Valentine's Weekend Part 2

Here is a quick look at the Pinewood Estate that we toured. The website says: Explore Pinewood Estate’s beautiful gardens and 20 room Mediterranean-style mansion built in the early 1930s. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it is considered one of the finest examples of Mediterranean-style architecture in Florida. From time to time, special musical performances are featured at Pinewood Estate.

It was VERY neat. I loved all of the different doors and each room had different tiles on the floors and the walls!

This is the front entrance. Isn't that tile awesome?

The Breakfast room

Entry Bath. Again, I love the tile.

Dining Room

Foyer

The Owners office, it had the only phone in the house and the only room with wood floors. They said the owner wanted wood floors so that radio would sound better in that room.

Living room

Ball Room

Family Room

One of the Porches!

One of the bedrooms. This one seemed to me to have the best light!

Another cool door

This picture shows some of the different tile on the floors and the walls, and I love the door.

THEN WE WENT OUTSIDE..

The courtyard

The fruit garden

I loved this pond

I thought this looked like the kids had hats on. I have never seen orange trees rounded like this.

I loved this door.

Everything was so pretty. I would really recomend if you live in Florida you take the time to enjoy this place.

Valentine's Weekend Part 1

Knowing that Detto wont be here next year for Valentine's Day, we decided to go all out this year! So we made a "Valentine's Weekend".

We started the weekend off watching Stephen March in the parade, then after that we visited Bok Tower Gardens!

We were all amazed at how much we enjoyed visiting GARDENS!! It was beautiful and the tower was so interesting. We also toured Pinewood Estate, historic 20-room Mediterranean mansion. We arrived during the first Bell Concert and we ushered into the gardens with the sound of beautiful bells coming from the 205 ft tower.

First we went through the museum and then we took the "TOUR"! I'm so glad we did. We were told so much great info about the gardens history, plants, and the original founding and creating of Bok Tower Gardens. Here are some of our pictures:

There were swans in the 15 ft moat. They were very pretty, but they didnt like it if you got to close to the water. They would bite your shoes.

This is from the top of "Iron Mountain" 319 ft about sea level.

The reflecting pool in front of the tower was breath taking!

This is bamboo, its over 20 ft high!

 The museum told so much about the history of Bok Tower and the founder Mr. Edward Bok.

Edward Bok's Desk

The Carillon ~ 60 bells!

This is how big the BIGGEST bell is! The smallest is about the size of a soccer ball.

Stephen's First Marching Band Parade!!

On Saturday, Stephen marched in the Mount Dora Black History Parade with the Mount Dora Middle School & High School Bands.

This was his first time marching with a band in a Parade! We were all so excited!

Stephen did really good. He definately held his own. In my humble opinion, he did better than the high schoolers. They played a song by Lady Gaga. I'm not sure which one (I'm not a big fan of hers, so maybe that's why I didn't recognize it).

This was my first Black History Parade and I must say it was VERY different from the parades I am used to. I really enjoyed seeing all of the different "floats"! I wish I could have shown you all of them, but these are my top picks. LOL

Alyssa with Sheriff Borders!

This was really cute! I'm not sure if you can read the sign, but it says "Have you been good for another Sisters, soul lately?" I thought that was really a great ministry.

Black Mason's - Who Knew they had a seperate order?

This is a video of The Lake County Attractions Step Team!

The crowd was "clearly" enjoying this group!

Step Team

This was the Mount Dora High School Baseball team. They saw a camera and stopped the whole parade. With that much enthusiasm I HAD to include their picture!

I just thought this "Pink Panther" car was amazing.

THEN CAME THE BAND...

Here is OUR BOY!! Stephen is so AMAZING!!

This truck was blowing my mind. His hood was raising and lowering as he was driving. Who would think to add such a feature? I can't imagine why I would need such a feature, but it is definately making me re-think my vehicle purchase. What "should" I have planned for in the purchase of my car? Seat ejectors?

I thought the hood raising while driving was a negative... hmm.

This just make me realize, I really don't know alot about cars.

He must specialize in  hydraulics because he also needed the truck bed to raise. Maybe this truck doubles as a dump truck? It sure was a fancy dump truck....

Now these guys have it figured out. Can you say "Low Gas Mileage?"

I bet their car insurance is "non-existent".

I dont know if you can tell from the picutre, but this guys car had quite a paint job. The impressive part was that his 4 wheeler that he was towing had a matching paint job.

I really enjoyed the parade. Almost every group threw candy and Alyssa filled my purse. It was quite a show!

Making a Civil War Dress

After going to the Civil War Reenactment and watching all of the ladies walk around in their "big puffy dresses". Alyssa "NEEDED" one too! We looked at several in the "town" area, but I didnt want to pay $75- $200 for "play clothes"!

Well, she begged and pleaded and so... I gave in. I was surprised to find I already had two suitable patterns that could be altered enough to fit what she was wanting. Instead of watching the Super Bowl, Alyssa and I worked all night to make her a "Old'n Time Dress"! This is what we made....