Catching Up, Part 1

I haven't had a real chance to update on what's been going on so I thought I should start with our road trip to Florida. (which seems like so long ago now!)

It was really wonderful to get away from the snow and sleet (14 degrees!) of Oklahoma to warmer temps and friends and family in Florida.

We loaded up the car and planned to head out Christmas night, but it was so blizzardy out that we decided to wait until the light of morning just to be on the safe side.

The first 3 hours on the road between Norman and the Dallas-metro area were treacherous to say the least. Snow and ice and deserted cars on the side of the highway. It was slower going as we drove into different counties and the highways were in differing states of slickness. Outside of Dallas it was smoother sailing for us. We took sweet little Gracie with us and she rotated between my lap, Scott's lap and Emi's pillow.

Where's Daddy?

We would drive for a few hours and then stop for bio breaks and meals. We really wanted to drive straight through to Gainesville, but Google had us take a "shortcut" in Mississippi that forced us to we call "Uncle" in Daphne, AL.

On the chilly morning of the 27th, we filled our bellies with hotel breakfast and headed South.  We arrived at our friends' home mid-afternoon and hung out with them just like we used to when we were neighbors. We were so heartbroken when they left 3 years ago so it was so good to spend time with them again. It was chilly (in Florida?!) so we had a fire going and we caught up on life.

That night after we went to bed it rained and stormed and it would have been really enjoyable but we had a crazy fur ball wigging out in our room. The next morning we ate porridge and sultana for breakfast and I had quite possibly the best cup of coffee I've ever had!

After a relaxing morning, Scott and I broke away (leaving the nippers with our friends) and checked out a local mall. I got a couple of pairs of skinny jeans (the hot pink ones took me back to 1985). Later we snacked and played games...

Hanging Out

...and talked about the possibility of us becoming neighbors again. If we moved in with my mom, we'd only be a hop and a skip away!

Aubri loving on Ruth

Scott loving on a cup of coffee...just LOOK at that beautiful mug!

The next morning after breakfast we went exploring the woods around the house. It took me back to when I was a child exploring the woods with my grandmother.





When we got back it was time to head further south to my mom's place. We knew we would see our friends again (on the way home) so it was only bye for now.

Us with the Best Neighbors Ever

(Continued in the next post or two).