Friday, February 18, 2011

Florida Trip!

During Aaron's busy season, he spent 5 weeks working for a client in Jacksonville, Florida. On the last weekend he was working (Feb. 4-6), I got to fly down and spend the weekend with him, instead of him coming home. It was cool, overcast, and drizzly the whole time I was there- but I didn't care because it was warmer than it was at home!

This was the view from his hotel room (tough life, huh?). This was a crab that I found hiding out in one of the shells that I collected while I walked the beaches. I wanted to bring it home to the kids, but I didn't know how well crabs fare on airplanes! On Saturday, we drove to St. Augustine, which is about a half hour from Jacksonville. It was such a neat place to visit- and is one of the oldest cities in the US.

This picture is of Flagler College, formerly the Ponce de Leon Hotel. Many of the large building that are still standing were built by a man named Henry Flagler. He was a business partner with John D. Rockafeller, co-founding Standard Oil. He was a very wealthy man, and many of the buildings in St. Augustine are somehow connected to him. Another picture of Flagler College. This is the Memorial Presbyterian Church. This church was also built by Henry Flagler, as a memorial to his daughter who died in childbirth earlier that year (1889). This is a street lined with "live oaks." These are oak trees whose leaves stay green all year round, hence the "live" part of their names. They are also covered in Spanish moss. It was so beautiful!

We also went to Castill de San Marcos, which is the oldest masonry fort in the United States. It was really quite impressive, right at the edge of the water and with its view of any ships that might be coming to attack the town. There were various cannons at the "fort" and we even watched a cannon shooting demonstration. This is the interior of the fort- the cannons were placed all along the upper wall, and in the "courtyard" area, there were rooms for storing gunpowder, sleeping quarters, and places to keep the prisoners! A view of the fort walls from the outside. The masonry is actually made from something called "coquina," which means "small shells." The shells are bonded together and harden forming something similar to limestone. The construction of the fort was completed in 1695. I really enjoyed my trip and I loved learning about St. Augustine. We took one of the Old Town Trolly tours- which drives around the city and the passengers are able to get off and on the trolley at different stops. They are very good to talk about the history of the town and the buildings in it. (We also did one of the tours when we went to Savannah.) If you are ever in a town that has the trolley tours, I totally recommend it!

It was fun to have a little break from the kids and to get to hang out with Aaron. It is nice to remember that we actually do like to hang out together!

Wednesday, February 09, 2011

January 2011

I didn't take many pictures during January...

It snowed quite a bit here during the first week of January. I am probably the only person that didn't take pictures. (I have been looking at my friends' blogs, and they are all good moms with pictures of their kids in the snow.) I guess I got my fill of snow while we were in Utah over Christmas. I am regretting not taking pictures now because the kids were so funny. The snow here was totally different than the Utah snow. We had several inches, and then there was a super slick layer of ice on top. It pretty much turned the back yard into an ice skating rink- especially since the boys just wore their rain boots (with several layers of socks) out to play.

During the week of snow, Aaron was unable to get to his client in Charlotte, NC, and he was also unable to get to his office in Atlanta. Which meant he was working here. The whole week. It was really a task for me to keep the kids away from him while he was on conference calls and calls with co-workers.

We also managed to break our water heater and vacuum cleaner during the snow week. There were no plumbing companies that would come help replace the water heater in the snow and ice, so Aaron and a sweet older man from our ward went and bought and installed a new water heater. (I make it sound like it was quick and easy, but the job took the entire day.) I also got to buy myself a new vacuum cleaner- and I love it!

I did happen to take two pictures during the month. This one is Emma with a picture that she drew on her chalk board/ white board art easel that she got for Christmas. She wanted to wear her nicest clothes for this picture. She picked the outfit out all by herself! (In case you can't tell, that is a picture of an angel and God.)

The only other picture I took was one of Emma receiving her 100 Day Club certificate. The kids in her Kindergarten are given 100 "skills" to master in the first 100 days of school. Emma mastered them all, with several weeks to spare! Here she is getting her certificate from her Principal. We are so proud of you, Emma!