Front yard view. The garage, wood shop, and pole barn are to the left. We have neighbors to the right and state park to the left. We're in the back of a community, but love the secluded feel offered by these towering oaks. This yard would drive most people nuts. It's huge and completely random! I personally love symmetry in my life, and in landscaping. There's something about the eclectic-ness of this yard, though, that makes it Secret Garden-like... estate-ish, whimsical. Fig, hickory, lowquat trees. Even bamboo! A few dainty palms. Tropical elephant ears and fern. Oh yes, and the gaudy patch of palm-thingys on the sides of the driveway reaching to the skies yelling "Look at me! I'm the ugliest bunch of tree you'll ever see!" I cut those out of the picture. (And hope to cut them down eventually). 
The foyer, also known as the dungeon for those who misbehave. Kidding. It's just a little foyer that happens to make a big statement.
View from the front door. Its a very open space, always very bright and airy thanks to the sets of sliding glass doors facing the lake. All of this used to be dark wood paneling... yuck! This pic also includes our amazing 10ft dining table Jimmy's parents helped us buy from Craigslist... yay for a great deal! We wanted this home to be a place where many could gather, eat, and fellowship together. It is just that!
Master bedroom and bath. Loving the robin's egg blue. Trying to bring the tranquility of the water indoors. Its working. 
This is the living room where we do most of our... well, living. It's open to the kitchen and dining area and offers exceptional views of the lake! Still searching for a perfect (and affordable) club chair(s) and ottoman for the corner. My future reading spot by the window. 
Guest bedroom. Complete with your own private bath, in-room vanity, balcony access, and sleep number bed. Personal kitchen available upon request. Please, come stay. :-)
Grace Louise's bedroom. The hardest room to bid farewell at the old house. I am so happy with how her new room turned out, though. Plenty of room for teaching and learning, playing, and sleeping. She even has her own bath and vanity! The Princess Quarters.
View from the back porch. The beautiful lake and typical summertime Florida sky, thunderclouds brewing. We spend a lot of time out here, fishing and playing... looking forward to spending even more as the weather cools. 
The balcony doesn't get used much now, but two chase lounge chairs with comfy cushions are on my Celebration Yard Sale list. I hope to rest, read, stargaze at night with my hubby, in the big balcony space to the left. 
Hunters, take note! This is how its done. The turkeys come to you. Open the kitchen window in the morning, and between sips of coffee... BANG! Thanksgiving dinner.
Oh, come on. We're sportsmen. We wouldn't do that.
We do throw feed out for the animals- turkey, squirrels, birds, fish, even some owls. You'd think Dr. Doolittle lives here... We love watching the animals and Grace Louise delights in her chore of feeding them everyday. "Come on, mama. Feed da animals. Come on, daddy. Feed da fish." Wish you could hear her say that. Just presh.
Well, there you have it. The Castle and all its glory. We are enjoying living here. It's such a neat place and though we don't intend on staying here forever, we look forward to the next few years of filling this big house with lots of love, laughs, and adventures!
We officially have a swimmer on our hands here! I’ve heard she takes after her mama and uncles in the pool… a real fish! After six weeks of Swim Float Swim lessons with Miss Michelle of Swim Tots Winter Haven, Grace Louise was confident in the water, swimming short distances, and floating to get air. Since then I’ve been making sure she swims at least once a week. We’ve been to the beach twice, once with BeBe and Pops and just recently with my mom and grandparents, each time her swimming skills drastically improving. I love that she swims. Not only because she enjoys every second, but also because I don’t have to worry about her in the water. Home girl’s got mad skills.
After 5 weeks of lessons. Swimming at Fairway Pines, where Aggie lives.
After a couple of days of success in reading Grace Louise’s signs for going potty, I decided to take a more aggressive shot at potty training this morning. I asked her if she wanted to wear a diaper or big girl panties and, as usual, she said “diaper or big girl panties.” (She doesn’t get the idea of choices yet, but instead repeats all options… funny). So, I made the decision for her, put on big girl panties and rehearsed the protocol for when wearing panties. Grace Louise immediately wanted to give it a shot. After sitting unsuccessful for a few minutes, it was time for breakfast.
