Our last days!

Last Days of fun in the Sunshine State...

I have a smorgasbord of pictures on this last blog from Florida...Fun times and many events we can cross off our list :- )

I have been asked "why did we spend time in Florida?" It was because our kids had a month off of school and we wanted to explore some new territory. Usually we go for something a bit more unconventional but Trent and I looked at eachother and agreed... we wanted someplace easy for a little while. That may sound ridiculous .. life in Panama is great but you need a break!!! Florida was an easy break. There is so much to explore and do in Florida, we thought we should take advantage of our time checking things out. Also in Florida they have Starbucks, clothes that fit me & drivers that stay in their own lane..haha..

(I knew they were hatched from somewhere)

(love the crazy hats, they go with the crazy kids...xoxoox)




We made it to an Orlando Magic NBA Basketball Game...it rocked!
My dear husband conceded to my request to take our family to a NBA game. Basketball is not one of Trent's favorite sports but the kids were keen. It turned out to be a great time and the kids had a lot of fun. The crowd was excited because it was the Miami Heat in the house and it is a rivilry like the Flames vs. Oilers or Stampeders vs. Eskimos.

The Orlando Magic dominated the game but it was still exciting to watch the kids get into all the action. Thanks honey for taking us to the game... it was fun.

(at the arena where the ball players egos bounce off the floor)

(some action happening)

(easton does not look to excited but watch his video below and he is all smiles... Thanks for the fun night guys xoxo)

(Easton has a few new moves... this kids will break out anywhere there is music)

Busch Gardens in Tampa Florida

Our favorite amusement park was Busch Gardens. The crowds were nothing compared to the craziness you experience from Disneyworld. The rides are alot of fun, great roller coasters and it also is a protective park for animals. With our fantastic pass we were able to take full advantage of visiting Busch Gardens 6 times.

(my super fun kidlets appreciating siblinghood)

(AHHHH Emma is being swallowed by a hippo ...
we just left her, she eventually got out... :-)

(Easton was a goner but the hippo spit him out)

(look closely you can see the cute squirrl dinning on lunch he dug up)

As I mentioned Busch Gardens is an Animal Reserve Park also. There was some fabulous informative lectures about my favorite animals... Chimps and Gorillas. I love when we can have fun learning.

(just a bit of info)

(there is a train that runs through the reserve and as you can see a Rino wanted to race)

(I told Emma NO more driving!! )

(and they wonder why I didn't go on the water ride... not an inch of them was dry)

(Ev & I decided to watch from above and stay nice and dry)

(but I didn't mind this water ride. We thought it was funny how the amuzement park caught me taking my camera... pretty much everywhere I go)

(on the ride back from Tampa... they were worn right out... just the way I love to see them after a full day of fun)



MOSI

Our bodies are truly amazing machines. In Tampa at MOSI - Museum of Science & Industry (which was fantastic) they had the Body Worlds presentation. All the bodies are REAL cadavers and every morsel of inner workings of our amazing bodies are tastefully displayed. It was a site to see the inside of our flesh & bones. Some cadavers where split in two which left nothing for the imagination. The kids had wireless headsets to walk them through each part of our bones, muscles, ligaments, brain. Absolutely everything.

I lost Everett at our kidneys. Emma made it to her favorite part... the display of fetuses shown from 3 weeks to full term. Easton was my right hand man he did not want to miss anything.

Did you know the smallest bone in the body is in your ear and is called the stirrup bone. It is only 0.25 to 0.33 cm long (0.10 to 0.13 in) and weighs only 1.98 to 4.3 mg. Next time you see our kids ask them how many bones are in an adult body.

