....specifically the red and white ones. I do not like the purple ones(the one in the back), so I give them to RCA as rewards.
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Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Guilty Pleasure
Shark Bites!
....specifically the red and white ones. I do not like the purple ones(the one in the back), so I give them to RCA as rewards.
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....specifically the red and white ones. I do not like the purple ones(the one in the back), so I give them to RCA as rewards.
Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Active Adults, Adams Group, and Additional Children
What have we been up to? Where have we been? You've seen some posts about the Rea girl, but today I will update you on the three A's...Active Adults, Adams Group, and Additional Children.
Active Adults.... That's been us!!! We've been busy with work, family, friends, church responsibilities, house, hobbies, etc. I am now working part time at the library at CCS (where I use to teach). I run library classes for 3 year olds through 5th grade. I haven't actually started the classes yet. Right now I'm updating, cleaning, reorganizing and inputting in a new tracking program. There hasn't been a "librarian" for 2 years, so it has grown to be a royal mess. Rea has gone in with me a few times and has spent some time with family and friends. I am really enjoying this new project and challenge. I'm still active in the children's department at church and Jon in the sound and lighting department. We are about to start our weekly small group again, "Hitched". We did separate gender specific Bible studies over the summer which were enjoyable and challenging. Jon has picked up playing racquetball several mornings a week and sometimes on Sundays. He has also increased his trips to Desoto county which have included tractor driving and late night mudding. We are attending a marriage getaway in Bonita Springs in a few weeks, I'm hosting a baby shower, friends from RI are visiting, several birthday parties to attend, etc. We just have a variety of events that fill our time....there is always something.
Adams Group.... We're still there! As previously discussed, we have had some doors open up to be partners in a computer business. Our desire was to create a win-win situation for us and for Adams Group. Jon Mike has several newer projects implemented and AG has some great work on the horizon, so he is still going strong there. We are just being still and working hard wherever God takes us.
Additional Children... True story! We are having another one...adding on to our clan. I am currently 10 weeks pregnant and we're due March 19th. I have an appointment tomorrow to get established with my new OB/GYN and have an ultrasound. Overall, I feel good....I am exhausted often, my motivation is below par and my eating habits are crazy!!! I was pretty much the same way with Rea but not maybe #2 (interesting, huh?) I'm craving meat/protein again. I don't remember the lack of motivation, but maybe it was because I was distracted by teaching. The whole deal is surreal, but cool. (Another post for another time)
That's a super brief update from us on River Bank Way!
Active Adults.... That's been us!!! We've been busy with work, family, friends, church responsibilities, house, hobbies, etc. I am now working part time at the library at CCS (where I use to teach). I run library classes for 3 year olds through 5th grade. I haven't actually started the classes yet. Right now I'm updating, cleaning, reorganizing and inputting in a new tracking program. There hasn't been a "librarian" for 2 years, so it has grown to be a royal mess. Rea has gone in with me a few times and has spent some time with family and friends. I am really enjoying this new project and challenge. I'm still active in the children's department at church and Jon in the sound and lighting department. We are about to start our weekly small group again, "Hitched". We did separate gender specific Bible studies over the summer which were enjoyable and challenging. Jon has picked up playing racquetball several mornings a week and sometimes on Sundays. He has also increased his trips to Desoto county which have included tractor driving and late night mudding. We are attending a marriage getaway in Bonita Springs in a few weeks, I'm hosting a baby shower, friends from RI are visiting, several birthday parties to attend, etc. We just have a variety of events that fill our time....there is always something.
Adams Group.... We're still there! As previously discussed, we have had some doors open up to be partners in a computer business. Our desire was to create a win-win situation for us and for Adams Group. Jon Mike has several newer projects implemented and AG has some great work on the horizon, so he is still going strong there. We are just being still and working hard wherever God takes us.
