Mantatees!

So I finally got all of my blog "issues" squared away!!  Apparently as my blog is approaching 4 years of existence...I have used up all of the available memory for pictures?!  SO...I basically had to buy more space!  Thankfully it was a small $5 investment and I'm sure my faithful reader(s)..Hi Mom..Will be happy I paid it!

SO..I have a couple of random posts for you from a trip the kids and I made to Florida a couple of weeks ago.  We had a great time and really got to enjoy the warm weather and relaxation.  It's always nice to get "home" and see family and friends.  I have to admit..this last trip has left me more homesick then usual.  There's been a lot of space between my visits (8 months between this visit and the last) so maybe that just makes it particularly hard.  Not knowing when we will go back..

Still, like I said earlier, We had a great time!  So here are some pictures from one of our little adventures. The kids and I had spent the morning just hanging out and playing outside when I decided to take them on a little outing to see the manatees.  My in laws house (where we were staying) is in Riverview so it was just a quick drive over to see them.

For those of you reading that have no idea what I'm talking about, there is a great site to view Manatees. It's at one of the large power plants for the Tampa Bay area.  Here is a little excerpt from the TECO Manatee Viewing Center:

Tampa Electric’s Big Bend Power Station in Apollo Beach delivered reliable electricity to the community for 16 years before the commercial operation of Big Bend Unit 4 in 1986. That year, people started seeing manatees in large numbers in the power station’s discharge canal, where saltwater – taken from Tampa Bay to cool Unit 4 – flowed, clean and warm, back to the bay. When Tampa Bay reached 68 degrees or colder, the warm-blooded mammals would seek out this new refuge. The Manatee Viewing Center was soon born

There was quite a crowd of them gathered there that day.  I'd say probably at least 15.  The kids really seemed to enjoy it!  I remember going here and seeing them on field trips at school, but it had been a while since I saw them for myself.  They are so fascinating!!  It's just sort of strange to see such a large mammal swimming around in the water.  Also, we were excited to see several baby Manatees like the one pictured below..

Mama and Baby!

Here are the kiddos enjoying the view!

 One of the large smokestacks you can see high above the plant..

Noah and Ella seeing Manatees for the first time!  Couldn't get Noey to look at the camera though..

 Some of the power plant..

What a great way to spend a warm, sunny, Florida morning!