1st blog from FL

Well we made it to Jacksonville! Our trip has been quite unplanned and full of changes. We left VB on a good note, spending the night at a nice hotel with our room facing nothing but Ocean (although it was very windy and rainy.) Clay really wanted to stop and see Myrtle Beach, SC. I made reservations, but we are both geographically challenged so we didn't know it would take us an hour and a half off the free way to get there- and we are talking way back roads the route our GPS took us. We eventually got to our hotel, had a swim in the fun pool and dinner out. We really didn't do much in Myrtle Beach, E and I started the morning off by enjoying a chilly sunrise on the balcony, and then a walk to Starbucks where he got cocoa and I had coffee! After breakfast we went to the Ripley's Believe it or Not Aquarium. It was fun, and the 75% off they gave us for active duty military really was awesome!

my handsome morning date!

Our hotel had outdoor checkers, and we built towers with them!

CRASH!

G really loves to pose, E would rather not be apart of it most of the time! Yes, he wears ball shorts allllll the time!

We eventually made it to JAX, late one evening at checked into our too ritzy hotel the Sawgrass (where the PGA The Players Championship is played.) You know it's not your style (although it was great, and the beds were so plush) when you can't take anything out of the mini bar to make room for your chocolate milk and yogurt, because it electronically gets put on your credit card instantly! oh and you can't find regular parking for the first day so you have to do valet- with two cars full of all the junk you are moving with (front seat with a laundry basket for me, Clay had his backseat taken over by the vacuum, swiffer, bathroom scale, etc!)

Superman was spotted on the Jacksonville Beach!

cool kids. really the sunglasses were practical, the sand was blowing everywhere and wearing glasses was the only way to keep it from blowing in your eyes.

So Strong! he insisted he was too warm- at 67* with wind.

this pelican sat on the pier just posing for pictures.

We are new members of Jax zoo, it is big and there was a ton to see. This was the favorite of the day, you buy a cup of "nector" to feed the lorikeets. Don't pet, they will bite you, and hold on to your cup or they will take it.
The birds were smart, drink from the kids cups but don't climb on their arms (even tho both kids really wanted a bird to land on them, the birds knew it wasn't a good idea!)

at one point he had 4 birds on him, and just barely missed getting pooped on by fly by.

lizards, they make me squeal. they make the kids cry- because we make them let them go after they both caught them out in the sunroom.

monkey, she is a total monkey bar pro! it came out of nowhere, but she does them at all the parks now, by herself! today she also did the rings! how is she big enough to do that?
We took a trip down to St Augustine's Alligator farm. It was pretty neat. We will have to go back so Clay can pay $65 to pull a big Gator out of the water and take a picture with one.

We pet the little one, for free. It had it's mouth taped shut too.

So we are starting to settle in, well as much as you can when you are living temporarily in an unfurnished rental house! The house we were under contract to buy, well as we sat outside of it waiting for our realtor so I could see it- the seller pulled it off the market. That means the house we have paid hundreds on an inspection, planned to make our home and move into at the end of this month is no longer going to happen! shock. Things work out, and there was a back up plan in motion even before any of us knew it. We are working on getting a different house now, and it seems they actually want us to buy it! Bright news is we got internet today, some fancy little thing as big as my cell phone is all we need. no wires, nothing else. love it, amazing technology. I really missed not being able to do anything online for almost 2 weeks, especially in a place where I don't know where anything is. We are all ready to get back to normal, which means having places we go for fun and activities planned, not just watching DVD's, riding around in the car and shopping for the appliances we hopefully can have soon! do you know how awful it is to not have a washer and dryer, what a hassle. I attempted to do the first laundromat trip, it didn't work out. The crazy homeless man flipping me off and yelling "pow POW" at me scared me. We just found the one on base, and it is cheaper too! Off to bed, we have plans to meet up with a friend I haven't seen since before Gabby was born- but who threw my baby shower in Japan!

Floor.

We are on night 2 of living on the floor. The movers were supposed to come Monday, after 9 hours of waiting and trying to call them numerous times they just never showed up. Tuesday the movers came, and boxed up most of our stuff. They did however leave the boxes stacked in front of the beds, and leave the contents of our shed on the back porch (moved 20 feet and put stickers on each item). Clayton can't lift more than 5 pounds for another week, and it rained a whole river during the night. Did I mention both kids have the awful cough that is being spread rampantly around. The humidifier got packed (with water in it I think) because in all of the chaos I must have forgotten to move it from G's room to a hiding spot the movers wouldn't get it. Clay dried all of fishing poles, the shovels, rakes and bikes with a towel and hair dryer so they wouldn't get rusty being packed away wet. They movers came back on Wednesday with their block long truck and loaded up the boxes and the rest of the house (all the furniture)

Presently our 4 bedroom house consists of 2 blow up camping mattresses, 4 pillows and blankets, 3 suitcases of clothes, 2 kid suitcases of toys, a rubbermaid of toiletries and some shoes, a 20inch tv and old dvd player, travel DVD player, spices and some food, oh and the vacuum and cleaning stuff. Oh yes and our computer, and a box that it is sitting on.

