It's Monday Janaury 7th. Today is the day to start getting something done. Laundry is started, suitcase is unpacked (yeah I know I'm a little slow) Most of the Christmas decorations are put away and hey, it's only 8:00 a.m. I am most surely going to need a nap. Let the Florida saga continue.
Florida Vacation
Day 4
Monday, December 31st
Wow, what a difference a day makes. It was around 10:00 a.m ish when we arrived at the Universal/Islands of Adventure once again. On the Sunday we had to park on level 5 for parking, and today we were on level 1. Today was being spent entirely at the Islands of Adventure. Harry Potter was where both Ashley and Patrick wanted to start the day. The ride was called "Harry Potter and Forbidden Journey". The wait time, 100 minutes. To give you an idea of how long the actual line was, while we were in line for those 100 minutes, we were continuously moving. We met this one young boy who was there with his dad. I don't recall his real name, but we called him, "Young Ron Weasley." (I don't seem to be able to load any pictures on my blog) He was in grade 3 and on chapter 8 of the first Harry Potter book. His enthusiasm for all thing Harry Potter was very contagious. Ashley even got her picture taken with him.
Patrick had assured me as we entered the ride line that I would enjoy the ride, and not feel any movements that would cause me to upchuck. I was a little nervous when around each bend in the line, we would come across a sign with a warning that people who suffer from motion sickness should not board this ride. But Patrick dimissed these warnings as general cautions on every ride. I'm not sure how to rate this ride. Was it worth the 100 minutes waiting in line? Absolutely. Was it scary? Not really. Did it make me feel queasy? A little bit. It wasn't so much the movement of the ride that gave way to motion sickness, but the 4 D affect of going around and up and down was very realistic. You want to close your eyes to avoid the feeling, but the affects are so spectacular that you don't want to miss a thing. Would I do the ride again? Nope. But I would recommend it to anyone who hasn't done it before. In reflecting back, I'm pretty sure Harry Potterland was the busies part of Island of Adventure.
So with Harry Potter under our belt, the kids wanted to do the Jurassic Park River Adventure. I decided to sit this one out until I regained some equilibrium back. The three others returned from their river adventure with very little water damage. But that wouldn't last all day. By now Ashley was also feeling a little nauseous and so she and I walked around while Patrick and Bill took on the Dragons Challenge. Unfortunately like the day before, this ride was having some technical difficulties so the boys dropped out of the ride before they wasted too much of their time in line.
Leaving the Wisarding World of Harry Potter behind, we headed towards Toon Lagoon and the Dudley Do-Righ Ripway Falls. All I can say is thank goodness it was a much warmer day today. We ended up all equally wet. And because we were already wet, we figured the Popeyes and Bluto's Blige-Rate Barge would be the next wise choice. Maybe wise isn't the right word, but we were finished being wet for the day. With a meeting place picked out, the boys bravely headed for the Incredible Hulk Coaster, and the smart ones, Ashley and myself headed off to do some shopping.
Our day was starting to wind down, and we dceided dinner at Margaritabille would be a treat. Thank goodness the chairs were wooden, because we were all still sporting wet butts. The meal was o.k. I don't think anyone was overly hungry, because except for Patrick, we ordered from the appetizer menu. There was a solo artist playing his guitar and singing and he made the meal and wet clothes much more enjoyable. We decided to head back to the park for a last bit of shopping. That's when Patrick looked at his dad with that glimpse of dare and suggested they try the Dr. Dooms Drop of Fear. Neither of them was willing to be the smart one and say no, so off they went, full bellies and all. I'm happy to report that both of them returned with their meals in tact.
We headed back to the parking lot where there were rows of car lights waiting to get into the park for a New Year's celebration. A near perfect drive back to our hotel was a welcome surprise. I headed to bed; the kids went to the lobby for some wifi fix; and Bill joined them shortly afterwards to get a bit of work done. It's 10:30 Happy New Year.
Monday, January 7, 2013
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Day 3 of January
It's Sunday, January 6th, and the house is quiet. Bill took Patrick to the airport this morning and the son is now back at University. I'm surprised they made it on time, because when I went to bed at 11:00 last night, Patrick still hadn't finished packing. I'm waiting for that phone call to say "Hey Mom, did you find my......" Bill is napping because I "let" him give Patrick a ride to the airport. And I believe Ashley is finally over at Ethan's folks place. I can't remember the last time they stayed at our place for more than two nights in a row. Now I might actually be able to get something done. So here is the continuing story of our trip.
Florida Vacation
Day 3
Sunday, Decemember 30th
Did I say sleep in from the night before. I swear four people are in this room and three different alarms went off in the morning. We're on holidays people! Patrick was up first to go to the gym; followed by Bill who was going for a run; and finally Ashley who ran upstairs quickly to climb into bed with me and get warm. I guess the December nights in Florida can be a bit nippy. I figured I would get up, get ready, and then nap while everyone else got ready for our day. Turns out the work out room is in need of some TLC, so Bill and Patrick ended up going for a run together. Patrick was impressed with his 52 year old Dad and his running capabilities.
Universay studios here we come. The drive today was much shorts thanks to Mickey. (not the mouse, but a sales rep at our resort). Our first encounter with a line up was the entrance for the parking, but comapred to some of the rides, this line was pretty fast. Many things have changed since the last time we were here with the kids. The most notable change, and to me the most fascinating was the ticket entrance. They scan your ticket, then you have to put your pointer finger on this other scanner and your finger print is on file. This is great for the park to stop people from sharing their multi day passes. (maybe it also helps the FBI) The process was also expanded to lockers at the park. Some rides did not allow bags/back packs, so you had to store them in one of these lockers. You opened and closed these lockers with your fingerprints. They were free lockers for a certain amount of time, then you were charged for them. This discourages people from leaving their belongings in the lockers all day. The only downside, you really have to remember your locker number, because when you put your thumbprint in the machine, it allows you to then push a button on your locker to unlock it.
Our first stop was the Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit. And when I use the word "our" I mean Bill, Patrick and Ashley. There was no way I was going upside down, straight up, straight down, and still have an entire day to get through. Actually that's a bit of a fib, because I still wouldn't have done it even if it was the last ride of the day. While the rest of the family enjoyed this thrill, I took the opportunity to go buy myself a Universal hoodie. I like to think I did it for the sentimental reason, but the wind was a little chily and I was darn cold. Next stop "The Twister." This was my type of ride. It was about the making of the movie of the same name, and a short demonstration. Patrick warned us there would be water spray, but unfortunately for him, it came from the back, not the front, and he ended up sheltering us from getting wet.
