Florida

Just so that you are prepared....there are ALOT of pics on the slide show, so get some popcorn and settle in!

Our trip to Florida this past week was lots of fun! We got there on Saturday afternoon (after traveling all night long) and the girls immediately went to the pool! I stayed behind to unpack and RELAX! Monday we set off to take Meghan off to her first day of Animal Encounter camp at Clearwater Aquarium. She had so much fun everyday working and learning about marine animals. She got to have a dolphin encounter on Thursday so that was really cool! The definite highlight! While Meg was in camp, we did different things to keep ourselves busy. We went to a beach playground (very cool), shopping (always fun), and to the aquarium itself. We also went to Tarpon Springs, this little Greek area. It was our second visit and we just walked around for a while. On Thursday, after Meg's dolphin encounter, we packed up and headed to Orlando/Kissimmee to stay for a couple of nights. Friday we just hung out, swam, and shopped. That evening, we had Mindy, Jim, their four kids, and Aunt Jane and Uncle Jack come over for supper and to help celebrate Trey's upcoming birthday. I made my yummy Oreo brownies (Uncle Jack had three helpings!) and Trey opened a few presents. He got a play drill, chainsaw, and a great John Deere tractor! He was in seventh heaven! Some of us took the older kids to play putt putt and then we came home, dropped in bed, then after what seemed like only minutes, we woke up to head out to Sea World. We have been there many times (the girls love it) and since we can get in free (military thing), we figured, why not? It was STINKING hot! I. was. miserable. The kids did really well considering. Meg, Lily, Katie, and I sat int he splash zone during the Shamu show and can I just say...I had NO idea that a whale THAT big could soak me so thoroughly! I honestly think I had no idea how BIG the actual Shamu really is! Needless to say, we were cooled off, but the girls were a little scared after the first soaking....(Shamu came back for more!). I am guessing they won't ask to sit in the soak zone again! We left for home early early on Sunday morning. We were home by 8pm, so all in all not too bad. Thanks for the great time, Mimi and Pop Pop (Poppy)!