Hey there, Thursday!
Today, it’s all about PART 2 of our Spring Break trip to Miami!
If you missed PART 1 make sure you check it out before you start scrolling.
A quick recap before we begin…we went to Miami and the weather wasn’t super great the first few days. We were a little nervous that the whole trip would have temperamental weather, but you know what? On DAY THREE things turned right around! When we looked into Miami we wanted to have time on the beach, but we also wanted to check out the relatively new J.W. Marriott resort with the cool waterpark. We considered changing hotels, but honestly, the pricing for us was better if we just stayed at one and made day trips to the other (instead of switching midway through the trip), so that’s why on Day Three, we woke up at our resort (The Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour) and made the quick 20 minute drive to spend our first of two days at the Marriott’s waterpark (we purchased day passes online before we left Texas).
Friends, we had the BEST time!! Here we go…
After breakfast, we put on our swimsuits and headed over to the other resort.
I parked myself on a bench with a book and was one happy lady.
There were slides, a lazy river, a big pool area…it was really a great way to enjoy two days (you’ll see more tomorrow).
I don’t have any pics (who knows why?), but we had dinner on this night at Stripsteak and really loved it!
On DAY FOUR…we woke up extra excited!
We got in the car and headed straight to…
I hate gators.
And crocs.
I mean…if I had to pick between getting attacked by a gator or a shark, I would pick the shark EVERY TIME. Anyone else? Ugh! BUT, we were there for the Florida Everglades experience and wanted to check out the gators and glades.
Not going to lie…we were a little nervous.
Our family (in advance) reserved a private tour for the six of us on one of these air boats through the everglades. The ride was about 45 minutes total and then at the end, they did have a place where we could get up close and see the gators they had on their property as well
Friends, it was gorgeous! We were out (in what felt like) the middle of nowhere taking in the scenery of the gorgeous Florida Everglades.
It was a great day to see some gators 🙂 .
Doesn’t that look like a field? It’s on water! It was so cool!
Clearly, we have a gator sighting on the left. Hahaha!
I mean…I know God creates all things beautiful in his sight…but come on. I question this guy 😉 .
Every time we saw a gator is was crazy fun. I mean…look at them…out there living their life not knowing that if I fell in the water, I’d immediately have a heart attack. Our boat captain was a super nice guy and shared so much information with us about not just the alligators living in this area, but the area as a whole. I could have sat and listened to him talk for hours about wildlife in Florida. When our boat ride was over, they told us that we could go check out their gators on site that they have behind a fence. They said “be careful though because the gators in the wild like to come up and hang out with the gators in captivity”. Um, excuse me?
Andrew Shull took this as an invitation to get as close as possible.
Check out the three gators OUTSIDE the fence just hanging out.
Me too, babe.
Worst. Nightmare.
This whole thing just blew my mind. Gators in the wild hanging out with gators in captivity (they’re there for many reasons…injury, health issues, etc). I mean. Look at them!
That’s enough alligator for one day! After our fun morning (and it REALLY was a great experience!!), we were ready to head back to…
…the Marriott for one last day of poolside fun!
I love this guy so much!!
And this guy too!! We must have gone down the slides at this park a bazillion times!
It was a great day in Florida 🙂 .
That night, we enjoyed dinner at Matador Room.
The last two days of our trip, we wanted to spend sitting at the beach.
So, that’s what we did…all day long.
We stayed on the beach right in front of our hotel.
I did play in the sand and get in the water, but I don’t carry my phone around for those occasions. Instead, all I have are a bunch of pics from my chair. Ha!
It was a crazy fun beach day!
For dinner on this night, we ate at Cecconis which we LOVED!
Any restaurant with g-free pasta and ambiance is in a win in our book!
The next morning, we woke up and…
…it was our 17th wedding anniversary!!
What? What?
How did that happen?
We spent the day doing our favorite thing…
…hanging out at the beach with our kiddos.
That night, we got cleaned up and celebrated our anniversary dinner at Bourbon Steak which ended up being our VERY favorite restaurant of the whole trip!
Lots of smiles for 17 years of marriage!
That wraps up our Spring Break trip to Miami!
Again, if you missed PART 1, go back and check it out. For all the details on my swimsuits, coverups sandals, what I’m wearing…all of that is HERE in this post. All of the little girls’ swimsuits can be found HERE.
Our time in Miami definitely made us all ready for summer over here. We can’t get enough fun in the sun. xo
Erika Slaughter says
My goodness! Ashby looks so pretty and so grown up in these beach pictures. Ooh-I’d have been all over that gator experience. I used to love watching Swamp People. ??
Maggie Eterno says
How much fun!! And oh my, the gators! I don’t know why but they just give me the creeps ha! We encounter them all the time in Hilton Head. We had one that would hang out by the water over by our condo. They told us his name was George! I thought it was funny and creepy that they had named him.