Third ride of the day "Revenge of the Mummy." I would give more details, but my eyes were closed for the entire ride. A quick snack, and we headed over the the MIB ride. I remember this ride, and was looking foward to it. The sign said it was a 45 minutes wait (one of the shorter wait times), but it turned out to be a little longer due to a malfunction with the equipment. One would think we would have lost patience and left, but we were so close to the front of the line, and people watching was very entertaining. (not everyone was pleased about the equipment failure) I felt so bad for the young workers who were being bombarded with questions and abuse from irate "guests' and I use the word guest, loosely.
We just happen to be walking by the "Animal Actors", exhibit, and the show was about to start. The wonderful show, and the chance to rest our weary feet was greatly received by us all. By now everyone was ready for a sit down meal. When at Universal Studios, where better to experience the atmosphere than the "Hard Rock Cafe". Another short wait and we were on our way to filling our empty bellies.
We had one more "must do" ride on our list; "Despicable Me." This ride had the longest wait time of all the rides for the day - 120 minutes. Some how that didn't seem as long as saying 2 hours. The votes were split on whether the ride was worth the wait. Ashley and I though it was worth it. You can do the math on what the other two thought. I did think the ride was too short, but the contents were amazing. I'm pretty sure I had a smile on my face the entire time (and I didn't feel like throwing up). The day was coming to an end. We came to the conclusion that we were glad we hadn't forked over an additional $80.00 for a fast pass card. Although some of the rides were long, we rode all the rides we had intended. The drive home was pretty uneventful. A couple of wrong turns, but we still managed to find our way back to our hotel.
Florida Vacation
Day 3
Sunday, Decemember 30th
Did I say sleep in from the night before. I swear four people are in this room and three different alarms went off in the morning. We're on holidays people! Patrick was up first to go to the gym; followed by Bill who was going for a run; and finally Ashley who ran upstairs quickly to climb into bed with me and get warm. I guess the December nights in Florida can be a bit nippy. I figured I would get up, get ready, and then nap while everyone else got ready for our day. Turns out the work out room is in need of some TLC, so Bill and Patrick ended up going for a run together. Patrick was impressed with his 52 year old Dad and his running capabilities.
Universay studios here we come. The drive today was much shorts thanks to Mickey. (not the mouse, but a sales rep at our resort). Our first encounter with a line up was the entrance for the parking, but comapred to some of the rides, this line was pretty fast. Many things have changed since the last time we were here with the kids. The most notable change, and to me the most fascinating was the ticket entrance. They scan your ticket, then you have to put your pointer finger on this other scanner and your finger print is on file. This is great for the park to stop people from sharing their multi day passes. (maybe it also helps the FBI) The process was also expanded to lockers at the park. Some rides did not allow bags/back packs, so you had to store them in one of these lockers. You opened and closed these lockers with your fingerprints. They were free lockers for a certain amount of time, then you were charged for them. This discourages people from leaving their belongings in the lockers all day. The only downside, you really have to remember your locker number, because when you put your thumbprint in the machine, it allows you to then push a button on your locker to unlock it.
Our first stop was the Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit. And when I use the word "our" I mean Bill, Patrick and Ashley. There was no way I was going upside down, straight up, straight down, and still have an entire day to get through. Actually that's a bit of a fib, because I still wouldn't have done it even if it was the last ride of the day. While the rest of the family enjoyed this thrill, I took the opportunity to go buy myself a Universal hoodie. I like to think I did it for the sentimental reason, but the wind was a little chily and I was darn cold. Next stop "The Twister." This was my type of ride. It was about the making of the movie of the same name, and a short demonstration. Patrick warned us there would be water spray, but unfortunately for him, it came from the back, not the front, and he ended up sheltering us from getting wet.
Third ride of the day "Revenge of the Mummy." I would give more details, but my eyes were closed for the entire ride. A quick snack, and we headed over the the MIB ride. I remember this ride, and was looking foward to it. The sign said it was a 45 minutes wait (one of the shorter wait times), but it turned out to be a little longer due to a malfunction with the equipment. One would think we would have lost patience and left, but we were so close to the front of the line, and people watching was very entertaining. (not everyone was pleased about the equipment failure) I felt so bad for the young workers who were being bombarded with questions and abuse from irate "guests' and I use the word guest, loosely.
We just happen to be walking by the "Animal Actors", exhibit, and the show was about to start. The wonderful show, and the chance to rest our weary feet was greatly received by us all. By now everyone was ready for a sit down meal. When at Universal Studios, where better to experience the atmosphere than the "Hard Rock Cafe". Another short wait and we were on our way to filling our empty bellies.
We had one more "must do" ride on our list; "Despicable Me." This ride had the longest wait time of all the rides for the day - 120 minutes. Some how that didn't seem as long as saying 2 hours. The votes were split on whether the ride was worth the wait. Ashley and I though it was worth it. You can do the math on what the other two thought. I did think the ride was too short, but the contents were amazing. I'm pretty sure I had a smile on my face the entire time (and I didn't feel like throwing up). The day was coming to an end. We came to the conclusion that we were glad we hadn't forked over an additional $80.00 for a fast pass card. Although some of the rides were long, we rode all the rides we had intended. The drive home was pretty uneventful. A couple of wrong turns, but we still managed to find our way back to our hotel.
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Day 2 of January
It was a crazy day on Friday; worked all four of my stores and went to visit my little ones. Throw in a grocery run after that and I was too pooped to blog. So it's now Saturday, January 5th and I'm continuing on my with holiday blog. (is this getting confusing yet)
Floriday Vacation
Day 2
Saturday December 29th
Friday and Saturday seemed to blend together. The reason for the blur of the two days was due to the fact that our flight for Florida departed at five minutes after midnight. Once again the four of us were sitting in the same row. Ashley requested the window seat once more, so we too took our usual seats. This would have been the perfect flight to grab some much needed sleep. Turns out Ashley was the only one that was able to sleep for the entire flight. Cramped legs and unscheduled turbulence made it difficult to get comfortable for the rest of us. Speaking of the turbulence, all I could think about was the T.V. show LOST. I kept trying to remember where the plance broke in half, and wondering if we were sitting in a safe spot. After discussing this later with Patrick, he explained that we probably wouldn't have been main characters on the show. Note to self, plan better seats next time.
