Florida is calling me back

So here it is the moment you have all been waiting for, what you have been checking my blog for hourly just to see the beautiful pictures of Florida. Well, your wait is over here they are and may I just add that I am definitely moving there. Every thing about that place was wonderful.

These two pictures are the view from our balcony. I took these pictures Friday night, it rained a little bit that night, but the rest of the weekend was sunny and a nice mild 75 degrees.

This is out front of the hotel.

The couple we went with are pretty fun and outgoing so Colton (Jays cousin) decided that we were going to rent scooter to see the town on. Well I wasn't too into the idea, but as soon as Jay got a feel for the scooter and as soon as I dared I jumped on and we were off. We drove through a beautiful state park. We ended up at an old fort, Fort Clinch, it was build in 1847 and took almost 20 years to complete. It was used through 4 wars starting with the Civil War and ending with World War II, but it never saw any battle. I can't believe how much fun we had on those scooter. It just goes to prove Jay is a little bit right (occasionally that happens) I do need to loosen up!

A picture of the ocean at Fort Clinch.

The best part was when we met Frank, a Confederate soldier, that was a ground keeper at the fort. We started asking him question and he ended up taking us through the whole fort. There were a lot of locked door that most people don't usually go in, but the ground keepers still use the kitchen, the blacksmith shop and a few other places he told us all about it. Really a fun place to visit.

Picture on the outside of the fort.

Many pelican in Florida... ... in fact I think pelican are to Florida like seagull are to Utah.

After we went to Fort Clinch we took a boat ride to see things like dolphin and such. I think because I was on the boat nothing came our way. Oh well, they took us all along the islands and told us a bunch of history about the islands. We did she shrimp jumping which was kinda cool.

Jay and I walked along the beach the last night we were there. I know we are so romantic!!!!

That is our hotel in the back. Somebody actually told me that they could tell this hotel was "older" because the amenities were out of date.....I couldn't tell and it is by an immeasurable difference the best hotel I have ever stayed in. Somebody even came in each night to turn our beds down and give us mints.

Funny how I can barely pull my body out of bed each morning, but I can wake up at 6:30 (4:30 Utah time) to go watch the sun come up out of the water when I am on vacation and better yet I didn't even have any children telling me it is time to fix breakfast. I think I need help!

This was a picture of a house that I took while driving down the road on our scooter. The town was beautiful, very Victorian. It reminded me of the movie Sweet Home Alabama. There was even a chili cook off going on on main street that Colt and Lori participated in. I was waiting for my steak that was coming that night, I was actually able to cut it with a butter knife.

Late Valentine Day greetings

Sorry we are so late publishing things, but this is my life I try to live by the motto "Better late than never."

Chelsey stayed over night and ate pink pancakes and pink OJ with us. The pancakes were ok, but you should never put food coloring in orange juice-it just doesn't look right!

I'm such a boring mom is all they got was a book and a home made card that Halle ripped apart in under 5 seconds.

Halle never has any problem eating sugar! Most of the frosting was licked clean, the cookie still remained.

Jackson's preschool teacher was sick, so he didn't go that day. This picture was taken a few days later, she made them all love bug hats. She does the cutest things with the kids. She also gave them each a straw with turned into a musical instrument at our house, somehow after a few days the straw magically disappeared-it was the strangest thing:)

Florida Here I Come!!!!

So, just to rub in the winter blues to all of you cold dwelling people, Jay told me about a week or so ago that I can come to Florida with him on his business trip. I wont see him much, but hopefully I will see lots of sun. It is going to be a quick trip, we will travel all day on Friday I will have Saturday and Sunday to myself at the Ritz Carlton, and then we will travel home on Monday. No children, so I went to the library and checked out a bunch of books, I wish I could bring my scrapbook stuff. Thanks to our good parents for watching our children. Stay tuned to see pictures of me soooooo tan (or extra crispy!!!)

