Steve and I went to Phoenix for our Anniversary Trip 2009. Steve didn't know - it was a surprise. We got to the airport and I told the ticket attendant that we were going to Phoenix. He said, "We should have called my cousin!" I replied, "Doesn't he live in Colorado," knowing full well where Dan lives! In fact, he was at the airport waiting to pick us up!
We went to a place called Oregano's in Scottsdale for dinner. We sat outside and were in perfect temperature. It didn't even feel like we were outside! It was 45 degrees different from Duluth! We stayed the night at Dan and Kathy's in their beautiful home in Scottsdale.
Day 2
The next morning, We sent out to a restaurant called Over Easy that we had seen on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Steve and I both ordered the country fried steak that was featured on the show. It was excellent! We saw the owner and his wife who were featured on the show, as well.
We went back to Dan's and rustled up a map to an old ghost town and took off in Dan's truck to do some site-seeing. We went to Canyon Lake, Apache Junction, and Tortilla Flats. At Tortilla Flats, there's a store and restaurant with dollar bills pinned up on all the walls. Click on the link above to see why. We posted our dollar bill, too. The mountains in the area are beautiful. We took lots of pictures.
We ate dinner at another Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives stop called Thee Pitts Again in Glendale. This restaurant is known for it's ribs and macaroni and cheese. It was another great meal! I want Guy Fieri's job!
Day 3
It's all about food! On Saturday we went to another joint for breakfast. It's called Matt's Big Breakfast in downtown Phoenix. This place is no bigger than the first level of my house. They have a pad of paper outside and you write your name on it. They call each party in order on the list. We waited about 20 minutes to get in and had a cramped little table. The food was excellent!
At 11:00, Wyn picked us up at Dan's house. It was surreal. Wyn's wife, Kari is so positive and up beat. She's got a great outlook on the world around her. Wyn was quiet most of the trip. We drove to Sedona, AZ. Sedona is surrounded by the Red Rock mountains. It's one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. We stayed at a nice hotel with great views. Steve and I nabbed the car and did a little site-seeing and some shopping. We ate dinner with Wyn and Kari at a great steakhouse where they had been married several years ago. After two glasses of wine and a huge dinner, I slept well!
Day 4
We woke up ready for the new day. Wyn and Kari and Steve and I went to a restaurant called The Coffee Pot 101 named after one of the monoliths outside our hotel. They boast to have 101 omelets on the sign out front. Their menu is full of omelets and lots of other food! Strange: Wyn and I ordered the same omelet - - without talking about it first.
We headed back to Phoenix. We stopped at Wyn and Kari's condo before going to the airport for the flight home. It was a great visit with them!
So..... cross it off the list. I visited Wyn and Kari and I enjoyed a weekend away with Steve for our anniversary! Look at pictures on Flickr. Now, we're back to reality!
Monday, October 19, 2009
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Cross off two!
In October, I'm going to cross off two things on my list. I can't talk about them now, because one is a surprise. I'm working my way through the list!
Uncle Alden
My uncle from Long Beach came to visit. He arrived in MN on Thursday before Labor Day. By Thursday afternoon, he and my mom were in Duluth site seeing. Steve and I met them for dinner at Little Angies in Canal Park and met them at Mars Lakeview Arena for CJ's last summer hockey game of the year. They stayed at Steve's parents' house.
Friday morning, they went to At Sara's Table for breakfast with Steve's dad, Bill. We met in the early afternoon for a tour of Hawk Ridge, Seven Bridges Road and Brighton Beach. We had dinner with the whole family, including my mom, Uncle Alden, and Steve's parents at Blackwoods before Nick's football game in Proctor.
On Saturday morning, my mom and Alden went to the Boundary Waters with some of my mom and Jay's friends and had a quiet memorial for Jay. In the evening they came to our cabin for dinner, campfire, card games, and a good night's sleep in the northwoods of Minnesota.
Sunday was filled with food, boating, tubing, more card games, and a long good-bye to Uncle Alden.
My favorite picture is this one with Alden and Katie. More pictures can be found here on Flickr.
Here's Uncle Alden's view of his time with us at the cabin (interviewed by Andrew).
Friday morning, they went to At Sara's Table for breakfast with Steve's dad, Bill. We met in the early afternoon for a tour of Hawk Ridge, Seven Bridges Road and Brighton Beach. We had dinner with the whole family, including my mom, Uncle Alden, and Steve's parents at Blackwoods before Nick's football game in Proctor.
