A Weekend With My Brother

Last week about this time I was leaving this. . .

And less then 2 hours later landed into this:

All smiles - headed to Florida for the weekend!

OK, well, I am "all smiles" - and then Tom was too when we got to PIE and they opened the rear doors for those of us in rows 16 and back to exit down those stairs - yay!!!

My brother was running late (traffic) and I sent him this picture - "don't sweat it - we are happy to be in the sunshine with this view".  Tom sent it to a coworker living through a meeting he missed because of this trip. . .mean Tom.

Straight to the beach as promised for grouper sandwiches.  BUT FIRST drinks and garlic fries - Brad couldn't stop talking about these for the rest of the weekend!!

See the line of sun on the table?  I got the sun, they got the shade - everyone was happy :)

We had a quiet afternoon, took the dogs out for a walk, and went to the store to get stuff for dinner.  No pictures. . .Brad made baked potatoes, Tom grilled steak and shrimp, Kristin boiled corn on the cob, and I opened bags of salad mix and "made a salad".  I was walking into the dining room and snapped this picture. . .

They had friends over who we really enjoyed meeting and talking to.  Her daughter runs a rescue agency for pregnant dogs then finds homes for the puppies - this couple had recently adopted one of those pups and brought him with them. . .he was so cute.

Saturday morning my sister sent me a picture of her and Stephen on the golf course and I sent her one of me by the pool - both doing something we enjoy on a weekend morning :)

Brad & Kristin were excited to go to the racetrack - Tom and I had never been so this was a new experience for us.

He met a friend of theirs there. . .turns out Tom thinks he did business with him about 10 years ago - small world! 

Anyway, the races were fun. . .$2 bets didn't break the bank and I finally won on race #5 - $8.60!!

We headed out to The Inn on the Gulf for dinner. . .

We love eating on the coast in Florida!!

Jodi was with my youngest and our cousin on a different coast that same evening and sent me this picture:

What a great weekend!!

We started Sunday at the same place we started Saturday, Ram's (no pictures - it's just become something we do when we are there) and then headed to Tarpon Springs.  

They had a festival or something going on so the streets were blocked off and lots of craft booths up.  I didn't even think to take any pictures, although I kept thinking I should get one of the four of us again. . .just never did.  Kristin really wanted to take us to her favorite water-side restaurant, Rusty Bellies.  It absolutely lived up to her hype!  Look at Tom's Greek Salad:

My shrimp cobb salad was just as large and tasty:

These guys have known each other for over almost 35 years!

So glad he brought Kristin into our family - she is such a great SIL :)

View from the table - I got my fill of water this weekend.  Just what I needed for my soul.

While we were waiting for our table Tom "let" me go into a couple of shops.  I saw a shoe store with a brand that I had been thinking about purchasing for our up-coming Italy trip.  I went in and tried them on and did not like them at all.  Wow.  I was so surprised.  So I tried a couple more things on and the salesperson asked what I was looking for and I said, "walking shoes, but I would like sandals if I could find something that I like".  He brought me out a pair of Naots - a brand I had never heard of before.  I LOVED them, purchased them, then wore them to lunch and all the way home.  They are going to be perfect for the dozens of miles we will walk in Italy and I'm sure they will not be the last pair I buy :)

And that's a wrap on our weekend!

There's just "something" about seeing this as we pull back into McGhee Tyson. . .this is HOME.  At least for this season.  And, as much as I love the water, love being with my family, I love coming home even more.  I guess this is home because it's where people can find me.  We are lucky to live here.

I'm linking up with Erika and Andrea today for Friday Favorites!

Head over to either of their blogs to see others linking up this first Friday in May.

This time last week I was almost to St. Petersburg, today right now I am in Cincinnati with my oldest daughter and get to see both my parents and lots of life-long friends as she continues to build support for her mission assignment next year at APSU.  

Happy May Friends!!  I'll try to be around more. . .lots of stuff coming up so lots to share :)

Love,

Jenni