Lowery Park Zoo

Here we are the Tampa Lowery Park Zoo. This was one of the best zoos we've visited. It has rides! Finally, we've got some goofy pictures to post.
Don't you just love Chloe's expression?!
Here, I am acting like I am going to touch a sting ray. I have touched them before. I just don't care form them. And yes I am sticking my tongue out at Courtney!

More Things We've Done in FL

The Naples Zoo! Here are a bunch of monkey like things just hanging in the tree. It was so hot that day we (me and the kids) wished we could have been up in a tree too. We were on a pontoon boat going around all the little monkey islands and it moved so slowly that there was no breeze to enjoy! Ugh! We went to The Naples Zoo when we drove down there with I.B. He had meetings to attend all day so we got to the zoo.
Courtney was tyring to get Chloe to act goofy but this is all Chloe could come up with. She was just too HOT! You can see the leopard in the background is not in the mood to be photogenic.
This is what Courtney was wanting Chloe to do...Act Silly! There is supposed to be vicious lions behind Courtney but I guess it was just to darn hot for them too!
Ian at least looks like he is happy. And yes I know he needs a hair cut BUT his daddy is set on living vicariously though Ian and his hair. I.B. wants it at least 3 inches longer. I have to say I do have Ian's hair trimmed whenever I can't see his eyes anymore.
So this was our visit to The Naples Zoo. It was nice in the since that it was small and the animals were usually rescued from somewhere. Oh, I forgot the most funniest part of the whole Naples Zoo experience that was the... REPTILE SHOW. They showed us the poisonous snakes for this area of Florida. They showed us lizards and even non-venomous snakes. I have to admit that I didn't care for that show very much.

Things We've Done in FL

I know that I have been dropping the ball on posting pictures so I'll try to make up for it now.
We have spent most our days at the pool here at the apartment. It's really a nice pool and usually it just us and maybe two other families there during the week. On the weekend, however, the pool is packed.

You can't tell it in the picture above but Courtney actually got a bikini top. Her belly is white. Ian on the other hand turned brown after the first week here in Florida.
Chloe is taking time out from swimming to work on her tan. Surprisingly enough she is tanning. I always thought she'd be like I.B. and just freckle.
Here, Ian and Trixie are in my bed. This is out in the living room of the apartment and some days we just don't feel like putting the bed back as a couch. You all can see the fan we had to buy soon after me and the kids got here to Florida. We've had two separate occasions of having to use that fan. The AC in the apartment goes out whenever the the landscaping crew works around the units. It's something about the drain pipe getting clogged and backing up that water and it freezing up back inside the part of the unit in the apartment. All this has just added to the LOVE I feel for Florida. Ugh!
So I caught Courtney and Chloe being sweet sisters. That's a rarity. Chloe wanted her hair cut like she had done there in Michigan. I have to say that it didn't turn out that way. Oh well, it will grow out... someday.
I.B. is in the kitchen at the apartment. He's so full of himself! All he ever does in there is get himself a snack and supervises the clean up after dinner.

That's what we do when we are here around the apartment. Exciting isn't it? I thought so!

Congratulations! Courtney

I am so proud of Courtney. She has made the JV Volleyball team at her new high school. I am so happy for her. I have to admit that I was nervous about tryouts since the school did not have a Freshman team. When I took Courtney the first day of tryouts, there were so many taller girls. Courtney was actually average height in comparison. I believe that she will have a coach that is all about winning and working them hard. It will such a nice change in that sense. Courtney will actually learn more this year in Volleyball than any other year. I can't wait for the season to begin!