Yep we are embracing this minimalist lifestyle. How long have you really ever hung out on the floor comfortably? Well lets just say it isn't that long. We are having fun, and looking forward to the next events of our adventure. We had to schedule our pack out before we knew anything else that would be going on.... like we thought we would have a place to live and settle into in FL. We are working on it still- getting closer to owning the house, it is just super slow. The seller has now said he can't be out of the house (which he is not currently living in!) till the end of Nov. Our realtor is working on finding us a spot to live for a month.... a possible furnished model home? I just hope we know before we drive down there.

Fun news, E has been wearing underpants full time for over a week now- with no accidents. I talked with his teachers last week and asked about him wearing them to school because he was wearing them so much with success at home. We tried it Monday and I was so happy to see him in the same clothes at pick up as he was wearing when I dropped him off. Oh and he was dry when he woke up today too- although we are having him sleep in a diaper. So proud of my boy- he will be 30 months (TWO AND A HALF!) next week. Other school highlights, he tells knock knock jokes, had to be told he couldn't kiss his friends, dances the robot.

Gabby still loves school, and is beyond excited to see all her friends each day. Her class is really into making patterns, she played princess and had her friend Aaron be her Prince. She threw a hysterical fit when the teachers asked her to try kiwi and pineapple for their Fruit salad they made (this week was letter F). She signs 2 bible verses and has the Pledge of Allegiance memorized. Always tells me she didn't have enough time to eat her lunch, I think because she is a bit too social sometimes (I have been having fun making sandwiches and using cookie cutters to cut shapes- I give her the whole sandwich. Today was a halloween cat shape). A Fire engine came to school and everyone got a hat, watched the fireman put on his gear (so they wouldn't be scared of a fireman, it was just Fireman Doug with his gear on!) and got to climb in the truck. She keeps "spelling" things aloud, randomly- no vowels included! I feel like we are in A Birthday For Francis, G even "spelled" something and when I questioned her, told me "I thought you could spell."

I will keep all of you updated on our journey, but not sure what type of internet we will have- because who knows where we will be! Off to my blow up bed, and a blanket since we are all freezing when the temperature inside dips to 72. We are moving South just in time to avoid Winter.

waiting...

We are playing the waiting game. and if you know me, I have very little patience so it is a very frustrating game. Clay put an offer in on a house he fell in love with this past weekend- he walked in and felt it would be perfect for our family. It isn't as grand and huge as the others, it is a home- hopefully our home. The sellers countered- above asking price! What??? This is our first time dealing with home buying so it is all so new. Those real estate shows are such a lie- you don't put an offer in and wait for a phone call back while you go get coffee. Anyways, I am already addicted to Pinterest and have been stalking craigslist to find the perfect things and way to decorate "our" house. Tonight I went from wanting a deep purple dining room to now a navy blue one. In reality, I don't like making decisions and am not a perfectionist so if and when I paint, it will be determined.

No more waiting for it to magically just happen, that I suddenly am in shape and all my clothes fit. It won't happen that way. I stumbled upon some inspirational words the other day "no matter how slow you go, you are still lapping everybody on the couch." I ran last night, it was only 1.3 miles but I didn't stop at all. I didn't do another lap around the neighborhood because a.) I am totally out of shape and b.) it was getting too dark. Tonight I went earlier, and did 2 laps! I took 2 walk breaks, but sprinted 2 short bits too. I need to get back into exercising, and for me the easiest thing to do is just run. I don't have to drive anywhere, just walk outside and run. I need it for me, my confidence, health, energy, and to teach the kids how to be healthy by doing. I am also trying to make better food decisions. My downfall today was hint of lime chips and my 1st ever Starbucks salted carmel mocha. It was alright, but too rich and the price about blew me away. I will stick to making toddy at home, boiling water now that it is chillier in the am and adding a bit of creamer. Positive side, we have been eating lots of beans and vegetables. 2 hours at the park this afternoon and NO snacking after dinner (unheard of for me!)

