Thursday, July 31, 2008

What a lot of Hoopla for NUTHIN'

SORRY!
I have only seen one 'escape/illusion' by Criss Angel before last night & the previous one was MUCH BETTER.
Last night was very disappointing and I have to say my kids can 'ACT' better than the announcer & his family.
I feel bad for him going out on such a LAME show. I hope his audiences in Vegas fare better than everyone watching last night,
since they will have to pay for their seats.
I will say this the boy is in good shape! :-)

So this week has been unusual but then aren't they all this year?

Saturday we spent the day at Busch Gardens

Flamingos



An updated picture of the kids in Dragonland...might be too big for this area now ...



Sahara in Lory Landing



A regular BIRD WHISPERER

The Gibbons in Jungala


Jungle Flyers - Zip line Swings




Gharials






Bengal Napping

White Bengal


VERY HOT but wonderful day at Busch Gardens

Blessings 2 U Friends

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Mind Freak.....ALL THE BUZZ around town...Criss Angel

Tonight in St. Pete at the historic Spyglass Hotel Criss Angel will attempt to escape from the building Implosion LIVE.
Criss will be shackled to the 7th floor balcony of the 9 story hotel he will attempt to escape to the roof and away from the implosion via a Helicopter that will be waiting.
All of central Florida will be watching from the beach, via A & E at 10 pm E.S.T. or live on Criss Angels website.

This should be interesting!

Monday, July 28, 2008

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Who ME COOK? ROTFLMBO

Anyone who knows me...knows I only cook a full meal when it's Thanksgiving.
Start to finish, on Thanksgiving, no one enters the kitchen for the week leading up to the BIG FEAST!

Now I do cook a dish here & there...roasted veggies is my favorite meal
13 Bean Chili is another favorite and occasionally Vegetable Lasagna.

My husband is an excellent cook so why step on the toes of the expert!?!
Personally I can find some fruit/veggies Almond butter & Starbucks Coffee a COMPLETELY filling meal.

I guess that is why GOD put us together to be each other's helpmate to fill in where the other is not adept...right?!

Well Friday I decided to make a couple pans of Veggie Lasagna for the new parents but of course didn't have all the ingredients and got a call from the new Dad wanting someone to bring him a lunch, he forgot one.
Tyler made him a DAGWOOD sandwich and we dropped it off before going shopping.
While at the store we couldn't find the grocery list and the kids kept disappearing so I found I forgot a few KEY ingredients...like
Ricotta Cheese & Mozzarella Cheese.
After getting home I sent Tyler back up on his bike to get them while I sauteed all the veggies & got the noodles cooking.
Larry grabbed the kids & took off to piano lessons while I finished making the Lasagna, Salad & Garlic Bread then picked me up so we could see Gavin & give Barb a much needed break.

Here are some of the latest pictures.



I love his little hand under his face....




Uncle Tyler with Baby Gavin


I have to get a lot caught up around here and a few photos of last weeks Dinner With Friends & trip to Busch Garden yesterday for C.F. Industries Employee Appreciation Day.

Until then....

Blessings 2 U Friends

Friday, July 25, 2008

Soooo Precious

A few more photos of Baby Gavin with his Aunt Sahara


and Grandpa

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Little Babies are Gifts from Heaven

Here is an updated photo of our 1st Grandchild



Can't wait to spoil him rotten!



Blessings 2 U Friends

Monday, July 21, 2008

Weighing in at 8lbs.....

Boy was Brittnay a trouper! After going home Friday Night & returning Sunday Night the doctors finally hooked her back up to Pitocin around 11pm since nothing had progressed.
I drove up to the hospital at the same time Tim returned with food for he & his MIL, I stayed until 5:30am when the Dr. said she would be back in an hour to rupture the bag of water.
I dashed home to get new contacts, as the set I had was irritating my eye, and took an hour nap.

After feeding & pilling the critters I called and she still hadn't returned, okay I can get a few more things done around the house.
Called again after an hour still no doctor....one hour later she finally had arrived & broke the bag.
We had pulled out of Starbucks and were almost at the hospital, I knew at my age I was not going to be able to run on adrenaline for the next 24hours.
Sure enough nothing had really progress and finally around 12:45 Barbara & I headed down with the kids to grab a bite to eat & MORE STARBUCKS.
When we returned it was decided enough was enough and it was time to do a C-Section as still nothing had progressed.
So approx. 3pm today he arrived

Thank you nurse Brenda for taking this photo for me...it was all I could do to not run in there & scoop him up away from the nurse who was not empathetic to his screams!

Thank you to everyone who prayed for all of us...
Brittnay is in her room recouperating poor Dad has to go back to work tomorrow, MIL Barbara is staying with Brittnay another night while we all came home to feed the critters & catch another hour nap before dinner and will return tomorrow to hold this little fellow!

Blessings 2 U Friend

Saturday, July 19, 2008

Playing the Waiting Game

Well that 'Mental Health' Day did come in handy as did sleeping late Thursday Morning. THANK YOU GOD.

