A Very Merry Christmas!!

What's a better way than to spend Christmas with your best friend?? That's exactly what I did. :) I love you Karen more than you'll ever know.

My Dream

I have had many dreams in my nineteen years. I've wanted to be so many different things. Every day or so my dreams would change. Well, my latest dream seems extra bizarre.

I wanna see HIM^ up close. I want to rescue mistreated elephants. After much research on different types of Elephantidia, I have fallen in love. There's the African Elephant...

A Few Facts:

1. They are the heaviest land animal in the Animal Kingdom

2. They can reach up to 14 feet tall and weigh in at 6-7 tons

3. Their trunks are usually about 5 feet long and can pick up as much as 600 pounds. The tip has two finger-like tips.

4. Their tusks can grow up to 8 feet long, and weight over a 130 pounds

5. Besides their tusks they have four molars in their mouths, two on top, two on the bottom. They are replaced seven times during an elephant's life time

6. They can consume 220-660 pounds of food a day, and 50 gallons of water

7. Their skin is about 2 1/2 inches thick

8. Babies average 3 feet tall and about 250 pounds at birth 

9. Elephants gather in herds of 200-1,000
10. Life span is usually up to 50 years

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And then we have the Asian Elephant...

Asian Elephants are similar to the African ones. They are a bit smaller and their ears are...well, quite noticeably smaller. Only the males have visible tusks, and their trunks have only one finger-like tip.

See? Aren't they neat animals! And I've only told you the basic facts. There's so much more to these amazing creatures. They are sweet. Wait... what? Elephants sweet? YES!! "Elephants are like humans; if you love them, they will love you back." -An Elephant Whisperer. 

The other day I saw a video about these elephant whisperers who care for orphaned baby elephants. It was just so precious...I just loved it to pieces!!!! :p Haha! I have so much more to say about them but I think it will have to wait until a Part 2 post, ok? Stay tuned!! 

Sunday...

Here's just some random photos I took Sunday afternoon. Hangin' with the kids as they ran around the church grounds, getting out all that extra energy before second service. :) Sorry for the bad picture quality. I took these with my iPod.

My beautiful nieces, Gabriella and Autumn

                         L-R: Gabriella, Myself, Ellie, Stephanie

Lizzy and Gabby

Gunther

Isaac, I LOVE this little man!!

Soooo handsome!!

And below we have Carolyne showing y'all her pinecone, while her sister Ellie gives her bunny ears from behind. Carolyne and Ellie are Isaac's big sisters. There's another big sister, Montana. And well since I'm showing pictures - I'm just gonna take this time to tell you guys... I LOVE THESE KIDS!! They are so much fun and so well mannered. Such a joy to be around. :)

Ellie and Steph walked around hand in hand most of the afternoon. Just talking about what little girls talk about. I got them to pose for a second....

But - who's hands are those popping out in the back?

Those hands belong to no other than....

DAVY!!

Another adorable little boy, and my best friend's brother. :)

And one last picture of Levi and Jonny

The Myakka Adventure

A day out at Myakka Park - the REAL Florida! Home to the American alligator, white tailed deer, wild hogs, occasional turkeys, plus a slough of other feathered and furry critters!

My dad and nephew, posing by the lake

The usual Florida scenery

I went off trail, walked through a spiderweb and teetered on the edge of a small swamp... Just to get this shot. So worth it!!

All the pictures below were taken by my dad. :)

Just another gator... :p

My niece Gabriella and our friend Jonny Mike 

Walking off a trail...

Bro. Joel Seay, Jonny Mike's dad

The Beautiful Natanya Beach and Myself

My brother-in-law Mike and his son Isaac (my nephew)

Another gator...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOMMY!!

We spent the first part of the day out at the mall, and then headed over to the Philipi Creek Mansion to look around take some pictures!! At the mall, dad bought us our birthday presents!! Mom a beautiful new purse...

And I got new boots!! So now I'm ready to go up to see my loves!! :D (I miss you guys, BTW)

So at the Mansion, we just walked around snapped a few shots. Here's a few for y'all. :)