Farewell Florida!

Even though we've been in Florida for almost three months, it seems like we just got here. We leave for Maine on Wednesday and right around this time next week will be driving up the Eastern Seaboard. Hopefully the weather will cooperate. I'm not sure where we'll be or if we'll have internet access but I'll try to post a quick update if I can. If you're curious about where we are each day you can always subscribe to one of our social media feeds (links located on the right side of this screen). We've been posting one picture every day, so by the time our great adventure ends in August we'll have quite the gallery amassed. As of today we've been "on the road" for 274 days. Wow!

Maine is one of those places we've always wanted to visit. We can't wait to see all the lighthouses.... and eat lobster rolls three times a day....and hang out with Stephen King.... Okay, so that probably won't happen but you can be sure we'll be seeking out at least one lobster roll! The truth is that most of the things we know about Maine are from what we've seen on TV, so we can't wait to actually live there for a while and really get a feel for our East Coast counterpart. What will we see? Who will we meet? How does it "feel" to live there? What does the local accent sound like? There is so much to learn!

We're currently preparing for our departure and it's been a pretty eventful week. Last Saturday I met up with the Florida State Society Daughters of the American Revolution (FSSDAR). They were holding their annual state conference and I was invited to the Junior Membership Luncheon. Junior members are members between the ages of 18 and 35. It was great to see some old friends and meet new ones. The Florida Daughters are a fun bunch and I encourage you to take a look at some of the things they do in their communities.

This morning, the older two and I drove to Epcot. The kids have been reading the Kingdom Keepers series by Ridley Pearson and today he was there for a book signing for his newest (and last?) book in the series, The Return: Disney At Last. It was an amazing experience for them to be able to meet him AT Disney World and buy the books before they're officially released! Mr. Pearson was very nice and asked questions about our adventure so we gave him a card with a link for the blog. If you're reading this, Mr. Pearson, thank you for the opportunity! The kids are pouring over the newest installment as I type.  

Our oldest has been working with someone to build up his swimming endurance at the National Training Center in Clermont for the past few months. Shortly after we arrive in Maine, he and my husband will be returning to Florida to meet his Boy Scout Troop for BSA Florida Sea Base. Apparently sports teams and Olympians from all over North America come to train at this facility, which we didn't know when we signed him up. It was a fun surprise!

While I was waiting for him to finish his last session I had a wonderful conversation with the woman sitting next to me- who turned out to be one of the Olympians! You just never know who you may be sitting next to.  Brandy Johnson, who competed in the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, Korea, now owns Brandy Johnson's Global Gymnastics Academy and coaches her daughter, Sydney, who is an outstanding athlete in her own right. You can see them both in action here. Brandy, if you're reading this, it was a pleasure meeting you! Thanks for the great chat!

After the lesson, my oldest and I took the opportunity to visit the Citrus Tower, which is a tourist attraction that was built in the late 1950's. Originally the view showcased the surrounding orange groves but the scenery has changed quite a bit in recent years with the decline of the local citrus industry. It's still fun to ride up in the elevator and see the surrounding area, though. Of course, I couldn't resist the cheesy fun!

This Citrus Tower is right next to the Presidents Hall of Fame*, which is a little roadside presidential history museum that opened in the 1960's. The kids and I visited it a few weeks ago. You can find small versions of American landmarks as well as a model of the White House during it's construction and a very detailed version of what it looks like now. Wax figures of past presidents, clothing, and other artifacts fill the museum. It was interesting to see an exact replica of the Resolute Desk and items like an actual banner that hung in the capitol during the campaign of William McKinley, 25th President of the United States.  

I'm not sure where we'll be when we post next but we always love your suggestions, so keep 'em coming! Until then, goodbye Florida! We enjoyed our stay and loved meeting so many new friends. Thank you for everything (especially my new/old sewing machine)!!

- Jen

* Note: The website needs to be updated

A Curious World

This week the clock "fell back" an hour for daylight saving time. Our schedule is pretty flexible so hasn't been that big of a deal...until today. We're feeling it today.

I'm sure part of the reason we're lagging is because we went to Brain Candy Live with Adam Savage and Michael Stevens last night and we were up later than usual. It's totally okay though. All throughout the show the kids were fully engaged and were practically bouncing in their seats! Today they all woke up inspired and have been reliving moments and describing things they want "to try at home"...You know what I call that? Quality entertainment and worth every penny.

Basically, "Brain Candy Live" celebrates makers and science, and gets people excited about questions like "Why?" and "How?" and "What would happen if...?" When education becomes fun, the whole world opens up and the possibilities are endless! My kids loved the demonstrations and explanations of why things behave the way they do. It was great and I'm so glad we went!

The next show we'd love to see is the "Alton Brown- East Your Science Tour" but we leave just before he gets here. So if you know him, be sure to ask him to add a few shows in the Northeast before we leave..... You will? Thanks! We're big fans! ;-)

Last Saturday we drove to Sarasota just to see what was there. We stopped for gas at one point and saw pickled sausage and eggs on the counter. No, we didn't try them. So if you have and can tell me about them, please do! I'm curious. I tried Kool-Aid Pickles when we were in Alaska but since I hate sweet pickles, they weren't for me. Perhaps these are worth a second look?

Sarasota was very tropical and reminded me a lot of the Keys. Here are a few pictures we took while driving around.

The water was very blue!

This house was in the process of being built. The whole area was impressive.