We landed in Orlando around 7:00 a.m., Saturday morning. This time we were able to retrieve our luggage and we did go through customs without any delays. I guess my special status had expired. We found our shuttle that would take us to the off site car rental. I was a little shocked, but more concerned when Bill asked me to be the designated driver for the trip. Seems he was still feeling a little light headed and a little queasy from his door encounter the day before. It wasn't long before we had loaded the hatchback of our little Ford, Fiesta with three of the four suitcaes, and the back seat with the kids and the last suitcase. Maybe we should have taken the rental agents advice, and upgraded to a larger car. Naw, the suitcases wouldn't be in with us for long. So I'm the desitnated driver, with no sense of where we are going, and I have three navigators, 2 GPS systems, and a whole lot of freeways. Nervous, you bet. We find our resort fairily easily, but trying to navigate through the parking area was a little more challenging. Go here, over there, round there, where are you going? I ended up in front of the front gate, with no room key to let me in, and two cars behind me wondering what the heck was taking me so long to raise the bar. Thankfully Ashley jumped to the resuce. She got out of the stationary car and went into the lobby. They raised the gate and I was able to leave the confines of the resort to the visitor parking. Not a great way to relieve my nervousness. By now I was ready for a nap. Wait it's only 10:00 a.m. in the morning, and check in isn't until 4:00 p.m.. With droopy eyelids and a dejected expression on my face, I ask the front desk if there was any way we could get an early check in. She said she didn't think so but she would look. I quietly muttered, that was o.k., we could just all crash on the couches in the lobby. I'm not sure if my muttering was loud enough, but a room became available for us. We drove our car throught the front gate, this time with a room key in hand to lift the gate, and drove to building 6. Our room was in the second level, but we were just glad to have a room.
I dropped my suitcase by the front door and headed for the upstairs bedroom and the king size bed. I threw back the covers and once my head it the pillow, I was out. As I was drifting off to sleep, I could hear the other three laughing and trying to make sense of the pull out couch. I awoke two hours later to find the suite extremely quiet. Both Patrick and Ashley were fast asleep on the sofa bed. Bill was no where to be found. I knew he was tired from the lack of sleep the night before, plus his ongoing headache from his bump on the head. I checked upstairs and his wallet was on the dresser. In fact, even his phone was on the dresser. The sight of his pohone put me in a slight panic mode. Anyone who knows Bill, is aware that he doesn't travel very far away from his phone (work might need him) I ever so gently nudged the kids to see if they knew the whereabouts of their Dad. Before my imagination could get a strong hold on me, Ashley reminded me that dad was probably testing out his new GPS/watch toy. That calmed my mind a little bit, but the thought that bill could be walking around the resort with amnesia was still on the edge of my mind. Shortly after that, Bill sauntered in the front door, sweating from his run. (So much for being tired and having a headache)
By now it was after 12:30 lunch time, so we unanimously agreed to hit an outlet mall. According to the brochure/map the trip should take about 9 minutes. An hour later, we sill hadn't arrived at the mall. Stop and go, stop and go, stop and bump. The car behind us obviously hadn't figured out the driving pattern yet, and he hit our back bumper. I looked in the rear view mirror, and the driver just sat in his car looking at me. I guess this was like a game of chess, and it was my turn to make a move. So I sent out my trusted knight Bill to take a look at the bumper. Only then did the gentleman get out of his car and say sorry. I pulled forward slightly so the bumpers were no longer touching, and Bill could access the situation. There must have been no obvious damage because both my knight and my opponent returned to their cars. The rental place did say not to worry about minor dents and scratches. Luckily it was a minor accident because there were two young kids in the other car's back seat roaming around without seat belts.
Finally after an hour and fifty minues from leaving our hotel, we arrived at the mall. After driving around for another thirty minutes, we finally realized finding a parking spot would be like winning the lottery, very unlikely. We headed across the busy thoroughfare and parked near a local grocery store. We had to walk by the Outback restaurant, and decided a quick bite before shopping might be a good idea. We finished dining and then dashed across the busy road, and thrust ouselves into the chaos world of shopping. If you have any kind of bond with me, you know that shopping is not on my list of favorite activities. I did make a purchase though. At Luluemon I found an orange coat which caught my eye when we first walked in. The remainder of the shopping was to appease the kids. Bill and I just went for the walk. The sun had set by the time we finished roaming the outside mall and we had to once again cross the busy road to reach our car. There was a slight delay in vehicles, so I crossed the road without incident. Bill did the same, and then Ashley and Patrick tried to follow. It was about this time Patrick dropped his sunglasses in the middle of the road. Lets just say the next few seconds reminded me of those crazy squirrels or gophers that try to cross the road. Thankfully the entertainment of it all prompted the cars to stop, chuckle and let both kids cross safely.
We make a quick stop in the grocery store and then headed back to our hotel, which turned out to be a much shorter and less bumpy ride. A quick wash up and I was in and ready for bed. I couldn't wait to sleep in tomorrow.
Floriday Vacation
Day 2
Saturday December 29th
Friday and Saturday seemed to blend together. The reason for the blur of the two days was due to the fact that our flight for Florida departed at five minutes after midnight. Once again the four of us were sitting in the same row. Ashley requested the window seat once more, so we too took our usual seats. This would have been the perfect flight to grab some much needed sleep. Turns out Ashley was the only one that was able to sleep for the entire flight. Cramped legs and unscheduled turbulence made it difficult to get comfortable for the rest of us. Speaking of the turbulence, all I could think about was the T.V. show LOST. I kept trying to remember where the plance broke in half, and wondering if we were sitting in a safe spot. After discussing this later with Patrick, he explained that we probably wouldn't have been main characters on the show. Note to self, plan better seats next time.
We landed in Orlando around 7:00 a.m., Saturday morning. This time we were able to retrieve our luggage and we did go through customs without any delays. I guess my special status had expired. We found our shuttle that would take us to the off site car rental. I was a little shocked, but more concerned when Bill asked me to be the designated driver for the trip. Seems he was still feeling a little light headed and a little queasy from his door encounter the day before. It wasn't long before we had loaded the hatchback of our little Ford, Fiesta with three of the four suitcaes, and the back seat with the kids and the last suitcase. Maybe we should have taken the rental agents advice, and upgraded to a larger car. Naw, the suitcases wouldn't be in with us for long. So I'm the desitnated driver, with no sense of where we are going, and I have three navigators, 2 GPS systems, and a whole lot of freeways. Nervous, you bet. We find our resort fairily easily, but trying to navigate through the parking area was a little more challenging. Go here, over there, round there, where are you going? I ended up in front of the front gate, with no room key to let me in, and two cars behind me wondering what the heck was taking me so long to raise the bar. Thankfully Ashley jumped to the resuce. She got out of the stationary car and went into the lobby. They raised the gate and I was able to leave the confines of the resort to the visitor parking. Not a great way to relieve my nervousness. By now I was ready for a nap. Wait it's only 10:00 a.m. in the morning, and check in isn't until 4:00 p.m.. With droopy eyelids and a dejected expression on my face, I ask the front desk if there was any way we could get an early check in. She said she didn't think so but she would look. I quietly muttered, that was o.k., we could just all crash on the couches in the lobby. I'm not sure if my muttering was loud enough, but a room became available for us. We drove our car throught the front gate, this time with a room key in hand to lift the gate, and drove to building 6. Our room was in the second level, but we were just glad to have a room.
