Me and a wooden bird statue in the Florida Keys.
Hi, I’m Hadley. I’m 5-years-old and I am traveling around the country with my family. I got a digital camera from Santa for Christmas this year. Mom said I could share my pictures on our family travel blog, so I’m starting a series called Hadley’s Adventures and I will share my photos and stories with you.
All photos are mine (except if I’m in the photo!). All captions and stories are mine, too.
This was taken at sunset at our campsite at Long Key State Park in the Florida Keys. I like the colors in this picture.
This photo was also taken at Long Key State Park at our campsite. The brown stuff is seaweed and plants from the ocean. I didn’t like the brown stuff because it had bugs (sand fleas) in it. But I liked our campsite.
Here is another photo from Long Key State Park. The water is very shallow here and my brother and I walked out into the ocean to look for fish. We were careful because we saw clear jelly fish and blue Man O War jellyfish on the beach. My friend Ryan got stung by a Man-o-War and it hurt a lot. We did not get stung by any jellyfish.
This is a lizard. I found him on the fire pit at our campsite in Long Key State Park. Liam (my brother) tried to catch him, but he couldn’t, the lizard was too fast. Lizards are everywhere in Florida – you might find one, too, if you visit here.
We went for a hike at Long Key State Park. This is my brother looking for fish off the bridge. He didn’t see any fish but he did see lots of little crabs. If you go on this 1-mile hike you will probably see tiny crabs, too. That is also my finger in the picture.
This is my brother and my dad fishing by our campsite in Long Key State Park. Liam loves fishing and Santa got him a fishing pole. Sometimes Liam catches fish and sometimes he doesn’t – but he is always happy fishing.
I got a fishing pole, too. But not from Santa. My mom got me one from a fishing store so I could fish with Liam. I picked the Spiderman light-up fishing pole. So far I have caught 2 fish in my life – one of them was with this pole and the other fish I caught was in Michigan this summer. I like fishing, too.
I like to do painting. I got watercolors from Santa. I also got this princess crown from Santa. These pictures are of a sunset and a beach, a lion (under the crown), and a wolf.
On December 28 we moved campsites to Bahia Honda State Park. I love this state park because it has a fun swimming beach and very, very good snorkeling. This is the view from our new campsite. The bridge in this picture is the one you drive on to get to the other islands. The Florida Keys has a lot of small islands called keys.
This is Liam holding a deer skull at the National Key Deer Refuge Visitor’s Center. We visited one day on our way to visit Key West.
Liam is great fisherman. He is great at catching stuff. Here at Bahia Honda we have had a lot of bites – and lots of fish stealing our bait. Sometimes we catch them.
I hope you like my pictures. Check back in a week or two for another set of adventures from Hadley!
All photos are taken with this Fujifilm FinePix XP80 Waterproof Digital Camera with 2.7-Inch LCD (Graphite Black)
A note from Heather, Hadley’s Mom – This is Hadley’s first blog post! She asked me, “How will I know if people like my photos, there are no hearts on the photos” She’s thinking of Instagram, ha! I explained that with a blog post people comment and share feedback. We’d love to hear which photo is your favorite – please leave a comment and let us know what you think of Hadley’s Adventure series. . . .
Great job and fantastic pictures! We liked the captions you had for each picture too. 🙂 We can’t wait to see more photos and hear all about your fun adventures! !!
This is an AWESOME blog. ♡♡♡ I love the beautiful pictures of places I’ve never seen, and the descriptions aND stories make me feel like I’m RIGHT THERE. I live in Nebraska…no ocean at all. 🙁 Thanks, Hadley, for sharing your journey!!
Hi, Hadley,
I like all of your photos, but I think my favorite i the one of your brother with his fish because he looks so proud. I also like the one with the water that has so many different shades of blue.
You are having such an amazing adventure! I wonder which place will be your favorite of them all?
Great photos Hadley. I love the colors in the sunset photo too. Loved reading about your adventures. ❤️
Great job writing and taking pictures. I wish I could do what you and your family are doing- airstream life. Can’t wait to hear more
Hello Hadley,
I loved all of your pictures, especially the pictures of your family. Ted and I will be following your adventures. Adventure on sweet girl.
What a fabulous photographer you are! And, you are going to be a great writer too. The Keys are awesome and such history behind them. You should be happy you are not in Olympia right now. It’s been in the high 20’s to low 30’s at night. Freezing fog too! Guess ’tis the season!
Looking forward to your next post!
Hadley!
You are awesome! I loved seeing your pictures and reading about your adventures. Cant wait infill your next post!
