Wouldn’t it be a treat to begin every morning with a three mile walk on the beach?
After breakfast, my mom, sister and I walked to and from the lighthouse at the end of Sanibel Island and agreed that moving our legs and smelling the salty air was one heck of a way to start the day.
Right when we walked onto the beach, we noticed a crowd of people staring out at the water and immediately saw a dolphin!
We leisurely walked to the lighthouse and back and saw starfish, sand dollars, sting rays and more.
When we arrived back at the condo, we were ready to head out and explore.
Before lunch, we walked around the Sanibel Arts & Crafts Fair.
My sister and I got a big kick out of Conni Togel’s “Sheep Incognito” booth. She incorporated sheep into all of her work and many of her paintings were quite tongue-in-cheek and made us laugh! She gave me permission to share her work with you guys on the blog and I think that those of you share my love for puns will get a kick out of her paintings.
Here is her “Haulin’ Ass” painting:
Apparently a lot of people like to buy the “Passing Gas” painting to display in their bathrooms which made us laugh!
She also had a lot of really adorable sheep-themed paintings that I thought would look cute in a nursery, like her “Little Bundle of Boy” print below.
Once we were done walking around the art fair, my mom, sister, grandma and I walked to The Island Cow restaurant for lunch.
The restaurant has a fun, eclectic atmosphere and we had a good time looking around after we placed our orders.
For my main meal, I ordered the sesame tuna salad and it was fantastic! The glaze on top of the fish was wonderful and the tuna was cooked perfectly. I’d order it again in a heartbeat!
After lunch, we drove back to the condo and headed out to the pool to read and relax.
Hi Ariel!
It was rather chilly yesterday, so I ended up reading by the pool in a fleece jacket, but it was still nice to be outside. My sister and I are both reading Blackberry Winter and had fun talking about it last night.
We came back inside around 5 p.m. and got sucked into a Downton Abbey marathon. My mom and grandma watched the first episode two days ago on NetFlix and gave us a brief overview so we were all caught up. I wasn’t sure what I’d think of it, but I think it’s safe to say I am hooked! Professor McGonagall Maggie Smith is a hoot!
For dinner, we got take out from Gramma Dots!
The four of us shared two grouper sandwiches and two orders of peel-and-eat shrimp. Their homemade chips were sprinkled with the most delicious seasonings and we couldn’t get enough of them!
It was a wonderful Saturday in Sanibel.
I’m sad we’re leaving today, but it was such a treat to be able to spend quality time with my grandma, mom and sister.
See ya from Ocala!
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It looks like heaven there! I could go for a long morning walk on a beach today!
Awww it looks like you’ve having such an amazing time! Spending time with my mom and aunts is one of my favorite things to do. Besides walking on the beach and checking out little unique restaurants, of course 🙂
What a lovely way to spend the weekend 🙂
sounds so fun! also, your tuna salad looks delicious!
Oh that all sounds so nice. I’m extremely ready for Spring Break. I need to go out and relax somewhere lovely!
What a beautiful and fun looking place to have a girl’s weekend! I’m going to look this destination up….it looks like something I would love!
it is the PERFECT destination for a girls’ weekend! there are so many cute restaurants to try and a lot of fun shops and bike trails. and, of course, there’s the beach!
LOVE Downton Abbey! It is addicting.
That “passing gas” painting is awesome! Sounds like a perfect girls weekend 🙂
I love walks on the beach! That “Haulin’ Ass” painting is hilarious. It looks like Sanibel is a super cute town!
Yay Downton! I think it is one of the few TV shows worth getting into. It’s somewhat “educational” right?!?
I have been to the Island Cow! Last winter, my family went down to Sanibel Island for a break from the NC cold weather. The Island Cow was the first (and last) place that I tried fried gator tail! It was delicious, but now I’m eating healthier so no more of that 😉 But we loved all the decorations and colors in there, and we took pictures with the cows in the back!
Haha that passing gas one really cracks me up! I would love something like that for our bathroom. I’m a sucker for that kind of humor. It looks like you had the perfect little Saturday!
I am so jealous. What a wonderful day! I love going on vacation and getting fresh seafood!!
This sounds like the perfect way to spend the day! I would absolutely love to start every day with a walk on the beach!
Looks like you have been having a great time. We live in Southern AL and love heading to the beach in FL on the weekends. There is nothing like waking up to the sound of the waves hitting the beach, then enjoying my morning coffee and a stroll on the beach. This Kansas girl loves it!
This just sounds perfect 🙂 Those sheep paintings are awesome.
Wow, a walk on the beach AND getting to see a dolphin? That certainly sounds like the perfect way to start a day. Lucky you!!
