Fall in Florida

While most of you are starting to don your hoodies and coats, we are finally getting a reprieve from the heat here in Florida. And its fun to experience a new kind of autumn. We also had a few wonderful visitors (and welcome anyone and everyone). Check out below....

Darren and I taking a stab at paddle-boarding - loved it!

Infamous "Robert is Here" fruit stand and shake shop for THE BEST key lime shakes ever

with Grandma Voss. And yes those are green, raw, unhusked coconuts in the background.

First fishing trip at the Long's house (a great family in our church congregation that opened their arms to us)

Alligator at Everglades National Park (10 minutes from the shake shop in Homestead, Florida - top of the Florida Keys)

Halloween at Aunt Becky's - it was so dang hot, the twins were sweating in the costumes, so you don't get the full "cuteness" effect. But it was just fun to walk the neighborhood together:)

The only milli-second Justin wore his whole costume

I was asked to do a face-painting booth at the church's trunk or treat party (Jared just got a gecko on his cheek). So I dressed up as a gypsy and gave our fortunes for the adults too. Pretty fun!

Ominous Darth Vader and the most beautiful snow princess you have ever seen (think Lion, Witch & Wardrobe)

Great friend of ours, Gary Murray, from the good old Lehman Days. He is also the mastermind for the annual rim-to-rim hikes at the Grand Canyon, which we sadly missed this year. We loved catching up with him and doing dinner on the beach!

Just gotta get buried in the sand when you go to the beach!

Grandpa and Andi (and Precious down by Grandpa's leg) in a "drive-by" visit

U-pick Pumpkin Patch for Darren's birthday

Visit by the beautiful Aunt Sarah!

Yet another nature preserve trail we explored one weekend. This one had so many spider webs strung across the trail we ended up using sticks to probe ahead of us, so as to not inadvertently run into one. There is a huge banana spider at the top of this one, kind of brown/orange - just nasty! We did not destroy the web just so you know, went "under" this one.

Turtle Hatch

Here is the turtle hatch we saw

89 loggerhead turtles emerged here!

Truly an amazing event that spanned about 30 minutes from beginning to end.

Because it was still daylight, the rescuers did not allow the turtles to head toward the ocean as most would not have survived given the circling birds and waiting fish. They were placed in the buckets and released late in the evening. It was sooooooooooo cool!

Lizards and Turtles and Snakes OH MY!

Lizards and Turtles and Snakes - OH MY!!!!!

Florida is FILLED with all kinds of creepy, crawly, nasty, cute and amazing things. Only a few captured in photos below.

Hiking to the top of an overlook point in one of the nature preserve parks.

These are bananas spiders and they are as big as the palm of your hand - they are everywhere. When Darren runs in the morning, he hates it when he hits a spider web in the dark....because you never know what is on the end of the web string!!!

The boys relentlessly chase lizards

One of the many snakes we found in our yard - let's not even mention the ants and 50 year old insidious mold IN the house. The first few months were a trial of my OCD clean-freak tendencies for sure.

Jared has VERY quick hands, catching even the smallest of lizards

Over the course of a few days we watched this little lizard become a meal for ants and bugs. We thought the skeleton was cool.

Yet another lizard

We have a camera full of lizard pictures, but you get the drift. Another crazy animal story was an encounter at 2:00 in the middle of the night. Right outside our room, we heard this banging and crashing sound. It woke Darren and I up with a fright and ready to find a baseball bat. Come to find out, a frog had accidentally jumped into the AC fan outside and got thrown about making the banging. It was not pretty to say the least, but just happy it wasn't the boogieman. Lots of rats, other rodents, and squirrels about. When I questioned the locals if it was just "the area" we were in. The scoffed response was, "in Florida, there is a thousand rodents per person. Best not to worry too much about it." This doesn't even TOUCH on the mosquitos and no-see-ums and biting flies. Those are just a given! At one point Rachel and I looked like we had chicken pox with so many bite welts. Ahhhhh, Florida in the summer....

