Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Sunny New Year!

Here we are in Florida visiting Dave's family.  We had a wonderful trip filled with family time and fun.  The weather cooperated and was just perfect for our MN bodies!  Sunshine and 70ish every day.  I have posted some highlights of our trip.  To be sure this is just skimming the surface of the wonderful time we had.  Huge thanks to Karen and Chris for hosting the whole crew.  We always feel so welcome and at home when visiting.  And thanks to Gram and Pop Pop for helping us get there!  As Liesl gets older it is more and more fun to visit, and more and more important to us for her to see her family that is so far away.  Thanks to everyone.  We miss you already.
Here is the gang. 

I love this photo, because this is how it really is! 
Check out Pop Pop and Jonathan's death stares (what on earth!)

Blue Springs Park - this is where many manatees go to get warm.
 The manatee count for the day was 271!  It was very cool

It is hard to see how big they are in photos.  I think they look like surfboards!

Liesl and her cousins.

Dave and Alexander


Jeff and Zhen. 

Jonathan got some caterpillars and while we were there they came out of the cocoons.
  It was time to release them to the warm Florida sunshine.


Watching the butterflies fly away.

This sums up Liesl and Jonathan's relationship.  They were absolutely inseparable the whole week.
  I have never seen two people get along so well.  Imaginations ran wild!  Cardboard boxes were a huge source of entertainment, used as sleeping bags, wings, rollers, pokers, tables you name it!

This turtle was also a huge hit.  They filled it with water and dirt and woodchips,
 and here they are sailing in a rubbermaid container. 


Screaming because the boat was tipping!

I believe the sticks with various bowls and toys hanging from them are the lost and found trees.

Zhen picked out a beading kit for Liesl for Christmas.

The decisions were difficult.

Ta Da!  The finished products.

Here we all are for the De Leon Springs Half Marathon and 5k. 
Dave, Karen, Chris and I all ran the 1/2 marathon.  The boys and Craig and Pop Pop ran/walked the 5 k.

Dave finishing strong, spares a wave for the camera.


Yay!!!  I made it, and with a smile too!

Just Checking to make sure our medals were indeed gold! 

After the race photo.

Dave ended up 11th overall and 2nd in his age group.

What is a trip to Florida without picking grapefruit and oranges!

Yum!