See ya Ohio snow!

If we had done nothing at all while in Florida, escaping the freezing temperatures and piles of snow from this harsh winter would have been vacation enough!

Thankfully, we had wonderfully warm weather, and wonderful adventures in Jacksonville and Orlando too.

On Thursday night, we packed the kids into a mini-van we borrowed from Jan and Joe, and drove all night. While the kids woke up during quick stops for gas, they went right back to sleep and never left their car seats the entire drive to Jacksonville. We arrived, and Jeremy (who had driven all night while I dozed) went straight to bed, while the kids and I visited with the Antrim family and Grandpa Hilty (who was breaking up his winter in Florida and Colorado.)

They had so much fun playing active games, like basketball inside, football in the park, laser tag around the house, etc. Also, there was a great playground nearby, at which the boys discovered a lizard, and caught it so Benjamin and Abby could touch it.

If given a choice, I think Benjamin would have skipped Disney World and moved in with the Antrim family for a while. Abby had fun too, though I think four boys running around tired her out. She also was recovering from a double ear infection, so she still wasn’t back to full speed.

While the kids hung out, Jeremy and Aaron worked to put together the fastest possible derby cars for Saturday’s Awana race. They were debating the best way to make the wheels spin quickly, without using grease or other banned substances. I believe I heard a suggestion of ear wax at one point, though I think they ultimately settled on polishing the wheels with some tool Aaron had. The result paid off. Benjamin came in third place, and Levi won best designed Awana car. Days later, Benjamin still is toting around his trophy.

It was sad to say goodbye, but we were very grateful to have those days to relax and spend time with family before heading to Disney. On Sunday, we hit the road, stopping at Flagler beach on the way to Orlando. It was cold and foggy, so this trip lasted all of ten minutes. Still, it was a good stretch break for the kids.

Then, it was off to Disney World!