frame.of.mind: Florida

Florida, Part 3.

Hopefully this will be my last and final Florida installment, and then we can get on to bigger and better things! Well, different things anyway.

The last part of Florida was spent with my immediate family (Dad Mom, and siblings). It was so fun to have everyone together in one place, which is becoming a rarity even now with only two of us married, and I can't even imagine hoe difficult it will be to get everyone together when all 7 of us kids are married and having children of our own! We'd have to rent a gym or something to even be able to all fit in one building. Anyways.

One of my fondest memories of trips to Florida with my family growing up were the inevitable trips to the beach in search of shark's teeth. Sometimes we would even go before the sun came up! If you've never dug through sand and shells and tasted the salt water spray in your face in search of the tiny treasures, then you are missing out!

We had just been to the beach the evening before, and it was rather cool

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, by Unknown

beach

Florida trip, Part 1.

So as some of you know, we celebrated Christmas in Florida this year with my Mom's side of the family. What a time it was…..

I will just be honest with you right and and tell you that it was not all peaches and cream. We had a couple beautiful days at the beach, and those are the photos I'm going to share with you today, but don't let the sunny blue skies and endless white sand fool you….sometimes there IS trouble in paradise.

Randy and Charlotte were both sick on the trip, and each night felt like an endless cycle of coughing fits, tears, sleeplessness, and at times (my favorite), vomiting. Let's just say that when I said "for better or for worse, in sickness and in health" I didn't realize the gravity of the situation. I am a WIMP when it comes to playing nurse! I catch myself looking around as if to say, "Where's the mom? Who's gonna come clean this up? Who's gonna come take care of these sickies?" And then I realize….Oh yeah, that's me. I am just the WORST caretaker. Especially if I'm fighting a cold myself, as was the case on this trip. I just want to curl up in bed and pull the covers over my head and have somebody WAKE ME WHEN IT'S ALL OVER.

But moms don't get to have that privilege………..

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, by Unknown

Florida

I'm dreaming of a white sand Christmas.

My how our environment has changed since my last post...

We've exchanged the crisp white of the snow and ice and the thick layers and bundles of wool, sweaters, denim and fleece for the warm sun on our faces and that unmistakable "Florida smell". You know, the smell of chlorine, sweat and coconut oil. I love it.

   Here I am, with the squinty-eyed birthday girl on the beach. Our darling Jocelyn turned 3 today. I can scarcely believe that 3 years ago today I was in the throes of labor pain and delivery to this little gem. And what a contrast it was sharing today with her frolicking through the waves and sand, and opening her presents and giggling ecstatically about her birthday cake. What a difference 3 years can make! And what a wonderful 3 years it was.

   But I will have to launch into all of that when I actually post pictures of our "Beachy Birthday" (because we went to the beach and also because we are staying with Randy's aunt and uncle, whose last name is Beachy. I just made a pun! I have been around Rick too long) For now, just that one picture will have to do. Closed eyes and all.

   But being in Florida and loving the sun and celebrating our little lady's 3rd are not even the point of this post.....

   Speaking of the Beachy's, Randy's cousin Joshua Beachy (pictured below) is a young man of some hidden (or not-so-hidden) talents, and two of those talents are videography and Legos. And when the two combine, well...it's always worth watching.

But the real news is that this time one of his videos has been selected to participate in a contest for a prize of $2,000!! (one grand to take home, and one grand to the charity of your choice.) He is sooo close to winning and he just needs some more votes! So please take the time to click on this link to vote! It's super easy and won't take long at all, it would mean a lot, and after all, it's Christmas.

Here's the video: