutes he was riding each wave to shore as if it was the Big Kahuna! I think all who witnessed will tell you that it was the purest joy anyone has ever seen. I won't be surprised one day when Quicksilver calls for an endorsement deal!

Fun in the sand!

Our attempt at a Family Picture!

Sounds easy, right?

Nope, not for the Cruces.

After getting four peeps ready and traipsing out in the sand,

we made it to the beach. Scott (brother) started taking the pictures and telling us to hurry.

 Not 3 minutes later, it began to rain.

 No, not rain, POUR.

We all started screaming and running through the sand to get back to the condo.

 It felt like it took forever to get to dry land!

The pictures turned out better than I expected

 and... I am obsessed with the fact that we have the wet pictures after!

And The Best Part Of All...

Just being together.

Vacation brings out an even more sentimental side of me. The side where every morning at sunrise, every night at sunset, every uneasy step in the sand, every smile I see through the waves, every giggle, every glance, I want to grab up my family and tell them how much I love them.  Like, really, really make sure they know how deep my love is for each of them. A love that is like no other.  I want my sons to look out in the sea and to know that this world is theirs for the taking and that there is nothing that they can't do . I want to hold their sticky bodies and feel the breeze as I run my fingers through their hair and I kiss their salty lips. I want them to understand the magnitude of my devotion.

I want them to know that I love them like the sea.

boundless

beautiful

constant

deep

never-ending