Florida National Parks January 2023

One advantage of homeschooling is being able to go on vacations when everyone else is in school.

Off to Florida we went!

It was about 75 degrees every day. That's warmer than California in January.

Our first National Park was Everglades. We took an airboat and saw two alligators and lots of cool birds.

In Miami, we went to Jungle Island where the girls and I did a lemur experience.

It was their favorite part of the trip.

Next stop was Key West where we caught the ferry to Dry Tortugas National Park.

It's a very small island with an old fort on it.

The fort was used during the civil war to hold deserters from both sides.

Walking through and on top of the fort was my favorite part of the trip.

We had a picnic lunch as part of the tour and then went snorkeling.

Dan was still seasick from the two hour boat ride so he passed on snorkeling.

I went back to walk through the fort some more.

We got back at dinner time and walked around Key West a bit.

Back in Miami the next day we went to Little Havana. We had reservations at a restaurant but something about it scared Anna and when she has had her limit you might as well just leave.

Our last day was spent at Biscayne National Park.

We kayaked around the mangroves looking for manatees but never saw one. :(

But we spottted some great blue herons.

In the afternoon we went to Wynwood Walls to see some of the art work. 

We also drove through some of the Art Deco District of Miami.

It was a bit of an exhausting trip for Anna.

 

Other Fun Things in January and February 2023

We visited the roller rink a few times.

I got the Southern California passes for Anna, Mia and myself so we could three times before May. 

Anna only went this once. It's not her thing.

But doing makeup is. She is really good at it. Of course, I don't let her leave the house like this.

Lots of Kinga cuddling.

Anna got another hole in each ear. That's it until she turns 18!

They spent quite a few days and nights making clay creatures on the patio. 

We got tired of clay everywhere in the house so we kicked them outside.

Luckily, it's only Southern California in February.

 

Nixon Library Field Trip January 2023

 There are two Presidential libraries in Southern California, Nixon and Reagan. Both were contemporary presidents so I let the girls choose which one to visit. Of course they chose the closer one. :)

There's a full size replica of the Oval Office as it looked while he was president.

President Dan

We learned about many of the good things he did like trying his best to end the Vietnam War.

He was not a war hawk.

He opened dialog and visited China after decades of no communication between them and us.

Here's a piece of the Berlin Wall that faced West Germany.

But the back of the Berlin Wall really tells the real story. 

In East Berlin, the people were not free enough to get close to it.

His office in his home in San Clemente.

And of course what he will always be infamous for.

He was born on this property...

...in this house.

And he and his wife are buried here.

It was a good educational trip.