On Saturday morning, my mom and Alden went to the Boundary Waters with some of my mom and Jay's friends and had a quiet memorial for Jay. In the evening they came to our cabin for dinner, campfire, card games, and a good night's sleep in the northwoods of Minnesota.
Sunday was filled with food, boating, tubing, more card games, and a long good-bye to Uncle Alden.
My favorite picture is this one with Alden and Katie. More pictures can be found here on Flickr.
Here's Uncle Alden's view of his time with us at the cabin (interviewed by Andrew).
Girls' Weekend 2009
Kari had a great idea, but I'm sad she couldn't join us! It was raining and about 50 degrees when we kayaked in August this year. We stayed in a slough except for when we had lunch which was on the very windy (read 'colder') lake. Dreamweaver is a pot-smoker.
The best part was staying at the Reiten Boatyards. We had a great time talking and listening and eating and drinking. We learned about 36-day underwear from Jill. We helped Laura with her chemistry experiment - making the best Mojitos. We laughed. We snored. We had a great time.
Pictures: Flicker
Read about last summer's trip here.
The best part was staying at the Reiten Boatyards. We had a great time talking and listening and eating and drinking. We learned about 36-day underwear from Jill. We helped Laura with her chemistry experiment - making the best Mojitos. We laughed. We snored. We had a great time.
Pictures: Flicker
Read about last summer's trip here.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Allie "Cat" Miller
One of the things on my list is to get a dog. Well, cross it off the list. Allie is here! She came from a puppy farm in Gonvick, MN. She had never been inside a house nor was she part of a family. She needs a lot of love and we are just the family to do it! So far, she's a great dog!
Monday, June 22, 2009
Girl's Weekend 2009
We have a plan! Kari had a great idea. We're going to kayak again with Living Adventure, but it's just a one-day trip. We'll stay in Bayfield for the weekend, and kayak all day Saturday through the mainland sea caves. I can't wait! A bunch of my friends are coming, too!
Monday, May 11, 2009
A bunch of 39 year olds
My friends from high school rock! Eight of us got together last Friday at Don Pablos in Roseville. It's so fun to talk about our families, jobs, and ourselves and compare notes. Some topics we covered are those that I didn't expect for this visit. I'm not ready to talk about spider veins and saggy girlie parts. AAaarrrgggggh!
This was a planning meeting for our trip to celebrate our 40th birthdays. I think it is just so much fun that everybody wants to go in September. That's when everybody else is 40 and I'm still 39! I LOVE THAT!
We're a pretty good looking group, I think!
Wendy, Vicki, Shannon, me, Melanie & Liz!Sunday, May 10, 2009
Happy Mother's Day!
I love it when a man makes breakfast and I get to sleep in! It's a perfect day! Three kids gave me handmade gifts - paper flowers, a broken clay bowl, an ancient coded message painted on fleece and a Chinese Warrior made in Art Class. Two sang a song for me!
Friday, April 10, 2009
Pictures on Flickr
I don't know if this works. I only posted about half of the pictures so far. Let me know if this link works.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/28659974@N07/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/28659974@N07/
Vacation Day 10
Friday, April 10, 2009
The littles (CJ, Andrew, Katie), Steve, and I drove to Tybee Island to watch the sun come up today. We collected shells and enjoyed the locals. I took a picture of a guy with a tiny car with a huge surf board. Some of the old houses are gorgeous! The overhanging trees are beautiful, too.
When we got back to our hotel in Pooler, GA, we ate and cleaned up and took off for the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. I fell asleep in the sunshine and woke up in the rain. We decided to enjoy the Smokey Mountains from our truck. There was a warning sign on the side of the road of a tornado warning in the area. I called Jay and he told me that further North the weather was better. It rained and hailed hard for a long time, but we finally saw the sun a couple hours later.
We cancelled our hotel reservation in Jonesborough, TN and just drove until we felt like stopping. We ate dinner at a BBQ joint called Sonny’s in …. Ummmm…. I don’t know where. Nick and Anthony and I had all-you-can-eat ribs for $10.99 - - a heck of a deal. They were great ribs and great fixins. Tonight we’re sleeping in Lexington, Kentucky. The folks were nice enough to let us swim for an hour after pool closing time.
