Christmas 2013 in South Florida

Our Christmas this year was spent in Homestead with Ryan, Najla, Baby Emma and Maryann. The weather went from 37 to 80+. Having grown up in Miami, it brought back memories of a tropical Christmas with nice breezes and damp sheets when you went to bed at night. The breezes were a nice change, the humidity not so much. It also reminded me of why my hair was always frizzy,

On Sunday we went to the Everglades NP for a little walk around. Emma really enjoyed running on the board walk and looking at everything. I couldn't post a video on blogger, so I'll just post some pictures. I was able to get the videos on to You Tube under Tails from Tennessee.



Emma, playing on the very large lanai at her house.

 

Emma really enjoyed walking around and looking at the birds, water and animals. Very few alligators to be seen this time.

 

 

Her hair is really getting long and is sort of a strawberry blonde.

 

After a walk in the Everglades we went to The Big Chill in Key Largo for lunch. There was a little barking dog at the next table and Emma couldn't take her eyes off of him.
 

Christmas Morning

I didn't take many photos Christmas morning, mostly videos. Here are a few.
Being in South Florida, there was no need for winter clothes on Christmas. Emma came to the gift opening wearing her Santa panties.

 

One of their gifts was matching winter pajamas, so they all dressed in them for a quick photo. Very warm for 80 degree weather.

Bailey is patiently waiting for her gift----a rather large dog bone which she proudly carried back and forth through all the unwrapping time to show off her prized gift.

 

Emma unwrapping some new books and puzzles.

 

Her new kitchen is unwrapped, but not yet put together. It took Dad and Pepere a while to get that done.

 

A Visit to Robert is Here

If you have been though Homestead and never stopped at Robert is Here you are missing an experience. RIH has been here for decades and on the weekend you have to park a block away just to get near the entrance. It is a fruit stand, but so much more than that. It began when Robert as a young boy was sent to the corner to sell fresh vegetables. No one bought them. So the next day he made a sign that said "Robert Is Here" and he sold all his vegetables. From that point on his business grew and grew. Today it is his family business and sells all types o tropical fruits, fresh vegetables, jams, jellies, candy, sauces, honey and other products. It is a site to behold. The most popular is his milkshake stand made with fresh fruits of all varieties. On the weekend there is a live band. In the back is a petting zoo. You can wait in kine a long time for one of his milkshakes. Today we were lucky. It pays to go in the middle of the day on a Monday.


 

A few of the oranges, and other Florida fruits.

A menu for their milkshakes or smoothies. They are to die for. I decided on a Key Lime Milkshake. It was a toss up between that and a Passion Fruit/Key Lime. YUM!!!!

We bought a couple of the unusual fruits to bring home and try. This is a Jack fruit. It tastes like vanilla pineapple.

These are Black Sapote and you wait until they are oozing black juice to eat them. They taste and look like chocolate pudding.

Lady Red Papaya. These are so big and heavy. One papaya goes a long way.

Canistel when ripe tastes like sweet and creamy egg custard.

Emma enjoying a Black Sapote. banana smoothie.

Look at the size of these avocados. Nothing like what you see in our grocery.

It was a good day at Robert is Here.