The Congers Cubby: Plant City, Florida (this is super long)

I was fortunate enough to go visit my sister in Florida this past week. Originally it was only supposed to be me and Tiny going out there (because children under two fly free) but a couple weeks before-my parents chipped in to help get Clay out there too. So so nice of them. Probably one of the best presents he's ever received. Clay was beyond excited. He has a really special and close bond with my sister and her daughter Jayde. When she lived out here in Utah, we were always together, which meant our children were always together. Erin recently got married to her boyfriend Steve (yay!) and moved into Steve's deceased Aunt's house. So it was going to be fun just seeing her new place and spending quality time together. We got in around 2:30am Friday morning. Our plane was super delayed in Chicago. Luckily, because it was a red eye flight, it wasn't very full, so the boys were able to lay down and spread out. Whew! It was a nice break from having to hold Cody on my lap.

After getting to Erin's and sleeping til about 10:30am, everyone was up and ready to play. So while I got ready for the day, Jayde and Clay played the DS's - but Tiny wanted to be apart of the fun, so Jayde let him sit with her. She was so good with Cody.

We wanted to do something fun with the kids like a park or a movie (which was out because Cody wouldn't have sat still for it) or the aquarium. The aquarium is VERY expensive to get into out there like $28 per person no matter the age-versus $8 here in Utah. I'm sure Florida's Aquarium has alot more to see-but seriously? It would have cost me almost $90 just to get me, Clay and Cody in. I was not about to do that. So we went to Steve's uncles house. He catches marine life of all sorts and then sells them, for a living. Steve's uncle lives in my old neighborhood in Brandon. It was crazy being back there, seeing my old house and my childhood friends houses. Things have changed so much. Back to Steve's Uncle. Baby Horseshoe Crab

Big Horseshoe Crab!!

The underside of the Horseshoe Crab.

This was like some sort of Spider Crab.

This was a water slug. (Sorry I don't know all the technical names for them-Steve does.

Cody wanting to hold the baby Horseshoe crab.

Live sponges.

Snails (and if you look close at the side of the container there is a sea urchin)

This is a sting rays egg (dead of course). I had no idea that they even laid eggs. For some reason I've always thought they were a mammal. Learn something new everyday!

This was another crab-not sure of the name. Steve was picking everything up for the kids to hold (not the crabs with pinchers, obviously), but the kids were terrified and wouldn't hold them. We didn't let Cody hold them, cause he would have squeezed them to death or dropped them.

Jayde found a starfish and Steve let her hold it.

After seeing Jayde hold the starfish, clay wanted to. I love this picture of Erin with Clay. So so cute!

Sea Urchin

A really big Hermit Crab.

If Jayde looks a little scared here, it's cause she is. Ha ha. Steve made her hold it.

Steve told us that his Uncle used to have a bunch of Sea Horses, but he sold them to the producers of the movie "A Dolphin Tale" so they could use them in their movie. Cool huh? I really enjoyed seeing this homemade redneck-ish aquarium. It was so hands on and really neat. The next day, was my cousin Lori, her little girl's (Anna) birthday. We were planning on going but we neede a birthday present so we headed out to Walmart. Clay and Cody goofing off in the cart.

Then we headed over to Lori's house. It was kind of surreal cause last year I was in town around the same time and was able to go to her birthday party then too. I think my family is going to be expecting me every year now. It just might have to become a very nice tradition for me and my kids. This was us last year at Anna's birthday. Look how little Cody was. He was only 5 months old.

Me, Cody and Clay with his "Old Grandparents". My kids have grown so much.

Grandpa with 3 of his great grandchildren.

Erin's little family with Grandpa and Grandma Phyllis.

Anna's party was so much fun. It was a pool/bounce house party. The kids had a blast. Clay was not happy about leaving. I was a little disappointed in myself that I didn't get pics of Clay in the pool. He was so proud of himself swimming with water wings. I got a lot of pics of the kids in the bounce house, but they are "in motion" so not a whole lot of them turned out clear or good.

I know Cody isn't looking at the camera in this pic, but I had to post...look at how green and thick the grass is! Isn't it pretty? (I know, I'm a little weird.)

After the party we were starved, so we went to Chili's for dinner. And after dinner, Erin took me out for a girls night. Steve was so sweet and offered to watch the kids for us. Us in our fancy dresses.

This was after our night out. I took this picture and I think it makes my hair look like it's longer. Yay!

Clay fell asleep on Steve watching "The Lion King".

The next day we went to the beach. But before we got in the water, I took Erin's family pictures. The good ones are on Erin's camera, so this one is just an ok one. I love their orange shorts and khaki shorts. Don't they look great? I think Jayde's eyes might be closed. The sun was so bright and the weather couldn't have been better.

Cute mother/daughter picture.

The rocks on the pier where I took Erin's family photos were so pretty so I had Erin take one of me and my boys.

Steve wanted an all boy picture.

And of course we had to get one of just the kids.

Look at how pretty and blue the water was!

Steve always carried Cody like this...

And Cody loved it! The above picture makes me laugh, because Cody is looking at the old guy on the bench and he's looking right back.

Cody is such a cheeseball. He thought he was so big floating in the water.

Steve looking for shark teeth and fish and crabs.

Clay loved the sand probably more than the water.

Cody loved the sand too.

And when he wasn't in the water or playing in the sand, he was chasing around the little birds (in the background). They were everywhere.

Then Cody started getting really tired. I only realized this not because he was crying-because he wasn't-but because he would play for a minute and then lay down, then get up and play for a minute and then lay down again.

He did this for like half an hour so I decided to go to our beach towel, change his bum and lay him down. He slept for two hours under the umbrella, butt naked, wrapped in a towel. I'm sure the warm sand, soft towel and noise of the ocean is what kept him asleep for so long. That and the ocean just wears you right out!

After Cody got up we got in the water for a little bit longer.

Look at the little crab Steve found. Something had eaten it's pinchers off-that's the only reason I was holding him. (I was trying to stop him from going into my armpit.)

We had such a great time with my sister, her husband and Jayde. Monday, our last full day in Florida was just kind of laid back. We didn't do much besides run errands and hang out. Cody loved Rufus.