Is it too much to ask for a clean bathroom? I’ve been in bathrooms all over the South Eastern parts of our fine country this week. Katie has a bladder the size of a quarter. I don’t want to have to wipe off the seat or find toilet paper on the floor or wonder when the last drop of bleach was used in the sink. So, here’s the deal….. you want me to buy something at your store or station? Give me a clean bathroom. I’m only going to spend my money at places that offer clean facilities. So there.
We’ll probably wear jeans tomorrow. It’s so sad to see the shorts and skirts go!
The littles (CJ, Andrew, Katie), Steve, and I drove to Tybee Island to watch the sun come up today. We collected shells and enjoyed the locals. I took a picture of a guy with a tiny car with a huge surf board. Some of the old houses are gorgeous! The overhanging trees are beautiful, too.
When we got back to our hotel in Pooler, GA, we ate and cleaned up and took off for the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. I fell asleep in the sunshine and woke up in the rain. We decided to enjoy the Smokey Mountains from our truck. There was a warning sign on the side of the road of a tornado warning in the area. I called Jay and he told me that further North the weather was better. It rained and hailed hard for a long time, but we finally saw the sun a couple hours later.
We cancelled our hotel reservation in Jonesborough, TN and just drove until we felt like stopping. We ate dinner at a BBQ joint called Sonny’s in …. Ummmm…. I don’t know where. Nick and Anthony and I had all-you-can-eat ribs for $10.99 - - a heck of a deal. They were great ribs and great fixins. Tonight we’re sleeping in Lexington, Kentucky. The folks were nice enough to let us swim for an hour after pool closing time.
Is it too much to ask for a clean bathroom? I’ve been in bathrooms all over the South Eastern parts of our fine country this week. Katie has a bladder the size of a quarter. I don’t want to have to wipe off the seat or find toilet paper on the floor or wonder when the last drop of bleach was used in the sink. So, here’s the deal….. you want me to buy something at your store or station? Give me a clean bathroom. I’m only going to spend my money at places that offer clean facilities. So there.
We’ll probably wear jeans tomorrow. It’s so sad to see the shorts and skirts go!
April 4, 2009
It’s my turn. We got up pretty early today. Steve drove me to Cracker Barrel to have breakfast with Tifkie and her husband, David, and their son, Carter (the cutest 22 month old boy!!!). It was so nice to sit and chat with them and watch Carter. I couldn’t have a 2 year old again. I don’t have the patience to teach patience anymore. After they packed up the truck, the whole Miller crowd came to meet the Marshalls.
Cracker Barrel is cool. I’ve never been to one. I had great biscuits and hash brown casserole with my eggs. Everything is served with grits in Tennessee. I didn’t have any this time, but I am going to order some when we’re in Tennessee next time and I’ll make everybody try them. I love the big rocking chairs that line the outside of the store. If anybody has money sitting around, burning a hole in their pocket, they could buy us seven of those chairs for the cabin.
We went back to the hotel so everybody else could eat breakfast. Breakfast at the Best Western in Franklin, Tennessee is not served a minute after 9AM, so get there early. The woman behind the counter will wave the time information in your face as a not-so-friendly reminder. McDonalds down the street is a 1 minute drive, but a 20 minute wait for the wrong order. Steve was not happy.
Then we continued on our way to Orlando. We stopped at Ruby Falls for a quick walk and some rock candy. You can see forever up there.
We arrived at our resort after midnight. Our condo has 2 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a tiny stacked washer and dryer, a kitchen, balcony, pool, and a playground. It’s a great place to call home while we’re in Orlando.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
We slept in today. Steve went shopping for groceries for the week and the kids and I went to the swimming pool. Everyone had suggested that we get up early and get to the parks before the crowds, but we just couldn’t do it. We took the I-ride trolley to Seaworld. We saw some big old turtles and a sea lion show. We took a shuttle over to Aquatica. Katie and I played in the wave pool and found some little kids slides. The big kids enjoyed some big water slides. There was something for everybody. It was lots of fun! We got back to the resort around 9 and Nick went straight to bed. He was hot and tired and hungry and just couldn’t stay up for cheeseburgers with us. Steve grilled and Anthony made a salad. We had a great dinner. Day 1 in Orlando was over.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Today was Disney Day! I’ll let the pictures tell the story. The craziest thing was that we ran into two other Duluth families at Magic Kingdom! We ignored everyone’s advice about going back to the hotel to eat and nap halfway through the day. We persevered and got through the whole day. Katie fell asleep on the way out of the park. We picked up some frozen pizzas and ate dinner at 11:00. We all slept hard Monday night!
