MIAMI FLORIDA - June 19-29

We arrived in Miami on Thursday for the United States Conference of Mayors 76th annual meeting. The first event was held at the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens. What a beautiful place to visit! Unfortunately, it got dark right after we arrived so I wasn't able to get many pictures plus it was so unbelievably hot!

Saturday we had the opportunity to hear presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama speak. Samuel and his cousins William & Jackson informed everyone that they NEVER want to go back to another speech again....because all you get to do is sit and you can't talk!!! LOL

Saturday night we went to Little Havana for an evening of Cuban food, live music, and musical performances. We got to see Papa play the bongos with the Mayor of Miami, Manny Diaz.

Monday night, the last night of the convention we headed to South Beach. This was by far the most fun! The kids played in the sand, played volleyball, roasted marshmallows, ate candy from the candy bar, collected seashells, participated in hermit crab races, held a parrot and a baby alligator. To top it off we had our own fireworks show as the evening ended.

During our stay we took the kids to Jungle Island, The Miami Children's Museum, and The Miami Seaquarium where we participated in the dolphin encounter program.

The parrots tail was a little to close for Abigail's liking! Poor baby.

Papa brushing Samuel's teeth at the Children's museum

Samuel kissing the dolphin!

After Papa's meeting was over, we moved to the Loews Hotel....We had 22 family members--11 adults & 11 cousins! We had a GREAT time playing at the beach, swimming, playing with cousins,watching movies, having sleepovers, shopping,riding in a limo, eating, and drinking! We even extended our trip 1 day because everyone was having such a fantastic time. Now, we are just trying to catch up after going, going, going for 11 days straight! It's memories like this that will last a lifetime!