Tristen Miller

Thanksgiving break and I'm home!

I couldn't be happier.

The drive home flew by - Chris, Kate, and I sang Glee only half of the way home.

I know right - weird.

We played 100 questions - or at least we took turns asking lots of questions.

It was fun - and it helped the time to pass.

Tristen Brooke Miller.

Oh the things I could say.

The first time I met her I looked kind of like this:

I was eleven.

[no explanation necessary]

She was a missionary serving in our ward.

Its one of those friendships that kind of lasts forever.

Since we're on the subject.

This is what everyone else looked like at the time.

So.Funny.

Since then - it's been - about seven years?

Wow time has flown.

Also since then - Tristen Hales [as I knew her] got married and had a baby.

Life comes at you fast.

This Thanksgiving break we were lucky enough to have her and her new family come and visit us for a day.

She's still the same outgoing, hilarious, insane, crazy girl.

Her husband, Hyrum, and son, Harrison, were both super nice.

She said Harrison was as close to a Harry Potter character's name that she could get.

Nickname: Harry for short.

Love it.

My dad, Cassie and I took them all out on our boat - to see the real side of Stuart.

It was such a beautiful day to be on the water.

We docked at Palm City - drove through Jensen - and ate lunch at the sand bar near Port Salerno.

Harry [I really like saying that - it almost makes Harry Potter real] is such a good baby.

So happy.

Cassie loved him.

and he just sat there and took all her kisses and squeezes without a fuss.

It was low tide, so the sandbar was huge.

There were so many shells.

If Reagan or Aleksi were there I'm sure they would have found a star fish.

They always seem to be able to spot the treasure in the sand.

Tristen recorded Harry's first time putting his feet on the sand.

It was super funny.

He just kept staring at it, like "what the heck?"

I was holding him and I tried to make him sit down in it - but he wouldn't unlock his legs.

It was the funniest thing.

and then before we knew it, he was putting sand in his mouth.

It doesn't taste as good as it looks -trust me- sometimes you just have to find somethings out the hard way.

We ate lunch and enjoyed the sandbar.

Everyone thought it was too cold to swim - everyone that is - except me.

The water felt so refreshing.

I don't have the beach in Gainesville - so I'm going to take what I can get - when I can get it.

Even if that means the heart of winter in Florida.

It wasn't even that cold.

It just feels like your laying in a tub of ice.

It's more refreshing than it is shocking.

I love the sandbar - I think it's one of my dad's finer discoveries.

It's so peaceful - and on any normal day, there isn't anyone there - which makes me like it even more.

While I was there, I coudn't help but remember the time Chris, Cassie, and I went to explore one of the neighboring islands - and Chris led the way into the jungle of trees - Cassie followed - and then me reluctantly. After we had seen a few bird's nests, Chris yelled, "Run! Go! Get out!" and since I was last in line - closest to the exit of trees, I quickly turned around, ran, and tripped - and then as Cassie and Chris like to describe - I "clawed" my way out.

 Chris and Cassie laugh themselves silly telling this story saying how, in the sand - I left "claw" marks as I struggled to get away.

But I didn't know if anything had happend to Chris, he was deeper in the forest of mangroves than I was.

I didn't want them to be held up by me - so I just got out of there as quickly as I could.

That was good time.

...and then dad wanted to take them fishing.

Mistake.

Mistake.

Mistake.

It was probably as rough as it was the day I threw up.

sick.

I wish I could, but I literally just can't.

Within five minutes of - up and down - and - side to side - I was queezy.

I love the sandbar - and I'd be happy to spend all day there, but the moment you want to go into the ocean -

that's the que for me to go home.

Luckily Tristen started feeling queezy too - so we turned around.

As bad as that sounds - I'm happy she felt sick?

No, I'm just glad we turned around.

Our last stop on the Stuart tour was the St. Lucie Park Reserve.

I have no idea what it's actually called - but it's a national park in St. Lucie on the water - and the only way to get to it is by boat.

We got off - walked the docks for a bit - saw a spider - and watched the sun set.

Yeah.

I don't miss Gainesville.

I'm happy to be home.

I'm glad I got to spend the day with Tristen, Hyrum, and Harry [Potter] on the water.

I hope we see eachother soon.

As Tuesday night tradition, Kate and I watched Glee.

It wasn't the same without Cynthia and Brittany [and June too]

but I guess Kelly made it fun.

Um. Just because you want a snack doesn't make it okay to eat

seven slices of pizza or a garlic roll or a chuck of peppermint bark.

If you do - I'm sure you'll feel a little bloated.

Because I did.

I like to end my blogs on kind of a good note [sometimes - depending on the mood]

But I don't think anything says "I'm happy to be home" quite like this.

 Actually, this photo doesn't say any of those things.

I just wanted to get back at Kelly for ALL of the b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l photos

shes taken of me throughout the years.

Gotta love it.