Dolphin Research Center, Marathon, FL / Delfiinien tutkimuskeskus, Marathon, FL

Ensimmainen paiva meni siis ihan taysin rannalla aarteita etsiessa ja hiekalla leikkiessa seka uidessa. Seuraavana paivana lahdimme kavimme katselemassa delfiineita. Sikalaisessa delfiinien tutkimuskeskuksessa oli pelastettuja (esim hain hyokkayksesta haavoittuneita) tai sinne syntyneita delfiineja. Naimme pienen leikkituokion, jossa delfiineja aktivoitiin erilaisin "leluin" (amerikkalainen jalkapallo, veden pinnalla tikun paassa heiluteltava huivi, hola hoops, veden pinnalla liikuteltava muovinen mela jne). Osa delfiineista oli selkeasti enemman kiinnostuineita leluista kuin toiset. Siella oli myos yksi aiti ja poikanen. He nakyvat yhdessa kuvassa vierekkain.
Mielenkiitoisinta oli ehka seurata BBC:n kuvausryhman tyota. Heidan ansiostaan naimme upeita hyppyja ja muita temppuja. Siella siis kuvattiin BBC:n tuottamaan ohjelmaa. Emme tieda viela mita. Asiaa hieman helpottaa se etta tunnistin yhden henkilon kuvausryhmasta. Kun mieheni katseli delfiineja tyttojen kanssa, mina katselin kuvausryhmaa ja huomasin heidan takanaan miehen joka otti kuvia. Kovin oli tutun nakoinen. Ja sitten valahti: han oli professori Brian Cox, tunnettu fyysikko, joka on viimeaikoina tehnyt useampia televisiosarjoja BBC:n kanssa ja oli siis kuvaamassa uusinta. Ja kun kerran tallaiseen kuuluisuuteen tuli tormattya niin pitihan sita menna juttelemaan ja pyytaa samaan kuvaa (taman mamman yksi loman kohokohdista). Taisi olla hieman hakeltynyt etta hanet tunnistettiin. Amerikassa han ei ole niin suuri nimi kuin Euroopan puolella.
Oli valtavan hienoa katsella ja seurata delfiinien ja heidan kouluttajiensa kanssakaymista. Siella paasi myos uimaan/leikkimaan delfiinien kanssa, jos vain maksoi tarpeeksi paljon. Olisin kovasti halunnut tehda sen mutta jatetaan seuraavaan kertaan niin etta pikkuneitikin paasee mukaan.
Tutkimuskeskuksen alueella oli myos sprinkleripuisto lapsille. Se taisi olla meidan neitien huippuhetkia kuten delfiinien hyppyjen ja temppujen seuraaminen.

First day was spent completely at the beach looking for treasures, playing with the sand and swimming. Next day we went to the Dolphin Research Center in Marathon. They have dolphins which have been saved (e.g. from shark attacks) or dolphins that have been born there. We saw a little play moment with several dolphins where the dolphins were activated with different kinds of toys (like american football, a scarf tied on a stick and a paddles which was floated and moved on the surface etc.). Some of the dolphins were clearly more interested in the toys than the others. We also saw a mother and a baby which you can see in one of the pictures side by side.
For us adults maybe the most interesting was to follow the BBC filming crew working. Because of them we saw some amazing jumps and leaps and other tricks. So they were filming a new program for BBC. We do know know which one yet. But we have a clue as I did recognise a member in that filming crew. When my husband was watching the dolphins with the girls I was looking how the crew was working and noticed a man who was taking pictures behind them. He looked awfully familiar to me. And then it hit me: he was professor Brian Cox, a well knows physicist who has been making several TV series with BBC. And as we had such a "celebrity" there we had to go talk to him and ask kindly for a photo (meeting him was one of the highlights of this mother's holiday). He was a bit taken aback about the fact that he was recognised. He's not such a big name in America as in Europe.
It was extremely wonderful to watch the interaction between the dolphins and their trainers. You could have also paid to get to swim/play with the dolphins. It was quite a lot of money and I decided we'll do next time when Big Miss is a bit bigger and can do it as well.
They also had a great sprinkler park for the children. I think that and seeing all the tricks the dolphins did were the highlights of this visit.

