Welcome to Paradise!

 Wow! What an incredible find and the most perfect place to completely check out from life! This island isn't for everyone.....BUT....if you want absolute simplicity, terrible internet, no motor vehicles, no shopping or restaurants, the most incredible sunsets, toddler friendly ocean and  your only decisions of the day to be ocean first or pool first....Little Gasparilla Island IS FOR YOU! 

These photos are totally outta order....but just go with it ;)

Did you catch above? No motor vehicles AT ALL on the island. So....you drive around golf carts. It's amazing. No buckling, no fidgeting with kiddos, you hop on and go. Made our very short way to the beach so much easier as we piled all chairs, towels, umbrella and sand toys and loaded in. What a FUN change for the week. This absolutely helped to simplify the week even more. 

We parked our rental van on the "mainland". Our beach club has gated parking leading to their own boardwalk which allows us to board their FREE ferry to the island. The ferry runs every 2-3 hours during the day. We went back to the mainland 2x's during the week and it was super simple to catch the ferry and then get back on. This also made for a never done before trip and made this week even more simplistic! And catching the ferry at sunset....I have no words!

The ONLY activity on the schedule was to be at sunset EVERY night. I just brainwashed the kids to thinking that everyone does that EVERY NIGHT ;) For real though....! We sang David Crowder's newest song (Good God Almighty) several sunsets. This island is NOT crowded, not even full....so you better believe we sang at the top of our lungs! 

Boardwalk from our beach club to the ocean. That sunset! Our crew brought lOTS of noise to the precious retired friends enjoying their sunset drinks ;) Did I mention we met some of the most KINDEST people we've ever met before? It's like the sun and the appearance of no virus created such kind and accepting souls. We were not shamed ONCE, so refreshing :)

Wanna see a dolphin? Go to Little Gasparilla! We saw 4 sets the whole week we were there! We rented a boat one day and within minutes a dolphin found our wake and for the next 10 minutes kept us entertained :)

I can't travel (or wear a mask for that reason) without making a (very cute and kind) political statement, right? We had the greatest airplane/airport experience (except for one instance...but we prayed for The Lord's intervention and that was that). Mike and I tried decently hard to keep our masks on....and the kids...well...they had them ;) It was just simply a great experience. 

Island life...because there is no retail on the island..we grocery shopped BEFORE hoping on our ferry. We planned food for the week and loaded our luggage and groceries into these carts that we brought onto the ferry.

Many close choices for food and the even better thing was that if we forgot something, it was a free ferry ride back to mainland. That was the beautiful thing about staying at Hideaway Bay Beach Club was the free ferry. Otherwise, you'd take a water taxi...and pay per way $$$$$

We pack light! Mainly, it's because of me ;) First, I refuse to pay the extra $$ to check bags. Second, I hate waiting at the luggage carousel (I'm so impatient)  and third, we had a washer/dryer in our condo. We packed clothes for 2-3 days and then just washed. It's the island life anyways; simple!

One of our mail land trips was to eat out for lunch. First time in MONTHS we ate at a restaurant! MONTHS! You would have thought we won the lottery! Ordering food AND being SERVED! The kids KEEP talking about this! Not sure why, but the fries & chips were magical! My grouper sandwhich was MAGICAL, the hamburgers and Mac N Cheese were MAGICAL! 

We made two sets of such precious friends before we left!  One set, took this sweet pic as were were on our way to board our ferry for the last time. Brody loved being the "wagon dude". 

This week was such a gift from Jesus! To get away from all the junk and to just truly breath, be together & spend some serious time in the Bible. He is calling us to some crazy, radical things and this week away geared us up for it! We were reminded that just as the sun sets EVERY SINGLE night and the waves NEVER stop rolling in...He's OUR constant, He's always there and He is constantly directing our feet!  I spent so much time walking the beach & listening to the book of Psalms in the Message version. Wow, what a way to get your praise on! Hearing David's anguish in one breath but with the next praising HIS NAME, PRAISING HIS GOODNESS AND PRAISING HIS FAITHFULNESS! Y'all, do you know how great Jesus is? If you haven't experienced Him....please talk to me!

Little Gasparilla has captured our hearts! So much so.....we are in the works of trying to purchase a condo at Hideaway Bay and renting it out! Super exciting and crazy...but this island is a place YOU want to take your family, it's a place YOU want to have reunions it's a place for you and your spouse to get away to to and it's a place to draw closer to the feet of Jesus!