just some more pics

Paige chasing the psycho seagulls. they were actually pretty funny. It was so windy they couldnt fly, they would go backwards and walk backwards.
Paige making snow angels in the super "downy soft" sand

Abram after his stroll on the beach

yes, we are wearing jackets. the sun was wonderfully warm, but the wind was just tooo cold.

Tuesday

Ahh, sleep in.. just a little tho. Tuesday we sat around the pool and played card games and just enjoyed our last day of sunshine. Devon and Paige drove us to the airport for our 6pm flight.


When we arrived home at 10pm Clive was so happy to see us I think he was even crying. He wouldn't leave me alone all night, literally hugging and kissing me. He is such a funny cat. Just like a little kid, he will come and stand on his back legs, stretch his front paws up on my leg and meow till I pick him up and give him lovin.

Monday

If you ever have the chance, visit Siesta Keys, Florida.


Siesta Beach is known as one of the most beautiful beaches anywhere in the world. At the "Great International White Sand Beach Challenge" held in 1987, it was recognized as having the "whitest and finest sand in the world."
Unlike beaches elsewhere that are made up mostly of coral, Siesta Beach's sand is 99% quartz. Even on the hottest days, the sand is so reflective that it feels cool underfoot.

The day was so windy that to sit on the beach meant you went home with an earfull of sand, sand embedded in your hair and I'm still finding sand in my things! It was a wonderful day tho and completely worth being sand blasted!!!

Sunday

This was supposed to be the day we went out on the boat for water skiing and scuba diving. But at 7 o'clock that morning when Uncle Randy came out and mentioned we should come into the house b/c a tornado was coming we discovered the day would turn out quite differently. We watched the weather, floods and snow storms all over america, while the wind threatened to tear the house down! We figured it would be better after church, but the weather was still chilly and windy so we knew time on the boat wasn't going to happen. We opted for Homasassa Zoo instead. It was quite entertaining. I love watching wild life even if it is fenced in. Animals are just funny.
It was great to watch the Manatees under water. not the most beautiful animals, nor were they swift or playful, yet somehow we were all mesmerized by them.



http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.naturalbornhikers.com/Wildlife/manateeandfish,homosassa,florida.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.naturalbornhikers.com/Wildlife/Wildlife.htm&h=382&w=600&sz=63&hl=en&sig2=UrLbSA03Oi1VoQyprQeeQw&start=4&um=1&tbnid=XG0yrGlonByYtM:&tbnh=86&tbnw=135&ei=sRsmRsKZF7LGiwGHlZDHBg&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dhomosassa,%2Bflorida%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den%26sa%3DG

Saturday

90 degrees outside, but we spent the day inside where things were really heating up!! :)

Papa and Uncle Tim stood up with Grandpa. As they were standing there waiting for the spring bride, Grandpa turned to Papa and said "Stand up straight!" Those of us that saw it got a good kick out of it!

They were precious to watch and I think we were all pretty proud to be witnesses at this wedding. We're wondering if they will celebrate monthly anniversaries!




Me and cousin Timothy. What a fellow. I adore him.

Some were missing and missed, but we had a great family get-together around the celebration of Grandpa's wedding.

Friday

All the cousins headed out Friday morning to Cocoa beach. It was a wonderful day for the beach. We all took turns on cousin Ben's boogie boards and a few got fried in the sun. We returned to a house full of people, a cool dip in the pool and a nice time out in the Florida air.

Abram and I had the honour of sleeping outside by the pool every night. it was fantastic. the air was fresh and since in Florida they completely engulf their pools/porches in sreened frames, we were not "bugged" all night.

I love the ocean.

A Wedding and a Vacation part 1

Abram's Grandpa Curtis, 80 yrs, got married Saturday. How could we miss that? We bought decent tickets to Florida a few weeks back and greatly anticipated the get away. The trip started with chaos. I was dog tired Wednesday night and after packing and cleaning I went to bed around 11. Abram said he would stay up all night since we were getting up at 4 to leave by 530 anyway. I set the alarm regardless. About 1am I heard him fiddling with the alarm and I commented to him not to mess it up. next thing I knew Abram shot up in bed and looked at the clock. It was 630 am. We live an hour from the airport and our plane left at 8. After blinking and questioning what to do I just blurted "Lets GO!" We threw clothes on, and what things were left out of the bags... b/c we planned on showers that morning, and threw everything and ourselves in the car. Poor Clive was completely confused and thought we were insane - mainly b/c he got no food!! 636 we were on the road. Abram flew as fast he could safely and I called the airline. the next flight out was 330 that afternoon. We couldn't have that. We made a plan. It takes about a half hour to park your car and get to the terminal. impossible. I had checked us in on line the day before and I gave Abram his boarding pass. He dropped me at the terminal with all of our things at 730, I checked our baggage and went thru security. 20 till 8. Abram drove out to the long-term parking and grabbed the shuttle back. He called while on it. He said he was torn between just running for it and taking the shuttle, and there he sat, at the mercy of the shuttle driver. Meanwhile I stood at the gate convincing them that my husband would be there any second. 10 till 8 and Abram calls saying he's running toward security now. the Gate keeper makes the announcement "Final boarding call for Airtran flight 389 to Tampa, Florida, departing at gate C2" the man asks me if I'd like to board the plane. Not till my husband gets here. I see Abram on the other side of security and I call him to let him know the gate is right around the corner. Abram is ALWAYS asked to step aside and strip down and frisked. Plus he had his laptop, which you have to take out, and all his camera equipment. (yes, I should have taken that) wonder of wonders, he walked thru without taking any equipment out of the pelican case and without being searched. meanwhile an airline worker asked what he looked like and took off after him. 8 o'clock, they come around the corner the man at the gate chuckles and tells us its our lucky day, we board the plane, sit down and laugh and silently appologize to all the people on the plane who got up on time that morning and got to the airport like they should have. Arrive in Tampa at 1030 as scheduled, take in a deep breath of the warm Florida air, get some coffee in hand, warmly greeted by Uncle Tim, an hour drive to his house, hugs and greetings to the Florida cousins, the New Hampshire cousins and then... a shower please!!!