Favorite Parts of the day:
Steve: Dreams Come True Show
Cindy:
Nick: Parade when we first got there
Anthony: Splash Mountain
CJ:
Andrew:
Katie:
Tuesday, April 7, 2009 - - my half-birthday
We slept in and went out for breakfast at Denny’s. It was 58 degrees when we left the hotel. We got to Universal’s Islands of Adventure right around noon. The park is cool because you walk through a bunch of adult restaurants and Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville and places like that (that were sleeping when we came through the first time). Then you come to a separation for Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios.
We split up – some to water rides and some to Dr. Seussville. We loved the carousel in Seussville. At 5:30 we went to the truck for some ‘lunch’ from the cooler. I’ve never had a better turkey sandwich! We went back to the park for round 2. Steve and Nick went on the Duelling Dragons roller coaster and the rest of us visited Jurassic Park. The boys went on the water ride a couple times and Katie and I took pictures.
Favorite Parts of the day:
Steve: Spiderman Experience
Cindy: Spiderman Experience
Nick: Incredible Hulk Roller Coaster
Anthony: Jurassic Park water ride
CJ:
Andrew:
Katie: Spiderman Experience
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
We slept in again and had breakfast at our hotel. We had to go to Ron Jon Surf Shop in the Festival Bay mall. We loaded up on t-shirts and surfer stuff, dude. Then we were off to Aquatica. Katie and Andrew and I played in the wave pool and went to the two kiddie parts of the park. It was really cold, so after a couple of laps in Roa’s Rapids, we sat on the beach. Katie took a nap under a towel. We all were sunburned today.
At 5:30 we headed to SeaWorld. We were all already tired and crabby because of the sunburn. We headed straight to the dolphins. We watched the dolphin show. They had added some Cirque de Soile tricks to the show. Then Nick and Steve went to ride on the Krakken roller coaster. The rest of us went to see the penguins and puffins and we met at Shamu Stadium for the Shamu Rocks show. It was the favorite of many.
Favorite Parts of the day:
Steve: Shamu Rocks
Cindy:
Nick: Shamu Rocks
Anthony: Shamu Rocks
CJ:
Andrew:
Katie:
Thursday, April 09, 2009
It’s beach day! We left the resort around 11:30 and drove around Orlando for a bit. We got to Daytona at 2:00 and visited the Daytona 500 Speedway. We walked up to the grandstand and saw where the cars go fast and turn left. We asked the locals where a family of seven should go to get good, fresh, seafood. She sent us to a place that’s under the Dunlawton Avenue Bridge called The Deck Down Under. We had clams, shrimp, flounder- all fresh from the Atlantic Ocean - fries and onion rings, and a cheeseburger for Nick. I had a yummy margarita!
Buzzed blogging on the beach..... that’s what I’m doing! Or is it beach blogging with a buzz. Whatever you call it, I’m doing it. The margarita did the trick!
The kids had a lot of fun in the half hour we spent at the beach. It was pretty chilly, but they swam and played in the sand. I took lots of pictures. Now we have sand in every crevice!
It’s my turn. We got up pretty early today. Steve drove me to Cracker Barrel to have breakfast with Tifkie and her husband, David, and their son, Carter (the cutest 22 month old boy!!!). It was so nice to sit and chat with them and watch Carter. I couldn’t have a 2 year old again. I don’t have the patience to teach patience anymore. After they packed up the truck, the whole Miller crowd came to meet the Marshalls.
Cracker Barrel is cool. I’ve never been to one. I had great biscuits and hash brown casserole with my eggs. Everything is served with grits in Tennessee. I didn’t have any this time, but I am going to order some when we’re in Tennessee next time and I’ll make everybody try them. I love the big rocking chairs that line the outside of the store. If anybody has money sitting around, burning a hole in their pocket, they could buy us seven of those chairs for the cabin.
We went back to the hotel so everybody else could eat breakfast. Breakfast at the Best Western in Franklin, Tennessee is not served a minute after 9AM, so get there early. The woman behind the counter will wave the time information in your face as a not-so-friendly reminder. McDonalds down the street is a 1 minute drive, but a 20 minute wait for the wrong order. Steve was not happy.