P.S. Have I mentioned that I am rather scared to leave my children home that many miles away from me. Jennie and Christina knows most of my wishes if my plane was to make a crash landing. Yeah, I know I am crazy but I really am scared to leave my kids, I never thought I would become this paranoid of a mother. One good phone call from my mom while Halle is screaming should cure me while I am on the beach.

I've been tagged!

4 "people" who email me regularly:
1. Jay
2.Kristine Fronk (Real Estate)
3. Probably number one should be junk mail
4. Things like Kiddie Kandids, Baby Center, Pinching your Pennies and other coupons

4 places I would like to visit:
1. All of Europe
2. Washington DC up to New York City and everywhere in between, actually lets just say the whole east coast.
3. Hawaii and/or anywhere else that is tropical
4. Church history tour
(Now I am depressed because I just remembered how few places I have been!!)

4 favorite restaurants:
1. Wow I don't go out much, does McDonalds count?
2. Bajio
3. Red Robin
4. Olive Garden

4 things I am looking forward to in the coming year:
1. A new home
2. Summer
3. Camping
4. Florida

4 things I am not looking forward to in the coming year:
1. Packing up and moving again aahhhhh!!!!
2. I'm sure there will be a broken arm or stitches or something
3. Looking for a home (we have had a few bad experiences)
4. Winter returning again

I tag Holly Meagher, Carrie, and Kimber

Jackson's 4th Birthday

Jackson turned four on January 26th. I can't believe that my baby is getting to be such a big boy. Jackson loves the color red and wanted to have a red birthday party. This was a synch since it was so close to Valentines Day. We ate on red plates, used red cups, napkins and forks, we had a red birthday cake and even red jello and red cool aide to drink. He had so much fun. Richard and Anna drove down to see him from Providence and gave him some more gun balls his favorite thing from Richard. He got a big 4 wheeler (little tikes version) and a lot of other presents that were wrapped in red, including a cool red James (the tank engine). We had a fun day.

Jackson's Preschool Birthday

Jackson's preschool teacher is so cute with the kids. For their birthday they get to wear a hat and pick a present. Of course Jackson picked a water gun that we had to get into the bathtub right away to use. I told him I would fill it up, which I did with cold water and then proceeded to squirt him all over. He loved it. He wore his hat to do the errands we had to do and they we went to dinner that night for his birthday and he wore his hat again. Birthdays are so much fun when you are not approaching that 30 mark!

Our Little Monkey!

Halle has found a new trick. She loves to climb on things. She climbed up on Jackson's fire truck and thought that she was pretty hot stuff. She would climb up and then clap for herself, she would even try making it move back and forth. The other day I walked into the kitchen and she had climbed up on the table after some food. The fire truck may not look to high, but I thought she was being plenty unsafe!

Christmas Morning

Christmas is such a fun time of the year. Jackson and Halle were so excited. I think they were definitely spoiled by everyone this year.

Christmas Eve

We went to my parents house for Christmas Eve this year. Jackson and Carson were so wound up, I didn't think Jackson would ever go to bed that night. My grandparents came with Brooklyn and Chelsey brought Andrew. The most exciting part of the night was when my mom brought out a present for the little kid, and then gave the big kids one to open also (the big kids never get to open one on Christmas Eve anymore so it was very exciting) it was a Nintendo Wii! We were so excited Jackson and Carson really wanted to play with it and so the big kids had to wait their turn (again!!!) I was so sad when we had to go home.

Jackson was so excited for Santa that he had a hard time going to sleep somewhere around eleven I made him go to bed then I went out in the garage. When I came back in he was on the couch watching TV. I told him that he could watch it with me but if Santa flew by and all the kids were not asleep he would skip over our house. He sat on the couch for a minute more and then said "OK mom, I guess I will go to bed now" why can't it be that easy all year?

Norris Family Christmas Party

The Norris party was on the Sunday before Chrismas. The grandkids were very wound up and somehow talked grandma into opening up their presents. Jackson was so excited to discover he had received a whole but of Thomas Trains, while Halle (the theme throughout this Christmas) really liked the paper. She has also found a great joy in grandmas tupperware drawer, much of the contents were on the floor by nights end.