Florida Adventures ends

Well Life is never boring with Dan around... our Florida adventure did end along with the To Go Pizza in hotels, packing everyone in and out of clothes from the 2 rubbermaids, and trying to keep the the shreeking, adorable baby in the back seat quiet as Dan answered his never ending phone calls for buisness as we drove on. (note the Blue Tooth on his ear in almost all the pics:)

Our favorite place we ate was pictured above where we ate "Gator Tail" and "Key Lime Pie"! (both on my list of things I wanted to do in FL.) We spent a night in Tennesee.. went to a flee market where I brought home our only souvenier from our trip ...an enamel ware wash tub that Aliza took a bath in tonight. (I talked the man from $20 to $15 and absolutley love it! ) Thank you Husband for buyin' it for me!

I think the kids and I grew closer to Dan in the last week and even though it wasn't a terribly relaxing trip I am glad we did it as a family. I do believe that the kids adore their daddy even more than they did before and me too! (if either was possible)

Florida Adventures cont... (Atlantic in St Augustine)

We got to spend the morning on the beach while daddy had an appointment... Aliza was determined to eat a bunch of beach and I am happy to report it all came out the next day :( :)

The kids loved playing and finding their little creature... the shells were everywhere.. the photos are unproped... as is found on the beach as is!

Florida Adventures cont...(Aliza)

Aliza had the hardest time during the week of driving... we put on almost 3000 miles!!! that's a lot of hours (we couldn't drive fast with the trailer either) so she had apples and toys and slept a bit. The best thing though- was the bath or swim in the pool after each day that awaited her.. or the occational candy cane piece I gave her!!! Any clue why she needed that bath at the end of the day? She shreeks in the car when ever she is terribly excited or frustrated.. not a a good thing! Something we are working on!

Florida Adventures cont...

We made it to St Augustine, Florida, and found a resonable hotel right across from the beach/ Atlantic Ocean Turs night. The kids loved running in and out... daring the waves to catch them. One did and swiped Josies feet from under her... wet almost to her waist she continued without missing a beat. the beach was loaded with shells and was beautiful.

Florida Adventure

We started our Florida adventure on Sun morning at 1am... we arrived in southern Valdosta, GA late in the evening Sun... then we were off to drive down tword Naples (west coast of Florida) the next day... another good 6 hrs or so... 3 kids and 2 adults in a pickup pulling a trailer... we were alittle stir crazy by the time we made it all the way down to the Everglade National Park on Tue.

We were planning on camping but the tempurature dropped down to freezinig and we figured that wil the kids being so young and not totally prepared we would end up packing up and going to a hotel anyway so we could get some sleep. Wed we actually made it though the park.... it was fun. we saw Salt Water Crocks at Flamingo campground and Gators further up in the fresh water area of the Everglades...(its the only area like it in the world they claim... a huge river of grassland (not a swamp) its a huge park and took us most of the day just to drive it! it was cold... Josie wore her winter jacket most of our stay in Florida.

2008 comes to an End

We can't believe that 2008 is gone already... It was a BIG year... It was a tough year in some ways. I.E. Pregnancy, labor, recovery, the economy/self employment, transition from 2 to 3 kids that all needed quality "one on one" in different, very specific ways...

Xander in reading and memory work,

Josie (who insists on doing Xander's school work ) not being the baby anymore and now needs to be assured she is a "Big Girl" who wants to help in everything but now it seems to take twice as long to get things done. :(

And "Aliza baby" who was helpless without me (since I have her meal tickets.)

I loved each of the areas I was needed but I feel next year will be a bit easier for me.

Good bye 2008 and welcome 2009!