A Hot and Humid Week in Florida

On September 2, Ron and I flew down to Tampa, Florida to spend the week with Stephen and Ileana and their two children, Mackenzie and Abigail (Abby). It was a special occasion, as Abby was to be given a “name and a blessing” at Church. We don’t get to see them very often because we live so far apart. We got up at 4:40 am Seattle time, and arrived in Tampa at 8:20 pm Eastern time. It was an all-day trip, but we were both surprised that we did not get as tired as we thought we would. We had to change planes in Dallas, Texas and it was a fast dash to the next plane. We grabbed a sandwich but we were only able to eat about half of it before they called us for boarding our flight. We both brought a book to read on the trip, which really helped pass the time.

Stephen and 3 year old Mackenzie met us at the Tampa airport…….Stephen had told Mackenzie that I had a surprise for her, so as we were walking out the car, she wanted to know “if there was a fake dog in my suitcase.” I didn’t bring a “fake dog”, but rather a huge coloring/activity book and a little book about “Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed.” Mackenzie loves monkeys. I think she had the book memorized be the time we left to go home.


We rented a van while we were visiting so we would have room for everyone…..it was very comfortable and we had lots of room. Stephen wanted to show us around the Tampa area, so we had a great time doing some sight seeing. We drove through some of the older neighborhoods of Tampa and we loved all the old homes…..they were all different and had such character. There were some really beautiful homes. I kept hearing this loud sound which I thought was an engine or whining metal of some kind…….to my great surprise, Stephen said the noise was crickets! They sure didn’t sound like crickets in the Pacific Northwest! These crickets were so loud and it was almost hard to hear someone talk!

The thing that struck Ron and I the most about Florida, was the hot, sticky and humid weather. The temperatures were in the high 80’s to the mid 90’s, with the humidity about the same percentage. I don’t think anyone could survive there without air conditioning! We felt like we were melting as it was! There were lots of clouds, and a few thunderheads with some lightning, but the sun always managed to find it’s way through.

Stephen and Ileana's new house.......they hadn't moved in yet.

We made a picnic on Stephen’s birthday, September 3rd and drove over to a park on the northwest of Tampa, and barbequed some hamburgers. Our dinner was great, but WE were also dinner for all the mosquitoes and flies in the area! We all got eaten alive, and ended up itching our bites for the next several days.

The next day we drove over to the Gulf Coast at a park near St. Petersburg to take some family photos of Stephen and Ileana and the girls. Again, we were all melting from the hot and sticky weather, but we got a few good shots

Afterwards, we drove up to Tarpon Springs and saw all the sponge boats. Tarpon Springs is a small little community that is pretty ‘touristy” but has a lot of character. There were lots of boats in the harbor with sponges that had been harvested from the Gulf of Mexico. I would have loved to gotten out and walked through some of the small shops, but the heat was almost unbearable for us Washingtonians.

We did find a beautiful little park, but again the bugs were eating us alive!

Mackenzie wanting to go swimming, so on another day we drove out to Fort Desoto, on the very southern tip of the penninsula south of St. Petersburg. It is an old military fort that was built during the Spanish/Amerian war. The “big guns” looked pretty small compared to the ones that are at Fort Casey here on Whidbey Island…..they looked like they had been sawed off because they were so short!

The water in the Gulf of Mexico is really warm…..not quite bath temperature, but getting close. The sand was soft and white, and nice to walk on. I waded out with Stephen and Mackenzie until my skirt started getting wet from the waves. Mackenzie enjoyed it until she got salt water in her mouth……then she said that she didn’t ever want to go swimming in the ocean again. Well, we’ll see how long that declaration lasts!

The main purpose for our trip to Florida was to have Abby blessed. That was a special experience on Sunday. Ron stood in the circle of priesthood brethren as Stephen blessed Abby. She was so good the entire time of the blessing…..she just looked at her daddy the whole time. Then, unfortunately when Stephen brought her back to the pews to Ileana, Abby spit up all over, so Ileana had to take her out and get her cleaned up. Oh, the joys of being a parent…..how well I remember those days!

On our last full day in Florida, we decided to drive to the east coast to Saint Augustine, which is the oldest city in the US, with the founding date of 1565. It was a pretty interesting place….lots of old houses, Spanish architecture, boats, a cool lighthouse, a military fort and lots of other touristy things to do.

On the way, we stopped at the Orlando Temple in Windemere and took some photos. I loved the pillars by the front door…..they reminded me of Greek architecture and were beautiful and simple. I have to admit, that I’m very partial to palm trees…….I wish that I had some in my own yard at home. Hmmmm…I’ll have to see if I can find some Washington Palm Trees.

The girls were really good travelers……and Mackenzie talked the entire time……but that’s how most three year olds are. I lost track of how many times we sang “I Am A Child of God.” Stephen wanted to go swimming in the Atlantic Ocean, so he talked Mackenzie into going again even though she said she didn’t like the salt water in her mouth.

Saint Augustine Lighthouse…….it’s quite a bit inland, so it looks like it is landbound

We flew home on Tuesday September 8th and arrived around 3:00 Seattle time…..but it still felt like an all day trip. Ron’s suitcase got smashed on the flight, and American Airlines have agreed to replace it because it can’t be fixed. We stopped at Macaroni Grill on the way home for dinner (because our fridge was bare) and had a wonderful dinner. (Ron can be a pretty good cook at times!) As our plane descended into the Seattle area, we flew right beside Mt. Rainier……that mountain is so majestic that it’s hard to find words to describe it. Breathtaking, for sure. I love looking at Seattle from the air……it is a very beautiful city, and it’s fun to pick out places that are familiar. It was a pleasant 72 degrees in Seattle….perfect! Even though our humidity was 87%, the temperatures are a lot more endurable than Florida! Besides, I have to admit, I love the mountains and the all the trees. But the one thing Washington doesn’t have, is my kids! So, I can endure the heat and humidity if I can spend time with my family! It’s worth it!