Last summer, I think it was, my parents purchased what is one of the kids favorite things here. A mini version of the "crane" game. It's filled with small treasures for them to enjoy such as little animals, candy, miniature cars and tractors, folded up dollar bills. On a day we may get it out to play, the kids "earn" a coin for the game by making good behavior choices. They were helped a lot in the beginning, but now we don't really help them. If they get something, they get it, if not there's always next time. They LOVE it!!! And Grandpa loves it too!!! :)

This morning I took the kids down to a small lake behind my parents condo. There is a pond directly behind the condo, mere feet from the sliding glass doors, which houses numerous turtles, some big crazy looking ducks, and even a small aligator or two! The lake is a bit farther back. Unfortunately the water is receeded quite a bit right now, but it was still fun to walk to...

So far on our trip we've visited the beach once (That's just a lot of work with four!) and the pool at my parent's retirement community three times. Here are a couple great shots from the beach the other day:


The pool has really been great too. Braeden has always been a fish! Ever since he was a baby and loved to stick his head under the water as it ran in to fill the tub! :) He wears arm floaties and is fearless. Even taking them off to the consternation of mom and grandpa. :) Olivia loves to swim too, although she's not quite as fearless.

The first time we went in the pool on this trip, since Liam and Girlie are so young it's like starting over, they were very hesitant. Liam loves loves loves water, but he wants that feeling of holding someone. He does NOT want water wings or a ring or the baby boat, no way. We put the suits on them that have inflatable inserts. But Liam wouldn't try to use them, he just would hang on and do some splashing and placing his face in the water. Girlie did better, but still needed someone or something, we got her to use the noodle a little bit.

Today was the third time, Girlie is completely on her own with the water wings only! Her face bobs below the surface from time to time, but she can keep her mouth closed and the water doesn't bother her. She kicks her feet and floats and goes! (With me right by of course!) Liam finally got almost to the same point today. Almost, he did the water wings finally. He would "swim" back and forth from grandpa and I. He doesn't stay up as well as Girlie and swallows more water, but he loves the free feeling. :)

I'm hoping to get some pool pics soon, it's hard with so many kiddos in the water! :) The trip is going well!

Today Olivia was able to go ice skating. This is her love lately. She wants to skate so much. Ever since she saw the movie Ice Princess. :) We quit most of her activities over the last semester and she will be starting skating lessons this fall. (They are so expensive, but I told her that if it was really what she wanted, then we would do it, IF she quit everything else.) At Christmas Santa gave her a pair of skates. The mall here has an indoor rink and she was able to go quite a few times over the trip to FL then. She brought them with to go this summer as well. She still loves it!!!

In other news, Liam's Crocs have disappeared!!! We can't find them anywhere at all! The only possible thing we can guess is that he maybe put them in the garbage and they went out with the trash??? (He's into putting things in the garbage lately, but usually only appropriate items!?) I only brought everyone's crocs and one pair of "nicer" sandals for each. In addition to losing his crocs, his feet have either grown overnight, swelled from heat, or something, and his sandals all of a sudden don't fit! :( His feet are hanging out the back. So, we are on shoe alert at stores. I found awesome Croc sandals on clearance today while Olivia was skating for only $9! They are a size 6/7 which is what I was going to buy "regular" Crocs in. He had size 4/5 but they were starting to get a little small. I got the sandals, and love them, but they are too big. If they were Crocs and not sandals they may have been a little big, but he could have grown into them. The sandals just don't work. :( We'll keep them for next summer and keep looking. Hopefully finding something SOON! :)

Well, we had decided after Christmas to do something other than Busch Gardens/Disney (as much as I LOVE amusement parks) this trip down to FL. (We have tickets to see the Lion King on June 19 which should be a HUGE hit!!!) And we planned to go to this farm that my dad had found a random brochure on sometime. It looked and sounded like something right up the kids' alley so we thought we'd check it out. We went today, it's located just west of Disney in Kissimmee and is called Greenmeadows Petting Farm.

You can see it here: http://www.greenmeadowsfarm.com/

It was so much fun. It's a continuous 2 1/2 hour tour that you catch whereever it is when you arrive. Once you arrive back where you began you are done and can stay and play in a few large play areas if you wish. On the tour, there are many many animal "pens" that you stop at. Some you just hear info and see the animal/s, most you can at least pet, but many you get to interact with. The kids petted many animals, caught chickens and ducks to hold, rode a pony a train and a hayride, held baby ducks and chicks, and milked a cow! That was the highlight for Braeden! He even got a tshirt that says "I milked a cow at Green Meadows Farm!" So funny!!! Here are a few pics to capture the day.


Braeden was excited all day long at Green Meadows!!!


Grandma helped the kids hold the baby duck. Too cute!!!


Liam is obsessed with my parents old little people farm. He plays with the chicks constanly, hiding them in the barn loft, etc. To see real chickens was a dream!!!


Olivia and Braeden got milk from the cow right away. Braeden was so quick that I got a picture of his back walking away! This is Olivia doing a great job!!! What farmers! :)