On the Road to Florida SOON!

It has been quite awhile since I did a post, but Willie has been parked in our driveway since our trip to the Poconos in October.  We have been having a wonderful time with our 2 daughters and their families and my immediate family especially over the Holiday Season.  Christmas is so much fun when seen through the eyes of our 4 granddaughters.

Our youngest daughter and her family moved in September and now that they have more room, Jamie enjoys having our family to her house for most of the special holidays.  I love "passing the torch" to the next generation and she does such a great job.  We were there for Thanksgiving and for 12 hours on Christmas Day along with our oldest daughter, Lanie, and her family.  What a special time.

We have also had some terrific and memorable times with our friends, including New Years Eve and a SS Class Christmas Banquet.  We are feeling very blessed.

But, it is now winter in PA and very cold and we are ready to head to Florida and the warm weather.  Also looking forward to reconnecting with our camping friends and enjoying the many activities you can do when it is sunny and warm!
Lanie's oldest daughter, Samantha, has her 4th birthday on January 20th, so we want to be here for her party on Jan. 19th.  We are hoping the weather cooperates and we can be on our way early Sunday morning.

We will spend 1 week in the Marco Island area with our Canadian camping friends, Barry and Deb and also with Dave and Sharon Horst that were from our home area.  Then we return to Pine Island where we will see some special camping friends that we met there last year, plus Neil and Nancy Savage who are from our home area but are now full-timing.  Then we head to the Bradenton/Sarasota area to enjoy all the beaches that are close to the campground.  My sister and her husband hope to meet up with us sometime during our time in Florida.  They will stay in a motel and rent a car, so we will probably only be together for a few days.  Sam and Kathy, our summertime camping friends are hoping to join us too when we get to the Bradenton area.  They will drive to Florida and stay near us so we can show them our favorite area.  St. Augustine area is our next destination and then southwest of Daytona to the center of the state for our final 2 weeks.  Sounds like a great trip.

We have already loaded some of our clothes, shoes, inflatable kayak, bikes, etc., but the food, toiletries, drinks, and so on will have to wait till the last minute.  It is just too cold!  But, we are really getting excited to leave this cold weather and start enjoying weather that allows us to do a lot of walking, bike riding, and kayaking. 

We also need to walk the beaches to find more shells for my jewelry making.  My little business has done well, but I have used most of the better shells that I collected last winter.  I need a new supply!!!!  Another good reason to head south!

PaPa, Grandma, Bria, Cali, Sam and Katelyn sitting on the
wall at the back border of Jamie's new house.  It is in town,
but feels like you are out in the country!

Grandma playing in the leaves with Katelyn!

Sam helps PaPa rake leaves at our house!

I may be prejudice, but aren't they adorable!

They are opening their sleeping bags from PaPa and Grandma
for when they go camping with us!