All Smiles, Rain Or Shine.

Back to Saint Augustine we went!

Despite the fact that we can only stay for short stints, we still make it a point to head out to Saint Augustine as much as possible these days. This would make our third trip in two months and each and every time it gets better and better. No trip is the same, as we always find some piece of history to treasure or some tiny place to explore. This trip was no exception! Though it was rainy and I didn’t take many photographs, I still was able to capture a few wonderful moments and, as usual, I’m excited to share!

This time, my younger brother Scotty, who just got back from his first tour in Afghanistan, came down for leave, so we decided to back track on all of the awesome things we got to do last time—just to get on the same page. We did the ‘Ripley’s Believe It Or Not!’ Museum and the Old Jail again, but I’ll spare you the repeats in photography. Just know that it was just as fun the second time, as it was the first! We also made it a point to hop on the Green Trolley and make our way through the various high points in the town, which included seeing the National Guard Headquarters, riding past the cemetery, all the memorials and even through the gorgeous tree-lined streets that surround the Downtown.

After a few hours of non-stop sightseeing and many grumbly bellies, we found a little shady niche behind the police station and had a teeny-tiny cookout. We spent the evening indulged in conversation, mouthfuls of potato salad and hysterical reminiscing about our past “Aha!” moments. We even got to skip rocks in the tiny lake next door---in the rain---that is, until we saw a family of alligators across the way.

Afterwards, the rain was coming down a little too much for the Saint Augustine Ghost Tour that we bought tickets for, so we just decided to stay in and take full advantage of my dad’s hotel pool. Accompanied by The Beach Boys tunes, the warmth of the rain, and the quiet hum of the distant thunder, we had a blast just being together! Plus, Punky learned how to paddle, float, jump in (with floats!) and even dunk her head under the water! I’d say it was a day WELL spent.