Everglade Pictures

Two scary alligators.











Me and some gators behind me.











Gator peaking out of the water.











Missile assembly building at Nike Missile base.

The Everglades

Well yesterday we went to the Everglades. Johnny really wanted to go but we didn't know how we were going to do it seeing as we don't have a car here. Then low and behold the Taylors asked if we wanted to go with them! So we did. I was thinking MAYBE we will see an alligator or two. I mean I didn't think alligators are the kinds of animals you just happen to see out in the wild, but they are when your in the Everglades. We saw probably 15-20 alligators. Its so funny they look like they are made of plastic. Some were REALLY close to the fence. if you wanted you could have probably touched a couple of them. I didn't have the heart or the funds. If you got caught playing or messing with one the fine could be up to $5,000. So I think that deters people even though they are within reach.
While we were there was took a tour of the Nike Missile Base. Apparently nobody aside from the government knew it was there until a few years ago. Its an abandoned base from the Cuban Missile Crisis. It was pretty cool to go learn a little more about that time. I know Johnny really enjoyed it. He loves history!
So my picture don't want to load. I'll try again tomorrow.

Seeing Santa!!

Last night was so much fun. Our church had a Christmas dinner party.I cooked two hams in our tiny oven. Our oven is half the size of a normal oven and we only have one cooking pan so it made making two hams a little interesting. We went with the Taylors of course. Thanks for the ride guys! The food was good and it went fast. There was plenty of ham but not enough potatoes. I went back for seconds and no potatoes left. It was a sad day until I discovered all the wonderful desserts. The place went crazy when Santa came in. I'll admitt I was pretty excited as well as the kids. Santa read the kids The Night Before Christmas and Johnny said I might as well have sat on the floor with them I was so excited.
I have been missing all my Christmas traditions and especially watching movies with the Fam, but Johnny found me a web sight with all the classics on it so I know what I'm doing this week. We are actually in the middle of Christmas Vacation so I better go! Merry Christmas Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve!!!

Singing in the Rain

Today Johnny and I decided not to wake-up. I kept waking up and thinking "Oh its still dark must be to early to wake up." No it was just the rain clouds. It rained and rained today. I don't mind though, I love the rain. I had to go to the store and and that means a walk in the rain, and discovered I love to do that too. The whole time there I was just thinking about how awesome my life is and how much I've learned about myself in the short weeks we have been here. I feel all grown up and just like a little kid. Well the point is I like going on walks in the rain.
We babysat the Taylor kids today so Katie and David could finish the Christmas shopping. I felt bad because we had nothing for them to do. They said they weren't bored, but I think they might have been. I hope they still feel I'm their friend, I love having them as my friends. They are such funny little people.
I'm going to try to get Johnny to tell about his experience in school so for. He is on break for Christmas so he will have a little more off time. It seems he is always studying. Good for the brain, bad for the Tracy.

The Beach with the Taylors

Yesterday we went to the beach with the Taylors. Johnny and David had just finished a quiz so we though it would be a good diversion from school. We went to Key Biscayne. I we so different from south beach. The water was calm and clear. I think it was perfect for the kids. It was great for snorkeling as well. Johnny found some cool critters, and we saw a few fish too. It sounds really funny but one of the fish looked like an ocean fish. It was triangle shaped and weird. Johnny found a hermit crab and a live sand dollar. Rachel really liked me spinning her around in the water. I had fun making a sand pyramid with Matt and Katie.
I know this is really off subject but have any of you had people take random pictures of you? Last Saturday I was climbing a tree and this guy I don't know took a picture of me up in the tree. Then later that day somebody took a picture of Johnny at the beach. It was very weird. Its like they had never seen some one at the beach or climb a tree before.
Well Johnny only has one more day and then it is Christmas break. Its sad because it doesn't feel like Christmas. We aren't really doing the present thing either. we are trying to save our money because I'm a little nervous about how much its going to cost us to move to Dominica. I also am missing all the Christmas goodies. I miss mom's raspberry filling cookies. I need the recipe mommy! Katie gave us some cookies today and I'm very excited to eat them. Thanks Katie!

Making Pizza

Wow time is just flying by. I spent Thursday with Katie and the kids. We went to wal-mart and the grocery store. Friday Johnny and I just lazed around the house. He did some studying while I did nothing. I did make tortillas. It was my first time and it seems everything went wrong. I forgot to get salt at the store, I didn't have anything to roll the dough out with(I ended up using a cup), I had to use wheat flour instead of white, and I didn't have a good pan to cook them in. They turned out alright. I think I will do better next time.











Well Johnny and I were busy people on Saturday. We went to a bbq some friends were having. We did a white elephant gift exchange and ate in the rain.(I guess I was the only one still eating when it rained.) Then the Taylors dropped us off at South beach. Let me tell you it was B-E-A-Utiful. The storm had made the waves really big and the ocean was teal blue. We had a ton of fun swimming in the waves. Johnny also dove for these pieces of old coral reef. While the beach was fun the bus ride home was not. We rode off the island then after sitting at the bus station for an hour, we got on the wrong bus and rode back onto the island. Then we of course had to ride back off the island. Then we finally got to the metro rail and finally got home. I was so tired and hungry and itchy. I got right into a warm shower and then went to bed.
Today was a typical Sunday. I did make home made pizza for the first time. (I feel like I'm doing a lot of things for the first time.) It was really easy and really yummy. It may just become a Cochran family favorite, actually I think it already is.

Miami Metro Zoo

Well I went to the Zoo with Katie and a couple other people from the ward. it was a lot of fun but now I am so pooped. We were there from the time it opened until the time it closed. We watched a little animal show. They showed some parrots, a porky pine, a cheetah, and some other animal that has a name I can't recall. We spent a while watching the elephants because they were being really entertaining.I did the laundry at Katie's while I babysat the kids so she and David could a little Christmas shopping. The kids were asleep so it was really easy.
Johnny had his first quiz today. He said it was mostly easy, but there were a few things on the quiz he wasn't expecting. He studied for the rest of the day and apparently missed me very much. He kept calling me all day and it made me feel great!