Then we continued on our way to Orlando. We stopped at Ruby Falls for a quick walk and some rock candy. You can see forever up there.
We arrived at our resort after midnight. Our condo has 2 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a tiny stacked washer and dryer, a kitchen, balcony, pool, and a playground. It’s a great place to call home while we’re in Orlando.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
We slept in today. Steve went shopping for groceries for the week and the kids and I went to the swimming pool. Everyone had suggested that we get up early and get to the parks before the crowds, but we just couldn’t do it. We took the I-ride trolley to Seaworld. We saw some big old turtles and a sea lion show. We took a shuttle over to Aquatica. Katie and I played in the wave pool and found some little kids slides. The big kids enjoyed some big water slides. There was something for everybody. It was lots of fun! We got back to the resort around 9 and Nick went straight to bed. He was hot and tired and hungry and just couldn’t stay up for cheeseburgers with us. Steve grilled and Anthony made a salad. We had a great dinner. Day 1 in Orlando was over.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Today was Disney Day! I’ll let the pictures tell the story. The craziest thing was that we ran into two other Duluth families at Magic Kingdom! We ignored everyone’s advice about going back to the hotel to eat and nap halfway through the day. We persevered and got through the whole day. Katie fell asleep on the way out of the park. We picked up some frozen pizzas and ate dinner at 11:00. We all slept hard Monday night!
Favorite Parts of the day:
Steve: Dreams Come True Show
Cindy:
Nick: Parade when we first got there
Anthony: Splash Mountain
CJ:
Andrew:
Katie:
Tuesday, April 7, 2009 - - my half-birthday
We slept in and went out for breakfast at Denny’s. It was 58 degrees when we left the hotel. We got to Universal’s Islands of Adventure right around noon. The park is cool because you walk through a bunch of adult restaurants and Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville and places like that (that were sleeping when we came through the first time). Then you come to a separation for Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios.
We split up – some to water rides and some to Dr. Seussville. We loved the carousel in Seussville. At 5:30 we went to the truck for some ‘lunch’ from the cooler. I’ve never had a better turkey sandwich! We went back to the park for round 2. Steve and Nick went on the Duelling Dragons roller coaster and the rest of us visited Jurassic Park. The boys went on the water ride a couple times and Katie and I took pictures.
Favorite Parts of the day:
Steve: Spiderman Experience
Cindy: Spiderman Experience
Nick: Incredible Hulk Roller Coaster
Anthony: Jurassic Park water ride
CJ:
Andrew:
Katie: Spiderman Experience
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
We slept in again and had breakfast at our hotel. We had to go to Ron Jon Surf Shop in the Festival Bay mall. We loaded up on t-shirts and surfer stuff, dude. Then we were off to Aquatica. Katie and Andrew and I played in the wave pool and went to the two kiddie parts of the park. It was really cold, so after a couple of laps in Roa’s Rapids, we sat on the beach. Katie took a nap under a towel. We all were sunburned today.
At 5:30 we headed to SeaWorld. We were all already tired and crabby because of the sunburn. We headed straight to the dolphins. We watched the dolphin show. They had added some Cirque de Soile tricks to the show. Then Nick and Steve went to ride on the Krakken roller coaster. The rest of us went to see the penguins and puffins and we met at Shamu Stadium for the Shamu Rocks show. It was the favorite of many.
Favorite Parts of the day:
Steve: Shamu Rocks
Cindy:
Nick: Shamu Rocks
Anthony: Shamu Rocks
CJ:
Andrew:
Katie:
Thursday, April 09, 2009
It’s beach day! We left the resort around 11:30 and drove around Orlando for a bit. We got to Daytona at 2:00 and visited the Daytona 500 Speedway. We walked up to the grandstand and saw where the cars go fast and turn left. We asked the locals where a family of seven should go to get good, fresh, seafood. She sent us to a place that’s under the Dunlawton Avenue Bridge called The Deck Down Under. We had clams, shrimp, flounder- all fresh from the Atlantic Ocean - fries and onion rings, and a cheeseburger for Nick. I had a yummy margarita!
Buzzed blogging on the beach..... that’s what I’m doing! Or is it beach blogging with a buzz. Whatever you call it, I’m doing it. The margarita did the trick!
