![Florida May 2014](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5157/14310338803_788a6b4290.jpg)
Dynamo's parents live in the Bradenton/Sarasota area of Florida! It's really a lovely place with lots of exciting things to see and do! The first task on the list was to hit the beach at The Point on Anna Maria Island!
![Florida May 2014](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3776/14103606637_6196d3414a.jpg)
The weather was hot, but it's always a nice little breeze on the beach! Just enough to make it comfortable to hunt shells!
![Florida May 2014](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3791/14289641304_1aae895651.jpg)
This time I had to be selective though! There's only so many we can haul back on the plane! Of course I had to snap a few family pics when we first got there!
![Florida May 2014 (3)](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3689/14284351584_ebe8f88142.jpg)
Here's Dynamo with his folks!
![Florida May 2014 (10)](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3787/14284844595_afbca0ea33.jpg)
Here's his beautiful mom!
![Florida May 2014 (11)](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5489/14281514021_05801b8a62.jpg)
They've been married a really long time! Such an inspiration!
![Florida May 2014 (18)](https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2936/14098175029_9fc75cb291.jpg)
And here we are! Mr. C did a good job snapping this pic! It's nice to have a real pic versus a selfie!
![Florida May 2014 (15)](https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2899/14282828642_19ce3dc055.jpg)
The beaches are beautiful there! The Gulf is so clear and warm!
![Florida May 2014 (13)](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3711/14098288877_006f7828ab.jpg)
Not many shells this time though! Just sea creatures missing their shell! Anyone know what this is? I think it's a conch without his conch shell! We threw him back in hoping he could find his shell!
![Florida May 2014 (22)](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5272/14098288587_2168e80b52.jpg)
The next day we decided to head to Venice. We had always heard about all of the shark's teeth you could find there!
![Florida May 2014](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3667/14310336873_897130ffc1.jpg)
We headed to Caspersen Beach after a lunch in town! It was a little rocky and had some dark sand. The water was a little rougher, but people were busy looking for treasures with their sand sifters! That's one tool we need to get!
![Florida May 2014](https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2926/14286813711_59ea2ed33a.jpg)
![Florida May 2014 (23)](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5498/14284350214_552ab70726.jpg)
We found a few teeth...
![Florida May 2014](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5519/14290145475_baa6df407f.jpg)
Not bad for just looking through the shells that had washed up!
![Florida May 2014 (25)](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3697/14098174699_9a0de6c8de.jpg)
While visiting we also hit Lido Beach, which is near St. Armand's Circle.
![Florida May 2014 (35)](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3779/14281512331_1c4df1b7ba.jpg)
![Florida May 2014 (32)](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5565/14098202918_b254863e1e.jpg)
Each beach is a little different, but they are all gorgeous!
![Florida May 2014 (31)](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5522/14098287867_770421427a.jpg)
Not many finds there either!
Our last day there we hit the Sarasota Farmers Market!
![Florida May 2014](https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2912/14289637104_146d0ecbc4.jpg)
It was bustling with people as usual!
Cookies...
![Florida May 2014 (39)](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3795/14284842695_68f7978c38.jpg)
Olives...
![Florida May 2014 (40)](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3708/14305021803_865da64dec.jpg)
Fruit...
![Florida May 2014 (42)](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5112/14281511911_c8f63a6d3a.jpg)
Soaps...
![Florida May 2014 (41)](https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2936/14284842535_d820aba079.jpg)
If you ask me if I bought soap, the answer is yes! Always! Support all local handmade!
Wall to wall people enjoying the warm sunshine!
![Florida May 2014 (43)](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3693/14284348974_5a3a911bf8.jpg)
Of course when I saw this bumper sticker in the parking lot I had to snap a pic! 3 feet please, people!
![Florida May 2014 (38)](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5533/14281512171_81804abebf.jpg)
After the market we relaxed a little before hitting the beach at The Point one last time!
![Florida May 2014](https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2933/14289635434_e52dc90909.jpg)
These little birds were neat!
![Florida May 2014](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3714/14290139635_281f231693.jpg)
Dynamo ventured way out into the water (it was low low tide) and he found a starfish!
![Florida May 2014](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5537/14103595507_93384844b7.jpg)
Yes, we threw it back!
The water was warm, over 80 degrees! It was a lovely week for the beach!
![Florida May 2014](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3752/14103518280_2cb2344740.jpg)
Before we left we did get to meet up with Dynamo's brother, Michael, for dinner!
![Florida May 2014](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3830/14103499128_714ef45031.jpg)
It's always so nice to see family!
What a great trip! We enjoyed our time with Dynamo's parents! We hadn't seen them since our Thanksgiving trip so it was great to get a few days to visit!
![Florida May 2014](https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2901/14267019056_7d69e97877.jpg)
When we got back into Richmond, my parents and Charlie were there waiting with some of our most favorite donuts ever!!!
![Florida May 2014](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3831/14103499978_54d3ce2354.jpg)
Now it's back to soap making, yard work, and life! Hope your Memorial Day holiday was great! It is a time to stop and be grateful to those men, women, (and dogs too) who have served our country!