We went to try Dr. Phillips Water Park in Orlando on August 20th, after hearing about it from a girl in our ward. We stayed for over two hours and played in the fountains and had a picnic. Kyle and Krisee took turns carrying Karter in and out of the fountains. We had a blast!
With only a few days left until the start of school, we piled into the car for another trip to the beach. We were a little more cautious on this trip to New Smyrna Beach on the east coast of Florida, after watching "Shark Week" on animal planet during the previous week. We definitely watched more closely for any suspicious fins in the area. We discovered some differences between the beaches on the east coast of Florida compared to the west coast of Florida. First of all, the water was a little colder - still warm enough to spend hours in but not the 86 degrees it was during the previous two outings. Secondly, cars are allowed to drive on most of the beaches on the east coast of Florida, so you have to make sure your kids don't dart in front of them. Finally, the waves were much bigger, and the kids had a blast being launched into them and riding them as far as they could on their boogie boards. Although sunscreen was applied, Kamren went home with rosy cheeks and Steen had bright red splotches all over his back where he had missed....
At 13 months, Karter has learned how to enjoy himself - splash in the toilet water, climb onto shelves, unload all items in cupboards, and unroll the toilet paper. Constant supervision is needed, and his parents get reprieve only during nap and bed times! It's a good thing he's so dang cute!
We finally saw alligators in Florida, and we saw them how we prefer to see them - CAGED! On Thursday, August 12th, the kids were surprised when we pulled into the parking lot of Gator Land and excited when they found out we were going into the park. We saw alligators of all sizes, shapes and colors. Our favorite was the white alligator. We had a blast watching a reptile show, playing in the water fountains, watching alligators jump for food, watching a man wrestle and alligator, and feeding alligators. During the reptile show, the performer even offerred to feed Karter to the boa constricter. The kids also enjoyed the petting zoo and liked when the goats jumped up on the fence to greet us. Our only complaint - can someone please turn down the heat?!
We came better prepared to this day out at the beach. We brought boogie boards, chairs and better snacks. The coolest thing that happened that day was the sighting of two dolphins only five feet away from where we were swimming. We had a couple of casualties: Kamren kept loosing his swim trunks and Karter face-planted it into the sand. Besides that, we haven't gotten over the amazingly-warm water!
You realize how fast life really does go when you wake up and you have a nine-year-old. One of Kyle and Krisee's concerns when they found out they were moving to Florida was that they would not have any friends to have a birthday party with. We promised them they could choose a fun place to go for their birthdays, and Kyle picked Universal Studios Orlando, specifically the Harry Potter Kingdom. We still do not know what we were thinking going to Universal Studios Orlando in August with 105 degree weather and lines over an hour long at times. Kyle, however, had a great day, so our goal was accomplished! We ate dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe and rode many rides at the Island of Adventure part of Universal Studios. We are looking forward to returning with our annual passes during slower and cooler months! Happy Birthday, Kyle Bear! We love you! 
What is the major difference between the beaches in Oregon and the beaches in Florida? We discovered this answer the first day we spent in Florida as a family. The water was 86 degrees. We spent hours bobbing up and down in the waves, collecting sea shells, and feeding the seaguls! Sarasota Beach is on the Gulf of Mexico side of Florida! We decided right then and there that living in Florida wouldn't be so bad! 
