Explore Tampa Day 2

Well. Today was fabulous. 

I had planned to take the kids to a manatee viewing place but heard that the water really needs to be cooler to guarantee the manatees have come in to this area where the water stays warm. So instead we went to Ballast Point. I was so glad we did! Our friends from yesterday were going there earlier in the morning so I thought we would miss them, but they were still there when we arrived so the girls got to play again and we enjoyed some company for a while. 

This park is down Bayshore Drive which is a gorgeous road along the bay. At Ballast Point there is a long dock where you can walk out over the water. It was amazingly windy today, the waves were great, and the children loved watching the birds fishing. 

You can see downtown Tampa in the background...

 

We then spent some time playing at the playground and had lunch. 

After lunch the kids were begging to play in the splash pad. I had their swim stuff because there was a splash park close to us yesterday and I thought we might want their suits. Today it was 75 degrees and sunny but windy! There was only 1 other family that had kids in the water and they didn't stay long. Everyone probably thought we were crazy northerners! My four half loved and half froze but had fun and were thankful that I said yes...

I did lock my keys in the van (thank you friend's AAA for the quick rescue) and I ignored the GPS one time which took us on an out-of-the-way boring highway drive for a bit on the way home. But regardless, I loved today and the kids agreed!

Explore Tampa Day 1

I deemed this "Explore Tampa Week" for our family. There is so much to do here and so many great places for the kids. Last week we happily found a Groupon for the Children's Museum and spent just a little bit of time there. Our kids were begging to go back so this morning I took them back downtown. We started at a park down the Tampa Riverwalk from the museum. We played there for a while then walked about 15 minutes to the museum, stopping for lunch along the way. There is also a fun playground outside the children's museum where we spent a bit of time today because we actually ran into someone we knew! We then played several hours at the museum before making the adventure hike back to where we parked. I love this area of Tampa, am so glad we discovered it early on, and am sure we will make many memories here as time goes on. 

Arriving at the first park. We had jackets on. The Floridians had on fleeces and pants and socks and shoes...ha!

The Riverwalk...

A friend!

In the museum...

An Evening Moment

I remember wondering, what feels like not so long ago, if I would ever have quiet moments to sit and read again. Not moments between chores and when a short-napping little one might quickly end the reading. Not moments when there is a video playing in the background. But long uninterrupted spans of reading when the words can be pondered and swallowed and become food for the soul. 

Last week, with the little three in bed, I realized those moments have returned. With a child whose love of a good book equals mine, we shared the enjoyment of being lost in our reading. 

And then Silas proceeded to read me an entire chapter of Pooh, complete with voices and inflections and giggles. Never have I loved him more. 

Some Random Mornings...

...you just have to take school to the laundromat!

JUMP!

One benefit of being a pastor's kid: you get to play on the bouncy houses they get for the students on a retreat weekend!

Florida Life

We have been in Florida for 2 weeks now. In those two weeks we...

 ...moved into a house with all tiled floors and found that they weren't as clean as people thought when we moved in!

...went trick-or-treating with new friends before we had even been in the state for 24 hours. 

...took our children to the ocean for the first time. It was a joy; something I have always wanted to experience with them. 

(They all loved chasing the birds.)

(The delight of real white sand for the first time!)

...started the 3 younger kids at a new preschool. The first few days were rough but we are loving it now!

...have gotten Silas going with school at home and with our local CC. 

...went on a field trip to a botanical garden. 

...and have found a few fun places to enjoy the sunshine and warm weather!