Additional Children... True story! We are having another one...adding on to our clan. I am currently 10 weeks pregnant and we're due March 19th. I have an appointment tomorrow to get established with my new OB/GYN and have an ultrasound. Overall, I feel good....I am exhausted often, my motivation is below par and my eating habits are crazy!!! I was pretty much the same way with Rea but not maybe #2 (interesting, huh?) I'm craving meat/protein again. I don't remember the lack of motivation, but maybe it was because I was distracted by teaching. The whole deal is surreal, but cool. (Another post for another time)
That's a super brief update from us on River Bank Way!
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Grocery Helper
Rea insists on having her own plastic bag when we're in the meat dept at the grocery store. (When she was little, I use to entertain her with it... Yes, with a plastic bag.) This week at Publix she insisted I fill her bag too. Then she wanted to help me and carry it...even though I offered the cart. She was struggling and grunting some, but still wanted to carry it.
As you may have noticed, she is out of the cart...on the loose! This is a new thing as well. She slowly made her way from the front of the cart to the back then she started asking "out walk". After MUCH avoidance and hesitation, I had a very mature and serious discussion with my 2 year old...the jist..."if you run away, then back in the cart".
Long story short, she did it!!! She walked with me like a super big girl. I was so proud!!! So that's what we do now...snacks the first half and walking the next half. The meat dept is in the last half and this is why she is "loose".
So big!!!!
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Monday, August 16, 2010
Alaska 2010 - The Conclusion
We concluded the trip with even more great times. Unfortunately, we didn't get to experience the Seward trip with Virginia and Madeline because they had already returned home and we didn't get to spend our last day trip with Rob because he had gone back to work.
Things to notice below...
*Rea lounging in her bed watching a movie...she spent too much time doing that in the evening when she should have been sleeping!
*Great excitement and cheesing over ice cream! I think this was the first time she had her own bowl.
*We hiked Thunder Bird Falls Trail. The weather was perfect...sunny, clear, cool! The landscape was vibrant green and so lush. Just breathtaking! All of us even drank out of the river from the falls.
*You'll notice in a few pics that Jon Mike is working while hiking.
*We visited Rob's base and the hospital. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing where he works.
*Rea did lots of coloring and the guys did a lot of Phase 10 playing.
*Jon Mike and I celebrated our 6th anniversary out there! He arranged a really nice night out... delicious dinner and some shopping without Rea. (But I shopped for HER...go figure!) I thought it was hysterical that we got $7.00 in coins from the parking garage.
*Rea LOVED and mastered horizontal escalators on our return from Alaska. The flights were uneventful, once again, and she did great!
Saturday, August 14, 2010
My Baby Meets the Babies
We spent the evening in Lakeland visiting with Nate one last time before he returns to Kuwait to finish his time there. While we were there, Reagan was able to meet Spots' 3 week old babies.
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Kittens are so cute....wish they could stay that way.
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Kittens are so cute....wish they could stay that way.
Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
More Alaska...
~Day Trip to Seward~
The following day we took a 3.5 hour drive south to Resurrection Bay. Dad had planned a lunch and sightseeing boat ride for us. The plan was to see different wildlife, scenery and glaciers. Again, it was a gross day...rainy, overcast, and cold. By this point in the week, Rea was just plain tired....up way too late + up way too early + teeny tiny afternoon naps + different time zone = not so happy baby Rea. This is why you see the pipe in a lot of pictures and I even let her crawl on the ground to make her happy. (Ew!) Overall, it was another fun day...some had more fun than others. We are glad the never ending boat ride is over, but it made for some really good laughs and great memories. (Two of my most favorite things!)
Things to notice in the pictures...
*The weather, the camera, and the swaying boat doesn't do the scenery justice.
*First few are from the ride down...very different from our ride north.
*The waterfalls coming down the mountains were AMAZING! They even pulled the boat right next to one and the mist from it splashed the boat. (SIDE NOTE....I didn't feel the mist because I stayed inside the entire time keeping my little seat warm...too wet and cold out there and I was dealing with a toddler.)
*In a few, you can see some kayakers and their campsite. Seriously? How cool would that be to camp is such a place as that?!? (Ok, too cold for me, but still...for the right person, so cool!!!)
