Ahhhh

Sun, warmth, green and beach!

Doug had a business trip to Miami and graciously brought me along!  What a wonderful time of much needed relaxation and all that I mentioned above!

Many thanks, as well, to Doug's parents, Leann & Aunt Helen for all rallying together to take care of our children while we were gone!

I didn't want to lug my big camera around, so only had my iPhone camera.

We flew into Fort Lauderdale and spent the first 2 days there.

We went for runs and walks on the beach.  LOVED it!  

Thoroughly enjoyed running in shorts and a tank top again!!

So pretty!

This is Pompano Beach.  

We hung out here with Doug's Uncle Marv and Aunt Mary who have a condo near this beach (two miles from where we stayed).  So envious of them who live there most of winter!  

We had a nice time going to church, lunch and hanging out on this beach with them!

Our little motel in Ft. Lauderdale.  

We didn't realize back when we were booking tickets and hotel and such that the big BCS National Championship game was while we were there, but that explains the difficulty in finding reasonable plane tickets and available reasonable hotel rooms.  After some reworking of our schedule, flight days, etc., we were able to make it work.

We then drove down to Miami to the hotel that Doug's company put him in.

Driving over this bridge to Miami Beach reminded us of the bridge to Coronado in San Diego.

Fond memories.

Crazy how these mansions had their own private yachts parked in front!

On the island, we walked Lincoln Road.

Reminded us of the Recoleta in Buenos Aires and Santana Row in San Jose, CA.

More fond memories.  

We love all the al fresco dining and people of all cultures and types

and fun shops that are definitely not in Central IL

Our self takes never really turn out.  Seems we always get a little warped, but oh well.

 Miami Beach - at the end of Lincoln Road

The sand is white here and the water even a prettier blue 

than the already pretty blue water in Ft. Lauderdale.  

Gorgeous!

 I couldn't stop taking it in.  Surely didn't want to leave!

Beautiful turquoise water

Driving back over the bridge

Love the palm tree lined streets and bridge

 Went on a nice long, morning run the next morning.

Doug had a work meeting all day.

I had a nice day just hanging out in the warmth and beauty, soaking it in.

 I ran over two bridges through two islands.  

This is the view looking back.  More beautiful, clear blue water.

Sat here and read my Bible (gotta love ESV Bible on iPhone) 

enjoying the peace and quiet and beauty

 Running back.  Loved that there were so many other people out running, too!

Heading down one bridge

skyline at bottom of bridge

Enjoying an omelet in the sun by the pool after run :)

That night I got to join Doug and those from the meeting on a really fun, delicious, interesting and educational culinary/historical tour of South Beach Miami.  That's a whole other post.  

I hope to post about that soon.

Very cool!

It was so hard to come back.  It was beautiful and sunny and 80 degrees in Florida.  Big difference from here.  Thankfully, it was sunny the day we returned, but the sun didn't come again (except for 2 hours one day) for a whole week until today.  Crazy how hard that is on me - especially after being used to sun nearly all the time for 40 years!

Here's what we flew back into. 

Doug and I now jokingly call it 'the tundra'. 

Most of the snow had melted while we were gone, though.