.silver springs, family, and one long plane ride home.

I need to just dig in and finish up our Florida trip.  I've been preoccupied this morning with insurance and things which has really taken the wind out of my sales to get anything else done.  Insurance is the biggest pain for us since Finn and I are on our own.  Sometimes I think I should go back to work just to have insurance coverage, but then I remember how important it is that I'm home with little man.  Oh well, things will sort themselves out I guess.  In the mean time...back to Florida.

Wednesday we spent the whole day out with Robert and Dani.  We had originally wanted to go zip lining through central Fl.  Turns out it's a small fortune to do that, so we opted to go to Silver Springs.  Florida is dotted with beautiful crystal clear water springs, and Silver springs is a big one near Ocala.  They've turned it into a mini amusement park/zoo for people to come see.  One of the coolest things was the glass bottomed boat.  The spring was so clear you could see all the way to the bottom, which in some places was pretty far.  Finn and Uncle Robert were best buds during the boat ride.

Isn't that cool!

My favorite picture of Finn and Robert together.

They had all kinds of animals like bears, monkeys, exotic birds, of course gators, but I think our favorite was the giraffe.  Finn's first encounter with a giraffe...he didn't know quite what to think of it, but he was definitely curious.

He felt a lot better when he was being safely held.

He came out for a couple of Brits to feed him a handful of pellets (it seemed like a small amount for such a large animal).

Of course we had to see the giant gator, who seemed far to large to be able to move at all.  

Dani and Finn at the base of a giant Cypress tree.

It had been along day in the sun so naturally Finn fell asleep in the car on the way home.  So he was dropped off at home to finish his nap while Robert, Dani, Roy, and me drove out to Gator Joes to enjoy  some food you can't get in Utah.  I of course had the gator and frog legs, and I would recommend gator to anyone...it tastes good (as does most anything fried).

Thursday we played outside in the little pool that grammy had bought Finn, but mostly Finn wanted to hang out with Oscar the dog.  He just LOVED that dog.  We BBQ'd that night and enjoyed all the time with family and friends. Dani was the master at getting Finn to sleep.  I loved watching how tender she was with him...melted my heart!

Friday we woke Finn up to make the hour drive to Orlando and make our flight.  I was hoping for a repeat of the first flight, but Finn decided otherwise.  He was incredibly fussy, and only wanted daddy, which made for a long flight for Roy.  Both flights were full so we didn't have the luxury of having an extra seat between us (one of the reasons the first flight went so well). Finally, Finn fell asleep for the last hour of the flight into SLC.

Needless to say we were happy to be done with flying for awhile.

.the main event, a tractor, and the ocean.

Saturday was the main event of the week for us.  Roy's brother Robert was sealed to his wife Dani.  It was a simple gathering of us and a few close ward members.  But it was a beautiful and special sealing filled with a lot of emotion.  This made the whole trip worth it for me!  Lucky for us, Janelle (a friend of ours), offered to watch Finn at the temple so we didn't have to take an extra hour drive back to Ocala.

Dani and Robert outside the Orlando Temple after their sealing

Our brood.  You can't tell, but it was a million degrees that day... I exaggerate not!

After some Brazilian food for lunch and a long drive back to Ocala, we stopped in to see some friends of Roy's.  The P's have a sweet old tractor that Finn just couldn't get enough of.

Do you see the pure joy on that kids face?

It took a bit, but we finally managed to pull Finn away from the tractor for the night.
Sunday we had everyone over for a big dinner and got to see Roy's grandparents, which was really nice.

a blurry picture of Dani grandpa and me

the boys with their grandparents

We decided that Monday would be our beach day.  We chose a small beach on the Gulf side and drove out that morning with picnic and beach toys in hand.  Finn's first beach experience in Seattle was less then approving.  He didn't like the loud noise that the waves made, and the sand was a strange oddity that he didn't want touching him.  So you can imagine I was a bit nervous that our beach day would be a bust...boy was I wrong.  It took a few minutes for him to warm up to the idea, but after he saw dad running in the shallows, we couldn't keep him away from the water.

Roy and Becki coaxing Finn into the water

Roy and I harnessed our inner child and made a sand castle

and Finn destroyed it at the first chance

Finn was mesmerized by the sand and even tried a bit with his lunch

Grandma Hoffman watching from the shade of the beach

The Hoffman three walking the beach

The beach was perfect for us...small and crowd free, and the waves weren't big so they didn't scare or throw Finn around.  We loved the beach and will definitely want to go back next time we are in town.

.a plane ride, and then some.

Phew....I have a lot to get to so lets just get to it.  Florida, Roy's little piece of earth.  We decided to get ourselves on a plane while Finn still flew free to see Roy's fam, and to feel REAL heat.  I made lists and double checked websites for any advice for flying with toddlers so I felt ok about the flight, and for the most part Finn did really well even if he only slept 30 minutes.

The blue painters tape was something I read was a good toy to keep kids entertained...it worked pretty good.

We splurged on our rental car and got the GPS.  All I can say about that is LIFESAVER!  It was nice to not stress about how to get around on the strange roads of Florida.
I was so tired after an early morning (4:30), and the long day of traveling that I just wanted to crash when we got to Roy's parents house.  We unloaded all of our luggage and prayed that Finn would be ok sleeping in a strange place.  Of course he really fought it that first night.  He didn't fall asleep until around 9:00, when it got dark, and woke with the sun at 5:30...ughhh.  Needless to say he slept nearly the whole car ride to St. Augustine.

I'm always joking with Roy that we never do anything touristy when we go to visit Fl.  So this time I made sure we got to see that side of Florida.  Roy suggested a day trip up to St. Augustine, which is the oldest European settlement in the United States (a good 55 years before the British settlement of Jamestown).  I can't pass up a good old historical sight, so off we went.

 Our first stop was the light house on the coast.  We had to take turns going up because we couldn't take Finn to the top

 Roy at the top in all his glory.

 From the top looking down on my boys.  I could hear Finn squawking from the top of the lighthouse.

 A view from the top

 With all those stairs, it was a good thing Finn wasn't allowed up.

 Finn and daddy explored the museum including the oil pans, and the cannon shot.

 Thought Finn's lighthouse sticker was cute.

 After the lighthouse we headed for some lunch, in which Finn enjoyed the balloon much more then the food...go figure.
We decided to take a good ol' nap at the hotel before we ventured back out for the day.  The hotel was our saving grace for the day.  The room was dark and quiet just the way he liked it, and he slept really well, to the delight of his parents who also enjoyed a nap.
Once well rested we headed out to the fort that the Spanish had built.  Finn and daddy enjoyed all the old cannons...especially this "Finn" sized one.

 But I think Finn enjoyed the pigeons most of all.  He kept calling them ducks...close enough I guess.  After the fort we just walked along the old streets and saw the old houses and shops.  We munched on some Popsicles from this fun organic shop.  That had all this interesting flavors including pineapple/cilantro which is what I had...SO GOOD!!!
That night we made a short trip up the coast to see one of Roy's good friends and his family.  The kids played at the park (Finn was more interested on chewing the rubber pieces on the ground really, while we enjoyed a good pizza and good company.
This is as good a place to stop for the night.  I'll get to more of our adventures in Florida tomorrow.

.monday.

I woke to Roy running down the stairs this morning, and rushing out the back door.  Minutes later I heard the sirens of the emt's and fire engine.  I scooped Finn from his crib and wandered bare foot and bed headed out the open back door to hear the sad news that our older neighbor, James, had died.  Roy had been summoned to help, as is generally his role.  I stood their holding Finn trying hard to think of what I could say or do to help in some small way.  To me I think there is NOTHING I could do to even come close to making them feel any better.  But you can't just do nothing.  At that moment all I could think about was how he always brought our garbage can back in after it had been dumped.  This was very helpful when both Roy and I worked, but even after I was home with Finn all day, James would always roll our can back in from the street for us.  So in a small gesture of love and gratitude for his service to us, Roy wheeled their can out to the street for pickup today, and I wheeled it back after it had been dumped.
Why does death almost always feel like a shock?  Like we never expect it to happen and we have all the time in the world to figure out what we are doing and how to do it.  When it's the exact opposite- death is unavoidable, and our mortal time is incredibly limited.
So here I am, feeling sad for Anne, cleaning my house like a mad women because that gives me something to do besides think of death, and trying to think of what else I can do to help.  I thank God for his wonderful plan of happiness, and the sweet peace the knowledge of eternal families is!  It helps ground me through days like this, when it would be too easy to feel scared and lost.

.saturday thoughts.

I ran my first 5k race in over a year.  Really I'm ok with that because I've done plenty of races, and I know I can run one and about what time I can do that, so unless I feel strongly about the charity that's behind the race or I'm just supporting friends I'm fine with just doing my own thing.  But yesterday I ran.  I ran without music or friends to talk to.  I can't remember the last time I just ran without anything else but my thoughts.  It was harder with my own thoughts, because my mind really liked the subject of fatigue and pain.  I kept thinking, "man I must be going pretty fast because I'm feeling it."  Turns out I wasn't going REALLY fast, mostly just my regular pace.  I thought, "This feels a lot longer then 3.1 miles", which it turns out it was about .10 mile longer...that's not A LOT longer though.  That quiet race must have got my mind in thinking mode though, because it hasn't really turned off since.
Even watching War Horse last night my mind was ticking away.  By the way, I really didn't like the movie.  Not because the movie itself was bad, but because I just kept thinking about how sad war IS.  Hate and violence are so far removed from my everyday life that I don't often think about what we as humans can do to each other.  I thought, as I watched, about the individuals caught up in this massive black hole of fear and stress and how far away from the peace of God it is.  And that is sad!  I prayed hard last night for Gods peace and I wasn't so sad anymore.

.summer days are here.

or at least they feel like they are here.  We have been soaking up these warm days, and feeling slightly worn out by all the sun and play they have provided us.  I laugh because, even though it hasn't reached the zenith of heat, that only late summer can provide, my body is already needing constant cooling.   The cooler is pumping in cool air and I'm drinking cups upon cups of water.  Finn and daddy of course can't get enough of playing and taking long bike rides in the heat.
Florida is a week away, and I'm thinking about how much easier traveling used to be.  Back when it was just me, or even just Roy and me...piece of cake.  You throw just one kid into the mix, and I feel like I'm packing for a 3 month expedition into the Andes of something.  Kids require a lot of stuff for quiet travel is all I have to say...so instead of focusing on making and completing packing lists, I'm here, writing pointless things because then I don't have to think about that mountain just yet.
Besides the looming travel I'm looking forward to getting away for a bit and being someplace else just for awhile.  It just feels nice to change up the routine every now and then doesn't it!
This past Monday, Finn went in for his 15 month check up.  I can tell he is so much more aware of things then he was even at 12 months.  He loved the Fish, and the toys in the waiting room, but that was pretty much it.  Getting weighed, measured, prodded, and poked was like the end of the world.  He has yet to break the 20 lb bracket as he weighed just shy at 19lb 15oz, but the Dr. said he is almost back on the charts with his weight, which was a pleasant surprise given his finicky eating.  So at 15 months Finn is growing healthy and strong!
In other big news around here, we finally replaced our old dilapidated dish washer.  I found one on KSL that I liked and by the end of the day Saturday we were in business.  When Roy took out the old one, the fixture was a fixed copper pipe...which apparently makes it very old.  Needless to say we like our newer, and much quieter washer very much!
Me, well I'm still busy running house, and getting healthy.  I've been taking a few classes with some girls from the ward over at the rec center.  They are great classes and fun to have girls to work out with.  I tweaked my back during a class (I must be getting older), and had to take a few days off from everything. I felt like such a slug by Monday, that I knew I wanted to get my body moving.  I actually ran the farthest I've ever ran in my life...6 miles in 60 minutes!  I have no desire to run a marathon or even a half at that, but I'm pretty stoked that I had the patience to run that far.  I get so bored after 4 miles that I want to go crazy, but I must have had a mental breakthrough or something because I did it and I'm ready to do it again!
Alright, enough chit-chat...I've got to get back to life and these two hooligans.  Happy Wednesday!!

Little Lilly and Finn getting into trouble

.where are we going.

Finn is trudging his way through breakfast as I sit and type.   I think of that line from the Christmas Story all the time when he tells how his brother Randy hadn't voluntarily eaten a meal in several years.   It seems that is going to be our lot with Finn and food.  Unless its something he really likes like pears, he usually just mashes and pushes it around on his tray until it eventually gets thrown to the floor by his little hands.  I'm pretty sure he gets most of his calories from milk still...thankfully!  I guess I'm coming to terms that little man is not much of an eater, what bothers me most is all the wasted food that I try to get him to consume *sigh* oh well.

With a child I've discovered sometimes its best not to have any expectations, especially young ones, Easter was no exception.  Finn slept through the big Easter egg hunt, which is fine because when he did wake up he promptly found one egg and was content just to examine that single egg with its mysterious contents.  Sunday morning he played with his new animal fridge magnets and bubbles (which he says now), but mostly he just wanted daddy's bellybutton.  Finn is his own little person, with his own interests of the world around him.
On the home front this past week, I have made it a goal of mine to stay on top of the cleaning, especially in the kitchen.  Am I the only person who lets the dishes just pile up throughout the day, and then just hate it at the end of the day when I have to sit and do them all?  This is one of my MANY bad habits.  So this week I determined to do them after every meal and wash the counters and sweep the floor throughout the day.  It was amazing!  Such a simple change made a big difference.  Not once did I feel cluttered or overwhelmed about the state of my house this week, because once the kitchen was cleaned I just made my way around the house picking up little things here or there.  With my house in order I was also able to focus on the other areas of my life...spiritual and physical.  I've been running to try and loose these last 8 pounds or so.  I started at 45 min 4 days a week and I'm now up to 50.  Its been tough if for nothing else but the time commitment, but some days I'm just mentally and physically beat.  I had an entire week where every run felt like drudgery and hurt almost from the first mile.  Of course this past week I finally had an amazing run where everything just clicked.  I can honestly say it was 50 minutes of bliss (I've never said that about ANY running).  I know I felt that way because I knew what it felt like to hurt the whole 50 minutes.  I'm not naive enough to think that I'll have great runs from here on out, but it was a nice motivator to keep up the hard work, because every once in awhile, you get to enjoy it!
As far as events on the horizon...Finn goes in for his check up next week so we will see how much our little dude has grown, plus I'll be asking for any doctororily advice about travelling with a 15 month old.  Our little fam is venturing off to Florida for a week in May.  We are excited to show Finn off to everyone there, but first we have to get there.  Seattle's one hour flight will feel like a breeze compared to the 5 hour flight.  I'm doing all my research, and gathering advice from mothers who have been in the trenches of flight with babies, so here's hoping for uneventful travels.