I dropped my suitcase by the front door and headed for the upstairs bedroom and the king size bed. I threw back the covers and once my head it the pillow, I was out. As I was drifting off to sleep, I could hear the other three laughing and trying to make sense of the pull out couch. I awoke two hours later to find the suite extremely quiet. Both Patrick and Ashley were fast asleep on the sofa bed. Bill was no where to be found. I knew he was tired from the lack of sleep the night before, plus his ongoing headache from his bump on the head. I checked upstairs and his wallet was on the dresser. In fact, even his phone was on the dresser. The sight of his pohone put me in a slight panic mode. Anyone who knows Bill, is aware that he doesn't travel very far away from his phone (work might need him) I ever so gently nudged the kids to see if they knew the whereabouts of their Dad. Before my imagination could get a strong hold on me, Ashley reminded me that dad was probably testing out his new GPS/watch toy. That calmed my mind a little bit, but the thought that bill could be walking around the resort with amnesia was still on the edge of my mind. Shortly after that, Bill sauntered in the front door, sweating from his run. (So much for being tired and having a headache)
By now it was after 12:30 lunch time, so we unanimously agreed to hit an outlet mall. According to the brochure/map the trip should take about 9 minutes. An hour later, we sill hadn't arrived at the mall. Stop and go, stop and go, stop and bump. The car behind us obviously hadn't figured out the driving pattern yet, and he hit our back bumper. I looked in the rear view mirror, and the driver just sat in his car looking at me. I guess this was like a game of chess, and it was my turn to make a move. So I sent out my trusted knight Bill to take a look at the bumper. Only then did the gentleman get out of his car and say sorry. I pulled forward slightly so the bumpers were no longer touching, and Bill could access the situation. There must have been no obvious damage because both my knight and my opponent returned to their cars. The rental place did say not to worry about minor dents and scratches. Luckily it was a minor accident because there were two young kids in the other car's back seat roaming around without seat belts.
Finally after an hour and fifty minues from leaving our hotel, we arrived at the mall. After driving around for another thirty minutes, we finally realized finding a parking spot would be like winning the lottery, very unlikely. We headed across the busy thoroughfare and parked near a local grocery store. We had to walk by the Outback restaurant, and decided a quick bite before shopping might be a good idea. We finished dining and then dashed across the busy road, and thrust ouselves into the chaos world of shopping. If you have any kind of bond with me, you know that shopping is not on my list of favorite activities. I did make a purchase though. At Luluemon I found an orange coat which caught my eye when we first walked in. The remainder of the shopping was to appease the kids. Bill and I just went for the walk. The sun had set by the time we finished roaming the outside mall and we had to once again cross the busy road to reach our car. There was a slight delay in vehicles, so I crossed the road without incident. Bill did the same, and then Ashley and Patrick tried to follow. It was about this time Patrick dropped his sunglasses in the middle of the road. Lets just say the next few seconds reminded me of those crazy squirrels or gophers that try to cross the road. Thankfully the entertainment of it all prompted the cars to stop, chuckle and let both kids cross safely.
We make a quick stop in the grocery store and then headed back to our hotel, which turned out to be a much shorter and less bumpy ride. A quick wash up and I was in and ready for bed. I couldn't wait to sleep in tomorrow.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Day 1 of January 2013
This is the first official post (as opposed to unofficial?) of January 2013. We just returned from our family vacation. I kept a journal of out trip on my I-Pad and I'm going to share it.
Florida Adventure
Day 1
December 28th
And so the vacation begins. This adventure starts with a pre-adventure. Our actual flight isn't until 7:55 p.m., which gave us the entire day to get ready. Some of us were ready before others. There were only a couple of minor mishaps. Bill got into a tussle with Ashley's car door. He was moving around vehicles (yes Ashley, this family does have way too many frickin vehicles), and because Ashley's car was parked on the driveway, gravity dictated that the door be closed. Unfortunately Bill didn't anticipate the gravity situation quick enough, and he was in the kitchen before he noticed the blood dripping from a large gash in his eyebrow. In addition to the gash, was a goose egg size bump on his forehead. A few tissues and an ice pack later, Bill was feeling a little better. Then Patrick took a stumble on the stairs. I say stumble not a tumble, because he was coming up the stairs and he miss judged where the next step was. The suitcase arrived unscathed on the top landing; Patrick's ribs could be little sore for a couple of days. We left the house around 4:15 pm and headed to Kinjo's for dinner. Nothing like a little sushi for a pre board meal. Ethan joined us for dinner, as he was the designated chauffeur for this trip. A quick good bye to Ethan at the airport, (Ashley took a little longer), and we headed for the Westjet check-in. Now this could have been a quick check-in, but the night before, as I was doing the check-in online, everybody's boarding pass printed except mine. We explained this to the Westjet lady, and she informed me that I was preselected to answer a few extra questions. Little did I know those few extra questions involved a body scan. Unl.ike when this happened during our September holiday, I opted out of the scan, and requested a pat down instead. This request was met with dismay from the authorities, who tried unsuccessfully to convince me of the quickness of the scan, and to the dismay of my family, who were being slowed down by me, moi! I am going to admit, I enjoyed the conversation with the pat down people. I wonder if I am "special" for the entire trip.
Everyone did their own thing while we waited at our gate. Bill was reading the instructions for his new watch/gps toy. Patrick borrowed my new travel pillow and stretched out (or cramped up) a couple of seats, and Ashley was playing her DS gameboy, and swatting away a cute fruit fly (her words, not mine). I started on the travel blog, and kept one ear open for any flight information. At one point, they made an announcement for a Jack Hildebrandt to come to a gate. I was wondering if it was a relative of moms, but now thinking about it, I believe the gentleman in question passed away quite some time ago. We weren't long sitting at our departure gate, before the annoucement came to board our flight. Ashley wanted to be one of the first on the flight to ensure she could stow her "carry on" luggage close to where we were sitting in row 19. The flight attendant took one look at my boarding pass, and passed on his well wishes for me and the "special" attention I would be receiving. Bill and Patrick were a couple of the last people to board the flight. Ashley had called dibs on the window seat, so I got stuck in the middle. I tried resting on Ashley, but as my dad used to say, "she was moving around like a fart in a wind storm," so I sat straight up with my arm resting on my pillow, and my chin resting on my arm.
