Sunday, March 22, 2009

Florida

So we have been home almost 2 weeks, but I thought I would finally sit down and update our blog! Bryce and I went to the Florida Keys for a week! It was amazing and wonderful! We rented a two bedroom apartment right by the beach and a nice park. It was a really nice place to be. The people lived upstairs and let us use their canoe. You walk a block and launch it into an inlet that leads through Mangrove Trees! Gorgeous. It was shallow water and clear, so just like taking a glass bottom boat ride! There were cool fish to see. After awhile we hit the ocean! That scared us a little so we turned around and headed back! The trip was spent exploring beaches and relaxing. We read a ton! I read 3 books and Bryce read 2, which is HIGHLY unusual for Bryce. We were also able to see and do some cool things. We drove up and down the Keys a lot, and the water color is incredible! You have the Gulf on one side and the Atlantic on the other! One day we drove up to the mainland and saw the Everglades! There were a ton of alligators and beautiful birds! The highlight was snorkeling at John Pennekamp State Park. They take you five miles off shore to a reef and drop you off to snorkel for 1 1/2 hours. The only other snorkeling we have done together was in Hanauma Bay in Hawaii. This is so much better. The reef was so close to the surface and alive and swaying to the ocean currents. The fish were so colorful and such a variety! There were a TON of Barracuda! At first we were freaked out that they would attack, but soon realized they weren't. We even saw an eel! That was creepy! Some others in the group saw a nurse shark resting on the ocean floor. I am VERY glad we didn't see that! I would have freaked out! It was just a wonderful time to be together and remember why we fell in love!