*As I mentioned on previous posts, the trees are HUGE but the even BIGGER mountains dwarf them. I can't get over how small they look.
*The glacier deal....not what I expected. Basically, it's the "snowy" area between these mountains. I learned later that I thought it would resemble an iceberg.
*You can also see a few homes literally tucked away in the mountains. Only accessible by boat and I'm sure can only be lived in a few months out of the year. They were tucked so far in there. Amazing!
*Wildlife we saw....bald eagles, swimming otters, lots of birds covering huge rocks (lots of dodo too), sea lions chilling on the rocks, some porpoise things (fastest sea animals) and towards the end most people saw some type of whale, but we were so sick of it all, we didn't even get up to see it.
*Reagan finally did fall alseep, but then as I mentioned earlier, I let her lay on the ground...the things we do when we are trying to survive.
*So mom, dad, and Jon Mike got a bit motion sick....kids and people were puking around us. It was really funny and not so funny at the same time. You know me...I always laugh at inappropriate times and this was one of them!!! :)
The following day we took a 3.5 hour drive south to Resurrection Bay. Dad had planned a lunch and sightseeing boat ride for us. The plan was to see different wildlife, scenery and glaciers. Again, it was a gross day...rainy, overcast, and cold. By this point in the week, Rea was just plain tired....up way too late + up way too early + teeny tiny afternoon naps + different time zone = not so happy baby Rea. This is why you see the pipe in a lot of pictures and I even let her crawl on the ground to make her happy. (Ew!) Overall, it was another fun day...some had more fun than others. We are glad the never ending boat ride is over, but it made for some really good laughs and great memories. (Two of my most favorite things!)
Things to notice in the pictures...
*The weather, the camera, and the swaying boat doesn't do the scenery justice.
*First few are from the ride down...very different from our ride north.
*The waterfalls coming down the mountains were AMAZING! They even pulled the boat right next to one and the mist from it splashed the boat. (SIDE NOTE....I didn't feel the mist because I stayed inside the entire time keeping my little seat warm...too wet and cold out there and I was dealing with a toddler.)
*In a few, you can see some kayakers and their campsite. Seriously? How cool would that be to camp is such a place as that?!? (Ok, too cold for me, but still...for the right person, so cool!!!)
*As I mentioned on previous posts, the trees are HUGE but the even BIGGER mountains dwarf them. I can't get over how small they look.
*The glacier deal....not what I expected. Basically, it's the "snowy" area between these mountains. I learned later that I thought it would resemble an iceberg.
*You can also see a few homes literally tucked away in the mountains. Only accessible by boat and I'm sure can only be lived in a few months out of the year. They were tucked so far in there. Amazing!
*Wildlife we saw....bald eagles, swimming otters, lots of birds covering huge rocks (lots of dodo too), sea lions chilling on the rocks, some porpoise things (fastest sea animals) and towards the end most people saw some type of whale, but we were so sick of it all, we didn't even get up to see it.
*Reagan finally did fall alseep, but then as I mentioned earlier, I let her lay on the ground...the things we do when we are trying to survive.
*So mom, dad, and Jon Mike got a bit motion sick....kids and people were puking around us. It was really funny and not so funny at the same time. You know me...I always laugh at inappropriate times and this was one of them!!! :)
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Alaska Continued...
Getting to know Eagle River...
One component of this trip that made it so fabulous was that we took a day or two to stay around the house and tour nearby. In this collection, you should notice...
*The first picture was taken with an iPhone while the guys were down the street playing aerobie at 10:00PM at night...the sun is out!
*Rea waking up from a nap with a fever...she was under weather the rest of the day then the next day was just fine.
*Rob took us to an area that provided an overlook of Eagle River. It was neat to spot his subdivision and the surrounding area. Notice the windy river too. We attempted some pics with Rea here and obviously she wanted nothing to do with it.
*We then made a short visit to the Eagle River Nature Center...which was "simple", but beautiful. I just loved how green and untouched the grass looked. Very nature-y and I enjoyed it!
