Florida Visitors

Here we are, living in sunny, beautiful Florida, and so excited that it's a place that our family and friends enjoy visiting!!  Many of our family and friends are snowbirds, who like to come down south when it's way too cold and snowy up north!   We LOVE it!!

Grammy came for Eve and Blake's birthdays in January  (see previous blogs)!   This beautiful picture of the sunset is my "picture of Grammy" for this blog!!    Isn't she lovely??  :-)

Neighbor-O and Neighborette --- Randy and Melanie --- our first neighbors as a couple!!!   We lived next to them in New Jersey and have been fortunate enough to keep in touch with these awesome friends!  They wanted to come visit this crazy household full of chaos and kids so we said, "come on down"!!   

Randy has always been such a goof and fun to play with -- the girls enjoyed his youthful energy!!

Beautiful Melanie  gives the best hugs and kisses.  She is pregnant with her first kids -- TWINS -- and will be the most fantastic, loving mommy!!   I only wish we lived closer so we could help with those kids coming soon.   (I'm there in spirit Mel :-)

 It was Randy's birthday while they visited.  So, we figured, since they didn't make it to Germany to visit, we'd treat him to a German style dinner and BEER for his special day!!   The evening came complete with BIG BEERS and a BIG spanking with a wooden paddle --- HA!!   Randy was such a good sport, but he was walking funny the rest of the night -- HA!!!  

 We also spent some quality time in beautiful Seaside -- where I ate the best "smoked tuna dip" ever!!  YUM!!!    We miss you guys!

 Then, our sweet niece, Jordan, came to visit!!!   YA!!  :-)

We ate dinner at Dick's Last Resort -- a restaurant where the staff is paid to be a D**K towards the customers --- it was hilarious.  It was all good, clean fun --  doesn't the hat very much show who Jordan is??   So funny!

(It says, "Can you hear me now?" -- in case you couldn't read it.)

 How can you not run over to New Orleans when you're in town for Mardi Gras!!   It was Jordan, Eve and Anna's FIRST Mardi Gras  (unless you include "Fasching" that we loved in fun Germany), and my first one in many years!!   So, we picked up NaNa and headed over to Jay's house for the weekend!!   Jay cooked us some FABULOUS food - as always!!!   (He creatively used Jordan's fruit drink to make a glaze for a pork loin -- HUBBA  HUBBA!!!  Such yummy food and wonderful hospitality!!)

Then, it was OFF TO THE PARADES!!

(No parade is complete without a beautiful Mardi Gras mask.)

 Oh - goodness gracious -- Eve has learned the "pucker face".  YIKES!!   I blame it all on you, jordan!!

 Eve and Anna also enjoyed some big cousin time, by having their hair curled and feeling all dolled up!!  Jordan is always such a pleasure to be around!!  We are blessed with wonderful nieces and nephews!!   (Here's hoping they will ALL come visit one day!!  :-)

 My beautiful godmother -- Aunt Jackie -- came down south for a family visit from Florida all the way over to Texas and back!!  Nana was her chaffeur and as they pulled into my driveway, I couldn't have been more excited to see my  mom and godmother coming!!  (I hadn't seen Aunt Jackie in about 5 years -- way too long.)   We played a lot of cards and enjoyed some casual strolls while talking about this and that and simply enjoying each other's company!!!   She says she may not be down south again for awhile -- but I beg to differ -- she'll come again -- or we'll go kidnap her and bring her back!!   I love my Aunt Jackie!

 Isn't this just the best picture of her and Scott??    Such beautiful/handsome people!!

 And, my dear Angela...............  It may have only been a dinner date in a cool little dive in Grayton Beach, but it's always a pleasure to catch up with some of our favorite people!!   Angela, Chad and Beau happened to be in Florida -- so Wayne and I made it a point to see these friends!!  There's something special about our friends who have become family that we would drop anything at the drop of a hat for the chance to hang out!!   Here's hoping they make it to Florida again or we make it to Arizona to hang out again.  I am sending blessings out to her second beautiful baby boy coming soon!!   (You should name him Grayton :-)

 THE COLES!!

Lindsey and Chris had come to Florida to visit with family, so we managed to meet up with them in Gainesville  (I made sure not to wear my LSU shirt so that I wouldn't get beaten up in Gator country)!!!

It was a short, rainy weekend together, but 

full of laughs................

 and silliness..................

 and more silliness............

(Linz will kill me for posting these pics -- love you girl :-)

 Then, Susie, Harbour and NaNa managed to come our way after Easter!!  Casual time spent together playing, eating, running around after boys were the events on the calendar.  A very relaxed visit -- much needed for all 3 mommies and the kids too!!   

 (This pic wasn't from their visit -- but I think it's a good picture of Susie and mom!!!)

So beautiful!!

 US Pattersons LOVE hanging out on the beach, whether it's for dinner or strolling.............  that's what the locals do here in Florida!!   It's made even more fun when family is gathered around the table and sharing thoughts and smiles!!  I LOVE my family and enjoy every visit!!  COME AGAIN POOPSLA!!  :-)

 I leave you with a picture of NaNa -- the Easter bunny!!!   :-)  :-)

Visitors,  Visitors,  Visitors..............we LOVE them and WANT them!!   Thank you for ALL of you who came this way and to those of you that may want to, but can't!!  We look forward to those of you coming back and those of you who will visit us at our next destination!!    

And, then, there are those of you who reside in my HEART  (you know who you are)........  always visiting. Always!

Much love...... Di