A Trip to the Sunshine State

Benjamin and his family are from Florida,

and we try to make it there at least once a year to see everyone. Last year, Townes and I took our first trip to where Benjamin's family lives. It was a lovely trip and we got to see lots of family we don't get to see very often. I was pretty bummed out we were visiting Benjamin's family without him, but still happy we got to see everyone. This year, however, Benjamin got a week off the same week I got Spring Break, so we headed back to Florida for Townes' second expedition of his life. Last year he was just shy of a year old, I was still breastfeeding, and he was getting the hang of walking. This year would be completely different.

I was so nervous about the car ride since last year he did very well except for the last leg of the trip he cried and wanted me to hold him. I thought for sure this trip would be miserable since he's into so many things and always wants something to do. I filled his backpack with fun activities, a no-mess paint kit, a sticker book, his favorite books, a small lunch box filled with random do-dads, musical instruments, a play phone. I was holding my phone as a last resort for him to watch videos if he got restless. I CAN NOT BELIEVE HOW AMAZING HE WAS! He played for maybe the first 3 hours of the trip. He napped in two, 45 minute bursts, and he snacked. The rest of the time he sat and looked out the window and talked.

My good boy

We got to our first stop, Granny's, at about dinner time. Townes was bursting with energy and just acted like he knew exactly where he was and what was going on. We picked her up and headed to dinner at Sonny's. I can't think of Sonny's without thinking of Benjamin's family. We eat there at least 3 times when we go. If you don't know Kelly, Benjamin's mother, just know she lives off good tea. Sonny's started her on that train before she moved to Tennessee and found Pal's. She knows her tea, so you can trust it's good.

As we all sit and sip on our tea, Townes reaches for Granny's tea. I told him that was her drink and I gave him his. She, as a sweet ol' Granny does, told me it was fine and he could have some. What I meant was that he didn't need to drink sweet tea, because of the caffeine, because of his delicate little teeth. I of course was too afraid to say anything else, and little did I know, he was going to be drinking a lot of tea on this trip. It was cute and sweet though and we don't get to see them hardly ever so I let it slide.

That's the thing about being a mom, sometimes you make exceptions to rules to let other people enjoy your kids a little bit. Sometimes that means staying up until 11 to see family you only see once a year, and sometimes that means letting people give him some sips of sweet tea for a few days.

I mean, you tell them no.

After BBQ, we got settled at Granny's house and waited for Ben's parents to get there. Benjamin, Townes, and I slept in the doll room. See Granny collects dolls, as a cute Granny does. They are all over the house, but we got the honor of sleeping in the official doll room. We sat and visited with her and I gave her a little pedicure. We talked and laughed and looked at all her old photos.

Townes didn't seem to notice

The next day we wanted to get out for a little while so we went looking for a Target, OBVI. The GPS found one where you had to park in a parking garage. Kelly and I were ecstatic walking in, gushing about how we were about to enter a department-store-type Target. We walked in to see it was about the size of a gas station. We were very disappointed to discover it was a Target “Express”. Kelly kept saying to the one employee, "We thought this was a real Target, we wanted a real Target." The employee responded, "This is a real Target." Whatever lady. This is apparently the sort of thing you will find in a college town, SAD! We finally found a real one and this one had free fruit for children! I am now upset every Target doesn't do this. It was the perfect pick-me-up for Townes and kept him content (until he ate it all).

We went on our way and rode in the car from place to place, talking and laughing and telling stories. David drove us through where Benjamin grew up, a small town called Reiford. When David worked at the prison, they grew up in government housing right across from it. We drove past Benjamin’s childhood home and hangouts. We watched children running around outside all the houses, and I imagined Benjamin running barefoot with his friends from house to house. They reminisced and told stories about each area and house, Kelly talked about how she grew up 4 houses down from the house she raised her boys in. Even though Townes is too young to remember or understand any of this, he sat between Kelly and I, his hands clasped together sweetly, looking back and forth as we talked, from her face to mine. He was so quiet and listened and took in every word. 

