Florida and the Juxtaposition

The day before we flew to Florida I made a rash decision. We'd planned to stay with my youngest brother, H.B., but all of his girls had come down with the flu and not wanting to bomb in on a household of sick people, I decided that we'd stay on a nearby island called Anna Maria. After a few phone calls, I found a place that was perfect for our family, complete with a waterfront dock and a heated pool. It was a miracle really. Staying on the island for a week was intensely relaxing! My cell phone didn't even work out there. It was perfect!

These four got a special tour of the cockpit.

Wednesday, January 10th: Zeke, Soph, and Hal, loaded and ready to go. It was Zeke's first airplane ride. (Soph and Hal flew to Florida with us when they were little.)

Lindy, Sean, and Casey on our first flight to Atlanta. Travelling with five kids went as well as expected although I spent the majority of the time wrestling with baby Sean. He was mostly happy, but he's not a passive lap baby and by the time we arrived in Florida I felt exhausted, like I'd been in a WWF match for several hours.

We picked up the rental van in Tampa that night and drove south to Anna Maria Island. As soon as we'd debarked, the kids donned their swimwear and jumped right into the pool. It was warm and they were in heaven.

The first morning on the island was foggy, but warm (in the 70s). We walked from our rental house to the beach (the beach is only a couple of minutes away in any direction) and around the north end of the island. On the north tip of the island is a little beach called Bean Point. My mom told us that it was one of my dad's favorite fishing spots, which made it even more special to be staying so close.

Collecting shells and starfish on Anna Maria Island.

Zeke, exploring the beach in the fog.

Lindy, carrying her little shovel full of sand and shells with her as she walked the beach.

Lindy always carries sunshine with her.

It was warm and humid and we were all so happy to be in such an amazing place together.

Hal's first starfish.

Lindy and I went out onto the Rod and Reel Pier to watch the fisherman and sea birds work at their craft.

My mom surprised us and joined us on our trip. This was the beach cruiser that she rented for the week that we spent on the island. 

Hiking through the trail that leads out to Bean Point. This little forest was so magical. No matter the time of day or the weather it was nearly always raining in there because of all the condensing moisture.

Of course Zeke and Casey went right into those balmy Gulf waters (alleged to be 55 degrees this time of year). Generally Florida weather is in the mid-70s in January and this day it was, but it got cooler during the rest of our trip and stayed mostly in the 60s with one day only hitting the mid-50s. It was definitely cooler than usual there but it was also incredibly beautiful and sunny and we loved every minute of our time there.

Sean enjoying the sand at Bean Point. 

The backyard pool was heated and the kids spent a huge amount of time out there the first few days on the island, swimming 3 or 4 times every day.

The girls made these amazing pancakes with Grandma one morning. We deliberately ate only healthy whole foods since we had a big gourmet kitchen to cook in.

Lindy out on the Gulf of Mexico side of the island.

Soph, Hal, and Zeke, chasing the waves in the Gulf.

I'm not gonna lie. This place is magical! And one thing about winter in Florida: you often have the beach to yourself.

Casey and I planned this trip several months ago and the way things turned out, my mom and my sister Mary (and her 7 kids) ended up deciding to come down last minute. Two of my dads brothers were there as well: Uncle Boo (and his wife Jean) and Uncle Hubie. My Grandma was being moved from Florida up to an assisted living facility in Pennsylvania the week after we left, so everyone was down to visit her and make preparations for the big move. With all of the family there (including my brothers Nate and H.B. who already live there with their families), we had multiple epic gatherings. Our island beach house was the perfect place to host the masses.

Party on the island.

I think Casey took this picture, since I'm not seeing him in there. It was so good to be together with this part of our family that we rarely get a chance to see.

Zeke with a lizard that he found near the beach house. Apparently those ferocious little jaws didn't inflict very much pain.

We took one day to drive up to Brandon where Nate and Jessica live and visit them in their home with their collection of "beasts." They don't have any kids, but they do have several cats and dogs. Then Nate took us out to the TECO Manatee Viewing Area at Apollo Beach where 100s of manatees gather to enjoy the warm water during the winter months. The kids loved seeing the sharks and large fish swimming with the manatees.

Sophie, sitting on the screened porch behind the house, showcasing some of the many coconuts we gathered. Walking home from the Gulf one night, the kids and I found some coconuts that had fallen. Later, Mary and her kids wanted to find some, so we went on a coconut hunting expedition that was not to be forgotten. We all piled into her rental van (imagine triple-stacked kids), driving around the island, singing our made-up coconut collecting song (Co-co-nut, Co-co-co-nut!), and gathering fallen coconuts from rental properties. We came back to the house with about 20 of them.

This is what winter in Florida looks like. Casey and I were so amazed at all of the colors. (Utah is a bit monochromatic in the winter.)

We spent one day exploring Desoto National Memorial, a historical nature park that was just down the street from where I lived in Bradenton when I was a kid. My siblings and I spent hours down there, hiking through the mangroves, wandering through the forest, exploring the shorelines, and hanging out with the rangers.

Zeke and Sophie, Looking like a couple of Spanish conquistadores.

A Catholic monument on the shoreline near Desoto.

We got to spend lots of time with my 96-year-old grandma, GG. as part of our trip. Casey and I wanted our kids to have a memory of her, which was a big impetus for this trip.

At Nate and Jessica's house in Brandon.

Look at all of those manatees!

Petting the sting rays at Apollo Beach.

Little Sean came down with some kind of stomach flu, the nasty kind that lasts pretty much a whole week, while we were down there. He only threw up a couple of times but didn't eat much for several days. He was a good sport about it though and let us haul him around.

