Florida, part one

Okay, a few pre-Florida pictures that don't justify their own post. Like this one of Sarah in this Railsback 70s throwback.

Speaking of throwbacks, Naomi came home excitedly one day to tell me that the next day was 80s day at school. Pretty last-minute but we threw together this little number. She was so happy to head to school. Where she learned it wasn't 80s day until Friday. Oops.

The best part of Sarah's day is when Naomi goes to school. Because Sarah finds her way into Naomi's room and digs through all the stuff Naomi won't share with her when she's home. From here she climbs onto her bed and drools on all her favorite stuffed animals. I could stop it, but that's an hour of peace and quiet for me.

Okay, okay, then we went to Florida...

...where my mom had made a cake to celebrate Clifton's birthday.

Floridians were apologizing to us about the "cold snap" but it didn't keep Naomi from getting in the pool on day one. Pool temperature: 62 degrees. I should say that she didn't just dive in.

One morning we met up with my good friend Kelley at Lakes Park, which is where Kelley and I met and spent many summers working as camp counselors.

We could keep that camp pretty busy with our own kids.

A highlight for our kids: spotting turtles in the lake.

Later we swung by the water features because 75 degrees is warm to us.

And where else are you going to find a bench like this?

Or a pelican that vomits water on you?

Apparently there's a GI bug going around the water park. That snake isn't looking good.

Opa taught Sarah how to give high fives.

  

A few nights we had a fire in the back yard.

Where we stayed warm...

And ate smores. (I know there are no smores in this picture; take my word for it.)

Another day we met up with Traci and Christine, two of my high school church youth group friends.

Over the past 20 years, not much has changed with us, except for these seven additions.

Oma had lots of dress up clothes for the girls to play with.

The wedding "dress" was the favorite.

Sarah got stuck with my Pippy Longstocking wig that my mom made when I was in elementary school. (And *that* is what a Railsback baby would look like if we had ever had one with hair.)

Another day we went to the Manatee Park

Where we looked for manatees...

...and did scavenger hunts.

Because the air was cold and the water was warm, there were plenty of manatee to see.

The kids really liked learning that manatees are mammals and nurse their young for two years. And that it takes seven days for food to pass through their digestive tract.

We found this fake alligator along a path.

Monkey see, monkey do.