The flight was scheduled fo 35 minutes to Edmonton, so it was almost impossible to tackle anything for very long, including sleep. Seems like the plane just finished ascending and it was time to descend. We landed in Edmonton with no idea where our luggage was going to be. The people in Calgary said we might have to go through customs in Edmonton. We spent a few extra minutes on the plane until a parking place became available (who knew this would be a precursor to our entire trip). As we were disembarking the plane, a couple of young toddlers were running back and forth across the hallway, much to the annoyance of some of the passengers. Ashley mentioned that it reminded her of playing the video game "frogger." The mom of the toddlers found that amusing too. Without squishing one of the frogs, we continued to our designated luggage carousel. It wasn't until the final piece of baggage had been removed that we realized our luggage must be going straight to Florida. We confirmed this with a Westjet ticket agent, and were told that we would now be going through customs in Florida. With our new found knowledge, we headed back through security, loading all our items in the plastic trays, and yes once again I was asked to go though the full body scanner. And once again I declined and asked for the alternative pat down; a pat down that could have been avoided had we sought the help of a Westjet agent at our arrival gate. Now there was only a two hour wait for our next flight, which was leaving at 12:05 am on Saturday.
Florida Adventure
Day 1
December 28th
And so the vacation begins. This adventure starts with a pre-adventure. Our actual flight isn't until 7:55 p.m., which gave us the entire day to get ready. Some of us were ready before others. There were only a couple of minor mishaps. Bill got into a tussle with Ashley's car door. He was moving around vehicles (yes Ashley, this family does have way too many frickin vehicles), and because Ashley's car was parked on the driveway, gravity dictated that the door be closed. Unfortunately Bill didn't anticipate the gravity situation quick enough, and he was in the kitchen before he noticed the blood dripping from a large gash in his eyebrow. In addition to the gash, was a goose egg size bump on his forehead. A few tissues and an ice pack later, Bill was feeling a little better. Then Patrick took a stumble on the stairs. I say stumble not a tumble, because he was coming up the stairs and he miss judged where the next step was. The suitcase arrived unscathed on the top landing; Patrick's ribs could be little sore for a couple of days. We left the house around 4:15 pm and headed to Kinjo's for dinner. Nothing like a little sushi for a pre board meal. Ethan joined us for dinner, as he was the designated chauffeur for this trip. A quick good bye to Ethan at the airport, (Ashley took a little longer), and we headed for the Westjet check-in. Now this could have been a quick check-in, but the night before, as I was doing the check-in online, everybody's boarding pass printed except mine. We explained this to the Westjet lady, and she informed me that I was preselected to answer a few extra questions. Little did I know those few extra questions involved a body scan. Unl.ike when this happened during our September holiday, I opted out of the scan, and requested a pat down instead. This request was met with dismay from the authorities, who tried unsuccessfully to convince me of the quickness of the scan, and to the dismay of my family, who were being slowed down by me, moi! I am going to admit, I enjoyed the conversation with the pat down people. I wonder if I am "special" for the entire trip.
Everyone did their own thing while we waited at our gate. Bill was reading the instructions for his new watch/gps toy. Patrick borrowed my new travel pillow and stretched out (or cramped up) a couple of seats, and Ashley was playing her DS gameboy, and swatting away a cute fruit fly (her words, not mine). I started on the travel blog, and kept one ear open for any flight information. At one point, they made an announcement for a Jack Hildebrandt to come to a gate. I was wondering if it was a relative of moms, but now thinking about it, I believe the gentleman in question passed away quite some time ago. We weren't long sitting at our departure gate, before the annoucement came to board our flight. Ashley wanted to be one of the first on the flight to ensure she could stow her "carry on" luggage close to where we were sitting in row 19. The flight attendant took one look at my boarding pass, and passed on his well wishes for me and the "special" attention I would be receiving. Bill and Patrick were a couple of the last people to board the flight. Ashley had called dibs on the window seat, so I got stuck in the middle. I tried resting on Ashley, but as my dad used to say, "she was moving around like a fart in a wind storm," so I sat straight up with my arm resting on my pillow, and my chin resting on my arm.
The flight was scheduled fo 35 minutes to Edmonton, so it was almost impossible to tackle anything for very long, including sleep. Seems like the plane just finished ascending and it was time to descend. We landed in Edmonton with no idea where our luggage was going to be. The people in Calgary said we might have to go through customs in Edmonton. We spent a few extra minutes on the plane until a parking place became available (who knew this would be a precursor to our entire trip). As we were disembarking the plane, a couple of young toddlers were running back and forth across the hallway, much to the annoyance of some of the passengers. Ashley mentioned that it reminded her of playing the video game "frogger." The mom of the toddlers found that amusing too. Without squishing one of the frogs, we continued to our designated luggage carousel. It wasn't until the final piece of baggage had been removed that we realized our luggage must be going straight to Florida. We confirmed this with a Westjet ticket agent, and were told that we would now be going through customs in Florida. With our new found knowledge, we headed back through security, loading all our items in the plastic trays, and yes once again I was asked to go though the full body scanner. And once again I declined and asked for the alternative pat down; a pat down that could have been avoided had we sought the help of a Westjet agent at our arrival gate. Now there was only a two hour wait for our next flight, which was leaving at 12:05 am on Saturday.
Friday, December 21, 2012
Day 3 of December
Sorry Shaunan, I hope you get to work before you check the blog post. I don't want to make you late for work.
I also want to send out birthday wishes today (since the world is still in tact)
Happy Birthday to my cousin Darcy. I still remember when you're mom brought you home from the hospital. It was Christmas Day and you guys came to our house. I think we came to get you or visit you and when we got back home, my Mom told me I forgot a present under the tree. I remember thinking, how could I have not seen a present that big. Turned out it was my light brite, and Santa had forgot all about the present in the closet. I also remember we started singing "Hello Dolly" to your mom. Not sure why........
Also Happy Birthday to one of my American girlfriends, De. Sorry De, I didn't get those diamonds in the mail soon enough, but your card should be coming soon.