Thursday Night & Most of Friday was spent at the Hospital with my DIL who was having contractions and not progressing.

They sent her home last night after Cervidil & then 2 rounds (low doses) of pitocin on Friday. Seems that GOD new it wasn't time for this child to be born even if it was 1 week overdue. So if nothing happens by Sunday afternoon they want her back to try again.

We are continuing to pray that this child be born healthy & safely GOD'S way, that Mom not have to endure any more delays in the birth & delivery.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Calling In for a Mental Health Day

Nothing like running away to the Theme Parks to take a break from the daily grind. Thanks for the idea Dorenda!


We spent the day at Universal Studios & Islands of Adventure....with a brief intermission at Margaritaville for a Cheeseburger in Paradise & Top Shelf Margarita.

Sahara & Madison (oh & that Green Guy)



Sahara got to be an actor in the Disaster Movie Ride that features Christopher Walken and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson





We had to get photo's with "Bruce" from Jaws




And of course 'The Simpsons Ride'


Which I have to admit WAS AWESOME!

The hit of Islands of Adventure was Popeye & Bluto's Bilge-Rat Barges
*it was near 100 degrees* so getting soaked felt wonderful....
of course it clouded up after our second turn on the ride...lol

AND the Mystic Fountain


The girls were eating their baby scorpion suckers (yes real scorpions inside)



Tyler has decided being the fountain is the job he wants in October. . .


Take a Mental Health Day!!!

Blessings 2 U Friends

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Sends Shivers up my Spine.....

There are a few things that can send shivers up my spine...
a beautiful sunset...
sitting under the air-conditioning duct
and finding a creepy crawly too close to me

After church we came home & I could hardly focus on anything again...
Time to go on the Ultra Simple Diet again so I can eliminate any foods as possible culprits.

In the meantime my dh started working on the 'eyesore' we called the pond area, so he could plant
the Orchid Tree a coworker gave us..they will be receiving Snow on the Mountain or Crepe Myrtles in exchange.


Well look who we found





Yes she is a BIG'UN her abdomen was the size of my thumbnail and I am sure full of eggs.

Did you get a shiver too?

Well after 'disposing' of her we moved one of Tim's LARGE art pots and lo & behold there were 3 smaller ones living in it.
....they're now gone too!

So I am inside, where the temperature is lovely and there is no humidity...far away from any creepy crawlies!

Blessings 2 U Friends

Friday, July 11, 2008

Sunrise Sunday Morning.....

We promised the kids we would canoe around the lake in the morning before it got too hot.
This was their first time in a canoe & manning an oar so it was humorous to say the least.
Sahara rode with Daddy & Tyler with me.


He was a little apprehensive given that there are GATORS in the lakes & us with only a lifejacket & oar to protect ourselves. LOLI must admit it was already TOOO HOT to wear the life vest so I didn't.
At first he wanted to head for the middle then I reminded him if we tipped it would be a long swim to shore with his legs as gator bait.
So we hung close to the shore line hoping to see some critters but didn't see much of anything besides Osprey.

He wasn't keeping time with my rowing so we kept veering into the grass which allowed any spiders in the grass the chance to climb aboard.

Even with the lake 3 -4 ft below it's normal level it wasn't nearly as bad as Lake Louisa.


After 2/3 the way around the lake Tyler figured out that I had been steering the canoe the entire time, even when he was the only one paddling. LOL

The trip to our side of the lake took an hour and then another hour back to the dock where we pulled out the canoes. It was very peaceful but warmer than I would have liked. We will have to come back in the winter when it is cooler.


After packing up camp we headed home the long way through the Green Swamp, poor Skunk Ape must have been napping in the shade somewhere. Maybe another day we will cross paths!

Blessings 2 U Friends

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Lions, Tigers & Gators OH MY!

Saturday morning Larry took the tire in to see if we could get it repaired.
After breakfast Sahara & I took the trash down to the dumpster & headed to the dock.
She raced to the end of the dock before I could get off my bike.... I heard her yelling
"THERE'S A GATOR"


Then she spotted another swimming out in the lake


This little guy/girl was about 5ft long



Notice all the little fish just swimming around it?

Well apparently this gator prefers DEAD FISH for breakfast


It snatched up a little dead one & slowly used it's tail to propel itself back




around & into the shade under the dock



The kids wanted to canoe on the other lake but it was TOOOOOO HOT

So around 7pm we drove down the road to Lake Louisa so they could swim


After talking to our favorite Swedish Ranger she said it was okay to go in but there was no lifeguard on duty

So as long as we (the parents) would save the kids they would be okay....lol hmmmmmm


Then the kids got out to the water and realized there is only about a foot of water left inside the 'designated area' due to the drought of the last 3 yrs. So they went wading instead of swimming and a few minutes later the lightening started across the lake so it was time to get out.

So sad to see all the Cypress Trees out of the water but neat to see what normally would not be seen by anyone.







Of course before leaving Sahara found a tree to climb....



No sightings of the Skunk Ape either...:-(