Jacksonville Jaguars Training Camp

It seems only fitting to repurpose this post on Super Bowl Sunday! I love looking back through these old photos of my boy. I hope you'll enjoy them, as well. After all, Gus Bradley is no longer the head coach of the Jaguars. This is like real history stuff right here! :)

If you follow me on Instagram, you probably know that Jonah started playing football at a local park. What began as a way for him to get out and exercise a couple of times a week with friends turned into a passion for him. When he started in the Spring it was a training camp type thing. Once he decided he loved it, we signed him up for the full-fledged game practicing. Jonah eats, breaths and sleeps FOOTBALL!

A while back, I read on Twitter that the Jacksonville Jaguars opened up 13 practices to the public. All I needed to do was go online and sign up for the dates we wanted. We went to two.

A couple of weeks ago Jonah and I went to EverBank Field to experience the Jacksonville Jaguars first Training Camp of the 2014 NFL football season.

Before heading towards the stadium we stopped at WalMart for a football. Jonah was so excited to be able to get autographs from a bunch of the players. And boy, did he get a LOT of autographs!! {as a momma, I was super bummed for him when the ONE player he waited for wouldn't stop to sign a football card because his family was with him. Chad Henne, Jonah was super upset but, he looks forward to getting your autograph really soon!}

On the days that we went to the practices, the temperatures were in the 90's and the heat index was near or over 100 degrees. It was HOT! I have no idea how those football players practice in that heat. It was sure fun to see it all happen, though. Living in Jacksonville, in a city with an NFL football is so cool. Never before were we really football fans. We certainly weren't Jaguars fans. But, now having a football player, our family has a new appreciation for what's right in our backyard. We LOVE our Jaguars!!

{Here's a BUNCH of pictures from the first practice and of Jonah getting autographs. Enjoy!}

Long Weekends are Great

We had a long weekend this past weekend, and it was great! I always go into these things kind of dreading the lack of alone time. [Don't judge me...you know you love it when your kids are at school gettin' their education on while you get your "you time" on.] But, this weekend was different. The girls quietly played with their Shopkins. We even added to their collection with a few from the McDonald's Happy Meals.

Speaking of Shopkins, do your little girls just love these little things?? McKinley and Mabry will play for HOURS with them. They play store, ice cream truck, organize them, study their little faces; they LOVE them!

Mary wanted rainbow sherbet for breakfast on Friday. You know what? Most cereals have more sugar than sherbet. And, there's fruit juice in sherbet, so there's that. Also, we shared that bowl. YUM!

In a generation of all-things-electronic, we've gotten away from sending a good, old-fashioned, handwritten letter. I worked on a campaign last month and this week I received a lovely letter and notebook from the PR company. Small gestures = big impact. Remember that. 

On Saturday, it was a beautiful day so we decided it was a great day to go to the Jacksonville Zoo. We LOVE our zoo. If you are ever in the Jacksonville area, you must visit our zoo. I'm trying to think of just one or two exhibits to tell you to make sure to see, but seriously, there's SO MUCH GOODNESS at the Jacksonville Zoo! [I also have a very cool story to tell you about this day at the zoo, but it'll have to wait for another post. It was so very serendipitous...just you wait!]

Oh, Jacksonville, you are beautiful. Sure, it isn't the NYC skyline, or the Windy City skyline, but it's our little skyline. 

On Monday, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, I took Jonah, McKinley and Mabry into Downtown Jax. We stopped by Friendship Fountain before walking to the Museum of Science and History. 

I'm pretty intrigued by this building. I think after I finish this post I'm going to do a little research to see the back story on it. 

I love that my girls are growing up in the city that I grew up in. I love even more that they are getting to experience Downtown Jacksonville and that they love it!

Am I the only one who thinks it's kind of funny that there's a phone booth in the museum? Like, on display, not for use. My kids asked me if they had these things back in the olden days when I was a kid. When I was a kid. #BecauseImAncient Really? Okay, yes we did. And, you had to know the phone number you needed to call. And, you had to have a quarter to make a call. AND, you only had like 5 minutes to talk before you had to add more money. It wasn't like a cell phone where the phone number is stored and you can talk endlessly. Not to mention, who carries change in their pockets? We all use our debit cards for everything these days. Boy, times have changed! 

Martin Luther King Jr., you made this world a better place. Because of you my kids can be dreamers. Jonah dreams to make the world a safer place. Dream big, baby boy. 

After the museum we drove over to Sweet Pete's to get a sweet treat. Mabry was passed out before we even got to the interstate. [notice the sucker in her hand]

At the end of a great weekend came a beautiful sunset. This coming weekend is another long weekend. Let's see if we can have a repeat.

There are Amazon affiliate links within this post. What does that mean? When you click on the link and make any purchase, a small commission is paid to me to help support jonahbonah dot com and my little family. 

On Lake Time {at Flamingo Lake in Jacksonville, FL}

It's becoming an annual tradition to go to the lake at the beginning of each Summer. My mother-in-law rents a yurt at Flamingo Lake in Jacksonville, FL and we all spend a few days hanging out in the water and on the shore. So much fun!

Flamingo Lake is an inexpensive staycation destination in our city, and we love it! Who needs to pack up, load up, and head out of town when you have such a fun spot right in your backyard?

{seriously, can she get any cuter? too bad that float has a hole in it...someone send a patch kit!}

{different swimsuit, different day. gotta love hand-me-downs from cousins and momma's Old Navy discount!}

{we've discovered Frogglez Goggles. You want to get your kids a pair TODAY. A separate post telling you why, coming soon.}

{I don't feel like I'm spending enough time with this boy lately. He's the sweetest, most giving boy on the planet. Jonah Bonah, momma loves you!}

{on the last day, I treated them {haha!} to McDonald's Happy Meals}

{Jake brought a friend with him. Teenagers, y'all.}

 

 

See those inflatables behind them? It's an additional $7 per day, per person, but worth every penny. You and your kids can go out there and climb and jump and slide until your hearts content. And then, you all go home, or back to your campsite, and PASS OUT! A quiet night is well worth the $7 per kid in my book!

{everyone had their share of kisses from the sun...McKinley was no exception. She came home with quite the tan.}

{Jett spent most of his time at the lake sitting on the shore, catching minnows and tadpoles, digging them holes and filling them with water. I tell you guys often that he's an animal lover. I mean every word of it!}

 

Do you have a favorite staycation spot in your hometown?? Ours is, for sure, Flamingo Lake!

Kids Bowl Free {Kids Summer Fun Activity}

Looking for something FUN to do with your kids this Summer? My kids have have been out of school for almost three weeks, and this is one of our most favorite activities to do in the Summer, thus far. It's FREE BOWLING!!

Last week my ten year old beat all of us. We're going again this morning. Talk about a fun, competitive game? Bowling is it!

Free bowling is available is most cities, check this link to find a participating bowling alley near you. Jacksonville friends, we go to the Nassau County, Yulee Bowling Alley. It's not crowded, and it's a clean facility.

See you at the alley!