We are hoping to go to Miami this year! Thank you for the info!
Melissa says
So funny! I’m so glad we just chose a private dolphin tour in Hilton Head!
Elspeth says
I m le you guys like to do trips where you do a lot of sight seeing. What did you think of a more relaxed vacation?
http://www.elspethsdaybyday.com
Mix and Match Mama says
It was a nice change…we’re pretty go, go, go people, but it was nice!
Sheaffer Sims says
Paulina and her bangs made their blog debut!!!!
Mix and Match Mama says
I just lol!!
Kristen Thompson says
Oh my gosh my parents live on the west coast of Florida and one visit we flew into Miami and drove across the Everglades and we saw all of those gator tours! I told my husband I’d never do that haha you are brave! Looked like a super fun trip!
Shelly says
Great trip! Is your white YSL clutch in the last picture the small or medium size?
Mix and Match Mama says
I think it’s the small!
Sara says
Do you use a filter when taking pictures? Or edit them on your computer?
Do you and Andrew still get up super early on vacation?
Mix and Match Mama says
I use Lightroom on some pics! And yes…I mean…we’re creatures of habit. Not 4:10 early…but early-ish!
Megan says
What lightroom presets do you use?
Mix and Match Mama says
Juliette!
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog says
Ahh, I’m so jealous! Looks like you guys are having so much fun! ❤️✨
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
Sarah Shaneyfelt says
Such a fun trip!! It doesn’t look super crowded either which is a bonus!
Lauren says
Love the recap! It looks amazing! I would love sources of Kensington’s outfits and swimsuits…actually period posts of her outfits would be great! It is sooo difficult to find cute pre-teen clothing that is age appropriate!!
Beth says
I second this!
Alissa says
agreed! Where is Kensingtons star swimsuit from?! Love it!!
Mix and Match Mama says
It’s an oldie from last year.
Mary says
Shay, if you liked Cecconis they have an amazing location right under the Brooklyn Bridge with beautiful views of Manhattan – I live in NYC and I suggest it to everyone I know visiting 🙂
Leslie S says
Hey Shay! Can you give details on Ks cute suits and clothes? Trying to dress a tween is tough and K always looks so cute! ?
Mix and Match Mama says
I need to do a post on this!! Her suits weren’t new, but I could round up some of the clothes!!
Joanne says
That sounds like a fabulous trip!!
Carol says
Looks like a fun spring break. I lived in Miami for years and would always take guests out to the the Everglades for that exact boat trip!
With a 6 person family did you book a suite or 2 adjoining rooms?
Erin Hill says
Goodness your kids look so grown all of a sudden – especially Kensington and Ashby! Looks like an amazing trip! We’re about to take our first one in a year (to Texas!) and I CANNOT WAIT.
Melissa Friscia says
OH MY GOD the links!
I am so looking forward to this day now!
I love you even more!
Missy
Mix and Match Mama says
So happy to help!!!! xo
Mary C says
In one of your travel posts would you talk about your process for picking restaurants before you travel? I am horrible at this and always end up scrambling last minute to figure out where to eat. It seems like you have this figured out 🙂
Marcela says
Okay, so the gator tour totally gives me outer banks vibes! Anyone else?! Also love seeing you get your hair wet! I’m sure your kiddos will always remember you playing with them. Precious memories
Mix and Match Mama says
YES!!!!!!!!!
JL says
Looks like a fun trip! I’m wondering how you navigate eating in restaurants with Kensington….do you research ahead of time and call the restaurant to make sure there will be safe options for her or do you just wing it? Traveling with celiac disease makes me nervous!
Mix and Match Mama says
We do! We always make sure in advance (when possible!) that they have gluten-free options and don’t contaminate when cooking.
Susy says
Our National Parks (Everglades NP— the bird life!—the sunsets!!) provide amazing experiences with nature and wildlife. Wishing you many more opportunities to visit, hike, view these ecosystems and national treasures preserved for our children and generations to come! Some of our greatest national beauty!
Plus next time. . . . Key West!
Jessica says
Can you post a link to your sunglasses? Thanks!! Looks like a great trip
Mix and Match Mama says
They’re a million years old! They’re Ray Bans and the colors is “blue gradient” from Nordstrom!
Adrienne says
My husband and his brother grew up in Florida- they hunt gators for FUN! ? My husband also has a gator hide from one of his hunts draped over his recliner! ?
Mix and Match Mama says
Um, what? No. No. No.
Sarah Jarnagin says
I love Kensington’s swimsuits- where did you find them? I’m searching for swimsuits for my very tall 11 year old daughter.
