Moms

We waited a week after the last trip and went to get my "mommy fix".
I need one every few months at least!!




The boys found this happy little camper in her outdoor filing/tool chest
( I do not believe my mother will EVER put her hands back in it, she will probably just go buy new tools!!)



Gabby, the 'slightly over weight' beagle. Yes, shes a beagle, full blooded...
I think she found the watermelons, the picture truly does not do her size justice!



Mom desperately needed the tree limbs cut off her roof, so Jon and the boys jumped right on it.

When all was said and done, the limb pile covered the entire back portion of this side yard. Yes, that is a debris pile behind and in front of Jon, NOT shrubs!

We took some time to go to Simmons Park to go fishing. Two of these fellows decided they wanted shrimp and bread....
They were not fond of each other though, and would hiss and growl .

Isn't he sweet??? He literally stood right below us on the ground, we were just a few feet up on a dock.

Over on the other side of where we were fishing the manatees were playing just a few yards off shore. It was hard to catch a good picture, but there were three. A momma, daddy, ( i think)

and a baby who stayed a little ways off from the parents.


We went to see fireworks off the bridge. They were so pretty, and the breeze off the water was really nice.

Of course we had to eat Chinese one day. We had a "Evan" moment though.

These fish would follow ANYONE who stood by their tank. If you walked away slowly, they followed you....

On Tuesday we left Moms and headed home. But we wanted to make a short stop to do something special with the kids. ( Not that visiting Mom wasn't special)

When Jon and I worked with the youth in Florida we took several trips down the Rainbow River in Dunnellon. It is a six mile natural spring river with no tributaries so the water is crystal clear the whole way down. You rent big tubes at the KP Hole, hop in the cold water and then float 4 hours down river! Sound boring? It is not, I assure you. It is so beautiful You can actually sit on the tube and look down 8-26 ft through the water and see all the way to the bottom. Masks and snorkels are better though! I do believe I could just float on my stomach with my face planted in the water the whole way down, maybe on a noodle!! We strapped the tubes together so they would not float away, then we just swam and floated all the way down. We saw 6 otters, within 20 feet of us, many many turtles, birds, fish, we heard a few gators ( it is egg season, after all). We saw a few kayakers, boats, and one other tuber, but it was very tranquil. There is no garbage on the river, and while there are homes part of the way, they do not detract from the feeling that it is an 'untouched' river.

If you are ever in Florida and have a few hours, it really is worth it!

Shelby was exhausted after the tubes!

I think we decided the Rainbow River is an adventure we will take EVERY time we visit my Mom!!