Turtle Hospital, Mallory Square

We got the 9am tour of the [Sea] Turtle Hospital

Operating table

The turtles in these swimming pools are on medication or permanent residents.

All the turtles' names are written on their shells.

The turtles were either: hit by a boat (bubble butt), bitten by a shark, have fibropapillomatosis, swallowed fish hooks and other stuff, or got entangled.

baby sea turtle

The healthy turtles soon to be released are in the big swimming pool, and we got to feed them!

We stayed at Bahia Honda State Park, 45 minutes to Key West.

The key (island) is so skinny that you can walk from one side to the other in 3 minutes. That means we could choose between Gulf beach or ocean beach at the park, plus many other "all-natural" beaches up and down the key. Natural means they don't haul any sand in. The sea grass keeps it from washing away and other unique ocean and land features deliver it.

Ben and I drove in to Key West for Mallory Square's Sunset Celebration where both natural and unnatural entertainment was going on.

The Red Trouser Show was the best of the street performers we saw as we walked around.

We settled into a seat at Sunset Pier to have a sandwich, listen to the Patrick & the Swayzees band and watch the sunset.

Destination: Florida

 Lydia was so excited for this trip. She was in bed early and when I woke her up at 4am, she popped out of bed, slung on her backpack and carried it with Elsa the whole way. (On the way back, Elsa got replaced with a stuffed dolphin that she bought.)

We arrived at the campsite with our tent already set up!

 It was a hot day, so we headed to the beach right away!

 Grandma got them these little rafts and beach Skipper dolls, so they pulled her all around on the raft.

Our nature hike park ranger on Silver Pine Trail.

"Slow down. Don't blaze through."

 This is what's right under our feet: an alligator!

Blue Hole Trail on Big Pine Key

 On the walk up to Old Bahia Honda Bridge. Here's the view of the ocean:

Here's the view of the Gulf:

At campsite for dinner. Cue the sunset:

Gymnast Abigail

Abigail had a fun time with the preschool field trip to Racine Gymnastics Center!

Big Rope Swing!

Climb and Ring the Bell.

Not everyone can do up-side down well.
Here's two who can!

Abby's 4 year Pictures!

My little leap baby is going to be 4...or 1 if you're funny about actual birth dates.

She's my sous chef who loves smoothies, pickles, celery, sprinkles, swimming, dancing, puzzles, flashlights, jewelry, dump trucks, tidiness, tickles and babies.

Here's some pictures from our JCP birthday shoot.

The future is bright for my funny, delightful, imaginative, fearless, loving little girl!

Abigail's Party!

 My sisters and mom and family came over to celebrate the girls' birthdays on Valetine's Day. It was sort of an odd fusion of Tangled, Barbie, Puppy, and Valentine's themes.

 Lydia and Aaliyah played with body stamps.

 Violet painted a lantern.

 Abigail had a pinata for her party too! I did a few fewer layers on this one, and it was just right for them, although Lydia's arms seem to have gotten stronger since her pinata.

The most important thing to Abigail was having a Barbie cake for her birthday. Aaliyah had one and Abigail could not forget as the bakery at the grocery store has a lovely one on constant display. I think we did mighty fine with the ballet Cinderella doll,  bundt cake, jello mold and pyrex bowl.

Abigail had the perfect bow for the back of the dress. Abigail loved it anyway. Make a wish!

Lydia got a stack of Golden birthday Oreos for her treat, a nod to her Golden birthday!

Special thanks to all you who have sent birthday and Valentine's day cards to the girls-your kindness is sweeter than cake!

LOVE BUGS

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY from these two cute little LOVE BUGS!

The girls each had fun at their classroom parties, Abigail even came home with a helium balloon from a treasure hunt! Abigail had to write her name on 20 valentines, and Lydia had to write to and froms on 23 valentines. 

We did something new this year for the 14 days leading up to Valentine's Day. It is an idea I found on Pinterest (http://www.notconsumed.com/14-days-gods-love) 

So each night I hid a heart for the girls to find in the morning (reminiscent of moving that elf around at Christmastime, but this time I could say I was doing it). When they found it, we looked up and read the corresponding Bible verse, and then clipped it to a red ribbon. I don't read to them from the Bible enough, so this was a fun way to do it! This is also the simple kind of thing that really gets Lydia jumping out of bed in the morning!

God's love is for everyone.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

Stories with Roscoe!

The library had an exciting special story time with

Milwaukee Admirals defense Stefan Elliot and 'soft and fuzzy' Roscoe.

Dino Hockey and Z is for Zamboni

When Abigail was called on with her hand raised for Q&A time, she walked up to Roscoe and gave him a big hug and kiss on the nose. It wasn't the right time, but it sure was cute!