A Florida Update

I know that it has been a while since I last posted anything and I am sorry for that. I honestly haven't felt like it. We have been doing things to keep us busy and our minds off the house situation.
To answer that most important question...Do we have a house yet? NO! We are supposed to close on it on August 15 but that may not happen because all the paper work from the seller's have not been turned in! I honestly do not want to see or deal with these people again.
I have to say that I have proceeded with things as if Closing will occur on the 15th. I know that at some point in the near future that we will be in this house. I have gotten the kids their Florida physicals done, they are registered for school (which begins on August 18th), they ( Ian and Chloe ) have their uniforms ready, Courtney has a few new clothes for school, and all school supplies have been bought (even though I had half the stuff left over from previous years of school supply shopping BUT that stuff is still in storage). The plus thing all of this is that Courtney has gotten to try out for Volleyball at the high school. She also has met the Girls Flag Football Coach and he definitely wants Courtney to try out for that in the Spring. So there is a small pearl in all the crap.
We have gotten yearly passes to the ZOO. It has a log ride and a ski lift ride. It actually is one of the better Zoos that we have been to. It's not just animals in cages. Chloe and Ian got to ride a Camel and a Pony there at the Zoo! We can't get our yearly passes for Disney and such until we REALLY have a house! We did drive over that way and it only took us right at an hour to get there. It was so crowded! We were going to look around at some of the shopping areas but there was absolutely no place to park. We will have to investigate the parking situation further so that trips there will be more pleasant. We've been to 3 baseball games all at different parks. We got to see fireworks at 2 of them. We've only been to the beach once.
That is life in Florida. It's really a lot more stressful than the advertising lets on. I'd much rather be in the 40 year old house in Michigan with snow all around! I really miss Michigan!!!!!!!

Do We Have A House Yet?

I am not a happy camper! I just found out that we were supposed to find out this week whether or not Bank of America was going to accept our offer on the house. Well, that is NOT the case. You see that Bank of America just ordered an Appraisal on the house and that will take a WEEK to be all done. So we are waiting yet another week to see if we get this house. I am so pissed! I know that this is a step in the right direction but it is just taking so damn long.

I've got to get the kids registered for school, school physicals, school supplies, and school uniforms. All of this has to be done BEFORE August 18th! You know what ever happened to school starting after Labor Day?! I know the schools in Michigan don't start until the day after Labor Day. I have to say I think that is the way it should be everywhere.

The kids are just about fed up with all this waiting for this deal to come thru on this house. Courtney is ready to go to Bank of America and give them a piece of her mind. For those of you who know Courtney that is a real thing to fear. She could talk/complain so much that the bank would close the deal just to shut her up.

What Time is it?

Well, I'll tell you what time it is. It is 0130. That's 1:30 AM people. This is life is like for me lately. I can't sleep at night so I stay up until I can't stay up any longer. Tonight I thought I'd try blogging to help me drift of to sleep.

Just a few reminders about our situation.

• We have been 'homeless' for 2 whole months now.
• We've looked at 6 more houses and the only one I really liked was way to expensive.
• We've heard nothing on the house that we have put an offer on.
• We all are getting a bit stir crazy living the way we are without our stuff.
• We can't even get the kids registered without a FL physical and a contract on a house!

So that's it in a nut shell. However, I will try to find the elusive pearl in our situation.

• At least we are all together. (Even Trixie is with us!)
• We are in FL in the summer which means we can go to the pool just about everyday!
• We are learning the area.
• We've seen some really cool houses and even some not so cool.
• We may even look back on this time of "Homelessness" as a really fun and enriching time in our lives. Just think of all the exciting stories that could come out of this experience. I haven't found any yet but I'll keep you all posted.

I am so sorry that I am rather pessimistic but right now it is really hard to see the bright side of things. I am happy that we are together but it is really past time that we get out of this little two bedroom 1100 square foot apartment! We need to have our own personal space back. I really need my BED! I believe that my first night back with MY BED will be glorious! I will sleep like a baby. I will pity the fool that wakes me up from that slumber. I can't wait for that night.

Well since that night is no where near happening yet, I guess I should try to go to bed on the lovely footon couch. I usually will sleep there until I.B. leaves for work then I will go and collapse into the full size bed I.B. just vacated. It is so uncomfortable! I can't find the words to tell you all just how uncomfortable that sorry excuse for a bed is! You just have to take my word for it!