Happy Birthday Theresa!

Happy Birthday Theresa!

When asked what she wanted to do for her birthday, Theresa said she wanted to go out and be active, and also get some treats. We've got a lot of fun things on the agenda today. 

The kids stayed in their room extra long this morning. "Letting mommy sleep in" they said. That was sweet of them. And of course when she came over, she got big birthday hugs. 

If Theresa wants to be active, we're going to be active. It's a beautiful day, so I threw the bikes in the back of the truck and we headed over to the Van Fleet trail. 

It's another year and we've got another big mileage challenge ahead of us. Last year we completed 500 walking miles and 500 biking miles as a family. This year we're increasing that to 600 walking and biking miles! And we're already behind! Gotta catch up!

One of the fun people we've met on the trail here is Henry. He's got a property just off the trail with a whole bunch of animals. We saw him out working as we rode by and said hi. He's got a few new animals since we've been here last, including Lurch the turkey. But there's a couple animals that are even newer. 

Henry - Do you want to come see the baby goats? 

Umm. Absolutely!

They were just born 3 days ago and they are so adorable. 

Theresa had no idea she'd get to hold a baby goat on her birthday. 

There are also a few Muscovy ducks that we didn't see here last time. They've got such a weird quack. All boys though, so no duck eggs. 

Moving on. We're getting in 13 miles today to help catch us up a bit. Theresa has a big bag of fruits and veggies to snack on. 

Oh Ian. You're not a duck. 

Our first snake here on the Van Fleet trail! This little guy was trying to cross the pathway. It's crowded today with all the bikes going back and forth. 

At the Bridges we were on the lookout for the alligators. We saw one of the big adults, but none of the babies we'd seen before. Then Theresa with her sharp vision spotted one hanging out by a tree. I wonder what happened to the other 6. 

Today was a fun ride. Apart from all the other animals pictured, we also found over a dozen gopher tortoises, a box turtle, geese, chickens, and horses.

We're catching up on the biking, but that still leaves the walking. Since Theresa wants treats and a walk, why not go visit Disney Springs. We can do a loop around the lake there and get treats as well!

The first thing we're going to get is a plate of Dole Whip Nachos. Back in December we tried the Holiday version, with Chocolate and Peppermint soft serve, but Theresa really wanted the Dole Whip version. 

Even though the sign said it was pure Dole Whip, it came with a vanilla swirl, which we were not wanting. It's served on a plate of waffle cone chips (which had sprinkles baked into them), and was topped with strawberry boba pearls, fresh pineapple, raspberry sauce, sprinkles and whipped cream. 

Sigh. The void of disappointment. Why must every Dole Whip have this? You think you're getting a big bowl of tasty pineapple soft serve and you're left with this hollow emptiness. 

On top of that, the waffle chips were humidified and stale. It was a little disappointing actually. The Dole Whip Nachos that Becky made us in Michigan from her soft serve ice cream maker was much better.  

On our first loop around, we walked through the Strawberry parking lot at the West side of Disney Springs. These trailers are loaded with the giant tree that was featured in the center of Disney Springs during Christmastime. It's interesting to see all the different levels of how it's put together. 

Those ornaments must be tied on tightly to survive a trip down the road on a trailer. 

The second treat Theresa wanted were pretzel bites from Wetzels. We got lucky and they had just come out of the oven, piping hot and as fresh as you could hope for. 

On our second trip around the lake, the kids wanted to stop by playground at Saratoga Springs. Who cares that we've biked 13+ miles and walked 5+ miles, They still have energy to play. 

In the past, for her special dinner, Theresa might have requested steak or something similar. Today though, she's really wanting the Peruvian food that we make at home. I can do that! With its strong cumin flavor, tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and chicken, mixed with fresh fries, this is delicious. 

Kids - It's time for presents! 

They both drew cards. 

And Alli made her a special present. It's an Advent Calendar with a paper puzzle she made for each of the next seven days. How creative! 

Time for more treats and singing! Peppermint Ice Cream and Dark Chocolate shavings. Delicious. 

Happy Birthday Theresa! Hope it's been an awesome day!