Saturday, August 1, 2009
"I Miss Daddy!"
I didn't calculate this issue to come up in our travels.
But then again, this is the longest time (three weeks) we have been away from one another.
The kids are missing Dad terribly.
They are sad, (only at night).
During the day, it's seems to be a non-issue.
It's not enough that we all talk each day, sometimes several times a day.
Time for a new plan!
But then again, this is the longest time (three weeks) we have been away from one another.
The kids are missing Dad terribly.
They are sad, (only at night).
During the day, it's seems to be a non-issue.
It's not enough that we all talk each day, sometimes several times a day.
Time for a new plan!
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Showering is Optional
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Goodland, FL New Grooming Rule: Rinsing off with a hose or jumping into a pool, constitues as a shower.
There is just not enough towels to go around and Florida's humidy doesn't allow anything to completley dry.
No need primp like we do at home. It's hot, everyone is loosely dressed and with this economy, restaurant and business owners are just happy for our business.
Kids are thrilled with this plan albeit, the need to use a hairbrush.
On one particular night, (after taking real showers), we headed over to a famous, underground spot for bikers, Stan's Idle Hour. Not exactly a place you typically roll into with five kids...but it looked like FUN!
The shower and sun-dress ensembles that we had on, set us apart from the rest, but it was interesting to be at a place that has grown in fame, by word of mouth.
We didn't stay at Stan's but found another local spot that was more appropriate for two mommas and five kids under 12 years.
Showering is worth the effort, if you are going to enjoy being served a delicous seafood dinner.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
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Big Fun for FREE
Things to do with five kids for free or close to it.
Five kids + a willing adult = One Soccer Game
Local Community Center. Games, clubs and activities planned all year for anyone to join.
County Water Park. For $12.00 a day you can play in this huge, clean water park. Bargain!
Find a Public Library. Free wifi and dvd's. Out-of-staters can join for cheap.
Shelling. Incredible shells found on the west coast of Fl.
National Parks. Keep track of all your visits by collecting stamps in a National Park Passport Book ($7.00).
Essay Contests. Believe it or not, the kids participated in our own contests. The topics were varied but the prizes were motivating (key).
Haven't heard the kids are "bored", yet!
Things that make my life easier:
Five kids + a willing adult = One Soccer Game
Local Community Center. Games, clubs and activities planned all year for anyone to join.
County Water Park. For $12.00 a day you can play in this huge, clean water park. Bargain!
Find a Public Library. Free wifi and dvd's. Out-of-staters can join for cheap.
Shelling. Incredible shells found on the west coast of Fl.
National Parks. Keep track of all your visits by collecting stamps in a National Park Passport Book ($7.00).
Essay Contests. Believe it or not, the kids participated in our own contests. The topics were varied but the prizes were motivating (key).
Haven't heard the kids are "bored", yet!
Things that make my life easier:
- Free WiFi
- The grocery store sells liquor
- Free beach access
SPACE
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It's been two weeks living together in the Motorhome. We have covered the highlights of the western coast of Florida. Naples and Everglades are beautiful areas to explore.No one was ready to head home but there was a shift within the group.
Our living situation were cramped. And being true to our original intention, this was the 'summer of options'. Before any friendships or feelings were hurt, we created a list of options.
Here is our list:
Option 1: Head back to NJ
Option 2: Ignore the fact that we are cramped and continue west in the Motorhome
Option 3: Find a condo in Flordia and stay two more weeks!
Options 3 was the winner.
Take the Jolly Bridge over to Marco Island and you land in an easy to navigate, tropical island that offers incredible beaches. Again, there is minimal tourism in July. The island is empty which made securing affordable accomodations, very easy!
Creating options has proven to be a successful plan again.
Marco Island, Fl
Air Temp: 91 degrees
Water Temp: 80 degrees (this ain't NJ)
No Humidity
Best thing about the beaches: The shells are unbelievable!
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Don't Show Your Weakness
Everglade City, Fl
We have transitioned to living in a motor home fairly well. Besides watching how much toilet paper you consume, the living arrangements are as comfortable as being at home.