Pee pee puddles underneath her chair. Clean up. Naked.
Now that we’re undergarment-less (by we I mean she) Grace Louise sits on the potty to see if #2 is close behind #1. No such luck. I’m busy cleaning up from breakfast, trying to finish my now cold cup of coffee, when I look over just in time to see her returning from a squat over the crayon box… yes, IN the crayon box!
Admittedly, I scream, “You crapped in the crayon box!!!!???” and then set her back on the froggy potty until I can clean up the mess and wipe her hiney. At this point she is so shocked at her mother’s behavior that she will do anything I say. We have a great conversation about where poo poo should and shouldn’t go and then alas, a diaper.
I love diapers!!!
Daddy comes in the living room from making a few business calls and Grace Louise informs him that she has “crapped in the crayon box”. We fight back uncontrollable laughter and daddy affirms mommy’s words of wisdom regarding the appropriate places to poo and pee.
Grace Louise, sporting her cuter than ever cloth diaper, is now instructing Jelly Baby (her doll) on how to use the potty. She’s kneeling in front of Jelly on the potty saying “Potty train. Potty train. I’m listening…” Oh the things they say.
Both frustrating and hilarious, I’m sure this is only one of many potty moments to come.
The last 15 minutes of my day... too good not to share...
Changed a poopy cloth diaper, changed another explosive poopy cloth diaper (didn't wait long enough apparently), stuck my poopy baby in the sink after running out of wipes downstairs, turned around to see the dog licking out the diaper on the floor, refrained from vomiting... sprayed out the remainder of the diaper, went to wash a load of cloth diapers to find my last load of whites from five days ago still in the wash (oops, must have forgot), *frustrated sigh... spilled the container of laundry soap on the floor... clean up clean up everybody everywhere... restarted the whites, came back to the living room to find GL typing on my new laptop saying "I doing it! I doing it!" with a really adorable grin on her face. I must laugh or I will cry...
Now looking at the bright side of things... today was mostly great! Grace Louise loves friends, loves to play with other kids, and was in absolute heaven today with three other children to run around with. One of my childhood friends, Brittany, came over with her mom and two sweet little boys, and mom brought Grace Louise’s friend, Jordan, to the castle for a playdate. We painted, play-doed, fished, swam, tortured lizards, made music, and had a yummy lunch before crashing for a two hour nap!
"Hi Mountains!" Grace Louise loved talking about the mountains and was quick to point them out as she saw them. This was our first stop at the Tallulah Gorge overlook. 
Our first hike in Highlands was Sunset Rock. A perfect place to hike in the evenings to watch the sunset. I'll be doing that on the next trip! Triston pushed Grace Louise in the Bob stroller on most of our hikes, although Grace Louise actually walked a few! We took some pictures of the Bob in action, hoping to make the all-terrain page of their website ;-) We really put this off-road stroller to the test on this trip! 
I think this was my favorite overlook. A secret path off of one of the hikes. Perfect for a date. 
Dry Falls. One of the many waterfalls we visited while in North Carolina. Is it possible to get sick of waterfalls? I can't seem to get enough. As a flat lander, I am in awe of the mountain rivers and streams. I imagine that must be how visitors feel about our beautiful beaches!
Of course, Grace Louise wanted to swim... no matter how cold the water! This was a great little swimming hole we visited off the side of a road. Mom and I played "pass the baby" to get Grace Louise from one granite boulder to another... until alas, a place for her to safely splash in the cold mountain water!
How cool is this God-made water slide?! Sliding rock is a must for anyone visiting the area. Hidden down a trail off of a mountain road, this stream and waterfall/slide offer both fun and spectacular postcard-like views of the forest and stream ecosystems. I tried to take as many mental pictures as physical ones, as this was a loveliness I didn't want to forget. God is amazing, and His creation shouts His praises! 
Our last evening hike of the trip. The Botanical Gardens in Highlands.
We ended up ditching the Botanical Garden trails at the end and jumping on this intermediate trail, which we had to walk... all of us, including Grace Louise! This was the most challenging and dangerous hike, but offered the best nature experience, including the peaceful sound of a babbling brook. So nice!
