Florida Recap: Family!

Been home {almost} a week, so it's about time I catch the blog up on our FL run last week.  First things first - Family!  We got to stay at my sister's halfway to Florida, as is our custom.  Sadly, it'll be the last halfway stop we make there ... because they are moving!!  And they are moving much much closer to us (only 2 hrs away!!), so really we are happy to be losing that middle GA lodging, however convenient it has been. :}  We only stayed at Emily's overnight and were too busy gabbing, catching up, and watching football to take any pics.  Oh well!  Next time.  And the many other times we'll be seeing them from now on ... because, like I said and love to keep letting sink in,  they will only be TWO HOURS away!  I did manage to snap a shot or ten of  pretty skies on the highway as we beelined it further south the next day.

We haven't been to FL in two years, so it was high time for this trip and we looked forward to chillaxin' a few days with Josh's family (grandparents, aunt, uncle, cousins) as well as Noah's birth parents ... and even his birth great-grandmother!  Other highlights from this neck of the woods included a cat, some dogs, a park, the beach, the kubota, a motorcycle, early Christmas presents, and lizards and toads galore!  The only downside was the heat and the mosquitos.  Yikes - it was not normal for November, even for FL!

For Christmas, Papa John had picked out a box and supplies aplenty to stock Anna with her own very serious first-aid kit.  She is all about first-aid and adored this honor.

He picked so many goodies, it was like a puzzle packing them back in!

Carol has a stunning new-to-her piano that we have heard about and seen in pictures, but it took my breath away to see it in person.  It is gorgeous.  Matches the smooth music Carol plays on it that fill the house and the heart.

Papa talked Memaw into doing Christmas early while they had the kiddos within reach, so presents we did! This made for some big smiles from these two, of course. :}

Memaw and Papa John gave Santa a run for his money by getting the kids a big ole Lego set each among other precious goodies.  See Noah's giddy jumping as he watches Anna open hers.  He knew right away that these were sets he would have to save up months and months for so he was stunned and thrilled and so thankful.

While I zoned out on the front porch one afternoon, Memaw and Papa John decided it was time for Anna to learn to drive the kubota.  I would have thought not, but they made a good point ... Noah learned when he was 7.  Why not?  Since Papa taught Noah, Memaw took the chance to do the honors with Anna.

Memaw had her work cut out for her (see here her clutching the wheel when Anna was not turning in time - ha!), but she got the job done.

Anna enjoyed using some of the gardening tools Memaw got her for Christmas.  A garden... of some sort ... which Noah was careful not to drive over on any of his kubota runs.

Papa had gotten Noah a soccer ball to play with with Tania and Justin when they came, but it also got great use with Josh, Holly, Hannah, and Aunt Yesi before the day was done. :}  Me? I sat on the porch some more and enjoyed the view. 

 

See? Me doing more porch-sitting.  With great company!   Also, it had FINALLY cooled in the evenings, so the fresh air was at a premium.  We got to see Josh's brother Jason several times as well, but somehow never in a pic.  :/ All my fault. I {should} have grabbed a shot of me, Josh, Jason, and John our first night there when we snuck off to see Spectre while my angel Carol kept the kids for us.

Noah could not get enough of sharing his WipeOut wii game with whoever would play.  Thank you, Hannah!

Since we have piano lesssons in mind for Anna at some point, we loved catching her laying down some sweet notes with Holly.

I enjoyed sharing a bed with Anna, as I always do on our road trips. This view was precious to me. She reads every night with a flashlight until she falls asleep. The Action Bible is her favorite reading material.

"Are you taking pictures of me?"  Busted!

Our last day there, Noah tried out Josh's new Go Pro video camera from his dad by taking Josh around a few more laps on the kubota.

And last, but not least, some pics from our visit with Tania and Justin while we were there.  They really went out of their way to get off work and come out to see Noah during the workweek.  It wasn't easy, but they just weren't gonna miss this chance to see him.  I am so thankful for that and for them.  Noah reeeeeeeally looked forward to this special day together.  He filled his five hours with them having lunch, playing Legos, driving them on the kubota, playing video games, playing football, and playing soccer. And all those things more than once.

He got a little nervous when I asked him if he wanted to put his arms around them for these pics.  Said he didn't want to.  I am still not sure why, but we didn't force it.

I did sort of insist that he move in a little closer for this one after Tania asked him to sit on her lap.  :}

Tania and Justin asked how many hours it is to TN.  They didn't wanna leave and we parted with talk about how they could stay with us if they ever do swing up the TN way.  Every year of this relationship with them is new and different.  I am glad for the familiarity and comfort we have in their company now.  I am glad for the smiles on their faces as they play and talk with Noah. And the eagerness in Noah's eyes at their attention.

After our last visit with them two years ago, I kicked myself for not getting a shot of just Noah and Tania.  I righted that wrong this year, but just barely.  I {might} have had to crop Justin out of this one, but in my defense, he wasn't even looking at the camera!  :}  Isn't she lovely?  And I am sucker for that light streaming down.

Also lovely?  These parting shots we took just for kicks with Papa John's selfie stick only moments before we we were leaving.  This was my first ever selfie stick experience and it was a hoot.

I was the one actually holding the stick. Noah was the one pressing the button.  Took us 60 tries, but we finally got the job done. Seriously, the live action photo replays from John's phone had us in stitches.

 

This visit counted for our Thanksgiving family gathering this year and I would say it was all that and then some.  We drove away with smiles on our faces and only one thought it mind - Thankful! 

Next up, beach pics!