June 29th and 30th

ANNA MARIA ISLAND

Well, it is official...we will be listing our house, quitting our jobs and moving to Anna Maria Island! It's a little slice of paradise, seemingly unspoiled and without the throngs of tourist normally found in an area with powder white sand beaches and clear blue water that is warmer than the air. 

 

As soon as we pulled into the driveway the kids ran to the beach just to see and feel the ocean!

 

Mom & Daughter

 

Entrance to the beach at the end of our street.

 

The island is seven miles long, one mile wide with only two roads connecting it to the mainland. It's located just south of Clearwater, FL.  One side of the island is on the Intercoastal Waterway and the other is on the Gulf of Mexico.  We are four houses away from the Gulf, temporarily living in a three bedroom bungalow with a pool, so the kids have the best of both worlds, when they get sick of sand in every crack and crevice, they can come back to the house and swim. Surprisingly, the kids aren't afraid of all the small lizard like things running all over the backyard. Of course Rose wants to catch one and bring it home, not going to happen!
                                                                             

I don't know where their energy comes from!  Everyone should sleep well tonight, the Florida sun was out today and all that white MN skin sucked it in, maybe a little too much!

                                    

June 28th....Birthday!!

Today was Rose's 12th birthday, so the plan was outdoor adventure, something right up her alley!  Mark found a company called Cajun Encounters about 45 minutes outside of New Orleans.  Once again it was HOT and it was even HOTTER on the swamp!  You may think in the photo of Ted below that he had just stepped out of the shower...but, no, he was "blessed" with the "Kyllo sweat gene".  He was SOAKED!

 Captain Sonny took us out on the Pearl River and showed us alligators galore.

  Rose even drove and the crowd sang her Happy Birthday on the boat.  The tour was about two hours long and fun was had by all!

It is a different way of life out there.  I'm glad that the kids were able to experience it.  These houses are only accessible by boat.

After the tour we went back to the French Quarter for more great food and then Magazine Street for some crazy ice cream creations.

 

 

We headed East around 7:00 p.m. for an overnight drive to Florida and added three more states to our count on the way.  The boys missed the Florida sign, they were sleeping.

2013 Day 2 TN, MS, LA

I told myself after Minnesota's long and cold "spring" that when we went on vacation, I would embrace the heat, but it's HOT down here!!!  When we left Memphis this morning, the forecast was for 98 degrees with a heat index of 108.  The digital thermometer on the van never went below 95 the entire six hour drive to Louisiana.

The pictures below were entered into evidence in the case of Kyllo vs. Kyllo.  Notice Thomas's hand pinching Teddy in the first picture.  Teddy punched Thomas in the stomach resulting in the second photo.  I like how everyone's expressions change.  It almost looks like we were acting, but that is just real life on road, people!!

We arrived in New Orleans around 3:00 p.m. checked in to our hotel, then grabbed a streetcar to the French Quarter.  The people watching here is unmatched!

If you can zoom in on this picture, you will notice the fancy "lady" on the street!


We walked miles, exhausted and dehydrated the kids then took them for dinner.  I had a traditional Po Boy and we topped it all off with beignets at Café du Monde.

Tomorrow is Rose's 12th birthday and we are celebrating with a "Cajun Excursion" which includes, boats, swamps and alligators.  What were we thinking???

Summer Trip 2013 Day 1

In the famous words of Steven Tyler, "We're baaaccckkk in the saddle agaaaain!  (that is a line from an Aerosmith song for those of you who don't know!)
We hit the road last night, Tuesday around 6:00 p.m. with a plan of driving through the night to Memphis, TN.  I got a few zzz's until midnight then I took over the driving through the night.  I owed Mark after my lack of driving on last years trip!

We stopped for gas just across the Missouri border and while I was standing outside stretching,  a cargo can pulled up and a Mennonite family poured out.  I don't know how many people were in that van!  As they were walking by admiring our ride, one of the men smiled and said, "I like your van."  I smiled and said "thanks", but thought to myself, "I bet you do!"  For those of you that are familiar with the new van, you will understand!

I have a bone to pick with the State Wildlife Veterinarian of Missouri.  She really needs to get a handle on the animals trying to cross the road in the middle of the night.  I felt like Mario trying to avoid logs, animals, fruit and  toads in MarioCart!! 

While driving in the dark and quiet night, your mind wanders.  I was thinking how lucky I am to have had parents that took me and my siblings on road trips growing up and the many places that I saw that people that use air travel never got to see.  I learned how to read mile markers and a map(albeit not very well), what a "jake" brake is used for, and what happens to a "runaway" semi truck!  I thank my parents for that.  Our children look forward to these trips all year long.  They enjoy helping plan it and always have an open mind for new adventures.

Anyway, on with the trip...we had 10:00 reservations for Graceland and was I EXCITED!! We arrived at 9:30,  just in time to change clothes and start the tour.  It was amazing!

 

 

 

 

                                          
                                                                Kitchen

                                                           Billiard Room

                                                         Jungle Room...YIKES!

                                                        Ted on tour

 

Priscilla's wedding dress

 

 

 If ever in Memphis, GO!!  The kids even liked it and they are not very familiar with the King's work!  We spent about three hours there and then made our way to the hotel to check in.  We headed to the Beale Street area to do some walking and have dinner.  It was interesting, but not really what we expected.  Seeing the infamous Peabody Hotel was cool, although we missed the ducks by 20 minutes. 

 

 

 

It's an early bedtime tonight after not a lot of sleep last night.  Tomorrow we head to New Orleans!!  Another new place that none of us have ever been.