OK... so perhaps what we heard weren't crickets... more likely frogs. But the point is, we were somewhere warm enough to hear such creatures! Yes, that's right, we spent the week between Christmas and New Year's with my folks in sunny Florida! It was great fun to be somewhere warm during such a cold time of year. But let me say, it was also a little bizarre to see Christmas decorations in the midst of palm trees and beach landscapes. This one house in particular stuck out to me... what a way to claim the Christmas spirit in the midst of claiming their identities as Floridians! And by the way... having lived in cold climates all my life... I never would have considered the New Year an occasion for neighborhood fireworks!
While in Florida, we took full advantage of the weather and did lots of playing. We went to the park where Josie got to run and play while Norah fell in love with the swing. Josie spent three days beachside -- one playing mini-golf, another walking the pier and shopping, and still another actually on the beach and in the water. Believe it or not, we purposefully did not have her in her swimsuit thinking that the water was too cold and she could just walk the shore line. HA! Josie sure proved us wrong! She had a whale of a time playing in the surf in her clothes and feeling like she was getting away with something. What she didn't know, is that I was prepared with extra clothes... just in case such an event would happen! OH to hear her shriek -- she was having a FINE time!
When we weren't beach-side, Josie had fun at Grandma and Grandpa's house playing with her new jump rope and her Radio Flyer scooter. Great gifts to be able to use in sunny Florida!
Norah also had a good time. It was her first time on the beach, and I gotta tell ya, she didn't care too much about it. The sand was only "ok." The water was far too cold for her tastes. While she loves doing what big sis' does, she was not at all eager to join her in playing in the surf. Norah was much more a creature of the indoors this trip. She had grand fun practicing her walking with Grandma and enjoyed playing the grunt game with Grandpa.
Once we got home, and after we unpacked, we opened up one of our "grown-up" gifts -- a new indoor grill. For being a "grown-up" gift, Norah sure seemed to enjoy herself!!
It has been a good time away... no work and only family and play. That is what I call good for the soul. For now, we will forget the travel headaches (can you say "Atlanta?!") and will focus on what good passengers the girls were, on the great memories we made, and the fact we are now home and looking forward to familiar family routines.
No comments:
Post a Comment