The kids had a lot of fun in the half hour we spent at the beach. It was pretty chilly, but they swam and played in the sand. I took lots of pictures. Now we have sand in every crevice!
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Vacation Day 2
April 3, 2009
Today is Anthony’s turn to blog. We woke up. We went down to the lobby and had a little continental breakfast. It was yummy. We hit the road. The drive was boring, yet satisfying. We bought lunch at a grocery store and bought stuff for sandwiches and ate outside. We ended up in St. Louis.
Anthony broke out into song while I was typing “Everybody gather round…. I bake….Not another sound…..Stick to the stuff you know…..” from High School Musical.
We went up on the St. Louis Gateway Arch. We climbed into a little cubicle that was an elevator to the top. We looked out the windows to success (keep in mind that I’m just typing what he says!). We looked at some stuff that was cool like the capitol, Busch Stadium, and the Mississippi River. We came down and looked at some stuff in a museum (Great Western Expansion Museum). Then we (Nick and Anthony) were checked out by some girls. Then we went outside, got into the truck, and drove some more.
Cindy here again – It hit 60 degrees today! Katie and I are wearing sandals and capris! Everything is green as we’re driving through southern Illinois. I really like the perfectly straight lines in the fields of whatever they’re growing here. It’s just so perfect!
We’re going to make it to Nashville tonight, but not in time to see Tifkie. We’ve planned breakfast instead.
Today is Anthony’s turn to blog. We woke up. We went down to the lobby and had a little continental breakfast. It was yummy. We hit the road. The drive was boring, yet satisfying. We bought lunch at a grocery store and bought stuff for sandwiches and ate outside. We ended up in St. Louis.
Anthony broke out into song while I was typing “Everybody gather round…. I bake….Not another sound…..Stick to the stuff you know…..” from High School Musical.
We went up on the St. Louis Gateway Arch. We climbed into a little cubicle that was an elevator to the top. We looked out the windows to success (keep in mind that I’m just typing what he says!). We looked at some stuff that was cool like the capitol, Busch Stadium, and the Mississippi River. We came down and looked at some stuff in a museum (Great Western Expansion Museum). Then we (Nick and Anthony) were checked out by some girls. Then we went outside, got into the truck, and drove some more.
Cindy here again – It hit 60 degrees today! Katie and I are wearing sandals and capris! Everything is green as we’re driving through southern Illinois. I really like the perfectly straight lines in the fields of whatever they’re growing here. It’s just so perfect!
We’re going to make it to Nashville tonight, but not in time to see Tifkie. We’ve planned breakfast instead.
Vacation Day 1
April 2, 2009
It’s Nick’s day to blog. I got picked up from school and had no clue where I was going. We ate some dinner in Eau Claire. We hopped back in the truck and drove for a few more hours to a small city outside of Madison, called Monona. We swam while Anthony and Dad went to get some food and supplies. Then we went to bed.
Cindy here – my favorite line so far came from Anthony when he was opening up the movie bag. He said, “Are we going to China? There are so many movies here!”
It’s Nick’s day to blog. I got picked up from school and had no clue where I was going. We ate some dinner in Eau Claire. We hopped back in the truck and drove for a few more hours to a small city outside of Madison, called Monona. We swam while Anthony and Dad went to get some food and supplies. Then we went to bed.
Cindy here – my favorite line so far came from Anthony when he was opening up the movie bag. He said, “Are we going to China? There are so many movies here!”
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Vacation is coming!
We're going on a trip. It's a surprise for the kids! Don't tell them! On Thursday, April 2 we will pick up 5 kids early from school/daycare and then we'll be heading out of town. I scavenged through all of last summer's clothes and bought a whole bunch of new clothes and goodies and packed everything up. It's all waiting for us at my in-law's house. I'm so excited! I’m hoping for good weather. I Mapquested the route. I just can't wait. Here's the plan:
Thursday, April 2: Drive to Monona, WI.
Friday, April 3: We'll leave the hotel early after our continental breakfast. We're going to see the Gateway Arch in St. Louis. We’re going to take a tram to the top, enjoy the scenery, and get on the road again an hour later. We have dinner plans with Tiffani and her family at Logan’s Roadhouse. We’ll stay in the Nashville area Friday night.
Saturday, April 4: We drive to Orlando on Saturday! We can check in at our resort at 4:00. We’ll play in the pool and enjoy the warmth! We have a grill by the pool, so we’ll eat dinner and relax after the long drive.