If you ever get a chance to see this presentation GO. No photographs were allowed so I could not capture how unbelievable this exhibition was. The website to find out more information is www.bodyworlds.com

(this is what we saw... alot of them. Read the above paragraph to find out what I am taking about)

(this was a pretty interesting. It was the Birth Canal Challenge. I walked the kids through how a baby exits the Mommy tummy and ends up in her arms. They think it is neat how God puts the baby in the tummy... he just puts it there they told me(lol)... I love my kids)

(Easton said "this is hard"... I replied "YES it is hard to push out a 9lb. 8oz little red head")

(Emma was served up for lunch, a great illusion)




Universal Studios & Island of Adventure

(Our favorite ride at Universal was Men In Black... the kids were master shooters and since my husband is so competitive I must take this opportunity to say I smoked his butt and won. Game on honey... xoxox There is not very many dull moments around here..hahah)

We Met some FUNNY CHARACTERS on our travels....

(I said to the kids ..WOW look Popeye and Olive. The turned to me and asked "who are they?" Oh I felt old at that moment. I remember watching Popeye when I was little. They still wanted their picture with them and Trent too. Easton said after, "Popeye's muscles are made of foam Mom, I know they are not real." Oh how Easton is enquisitive, he has a working mind of a lawyer already... ready to challenge everything. Trent says he comes by it honestly. :- ) I have no idea what he is talking about (i hope you sense my sarcasism)

(we spent alot of time playing around the Cat in The HAT area. I loved all the colors and music they played)

(the cat in the hat... was really really funny... we listened to some stories and danced with Thing 1 & Thing 2)






(the Grinch had no line up... all the little kids wanted to say away from him. Poor guy has a bad rap who gave me bunny ears)

(Thing 1 & Thing 2 are sure stinkers just like in the famous books. They reminded me of my three xoxoo)

(I now have my own Thing 1.. Thing 2... Thing 3. I could spot them all from a far. They loved wearing their t-shirts and we even had to call them Thing 1. Thing 2 & Thing 3. I am so glad they have a sense of humor)




ohhh the two Shreks...

(it was very comical when we walked up to Shrek.... Princess Fiona looked at Trent and said "Wow you look like Shrek!" Jaymee Richards has been right all a long. I've been told by my Oger if he is Shrek I am his Fiona... I will take that as long has I am the human form..lol)

(the penguins ROCKED. They had music playing from the Madagascar movie and these guys were dancing around and not listening to anyone. They were cool)

(Ev says.... eeeee we get to meet the real Spiderman!!)

(Spiderman does not look real in this picture but he was the real deal. He was beyond cool. The kids loved meeting him and I have to admit I was excited along with them. I was taken back by how authentic he was... we went to see him twice because the first time we went I got caught up in the moment and forgot to record their encounter. I said the picture looks like he is a poster, so check out the quick video of Spidy with the kids)




(he was c-o-o-l)


(East found out something new about Superman & Ev asked his famous question "can I get?" Our little man loves to ask)

(this sign says it all!)

(my last picture of our Florida 2009 adventure)

That wraps up most of our stories for the Sunshine State. We left Orlando on Feb 26th at 6:00am bound for our home in Panama, Central America. It felt nice to come home (how strange to call it home) and dive back into our Latin life.

When I say Latin life I mean a having to be forced to slow down... because everything is slower... the wonderful HOT heat... crazy drivers... the bagel shop... tropical bugs/creatures... shaking my head at my Spanglish & being reminded how a little bit can do wonders for others.

The kids are now back in school. Everett is an official attendee of Kindergarten (no more baby for me) He is so happy though. Easton & Emma have jumped right back into the swing of things. Their Spanish didn't even skip a beat.

It is already April and in a few weeks Easton will be turing 7yrs. old, my sister Bonnie will be celebrating the big 3-0! Everett will be turning 5yrs. old in a month and before we know it it will be time to head back up north. Wow I can sure appreciate now when everyone used to say to me ... time flies...

Have a fantastic Easter. This year we will be staying in town for the kids to have an opportunity to sing with their choir. Next Saturday they will be doing tour of an orphanage close to our house as well as the Seniors home. On Easter Sunday they will have a crowd of a 1000 to sing for, so not to much chocolate for them. :- )

All our love
Until next time xoxoox
Trent. Jody. Emma. Easton. Everett