"Florida Time"

by Bob Seger

We're going to Florida to have a good time
If we get there ahead of the rest
We'll tan right up so we all look the best
It's Florida time and it's really all right

On Sunday while we were in Florida, we decided to go to church right across the street from the Orlando Temple!  So after all 3 hours of church we went over to the temple and walked around and took pictures.  It was very beautiful!

Here are Mike and Spencer in front of the temple.  Isn't it beautiful?  I know they're tiny in the picture, but I wanted to get the whole temple too.

I wanted Spence to get a picture of Mike and I in front of the temple too but he was struggling with how to get us AND the temple in the picture so here I am teaching him how to do it.

 He was a pretty good learner!  :)  I'd say this is a pretty darn good picture for a 9 year old and a crappy camera! 

 

And another one of Mike and I.

 We saw a vulture flying around the temple and Spencer was so excited!  (I was surprised how many vultures we saw in Florida!   YUCK!)  Anyway, Spencer chased the vulture to get a picture!  It was pretty funny!  (If you look closely you can see the vulture right up by the tree.)

After flying around for a bit, the vulture decided to take a little rest on Angel Moroni.  Spencer couldn't believe it and had to take a million pictures!

It really was such a beautiful day to go to the temple.

 After our adventures at the temple we decided to take a little road trip in our rental car that we got for the day and head down to Clearwater Beach.  There were other beaches closer-by, but Clearwater Beach sounded the most appealing.  So we drove a couple of hours and arrived there just as the sun was getting ready to set.  

Although it was a bit cloudy and chilly, we still managed to have a good time.  Spencer was beyond thrilled to be at the ocean. 

The sand at Clearwater beach was stark white and incredibly soft.  I've never felt anything like it.  Mike kept saying he felt like we were walking in an ash tray (because I guess that sand is so fine??).  LOL.  It wasn't the most appealing analogy, but the sand really was incredibly fine, beautiful, and soft.  We even filled some old water bottles with sand and took them home to remember it.  :)

Here's Mike on the beach.

 It really was a beautiful beach with clear blue water.  The clouds and sunset just added to the scenery.

 The boys had fun running in and out of the water and collecting seashells.  Mike found a PERFECT sand dollar that we took home as a souvenir. 

After Mike found the sand dollar we decided to walk down the beach looking for more neat things.  We walked quite a ways and found some pretty beautiful seashells.

It was a great Sunday in Florida!

*****

Finally our fabulous vacation had to come to an end, but I could hardly wait to get home to my little angel--I missed her so much, and shed a good number of tears over missing her so bad!

When we got to the airport and finally got to the escalator to go down to the baggage claim, there were a million people and news crews there waiting for us.  Okay, maybe not for us, but they were there!  The waiting area was taped off with "CAUTION" tape.  Apparently the troops were coming home at the same time we were.  :)  As we came down the escalator I was looking all around to find my mom or dad.  I finally spotted my mom and right in front of her (in front of the caution tape) was the most adorable little tiny body with her face obscured with a big white Easter hat.  She looked so cute.  My mom pushed Melia forward to run up to me, but she couldn't see past the brim of her new hat so she just stood there confusedly.  :)  I ran up to her and tilted the hat up so she could see me and said, "Melia, it's MOMMY!"  She smiled and giggled and was so happy to see me.  She was also thrilled (as always) to see Spencer and Mike too.

She was so hyper and excited to have us home and was even more thrilled to play on the baggage carousel. 

Unfortunately all these pictures were taken with our crappy camera because the good camera was stowed away in our luggage (which by the way, got sent to New York...we're never flying Delta again--it was such a bad experience and they were incredibly rude...)  Anyway, Melia looked so cute in her Minnie Mouse "M"monogrammed jumper and her new New Balance sneakers Grandma bought her.  Apparently Grandma thought all the shoes I sent for her were too small.  Melia loves her New Balances though, and they're super cute.  She looks so grown up in them!  (Unfortunately I never got a picture of her with her hat on--I'll have to get one on Easter.)

Melia  was DETERMINED to get on top of that baggage carousel.  Look at those little legs.  I love how she goes right up on her tippy toes. 

Maybe we should enroll her in ballet.  I think she looks like a little ballerina here with her leg up on the bar.  :)

Spencer was so excited to see her and she had so much fun playing with him.

She finally got creative and decided to use him as a prop to get up on the baggage carousel.  :)  Spencer could not stop laughing!

While we waited and waited for our luggage (that never came) Spencer pushed Melia around the airport in the little umbrella stroller.  Melia was laughing so hard and Spencer was having a blast.

It was great to be home and Melia was ecstatic to have us in the car with her heading back to Grandma's house.  Oh how I missed my girl!