cheeseburger in paradise

I sit here at home tonight with a fire in the fireplace and near-freezing rain falling outside, and I wonder:

"How is it possible that yesterday, this was my life?"

It's these changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes,
Nothing remains quite the same.
With all of our running and all of our cunning,
If we couldn't laugh we would all go insane

Cortadito, fried plantains, Vaca Frita, Sangria - nothing like having a Cuban friend to help guide the cuisine when you're in Miami. Absolutamente deliciosa!!

And I can't forget the backyard-fresh papaya and bananas we had for breakfast. Yum.



I have a nice picture of DH basking in the sun under the palms with topless sunbathers in the sand behind him. Yes, Q did notice.

Q: "Mommy, those ladies are half naked!"
Me: "yup. They're tanning"
Q: "OK."

Oh, and here's a funny story for mom. E's favorite animals at the zoo were the zebras, because they were "playing piggyback." Mom - you know your embarrassment at your young daughter yelling out about how the monkeys were jumping on each others backs? (or was it embarrassment? Was it more amusement?) Well whatever it was all those years ago, it has been fully atoned. I stood there with my daughter shrieking to everyone within hearing distance about how the zebras were playing piggy back. I debated with myself whether or not I should explain what was going on. I opted for "not" because I just wasn't in the mood for further questions. It's the circle of life, you know, mom. Deja vu, deja vu. What goes around, comes around. E will get hers one day, too, I am confident.

Here are a couple photos more from Key Biscane:




A wonderful time was had by all. Our friends have a 9 month old baby who adored Q and E but who couldn't quite decide if it was DH or me who was the antichrist. She looks just like her daddy, for those of you who know JC.

We played disc golf (here we are searching for a disc. And you thought that was only golf balls...)


And we went to the zoo:



E's comment for EVERY animal was "It is SO BEAUTIFUL!" Well, every animal except the orangatang. She was not enamored with that one. She told JC it needed a makeover. She also felt it was encumbant upon her to keep everyone in the zoo honest. She made sure that the young mom who exclaimed to her baby son "Look at the turtle!!" was informed (by her highness herself) that she was in fact looking at a tortoise and not a turtle. Yeow. My daughter is not shy.

E also fell totally in love with our friend JC. She is a complete flirt (aye). I watch, I nod. I am amused, I am terrified for the future. But mostly, I'm having a blast. Great weekend. Great friends, Great food, Great children, Great environment. Changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes...

Oh, and Q asked that I take this picture. He says "The tribe has spoken."