Sarah from Virginia
Hadley I love hearing about your adventures and seeing your great photos! I can’t wait to read about your next adventure!
Hi Hadley –
How fun to have a camera and be able to take pictures to share with other people about your adventures. Thanks for sharing on the blog 🙂
My favorite two pictures are the sunset and the lizard at Long Key State Park. I like that you can take good pictures of big scenes, like a whole sunset, and small things, like a lizard.
Keep up the good work!
Great pictures, Hadley! Oliver and I enjoyed looking at them.
Hi Hadley – your photos are great! I really like the sunset picture and it makes me want to stay at that campground. Keep sharing your adventures so we can all enjoy them!! Amy from Seattle (I used to work with your mom)
Hi Hadley:
I love all your pictures but if I had to chose I’d pick the last one with Liam…. right after he caught a fish. You really captured his happiness.
Keep it up. I look forward to seeing more pictures!
Hi Hadley, I really enjoyed your first blog post. I’ve been to the Florida keys so I really liked all the pictures. I think you’re on your way to being a blogger too.
My favorite is the picture of your brother holding his fish up H looks very happy in it. It is nice that you want to blog. Your blog will tell the kids view of your travels.Have fun taking pictures for your next blog post.
PS I use to fish with my daddy also. i loved to fish.
Thanks for sharing your adventures with us! The sunset at Long Key State Park is beautiful!
Hi Miss Hadley, you’ve got some awesome pictures here. We missed you guy’s at Christmas, I’m glad your family has had some great adventurers. I can’t wait for more pictures from your blog.
These are wonderful photos! It is hard to choose a favorite, but I really loved the sunset photo. Your captions help me feel like I’m traveling along with you. I can’t wait to see more. 🙂
Hadley, you are really having some great adventures, and I love the fact that you’re able to share your photos and stories with other people on the blog. My favorite photo is the sunset because sunsets are beautiful and it can be hard to capture all their bright colors with a camera. Please keep sharing your photos, and most of all, have fun!
Fun pictures and stories. I like the idea of using paper plates to paint your watercolor pictures. Looking forward to hearing about more of your adventures.
Hadley, I think you are doing a fine job blogging. I look forward to more posts.
Dear Hadley,
I am a 2nd grade teacher in Issaquah. I am so impressed with your eye for photography and your wonderful ability to create captions that thoroughly explain your photos. BTW, my favorite photo was the colorful sunset. You are having some wonderful adventures! Do you keep a diary/journal to write down all the cool things you are learning, seeing and doing?
Keep up the good work!
Mrs. Houghton
Hadley thank you for sharing your adventure witn us. It’s great to hear and see what you think about traveling the USA. Looking forward to seeing more.
Hi Hadley,
When I checked in to look for updates on your family’s blog, I was so touched to see your post! I think you received a fantastic Christmas gift in that camera and I can see it’s a beginning of a fun way for you to document your adventures from here! I absolutely loved reading your post. Tomorrow, I will have my son read it too as he’s been following this blog with me and will appreciate hearing about things from your perspective. He’s seven years old…close to your brother’s age? Thank you for posting. I look forward to future updates from you too! 🙂
p.s. I forgot to add that I think you took fantastic pictures! I also have a daughter your age so I can appreciate that you must have a natural talent for it. 🙂
Hadley,
Your first blog entry was a good start to something I am sure you will have fun doing. It wIll also be a great way to remember and show what your travels were about when you are older.
You are very lucky to have an instant camera. I am old enough to be at least your grandmother and sure wish we had had instant cameras when I was your age. Can remember taking pictures and being so disappointed after getting the film developed. Fingers showing were not the mistakes made but you didn’t know until later. One learned how not to make mistakes in order to have better pictures and you will too.
I love the water, so your pictures of the sunset and ocean are my favorites. Look forward to seeing more of your new talent.
Hadley,
I really liked looking at all of your photos. I think the one I liked the best was your art work. You are a very talented young lady. The other photo I enjoyed looking at was the one with your dad and brother fishing. It captured a moment that they are sharing together.
I look forward to reading all about your adventures and seeing all of your wonderful photos.
Keep up the GREAT work.
TimmieSue- Fairbanks Alaska
Hi Hadley,
Thanks for sharing your pictures and telling us all about your adventures. I look forward to seeing more! Love the pic of Long Key and all the different shades in the water best!
Wow! What beautiful pictures you took Hadley!
I’m happy that you got a new camera for Christmas so you can share your adventures with us.
Can’t wait to see more from your adventures soon!
