Second Week in FL

We've been busy this week trying to make the most of our time here in Florida. I'm getting more and more nervous as our day to travel home gets closer and closer! The travel pain has been totally worth it, though, to get to spend time with family and friends. I have to admit that it's a little more fun to have people come to visit us - we don't have to travel, and the visitors don't have to go to work while they're there! My mom and dad and sister Becky have had to work most days while we've been here, but luckily we've been able to spend a lot of time with my other sister, Leslie, and her son Cameron. I can't wait for the day that my parents (and in-laws... hint-hint, Charlene) retire and are able to devote their full time to being grandparents!! :)

Cameron had a really fun birthday party last weekend. My sisters did a great job of planning it and it went off without a hitch. It was at a beautiful state park and there was a great playground right by the pavilion we were in, which Jackson absolutely loved. Leslie even hired an entertainer to lead all of the kids in a sing-along for part of the time. I thought Jackson would love this, but he only had eyes for the playground. The slides were pretty dirty, and the rear end of his shorts was literally black by the time we left.

Cameron was such a good boy at the party. He can totally miss a nap and be just as happy as if he'd had one. Polar opposite from my boys! :) He was pretty tired by the end of the party, but was awake enough to enjoy his cake!

That kid can put away some food like you would not believe!! He literally ate half of that cake in one sitting. A boy after my own heart! At one point Jackson tried to steal a bite of cake while Cam's head was turned. He ended up with only icing, though, and instantly wanted it off of his fingers. He hates to have stuff stuck to his hands.


My cousin, Jason, was able to come visit yesterday. He's a fireman at an AF base up in Charleston, SC, and it was great to be able to see him. He drove down to my grandparents' house to spend a few days with them, and drove them down to our house for the evening. My grandma made the best chicken and dumplings for dinner last night - YUM! We had a really nice visit, and Jason got in some Emmett time when I needed a little break.

A few months back, Jason was sweet enough to buy my grandparents a laptop, and now they are able to see pictures of all of their great-grandchildren on the blogs that we keep. They've even skyped with my cousin and his wife in Hawaii! What a wonderful gift for them.


I know I said earlier that its more fun to have people visit us, but then, we don't have a pool, tons of land to run around on, and horses to watch at our house. Jackson has been loving the pool, running up and down my parents' looooong, unpaved driveway (sometimes pushing his ride-on schoolbus), and watching the horses from a safe distance. He's a little afraid right now to get too close to them. He was fine with riding one last Christmas, but I guess he's a little more aware of what's going on now. Here he is having some fun with my dad in the pool. With this oppressive Florida heat we have goin' on, it's been great to go swimming whenever we want!

We really have to keep a close eye on Jackson when he's outside now. He has become pretty fearless about the pool. In Boise he would only ever jump into the pool to Phil, and he had to have a firm hold on Phil's hands before he would jump. Now he is full-up leaping off of the side with no hands, whether we are ready for it or not. Today I was letting him go under the water when he jumped before I would pick him up, and he loved it. I love the look of total surprise on my dad's face in this picture. Jackson clearly jumped before he was ready.

You can see the two-year-old-ness rear its ugly head for a few seconds in this video. He apparently didn't like being told to wait to jump. Ex-cuuuuse us! :)