Florida Installment

We're back! You know, I need a few days to recover...I'm pooped. But, I wanted to get some pictures up of our trip. We took 500 pictures. So, instead of doing one large post of the whole trip, I am going to do installments based on events...

The pictures below are from our last day and we are in The Everglades of Florida. We got off the cruise ship at around 8:45AM and our flight home wasn't until 8:05 that evening...so we decided to do a little site seeing.

We picked up a rental car that looked kinda like a mini Hummer. Cool. Speaking of cool...my trusty sweatshirt helped me out this whole trip getting away from AC from hell!!!

We headed DEEP into the Everglades to take an ECO-Tour of the glades. We were at the very tip at the Flamingo Visitors center and traveled by boat up to Whitewater Bay. We saw lots of fish, birds (see Osprey below), and even a black tipped shark!!! So awesome to see that in real life (outside an aquarium).

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These are the mangrove trees that build up and make hundreds of "islands". I use quotes because there is no actual land below them...it is just trees that have grown up out of the sediment below the water.

You're seeing 1/10 of Whitewater Bay here. Pictures don't do it justice.

From Eco-tour to Alligator Farm. I just had to ignore my inner voice of how wrong this place was so that I could learn a little and enjoy and experience on a airboat.

We saw a few "free swimming" crocs once we got on the airboat. It was actually a lot of fun whipping around in that thing across the marsh and doing 180's and 360's. Now we can say we've done it!

We stopped at this AMAZING fruit stand that had ALL kinds of fruits and veggies...tons that we have never even heard of. So cool! They made homemade milk shakes...with FRESH PRODUCE. Soooooo yum! Sunny got Key Lime, Clay got strawberry Key Lime, Josh got Passion Guava, and I got Coconut. MMMMM.

Our last pic together after a few hours sleep on the most uncomfortable plane in the whole wide world. Don't EVER fly Spirit Air! They DO nickel and dime you and there is NO room to move. But I digress...
The trip was fabulous and memorable and full of laughter!

Hasta

We leave you with a few pics...

Hand, foot, mouth disease. Ewww.

The duck Conner drew on accident.

Homemade pico.

SD Zoo Trip

All fresh and on our way...Conner is allergic to dogs and dog food with milk in it...which he encountered the night before- resulting in a dose of Zyrtec- which knocks him out. So, he fell asleep on the way down. He was a little groggy/grumpy and puffy all day.

Having a banana.

Having a banana.

Oh the wonders of sunblock...who knew it could transform a person into Jack Nicholson.

Now who's the monkey?

Conner is so versatile. He can do pouty and happy within seconds!

Grandpa taught the kids how to play kick the can.

Flying high over the zoo.

Josh's favorite picture of the polar bear (that he took). Can you imagine this big guy coming after you like this?

Toby and Rae.

Proof that self portraits don't always work.

Conner was SO snugly and lovey at this point in the day.

Josh's favorite animal in the whole wide world.

Fitting, don't you think?

I always wanted my kids to be like those kids on Funniest Home Videos that fall asleep in their soup at the table...this is as close as we get. Conner putting imaginary food in his mouth and chewing it.