As for the inappropriate behavior among the kids? 'Rude and Crude', is on the rise.
After traveling two weeks together, the group has developed some tough unwritten rules... if one of our kids is feeling down and out for any particular reason, (hot, hungry, tired, cranky) the others will relentlessly antagonize that child until tears flow and feelings are hurt.
So instead of spending hours refereeing the bickering...we set out to look for gators.
Everglades National Park is huge. Along Highway 41, you can get out and observe alligators, turtles and other wildlife from a safe distance.
First stop, Big Cypress Bend. This stop is a long walk on a raised boardwalk, that takes you deep (about 45min walk) into a section of the Everglades or as the kids like to refer to it...'the swamp'.
This year, Florida had a good rainy season, so the Everglades' water level was high.
We set out...
Covered (more like lathered) in bug repellent, feeling confident but wary of our surroundings, we all took down the path.
As usual, the kids failed to notice anything interesting along the way.
Then out of the blue, we heard a deep, loud, splashing growl!
We all screamed and in the confusion...the group got split up.
Between us, in the water, right where we were standing, was a huge alligator waiting with his mouth WIDE open.
Panic struck!
We were frozen. No one moved. Not us, not the kids nor Mr. Alligator.
Despite the drama, the teasing and antagonizing began among the kids...before long, someone was crying and convinced they were going to die.
For a few seconds I was scared. This seemed like a scene from the show, 'Man vs The Wild'...but we had to regroup and calm the kids down.
We had to convince them that this situation was under control so we could all get off this boardwalk!
Slowly and quietly we talked the kids into tiptoeing, one-by-one, passed the alligator.
Once back in the safety of our car, we rehashed the event 10,000 times. Each time, adding our own embellishment!
The ribbing among the kids grew too...until tears flowed again.
The day left us with a lesson learned.
"When touring with a pack of kids, 'never show your weakness'. Keep your issues to yourself, be calm and go with the program... otherwise you will become alligator bait."
We have transitioned to living in a motor home fairly well. Besides watching how much toilet paper you consume, the living arrangements are as comfortable as being at home.
As for the inappropriate behavior among the kids? 'Rude and Crude', is on the rise.
After traveling two weeks together, the group has developed some tough unwritten rules... if one of our kids is feeling down and out for any particular reason, (hot, hungry, tired, cranky) the others will relentlessly antagonize that child until tears flow and feelings are hurt.
So instead of spending hours refereeing the bickering...we set out to look for gators.
Everglades National Park is huge. Along Highway 41, you can get out and observe alligators, turtles and other wildlife from a safe distance.
First stop, Big Cypress Bend. This stop is a long walk on a raised boardwalk, that takes you deep (about 45min walk) into a section of the Everglades or as the kids like to refer to it...'the swamp'.
This year, Florida had a good rainy season, so the Everglades' water level was high.
We set out...
Covered (more like lathered) in bug repellent, feeling confident but wary of our surroundings, we all took down the path.
As usual, the kids failed to notice anything interesting along the way.
Then out of the blue, we heard a deep, loud, splashing growl!
We all screamed and in the confusion...the group got split up.
Between us, in the water, right where we were standing, was a huge alligator waiting with his mouth WIDE open.
Panic struck!
We were frozen. No one moved. Not us, not the kids nor Mr. Alligator.
Despite the drama, the teasing and antagonizing began among the kids...before long, someone was crying and convinced they were going to die.
For a few seconds I was scared. This seemed like a scene from the show, 'Man vs The Wild'...but we had to regroup and calm the kids down.
We had to convince them that this situation was under control so we could all get off this boardwalk!
Slowly and quietly we talked the kids into tiptoeing, one-by-one, passed the alligator.
Once back in the safety of our car, we rehashed the event 10,000 times. Each time, adding our own embellishment!
The ribbing among the kids grew too...until tears flowed again.
The day left us with a lesson learned.
"When touring with a pack of kids, 'never show your weakness'. Keep your issues to yourself, be calm and go with the program... otherwise you will become alligator bait."
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