This was the view from our private little dock on a canal that leads right out to Anna Maria Sound and the Gulf of Mexico. Casey picked up some of my dad's fishing rods and tackle and started fishing from our dock. He never caught any fish from here, but the last couple of days on the island we rented a kayak and he found some spots beneath the canal bridges that were more fruitful. 

Lounging on the dock, often the warmest spot in the late afternoon on those cooler days.

Sophie turned 11 on January 17th on Anna Maria Island. As part of her birthday festivities, we rented this kayak so the kids could paddle around on the canals and out in the Anna Maria Sound.

Sophie and Hallee, handling it.

Lindy, trying her hand at casting with one of Paka's rods.

Zeke, climbing trees near the canal. The kids were totally mesmerized with the water, the plants, and the creatures of Florida. It's lush even in the middle of the winter. The moist air, smells, and foliage are amazing!

Casey, napping in the sun. This bishop deserved the rest. He's been pretty busy lately.

Zeke and Lindy, skinny dipping just because they could.

Our 11-year-old on the morning of her birthday.

Just like that, she's 11!!

My mom ended up staying with us out on the island and she watched the kids so that Casey and I could take a night walk along the beach to a well-beloved restaurant (where several family members have worked over the years) right on the Gulf-side beach called the Sandbar.

Fancy dessserts and drinks were had by all.

The rare Casey and Helen date selfie.

The morning of Sophie's birthday, Casey woke her before dawn (as a surprise) and the two of them rowed down the canal and went fishing for a couple of hours while I stayed and made her a special birthday breakfast (oatmeal with fresh fruit and whipped cream). Sophie caught two mutton snappers that morning.

And . . . found another coconut floating in the canal. There is nothing better than fresh coconut people. Yum!

Soph with one of her mutton snappers. Not too big, but really tasty.

Birthday morning!

After a week on Anna Maria Island, we turned in our keys and headed out to Longboat Key to an area that locals call "Beer Can Island." My mom had secretly bought Sophie a birthday cake, so after some exploring and shell collecting, we sang and downed a cake there. The morning on Longboat Key was sunny and perfectly calm and warm, but as the day passed, the wind picked up and the waves started growing big and it got cold. Most of us retreated to the van, but Casey and Zeke stayed out to cast in the fishing line a few times before retreating. Apparently Casey caught a veritable sea monster and the rest of us missed it. That afternoon we went to an all-you-can-eat pizza restaurant to keep Sophie's party going.

Casey, husking a coconut native style at Beer Can Island.

We spent the last few days of our trip at H.B. and Karen's house in Palmetto.

Casey took the kids and cousins out to Emerson Point on Snead Island, a nature preserve area near Karen and H.B.'s house. I got to stay home to make dinner and be with our sick, tired baby Sean.

 Zeke on Snead Island.

Sophie ate that snapper right up.

The last full day that we were in Florida we took the ferry from Fort Desoto out to Egmont Key, an island in the Gulf as you enter Tampa Bay, uninhabited except for the lighthouse keeper. H.B. and his family joined us for the fun. I was a bit worried as we waited at the ferry loading point because it was so cold, but as soon as we got out over the water, it was much more pleasant. The ride out was magical with the dolphins swimming alongside the pontoon boat and the sea turtles surfacing in front of the boat. When I was a kid, my dad would take us out to Egmont Key on my Grandpa's boat and I have fond memories of exploring the little island with all of its old military ruins, lighthouse, and wildlife. Its now a designated nature preserve for sea birds and tortoises and just as cool as ever.

Riding out to Egmont Key

Egmont Key's very own lighthouse, in operation since the mid 1800s.

Old military ruins on the island

Cousin picnic

Hallee, exploring the old brick streets on Egmont Key.

Sophie found this dead hammerhead on the beach.

Sophie, experiencing the bite of the mighty hammerhead.

Casey jumped into the water here too.

Lindy with cousin Maddie walking along the old sidewalks.

Old military ruins on the Gulf side. The island is home to several decommissioned forts, garrisons, and jails used as far back as the mid-1800s. (It was used as a naval base during the Civil War and later during the Spanish-American War to protect the entrance to Tampa Bay.)

This is what paradise looks like and we were the only ones out there that day.

I was a little worried about Lindy crawling all over these ruins with the lethal sea-sharpened metal spikes rising from the concrete all over, but somehow she survived. She did leave Egmont with holes worn through the seat of her pants though. 

Baby Sean was totally down with everything Florida.

Lindy and cousin Maddie with an injured sea turtle.

Lindy, running feral on Egmont Key.

Riding the ferry back to Fort Desoto.

This trip was absolutely just what we needed--relaxation and family time. Casey says that he wants to come down and stay on the island every year.

Zeke and Hal, ready to fly home.

The flights home were exhausting. Sean was fussy during the last half of our first leg--Tampa to Los Angeles.  Luckily he toned it down on the second flight into Salt Lake.(I attribute that to divine intervention after a mother's desperate prayer for angelic help.) Sean looks so happy in this photo though, the little trickster. 

This is what we came home to on January 20th--more snow then we've seen in Millcreek all winter, combined. That little panda-clad head in the backyard (right under the apricot tree) is Zeke's. He's seen building his first snow fort of the season.

And for a little more juxtaposition: 

Casey and I joined Mary and Phil and our friends the Sundbergs for some extreme adventure sledding (hike up the trail and sled down at breakneck speed and at the peril of your life) up Desolation Trail in Millcreek Canton.

Casey, bringing it safely in. I cracked the bottom out of my sled on a large protruding rock on my own descent and still have sore spots on my back and tailbone. Totally worth it, by the way.

Skiing up at Alta last Friday with the older kids and Sophie's best friend, Katelyn.