Spring is getting closer!

We've been so fortunate to have a fairly mild winter here in Ohio. Unfortunately, Claire has been so excited to see the littlest trace of snow (which is about all we've had) as she wants to go sledding so desperately. But, the days are getting longer and, surprisingly, the horses are starting to show signs of shedding.
We just got back from a nice vacation in Crystal River, Florida. It's pretty rare that we get out of town for anything other than an event and this was a really fun experience. The area is known for having warm springs where the manatees spend much of the winter and we were able to take kayaks out every day to watch the manatees. They are very inquisitive, trusting animals who frequently come out of their slumber to play with the numerous snorklers and occassionally will come up to the kayak. We took Claire out one day but it was a nervewracking experience for her parents who tried to balance the kayak as she looked from one side to the other! The water in the springs is pretty shallow but we didn't really feel like getting dunked!

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