End of Summer

Today we had perfect spur of the moment fun. The kids and I were going to go to the park in the afternoon after G was done with school (E didn't go again, he was up at 3:30am for a few hours, and I just figured he had only been on the medicine a few days, keep him home with me) Clay called and said he was done with work- a few hours early and was on his way home. We waited for him, then after a game of trap (the kids trap each other under the laundry basket) and a mini dance party (blaring music, then they both leave the room and the radio stays on) Clay napped (we are still all fighting the germs). I cut up the sweetest watermelon of the year and we ate it outside, instead of the constant gray clouds and humidity we have had lately it was gorgeous out. So we woke up Dad and said lets hit the beach one more time before summer is totally gone. We went out to Sandbridge, taking into account playgrounds and parking (Oceanfront still has metered parking till oct 1, sandbridge free). The playground was full of preteens, like 2 bus loads. No one else around of course, except maybe 10 people at the beach.

we walked the pier, G did a few Vogue poses that I caught

E ran the pier, and looked just as excited as his dad gets when out on a fishing pier

we flew our big kite, the wind was great- almost a little too windy

we all smiled, and soaked in the end of summer

snacks for E and a stick for G, she is really into writing (the same things over and over)

tickled our toes in the water

E ran across all of G's hard work writing, on purpose.

made foot prints, while singing Hi HO Hi Ho (Disney CD in the car on the drive)

"a girl without freckles is like a sky without stars"

Boys being boys! Looks like E is trying to reach the power lines, they really weren't anywhere near him!

It was a fabulous trip to the beach, and we finished it off with burgers at Red Robin and drove home thru the darkest clouds ever and so much rain that it was coming in the chimney!

Thiefs

"the" Grasshopper made another appearance last week, I am sure it wishes it wouldn't have. The kids had quite a good time chasing it, squealing when they got it and then letting it jump off them... to start it all over again. I noticed he only had 1 leg- although it didn't look freshly done.
I have these sneaky little things I like to call Thiefs that come visit often. They love to steal things as I am preparing dinner, usually it is things like grated carrots. Today they both got into the crime of sneaking lettuce out of the fridge, during the middle of the day.
This girl thinks she is being quite the rebel, and enjoys it! Man, stealing vegetables- lets hope it doesn't get any worse than that!
We opened the front door to a package, inside were new jammies (among other trinkets) for the kids from Nana and Baba. Gabby was more than willing to model and smile in her Hello Kitty ones.
Elliot didn't want to cooperate. Then he came out of his room and wanted me to take a picture of his book, so I did (with him in his Batman pajamas too!)
The medicine must be working, the boy did not want to go to bed- it was 9pm before he was asleep! Thanks Grandma and Grandpa for the goodies, xoxox

MD

Just call me Mommy Doctor.

E has been extra tired the past week, and that is so unlike him- actually wanting to nap! In the wee hours of Sunday morning G woke me up because she got hot (really? take your blanket off!) so I got up and checked on E as long as I was awake (yes every time I wake up I check on the kids.) I noticed his diaper had leaked, so I changed him, and doing so, noticed he was so HOT. I took his temperature, it was just over 102. Medicine and ice water, then just about back to sleep and he started talking crazy. He told me he was magic, he could blow his breath and see something on the ceiling. When is it crazy and when is it just childhood imagination? That woke me right up, and him too. We ended up on the couch for 2 hours, watching a bit of a cartoon and snuggling till he was "normal" and I was beyond exhausted. All of Sunday he was sick, taking a nap 2hrs after waking up, not finishing milk or juice (the kid can guzzle juice like you wouldn't believe.) After another nap, and a dose of motrin wearing off his temp was up to 103. I am not one to wait around to see if it will get better, just a bug type thing. I know my kid. He wouldn't eat, except popsicles. I left Clay to make dinner and I took E to the clinic. We got the Dr I hoped (if he had a private practice I would go to him, he is so calm and gentle. We have seen him 3 times before I think during off hours- and I like him better than our old regular Dr). E was a trooper, and he did everything they asked of him; standing on the scale, height, finger pulse, temperature... The Dr said his throat looked fine, but lymph nodes were swollen. E didn't mind them shoving the huge Q-tip down his throat, he just asked the guy why. Results, just as I suspected: Strep Throat! Neither G or E has had it before, but somehow I just knew thats what it was. Must be cold and flu season, the clinic was all out of the antibiotic! And of course being a Sunday evening the pharmacies all closed at 6pm and we were 45 minutes too late. We got the medicine today, and now it is just a matter of the rest of us not getting sick. I am ever hopeful, feeling crummy all day and exhausted, and Clay seems to be in the same boat as me. Movie night it is!