Tranquility Bay Beachfront Hotel & Resort, Marathon, Florida

Ok. Moni on jo tata odotellutkin ja nyt sita sitten tuleman pitaa. :D Oikein urakalla ja laskuun, useammassa postauksessa. Paljon ihania onnistuneita kuvia tuli otettua ja vaikeuksia tulee olemaan taas etta mitka pistetaan esille ja mitka jatetaan pois. Mutta pelko pois, en postaa kaikkia paria tuhatta kuvaa. :D
Eli loman alkuun ajoimme Orlandosta vuokra-autolla Floriday Keys:eille ja siella Marathoniin (yksi suurimmista saarista). Hotellihuoneisto, jonka olimme varanneet oli nimeltaan Tranquility Bay Beachfront Hotel & Resort. Ihana paikka. Juuri sellainen mihin olisin voinut hyvinkin unohtua kahdeksi viikoksi. Ensi kerralla ehka juurikin niin. Terassilta paasi suoraan ihanalle valkealle hiekalle ja meri oli heti siina edessa. Palmuja, pieni tuuli merelta, auriko. Seitsemas taivas minulle. Kuvat puhukoon puolestaan. Matkalta ei tullut oikein otettua kuvia ennen kuin saavuimme sitten Keys:eille.
Uiminen oli varmaankin tyttojen kohokohta kyseisessa paikassa. Altaalla me vietimmekin paljon aikaa. Siella onnistuin kaikista varokeinoista huolimatta karventamaan selan ja olkapaat heti ensimmaisena paivana. Noh, onneksi Aloe Vera on keksitty. Iguaaneja hotellin alueella oli useita. Niita oli rannalla, puissa, allasalueella. Hauskoja otuksia.

Many of you have been waiting for these photos and now you'll get them. :D In several doses/posts. We managed to take lots of great photos and it's going to be hard again to choose which ones to put here and which to leave out. But fear not, I'm not going to post all few thousand pictures. :D
On our first day we drove with a rental car from Orlando down to the Florida Keys and to Marathon which is one of the biggest islands. The resort we had booked was called Tranquility Bay Beachfront Hotel & Resort. Gorgeous place. Just the kind where I could have lost myself for few weeks. Next time maybe that's exactly what we'll do. From our terrace you got straight out to white beautiful sandy beach and the sea right in front of us. Palm trees, breeze from the sea and sun. Seventh heaven for me. Let the pictures talk for themselves. From our way down to Marathon we didn't really take many pictures before we arrived to the Keys.
Swimming was the highlight for the girls and we did spend quite a lot of time at the pool. And despite all my efforts I managed to burn my back and shoulders on our first day. Luckily there's Aloe Vera. And there were lots of iguanas in the hotel area. They were on the beach, in the trees and at the pool area. Funny creatures.

Nukkuvat lapseni / My sleeping children

Meidan neidit nukkuvat hyvinkin erilailla. Eroja ei ollut niinkaan paljon ennen kuin isompi neiti sai uuden sankynsa. Nyt on. Kaksi taysin erilaista tyylia.
Pienempi neideista nukkuu niin antaumuksella ettei toista. Uni/turvapeitto pitaa olla sangyssa (vaaleanpunainen peitto kuvassa). Ilman sita ei voi menna nukkumaan. Ja nukkuma-asennot ovat hyvinkin "rentoja". Ja kun neidin palauttaa niin sanotusti ruotuun han ei kylla heraa siihen ollenkaan.
Isompi neiti puolestaan nukkuun niin pienessa tilassa kuin vain mahdollista, mahdollisimman lahella seinaa (ettei vaan tipu sangysta). Pitaa olla unikoira juuri tassa kohdassa, mamin paita posken alla, daddyn paita korvan paalla, peitto vedettyna korville ja peiton kulma kaannettyna niin ettei vaan paase tipahtamaan.
Ja nyt mina toivon ettei kukaan tee tutkielmaa minun nukkumistavoista. :D

Our little ladies sleep in extremely different manners. But not until Big Miss got her new bed. Now there's differences. Two completely different styles.
The smaller one sleeps with such devotion. ;) She needs to have her pink blanket with her. She cannot go to bed without it. And her sleeping positions are very relaxed to say the least. And when you "return" her back under covers she will not wake up no matter what.
The bigger one sleeps in such a small space. As close to the wall as she can (so that she won't fall off from the bed). She needs to have her doggie in just so, mummy's t-shirt under her cheek, daddy's t-shirt over her ear, the duvet up to her chin and the corner of the duvet just so folded under that she won't drop off.
And now I'm hoping that no one will make a study of my sleeping habits. :D

Ihana aurinko / Wonderful sun

Sen sijaan etta olisin keskittynyt laatikoiden purkamiseen vietettiin pikkuneidin kanssa aamupaivalla pari tuntia ulkona. Aurinko paistoi ja eilisen +2C ja arktisen tuulen jalkeen +10C tuntui suorastaan lampoiselta.
Lehtia sateli maahan ihan kuin isoja lumihiutaleita. Etupiha nayttaa taasen silta kuin sita ei olisi haravoitukaan. BLAAH! No, paasenpahan reippailemaan taas joku paiva. Pikkuneiti leikki lentavaa prinsessaa. Voi hyva tavaton sita hyppelehtya ja kasien asettelua. Ja aina valilla piti tanssia. Kylla han on tavan "rimprempsa". :) (Kuvat eivat ole uuden kotimme pihalta vaan kiersimme korttelin ja neiti "valtasi" naapureiden pihatkin omikseen.)
Aamulla isompi neiti lahti bussilla kouluun. Ihanaa kun ei tarvinnut kuluttaa enempaa kuin viitisen minuuttia koko hommaan. Iltapaivalla onkin balettitunti ja koska kaikki tanssitunnin tytot ovat samassa koulussa niin kimppakyydit pyorii ja me hypataan siihen kiertoon mukaan. Ilmaannun vaan siis balettitunnilta neitia hakemaan.

