Unexpected stop to visit friends from home – Tampa, Florida
I was so excited to get an email from my friend, Laura Garret on Christmas telling me that she was in Tampa visiting family. She wanted to know if we could get together. We had planned on heading straight to the Everglades, but were thrilled to change our plans to see them. Laura’s daughter, Macy, is a good friend of Kats at Glenridge Elementary School. Laura and I were Girl Scout Leaders for our girl’s class last year.
Laura surprised us with tickets to go on a cruise to look for dolphins and go shell seeking at an island by the Gulf. Our kids were so excited at the chance to see a dolphin “in the wild.” Kids found some cool shells on the island and were hopeful that we would see a dolphin on the way back. Luck was on our side, we saw multiple bottlenose dolphins! We got a close up view, which thrilled the kids. Such a great idea! Thank you Laura!!
Kat got a Rainbow Loom for Christmas, but had not used it yet. Macy gave Kat a Rainbow Loom bracelet and then showed her how to make her own. So sweet! Now Kat is a Rainbow Loom making machine!! 🙂
Such a blessing to be able to see friends from home!
Christmas in Panama City Beach, Florida
Well, it had not felt like Christmas to us all December. We started the month in Arizona, worked our way through New Mexico(awesome visit to Aunt Joyce), Texas(Big Bend NP fantastic), Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama then Florida. As we pulled into our RV park in Panama City Beach in the dark, I was so happy to see Christmas lights and decorations throughout the park and on the RVs(lots of snowbirds here). You could just feel the Christmas spirit!
December 23rd was a Christmas fest! From finding the last 3ft Christmas tree in town, to decorating the RV, making gingerbread houses, stringing popcorn and cranberries, making sugar cookies, white chocolate covered pretzels, white chocolate cranberry banana bread(Delicious!), pralines(Scott wanted to make these and they were awesome) and Christmas music playing, we got our quick fix of the holiday! We had so much to give thanks for this Christmas!! God has truly blessed us!!!
We were so happy that my parents decided to meet us for Christmas! It was so fun to have family with us!! Our kids miss their grandparents and so it was a gift to be able to see on set. This will be a Christmas to remember… Here are some things we did: played Farkel, read books, biked(Kane had Papa biking all over the RV Park), basketball(boys played TOM(my dads name) instead of PIG-Kanes idea), air hockey, fooseball, went to the beach on Christmas(that was a first for all of us-can’t find one of those in MO), Scott made a mouth watering Beef Tenderloin and Pork Butt on the Green Egg, shopping with Nana, fishing at the RV lake and ocean with Papa, date night with grandparents(which meant date night for Scott and I(dinner and Hunger Games-so fun! Thanks Mom and Dad!), American Girl Paperdolls with Nana, Apples to Apples, Settlers of Zarahemla for the adults… Such precious times!
- Love this pic of mom and Kat looking at tree and Kane showing Papa pictures from our journey.
