Sarasota, Florida – For years, we have been coming to Sarasota to visit the grandparents, but this is the first time that I learned about the Amish and Mennonite communities that live here. I first learned about the Mennonites years…
Busch Gardens
Tampa, Florida – Now that the twins are amusement park fiends–and they are big enough to ride most rides–we decided it was about time to return to Busch Gardens. (My memories of our first visit are, um, watery.) I thought…
Sarasota Festival of the Arts
Sarasota, Florida – It’s the third week in February, which means it’s time to visit the grandparents in Florida. It is unfortunate that Daddio’s vacation does not overlap with the twins’ vacation, so he does not usually get to come…
The Best Hotels in Port Saint Lucie
Port Saint Lucie, Florida – You made it to the Sunshine State, America’s favorite destination for sunny skies and sandy beaches. The top accommodations in Port Saint Lucie are the perfect base for you to experience all that and more. Whether…
Sox vs O’s
Sarasota, Florida – Last year we went to JetBlue Stadium in Fort Meyer to see the Red Sox beat the Twins on their first day of spring training. This year, the boys came to us and we watched the Sox…
Return to the Ringling
Sarasota, Florida – It has been several years since we visited the local circus museum, so this year we decided to return to the Ringling. The last time I wrote about this fantastic outing, the twins were four years old.…
Birding at the Venice Rookery
Venice, Florida – One of our favorite annual activities is birding at the Venice Rookery. Just before sunset, hundreds of birds come home to roost on this tiny island, managed by the Venice Audubon Society. This outing offers prime bird…
Winter Break Escape
Sarasota, Florida – It’s that time of year again, when we fly south for a winter break escape with the grandparents in Florida. Poor Daddio was sick as a dog when we left. He managed to drop us at the…
Red Sox Spring Training
Fort Myers, Florida – For Daddio’s birthday we took him to a Red Sox game. Sometimes we take Daddio to a baseball game for Father’s Day, but we usually can’t do it for his birthday in February. But this year,…
Winter Break Escape
Sarasota, Florida – This week the twins joined all of the other grandchildren of Massachusetts, making our annual winter break escape to Sarasota, Florida. I don’t love Sarasota: there are too many strip malls and traffic jams. But how I…