florida.

Florida has always been a state that I never had any interest going to.

It just always seems so hot and humid and far away and I just never thought I'd get the chance or desire to go there. But when four of my nieces and nephews (and their parents) move there they left us other family members with no choice. So thus, I had the opportunity to go to Florida to be my sister's manny for a week. It was so much fun.

My sister has even already blogged about me being her manny.

I got to spend a whole week with my nieces (Parker and Macy) and nephew's (Ollie and Sawyer). They are such good kids and often hilarious. I had so much fun babysitting and playing lots and lots and lots of hide-and-go-seek. Amazing how often you hide behind the shower curtain it seems new each time they find you there.

I was there during Halloween week. They all carved pumpkins but I stayed in and watched Sawyer because he wasn't feelin it.

They live in Boca Roton which is right on the beach. We went on a blustery day but I got to put my feet in the Atlantic ocean for the first time. It was warm, not even a hint of cold. I was shocked.

We had lunch at a park before we went to the nature reserve and on a cool nature walk. Macy was so funny about the crocodile's coming to find us and eat us up.

The kids petting a turtle.

We went on this really cool nature walk that was built above a Floridian swampland. It was so cool. We were looking everywhere for a wild crocodile but never saw one.

Halloween was a blast and glad I got to be with the kids during it. We had the church Halloween activity on Friday night and then went out on the 31st trick-or-treating. They got two full nights of Halloween bliss. Luckily Robin and Josh control their sugar intake or I'm sure Ollie would be in a sugar-coma! ("Skittle's more of them mommy!" he would say.)

Parker the Witch.

Macy the Angel.

Ollie the Skeleton (but closely resembling the Heath Ledger Joker).

Sawyer the Clown.

The kids together before trick-or-treating. Is this picture not classic of Macy? Hilarious.

I'm glad I had the chance to go. It's easy to travel when you don't have school or a job so I'm lucky to get the initial Florida trip out of the way! (there will be more I am sure.). I'm bummed whenever I have to leave any of my nieces or nephews cause they're all so awesome and so funny.

My favorite was when Robin was trying to teach 4-year-old Macy the night before how to sleep in in the morning time. "Ok Macy, in the morning, when you wake up, you can just lay in bed and think 'Wow, I have nothing to do today so I'm going to enjoy this bed' and you can sleep even longer." After a slight pause, Macy responds "....why would I want to do that?" It was hilarious.

And the Oscar for best picture of the trip is following one of Ollie.

Yup, life is good when it's Halloween and you're a kid.

I miss you Floridians!