In an effort to joyously welcome the official start to school, we opted to go down to Florida and extend our summer one more week.  We had originally made a plan to meet our friends from Florida and Minnesota at a beach house in the Carolina’s, but as the time drew nearer it made more sense to crash in on Maureen’s house in north Florida!  We saved on room and board, and the kids had a fabulous time reuniting!  They had not seen each other since last Christmas.  They flowed together effortlessly, and the time flew by.  We managed to see lots of sites, and allow for lots of time in the pool, and play.  There was even a wedding...okay, it was a Webkinz wedding...but, we squeezed that in too!

On the first day we broke Beth in with a 101 degree day and went to St Augustine to Castillo de San Marcos.  The kids walked around an looked at the fort, but loved the view from up top of the fort walls.  Perhaps you would recall my kids have been here before, but it is always more fun with friends.  Do you think this wall was built before safety inspections??

You enter the fort through a small draw bridge that is surrounded by a moat.  We learned that the moat usually held livestock, but when under attack they could flood the moat further extending the fortress.  I loved the crest over the entrance.

Inside you see the girls in the chapel, and about to enter the armory.  We adults decided that place was creepy, like a tomb!  We also watched a movie and learned about the War of Jenkins’ Ear—isn’t that a funny name for a war

Soon we went up to the second level where Cade proceeded to sit on each and every cannon.  The kids explored and took in the views of St Augustine.

We also learned that St Augustine was one of only three walled cities.  The Spanish held on to San Marcos until 1783 when it was signed away in the Treaty of Paris. 

Even though it was hot...and I mean really hot, the kids had a great day!  Afterwards we went to have lunch at a place called Crackers—-did you know a Florida Cracker is a lot like a Redneck?  I had never heard that before. 

 

Upon leaving the fort the kids had a moment to pose with a Spanish soldier.  They had to be hot in all that wool don’t you think??