The nearby town we stopped in for lunch was filled with shops and restaurants with patios like this one.  We ate things like conch fritters (pronounced konk), mango salad, and the kids enjoyed non-alcoholic pina coladas. Everything was delicious! The conch fritters are like a small crab cake or hush puppy (fried round cornmeal fritter), but instead, diced bits of conch are added to the mixture. Conch has a similar texture to calamari. They're white and firm. The fritters were good. Even the kids liked them.

You can find statues everywhere in the Sarasota area.

Near Sarasota we also saw a manatee habitat. Manatees are large endangered marine mammals who are native to Florida and warmer waters. We saw manatee habitats in the Everglades and Weeki Wachee Springs, as well, but never saw any in the wild. So we did a little digging and found out that you can find them at the aquarium in The Seas exhibit at Epcot, which is only 20 minutes from us! How could we possibly have missed this for so long?!

Yesterday we made a point to stop and see these amazing creatures. Now we can cross seeing manatees in real life off the checklist! They are so much bigger than I thought they'd be. Almost like a baby Hippo...

I wonder if one of them is named Barbara?

Look at that tail. I bet it's powerful even though they like to swim slowly.

Their eyes look grey and small, which is different from what we're used to seeing in other animals.

This week we'll be tying up loose ends so we're ready to leave for Maine in a few weeks. Hopefully the weather will cooperate for the drive up.... I guess we'll see!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

- Jen

Local Adventures

Having an adventure doesn't necessarily mean that you need to pack up and head to a far off place. Sometimes it just means discovering something new. This week, for example, we discovered a few local family owned businesses that gave us a taste of other cultures. We also made new friends and discovered interesting art forms- all within 20 minutes of our house! See? Adventure can be anywhere and anything!

I've told you how diverse Florida is and that there's a large British population here. Because of that, we decided to do some research to see if we could find authentic British fare. We didn't have to look far because just down highway 27 is a small shop named The Proper Pie Company. They make all kinds of things you don't normally see on our American menus. They're masters at the art of Cornish pasties (pronounced (past-eez), which are savory hand-held pies. They also offer fresh fish and chips (fries) served piping hot from the fryer, which I like dipped in malt vinegar. The shelves tempt you with various candies and the fridge is stocked with drinks like "Ben Shaw's Dandelion and Burdock", which has a flavor that reminded me of root beer, but it had another taste I couldn't identify. My kids loved it!

Their homemade shortbread was dense, buttery, and crumbly and everything was fresh and perfectly seasoned. We'll definitely be visiting again before we leave. If you go to their website they advertise a traditional English Tea (not the Americanized version) that I can't wait to try!

We wanted to make chicken enchiladas with green sauce this week but couldn't find tomatillos anywhere. After another search we ended up at El Zocalo Supermarket in Haines City, which is probably the best Hispanic market I've ever been to. Because we grew up in California, my husband and I have been to many, so we have a pretty high standard of what authentic Mexican looks and tastes like. This family owned market is exactly what we were looking for! It's clean and the staff are friendly and knowledgeable. They offer a great selection of everything and their pastries are soft and fresh. I even saw a restaurant area with a tortilla factory... fresh tortillas!!!! I've found myself looking for reasons to go back all week, although I may not bring my youngest. He's bound to see the piñata's and want to bring one home. I'm not sure it's a good idea to trail a piñata out the back of the trailer when we drive up to Maine in a few weeks..... although we'd probably be the most festive on the road! I wonder what the dogs would think?

You see that red filling? That's guava! So, so good!

I'd be lying if I told you my kids are as outgoing as I am. The youngest, maybe. But all three are more comfortable at home with the people they've grown up with, in the routines they've grown up with. Meeting new people on this trip has really been a stretch and I'm so proud of them for moving outside of their comfort zones. It's taught them that they're so much more capable than they ever thought and that there are so many more things in this wide world than what they see on a daily basis.

One way we've been meeting new people is by visiting local scout troops wherever we go. They can interact with kids their own age and see how they do things. For example, my oldest visited the Boy Scouts in Alaska and my youngest and I and camped with the Cub Scouts. In Idaho, my daughter carved pumpkins for Halloween with the Girl Scouts. At Christmastime in Arizona, we all helped the Boy Scouts set up luminarias at Tlaquepaque for the Festival of Lights.

This week my daughter and I visited a local Girl Scout troop at the park. They have a mixed troop, which means they have girls of all levels in one troop. The little girls just loved my daughter and they all had a great time running around the park together until long past sunset. It was fun to watch.

We also attended a leader meeting for the Girl Scouts of West Central Florida with them and were just in time to participate in a World Thinking Day event. The local girls made some really beautiful displays and their creative treats gave us some fun ideas to bring home with us when we return in August. The scouts everywhere have been so hospitable and we've enjoyed our time with them.

I had my own little adventure this week too. A quilt group has started meeting at the library, so of course I had to check it out. The group includes everyone from students to international snow birds. One woman came and showed some beautiful pieces of mixed media art that she had made. My favorite thing she showed was her ice-dyed fabric! It was amazing and now I'm on a mission to learn how to do it myself with the kids. You can visit her Etsy shop here to see some of the other pieces she's made.

She decided to test what would happen if she used bleach granules on her fabric. It ended up looking like constellations, but faded the fabric overall. I love her curiosity! She's definitely a kindred spirit!

The quilt group is figuring out which direction they want to go, but for now they've decided to have a weekly show and tell and work on individual projects. The woman who started the group is teaching some people how to make quilts from start to finish. Many have also agreed to make quilts for local charities. Quilters are generous like that. Here are a few works in progress:

We leave for Maine soon and will be traveling up the Eastern Seaboard. We'd love any tips or ideas you may have! Have a great week!

- Jen