My Happppppy Place...

Day 40- I am behind!
Ok so on Thursday I was researching schools for Baleigh to go to.  Here in FL they have something called VPK- voluntary Pre-K.  The teachers are trained but are not actually certified teachers, which is a tad scary.  The school systems have some scattered around here and there.  if you are in an area where the school does NOT have VPK, then you go to the children coalition of JAX or the early childhood coalition and you get a certificate and a list of private schools and daycare's to chose from and you receive 3 hours of VPK a day.  I wanted something close since you are responsible for the childs transportation.  I wanted something nice, friendly and in a good area.  So I chose a school in ARGYLE.  Argyle is this community within JAX that was built up by the upper middle class from Orange Park in Clay county, just a minute south of us.  It has its own main road, its own stores, its own school system its own EVERYTHING.  It is open to the public of course, but it is very exclusive and pretty much untouched.  I found La Petite Academy on the list and heard it was a good little school.  If you search online they are everywhere, all over the U.S.  I went to visit and to the open house and am a tad leary on the teacher.  She had no desire to look at Bay's portfolio, stating she would do her own assessment and didn't know what an IEP was.... ( Individualized Education Plan).  Ummm.... I am thinking I may check out a few more schools next week?  There are some private ones on the list, both Catholic and Christian among others.  Nothing else exciting for this day.  Not even any pictures really.    But the weekend....now thats a different story!


Day 41-FRIDAY!
I love Friday,  it means I get the hubby to myself all weekend.  This particular Friday it means I get to go away to my happy place!  FORT MYERS!  Josh left for work at 330 this morning because of an anti terrorism front or something with terminology I am probably destroying and under estimating the importance of.  Regardless, he was home by 9 which means we could be Fort Myers bound by 10!  Car packed, iced coffees in hand and all the babies strapped in for the short haul, we were off by 1020.

Storm in distance

 It was a quick jaunt compared to the 19 hours trip down here when we moved.  But once you reach FM its like you are in a new world.  It feels very Caribbean to me.  If Captain Jack were to vacation I think he would come here.  it is so hard to describe why I love it here so much....its very internal.
Fort Myers makes me feel like a free spirit, a true pirate and a scallywag!   But I don't love it as a tourist.  I love all the local things that I have been fortunate to experience due to having friends and family live here.  So I am realistic about it, if I were able to live here, I would know what I wanted to do with free time and I would know what and where to go, the ins and outs.  And I know I would have to work.  Ok so enough about how much I love it here.  We got in at 349 pm and headed to my in laws condo.  The girls immediately attacked their grandparents with hugs and kisses and begged for a ride on the golf cart!

"What about I drive!?" Pip

Better than a set of gold clubs right!

 After a swim in the indoor pool at Nana and Grampas we enjoyed a delicious grilled chicken and root veggie dinner followed by adult beverages.  We headed off to my friend Heather's condo for the remainder of the evening and enjoyed her veranda while the kids watched their new movie Rio!

Ahhhhh

 Day 42- SATURDAY!

Good morning

I watched the sunrise from the screened in veranda while the girls watched the golf course be washed and dried, yes they clean it every morning which is amazingly interesting to watch if your four!

Having oatmeal...

The world has melted away the messy outer coating and just left behind the ooey gooey delicious caramel center.  That is how Fort Myers makes me feel.  Crazy I know.   This is my happy place... I could have an affair with Fort Myers if possible.  Even I get sick of hearing how much I love it here.  We spent the morning at the causeway which is another reason I love this place.  The causeway is a locals type place to go relax, camp out for the day and swim.  It is located under the bridge between sanibel/captiva and Fort Myers.  It reminds me a bit of Fort Adams but with that "island" feel.  It has  picnic tables grills, clean bathrooms, beautiful shade trees that even l you swim in the water in shade if you want.  Amazing sea life for the kids to explore and no waves so the water is clear and easy to swim in without worrying about undertow etc.  Kid friendly for sure.

Josh found a giant conch like creature!

Beautiful, huge and perfectly in tact....we did throw it way out so it would be unharmed.