*Mom did some crafting and beading with Madeline before dinner...which I think was gourmet "grilled cheese" by Virginia. Delicious!
Additional note.....Although I do not have pictures of the food we ate, it was right up there with the other good memories and amazing sites. Some of the VERY best lasagna I've ever had, I tried curry chicken...not bad, not bad...delightful fruit salads, she introduced me to the most precious little pepperonis, and the list continues. I LOVE when people make me delicious meals. Many thanks to Virginia!
*You will also see a lot of passy shots...this was the last hurrah with the pipe. It was demoted to only in bed when we got home.
One component of this trip that made it so fabulous was that we took a day or two to stay around the house and tour nearby. In this collection, you should notice...
*The first picture was taken with an iPhone while the guys were down the street playing aerobie at 10:00PM at night...the sun is out!
*Rea waking up from a nap with a fever...she was under weather the rest of the day then the next day was just fine.
*Rob took us to an area that provided an overlook of Eagle River. It was neat to spot his subdivision and the surrounding area. Notice the windy river too. We attempted some pics with Rea here and obviously she wanted nothing to do with it.
*We then made a short visit to the Eagle River Nature Center...which was "simple", but beautiful. I just loved how green and untouched the grass looked. Very nature-y and I enjoyed it!
*Mom did some crafting and beading with Madeline before dinner...which I think was gourmet "grilled cheese" by Virginia. Delicious!
Additional note.....Although I do not have pictures of the food we ate, it was right up there with the other good memories and amazing sites. Some of the VERY best lasagna I've ever had, I tried curry chicken...not bad, not bad...delightful fruit salads, she introduced me to the most precious little pepperonis, and the list continues. I LOVE when people make me delicious meals. Many thanks to Virginia!
*You will also see a lot of passy shots...this was the last hurrah with the pipe. It was demoted to only in bed when we got home.
Alaska Continued...
We spent the weekend in Denali touring Denali National Park. Fun fact... Mt. McKinley (the highest peak in North America) is in Denali.
Mom, dad, Rob, Virginia, Madeline, Jon Mike, Rea, and myself piled in the rental van and headed north-ish. Good trip, good conversation, good snacks, but bad flat tire. Once that was resolved, we finished the 4 hour drive. We got to the hotel then went to a local joint for dinner....the Salmon Bake. The kitchen was outside of the restaurant...weird.
Side note...Denali is only opened a few months out of the year and is a tourist destination. Obviously, the weather is too poor the majority of the year to visit the park. A lot of people who work there...restaurants, shops, hotels, etc are either foreign (Russian, Ukrainian, etc), college students, or those that work snow resorts in the winter, etc. People "rough" it there...I mean their hair (lots of it!), clothes, skin, etc. Lots of hair...long hair, facial hair, dirty hair, etc. There are some nice resorts that are managed by cruise lines. So one might go on a 10-day Alaskan cruise then get bussed up to Denali. You would stay at their resort and tour Denali for a bit until they bus you or you take the train to the airport to conclude your trip.
The weather was very dreary...rainy, overcast, cold. (which I'm guessing that is normal to Alaskans) We took a bus tour (in an old school bus) through the park. It is just amazing to think they still use dogs to patrol such a huge park. It was cool to learn the proper moose and bear meeting protocol...moose run behind tree, bear freeze. (There had been a bear sighting in the area where we were walking.) Our pictures below do NOT do it justice....moving bus, some foggy windows, etc. don't help either. Everything is massive! The trees are tall...Christmas tree like, but the huge mountains dwarf them. We saw the Alaska state bird...the willow ptarmigan (in the chicken family). We saw a moose or two on a distant mountain and some beavers and a beaver dam. Side note....OMG. When I was finding the willow ptarmigan link above, I discovered that since our trip they replaced the state bird. It's now a puffin. Boo on that! Who changes their state bird?!?
Additional things to notice in the pics below...
*We visited a very nice restaurant with a great view...the Grande Denali Lodge. The waiter, of course, was foreign and horrible. It was so weird and awkward. It was taking so long that I got desperate and broke out the DVD player right at dinner! We also took family pictures to fill the time.
