Our first stop was to Orlando on Saturday morning. So, originally, we figured that since it was Spring Break for everyone it would be fine to travel down on Friday night and stay for a few days to spend time together. Well Friday rolled around and suddenly it was 4, 5, 6 o'clock! Then everyone began to do the math- if we left at 6 it would be about 10:30 before getting there, if we didn't stop to eat. And if we did stay we'd have to leave about 8 because I had some pre-wedding things to do. Finally, we decided that we would have to leave really early on Saturday morning, to make my appointment at the Orlando Temple.
Everyone began nodding off with the promise of an early morning drive. Typically, I was struggling to make myself sleep when it actually was important that I sleep! I tried to imagine a white room with white furniture, count sheep backwards and pray that I will have enough energy to complete all of my many tasks. 1 am rolls around and I doze off- hallelujah!! Well, 2:40 am my alarm is going off like crazy, ringing right next to my ear. So up the Mizell's go, off to Orlando bright and early. After many grueling hours of family time, we finally arrive at the Temple! My friends, my friends- it was marvelous; the most serene place I can imagine. Even trying to describe it, I fail at finding adequate words- perhaps this picture will help where I am weak...
Our trip ended up lasting three days, to Listi's dismay. With her feelings aside, everyone had a great time with all that we did. Granger, my sweet, petite little brother kept saying, "Well Who Diddly Brown!" Reading that phrase may not envoke the full hilarity of its' nature, but trust me, it is there. We barely had anything planned, instead we just kind of went with the flow- that is the best way to do anything really. Along with our temple trip we spent the day in Orlando, rode up to Jacksonville, looked at the outside of my apartment (no key, ugh), allowed Graham to chauffer us around,checked out the Landing, went to the flea market, picked up a steal on a new chair for me and spent a day at the zoo!
The zoo. Oh the awesome time I had at the zoo. Let me quickly begin by saying that it was not because of the exotic animals so unintrigued by my presence. Nope, the best part was my family: Jake, Michelle, Listi, Acey and Granger. Each of these five are characters; but mostly, they're gun-slinging, knife- weilding outlaws. I mean that in the best way possible, I truly do. As soon as we got in line for tickets Daddy and my brothers almost passed out when they noticed there were ripe Japanese Plums on the trees. Well, these bad boys were all over the park. Anyone who knows Daddy, Acey and Granger knows that they didn't possess one ounce of shame at picking them off and eating them right there in the zoo. After first shunning them, my stomach began to growl and I thought how lovely the fat yellow plums looked and what do you know? Those were the best, most tart plums I ever placed in my mouth! And to think I almost missed them.
Another thing about my family is the way in which we present ourselves. Now usually everyone is (in my mind at least) pretty average, seasonally thoughtful and able to share in a few good laughs. But under the façade, there lies our primative nature. To be more honest they are "hoodlums." I'd like to think that everyone has their moments of this kind of craziness. About the third or fourth animal we looked at, I knew that there was going to be lots and lots of weirdness. Everyone knows that zoo animals, while great to look at and to help imagine being a safari explorer, are no longer phased by their human counterparts due to so much exposure. My brothers did not take this lightly. They, along with my father, screened the area to be sure there weren't visitors in close sight, and would catcall or screech or howl or yell in whatever animal-like language they thought the animal possessed. To every single animal. It was a sight; I was somewhere in the middle of "highly embarrassed" and "amazingly proud." They are the funniest, most fun and best entertainers I know! I love being a Mizell. :)
Now, please proceed to checkout a few pictures from the trip.
 |
| Zoo trip. Everyone looking a lil rough after 3 days on the road. |
 |
| Please forgive this super awkward picture of me and check out the gators in the back! |
 |
| Graham had to work, but I still managed to find his name and high school on a sign at the zoo. Weird |
 |
| If you look closely you'll notice the outstretched hand from my new friend, after I extended mine! |
 |
| Hoodrats after the black bear. Notice Acey trying to shake a limb, and Granger& Daddy crouching down, ready to pounce. I can't take them anywhere! Meanwhile I hear: "Meeeeeorw. Woooooolfff. Yupppyuck." |
No comments:
Post a Comment