Bringing in the New Year… Naples

We arrived in Naples on December 30th in time to bring in the New Year!  Scott brought up the idea of trying to go to Thailand and Laos for the month of February then we would go on to South America. Boy, were we excited thinking about how we can make this happen.

New Year’s Eve day, I ran around to get groceries and get ingredients for Scott to make a Thai dinner.  Have you ever asked for galangal at a regular grocery?  Well, at the one I was at, they looked at me blankly and had no idea where I could find it, as well as Thai Basil Leaves and Thai Chiles.  Thank goodness for the internet!  I found a small little Asian store about 25 minutes from where we were staying.  When I found all my ingredients at the Asian store, I was so happy!  The little things excite me these days… 🙂

Scott made Tom Yum Soup and Drunken Noodles with chicken for dinner for the first time.  It was fantastic!  I was dreaming of all the yummy Thai food we would be eating in Thailand.  After dinner, we watched Free Willy for the first time.  We felt so blessed in 2013 and are so excited about our adventures in 2014.  God has been so good to us!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We kicked the New Year off with canoeing at Collier Seminole State Park which  is south of Naples near the Everglades.  We signed up for a guided nature float down the Blackwater River.  This was the first time that we had each took a kid alone in a canoe.  Kane went with me and Kat with Scott.  I was a little nervous with the prospect of alligators in the river, but the guides did not seem worried at all.  About 10 minutes into our trip, we spotted our first alligator and only alligator of our trip.  It was a little freaky paddling by  it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We saw one alligator, lots of Great Blue Herons, snow egrets, ibis, turkey vultures, mangrove crabs, gar and we learned about the red, white and black mangrove trees.  Kane and Kat did great in the front of the canoes!  It’s hard to believe they are big enough to be in the front, not in the middle between us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Driving home from our canoe trip, Kane spotted an alligator on the side of the road by a ditch filled with water.  We turned around and pulled off the road and went to take a look.  I LOVE our kids excitement over spotting wildlife!  We took a couple pictures, but when the alligator slipped into the water, we decided on heading out in case, he was coming toward us for lunch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We headed to Naples Beach in the afternoon for a hour.  It was a very busy place!  It was such a beautiful afternoon in the 70s.  The last time, we took Kat to a beach in Florida, she would not get in the ocean.  I can remember her saying, “Momma, I don’t like the waves!”  Well, things have changed.  She loved the water!  You could just see the spring in her step.  Kane looked like he was looking for fish as he walked out.  When a flock of birds flew over, he was enthralled.  Kids made sandcastles and I buried Kat in the sand, as Scott read 12 Years a Slave(he couldn’t put the book down).  As the sun was starting to go down, it was the perfect picture!  So Thankful for this time with my family!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are starting the New Year with each kids picking one night a week to cook.  Kat had pizza night tonight!  She made pizza(which she had to roll out), green beans and fruit salad.  It was yummy!!  Way to go Kat, Kat!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Thursday, January 2nd, I needed to run some errands(post office, bank, Target) and Kat needed more clips for her Rainbow Loom bracelets, so we headed out to Naples.

You may not know this, but I do not like shopping.  Well, I could tell I have deprived my daughter, because when we got to Michaels, I realized that she had never been there before.  A girl who loves arts and crafts had never been to Michaels!  Well, I am sure that will change in the future. 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

That night I met Diane Hobbs, the mom of one of my best friends growing up, near Fort Meyers.  She has a home on Sanibel Island now.  Diane and Kenny were always so good to me!  I have the best memories hanging out at their home.  I also went to the Florida Keys twice with them.  Such great memories!  I just adore this lady!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s a pic of our campsite.  I think this was our most expensive campsite of the trip.  RV park was beautiful and clean.  Kids enjoyed the pool our first afternoon there.  I don’t think it was worth the cost, but we had a great time there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s a couple pics during school time on January 2nd: