A Pre-Christmas Trip to the Sunshine State

Jim and I had planned to spend Christmas in Florida.  But by the time we got around to buying plane tickets [October], it would have cost us $1000/roundtrip [each].  So we opted for going the week before, which cost us $400/roundtrip.  Still expensive, but way better than the alternative.  $#@*&^ airlines.  We flew down 12/16 and stayed with Jim’s dad and wife for 4 nights, and with my parents for 3 nights.  Jim’s parents live in Ft. Myers, Florida, and my parents live 10 minutes away on Sanibel Island.  It makes life so easy!

One of my favorite parts of the trip was renting a 2-person kayak and paddling through the mangroves at Tarpon Bay on Sanibel.  We invited the parents but we had no takers, so it was just Jim and I.  Tarpon Bay has a kayak trail through the mangroves which takes about an hour – it was awesome!  And very relaxing:

       

      

       

We also went to a Nature Center in Ft. Myers which was a big disappointment.  However, Jim did get to hold a tarantula!  I ran as far away as I could, but snuck back to take a few pictures:

      

Some random shots from our trip:

      

      

       

We always enjoy stopping at the mobile park on Sanibel Island to see the rescue parrots and lemurs.  The parrots LOVE when Jim scratches their heads:

       

On our 2nd to last day, Jim’s auntie Alice arrived with her husband Ben.  Jim and I always love seeing Auntie, and she loved the stained glass Star of David I made her for Hanukkah:

       

On our last day in Florida, my Dad took everyone on a bird tour through Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel – Dad runs Audubon bird walks through there frequently, so he’s an excellent guide:

       

     

      

We flew home on the 23rd and arrived back at the condo after midnight.  I had to work Christmas Eve [a half day, so it wasn’t that bad] and on the way home I picked up our new boy Franc – yay!

We spent Christmas Day with my best friend Abbie and her whole family:

Here’s a wonderful photo of Jim and I that Abbie’s mom just sent me:

And here’s the 4 I took that came out halfway decently:

      

      

I only got those 4 pictures, the rest came from Briggs’ mom [which I unceremoniously swiped from Facebook]:

      

       

      

In that last picture Meara is carrying the Giant Microbe that Jim and I got for her for Christmas.  It’s Mad Cow Disease.  Claire [enthralled by her new etch-a-sketch] got Swine Flu:

       

I love Giant Microbes – it was funny watching the twins run through the house with their miniature shopping carts, each stuffed with a giant microbe!  Wish I’d gotten a picture of that.

I made a Butternut Squash Mac N’ Cheese for Christmas [to bring to Abbie’s house], and a spinach lasagna for New Years, for Jim and I:

      

Both of them were sooooooooooo good!

Happy New Year everyone!