So a couple of neat entries to talk about. First, I won on the radio. I know, it's almost like another job for me. But when I'm awake at 5:00 a.m. (cause that's when Bill leaves for work), I turn the radio on and listen, and that's when a lot of contests come on. This time I won ticket's to Jubilations Dinner Theatre; a Tim Hortons gift basket and tickets to the premier screening of a new Matt Damon movie in Janaury. I love positive energy.
Last night was an amazing end to a very hectic day. I manage to work three of my stores and still head to work with the kids in the afternoon. Patrick was scheduled to arrive back in Calgary around 11:10. I thought I would run some errands first, seeing how Superstore is open 24 hours during the holiday season. I was pleasantly surprised how empty the parking lot was, and even more surprised how empty the store was at 9:30 at night. I needed a few groceries and a few presents for a work Christmas party on Monday. During my shopping, the son called to tell me the flight was delayed. So I finished my shopping and after some pondering, decided to head to Tim Hortons for a hot chocolate instead of driving all the way home, only to turn around and head back to the airport. I knew somewhere in my purse was a $15.00 Tim Horton's gift card, but I didn't have the patience to go searching for it. As I was waiting for my toasted bagel, 6 young gentlemen (high school age), dressed in their highland uniforms, kilts and all, walk into Tim Hortons. They placed their order after me, and suddenly it just seemed like the right time to find the gift card. I handed it to the lady working at the til, and asked her to apply it to the group's order. It doesn't matter how many times one does this, it always, always, leaves me with a warm heart. The boys walked by me on the way to their seats, and all six of them thanked me (Maam) So I'm working on my IPad, and I notice they all get up and back to the cashier; after all they are growing boys. Before I know it, they guys are standing in front of my table, and they present me with a gift mug and coffee. (The same gift I had just purchased three of) Wow, I was blown away. The original thank you was appreciation enough. I wish I could thank their parents on a job well done.
Now there is a bit of "dodododododod" in this story. At the beginning of the week, I had been researching on taking a trip to Scotland; just for Bill and I. I'll go into more of that in a different blog. But the fact that Scotland and these young men in their kilts showed up in the same week, in my thoughts, just keeps me believing in the power of thought.
Patrick's flight finally arrived just after 12:00 midnight. It was great to see the boy; whiskers and all. I guess when you are busy with exams, personal hygiene comes last. We arrived home to great fanfare from Maya, and a smile from Bill. Just as I am getting ready for bed, Patrick asks me if I would like to hear some of his journal from his trip to Thailand this past summer. The adult in me just wanted to get some sleep, but the mom in me was thrilled that he would want to share his personal story with me. So for the next hour or so, Patrick read part of his experiences during his trip. I think I sat there with my mouth open the entire time. Where did this boy learn to write. I may be his mom, but I was very impressed with his writing style and capabilities. Once he has finished the journal, I hope he will let me share some excertps with you.
That was my past week in a nut shell - or at least in this blog. I hope to get another blog written before Christmas, but if I don't Merry Christmas everyone.
Stacey
I also want to send out birthday wishes today (since the world is still in tact)
Happy Birthday to my cousin Darcy. I still remember when you're mom brought you home from the hospital. It was Christmas Day and you guys came to our house. I think we came to get you or visit you and when we got back home, my Mom told me I forgot a present under the tree. I remember thinking, how could I have not seen a present that big. Turned out it was my light brite, and Santa had forgot all about the present in the closet. I also remember we started singing "Hello Dolly" to your mom. Not sure why........
Also Happy Birthday to one of my American girlfriends, De. Sorry De, I didn't get those diamonds in the mail soon enough, but your card should be coming soon.
So a couple of neat entries to talk about. First, I won on the radio. I know, it's almost like another job for me. But when I'm awake at 5:00 a.m. (cause that's when Bill leaves for work), I turn the radio on and listen, and that's when a lot of contests come on. This time I won ticket's to Jubilations Dinner Theatre; a Tim Hortons gift basket and tickets to the premier screening of a new Matt Damon movie in Janaury. I love positive energy.
Last night was an amazing end to a very hectic day. I manage to work three of my stores and still head to work with the kids in the afternoon. Patrick was scheduled to arrive back in Calgary around 11:10. I thought I would run some errands first, seeing how Superstore is open 24 hours during the holiday season. I was pleasantly surprised how empty the parking lot was, and even more surprised how empty the store was at 9:30 at night. I needed a few groceries and a few presents for a work Christmas party on Monday. During my shopping, the son called to tell me the flight was delayed. So I finished my shopping and after some pondering, decided to head to Tim Hortons for a hot chocolate instead of driving all the way home, only to turn around and head back to the airport. I knew somewhere in my purse was a $15.00 Tim Horton's gift card, but I didn't have the patience to go searching for it. As I was waiting for my toasted bagel, 6 young gentlemen (high school age), dressed in their highland uniforms, kilts and all, walk into Tim Hortons. They placed their order after me, and suddenly it just seemed like the right time to find the gift card. I handed it to the lady working at the til, and asked her to apply it to the group's order. It doesn't matter how many times one does this, it always, always, leaves me with a warm heart. The boys walked by me on the way to their seats, and all six of them thanked me (Maam) So I'm working on my IPad, and I notice they all get up and back to the cashier; after all they are growing boys. Before I know it, they guys are standing in front of my table, and they present me with a gift mug and coffee. (The same gift I had just purchased three of) Wow, I was blown away. The original thank you was appreciation enough. I wish I could thank their parents on a job well done.
Now there is a bit of "dodododododod" in this story. At the beginning of the week, I had been researching on taking a trip to Scotland; just for Bill and I. I'll go into more of that in a different blog. But the fact that Scotland and these young men in their kilts showed up in the same week, in my thoughts, just keeps me believing in the power of thought.
Patrick's flight finally arrived just after 12:00 midnight. It was great to see the boy; whiskers and all. I guess when you are busy with exams, personal hygiene comes last. We arrived home to great fanfare from Maya, and a smile from Bill. Just as I am getting ready for bed, Patrick asks me if I would like to hear some of his journal from his trip to Thailand this past summer. The adult in me just wanted to get some sleep, but the mom in me was thrilled that he would want to share his personal story with me. So for the next hour or so, Patrick read part of his experiences during his trip. I think I sat there with my mouth open the entire time. Where did this boy learn to write. I may be his mom, but I was very impressed with his writing style and capabilities. Once he has finished the journal, I hope he will let me share some excertps with you.
That was my past week in a nut shell - or at least in this blog. I hope to get another blog written before Christmas, but if I don't Merry Christmas everyone.
Stacey
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Day 2 of December
It's December 15, so only 10 more days til Christmas - am I ready - no, but that's part of the Christmas spirit......I've been told!