So fun! I’m on vacation with my family in San Fran and we have started every morning with a walk by the bay, so beautiful! Life is suppose to. be better by the water right? 🙂
What a wonderful day! The beach, the laughs, the food and the company all looked wonderful! Thanks for sharing…
PS the passing gas picture was hilarious! Not sure I would have figured it out on my own though. 😉
This post is making me want to go back to Sanibel! I have been there a few times with family and love it there. Next time, I’ll be sure to check out the Island Cow, looks so cute!
This makes me smile because Sanibel is a special place for my family, too:) I was first there in my mom’s tummy, and then 25 years later I ended up getting engaged there! I love the Island Cow–we always go there at least twice when we’re there! Enjoy the rest of your Girl’s Weekend!
oh my goodness, I am SO jealous! Haha even just that weather I’d take, it’s 18 here in Chicago and I’m dying to take my brother’s dog on a long walk but it’s just soooo cold! Glad you’re enjoying your time with your family!
Looks like you had a great weekend!! How fun 🙂
Love the Ariel towel. Andrew tries to buy me “adult towels” when we go on vacation because he’s embarrassed of my Tinkerbell one, but it’s still my favorite!
I can’t look at Maggie and not think of Professor McGonagall!
I wish I was in your shoes right now! The beach sounds amazing
Looks like such a fun weekend!
Sounds like a fun weekend!
That tuna salad looks amazing! I love fruit in a savoury dish.
I get to walk on a beach every day… But it’s on the south coast of England as opposed to sunny Florida! Slightly chillier!
This time last year we went to Orlando, Fort Myers and Miami. I love Florida and have visited 5 times now. I never get bored of it. Looks like you had a gorgeous weekend.
I need the “Haulin’ Ass” picture. I could put it by my front door because that is always my state of mind when trying to get somewhere. Then, I could take it with me to the gym so I could remember to not slack off during my workout. Just kidding, but it is adorable and funny. Glad you had a great girls’ weekend.
Oh my goodness, I finally started Downton Abbey last weekend and ended up watching all three seasons over the course of four days. For whatever reason I wasn’t sure that I’d like it but it’s amazing! And you’re right, Maggie Smith is a total scene stealer!
i have her passing gas photo in our bathroom! 🙂 love her work!
Oh jeez, we are freezing over here in Germany and I am longing for the beach so badly. The pictures are really cute 😉
I am jealous! Wonderful company, wonderful food and the beach!
Downton Abbey is my favorite show! I watched the first few episodes about a year ago to see what all the fuss was about and it’s safe to say I got sucked in immediately. Such a great cast! (and yes, Maggie Smith says the funniest things!)
Looks like such a great time, Julie! Between walking on the beach, going to The Island Cow (love–their blackened tilapia is my favorite!), and watching Downton Abbey (totally obsessed), it sounds like a successful trip! 🙂
I love reading about your times with your mom and sister! I think its wonderful that you all enjoy being together so much! I’m super close to my mom and sister as well, but live 9 hours away from both of them, and don’t get to see them as often as I’d like. But that just means when we do get together, it’s wonderful. Your girls’ weekend sounds like it was perfect. 🙂
p.s. Downton is SO great! Welcome to the fan club!
Looks like a gorgeous place and a nice chilled weekend! Fish and chips…you’d just have to have it for dinner being by the sea! 🙂 Love the sign outside the restaurant too…”almost free beer”
That lunch looks amazing! I am so happy you are able to enjoy the girls weekend away with family. There is nothing better than spending quality time with the ones you love!
Downton Abbey is the BEST. I am finishing up Season II, and my boyfriend even watches it with me (I think he likes it more than I do). Nothing better than Gramma Dot’s! I think that is where the amazing key lime pie is?! I can’t remember but am craving it like no one’s business!
Such beautiful views!!
I wanted to enter your blender giveaway, but the site is no longer working.
Ah Julie what a lovely post & sounds like you gals had a blast!u sound so close to ur family which us lovely.im from the UK and have a FL holiday planned in April I can’t wait,even more so after reading this x
That looks like such a beautiful getaway day!!
Jealous that you saw a dolphin! Sounds like a fun day.
I just put it together last night while watching Harry Potter (we watch it every time it comes on TV regardless of how many times we’v seen it) that Maggie Smith was grandmother on Downton Abbey. I’m pretty slow.
Your weekend looks fabulous. I wish warm weather was only a fw hours away from me!
that sounds like a lovely saturday! I absolutely love Downton Abbey, I am so sad it is the season finale tonight! The show only gets better!
What a fun little weekend getaway! Sounds like a blast!
sounds like the perfect weekend!!! 🙂
isn’t it so fun to look at art fairs. especially artists with a sense of humor. it’s hard not to want to buy everything and support the locals.
that tuna salad looks delicious. maybe if i stare at it long enough i can get inspired to create something similar. YUM!
what a nice weekend with great company. happy sunday!
What a fun weekend and sure the best part was spending time with your family! Sanibel looks like a fun getaway that we will have to try soon. We live in St. Augustine and love to visit lighthouses….
Thanks for sharing!