Ocala...What's in Ocala? Blueberries and springs - that's what!

May through July in Florida is blueberry season. We usually go once or twice a year to pick-your-own places for some fresh right off the bush juicy blueberries. Last year we went to Barbara's and Claire's blueberries and we liked it. So this year we decided to repeat this visit. Oh, how I love blueberries! Apart from being healthy and so delicious, kids love them, too. The benefit of pick-your-own places is that they only charge you for what you put in the bucket, not what goes in your mouth while you pick ;-))) We stayed there for quite a while, so we all had enough time to fill our tummies (and buckets) with blue goodness, and enough time for the kids to befriend a local dog. Even though I love to pick blueberries, I don't particularly enjoy sweat dripping from my face while doing it. Summer in Florida can be very exhausting, so to balance our day, we went to Alexander Springs in Ocala National Forest (another family favorite). Water in the springs is crystal clear and really cold. The closer you get to the source of it, the deeper it becomes and the harder it pushes you away. Water color is magical. Groups of people bring their scuba diving or snorkeling equipment to discover magnificent views down below. Sometimes you can spot a blue crab in the depth.

Caught in the act

This dog put his head on Valentina's lap in total loyalty

Alexander Springs

No pictures - no post?

We went to Dinosaur World today and I forgot a camera. So, no pictures in this post! When we drove there, the weather was nice and sunny, but the moment we stepped out of the car, it started pouring. We were prepared, though. I had put rain coats for all of us in the trunk previously (you never know Florida weather). So they came in handy. Now, on the other hand, maybe it was good that I forgot camera, cause we would look funny in the pictures wearing our rain coats and dripping water from hair, wet shoes and all...
Anyway, armed with rain coats we embarked on our dinosaur adventure. It is basically a walk-through park with life-size dinosaur statues throughout. You have to stop and read a sign about every dinosaur. There is also a fossil dig for kids, which was closed due to some flooding, boneyard, where kids got their own paleontologist tools - shovel and brush, to unearth some dinosaur bones (this area has a roof over it, so it was a nice break from rain). There is also touch-and-tell and few other displays.
And what would you guess kids like the best? Huge Tyrannosaurus Rex statue? Some gruesome dino-killing-dino displays? Guess again! Snails! Yes, snails. Those tiny things slithered everywhere in the park, especially in the rain, and the kids were so fascinated by them, they wanted nothing to do with those dinosaurs. Who cares about some fake museum displays, when you can be picking up snails, making them hide inside their shells, stuffing them in your coat pockets, watching them slowly make their slimy path on a smooth rock? Next time I'll know better to bring them to see real animals, and not some stuffed boring junk. Interaction, interaction and more interaction - that's what they need! Even though they loved digging for bones and doing touch-and-tell, that only proves my conclusion about "more hands on, less boring".
I should mention one thing: Valentina said "Thank you mommy for bringing us to dinosaur place today, it was fun". How sweet is that?

I forgot to mention in my previous posts our trip to Miami Zoo two weeks ago (again pictureless). That place is really huge. To look and see all the animals there you need few days, especially because there are few fun stops on the way, like playground. It is really nice, clean and the workers are knowledgeable, eager to answer questions you might have. I asked many questions about koala, and the gentleman with feathers in his hat (jumanji idea?) answered all of them. There are monkeys, tortouses, elephants, different kinds of birds, tigers, kengaroos, jaguar, reptiles of all sorts, warthogs, and much-much more. Wish it was located closer to us, so we would go there again often.

Keeping them busy without TV (second trial)

I have to say though, we didn't completely ditch TV, because "one-car situation" makes it really hard to come up with a lot of activities and entertainment at home. So, we just minimized TV time to about 2 movies a day instead of 5 (hey, I need a little rest time from my over-active kids). I am hoping to cut down even more later.
And I have to say, we were busy. Yesterday I ransacked kids section of Michaels' store for some projects, hoping to stretch them for weeks. Haha, my kids were done with them all in a day. Next time I'll have to hide the fun stuff before they get to it.
So, these were the projects for today:

Both kids worked on these funfusion projects (cat and caterpillar) and also this butterfly foam puzzle (that one took a minute)

My little artists at work (and their finished projects)

I got carried away a little

Of course, they played with LEGO ;-))

Our guinea pig Whiskers is not exactly a project, but I thought he deserves to be here, since he got his bath today (rare occasion for a guinea pig) and is looking so handsome.

Do One Silly Thing Every Day ;-P (tongue post)

Father's Day crafts

Being thrifty and finding new and creative ways of keeping kids away from TV (even though for a little bit) made me thinking (and googling). So this is the result:

Valentina's and Misha's hands cut-outs make heart-shaped frame for their art ;-)))

This cute camp fire is virtually expense-free craft: the idea and the instructions here. Valentina and Misha each made one for daddy.

We added our little touch: instead of tissue paper we used red, orange and yellow fabric. We also sprayed rocks with glow-in-the-dark spray for an eery look.

Valentina working hard drawing flowers for daddy

Our family rarely dresses up, so when we all were ready for church this Sunday for Father's Day this is what we looked like. I'm loving the 10-second delay on my camera.

My recent crafts

Diaper cake for friend's baby shower

Butterfly dress and purse for Valentina

Fabric map of the world for Misha's room

I spruced up this peacock picture with some peacock feathers

My little french corner: to go with the peacock theme - peacock feathers glued on canvas, ribbon lamp shade

Princess skirt for Valentina and a matching vest (not pictured here). The scalloped edge on the skirt was something new for me.