Instead of concentrating on unpacking some boxes we spent few hours outside in the morning. Sun was shining and after yesterdays' +2C and arctic wind +10C felt quite warm.
Falling leaves looked like big snow flakes floating down. The front yard looks pretty much like I haven't touched it at all. BLAAH! Well, I get to be outside exercising one day. The Little Miss was pretending to be a flying princess. The skipping and jumping and hand movements were quite something. And we cannot forget that dancing is mandatory for princesses. :) (The pictures are not  from the yard of our new home but from our walk around the block where Little Miss "owned" all the neighbours' yards as well.)
In the morning Big Miss went to school with the school bus. It was so wonderful not to spend more than about 5mins to the whole matter. In the afternoon she has her ballet lesson and as all the girls in the group are in the same school car pooling is working and we get to be part of it as well. I just need to appear to pick her up from ballet.

Paluu laatikoiden keskelle / Return to the boxes

Ihana olla kotona! Niin kivaa kun lomalle onkin menna ja siella olla niin on ihana tulla kotiin. Joskin nama laatikot ja muutenkin yleinen muutonjalkeinen sekamelksa ei kauheesti mielta ylentanyt. Eika edelleenkaan. Laatikoita odottaa edelleen purkamista. Ympariinsa loytyy tavaralajia, jotka odottavat uutta "kotia".
Floridan kuvia saatte edelleenkin odotella jonkun aikaa. Ne on kaikki mieheni koneella ja ennen kuin han saa huushollin tietokonesysteemit kuntoon servereita myoten niin minun ei kannata niita kaikkia koneelleni ladata. Lupasi pistaa piuhat ojentoon viikonloppuna. Saas nahda miten kay. Mutta heti kun niita kuvia alkaa tulemaan niin kylla niita tulee.
Palasimme lauantaina illalla. Sunnuntai menikin sitten pyykkia pyorittaessa ja ulkona haravoidessa. Maanantaina jatkui sama ohjelma. Eilen aamusta piti tulla pikkaisen luntakin mutta meilla ei nakynyt yhta ainuttakaan hiutaletta. Vahan kateellinen olin kun ymparilla oli ollut maa hetken valkoinen.  Kylmaa kuitenkin on ollut. pari astetta lamminta ja kylmaa tuulta. Aurinko kuitenkin paistaa. Piristaa mielta kummasti.
Tanaan oli isomman neidin ensimmainen koulupaiva uudessa koulussa. Venyi aloitus Veteran's Day:n takia (maanantaina ei koulua) ja sitten tuleva opettaja oli koulutuksessa eika halunnut Ellin aloittavan sijaisen kanssa.
Vein neidin koululle aamulla kymmenen minuuttia ennen muiden tuloa etta paasi tapaamaan opettajan rauhassa. Jannaa olikin se etta neiti tuli kotiin koulubussilla. :D Mukavaa bussilla kulkeminen on varmasti mutta hauskemmaksi sen tekee etta kadun toisella puolella asuva vuoden nuorempi tytto kulkee samalla bussilla eskariin. Ja minakin tykkaan silla ei tarvitse aamuisin muuta kuin vieda pysakille. Pysakilla pitaa olla myos vastassa ja parasta olla ajoissa, silla muuten eivat paasta bussista pois ja bussi jatkaa matkaa. Kuvat on mita on kun oli vaan puhelin mukana matkassa ja neiti tuli niin vauhdikkaasti tien yli ettei toista. :)

It's wonderful to be home! As much fun as it is to go on a holiday and be on a holiday it's lovely to come home. However, the boxes and the crazy chaos after a move didn't really feel really nice. Still doesn't. I've got boxes still to unpack. I've got piles of stuff waiting for its new home.
You get to wait a while longer for the Florida pictures. They are all on my husbands computer  and before he gets all the computer stuff sorted including the servers there's no point for me to start putting them onto mine. He did promise to get it sorted during the weekend. But as soon as I have proper access to them I'll post about our trip.
We returned on Saturday evening. Sunday was spent doing laundry, unpacking and laundry. Monday pretty much the same program. Yesterday morning we were supposed to get a bit of snow but I didn't see a single flake. I have to admit that I was a bit jealous as there had been some all around us. But it's been pretty cold. Only few degrees Celsius above freezing and cold wind. At least the sun has been shining. It's always a mood booster.
Today was Big Miss' fist day in her new school. The start was postponed because of Veteran's Day on Monday (no school) an then Big Miss' new teacher was in training and she wanted to be at school when Big Miss starts.
I took Big Miss to the school 10 mins before the other children came in and had the opportunity to meet the teacher without the other children being there. The most exciting part of the day was her coming home with the school bus. :D I'm sure it was fun to experience the school bus especially as the neighbours' girl from across the street rides in the same bus. And I like the bus too as I don't have to take her further than the bus stop and get her from there. If you are not at the bus stop, they will not let the child out and the bus will continue. Sorry about the pictures. I only had my phone and Big Miss came off the buss with such a speed that the phone camera couldn't keep up. :)