*Reagan likes to put her fingers in her ears, then talks or sings so she can hear herself.
*The family shot (I'm wearing red) was our view from our hotel.
*BLACK BEAR COFFEE HOUSE! Tiny little place, but just my favorite. Great cafe mocha and breakfast sandwiches. We made several visits there over the weekend. Wanted to bring the shop back as my souvenir.
*We went back to the park to visit the visitor center, watch a movie and for pictures by the entrance.
*On the way back to Eagle River, mom spotted a stinkin' moose just chilling on the side of the road. We quickly turned around and snapped pics like the HUGE (and one local) tourists that we were!
One last note....there are a couple random pictures of me amongst wildlife. I just can't help myself! I see a pretty area and I want a picture of it, but I also think its boring to just take pictures of random grass, rocks, etc. So I throw myself up there because no one else wants to. THEN I make a cheesy face because I'm probably getting made fun of while the picture is being taken.
Mom, dad, Rob, Virginia, Madeline, Jon Mike, Rea, and myself piled in the rental van and headed north-ish. Good trip, good conversation, good snacks, but bad flat tire. Once that was resolved, we finished the 4 hour drive. We got to the hotel then went to a local joint for dinner....the Salmon Bake. The kitchen was outside of the restaurant...weird.
Side note...Denali is only opened a few months out of the year and is a tourist destination. Obviously, the weather is too poor the majority of the year to visit the park. A lot of people who work there...restaurants, shops, hotels, etc are either foreign (Russian, Ukrainian, etc), college students, or those that work snow resorts in the winter, etc. People "rough" it there...I mean their hair (lots of it!), clothes, skin, etc. Lots of hair...long hair, facial hair, dirty hair, etc. There are some nice resorts that are managed by cruise lines. So one might go on a 10-day Alaskan cruise then get bussed up to Denali. You would stay at their resort and tour Denali for a bit until they bus you or you take the train to the airport to conclude your trip.
The weather was very dreary...rainy, overcast, cold. (which I'm guessing that is normal to Alaskans) We took a bus tour (in an old school bus) through the park. It is just amazing to think they still use dogs to patrol such a huge park. It was cool to learn the proper moose and bear meeting protocol...moose run behind tree, bear freeze. (There had been a bear sighting in the area where we were walking.) Our pictures below do NOT do it justice....moving bus, some foggy windows, etc. don't help either. Everything is massive! The trees are tall...Christmas tree like, but the huge mountains dwarf them. We saw the Alaska state bird...the willow ptarmigan (in the chicken family). We saw a moose or two on a distant mountain and some beavers and a beaver dam. Side note....OMG. When I was finding the willow ptarmigan link above, I discovered that since our trip they replaced the state bird. It's now a puffin. Boo on that! Who changes their state bird?!?
Additional things to notice in the pics below...
*We visited a very nice restaurant with a great view...the Grande Denali Lodge. The waiter, of course, was foreign and horrible. It was so weird and awkward. It was taking so long that I got desperate and broke out the DVD player right at dinner! We also took family pictures to fill the time.
*Reagan likes to put her fingers in her ears, then talks or sings so she can hear herself.
*The family shot (I'm wearing red) was our view from our hotel.
*BLACK BEAR COFFEE HOUSE! Tiny little place, but just my favorite. Great cafe mocha and breakfast sandwiches. We made several visits there over the weekend. Wanted to bring the shop back as my souvenir.
*We went back to the park to visit the visitor center, watch a movie and for pictures by the entrance.
*On the way back to Eagle River, mom spotted a stinkin' moose just chilling on the side of the road. We quickly turned around and snapped pics like the HUGE (and one local) tourists that we were!
One last note....there are a couple random pictures of me amongst wildlife. I just can't help myself! I see a pretty area and I want a picture of it, but I also think its boring to just take pictures of random grass, rocks, etc. So I throw myself up there because no one else wants to. THEN I make a cheesy face because I'm probably getting made fun of while the picture is being taken.
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