Florida Trip, Part 2 - Kazapalooza (Days 1 and 2)

Following our leisurely lunch stop at Downtown Disney (previous post), we made our way to Kazapalooza, held this year in St. Pete Beach (St. Petersburg) on Florida's gulf coast. The Tradewinds Island Grand Resort became our home for the next four nights as we joined 125 families in celebrating Kazakh adoptions. Sun, surf, and all those Kazakh cuties... oh the fun we had!!

Caution: lots of photos ahead!

Thursday evening. Our first foray onto the beach and Zoe already needs more pockets to hold her collected shells.
The next morning, Zoe and Tougy reunited for some serious beach play.

Kiana and Zoe waiting for the waves to come in.

Tougy burying Zoe.

Thank you, Steve (Tougy's dad), for the following photos of us!

Friday evening was the first official Kazapalooza event, a group supper and social gathering. It was held outdoors on a lovely beachfront patio. The only drawback was the 90+ degree heat and mutual lack of breeze and shade. To say it was hot was an understatement. Taylor and Zoe discovered the coolers of ice water and took it upon themselves to administer ice baths to the legs of parents and friends. It was so hot that the continuation of their antics was promoted and encouraged by all.

Zoe, Kiana, and Taylor washing their own feet.

Then Zoe got the full leg treatment from Tougy as Roxana and Kiana watch.

Washing their faces and eating the ice came next for Zoe and Taylor.

As the larger gathering began to disperse, a group of us headed for the beach to watch the sun set.

Taking time to gather shells along the way, of course.

Tougy (behind), Kiana, Roxana, Zoe, and Taylor contemplate at the water's edge.

The pause was momentary. Before long the hems of dresses were soaking up seawater and had to be hiked up to waist level as little girls ran in and out of the water.

Soon the soaking dresses were handed over to parents as the girls enjoyed the innocent liberation of skinny-dipping.

This setting alone was pure magic - the sun setting over the ocean, good friends gathering to enjoy it, children happily playing.

And then a pod of dolphins swam by! Apparently perfection can be improved upon.

Jila showing the girls (Tougy, Zoe, Kiana, Roxana) where the dolphins are.

Kiana, Zoe, and Taylor enjoying the final moments of the day together.
And, thus, Kazapalooza was off to a perfect start.  More to follow in yet another blog post.