Hi Hadley. I enjoyed reading your captions and looking at your pictures. I love the photo of the shallow water with the cool looking tree growing in it. I look forward to reading more of your posts. Happy New Year!
I love your pictures! My kids who are 5,5, and 3 like them also. My daughter now thinks she needs a good camera like yours. We want to travel like your family, it looks so fun and we can tell you are learning so many wonderful things. Thanks for sharing your photos, we look forward to seeing more.
Ryan, Riley, and Sean (and their mom)
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Loved your pictures, the sunset picture was most beautiful, but I like the smiling children pictures the best, of you and of your brother holding his fish.
Great job Hadley!!
Oh Hadley, what a wonderful idea to post pictures taken with your new camera. You will have so much fun doing this and it will give you a photo journal of your travels. I especially liked the pic of the lizard. it was such a good one, so clear and sharp. Keep up the good work.
Love your first blog post Hadley! <3 <3 <3
So glad you are blogging Hadley. I enjoyed your photos too, especially your watercolor picture. I love to watercolor too.
The fishing ones were my favourite. I loved your pictures, Hadley.
Thank you for sharing your pictures and your comments. I laughed out loud at the comment about your brother enjoying fishing whether he catches something or not. A true fisherman. Looking forward to your next installment.
You are SO fortunate to have this GREAT ADVENTURE when you are young. A lot of us have to WAIT until we are older..(.like Grandparent age ) to have fun like you are having now. Would LOVE to hear of your travels!
Thank you for sharing your pictures, artwork, and stories. I enjoyed reading your blog and looking at the pictures you posted.
Hadley, you are going to be a great blogger! I love the first picture of the sunset. I once saw a poster where a person had taken a picture of the sunset for a whole year and then turned it into a poster. I still wish I would have bought it! I think your stories will be a great addition. You are very talented! ♥♥♥
You are a great blogger, Hadley. You captured such a variety of adventures in your photos. It shows what an interest you have in life. Keep blogging, so we can enjoy your trip through you.
Hi Hadley, I love your blog & pictures. It is really good for such a young person.I am a friend of your Grandma Jennifer.I am looking forward to see you posting next week.Happy New Year to you and your family.Bye now Rose.
Loved the pictures, hope to visit the keys someday myself ?
Hadley, I have been following your mom’s blog and am so glad to get a kids view of your adventures. I think your pictures are great – I especially loved the sunset picture – and your descriptions of the pictures are perfect! Just enough to make want to visit there too! Keep up the good work!
Hi Hadley
We just moved to Washington, and our son Ronnie (14) loves taking photos too. His favorite thing to take photos of is animals. He took some of a squirrel in our yard and then painted it.Please keep taking photos; it is so much fun, and yours are great!
Kim
Hi Hadley! I really enjoyed your post and your pictures! You did a great job! My favorite picture is of the sunset and my second favorite is of your brother and dad fishing.
I have two daughters – my youngest loves to take pictures and my oldest loves to draw and paint. 🙂
Hope you are having a wonderful time on your trip. I think it would be so fun to do what your family is doing.
Blessings to you and your family!
Hi Hadley,
I read every word of your blog posting and looked at every photo. Good job! I enjoyed reading about your adventures and hope you will do another blog posting.
My favorite photo was the first one of the sunset. I also liked the colors and the tree at the left side of the photo.
All the best to you,
Judy in New York State
PS I also read all of your mom’s blog postings. It sounds like you are having a wonderful time. 🙂
Hi Hadley —
I loved your pictures and captions. Keep up the good work!
-Carrie
♡♡♡♡♡
You are great at taking pictures!
Here is a rose for you:
@—>—-
Looks like your mom has some competition on her hands. 🙂 I like the pictures of the things you see like the lizard and your fishing pole. Great job with your blog, keep up the good work.
Hi Hadley!! Your first post was great! I also like the first photo – the colors are wonderful. You look like you are having a great time and I hope we’ll see more of your photos!
Great job Hadley! You take great pictures, just like your mom does ? I really like your watercolor paintings. The lion is my favorite! I enjoy following your family’s adventures as you travel across the country. I look forward to your next post!
HI Hadley,
I love the picture of your dad and brother in the water. The is an awesome picture. What do you consider the most fun while working on this blog? I can’t wait til you post more because kids see things at different angles and views. You are doing a great job.
Keep us posted on your next adventure.
Thank you for sharing,
Michelle
These are great pictures Hadley. You’re pretty good with a camera! Can’t wait to see more!
Hi Aunt Deb – We should have another post sometime in March. They end up taking more work than we thought. . .stay tuned for more!