Category: Life

Pop-up Camping in Florida Fall

As we enter the Fall season, our family has a new tradition this year of gearing up to go pop-up camping. The cooler air, coupled with the reality we haven’t taken enough vacation days and need to use them before end of year, gets us motivated to explore and enjoy a Florida Fall.

Our inaugural Fall camping trip took us to Westgate River Ranch – out in the sticks of Florida in East Polk County. You drive, for what seems an eternity, off I-95 inland across flats of sod farms and cow pastures. It is rare in Florida to travel across terrain that isn’t littered with fast food chains or housing developments – we were getting well into the sticks. The resort was a little oasis, complete with a small swimming pool, a large camping area, an amazing BBQ joint, and one hell of a Saturday night rodeo. Evie got to pet animals, cheer on the bucking broncos at the rodeo, and play in the large field next to our campsite. I strapped her in on the back of my bike and we rode for miles checking out the scenery. She even picked out an orange cowboy hat at the general store! Chad fished a bit and even contemplated a go at trap and skeet. We enjoyed the experience and will definitely go back. Next time, we will stay in the main RV area and not the general camping area. The general camping area is right next to the trap and skeet range and the bathrooms were gross. The rodeo experience alone is worth making the trip out to River Ranch, it was one of the most authentically American events I have ever experienced. Evelyn, Chad and I had a ball. I left the experience having thoroughly enjoyed myself, but also feeling thankful to live in America.

Our second trip of the season led us to Jetty Park. Uncle Brian invited us along. Unlike River Ranch, it was, without a doubt, one of the toughest weekends on record. Anyone who has experienced a toddler knows that sometimes, they are just…. NOT NICE. Evie decided this was her weekend to bundle up all the frustration one toddler could possess, and she unleashed it on us a good portion of the weekend. At one point, I begged Chad to take us home! I was so tired and was at a loss of how to make the situation any better. Moms and dads alike know these toddler days, and we just happened to experience them in the middle of a campground in a pop-up camper. Sigh.

Within a few days after the trip, Ev was back to her usual happy demeanor. We are thankful 🙂

More posts to come, including Evelyn’s first trip to Magic Kingdom and our annual camping event – Campapalooza!

We got a camper!!!!

Well we did it… after much deliberation, research, and saving, we found a camper! We have purchased a 2012 Coachmen Clipper 1285sst. It was in amazing condition, garage kept, had all the features we wanted and was priced out the door for what we wanted to pay.

It was an adventurous journey to find and pick up our camper in Green Cove Springs, FL. After signing the deal, the dealer found that there was something wrong with our Jeep’s 7 way connector, and that we essentially had nothing but running lights when we were ready to leave. That meant if we were going to get home with it, I would either have to take the Jeep to a dealer and get them to fix it in Green Cove, go home and get it fixed and then come back for the camper, or mount up with no brake lights, turn signals or electric brake. This bad boy weighs about 2800lbs dry…. so needless to say, I was biting my nails. After talking to Marci we agreed… lets just get it home!

This meant that a guy who had not towed anything in 10+ years would be towing a 2800lb trailer that is 19ish feet long with running lights only. Let me tell you folks… it was a white knuckle experience! To simulate brake lights, every time I would touch the brake peddle with my foot, I would also actuate the Jeep’s headlights with my left hand, thus turning on the running lights on the trailer, simulating a “brake light.” Have you ever chewed gum, rubbed your stomach, scratched your head, and oh by the way… crapped your pants all at the same time???? Well that was our trip home!

Needless to say, we made it. We took the long way home through the Ocala forest which kept me off of the highway until we got to i4 in Deland. It gave me enough time to get a feel for how long it takes to slow/ stop, accelerate, etc. My parents met us at the house when we arrived and my dad helped guide me in to the garage in reverse for the first time. It was tight, but I was able to do it!

Our first camping trip was to Silver Springs State Park. Right as we got ready to leave, I found the Jeep’s battery was dead. I figured the camper had been plugged in too long and had sucked all of the Jeep’s battery dry trickle charging the Deep Cycle battery on the camper. I jumped the Jeep with the Mazda and we set out on our way. About 45 minutes in to our trip, I noticed my brake controller stopped functioning and that the running lights were also off. We pulled over to take a look but because it was drizzling and getting close to dark, we decided to just barrel through and get to the camp site. We arrived at Silver Springs about an hour and a half later and I quickly got the camper detached from the Jeep and leveled. I then went to hit the electric winch up button to lift the popup and found the deep cycle battery was dead. Crap!

I plugged in to shore power and found that the winch would not operate off of AC. Of course it was getting close to dark, Evelyn was getting a bit nudgy, and while I knew there was a manual crank backup to lift the popup if the electric winch died, I knew it would require some panel dismantling to get to. I quickly remembered I had jumper cables, disconnected from AC, turned the Jeep around and jumped the camper’s battery to lift the popup. A morning evaluation found that the fridge was running on DC power since we brought it home from the dealer. Whoops!

