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