Finally my family arrived to our destination. After riding in an air plane to then riding in a car ride to my aunt’s house, then riding in another 4 hour car ride to get to our hotel. After my whole family settled into our room on the fourth floor it finally felt like I was in Florida. Being able to wear shorts at night and not be cold. Florida is a paradise for my family, its always warm and its where most of my family lives. Florida remains home to me.

The girls wanted to have a day with no boys. Gathering all our sand toys, goggles, food and drinks, and our towels. Running with our hands full to the elevator, cramming into the small metal machine as it takes us to the bottom floor. Running across the pavement past the pools and hot tubs. Weaving our way through the crowds of people to get to our destination. Finally hitting the warm soft sand. Walking down the sandy beach and dropping all our stuff on our spot where our tent is. Finally reaching the beach. I’ve been longing to get to the beach and have fun and to be a kid again.

After everything is all set up it’s time for us to enjoy the day. Seeing the excitement on my little cousin Abbie's face I knew that I will make this day fun for her. Abbie wanted to build a sand castle with me so I pulled out all the sand buckets and got right to work. I told her I would make her a princess castle and she was so excited.

Our backs bent over while shoveling sand into our buckets. The hot sun beating down on our backs. Abbie and I didn’t stop working until the castle pleased us. Abbie decided to go look for seashells to decorate the sand wall we made. Abbie made sure there was a wall so that in case the water came close to the castle the wall could block it and protect the castle. I built the wall extra high so that nothing could knock down our perfect castle. She wanted the wall to look pretty if princesses are going to live in it. Abbie and I walked down the shore and collected all the pretty seashells and put them in her little pink bucket. Plopping ourselves on the warm sand and pressing our seashells into our sandy wall adding a girly touch to our masterpiece.

The day was so perfect I couldn’t believe it. After Abbie and I decorated our sand wall and the castle was perfect I got the feeling that something wasn’t right. Waves crashing into shore behind me. Franticly I turned my head to the side to see the giant waves. People rushing out of the water back up to the sand to get to their belongings. Families leaving and even the life guards started to pack up and leave. I didn’t understand why people are leaving on this beautiful day? Suddenly the wind started to quicken as my hair whipped around and I looked up at the sky hoping to see the pretty blue sky, instead I saw a frightening black sky. I knew that this is a Florida storm. Quickly Abbie runs under the tent to my mom and aunt as I grab the tubs and sand buckets so they don’t fly away in the wind. Abbie and I sit in our chairs wrapped in towels under our small yet home like tent. My crazy mom records the storm calling this a “tent party.” My mom and aunt are laughing and having the time of their lives drinking a beer and sitting in their chairs under the crammed tent while I and Abbie are scared to death. Obviously my mom isn’t worried at all because she is used to these storms since she grew up in Florida. Although it pours and thunders I cheer Abbie up and go along with the “tent party.” However our laughter surrounds us and we forget about the storm that our tent almost fly’s away! Quickly running out of our chairs and each take a corner to hold the tent down. As time goes by while holding the tent the storm went away but it wasn’t safe for us to go swimming in the ocean and the wind was blowing hard still making the sand blow in our face. Sadly our tent party ended and everyone gathered all our belongings and carried it all back to our room. Luckily by the time we made it across the beach and passed the pools back to our room the boys got back at the same time. As the storm cleared enough away so we could go swimming in the pools and have a fun rest of the day.

Abbie kept some of the seashells that we found together and gave them to me so that I could remember the fun times I spent with her at the beach together. This vacation I will defiantly remember.