Olivia's Florida Vacation

This past weekend Brian, Olivia, and I all took a trip to Florida to visit my aunt, uncle, and grandparents. The last time my grandparents saw Olivia in person was almost a year ago to the day and Olivia has certainly grown and changed a lot since then!

We left on Friday morning and got to Florida in time for dinner. Saturday we spent time together with the family, found a local dog park, and went swimming. Sunday passed similarly. We left Monday morning to come home.

I was so amazed at how gentle Olivia was with my fragile diabetic grandpa. It's like she knew he needed her to be calmer in order for her to interact with him.

My aunt who is very choosy when it comes to whose dogs she likes absolutely loved Olivia (they'd met before at our house) and even let Olivia on her furniture.

Here are some of the things Olivia got to do this weekend!

• swim
• go on several golf cart rides (that's one of the ways the residents get around the gated community where my family lives)
• play with her relatives
• go to a "town center" that was western themed
• take a photo with mommy in a wooden head cut out
• go to a new dog park
• watch TV with her great aunt and uncle on their couch
• go on vacation with mommy and daddy
• eat at a McDonalds

  

  waiting for handouts at McDonalds

  
  

  

  swimming and chilling out with her new ceramic friend

  
  

  

  eating dinner with her great uncle

  
  
  
  
  

  

  checking out great grandma's screen porch

  
  

  

  exhausted

  
  

  

  playing with her great uncle

  
  

  

  her great uncle loved spending time with her
  walking in the "town center"

  
  

  

  inside the lobby of the themed movie theater

  
  
  

  

  visiting with her great grandparents

  
  

  

  golf cart ride

  
  

  

  doggie water fountain at the dog park (I had brought her own
  water for her)

  
  

  

  at the dog park

  
  
  
  
  

  

  family portrait

  
  

  

  playing with and being held by her great aunt

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  

  wiggle butt

  
  

  

  playing with her great grandpa

  
  

  

  golf cart ride

  
  

  

  watching TV with great aunt and uncle

  
  

  

  sleeping on the way home

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Olivia's Souvenirs from Florida

Brian and I were in Fort Walton Beach, Florida this past weekend visiting his 90+ year old grandparents. We left Friday and got home Monday (yesterday). I missed Olivia terribly. I didn't buy a single thing for myself as a souvenir but she got some new stuff (some she likes better than others, haha).

If you guessed this new ensemble is not Olivia's favorite gift from my trip, than you are correct! But Easter is coming and it was too cute to pass up! I found it at Petco which I do have here at home but it's an hour or more away.

As you may (maybe not) be able to read on the label these are K9 Candy Buttons, made from vanilla yogurt, carob, and peanut butter. I bought them at a privately owned dog store called 3 Dogs & a Chick, which was part bakery and part pet products. They even make and ship their baked goods and you can order your dog a birthday cake (they overnight them, I asked).

If anyone has a recipe for these or something similar I'd love if you would share it!

I also bought these at Petco, Olivia hasn't tried them yet though (but she does like their peanut butter). I got them buy 2 get 1 free with my Petco rewards card. I like this brand because they are made in the USA (yay!) and the fact that they are sort of like Toms Shoes where you buy one and they give to a dog in need.

You can check out their website with their mission and what they do here.

The next thing I really want to do is plan a vacation that Olivia can come on too, because while our trip was enjoyable, I would have had a whole lot more fun if I could have brought Olivia along too!