On the bright side, I made a new dessert. It is easy and mostly healthy! I had 2 frozen bananas that stared ugly at me each time I opened the freezer.... I peeled them and chopped them up (may try peeling them before freezing them next time) put them in the blender with a spoonful of unsweetened cocoa powder, it wouldn't blend well so I added some splashes of coconut milk (not the canned kind, rather the jug kind I bought as an alternative to regular milk). Blended up and it was delicious! try it.

hunting

What a whirlwind this week has been. Last Wednesday started out with a perfect trip to the beach after I picked the kids up from school. The beach was practically empty, as you would expect it to be at 1pm in the middle of September. I counted 25 people, and then the Marines doing exercises on the sand when we were leaving. I felt proud, and good- even if I don't feel comfy in a swimsuit. I saw people watching us, maybe it was because we each had a turn getting our legs covered in sand and sculpted into a mermaid tail, or that we were playing a serious game of tag, or us defending our popcorn with a foam hammer from the seagulls. It was awesome, and I was so glad we had that special end of summer day. Part of my plan to spend 3 hours running in the sand was due to our Thursday trip. At 3pm we were on the road and headed South. I forget frequently of our geographical location, but it was unmistakable that we really are in the South just an hour out of town. Last time we took this route out of town it was to avoid the hurricane, and dark.... on the way back we were looking for downed trees.
It was unbelievable to see all the things we had passed by and not even noticed. Cotton growing, like field after field of it. Oh yeah, and a real life cotton gin. We passed what we are pretty sure was tobacco somewhere in either North or South Carolina. We passed a semi truck full of pigs. Also, those salty peanuts G has been wanting. Well we tried a totally Southern thing- boiled peanuts. yuck, sorry. none of us were fans. They were cold, the shells full of salt water, and the peanut was totally mush. The guy who we bought them from was a little surprised by all my questions, but said he loved them so much now he wanted a bag!

We stopped for dinner, at a truck stop. Somehow that took 45 minutes, and then add on a few potty breaks. We got into our hotel and asleep at 2am. Our hotel by the way was a priceline deal, 3 star in the area and we ended up at the Courtyard Marriott on the campus of the Mayo Hospital. Strange to drive around the hospital in the middle of the night, but it ended up being great and fairly kid friendly (mostly the bistro we ate breakfast at which had a tv in our booth that had kid shows on!) The weather was crummy, like such a big thunder storm that our power went out at the hotel in the middle of the night (just quickly, but I was already awake from the rain and thunder, and we were on a middle floor!). The "gator pond" as Clay called every little body of standing water, was almost overflowing when we left the hotel in the morning.
We fell in love, with a house. Of course someone else likes it too- and our realtor didn't find that out before we left town. I think I could get used to over 2800 sq feet, especially only 4 years old. Cross your fingers. We are still looking, and planning a quick trip for Clay one weekend soon to see more houses- ones that hopefully we could close on quickly and move into so we aren't scrambling on a place to live when we move in... oh yeah just about a month! eek.
The drive North was a bit longer, mostly because the kids weren't sleeping for hours of it. We still had a good time, and the kids watched too many movies. We may need to rename our van the "candy carravan" after the amount that was consumed during our trip. Not only did I buy a big bag of licorice and some lemon heads, our realtor gave the kids a bag full of treats to help with the getting in and out of the car constantly. Our realtor was great, especially now that we know what we are looking for and so does she. She took us to her house for bathroom breaks and cold drinks- since many of the houses had no power which means no a/c on. She got Gabby a new littlest pet shop set too (an alligator, hello massive UF gear everywhere!) and a Cars projection flashlight for Elliot.

South of the Border. this place was wild, and crazy, and ridiculous, and fun. We stopped at the reptile farm, to stretch our legs and see some reptiles. Mostly crocodiles (many different kinds) turtles, snakes and then this pool of small alligators.

it was classy

the entire area was flocked on both sides of the streets by random statutes, Pedro being the main character, but animals too (dino, gorilla, chicken, flamingos, etc). They really spare no expense when advertising, you see billboards 200 miles away, and lots of them!

I spotted something up ahead of us and instantly knew what it was! Yes, we saw the "weinermobile" how exciting is that!
Life is continuing to be exciting, and eventful and full. On the way home from work yesterday Clay got in a car accident. He was less than half a mile from home, in our development. A big van was doing some crazy u-turn type move and not looking, he managed to swerve enough to only get his passenger fender crunched. He is fine, they were fine (possibly un-insured) and it got figured out. He gets his car fixed tomorrow.

On another note, E and I had a date today while G was at school. We went to the park and played for almost 2 hours. He found his new superhero cape in my purse and wore it, I used my sweatshirt tied around my neck as a cape. We ran the hills after playing on the toys and were totally awesome superheroes. Tonight when I put him to bed (at 6:45p because he was so tired) I said "good night Super Elliot" and told him what a fun day I had with him. He replied "thank you supper momma!" What a sweet boy.

G had a bit of a rougher day, cranky from sun up to sun down, except for school she says. She does have a school best friend, and they both are so excited to see one another in the morning. They hold hands and walk to their room! of course she would find a(nother) great friend, who lives close to us and has a 2 year old brother.... we are moving. thats it for this novel, off to watch the season premiere of Glee!