Updates from the Sunshine State

This will be a quick post without pictures.

All four of my flights between Kodiak and Orlando were pretty uneventful. The trip seems twice as long as usual when I don't have the kids to tend to. I did enjoy the quiet time and got to finish reading my book and take a nap or two.

Amazingly, my luggage showed up in Orlando the same time I did (very unusual for me). Ordinary people go to sleep after they have been up all night traveling, but not me. I showered and then Joe and Sandi and I hit the road for some shopping. I was in need of a black dress. I will admit that I enjoy shopping for other people, but I despise shopping for myself. After five years of living in rural Alaska, I just can't embrace the styles that are out right now. Seriously, must everything be empire waisted? Everything looks like maternity clothes. And having worn more maternity or nursing clothes than regular clothes in the past few years, I shudder when I try on something that could even hint at me being pregnant again (sorry guys, that factory is closed at our house).

Sandi took me to IKEA, and it was amazing. Their little kid section is fantastic. I can't wait to go back and get some storage pieces for the kids' rooms and the playroom.

I took a tour of Joshua and Megan's school for next year. Grandpa Joe came along with me, since Keith went to this school when he was little. I was so excited to pull up to the school and see kids outside playing soccer and kickball in the sunshine. They have art and band and gym and PE. I looked at samples of the K and 1st grade work, and Joshua looks pretty well on-target. He will take a placement test to see which grade he'll go into next year. Megan won't take any placement tests, she'll just slip right into the 4 year old pre-K program. Now I just have to decide what to do with Daniel while I go back to work.

I went to Daytona Beach and visited with my mom in the retirement community yesterday. I do have pictures, but to not embarrass Mom, I'll keep them off of here, since we were both laughing, and the pictures are pretty unflattering! I helped Bill (Mom's husband) set up his Wii and he was content to play golf and bowling for quite some time.

I'm sure I've done a dozen more things, but they will probably bore the rest of you. I've driven by a zillion houses, and gotten out to look at one or two. I took Joe and Sandi with me to tour the one right beside them that will be for sale in a month or two.

Keith and the kids are doing fantastic. They are having fun, even though the weather has been a mixture of warm and sunny then cold and windy. I get to talk to them every night. Joshua is so darling, he's such a sensitive little boy, he gets teary when he has to say goodbye on the phone. Megan asked me what I was doing last night and I told her I was helping Grandma get her new room ready for her. Then Megan told me to "hurry up, you are taking too long".

I have a busy weekend ahead of me, I'm going to go sit out back with my book for a couple of hours until I have to go to graduation practice.