HippSpace: Gasparilla and Beer Can Island

I know I just posted a blog yesterday, and it is very unlike me (lately) to blog more than once in a ~~week~~ month, but the kids are busy playing, the baby is taking an extra-long nap, and I should be drying my hair, but I love these pictures and I've been looking forward to posting them!

But first a word about my kids- imaginative! They are currently throwing a surprise birthday party for "John the Mountain", their newest (imaginary) friend. I like to think Lincoln introduced this guy, just because Georgia doesn't usually use real names with her "friends", aka "Banana Daughter"(who, yes, is still around too). So- John the Mountain must be really old because he has birthday parties just about every other day, a lot of them surprise parties. And on the other days it seems he's sick of some terrible illness, so I guess that balances out all the partying. Or maybe he's sick because of all the partying... hmmm, seems I need to figure out just who my kids are hanging out with!
Now let me get on with this post before the party and nap are both over- and before my hair is dried all crazy!

January 28, 2012
Last weekend was Gasparilla here in Tampa- an annual city-wide holiday event! Pirates invade the city on their pirate ship, and the Rough Riders, and many, many local boaters, battle the invading marauders. Then there's a huge parade (one of three parades, actually) that highlights the trowing of many, many beads, Mardi Gras-style. To say this is a big event here is a serious understatement. People around here have had pirate flags out and bead wreaths on the door for weeks- pirates visit the schools, take pictures with kids like celebrities, kiss babies, etc. It's a lot of jolly-ho fun!
We all boarded Daddy's Farm (Grandad's boat) early Saturday morning to boat around to the other side of Tampa and be part of the invasion. Well, we actually stayed on the outskirts of the invasion, as we really didn't want to be crowding dad's big boat in the main frenzy. The kids loved seeing all the boats, and the pirate ship taking off across the water with the loud "boom booms" (cannons)!
Then we let all the crazy folk head towards Bayshore for the rest of the invasion and parade, while we went the opposite way to anchor off Beer Can Island, a small spot of land at the edge of the bay. We ate lunch, relaxed and played on the beach. The island has a ton of shells, so while baby sister napped onboard, the four of us walked around the island gathering a collection. It was a fun day with Grammie, Grandad, and our good friends the Pates- aunt Karen & uncle Steve, Andy & Kristen- who brought their smaller boat too, and their kids Aidan & Karissa.
There's a lot of pictures- but you know how I get when I get my kids on a beach! ;) Yo Ho Ho!!

As a Coast Guard Commander, you'd think Andy would know that running circle around bigger, slower boats is not safe- and is definitely showing off! ;)