Our 15th Anniversary.....It's all about Lily!!

An anniversary is a time to celebrate the joys of today, the memories of yesterday, and the hopes of tomorrow.  ~Author Unknown

Greetings from paradise!!  We headed down to Sanibel for our annual anniversary trip!We came here on our honeymoon 15 years ago, and have made it a tradition to come back every year after a trip to see the November Thursday night game and the Hokies.....er..lose!! Only one tradition has changed! We brought along Lily, our 14 month old, nearly 4 pound Chihuahua, our baby!! This is the first time we have brought along a pet, and that required us changing where we stay to a pet friendly condo and driving both ways as she cannot go on the Auto Train, so it has been an adventure from the beginning....and we have had a great time!!  ...It's only day one!!

We are staying at Island Beach club, these pics look like the first floor, but it is actually on the second, we have a view of the Gulf, just not Gulf Front, which is fine!! The windows all go from ceiling to floor, and it's really very nice! The temperature is so nice, we just leave the doors open so Lily can travel onto the deck whenever she wants to!!

Our view of the Gulf...we can hear it all night!!

Lily spends a lot of time on the deck!

Her first step in the sand and shell was quite a shock, she didn't like it at first, but quickly adjusted and it was sniff and smell EVERYTHING!! Unfortunately there was a lot washed up, dead fish, seaweed and of course pen shells....all you shellers know that means the good shells should come in the next day or two!!

We LOVE the beach!!

That's a Gar!!

Here she is with her Daddy, just trying to take it all in!! She didn't like the water ....maybe tomorrow!! :)

These HUGE pelicans like to hang out on flimsy branches....these are pretending to be twins!!

See those flimsy branches?

This guy was grooming while balancing up there 3 stories high!

She did pose for me once!! Awww Mom!!!

Then she started playing with sticks!! She would grab one bring it back to me, I'd throw it, she's grab it till finally she just wanted to lay down and chew on it!! She's not prissy....laying all out in the sand!!

The stick had to go with us wherever we went!!

...stopping for a chew now and then!

Then back inside to play with my frog....on the deck.....

...until I finally began to wear down....in the sun of course....getting sleepy....

....and sleepier....

We went out to film the sunset.....

  ...and my batteries died just before it set!!  You'll just have to believe me that it was beautiful and wait for pictures of tomorrow's sunset!

We did little to no shelling, walked a little ways down the beach, but it was very rough and windy, so with the new moon on Wednesday and low evening tides, we expect to do well then!! I will keep you posted on our adventures!! Lily has crashed on the couch, if I could just get one peek in that little brain to see what she thought, she just seemed very happy....looking at EVERYTHING, birds, bugs, shells, waves, sand everything!!

BTW, our favorite restaurant, Hungry Heron, has closed and been replaced by Rosies.  We went there tonight, and though we did get to see some of the people from Heron's, the food was just average, and expensive...so I guess we begin the search for a new favorite!! Will keep you posted!!

Happy Veteran's Day and God Bless all who served, 

ESPECIALLY my Dad!!

::Hugs:: 

Cheri