Mix and Match Mama says
Most of hers are from last year (Old Navy). We still haven’t found any this year we love.
Cathy says
We are all Madeley at the Gator Park.
Kelsey M says
Looks like such a fun trip! Where is Andrew’s blue swimsuit from? My hubby would love it. 🙂
Jennifer Gould says
So glad you guys had a great time! We lived in Miami for 3 years, and I’m planning a surprise for my husband and I to go back for his birthday in May. You never know what the weather will be like, especially since their rainy season is May through September! We never once have done a gator tour. Great idea! We may need to add that to our list!
Serena W. says
Hi Shay! I know this is a post about your Miami trip 😉 However, I noticed your Nantucket hat, do you have a blog post that references Nantucket? We are planning a trip this fall and would love some insight since this will be our first trip! TIA
Mix and Match Mama says
I have several! Type “Nantucket” in the search bar to get to them the quickest!
Alison says
What a great trip! I would have liked the gator trip, and I would NOT have enjoyed it. Ha! The boat looked fun, but I would have also been terrified! Eeek!
Megan says
On a gator tour I went on in Florida, the guide said, it’s a one ton animal controlled by a pea sized brain, all they know is to attack and eat…I wasn’t afraid of gators until then.
Lori Sharp says
Those colorful bracelets on the pool pick with Andrew!!! Where are they from??
Mix and Match Mama says
Allie+Bess use my code SHAY20!
Emily H says
Cute!!!! Question – where are your gold hoops from? Thanks!
Mix and Match Mama says
Those are Louis Vuitton!
Patty Anderson says
We used to live in Florida and once we went scuba diving in a spring. I cringe now to think we were swimming among the reeds and there could have been GATORS! My husband, also, once retrieved a golf ball in a water area on the golf course which we found out later was known for gators. I’m with you. NO THANKS!
Glad you had a fun, relaxing vacation. Beautiful pictures…precious memories.
Mix and Match Mama says
AGH!!! No, no, no!
Alisa Tannehill says
Did you feel like Matador was kid friendly? I have a condo at 23rd/Collins and I’m afraid to bring my boys there! ha!
Mix and Match Mama says
I mean…not any less than the other restaurants! The food was delish!
Alisa Tannehill says
Hahah South Beach..insert eye roll! We usually go to Smith and Wollensky so we can watch the cruise ships and then play at the park, but the kiddos are getting bigger and time to venture out! Thank you!!
Ashley says
This makes me want to go on the exact same trip! ? Fun and relaxing.
Leah Oglesby says
What a fun trip! Did y’all do the aqua drop? It took me a bit to work up the courage, but it was super fun! I love the JW Marriott Turnberry! It’s the perfect spot for a girls trip, family trip, or weekend getaway with the hubs! So glad y’all ended up having a great time!
Danielle R. says
Happy Easter! Thank you so much for posting these beautiful pictures of your family. It made me smile seeing you all have fun and bringing back normality while still being safe. It gave me such hope for the future. I am so sorry in previous post many were judgemental. One thing I have learned this year is we all have to be less judgemental. We all had to make such decisions that many never thought we ever would of had to this past year for our families. We have to make what is the best for OUR family and only Our family. I love you have continued to do that and opened your doors to let us see yours. Again, thank you for shining light that life is getting back to somewhat normal. I wish you and your family a happy and blessed Easter.
Rachel says
Nope! Can’t do the gators! We went camping at Caddo Lake when I was a kid, so I asked my dad why we could hear a motor running all night…he said those were gators. We went to the little gator place in Hot Springs once, I hated it the whole time. At least Florida has good scenery!
Kacy M says
I feel the exact same about gators (and gators vs. sharks) ? happy anniversary!!
Bernard says
Awesome story and Happy Anniversary guy’s
Rachel Miller says
Hi Shay! Could you link your hot pink sandals? Love them!
Mix and Match Mama says
They’re Steve Madden but from two years ago.
Rachel Miller says
Thank-you! Love your blog!
Tina says
My 10 year old son needs to know what Smith does to have all those muscles?? Seriously inquiry.☺️
Mix and Match Mama says
Awwwww! That kid is so active! Just yesterday, he was hanging upside down from a tree for about an hour. Ha! I think that has to be it.
Kim says
Hi Shay
In your first Miami vacation post you mentioned a service that you had take care of your puppies while you were gone. I can’t find it on the post. Would you mind sharing who you used? I remember you said the service was amazing so I wanted to look into that for my pups. Thank you so much!
Mix and Match Mama says
Yes! It’s an app called Rover!
Ashley says
Where is Andrews black sports hoodie/ jacket from that he is wearing in the close up of you two when you say it was your anniversary?
Mix and Match Mama says
I’m pretty sure that’s Under Armor!