Monarch Butterfly

Python - Rachel at far left and Jared at far right

On several occasions we would run into the volunteers for the animal rescue center on the beaches. So we had amazing, once in a life time opportunities to assist in some of the turtle nest digs. We even happened upon a nest just as it was hatching, which was the most beautiful thing we have experienced EVER! 89 turtles emerged from just this one nest. People live in Florida all their lives and never get this rare opportunity. The other occasions were 1-2 days following a hatch where we would assist the volunteers as they dug out the nests. They would count how many eggs hatched and how many did not make it, document dates, locations, turtle species, etc. On a few occasions we would find live baby turtles that could not get out of the sand, so Rachel and Jared thought they were TRUE animal rescuers as they saved these turtles! It was some of the most phenomenal experiences we have ever had and memories to last a lifetime.

A turtle marker - these were ALL OVER the beaches to keep people from destroying the beautiful nests

June 2010 - Hello Florida

FUN IN FLORIDA!!!

Hot Lava Cake for Father's Day

(Honoring one "smoking" hot father )

Lots of love - friends forever

Piggy back rides - Justin has it good!

First day of school - Rachel and Jared grabbed their backpacks and Justin

picked up a lunch bag as if he was going too! It was most traumatic for him:)

Our cute bungalow for a few months

Gorgeous sunrises and sunsets!

At the top of Jupiter lighthouse - one of the last few full functioning lighthouses

Animal rescue center - a recovering injured turtle

Playground at Loggerhead Turtle rescue center

First Sand Castle

"Welcome to the apple tasting show!" Put on by author Jared and big sister Rachel

Apple tasting spread

Notice shirtless Jared - which is what he was most of the summer

How did he just KNOW how to be a beach bum?????

1st visit by cousins Maya and Elijah

I mean HUB ----BAH!!!!! Is there anything cuter than a hottie husband

on adventure with his son?

1st snorkel - Rachel

1st snorkel Jared

Endless summer days

Brotherhood!

Jared chased a huge lizard and when he caught it by the tail, the tail came off and it wiggled around for at least 10 minutes, it was nasty. Jared loved it!

Back flips in the pool!

Saying Goodbye!

"List of Lasts"

When we told the kids that we were moving from Utah to Florida, we decided to make a "list of lasts" to properly say goodbye to 5 yrs of favorites.

April 2010

Last smore at favorite camp spot in Little Cottonwood Canyon

Last hot dog roast

Last splash in the freezing cold mountains streams with cousins

One of our favorite hikes near Solitude Ski Resort. The lake and walkway was still totally frozen over, but the kids insisted. This is a picture of us on a bench that is usually a resting stop in the heat in summer. But when we went in April, the snow was frozen solid up to the seating part. Still stopped for a snack regardless of legs sticking straight out over the snow:)

The FAVORITE rock climbing spot - again covered in ice and snow. But did that stop Rachel and Jared? It was on the list and must be done! And the wall really is near vertical of a climbing angle.......we do LOVE adventure!

Walking on the lake with cousins Rosina and Brady

Playing in the back yard.....the final days

The last weekend in Utah (while the moving trucks were literally at our house) we threw a party at Willow Creek park for family and friends we love so dearly. So hard to say goodbye to so many that have enriched our lives so deeply!!!

Last hugs from Grandma Voss

Last trip to Wheeler Farm

Last drive by the Salt Lake City Temple

Goodbye to the beautiful natural habitat of the backyard

Goodbye to furniture we sold and cleared out....Hugs of comfort and fun during the upheaval!

Goodbye to Darren's tough mountain ride

Goodbye to the trampoline - it only had to go two miles like that, thank goodness: )

It is always so hard to say goodbye to loved ones, wonderful places, and experiences that have left footprints on our hearts forever. But saying goodbye and completing our "list of lasts" (not nearly represented enough in pictures) helped to some degree!