Spring Break-Englewood Florida

So we tackled the long drive to florida this year.  The drive is long but the weather and beach is just wonderful.  We took the kids out of school friday and started the drive, getting there saturday around 4. Perfect to explore a bit before the sun set for the day.  We spent most of the time either at the beach or the pool.  The beach was most fun as the kid love looking for shells and two days were quite windy...not great for sitting on the beach but fun playing in the waves.  The weather was cooler and we did have one cloudy/rainy day.  We did some kayaking around the cottage and saw plenty manatee and dophins.  The kids played lots of shuffle board.  The loved the donuts from the circle K gas station and the kids managed one slushy although I didn't really think it was hot enough.  We walked stump pass twice and enjoyed having/borrowing bikes to get around.

 The porch was a great place to sort shells and looks for dophins and manatees.  The people along the canal are all on the look out and once one is spotted the phone messages start alerting everyone.

 Lots of fishing...only one fish.  Most fun was watching the shrimp try to swim away from the fish still on the hook.

 Charlie was around and the beginning of the week he had a pretty good meal courtesy of Braydens casting net.  Lots of little bait fish which we threw to him.

Dinner/breakfast table...no heavy cooking but lots of snacks.  I think the kids cleaned off 4 bags of Oreo's during the week.

 Silly fun in the pool.

Close up to a manatee-Becca and I actually touched his tail.  Brayden was splashed by it.

 Key lime pie anyone?

 Lots of fun on the beach.  Grandpa and Grandma Mulder camped slightly nearby and made the drive to englewood to spend two days with us.  More fun exploring-hunting for shells.

 Always a ball-soccer or nukum this trip.

 A walk along stump pass-lots of shells and sharks teeth.

 Always cold getting out of the water.

 Some big hole digging by the boys.

Super windy a couple days but lots of water fun.

 Ice-cream night out.

 Starfish treasure

 Andrea's shells...she was on the hunt for shells with holes till fill this whole stringer.

Lots of TV in the evenings-this night was looks at our Arizona pics with Grandma.

Early Birthday cake for Ron

 Becca and Andrea's creation...we remembered to take the hot glue gun which was fun for the kids.

The massive shells collection.

Basketball and a bit of school updates

Another basketball season has come to an end.  Brayden played with the eight grade school team.  Andrea with her 5th grade girls and then James with his 2nd grade boys.  Each did well with lots of learning.  Brayden's team finally starting working together and playing as a team.  They did still have their share of loses but fun to actually see some plays come together and the boys learning to play together.  Andrea had a huge learning curve as it has been a couple seasons since she has last played. Brayden was determined that she needed to given it a try again this year and she gave it her all. She was a fierce defender and her team made huge improvements throughout the year.  Andrea even started putting up baskets at the end.  James had a hard year with his team being split into two.  We have had this in the past with Brayden and always hard to split boys evenly.  James was on the team without his friends and for the most part a losing team.  He played his heart out every game-crazy boy on the court but a struggle to get him to want to go to practices this year. 

 This makes me proud....only girls who know to actually get off her feet for a rebound!

This day they met up with the girls team from his class-such a great group of kids.

So fun, special when his teacher takes the time out of her Saturday to come cheer the boys on.

Soccer is still on going.  Indoor season is finished and slowly outdoor is beginning.  The spring weather has been horrible this year...mostly because it has been winter!  Becca and Brayden and starting up with school soccer, something Becca has been looking forward to a long time-finally done with off season in the mornings.  Just one tournament down in Norman this season...a couple more later in the up coming months for Brayden.  A bit of down time for his club team as most boys are playing for school teams.

 The big hit was winning their division but also the food....boys all about the protein.  Lots of burgers and then this resturant with amazing abouts of smoked meat.  Crazy delicious!!

Yes we did still celebrate Valentines days....thankfully we are down to two kids having valentines parties at school.  We have gotten smart and have used valentines boxes from previous years...I think Andrea's was from first grade!  Parties are a bit ridiculous at this point in my opinion.  Kids don't even put kids names on valentines...just to a friend and can't go through their box till at home.  I think Andrea hardly looked at hers besides for picking out the candy.  We did have a nice little breakfast before school but with the flu going around school the day was anything relaxing.  We ended up eating my nice valentines meal in pieces the next week.

 I had hoped to make the kids little parties but this was start of me endless work month.  The other nurse we works full time finally gave in to all the sickness we have been seeing and I ended up having to work a bunch more than normal... this mama is not meant to work full time!!

 Becca has a little valentine party at a friends house.  Love seeing their girls be  able to get together.  With different classes- and schools this year they don't always get to see each other.

Andrea has had a fun month preparing for Biz Town.  She had her interview...which she was not thrilled to prepare for and really was not too excited about the whole thing.  She ended up working for Tulsa Tech-Ad executive for the day.  For our pre biz town field trip I was able to go and enjoy visiting local business with the kids.  A grocery story-Trader Joe's, New 6, KXOJ Radio and Rustic Cuff.  Kids had a lot of fun learning about business life and then spending a day running one.  I love see them go through this lesson plan.

Your new News Anchors.

Fifth grade is a great year...so many fun lesson plans.  They also learned about a cell and made an edible cell.  Also with learning about cells they learned about the circlatory system....getting to examine a cows heart.

A little update on our Mountain Bikes that were stolen on our Christmas vacation.  Ron was able to buy replacement bikes with insurance money.  He ordered them online and he and Brayden worked on putting them together.  Sadly the cold wet weather has not made for good biking...hopefully the sun will start shining and we can get out of the house!  Yes, that is a dusting of snow on the boxes.

 A Saturday we were able to get out...just not on Turkey mountain which was a mud pit.

Yes, I know the sun will shine and we will feel warmth again.  Even though it is March one and its supposed to snow tomorrow.  My crepe Myrtles aren't trimmed or grasses cut back, no mulch is laid but I guess it will just all get done a bit later this year.

This was hoping for spring....it was short lived!