He was a little tired on the way home though.

Benjamin said as a kid he remembered a little ice cream place close to Granny's house, it was still there looking the same as it did then. We decided to go get some. Granny told us it has been there and owned by the same family since she was a little girl. It was the best soft serve I have had in a long time, the perfect treat after a great day.

We decided before the trip that we wanted to take Townes to the beach while we were so close, even if it was just for a minute. We decided we would do it on our transition day coming from staying with Granny to going and staying with David's mom, Ma. One of the closest beaches was my favorite, St. Augustine.

Beach ready

Once we all got up and moving and got some breakfast in our bellies, we got ready for the beach! We drove down to St. Augustine and walked Townes down the sand. I took his shoes off and he loved feeling it on his toes. I don't remember the first time I went to the beach, but it is so amazing watching a child, especially your own, experience it for the first time. When he first felt a little wave, he backed away unsure and skeptical. He started to play in the sand and loved digging in it and burying himself. David took him back out in the water and let him feel a few more waves and he started to love it. We walked towards the pier and let Townes see underneath it and a big wave came and took Benjamin by surprise, soaking his shoes and socks. Townes laughed so hard and got so tickled at Benjamin running away. 

It was so much fun, even though we weren't there long, we had a blast. I was sure he would throw a tantrum. We took him to play in a little splash pad they had by the parking lot and after he played for a while we told him it was time to go. He calmly grabbed a hand and followed us to the car. He didn't complain or fuss or yell. He was so tired he passed out almost as soon as we got in the car.

First view of the ocean

We headed back to Granny's (after making another stop at Powell's of course) and gathered our things to head to Ma's. We ate at Sonny's for the third time in three days, and hopped in Ma's truck to head to her house. If you're wondering why we all hopped in her truck, that's because you can't get to her house unless you are in a truck. Ma lives smack dab in the middle of the Ocala National Forest. 

Our first trip to the lake, I was mesmerized as we drove through the woods. The trees were all wild looking and there was so much beautiful plant life. I was almost scared to stick my head too far out the window for fear that a bear or an alligator would snap it off. David told us how as kids they used to play all in that forest. As a kid it seems amazing, like your own mystical forest. As an adult, I have no idea how they weren't killed.

Staying at Ma's is exactly like camping. You're out in the middle of the forest, no reception, The only internet is at Ma's house. It is so beautiful at her house. There are wild peacocks running around everyone's yards screaming, there are cranes flying over the pond and strutting around, there are turkeys and deer fighting for feed. Ma said one morning she opened the door to her screened porch and there was a bear so close to her that she could have petted it. She said he ripped through her screen to get to some cat food. These things are normal in the forest. It's another world.

Townes got to play and meet his cousin Rubi, and they rode around in a wagon and looked at all the animals. It was like Townes was in a zoo, he was so excited to feed the animals and see them all running around. He found a feather and kept a small piece of corn, they were his cute little treasures that he carried everywhere. He had black little feet from the Florida sand and dirt. David, Benjamin, and Townes all went to see David's grandmother, Benjamin's great-grandmother, and Townes great-great-grandmother, Granny Daisy. She was so upset she wasn't get to see them because she was sick and they surprised her by coming to her. All of us stayed and had a nice visit and conversation until they came back.

Benjamin came to me all sad and told me he stuck Townes' corn kernel in his wallet and it fell out and got lost. It was so cute and sweet that he had saved it and was sad that it got lost. With that being said, we kept the feather. After a long day filled with lots of talking, laughs, and good food, we headed to bed so we could wake up early and set out on the road back to Tennessee.

Even though it was a short, sweet visit, we had a great time. We headed back to Tennessee and Townes sat and watched out the window the whole time. When we got home, the whole week after Florida it was like Townes had grown up so much. He was talking so much, so insanely sweet, and such a good listener. I love watching this boy grow up and he is so insanely wonderful. 

Until next time Florida! See you soon!