I adore this shot...

Girls being girls digging in the sand....they did this for 2 hours without a word!

The view from our spot

what a smile from Jas!

Wild Kingdom!  Star fish!

Very nice lady showing the girls a starfish.

 

Bridge between Sanibel and Ft. Myers

Christen and Josh Lovin life

One aspect I love about FL is it reminds me of places up north but with that Carribean feel that I love so much.  It reminds me of Block Island in some aspects when your on the water front, Payne's dock (spelling?) in particular.  When I was kid and we went to Block every October and May there was a wooden raft that we would all get on and go under the buildings right there on the water.  This is simlilar.  The water front here has my favorite Ft. Myers dive, Bonita Bills.  This is a local yocal bar and eatery with docks and its own fishing/shrimp boat that goes out for the food they serve.  It is not shrimp season so the boat was dockside, the girls thought it was a "truelife pirate ship mommy!?"  This little piece of gold is hidden under the bridge to Fort Myers beach and would not really have a tourist ever seen inside.  There is local music and fresh well cooked food on the cheap!  Today Peppermint Patty was playing.  She is a female Capn Ron with a dash of Saucy Silvia if you can picture that, or if you even know of whom I speak.  She has a deep husky voice, constantly smoking a cigarette in one hand while playing the keyboard with the other.  Linda loves this lady so I went up and asked for a picture with her....she was more than happy to oblige.  Now recall the husky voice?  Well when she sings...its beautiful!  Amazing what the electronic voice machine she has does!  She sang a few songs while Josh and his parents had some drinks under the umbrellas on the dock and the girls and I explored the docks and the wild kingdom type creatures visible in the shallow water.

Peppermint Patty and Christen!

Baleigh, Nana and Payton

Exploring the Docks....Payton found something...

"Is that Papa's Boat mama?" Payton "I don't think so Pippy, there is no bedroom on that one!" Bay's logic

"LOOK MOM! A true life pirate ship!" Baleigh

Exploring the docks

Patty Playing her tunes

Jasper enjoying the breeze!

Our adventure ended Saturday night with a cookout at Nana and Grandpas after some well deserved ice cream for the girls at the Love Boat.  Oh lord is that stuff good.  I saved my cheat meal for ICE CREAM!  They make it home made there and have incredible flavors like Malt Ball and Key Lime pie.  The problem is (if that's possible), there are huge chunks of this stuff in the ice cream so you spend more time chewing while your ice cream melts away and runs down your arms!  A child size is two scoops while an adult small is nearly three humongous ones!  The girls had bubblegum and birthday cake ice cream and thought it was the best stuff on earth!  Agreed!  Bed time came early and I cleaned up Heather's condo getting ready for the trip back home in the morning...

Day 43 -Sunday...time to leave
Not much to report today.  We got up bright and early and headed back home after a quick goodbye to Nana and Grampa.  Very sad to leave...We noticed the trip back took much longer.  The kids were antsy, upset about leaving Fort Myers and complained the entire way home.  When we finally got to the house about 4 after a trip to the base, Josh lit up the grill (poured a cockatil) and prepared to cook our typical weekend meal of steak and veggies.  Linda visited for a quick chat and cocktail when the kids went to bed.  We noticed the house was warmer than usual.  For some reason the air conditioning is not working properly.  So happy that is considered a priority here at Lake Gray and I know they will be here first thing in the morning once I call them.  Thank god!  85 is NOT ok in my house,  79-80 is fine.  Tomorrow Josh starts the police academy at Sub base in Kings Bay GA.  Excellent!  He will be using my car since I have air conditioning for one, and the JEEP is old and busted ( sorry hun) and really not up for the 100 miles daily trip.  Besides the gas to fill the JEEP is ridiculous and would cost a small fortune!  Here is to hoping they find him a government vehicle soon that he can use to drive up there for the next 5 weeks!  I will be researching further on some schools for Bay and hope to visit a couple and make a decision. lots of open houses and meetings for the school year have already started so I need to get one picked.
So I will keep you posted on tomorrows activities!