Oh, wow, so many things have happened since last time I posted something! Well, we are all here and doing good, or at least most of us, I'll explain later!
I will start with a picture that I had on my "real" camera, which I never posted before. It is a very young Rafael, only about 20 min old!
 |
| Rafael 20 minutes old! |
HURRICANE MATTHEW
So, if you have not talked to us might wonder what happened with that Matthew that was supposed to hit us so bad... Well, we had to evacuate and did so to Aunt Jackie in Callahan, west of Jacksonville. Cindy and Danny had to evacuate from Jacksonville and came there, too. We all stayed for two nights while reading about the giant waves Matthew would cause and how devastating it would be. We mentally prepared our selves to come back to a totally flooded house, if there would be a house at all. Meanwhile the boys played with uncle Danny in the rain that was part of the storm in Callahan. I don't remember when we lost electricity but luckily Aunt Jackie has a gas stove so we could always cook and we had plenty of water.
 |
| Playing in the rain before the weather got too rough |
 |
| No power, no light, so flash lights. Both useful and fun! |
Luckily Matthew changed direction right before hitting Ormond the damage was way less than expected. We got back home to a house that was totally fine except for some lost shingles and a fallen fence. Even the chickens were fine! Some of the neighbors were not as lucky as us but most houses were fine.
 |
| The house across the street |
 |
| Part of the broken fence. This part fell right on our papaya tree and hibiscuses :-( |
 |
| Gabriel talking with farmor and farfar to say that we were ok |
 |
| No power and gas stove means BBQ... |
 |
| ... and we had lots to BBQ in the warm freezer! |
The power was gone for about a week but several neighbors had generators and we could connect to one of them to keep the fridge and freezer cold (once we were back in Ormond), charge cell phones and keep a light on :-)
Mormor and morfar arrived a few days before we got the power back. Actually, they arrived on Gabriel's birthday, October 9. However, we did not celebrate him that day since we had plenty to take care of at home after Matthew and we had no power. Good he is not old enough to understand!
 |
| Mormor and morfar means beach time :-) |
 |
| ... and lots of fun! |
 |
| Jet lagged or did the kids make you tired!? |
HAPPY BIRTHDAY GABRIEL!!!!
 |
| Grumpy because he could not eat the ice cream right away :-) |
 |
| Blowing out candle was fun! |
 |
| And opening presents was fun, too! Good with some help from big brothers! |
Rafael's first day on the beach, or in the stroller on the beach...
 |
| The water is still brown from the hurricane but it is apparently just segment from the bottom so nothing harmful |
 |
| Even being in the stroller makes you tired |
 |
| All the foam is so much fun!!! |
 |
| Foam fight with morfar! |
 |
| Rafael on a walk with mormor |
 |
| Being cozy with mormor |
Visit to Alexander springs
 |
| Not only people visited Alexander springs ;-) |
 |
| Rafael slept most of the day at the spring |
Back home again...
 |
| Our Geico friend inside our bird cage. Brave! |
CHICKEN POX!!!
Earlier this week we realized that Marlee had gotten chicken pox so he was not able to go to the corn maze with us. Poor guy!! He stayed home with pappa and we decided that he and Alex will go as soon as he is better. The rest of us went to a corn maze in Ormond Beach, which was not as good as the one we went to last year in Bunell. However, Noah and Gabriel had a lot of fun and Noah did not want to go home, so that was good!
 |
| It is raining corn! |
 |
| Back on the beach again! |
 |
| Left after Matthew went by, only part of the ramp and no grass at all! |
The time went by way to quickly and mormor and morfar had to go back to Sweden last Tuesday morning. Now we are trying to find some routines after all the things we have been through, including lice, baby, hurricane and now Chicken pox. Marlee and Gabriel (who also has it now) seems to feel fine so it is mainly that we cannot go anywhere or see anyone, unless they want it or has had it. Actually, a family coming by later today with their four children to try to get it :-)
So trying to get back to normal means school work but also doing fun things such as shaving foam bath :-)
My chicken pox boys!
