Florida trip part 3: Feb 6 - Feb 7

Monday, February 6
We drove an hour up to Bradenton to visit the Mixon Fruit Farm (this wasn't something we had really planned on doing, but we saw a brochure for the place and thought it sounded sort of fun).  Turns out it was actually pretty neat, and a good outing for the kids.  We took a tour of the citrus groves (did you know that you can grow 3 different fruits on one tree?  They call it a "fruit salad" tree - it produces oranges, lemons and grapefruit), saw the animals in the wildlife reserve, had lots of free samples of fruit and juice and kettle corn, wandered through the garden maze, fed the fish in the koi pond and had orange swirl ice cream.  Both the kids fell asleep on the ride home, and we went swimming (of course) when we got home.

It seems to be next-to-impossible to get a good family pic this year!

I touched this snake too, but not long enough for a picture to be taken

Annika liked watching the big turtles (which unfortunately I didn't get in this picture!)

Doesn't the grass look nice?  It was fake. :P

Feeding the koi fish

Sleepy boy

Tuesday, February 7

Another "lazy" day.  We went to the local park in the morning.  Carey and I played tennis while my mom played with Annika at the playground, and my dad took Emmett for a walk in the stroller.  We went swimming when we got back (it was quite hot!).  For supper, my parents stayed home with the kids and Carey and I went to a local restaurant called "Waterside Bar and Grill."  They had really good food, and live entertainment - a bluegrass band!  I'm not a huge fan of bluegrass, but it was still fun.  Definitely something different than what we'd do at home.

My dad looks pretty comfortable with that stroller! ;)

We're not very good (at least I'm not), but we had fun.

Annika also wanted to give it a try.

Whee!

Swimming again

My dinner - grouper fingers, fries, cornbread and really good green beans.  We sat along the railing of the outside deck, overlooking the water.

The bluegrass band