You would think people would be so busy getting ready for Christmas (or the end of the world) that they wouldn't be looking for a blog to read........ but some people are just too organized (or bored)
It has been a busy couple of weeks. December 8th was Bill's company Christmas party. Once again it was being held at the Banff Springs Hotel - my favorite place in Banff. It was a very disappointing event for me. Check in was at 4:00 pm and we didn't leave Calgary until 3:30ish. By the time we got to the hotel, there was no parking left - 500 parking spots and they were all full. The attendant happen to find us a spot near the garbage disposal, which actually turned out to be closer than the parking garage. We entered the hotel to discover a line up that could match a Disney ride in California. Apparently there were 8 oil company Christmas parties being held in the hotel that same night. Despite the long line up, the wait went quite fast. Bill finally made it to the front of the line, only to discover our room was just being cleaned as we registered. Another wait, but again, it went by fast. And then it happened........ Bill's phone rang - could it be the kids? Nope! Maybe some relatives? Nope! It was work... Wait, wasn't everyone from work at the party? Apparently not. So as Bill is talking on the phone, we check into our room (which turned out to be a wonderful suite), I got dressed, I dressed Bill and we headed down for supper. Now the problem at work needed more resources, so Bill had to search out for "help". Normally I would mingle and greet people, but I didn't know a soul. So I did what any good wife would do - I grabbed a glass of bubbly that went by on the tray and waited... and waited....and waited. Finally it was time to sit down for dinner. Thankfully I found our table and seats and eventually Bill joined the table. He was able to eat each course, and finish up the work inbetween the courses. The smile on my face was no stuck and the muscles were getting sore. I asked Bill if after dinner, I could go to the room and relax. And that's how I spent the rest of my night; curled up on the comfortable bed, in my comfy pj's, watching the TV and reading. I think Bill finally made it back to the room around 3:00 a.m. I'm glad he was able to get in some fun time - and wouldn't you know there were no more work problems after I left!!!!
We got up Sunday morning, had brunch in the hotel and headed home. Now how I would normally spend a day and evening at the Banff Springs Hotel, but hey, it wasn't my Christmas party.
On Thursday, I took the kids (the ones I work with) on a field trip to the mall to see Santa. Talk about an amazing day. The kids have never really been in a mall before and had never seen Santa. Well all three did wonderful. Miss J climbed onto Santa's lap and just got comfy cozy and wasn't in any hurry to leave. All three kids were amazing and very well behaved.
I arrived home Thursday to find a couple messages from the seniors home when Mom is at. Seems they had some concerns, as Mom wasn't herself. She was confused and her memory was worse than norma. I went over to visit her after supper, only to find her sitting on her bed, trying to put on clothes on the wrong part of her body. She was very agitated. The nurses were concerned she either had an infection or vascular dementia. Her blood pressure was way to high and her legs were quite swollen. It was very hard for me to watch, but I can only imagine how awful it must have been for mom. They were finally able to get mom's blood pressure down, and by Friday morning, they had confirmation that she did in fact have an infection. I took her to her doctors to get some prescriptions filled. I tried explaining to mom was had happened the day before, but she wouldn't believe me and thought everyone was concerned over nothing. It was an exhausting 24 hours.
So Friday night, I did what any good wife (oops, I mean daughter) would do, I headed to the local pub with my girlfriend Rose for wings and nachos (and a couple of coolers - couple equals 5, right). We were well planned - Rose's son dropped us off, and Ashley picked us up. It was a fun night. I really did need to unwind - I had spent the past couple of days negotiating with 2 years olds and an 89 year old. (and sometimes a 23 year old)
So today I spent most of the day finishing off a couple of Christmas presents, and clearning off my desk. I'm scared to see how high the laundry pile is. I'm wondering if I should get an assistant.... (hahahah)
Anyway better get dressed, as we're heading out for dinner with Anne and Brian.
Stacey
You would think people would be so busy getting ready for Christmas (or the end of the world) that they wouldn't be looking for a blog to read........ but some people are just too organized (or bored)
It has been a busy couple of weeks. December 8th was Bill's company Christmas party. Once again it was being held at the Banff Springs Hotel - my favorite place in Banff. It was a very disappointing event for me. Check in was at 4:00 pm and we didn't leave Calgary until 3:30ish. By the time we got to the hotel, there was no parking left - 500 parking spots and they were all full. The attendant happen to find us a spot near the garbage disposal, which actually turned out to be closer than the parking garage. We entered the hotel to discover a line up that could match a Disney ride in California. Apparently there were 8 oil company Christmas parties being held in the hotel that same night. Despite the long line up, the wait went quite fast. Bill finally made it to the front of the line, only to discover our room was just being cleaned as we registered. Another wait, but again, it went by fast. And then it happened........ Bill's phone rang - could it be the kids? Nope! Maybe some relatives? Nope! It was work... Wait, wasn't everyone from work at the party? Apparently not. So as Bill is talking on the phone, we check into our room (which turned out to be a wonderful suite), I got dressed, I dressed Bill and we headed down for supper. Now the problem at work needed more resources, so Bill had to search out for "help". Normally I would mingle and greet people, but I didn't know a soul. So I did what any good wife would do - I grabbed a glass of bubbly that went by on the tray and waited... and waited....and waited. Finally it was time to sit down for dinner. Thankfully I found our table and seats and eventually Bill joined the table. He was able to eat each course, and finish up the work inbetween the courses. The smile on my face was no stuck and the muscles were getting sore. I asked Bill if after dinner, I could go to the room and relax. And that's how I spent the rest of my night; curled up on the comfortable bed, in my comfy pj's, watching the TV and reading. I think Bill finally made it back to the room around 3:00 a.m. I'm glad he was able to get in some fun time - and wouldn't you know there were no more work problems after I left!!!!
We got up Sunday morning, had brunch in the hotel and headed home. Now how I would normally spend a day and evening at the Banff Springs Hotel, but hey, it wasn't my Christmas party.
On Thursday, I took the kids (the ones I work with) on a field trip to the mall to see Santa. Talk about an amazing day. The kids have never really been in a mall before and had never seen Santa. Well all three did wonderful. Miss J climbed onto Santa's lap and just got comfy cozy and wasn't in any hurry to leave. All three kids were amazing and very well behaved.
