Touch of Magic

This is just a teeny tiny portion of the photos we have to preserve the awesome memories we made on our Orlando trip.

What fun. And I'm quite certain that the kiddos aren't forgetting anytime soon.

I'll share more later. But for now, here's the line up:

SUNDAY 2nd day of driving, arriving at our AWESOME condo (thx PeePaw & Gammy), swimming, a wicked trip to walmart, & a late bedtime.

MONDAY a trip to the beach. the kids' first time in the atlantic ocean & a parking ticket.

TUESDAY a trip w/ the WHOLE family to SEA WORLD, BREAKFAST w/ ELMO (compliments of Aunt Stef), & swimming again.

WEDNESDAY a time share schpeal for cheap disney tickets, an afternoon/evening trip to the magic kingdom.

THURSDAY another trip to the magic kingdom...rain again.

FRIDAY a trip to DISNEY'S "Quest" (a pimped out dave & busters)...downtown disney...rainforest cafe.

SATURDAY tie-dying shirts, swimming, downtown disney, the mall, late bedtime as we say goodbye to vacation.

Packing for Vacay

Things overheard as I started to pack us for Orlando:

Who is Shamu? Is he the one that wanted to eat Dorie & Nemo's Dad?

We goin' to Sea World?

Maybe we can all wear green to Sea World. We can wear orange to Disney.

I want to wear the Hannah Montana pajamas.

I don't like how jean shorts feel.

What's Disney look like? Like those singing dolls?

More On The Boardwalk

This is the "front" of the Santa Cruz boardwalk
Flynn, Mattie, & Vanessa (see the amusement stuff behind them)

She did end up getting pretty soaked & riding around on the boardwalk in her skimpies

(with an American Flag beach towel wrapped around her legs)

Maybe one of these days, I'll take a good picture

Her highlight of the Santa Cruz boardwalk,

COTTON CANDY.

PS See the stroller she's sitting in?

That's the Zustiak's stroller (one of our friend-neighbors).

They were good enough to loan to us, as our last umbrella stroller

bit the dust a couple of months ago.

It was perfect for our trip, especially the airport, as we had good walks between gates (layovers) & 2 of the 4, she was asleep.

I'd push her to the gate in the stroller, she'd hop out (or be carried out),

then, the gate attendant would check the stroller in,

and it would be waiting for me (among a few wheelchairs & other strollers)

when I stepped off the plane in the new destination.

Only when we got off the plane (her asleep) in good ol' st louie,

the beauty wasn't there.

Nada.

Nothing.

So, I waited & people looked & I waited.

And was instructed to go to baggage claim.

Not there.

So I was instructed to go to baggage claim office.

And file a claim.

What's worse than losing luggage?
Losing someone else's stroller.

So, that night, I didn't go to sleep.

Instead, I had an anxiety attack about losing the Zustiak's stroller.

And the next night too.

Then, Thursday, someone called & asked for me to describe the stroller again.

It was still in Denver (our last layover).

I had a bad feeling about that last gate attendant.

A little too chatty with the passengers.

So the stroller was on our front porch that afternoon.

And on the Zustiak's front porch an hour later.

I guess that's not too bad,

I've flown about 200 times in my life,

and that was the first time anything's been lost.

Greetings From Sunny California

My body is in shock, enjoying the sun & weather in the 80's...then an airplane's trip later, my toes are frozen & my heat is cranking.
Did you know that in my sister's area, no one even has a/c or heat? How nice would that be on the electric bill? Of course, what you save on that, you are spending on everything else.
My computer had a virus & while I was out of town, Jeff & our good neighbor-friend & computer guru cleared off the computer & I don't have any photo editing installed right now. So, these photos are huge & straight-from-the-camera, but I couldn't wait any longer to share some.

This could possibly be my favorite sightseeing place of the trip.

Carmel. The beach is gorgeous, no wonder all the stars own a home there on the coast.

Such a diverse landscaping...
red plants, rough sparkly rocks, large kelp washed ashore,
huge cliffy rocks, big cold waves, fog & mist....

Papa was a designated Flynn-carrier.

The Fab Five taking in the sites (& later getting soaked by a wave).

My 4th of 5th time to the west coast & its beauty awes me everytime.


The Mission at Carmel.
A church built in the 1700s.

Flynn had a huge audience for all her flips & somersaults.

Left to right:

Nessa, KK, Hannah, & Flynn

Aunt Gi won't be here for Flynn's celebration this year. And since we were with Gi on her bday, she & Flynn made a cake for them, as well as Uncle Dan whose bday is the day before Gi's.

Flynn loved putting everything in and on the cake that she wanted (sprinkles, sparkles, you name it).

These are at the beach in Santa Cruz. It was the boardwalk, the one you always see in tv shows (roller coaster & sky travellers on the coast). But cold & the water was freezing. Flynn is used to the white powdery beaches that she plops down & builds a sandcastle at.

What a fun trip. And a great opportunity for Flynn - to not only see "her girls" but to see a different part of the country. And her first airplane ride! (pics on that later)

Thanks Aunt Gi for the fun vacation! We are counting down the days til we see you on Christmas!