Grandma had promised to get the soon to be retired Samantha doll for any of her granddaughters who read the whole series of books. Mairead and Mari just KNEW she had followed through when they found matching boxes under her tree!!
Usually Auntie Peggy is behind the camera but we caught her on Christmas day!Now, in a fairly random chronological order, are a few pics from the trip!!
There was alot of sleeping on the two day drive...Alyssa got the giggles when she realized that Julia sleeps with her eyelids slightly open.
Mari, the only one who can read without getting carsick, also caught up on her sleep while being serenaded by her Ipod. While certain of our southern friends would like to blame the influx of us snowbirds on why the traffic was unexplicably slowed to a crawl for too many miles to count, we did take notes and let's just say that not one of the plates in any of the fenderbenders passed was from a state other than Georgia and Florida...nor have we ever had a two mile backup up here just because some poor sod with a hangover had to pull to the shoulder to puke!!! Also, we found a very unique traffic pattern in Florida called passing on the RIGHT...because for some reason the truckers felt they owned the middle lane so timid southern souls who did not want to follow a truck decided they should move to the LEFT lane without any increase in their speed...leaving the right lane open for us to pass them all by in a bid to get to the sun before 2010!!!!!
After two long days of rain and senseless traffic jams we pulled into Sarasota to find the Robichaux family had our dinner ready!! Lee Sr. cooked up a storm and had a whole crab boil for us Northern novices.
The two Lee's showing us how to open and find the edible parts of a crab while Patrick stayed 'safe' with the sausage and spuds.
How often can Mid-Western kids spend New Year's Day in swimsuits??
Lee Jr., Julia, Arianna, Andrew, Olivia, Alyssa, and Mari in Jungle Gardens.
Andrew giving Arianna a better view of the bird show at Jungle Gardens. I think his mother would be quite suprised to know just how kind and patient he was with the little Robichaux sisters...since he has mastered sibling warfare with his own sister!
The old fair skinned ones being 'good' by staying out of the baking sun...notice the dark skinned one doing the same!!! Such a crime when you are blessed with melanin to hide under a beach umbrella while the pasties would, of course, love to be out soaking in the rays. Alyssa liked to read in the sun so she could get the tan lines while following the story.
You have to give her credit for reading but why, oh why isn't she out boogie boarding with the rest of the cousins?
Notice a trend here folks? These two couldn't seem to put their books down...not even for sightseeing!
The traditional picture!!! Every time we go stay with Grandpa in Sarasota we take a picture "on the big fish" as the kids call the park sculpture at his corner. Someday I might even get around to scanning the pre-digital ones and show the changes....Julia was just a baby being held in his open mouth and now she has to kneel to fit!!
There was alot of sleeping on the two day drive...Alyssa got the giggles when she realized that Julia sleeps with her eyelids slightly open.
Mari, the only one who can read without getting carsick, also caught up on her sleep while being serenaded by her Ipod. While certain of our southern friends would like to blame the influx of us snowbirds on why the traffic was unexplicably slowed to a crawl for too many miles to count, we did take notes and let's just say that not one of the plates in any of the fenderbenders passed was from a state other than Georgia and Florida...nor have we ever had a two mile backup up here just because some poor sod with a hangover had to pull to the shoulder to puke!!! Also, we found a very unique traffic pattern in Florida called passing on the RIGHT...because for some reason the truckers felt they owned the middle lane so timid southern souls who did not want to follow a truck decided they should move to the LEFT lane without any increase in their speed...leaving the right lane open for us to pass them all by in a bid to get to the sun before 2010!!!!!
After two long days of rain and senseless traffic jams we pulled into Sarasota to find the Robichaux family had our dinner ready!! Lee Sr. cooked up a storm and had a whole crab boil for us Northern novices.
The two Lee's showing us how to open and find the edible parts of a crab while Patrick stayed 'safe' with the sausage and spuds.
How often can Mid-Western kids spend New Year's Day in swimsuits??
Lee Jr., Julia, Arianna, Andrew, Olivia, Alyssa, and Mari in Jungle Gardens.
Andrew giving Arianna a better view of the bird show at Jungle Gardens. I think his mother would be quite suprised to know just how kind and patient he was with the little Robichaux sisters...since he has mastered sibling warfare with his own sister!
The old fair skinned ones being 'good' by staying out of the baking sun...notice the dark skinned one doing the same!!! Such a crime when you are blessed with melanin to hide under a beach umbrella while the pasties would, of course, love to be out soaking in the rays. Alyssa liked to read in the sun so she could get the tan lines while following the story.
You have to give her credit for reading but why, oh why isn't she out boogie boarding with the rest of the cousins?
Notice a trend here folks? These two couldn't seem to put their books down...not even for sightseeing!
The traditional picture!!! Every time we go stay with Grandpa in Sarasota we take a picture "on the big fish" as the kids call the park sculpture at his corner. Someday I might even get around to scanning the pre-digital ones and show the changes....Julia was just a baby being held in his open mouth and now she has to kneel to fit!!
How fun Suzanne. Love seeing all the pictures. Look like a great time for all.
ReplyDeleteLooks like you had a wonderful Holiday. Happy New Year........
ReplyDelete