Thanksgiving

This year we hosted Thanksgiving at our house.  I love cooking for friends and family, but I will admit it can be stressful too.  At the end of the day I was glad it was over, but also glad we had the means to provide the feast and gather together.  Thanksgiving was with Doug's side of the family this year, at least some of them and our church missionaries.  Doug's mom and sister, Shilae, came up from Idaho Falls and then his other sister, Kaytie, lives in town and came out.  It was great spending time with them; it doesn't happen enough.  Nobody died from my cooking so I consider this a great success.

Crazy cousin gathering

First Snow

So, we had our first snow fall the other day.  It wasn't much, but the kids wanted to go out and play.  So, I let them.  Just enough to build a little snow man or start a snow fort.

Halloween

Peter - Lion

Alexis - Cinderella

Chris - Darth Vader

Evan - Bumblebee

Cocoa Beach at the beach

Next day found us back at Cocoa Beach, but this time we actually made it to the beach.

Evan catching a wave

Chris catching a wave

Evan

Doug, Ben and Peter playing in the sand

Alexis the next swimsuit model

Wave is coming in

St. Augustine - Castillo de San Marcos

Castillo De San Marcos.  A national monument.  That was closed.  We tried to go tour this monument but because of the idiots in the government it was closed.  No budget could be decided upon so all national monuments were closed and the people suffered.  Some people decided to go in anyway and when we left we say police coming to take care of it.  If they had just left them open while they bickered all would have been fine.  I had better stop now before my true feelings come out.  It was still a lovely site to see from the outside and some of the views were breathtaking.

Always ready for a fight, my children with the cannons

Trying to scale the wall to invade

Evan riding the cannon

Now I know where "hot shot" came from.

Looking in the shot furnace

Peter gazing out at the ocean

Lexie with the ocean behind her

It was a rainy day but we enjoyed looking around anyway and it seemed to slow down so we didn't get soaked.

St. Augustine - Old Mission

After much sampling of chocolate and buying of chocolate we headed over to the old mission.  We had really wanted to go to the museum, but it was closed and this was a good thing.  There was plenty for us to see without the museum.

Family pic

Doug and Peter by tree

Lady of La Leche chapel

Doug with children by old bell

Statue on grounds

Peter by a mini-statue

St. Augustine - Chocolate

Monday morning found us heading north to St. Augustine and chocolate. 

 Oh my goodness!  The tour smelled divine and their chocolate was even better.  Have you ever had a piece of dark chocolate that had a bitter taste to it?  Most chocolates get bitter the darker you go.  I just thought it was the norm, but I'm here to tell you it isn't.  Whetstone Chocolate Factory using an extra step that boils off the dark bitter taste and all you are left with is chocolate heaven.  I think I may be making a trip back just for the chocolate.  During the tour we all had to sport these nifty hair nets.