Adios, Florida!

Ok, so I've got us all packed up and we came with 4 full bags and are leaving with 3 full bags. What is wrong with this picture? I've purchased a ton of stuff, too! Who knows?

We've had a great vacation. We spent one rainy day driving to Aaron's grandparents in Vero Beach (1hr 30mins away) visiting them. Typical with older people, our visit was planned around meals "you kids can come for lunch and stay for dinner, or leave the next day after breakfast..." We opted for leaving after dinner despite Grandma's encouraging words about how easy it would be to stay the night there with three kids and that we "wouldn't need anything". Grandpa is 91 now I believe and despite his age he gets around great and his mind is as sharp as the day he worked as an engineer for dupont helping to invent products we use every single day. The moment from our visit that will stand out in my mind forever is when Grandpa, myself and Austin got into the elevator alone (the "fast" kids were long gone) and Grandpa leaned in to kiss Austin on the cheek. It's the first time they have met Austin and it's just amazing to me that love is just "there". It's a surprisingly long walk from the dining room back to the grandparents room and Jacob and Brody were thrilled with long hallways to run down. Austin wanted to keep up SO BAD. He would instantly fuss to be put down when he saw the boys running and initially he would crawl on hands and knees. Then hands and feet. Then he would sit up and reach his hand out to me, so I would pick him up which resulted in instant tantrum with Austin throwing his head back (fun stuff!). So I would set him down and try to have him walk while holding his hand. Problem is, he walks just fine but he wants to run. Try explaining to a 15 month old that you have to walk before you can run. We survived, but I've got one frustrated baby on my hands.

Tuesday and Wednesday were slightly overcast with occassional sun which works out just fine when you have a bald baby and red head in the family... less concern over total sunscreen coverage ;) We enjoyed our days with mini golf, pool time and ice cream.

Thursday was our last day there and we experienced thunderstorms all day with tornado watches. Aaron was a little antsy, but it gave me plenty of time to do laundry and pack and the boys were perfectly content running around our hotel.

Tomorrow we will head to Mooresville, NC, just north of Charlotte to visit with Sherry & Martin. GPS is calling it an 8hr drive, for us it will be at least 9 with stops and we'll most likely be getting into Charlotte around rush hour which will cause a few more delays.

Cute moments from our trip:

• Aaron handed me his score card from miniature golf. I glance at it and say "what the heck?" He said Jacob is good with numbers, so he let him keep track himself and asked him the score at the end of each hole, which included gems like "FIVE FIVE SIX" and "FOURTY ONE HUNDRED"
  
• Today during our rainy day we were watching a movie Brody claims is scary (Mater Tall Tales). Jacob happens to get off the couch at one point during the movie and Brody says "Jakie, I NEED you"
  
• I totally forgot to bring the boys tennis shoes on our trip (just crocs for Bro and flip flops for Jake), well Bro can wear his crocs with socks so I was mostly concerned about picking up a pair of tennis shoes for Jacob for our time in (cooler) NC. OF COURSE Jacob picks out Lightning McQueen shoes. I didn't care, they were from Target and cheap. We get home and Brody instantly claims ownership. I asked him "Brody would you like a pair of those shoes?" His response? "These ARE my shoes." Needless to say I ventured out at 10pm tonight (after the rain) to buy Brody his own pair.
• Brody chasing the Sand hill crane (?) with NO FEAR that the bird will turn around and peck him.
  
• Brody trading in one scrape for another falling every. single. time. we walked outside.
• Aaron trying to convince Brody to go play anything with him and Brody's response was "Mommy going? Jacob going? Austin going? NO. DON'T LIKE DADDY." With absolutely no remorse at all.
  
• Austin, who refuses to walk, but twice since we've been here has been in the standing position and jumped up and down (in tantrum mode, getting air) and still remained standing.
  
• Brody saying "At Florida, Mommy?" from about Thomsponville (10 miles away) on for the entire extent of the trip.
  
• Jacob being more thrilled to show me the lily pad he caught than any fish he's ever caught.