We took Evelyn for a glass bottom boat ride which she loved, played around the campground, lit a fire, and did all those things that make camping fun. While our maiden voyage was far from perfect, I learned a lot and we enjoyed the experience. We figure it will get easier each time… and I am sure it will! 🙂

Here are some pictures!

 

 

Captiva Island Vacation – Birthday Week of Fun!

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Yes, it has been a while. I know, as Evelyn gets older, we will post less often….. so everyone says… 🙂

Last week, we took an amazing family vacation to Captiva Island. My birthday is the 20th, Chad’s is the 21st and Evelyn happened to be 15 months on the 19th – let’s celebrate! We had the extra treat of having the grandparents vacation with us too. Evelyn was in heaven, 5 people at her constant attention, doting, loving, kissing, and clapping at her every move! I loved that we had this opportunity to rent a condo with 3 bedrooms – it was a perfect set up for us. Everyone got their own room, we had a big kitchen and living area, but the best part was the view – we were oceanfront to the beautiful Gulf of Mexico – white sand beach and the beautiful water received a gorgeous sunset – each night, the sun would slowly dunk itself into the blue water, the white beach and soft waves would become enchanting, and sunset on Captiva was a memory to hold forever. On the nights when the enchantment of sunset was perfect, we ventured out to the beach and enjoyed ourselves, feeling the sweet presence of each other and the realization each of us was relaxed, content, and happy to be together.

Evelyn loved the sand on the beach. She would reach down and grab handfuls – either throwing it or occasionally trying a bite. At the pool, she learned to jump from the side. She would sit at the side of the pool with her adorable legs dangling in the water, and we would count off, “1…2…3!” – and she would jump into our arms and squeal with delight. Gran Gran brought a bubble machine – it created this really fun effect on the water with the half-moon bubbles – Evelyn would pop them and laugh! She learned to say, “Shell!” – and would proudly pronounce it over and over. Her vocabulary is growing each day – it is fun to see what she will say next!

Gran Gran, Gigi, and Papa were perfect companions – they got to spend time reading, biking, and relaxing, but they also got Evelyn time. Chad and I see our parents now more than ever, but it is always in the context of caring for Evelyn. At Captiva, we all got to be parents AND kids! The stocked bar (courtesy of Papa) and the special Tervis tumblers (courtesy of me!) made for fun afternoons. One day, we spent quite a few hours bobbing along in the waves and talking. Chad got out a few times and went back to the condo to get us drinks – well after hours of drifting out at sea, we had to get out – and recovering from sea legs after a few drinks was pretty funny for us all! Giggling and teetering back, we all decided that was a super fun afternoon at the beach!

Each night after sunset, we congregated in the kitchen. As you know, cooking is an art form in this family. We had arroz con pollo, mushroom risotto, sausage biscuits and gravy, mojitos, gnocchi, Mark’s famous hoagies, ribeyes grilled to perfection, penne a la vodka – we had so much fun preparing and eating dinner as a family each night – I loved the experience – the art of sit down dinner has been lost to so many families, it is something I believe is very special. It may not happen every night, but when you make the time and make it relaxing and fun – dinner with family is a beautiful thing.

Chad and I got to sneak away a few mornings and paddle on our kayaks in the Ding Darling Preserve. The paddle was gorgeous – heron, manatees, sharks, trout, redfish, mangrove snapper, mullet, cormorants, dolphins – the preserve was brimming with life each morning as we paddled through the clean waters. While Chad fly fished, I spent quiet time reading and relaxing – it is amazing how much I crave silent, outdoor noise! The occasional manatee would pop up for air, or a bird may call – the peace and contentment I feel on that kayak in the water is rejuvenating.

As Evelyn gets older and starts to form her own personality, it is fun to spend time with family and understand how much she is like each of us. Her laugh, her smile, her disposition, her expressiveness – each trait is a small part of us. I love to know Evelyn is surrounded by family that loves her – the confidence and security she feels will help her blossom into one amazing little lady.

Vacation is a time to reflect and enjoy – Captiva definitely fit that bill.

HERE are more pictures.

 

Evelyn at 12 Weeks

Evelyn at 12 Weeks

Evelyn is 12 weeks old today! So much has changed in 6 weeks. She is smiling, starting to laugh, and clearly recognizes her parents, grandparents, and bottle. She has very good head control, tries to hold her own bottle, rolls on her side, sleeps in her crib (the WHOLE night) and has even slept several nights this week in jammies instead of the swaddle (woohoo!) She still HATES the car seat (BOOOO!)

Marci and I have been having fun playing with her, and of course taking pictures. HERE are more pictures of Evelyn at 12 weeks.

