Party in Miami

Wednesday I woke up at the crack of dawn and headed to Miami Beach to see some of my favorite family and have another vacation.  Apparently the vacation I took two weeks ago wasn't enough.  

Temperature in Minnesota:  So full of suck.

Temperature in Miami: hello sweat glands!

Sadly my cousin was sick.  Here she is making a family remedy including aloe, onion, lemon juice and honey.  I did not smell her breath after she drank it.
Best part of the day: Walking on the beach with Max.  I have the power to put the baby to sleep!
Theme song for the day: Miami - Will Smith.  Welcome to Miami!

Thursday was all about relaxing and finding my way around.  I woke up and played with Max.  I did go for a little run, mostly on concrete with a little sand trail.  Then I hung out at the beach.

Temperature in Minnesota: Still full of suck.

 Temperature in Miami Beach: So much better.

Best part of the day: Still making Max smile.  Playing with him in the morning was fun too. 

Theme song: Bring Me Some Water - Melissa Etherdige heard during my morning run.

Friday: Beach - part II.  I did not run.  Instead I spent the morning pushing Max in the stroller and ultimately carrying him when he cried to get out.  Totally put the kid to sleep in my arms  Getting him situated in the stroller after he fell asleep: slight fail.  I'm new at this.

 Temperature in Minnesota: Is that snow I see in the forecast?

Temperature in Miami: that day has "beach" written all over it.

 Lucky for me I have a playmate.

My accommodations for the week!

Best part of the day: Did you hear me tell you he just fell asleep right in my arms?
Theme song: Everybody Loves Me - One Republic.  Right?

Saturday Mark took me to a Coffee Cupping (think Wine Tasting but for coffee) which was really interesting.  I also got to experience what my cousin calls "groupies".  Totally true.  But Max had an awesome moment in the coffee shop where he wouldn't do anything for the groupies but was perfect for me.  Way to go dude!

Point of interest: Max hates car seats.  Poor kid screams so loud and cries so hard he just wears himself out.

Temperature in Minnesota: Still snowing too apparently.

Temperature in Miami: Suck it Minnesota!

Even Max says suck it Minnesota.  Florida rocks!

Best part of the day The coffee cupping was fun, and playing with Max during the cupping was also nice.
Theme song: Anything by Pitbull who is, himself, a Miami boy.  If you're new to Pitbull try Give Me Everything as a starting point.

Sunday Okay, two days off running was enough.  I decided to take my new iPod out for a spin with an interval running app.  My goal was 100-ish minutes at running five minutes and walking two.  All along the beach, some on sand and some on concrete.  Life is rough.

Apparently haven't mastered the finer points of the iPod camera.

 Seen on my morning run.

Then we got to see Aunt Barb and Uncle Tom.

Temperature in Minnesota: What in the world is that icon on Monday?  Apparently Minnesota is expecting an ice tornado?

Temperature in Miami Beach: perfect for running!

Best part of the day: All of it, but seeing Uncle Tom and Aunt Barb was really nice.
Theme song: The Real Slim Shady  - Eminem  I know, but I heard it on my run and it made me go.

Monday - Martin Luther King Jr Day Mark had the day off but had some work to do because Tuesday was a teaching day.  I ran again, the total mileage is unclear but between 5.5 and 6 miles, mostly on packed sand.  I love this vacation!

Seen at the north end of the island on my morning run.

Temperature in Minnesota: I'm getting to the point where I'm all "I'm coming back to this nonsense, maybe I should quit bragging".  Thursday is going to be interesting.

Temperature in Miami: one more day, still some hope.

I spent most of the day playing with Max and took him for one last walk on the beach for sleeping.

Best part of the day: It was a good run.  All of it was nice.

Theme song: Are you alright? - Lucinda Williams.  This song is dedicated to Max who woke up around 1:30am and screamed for about an hour.  I heard his parents just eventually put him in the crib and let him cry it out which seemed to work better than anything else.  Poor guy.

Tuesday - I am pretending I don't have to go home.  I was too tired to run (see above) so Max and my cousin and I went to the Venezuelan bakery one last time for emepnadas and arepas and a little walk.  I spent the morning playing with Max and stealing a cuddle when I could.

I look like a twelve year old in this picture.  I was dressed and ready for the run but totally distracted by the cute.

 Temperature in Minnesota: Oh this is going to hurt so bad.

Temperature in Miami Beach: I'm going to miss you old friend.

What is the deal with everyone lining up (standing, circling, pacing) lining up ten minutes before the flight is called.  Calm down.  We all fit on the plane.

It was a pretty ride home.  The sun was shining in my window the whole way.

Best part of the day - I'm boycotting since I'm back in Minnesota and the vacation is technically done.
Theme song: tie between Marchin On - OneRepublic which helped me keep a positive outlook and T.H.E - Will.i.am which made me dance at the airport!