Our Winter Getaway

We just returned from our trip to Jacksonville, Florida... and we had SO much fun! I should start by saying that this is the longest car trip that the girls have ever been on (two 9-hour days in a row driving, both ways) and they both did beautifully. N had her DVD player (loaned to us by friends-- thank you!) and L had her Cheerios, and they were both pretty well set. There was one minor meltdown by L at the end of a long day (when we played some Peter Paul and Mary and she calmed down eventually) and there was only one rest stop at which N did not willingly get back in the car (our last stop before arriving in Jacksonville). With enough convincing, she eventually cooperated.

Of course, it helped on our long journey to have multiple drivers, lots of snacks, and plenty of willing grandparents, aunts and uncles to entertain the girls.

L, the happy traveler

At one point while we were stuck in traffic, N entertained herself by pretending to be Captain Feathersword and giving herself an "eye patch" made of stickers!

Upon arrival in Jacksonville, the long drive proved to be well worth it. The weather was amazing-- three out of the four days were close to 80 degrees. My grandparents have a spacious and comfortable home, and hospitably let us invade their bedroom with the girls. Here are some of the fun activities that took place:

Visiting with extended family:

My aunts and their families were with us for the first day, and we all had a swim in the pool and a big meal together. The girls enjoyed lots of extra attention!

Daily “Family Fun Runs”:

N had multiple opportunities to feed the turtles at a bridge nearby, and L was thrilled to accompany Grandpa in the jogger every day. Mama really, REALLY enjoyed herself-- the elliptical is fine (certainly better than no exercise at all) for snowy days at home, but nothing compares with the sheer joy of running outside. I even made an attempt at increasing my speed and distance a little (as much as I could in only four days). My brother, who just finished reading "Born to Run", was a huge inspiration to me. That book is now on my reading list.



A trip to St. Augustine:

There’s nothing like a couple of months of relentless snowy weather to make you really appreciate a trip to the beach. We flew kites, made sand castles, dipped our toes in the water (it was too icy for swimming), had a picnic supper, and found a playground/water park there that N thoroughly enjoyed. We topped it all off with an evening stroll through Old St. Augustine, where the narrow streets and historical Spanish architecture really give you the feel of a 18th-century village. I don’t know how much of it is original (it’s a bit touristy) but it was romantic and beautiful nonetheless.





















A trip to One Tree Nature Center:
We had a lot of fun checking out the wildlife and doing some walking in the woods. We had a bit of a chilly picnic lunch, but then warmed up in the museum and took an interesting look at the history of Florida’s landscape and wildlife.





















A second trip to St. Augustine:
The grandparents and great-grandparents stayed behind and put the girls to bed while M and I joined my brother and sister for a trip back to old St. Augustine. We did some shopping, went to an Irish pub, and walked around Flagler College-- a series of old hotels built for the extremely wealthy in the early 1900’s, and then later converted to a college campus. We used a restroom there that had a fireplace and a chandelier. I half expected to see Kate Winslet coming around the corner in a Titanic era dress, but instead I saw a college kid in shorts with a cigarette and a cell phone. Quite interesting.

Ben poses with a crazy statue at one of the touristy shops 

Re-connecting with old friends:

We were able to see some good friends, Tommy and Rachel, from back in our pre-baby grad school days in west Texas. These friends have moved from Texas to Jacksonville, so we got to have a visit with them, and our kids had a great time playing together. Sadly, I didn't take any pictures!

Dinner at Clark's Fish Camp:

We went out to dinner for my sister's birthday at a local place. The decor was... ummm... interesting.















And now, as I write this while the girls are napping, we're back home... and it's pouring rain and 36 degrees. I went grocery shopping this morning with the girls and we all got soaked and chilled to the bone. Ah well... at least we have the memory of those warm, perfect days.

*All photos in this post are courtesy of my father and my sister and their very nice cameras. :-)