March 2016 – Page 2 – Wachs Across America

3rd Times a Charm!

March 23, 2016April 2, 2016Steph

While in Ft. Lauderdale I tried to research where we should stay after our time in the Keys. We wanted to be somewhere central in order to check out the Everglades and yet be able to go to Key Largo.

One place I researched was Larry and Penny Thompson Park. It was reasonably priced, looked really cool, got good reviews, in fact, it seemed perfect, but it was on the south end of Miami and not as central as the Homestead area. The Homestead area is definitely very centrally and ideally located to the Keys and the Everglades. In fact, it’s the closest location to both, without actually staying in the Keys or the Everglades. But the RV parks get very mixed reviews and they are expensive.

Fort and the beach

March 22, 2016April 1, 2016Huck

Many people agree that the beach at Fort Zachary Taylor State Park is one of the best in Key West. With a beach and a cool historical fort to see this seemed like a perfect outting for the day. So the kids grabbed their Florida State Parks junior ranger folders and off we went. But before that it was a quick stop to the southernmost point.

The Key to the Keys

March 22, 2016April 5, 2016Caden

I’m gonna tell you all about the Keys. Gas is kind of expensive as well as a lot of other stuff. Next you can’t find a T-shirt on Key West that doesn’t say Key West. Also the water is very cool. I wish we’d gone snorkeling but we didn’t have gear. We went there when there were some clouds and wind but it was still fun.

We stayed at an expensive place but we got to go to a yacht club for free. It had a beach paradise and a pool that was just perfect. The showers were okay. When I was taking my shower back home I didn’t know that it was plumbed backwards and it turned out my pressure was the worst too, it was just a strong mist. So I ended up getting misted with cold water in a tiny dark compartment that somehow got classified as a “shower.” Yeah. That deserves quotations. Meanwhile Dacen had an awesome shower that was the opposite of mine and Papa had a pretty good one too. Mine should be called a rewohs and a lower class one at that.

Doctors, beaches, gardens and a party

March 21, 2016March 31, 2016Huck

First thing Monday morning we got up and around and headed off to the Truman medical center to have Brielle looked at. After we dropped off the girls at the medical center the boys and I went to Home Depot to try to figure out a solution to our suboptimal sewer situation. We found a part that we thought would work and went back to get the girls. They were not out yet so we took a quick stroll on the main drag of Key West…cigar shops, bars, art galleries, and tourist stuff. We got back just as Brielle and Steph got out of the doctors office with a prescription in hand.

Palm Sunday on Geiger Key

March 20, 2016March 31, 2016Huck

On our drive down to Key West we could tell Brielle wasn’t feeling too great and this morning she was worse. She had a fever and it was Sunday so doctor options were limited. We doped her up with Tylenol to try to get through the day. Despite the fever she was very excited because our friends Bill and Karen Miller (who we visited in Mobile) were in Key West on holiday along with some other church friends, Hollis and Rae. They were all going out to Geiger Key to stroll on Boca Chica beach and so we decided to tag along. We followed them as they rode their scooters and when the road ran out we hopped on our bikes and rode until even the trail petered out.

The Keys to relaxing

March 19, 2016March 31, 2016Huck

With a week of on site work with a client in Ft Lauderdale completed we were off to that set of dots off the southern tip of Florida…like an ellipsis placed by the great Author as His own thoughts drifted toward relaxation at the end of His creation sentence. Florida Keys, here we come!!

MODS = Amazing!!

March 17, 2016March 30, 2016Steph

We highly recommend The Museum of Discovery!! As I stated in the last post, if you have a membership to your local Science Museum you should check out the Passport Program that allows you to get into museums around the USA for free or reduced rates. In this case we got 2 people in for free.

This place is sooo cool!! You could easily spend 2-3 days here. The main floor starts out with an explanation about the Everglades, when and how they started to be destroyed by humans, what the results have been, and how Florida is dedicated to reviving this important place.

A Change of Plans – Again! MODS, Water Trolleys, Iguanas and the Beach!

March 16, 2016March 30, 2016Steph

This change of plans seems to be a regular thing for us. Sometimes we are disappointed, but that doesn’t seem to last long since we always seem to be blessed in some way, or happy we changed plans.

Today we had planned to go to the Museum of Discovery (MODS) and then to a State Park. We, of course, got a little later start than I wanted. And I forgot to look up where to park. We happened upon an amazingly lovely area, by accident, and I could pay to park by phone. And I was pretty sure it was one of the areas we could catch the FREE Water Trolley that goes up and down New River.

Fort Lauderdale

March 16, 2016March 26, 2016Caden

We stayed in Fort Lauderdale for six days. During this time we went on this boardwalk that had a bunch of wildlife. There were tons of crabs, a lot of clams, and a handful of fish including needle fish, puffer fish, and even a sea skate which is like a stingray only it’s got bones instead of cartilage I think, and I think their babies hatch live like us instead of in eggs. There was also a cool library we went to twice, where we got to read, and a state park where we played on a beach. It was fun doing all of that. Then we rode on a river trolley which was free and saw some huge iguanas which this nice old lady fed some sort of big yellow flower.

No love for bicycles?

March 16, 2016March 29, 2016Huck

Since we are in southern Florida I decided to spend a week with a client I have in the area. And let me pause to say that I am INCREDIBLY blessed to have 2.5 clients who have been very supportive of my reduced hours, crazy work schedule and remote office. To them I say, thank you thank you thank you!! We found an RV park only 3 miles from the office which means I can easily commute by bike AND the family still has the truck to use. Its a win-win!! I’m usually not a big fan of business trips: being away from your home, living in a hotel, eating out for every meal, being apart from your family, driving an unfamiliar car and not getting to commute by bike. But this business trip has none of those and its awesome!!