Being Present… and Enjoying the Present

There are distinct times in my life when I am keenly aware that I am living a special moment. They are moments that stick with me and I recall time and time again to remind me that I am loved, I am blessed, and that I have been shown grace. Walking into Turlington Plaza for the first time as a freshman on my way to class at UF, I remember getting this overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my parents and what they provided for me. Walking down the aisle with my mom on my wedding day, the expectation and excitement of knowing I would be married to Chad that evening – joy in my heart for the life we were about to start. Sitting at dinner with my Magnolia friends in New York City, pouring out our hearts over a fantastic bottle of wine, enjoying the company of each other. Kayaking down Wekiva, the stillness of the surroundings, the morning just beginning and the adventure of the day ahead. Finishing the MS150 with Chad, though my body sore, my heart was full of accomplishment. Finding out I was pregnant – it transformed a kindling of excitement into nine months of expectancy and hope for a healthy baby. All these moments bring me to this next special moment – today. I have had the privilege to take care of Evelyn during the day in our home, I arranged time off from work this summer to be here with her. This morning, our sweet child fell asleep in my arms for her morning nap. There is no better moment than the feeling of your baby sleeping in your arms – her warmth, her small breath, her perfect scent. I was present in the moment this morning as I rocked her in my arms – being present in life and knowing when things are good – these are the things that make a life worth living. Chad and I say this often, we never knew it was possible to love another person this much, our family bond grows strong with each day since Evelyn was born. Watching her sleep in my arms – it is a mix of maternal pride and gratitude, but it is also a sense of grace from God that he granted me this child to raise and love. Being present and enjoying the present is what makes life beautiful.

Marci and Evelyn

 

Music in the morning with dad

Since Marci generally pulls the night shift with her, I usually get up around 5:30-7:00am when Evelyn wakes up in the morning. We have our little routine… play time on the changing table, diaper change, visit Goober the bear in the spare room, sometimes I take some pictures, and when she decides that she is ready to eat, I sit at my desk with her on the boppy and I feed her a bottle with my left hand as I check email and plan out my work day with my right hand. I think that this is my favorite time of day with her as I get her all to myself and, she is generally very alert and she is all smiles.

Shortly after this routine started, I decided that it is also a great time to expose her to some music as she generally sits with me in my chair for 30-60 minutes. If she drifts off to sleep, I will move her back to the bed and keep the music going until it is time to get ready for work. I am going to try to expose her to a little of everything but started with quite a bit of classical music as well as some electronica, jazz, classic rock, etc. I thought it would be fun to keep track of all of the things that we listen to during this time together.

Here is the running list…

Rush- Moving Pictures
Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson – Highwaymen
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers – Greatest Hits (1993)
Beethoven- Symphony No. 9
Mozart- Requiem in D minor
John Coltrane- Blue Train
Cosmic Baby- Thinking About Myself
Pink Floyd- The Wall
Pink Floyd- The Dark Side of the Moon
Dvorak- Cello Concerto in B Minor
Dvorak- New World Symphony
Rachmaninoff- Pinao Concerto No. 2 in C Minor
Sasha- Essential Mix 01-15-1994
Kimball Collins- Club Nights Vol 2
Kimball Collins- United DJ’s of America Vol 1
Vivaldi- Concerto for Cello, RV 405 in D Minor
Vivaldi- Concerto for Cello, RV 401 in C Minor
Vivaldi- Concerto for Cello, RV 423 in B flat
Vivaldi- Concerto for Cello, RV 399 in C
Progvisions- Best Progressive House Mix 2013 Vol 2
Bach- Cello Suites, Suite No. 1 in G major, BWV 1007
Bach- Cello Suites, Suite No. 2 in D minor, BWV 1008
Bach- Cello Suites, Suite No. 3 in C major, BWV 1009
Bach- Cello Suites, Suite No. 4 in E-flat major, BWV 1010
TechnoBaseFanSenne- Best Progressive House Mix 2013 Vol 1
NAKpsy- Astral Travel Beyond Deep Space
Ezechiel2012- Carbon Based Lifeforms – [Twentythree]
Pete Namlook & Tetsy Inoue- Shades of Orion 2
Julien H Mulder- Ambient Space Music
Vivaldi- Four Seasons
Brahms- Piano Concerto No. 2
Mozart- Piano Concerto No. 22 in E flat
Mozart- Piano Concerto No. 04 in G major, K41 – II. Andante
Mozart- Piano Concerto No. 17 in G major, K453 – II. Andante
Mozart- Piano Concerto No. 22 in E-flat major, K482 – II. Andante
Mozart- Concerto for Flute, Harp, and Orchestra in C major
Gustav Holst- The Planets
Rockabye Baby- Baby Marley
Rockabye Babye- Lullabye Renditions of The Smiths
Rockabye Babye- Lullabye Renditions of Dave Mathews Band

Traumatic at Two

Evelyn is two months old today and to “celebrate,” we visited the pediatrician for a round of shots. Holy cow was that traumatic… for Marci and I! I guess no one ever explained to us just how large of a needle they use to deliver the injection to a baby. I mean, it was like a 1/4 of the length of her little leg. For some reason, I also thought that they turned the baby over to inject it in to her little butt, but nooooo… they do it in the thigh, so she can just stare at you like… “why did you do that to me!?”

Anyway, Miss Evelyn is doing fine tonight, albeit quite sleepy. I am sure we will remember it for much longer than she does. 🙂