Surviving Sanibel: Sand, Shells & Sunsets Trip Report - UPDATED 7/13 About This Page:

[BeckiO5]

Great start Amy. OMG your food looks delicious. So sorry to hear about Nora's Brother and her trip being cut short, but at least she was surrounded by family the entire time. that everything went well with his surgery. More please Amy.

[Kenny]

Great start, Amy! for Nora's brother. Bypass surgery may be pretty routine these days, but it's still a pain in the... chest!!! Especially when you get the hiccups! I've had it, and they do do miracles these days!
Good lookin' food and sunset!

[Colexis Mom]

Sounds like a great first day Amy! Pixies for Nora's brother!

[lauriep]

Wonderful first day! I love the silly photos of Nora and FFF--what a fun pair. Also the photo of Nora, FFF and your mom on the beach. ( Angela! ) Good for you driving that big car!

I hope Nora's brother's surgery goes smoothly. Too bad she has to leave early, but at least she's seen Sanibel and had a great break with family.

[mommapants]

Hi Amy

Just joining the TR looks like you are all enjoying yourselves.
for Nora's brother

Hurry back with more.

[lindawdw]

Sorry to hear about Nora's brother but it certainly sounds like a wonderful trip so far Amy!!!

[clio]

Sorry about Nora's brorther. Your rooms look very nice and i love the pictures of the Gulf.
Liz

[iamgrumpy]

Saturday on Sanibel!

So we set the alarm for 7am so that we would have time to eat breakfast and relax before heading out for the day. We headed downstairs they have a little breakfast area where you can make your own waffles, prepared hot food such as scramble eggs, sausage, potatoes. They had Muffins, bagels, toast, english Muffins. Oatmeal, Cereal, yogurt and fresh fruit. Then they had a fruit salad and strawberries and whip cream to put on the waffles. Coffee, Milk, Orange Juice, Apple Juice, Fruit Punch, Hot Chocolate, Tea and water to drink.









After breakfast I took some photos of the dining area, lobby, business center, exercise room and pool since I hadn't done so already.
















So after taking photos finishing breakfast and taking coffee to go for everyone but me, we headed back upstairs and gathered our beach gear so we could head to Sanibel!

We were quick over the causeway and over to lighthouse Beach which has quick easy access to the beach for those who have issues walking so it was great for Mom and Grandma since both have issues with walking. Nora fell in love with the beach and while we were wading in the water 4 stingrays went swimming by so that was my cue to get out of the water and to just sunbathe! yes I am still afraid of fish!

Grandma doesn't know how to swim so mom and Nora stayed with her, and a nice lady next to us lent us her floatation device to have FFF hold onto.









I was getting overheated so I went and sat in the car with the a/c going for a while, Mom got overheated so she joined me, and then Grandma decided to get in too! Nora was LOVING it and she wanted to soak up the beach, sun, and water for a while longer since she is landlocked in AZ. So she told us to go back to the hotel, get freshened up, cooled off and whenever we were hungry for lunch to go pick her back up! She had her cell so if she got too hot I could run back and get her quickly!

So we headed back to the hotel and freshened up, stopped at Walgreens first though to pick up a few things we needed and some postcards and then headed back over to pick Nora up maybe 90 minutes later.

Nora loved it and I think wants to plan a vacation here with her DH for the winter time

We headed down the island over to Captiva for lunch at the Bubble Room. We found a parking space, laughed at mom for having so much trouble parking, and headed inside. Very fun place theme wised, Nora was impressed with how much they could cram into it we were seated right away, and we decided on our meals.

We all had She Crab Soup to start. I had the Bubble Burger with Cheese, Mom had the Mae West Chicken Sandwich which she split with Grandma. Nora had the Vegetable sandwich which I forget the name of but it had "grows" in it Might be Anything that grows but don't quote me on that. For dessert we all shared a slice of the Orange Crunch Cake.

Everything was delicious, but personally, I am to the point where we will go so mom can have the soup and I can just have dessert. The food was good, nothing wrong with that, but we have gone 3 times now and I am starting to recognize the cobwebs now. Not impressed with the dusting skills there.





One of the servers who was singing while cleaning the tables and just was a hoot to interact with ...




Tons of Disney things in the restaurant!














After we took the last few photos we headed outside and just let our selves digest our meals, and so Nora could call and check in on her brother. Things were going well but it was going to be a while before he would be out of surgery. Then we did the 24 hour check in for her flight for Sunday and decided to head back over to the hotel to let Nora freshen up and to relax. We're on vacation, to spend time with each other so we weren't worried about an itinerary etc.

Heading over to the hotel, we saw a dolphin swimming under the causeway, and took that to be a good sign

Up Next...Saturday on Sanibel Part 2

[BeckiO5]

Another wonderful update Amy. Glad you all enjoyed the beach. Sorrybto hear most of you were getting Overheated. Lunch sounded delicious and the restaurant looked fun. More please.

[Colexis Mom]

Sounds like a great day! Love the pictures!

[KMB733]

Just getting caught up! Sounds like your trip is off to a great start. Sorry about Nora's brother.

[magic mickey]

Great start Amy, the food pictures look yum! Sorry about Nora's brother. I hope everything turned out Ok.

[chezp]

What a great relaxing day!

[lindawdw]

Sounds like a fun day so far! I think I would have freaked a little if I saw a stingray in the ocean next to me. Although I don't mind most fish, the whole stingray things is a little unnerving.

[Kenny]

I' m glad Nora got to enjoy herself a bit in amongst all the worrying. Seems to me you are all having a pretty relaxing vacation, considering... and HEY!!! What's a few cobwebs when you're on vacation?!!