Sunday, April 5: Magic Kingdom. We’ll be there at opening time. We’ll stay until 1:00 or so and then go ‘home’ for a rest and dip in the pool. We’ll go back to Magic Kingdom in the late afternoon for some more fun.
Monday, April 6: Sea World day. I can’t wait to feed the dolphins. The kids will love that, too. It’s a little different from the Great Lakes Aquarium.
Tuesday, April 7: Aquatica Waterpark. Look at the pictures of this place! It’s fun just looking at it! It’s my half-birthday, Tuesday, too!
Wednesday, April 8: Universal Studios-Islands of Adventure. I wonder how many hours I’ll spend in the Dr. Seuss’ Landing with the little kids.
Thursday, April 9: We’re going to be beach bums on Thursday. We’ll sleep in, hang out at the pool for a while, and head to the beach. First we’ll see Daytona Beach and then I want to go to St. Augustine. We’re sleeping in Savannah, GA on Thursday night.
Friday, April 10: We’ll get up early on Friday – REALLY EARLY! We’re going to watch the sun come up on the ocean. On Friday night, we’re staying in Jonesborough, TN. We’ll drive through and explore the Great Smokey Mountains when we need a break from the truck. In Jonesborough, we’ll enjoy an outdoor Bluegrass concert at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 11: We’re staying in Oswego, IL on Saturday night. We’ll drive through Indianapolis and Gary, IN (for a culture shock) before we get to our hotel. We’ll have dinner at the Triple XXX Family Restaurant in West LaFayette, IN, that is one of Guy Fieri’s favorites on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.
Sunday, April 12 – Easter Sunday: We’re going to Easter Mass at St. Ann’s in Oswego. We’ll sleep in our own beds on Sunday night. It will be good to be home!
I’m going to try to blog here every day and will be adding pictures to Flickr. Check it out!
Thursday, April 2: Drive to Monona, WI.
Friday, April 3: We'll leave the hotel early after our continental breakfast. We're going to see the Gateway Arch in St. Louis. We’re going to take a tram to the top, enjoy the scenery, and get on the road again an hour later. We have dinner plans with Tiffani and her family at Logan’s Roadhouse. We’ll stay in the Nashville area Friday night.
Saturday, April 4: We drive to Orlando on Saturday! We can check in at our resort at 4:00. We’ll play in the pool and enjoy the warmth! We have a grill by the pool, so we’ll eat dinner and relax after the long drive.
Sunday, April 5: Magic Kingdom. We’ll be there at opening time. We’ll stay until 1:00 or so and then go ‘home’ for a rest and dip in the pool. We’ll go back to Magic Kingdom in the late afternoon for some more fun.
Monday, April 6: Sea World day. I can’t wait to feed the dolphins. The kids will love that, too. It’s a little different from the Great Lakes Aquarium.
Tuesday, April 7: Aquatica Waterpark. Look at the pictures of this place! It’s fun just looking at it! It’s my half-birthday, Tuesday, too!
Wednesday, April 8: Universal Studios-Islands of Adventure. I wonder how many hours I’ll spend in the Dr. Seuss’ Landing with the little kids.
Thursday, April 9: We’re going to be beach bums on Thursday. We’ll sleep in, hang out at the pool for a while, and head to the beach. First we’ll see Daytona Beach and then I want to go to St. Augustine. We’re sleeping in Savannah, GA on Thursday night.
Friday, April 10: We’ll get up early on Friday – REALLY EARLY! We’re going to watch the sun come up on the ocean. On Friday night, we’re staying in Jonesborough, TN. We’ll drive through and explore the Great Smokey Mountains when we need a break from the truck. In Jonesborough, we’ll enjoy an outdoor Bluegrass concert at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 11: We’re staying in Oswego, IL on Saturday night. We’ll drive through Indianapolis and Gary, IN (for a culture shock) before we get to our hotel. We’ll have dinner at the Triple XXX Family Restaurant in West LaFayette, IN, that is one of Guy Fieri’s favorites on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.
Sunday, April 12 – Easter Sunday: We’re going to Easter Mass at St. Ann’s in Oswego. We’ll sleep in our own beds on Sunday night. It will be good to be home!
I’m going to try to blog here every day and will be adding pictures to Flickr. Check it out!
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