I arrived home Thursday to find a couple messages from the seniors home when Mom is at. Seems they had some concerns, as Mom wasn't herself. She was confused and her memory was worse than norma. I went over to visit her after supper, only to find her sitting on her bed, trying to put on clothes on the wrong part of her body. She was very agitated. The nurses were concerned she either had an infection or vascular dementia. Her blood pressure was way to high and her legs were quite swollen. It was very hard for me to watch, but I can only imagine how awful it must have been for mom. They were finally able to get mom's blood pressure down, and by Friday morning, they had confirmation that she did in fact have an infection. I took her to her doctors to get some prescriptions filled. I tried explaining to mom was had happened the day before, but she wouldn't believe me and thought everyone was concerned over nothing. It was an exhausting 24 hours.
So Friday night, I did what any good wife (oops, I mean daughter) would do, I headed to the local pub with my girlfriend Rose for wings and nachos (and a couple of coolers - couple equals 5, right). We were well planned - Rose's son dropped us off, and Ashley picked us up. It was a fun night. I really did need to unwind - I had spent the past couple of days negotiating with 2 years olds and an 89 year old. (and sometimes a 23 year old)
So today I spent most of the day finishing off a couple of Christmas presents, and clearning off my desk. I'm scared to see how high the laundry pile is. I'm wondering if I should get an assistant.... (hahahah)
Anyway better get dressed, as we're heading out for dinner with Anne and Brian.
Stacey
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Day 1 of December
And the countdown is on til Christmas.
December 1, we celebrated Bill's birthday. Technically he celebrated the morning buying and installing a new TV for my mom. Hers finally bit the dust at the beginning of the week, and she had been sitting watching a blank screen all week. I had visited her in the middle of the week, and showed her how to work her "tape/radio" machine. She was thrilled to be able to listen to Daniel O'Donnell. Unfortunately, by Friday, she had forgotten how to work the machine. I must remember to make some instructions for her. So anyway, back to Bill's birthday. He spent the morning getting Mom's TV set up, and then I think he napped in the afternoon (I went into work doing cards) Saturday night, Ashley, Ethan and I took Bill to his favorite restaurant "Kinjos". They were packed. So packed that we left before they had time to come by and sing his birthday song. Then we headed back home for cake, or in this case cupcakes that Ashley had made for her Dad's birthday. After cupcakes, we sat for a family movie. I can't remember the last time we all sat for a movie (if you don't count going to the theatre to see the new James Bond film) I think Bill's favorite gift was the "fruit cake" from Ashley (that I bought and gave her to give) and his least favorite gift was the nose hair clippers that I got him. I'm waiting until he is asleep, then I'll try them out.
Sunday I went to visit my Mom. I was in charge of helping her with her Christmas shopping this year. Really, it's not that hard because she just gives everyone money. The difficult part is coming up with creative ways for her to give the money. This year we decided to (skip this part Alisa) buy Christmas crackers (not the one's you eat, but the one's you pull). I clipped one of the cracker and then put the money inside; then I retied the end. I took this all over to Mom's and she helped put the tags on the crackers. Mom is finding it difficult to hold a pen and write for long periods, so I had to make up labels. It took us an hour, but I think Mom had a great feeling of pride in having helped in the process. And just like the day before for Bill, I needed to come home for a nap. We must be getting old.
I have had periodic correspondence from the son. He's finished classes and is now in the process of studying for exams. Movemeber is over and here is picture of the before and after shots. I can't believe how much older he looks with the "stache". 18 days until he comes home!!!!!
Bill has booked us for another vacation(I know 2 in one year) Looks like we'll be going to Florida, and it will be just the four of us. I'm really excited for that part. I will keep you posted on the details as the trip begins.
Because we'll be home for Christmas, we decided to host the family Christmas dinner - both families combined. The kids are excited. They love having family gatherins at our house. I think I'll be ready in time - must remember the turkey!!!!!!!
It's getting busy in the house - got the tree up, but not fully decorated yet. Some baking started, nuts and bolts made, and 1/2 the shopping done. Now if I could just get the remainder of my Christmas cards done, I'd be a happy camper.
Better get off to work, it's an early shift today.
Stacey
December 1, we celebrated Bill's birthday. Technically he celebrated the morning buying and installing a new TV for my mom. Hers finally bit the dust at the beginning of the week, and she had been sitting watching a blank screen all week. I had visited her in the middle of the week, and showed her how to work her "tape/radio" machine. She was thrilled to be able to listen to Daniel O'Donnell. Unfortunately, by Friday, she had forgotten how to work the machine. I must remember to make some instructions for her. So anyway, back to Bill's birthday. He spent the morning getting Mom's TV set up, and then I think he napped in the afternoon (I went into work doing cards) Saturday night, Ashley, Ethan and I took Bill to his favorite restaurant "Kinjos". They were packed. So packed that we left before they had time to come by and sing his birthday song. Then we headed back home for cake, or in this case cupcakes that Ashley had made for her Dad's birthday. After cupcakes, we sat for a family movie. I can't remember the last time we all sat for a movie (if you don't count going to the theatre to see the new James Bond film) I think Bill's favorite gift was the "fruit cake" from Ashley (that I bought and gave her to give) and his least favorite gift was the nose hair clippers that I got him. I'm waiting until he is asleep, then I'll try them out.
Sunday I went to visit my Mom. I was in charge of helping her with her Christmas shopping this year. Really, it's not that hard because she just gives everyone money. The difficult part is coming up with creative ways for her to give the money. This year we decided to (skip this part Alisa) buy Christmas crackers (not the one's you eat, but the one's you pull). I clipped one of the cracker and then put the money inside; then I retied the end. I took this all over to Mom's and she helped put the tags on the crackers. Mom is finding it difficult to hold a pen and write for long periods, so I had to make up labels. It took us an hour, but I think Mom had a great feeling of pride in having helped in the process. And just like the day before for Bill, I needed to come home for a nap. We must be getting old.
I have had periodic correspondence from the son. He's finished classes and is now in the process of studying for exams. Movemeber is over and here is picture of the before and after shots. I can't believe how much older he looks with the "stache". 18 days until he comes home!!!!!
Bill has booked us for another vacation(I know 2 in one year) Looks like we'll be going to Florida, and it will be just the four of us. I'm really excited for that part. I will keep you posted on the details as the trip begins.
Because we'll be home for Christmas, we decided to host the family Christmas dinner - both families combined. The kids are excited. They love having family gatherins at our house. I think I'll be ready in time - must remember the turkey!!!!!!!
It's getting busy in the house - got the tree up, but not fully decorated yet. Some baking started, nuts and bolts made, and 1/2 the shopping done. Now if I could just get the remainder of my Christmas cards done, I'd be a happy camper.
Better get off to work, it's an early shift today.
Stacey
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