Florida in July?!!

What could possible compel me to visit a locale that is hot and humid, that is often wet with large and strange insects and many small lizards, that gets even more so in the summer? Me, a person who loves the kind of weather that if it never reached higher than 80 degrees F would be quite content? A person who had just returned from a visit there less than three months ago? What could possibly make a die hard northern latitude gal visit one of the most southern states of the eastern coast in the hottest part of summer? Oh well how glad I am that you asked! :)

Looky here:

My sister Kathleen had a bouncing baby boy! I already love him beyond description! And, by golly, I am so glad I decided to withstand the summer heat of Florida to visit her and her new arrival and family!

He is just so beautiful. I might just be a tad bit biased (ok, a lot so) -- he is gorgeous, so easy going, and vocal. He successfully tries to hold his head up already, not mising a beat with wide open eyes. His name is Soren, and it is pronounced SORE-un. It is a Norwegian (or similar) god of clouds and storms, I think - basically the equivalent of Thor, god of thunder! :)

Above is a self shot of me and both of my youngest nephews. Sharon is such a great big brother and not very jealous for a three year old. He loves to caress Soren's cheeks and tell stories of what "Fogut" will do when with him when he's just a bit bigger.

Doesn't Katleen look great below? she's merely three weeks postpartum. Here we are at Sharon's morning swim lesson. Sharon wants so badly to go on the big water slides, but first he needs to actually learn to swim. He sure loves the water like my Gavin. I am certain that it will be no time at all before he's swimming like a fish.

Below is another of Sharon and me. He had just woke up from a three hour nap with his mom and baby brother. He is amazing, so quiet and calm upon awakening. He had gone right over to the book shelf and retrieved several books to the single living room rug. After asking me for a cookie and me recommending he have an apple or banana, he returns from the kitchen with an apple on a plate. This also goes on the living room rug where he commences an hour of bites and page turning. He sits and looks at the books whilst eating a bite of the apple every so often, resting it on the plate between bites. I am not certain if this is a regular routine for him, but he did it with such quiet confidence and enjoyment, even refusing my offer to read him a story on the couch. What a little man, I just had to take a picture with him :)


Below is Sharon at the BEST frozen custard place I have been in a LOOONG time! Rita's in St. Augustine that is right on the A1A(?) strip. I am *so* very glad that I do not live near it, otherwise my love of good ice cream would make me gain about twenty pounds in two weeks.
Here, Sharon's concentration is quite absorbed with his own vanilla cone.

Kathleen was awesome. A bit stressed and tired. I hope our late night chats didn't make her even more tired! But it was great to connect again and wish we could do it more than we have the chance to.
Looks like a very happy family below: a proud mommy and her boys, eh?

She has every right to be. I really can't wait to see them again! I'm off to peruse flights for Sharon's February b-day, or if I reserve another RV now, would it be cheaper...? :)

Give your kids (if you have them) hugs for me right now!