My Prince Charming

Eric had a birthday this month. So, here is a little tribute to my hubby. I tend to take him for granted a lot. Sometimes it seems he's always there, I know him, what else do we need, right? But if I don't pause and think how happy he makes me and the children, this is going to be one more thing I let pass me by. Well, I'll try to come up with the original "Eric trivia list". I promise, I won't say things like "he's a great father and a husband", because, gee, if he wasn't I wouldn't be with him ;-)))

1. He falls asleep when I read stories or talk.

2. He talks in his sleep in some jibberish language, especially when woken up with a start.

3. His shoe size is smaller than 12, but he always insists on buying size 13.

4. He knows what aggravates me and does it anyway.

5. He likes cold AC, cold drinks, and even though he frequently gets brain-freezes, still gulps his drink in a blink of an eye.

6. When we lived in Minnesota, he wore shorts in winter, when we moved to Florida he started wearing pants.

7. He has "podophobia" (please don't make me explain).

8. His all-time favorite movie is a chick-flick.

9. He lets me wear pants in the house.

10. Ever since I got obsessed with Twilight, he buys me magazines with Twilight characters on the cover.

11. He surely enjoys his Wii time.

12. He likes wrestling (I'm rolling my eyes).

13. He likes wrestling on Wii.

14. In all he changed about 20 jobs (being Papa Bear costumed character was one of them).

15. When kids misbehave, he likes to have a one-on-one conversation with them in the room, after which they come out comptletely changed.

16. The last book he read was "Final Exits" by Michael Largo .

17. He would go to a girlie store with me (shoe store, perfume, cosmetics, to name a few) and would carry my heavy purse without a word of irritation. Gotta love his patience.

18. He can do anything he puts his mind to, be it a house project, or fixing a car, or moving across the country.

19. Kids love him, he even got a little herd of little friends in Belarus, that would follow him wherever he went. They even gave him some gifts and notes with their names. One of them wanted to come to US, so he said "you can bring me in your suitcase with you".

20. Valentina and Misha learned this good-night phrase from Eric: "I love you, good night, spokoynoy nochi, good night, don't let the bed bugs bite, spokoynoy nochi, good night", because it is not enough to say one thing, you know, so they say the whole thing before they go to bed, every time. Oh, and that goes after the routine hug, kiss, and butterfly (eyelashes on cheek).

21. Laundry. I have to talk about this. Eric would mix my whites with his blacks. I banned him from doing laundry ever again, but... read #4.

22. He always carries stuff in his pockets, and empties them all over the house, again... #4.

23. He is always there for me whenever I need him, he is my husband and BFF in one person.

24. He is an easy-going person.

25. Eric biked to work 3 hours a few times and took bus, just so I could have a car.

26. He can cook a great dinner, but his favorite is to grill.

27. He is not picky and this is great. He would eat anything I cook, and then thank me for it even if it is tasteless or salty or burnt. He can wear shirts that are 10 years old and not care.

28. He grows a gotee on vacation.

29. He sometimes calls me from work just for us to not say anything, really.

30. The first time he flew on the plane was for our honeymoon.

31. He is a great father and a husband. I know, I know, I promised not to say that, but what kind of a wife would I be, if I didn't?

Love you, Eric

So to celebrate we went to Lake Louisa State Park for a picnic,

walked in warm lake water and looked at tiny fish,

Valentina and Misha climbed a tree,

went home to a little surprise.

Wanna see something mouthwatering? Click the link

http://www.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK//video/imdb/vi8782361/

Anna Maria Island

Things to see on the way to the beach:

RVs growing out of the ground, proud confederate flag, cool red-flowered trees, alien-ship-shaped water towers.

Anna Maria Island pier

Things to do at the beach:

My shirt grew some flowers

Just having some fun with flowers applique (shirt) and a flower hair-clip I made for a gift.

Kindergarten Graduation, Water Day, turtle and gifts...

Last Friday Valentina's class had a kindergarten graduation following water day.

Valentina and Ms. Blum

Gabriella, Valentina, Aaron

The class sang "Florida Alphabet", it was really cute to listen to them sing (I liked L for Lobster, tasty I think, and N for Naples, where the old folks go). Then they also had a little Kindergarten presentation. Each kid had a letter of a word KINDERGARTEN and what it stands for. Valentina had "E" for Excitement. They also got their awards, you can see Valentina proudly displaying them. They decorated a white t-shirt for their water day previously, so after everybody changed into swimsuits, they headed outside. We were lucky to stay and watch this activity. Each class moved from one station to another. There were wet chalk table, racing with water cup on top of the head, blowing bubbles, running through sprinkler, playing with wet sponge, shaving cream, and, of course, "duck-duck-goose". And they also got shaved ice cone. It was a ton of fun for kids. Great way to celebrate the end of the year.

When we drove back home, we noticed a turtle on the side of the road, it couldn't get up the curb, and it was hot outside. So, when we slowed down, that poor turtle practically ran under our car for shade. It hid inside its shell. Well, it was time for us to save the poor soul. Eric pulled it out from under the car and put it on the grass. It hid in the shady bushes. Mission "Save-a-Turtle" accomplished! We snapped a couple of pics for memory.

Valentina had a few presents that she liked waiting for her at home. I made her lady-bug dress on these pictures. It was an hour project, but she loved it.