Ping Ponging Across FL

Beautiful FL Sunshine!

The last place I left off in our travels was way back in Tampa, or maybe we were already in Bonita but I didn't write about it. And I forgot to write about the manatees at the electric company or the pool time that was just for our kids because in Tampa people do not go swimming unless it is above 80 degrees and that was all about three campgrounds ago. Time is now measured in campgrounds because once we hit, the time vanishes into thin air and we are left with memories of yet another place we've been. I piece together the events and the places and I use my camera to bring it all back so we don't forget because at some point this trip will end and I don't want to feel like we still have things to do. But of course we will still have things to do. And then our kids will be old and then they'll leave us and we will feel like we should have done more and when my mind fast forwards to the day they are waving goodbye I want to say "who cares about school or if they can spell "their" and "there" correctly, we have a bike to ride and some turtles to spot!" Then I slow down the time in my head and I use these pictures to piece together the things we have done and I think, "Ok, we are doing alright."

After Tampa we headed South to Bonita Springs. Bonita offered sunshine, warmth, the Everglades Wonder Garden, Bonita beach and it's lovely sunsets, new friends, a spontaneous 45 mile bike ride for Chris who can't remember when he last rode more than 6 (and that's with kids), Lovers Key State Park, Bonita Dog Beach, an upgrade from roller skates to blades, and my first taste of horchata. 

Manatees at the Tampa Electric Company

Loving Bonita Dog Beach

From Tampa we headed North to Eustis. I was not looking forward to Eustis. It was land locked. It was colder. It was land locked. I didn't know what we would do. It was landlocked. 

Juniper Spring in Ocala National Forest

However, even though it was landlocked, Eustis is in the Lake County of FL and when we pulled in to our campground at Southern Palms, we were greeted by the friendliest of people. Our huge site had a grass field right next to it for the kids to play in. Then we had kids coming to visit their Great-Grandma who just happened to be my new BFF and the kids were awesome. Chris still smiles at me as my opinion of Eustis turned around by day 2 and we had a great 3 weeks exploring a part of Fl that we never would have ended up in. We went to Ocala National Forest and saw some beautiful springs. We explored Trout Lake Nature Center. We watched a rocket take off from Cape Canaveral and saw it shooting across the sky as we sat and cheered from the top of our camper. We went to Disney and partied there for 10 straight hours. Chris and I introduced the boys to their first buffet (which they LOVED), made a Friday night out of playing lazer tag and going to the local pizza joint and drank some beers while Oliver danced to "Won't Back Down" about 52 times. We celebrated 100 days of school and Austin's first book report. Eustis will forever put a smile on my face as it was a completely unexpected fun part of the US that had us singing "Small Town" by John Mellencamp as sure enough, we were just off the 441.

Still smiling after the boys pushed him around in his wheel chair!

During our time in Eustis we made a mini trip down to Deerfield Beach to visit my Grandmpa and Grandpa. We also got to catch up with my aunt who I haven't seen in a while who also let Chris and I have a surprise date night. The trip down South was great as we basked in the sunshine, swam in the pools and visited cool places such as the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center, Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, and the Museum of Discovery and Science. It was also an emotional time as I spent time with my grandfather and as we said goodbye, I kept it tucked away that it might be my final goodbye. As I walked out of his room I was hit with such an overwhelming thankfulness for this trip. The time it is allowing us to visit with friends and family is not just a small benefit from hitting the road. As we miss the ones we love back home, the US is huge and there is something special in spending more than just an afternoon or evening with those that live far away. 

Grandma and I at the IMax

Last Sunday as we pulled out of Eustis we headed to one last stop in FL. If you ever find yourself in Lake Country, you HAVE to check out Central Florida Nature Adventures. We went kayaking in Blue Spring State Park with a guide named Kenny and the day was a picture of the kind of experiences I wanted to have when we set off on this trip. We sailed under some nesting Bald Eagles as they spoke to one another, watched manatees make their way to and from the spring to the ocean and munch on the grass along the way, we saw alligators sunning themselves and had lunch with a Barred Owl who was quite talkative. The trip lasted for three hours which could have been pushing it with a 5 and 7 year old, however, they did great. Kenny kept them entertained with funny stories and strange facts of the wild life. He was laid back and didn't mind them learning how to work a paddle, even as the scraping sounds bounced off the sides of his kayaks. After our last failed tour on horseback it was so great to have a completely successful trip that we will all remember for a long time.

That brings us to Georgia. So far we haven't left the campground much, but that's OK as it's a beautiful park with miles of trails, lakes, rivers, and kids. Soon enough we will have trampled all over the islands that are down here and we'll be heading North to South Carolina still with Georgia on my mind...