Thursday, August 20, 2009

11 of 52 - Disney I Love You


Check out this great challenge on Carin's blog. It's addicting - and there's the added benefit of having more pictures with your family!

A couple of weeks ago we went on a Disney Cruise. I know there are a variety of opinions on Disney practices these days....but for our family, we have some of our best memories (both before kids and now) with Disney playing a big part!
We had a great time....it was short, but jam-packed with fun (more pictures to follow). And yes, I did manage to get in on quite a few pictures!


So, we had fun....
But was it relaxing?

Absolutely!

Here's the proof...
I couldn't even get out of my seat to cut my daughter's waffles before our server started doing it!
Disney, take me away again!




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52 Weeks is a year long challenge for YOU to be in a picture once a week for 52 weeks. Moms are typically the ones behind the camera, this is OUR chance to get out in front and be in the pictures with our family.

So, get yourself in the picture every week for 52 Weeks. Be in a picture with one or more or your children and post your "family photo" on your blog every Thursday - don't forget to list your post on MckLinky on Carin's blog

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Friday, August 14, 2009

Favorite Things Friday: Barnie's Coffee

You can go to Barnie's in Ireland, Saudi Arabia and Turkey....but not on the west coast of the United States! So, for me, leaving the west coast behind for Florida where most of the Barnie's Coffee shops are located is a major plus! (Starbucks I have not forsaken you, but Barnie's was my first love)

And it helps that there is a shop not too far from this great playground we found....





Thursday, August 13, 2009

Ahoy Matey! 52 Week Challenge 10/52



Okay so, I haven't stepped up strongly to the "challenge" (which is a great challenge, by the way...check out Carin's blog) I have slacked tremendously; but here is this week's contribution!

We spent two weeks on the west coast, returned home to Florida, left on a quick vacation, and returned home again to have company for ten days. Never a dull moment! We had a great time having my mother-in-law visit. The other night we took her to one of the kids' FAVORITE things to do in Orlando, the Pirate's Dinner Adventure. And I was able to get in on the pictures!

The room where the dinner show is held is amazing...


And we had great seats....

Sammie, Savannah and Grandma Penny...

Kylie and Daddy....

Samantha and Mommy...


Savannah and Grandma Penny...



The girls were able to be in the show (you can see Savannah peeking around)...


Kylie fought in the battle.....

And after the show it was pictures with the pirates. This is Captain Sebastian the Black....


Savannah was quite taken with the hero of the show, Benjamin...


And a great time was had by all!


*********************************************************************

52 Weeks is a year long challenge for YOU to be in a picture once a week for 52 weeks. Moms are typically the ones behind the camera, this is OUR chance to get out in front and be in the pictures with our family.

So, get yourself in the picture every week for 52 Weeks. Be in a picture with one or more or your children and post your "family photo" on your blog every Thursday - don't forget to list your post on MckLinky on Carin's blog

Friday, July 31, 2009

Favorite Things Friday: Family Fun

During our time in Vegas, we were able to sneak away for a quick family dinner. Each time we go out for sushi, the girls beg Grandma Tammy to do their hair with chopsticks.....

And of course, we have to have our traditional "silly faces" picture.....

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Wordless Wednesday: How to Use Chopsticks...



Our Trip to Vegas

You won't find any glamorous pictures of nightlife, the Strip, etc. here.
We went home to work.
My husband keeps telling me that going to Vegas is not going "home" since we don't live there anymore; but I don't know when I will be able to make that switch both mentally and emotionally.
Don't get me wrong, I have wanted to move out of Vegas for AGES...
But still, when you spend 30 years in a place, know it like the back of your hand and have most of your monumental memories there (both good and bad), I think it will always be home in a way.

The one thing I do NOT miss about Vegas is the summertime heat.
Being in Florida where the heat and humidity of July leaves much to be desired, I began to think maybe the Vegas heat was not so bad (I suffer from "the grass is always greener syndrome")
But the first MORNING of this, reminded me that it REALLY IS that bad....

I did not have the camera with me the next afternoon when the temperature outside read 113!
If you ever hear someone say the heat in Vegas is not so bad because it is a "dry heat", don't believe them. It is dry inside my oven too; I don't want to hang out in there...

Anyways, my husband had business on the west coast, so we determined that now was as good a time as any for us all to go. The trip was multi-purpose; we had a funeral in CA to attend and MANY things to do around the house.
We did squeeze in a little bit of fun - but not too much.

While at "home", we had no internet service (which explains some of my blog absence) and three TV channels (one was in English!)
Ordinarily I would have welcomed the break from technology, but with many things to do (where the internet comes in handy) and children to entertain while we worked, we could have used some modern conveniences!
I could actually get my neighbor's internet signal if I stood on the bed and held the laptop in the air, but that wasn't too comfortable for blogging...for obvious reasons.

Coincidentally, we were able to make it to a class reunion where we got to visit with friends we hadn't seen in 20+ years. I had my camera, but can you believe I didn't use it? I know, bad me. Here is one picture of us that I swiped from Facebook though. I know it is tiny, but we are in there!


The majority of the time was spent organizing our things and doing some major purging. I have packrat tendencies (it's in my genes...really), but the older I get and the more tired I am of moving my junk things around, it is very liberating to start throwing things away.

I have learned I can take a picture of those things I want to remember and then toss, toss, toss!

I was able to say goodbye to the yard sign I had kept from our firstborn....


And Kylie's first sippy cup complete with teeth marks.


And SO MANY more things...It is amazing how much stuff you can throw away if you set your mind to it.
But, by the end of the first week in the garage with temperatures in the hundreds, I was ready to throw it all away so I could get back inside with the AC!
I know people don't want to see sippy cups and yard signs so I will be back once I have time to load some more interesting pictures.....