Random Tuesday time! Survived a Monday and now to knock out the rest of the week. Let's spread around the random and see where it gets us:
Coming back from our trip I managed to catch a cold. Airplane travel is no fun and summer colds are even worse.
The boys had a blast at the water parks at Disney World. All three of them did the 120 foot plunge at Blizzard Beach. I got pictures of Turbo taking the plunge.
That's Turbo way at the top as he started down.
Here he is just finishing his plunge.
Killing time in airports is almost worse than killing time on airplanes. During our prolonged travel, the wifi in the airport in Denver was helpful, but we did get a few rounds of Mad Libs in with the boys. It got laughs and passed some time. (A thought just crossed my mind--Mad Libs are the predecessor of Cards Against Humanity. They work about the same, just with a more prescribed outcome for Cards.)
We were smart and planned out a few days to recover from the trip when we got back. Laundry, groceries and just plain recovery from the trip in general. You know you have vacationed when you need a vacation from your vacation.
Next time we do a big vacation I demand that a beach and ocean be involved. I want to sit on a beach and also be able to snorkle and collect shells. A cabana boy bringing me drinks would be a bonus.
And with that, I hope everyone has a wonderful week. Tomorrow there will be more vacation fun shared!
So, we had a vacation. Seven days in Orlando, five of which we spent enjoying Disney World. Two days were mostly travel days.
Travel to Orlando was a seven hour delayed adventure. Our flight was first delayed due to storms in Orlando, then when they finally got clearance to fly, the plane was broken. So, new plane then we needed a new crew. Then new catering, cause we can't have food that was sitting four hours waiting for us to have clear weather. So yeah, we landed in Orlando at 1:00am. We were supposed to arrive there at 6:30. We hit our room at the resort at 2:30am.
We were up and going the next morning and at Epcot by 8:45am. We hit it hard and really didn't stop until we got home. We did Epcot, Typhoon Lagoon, The Animal Kingdom, Blizzard Beach, Hollywood Studios, and The Magic Kingdom. We enjoyed fast passes and didn't wait in a line for longer than 45 minutes our entire trip. I think we did just about everything the boys would have wanted to and we had fairly decent weather for the week we were there. Oh, it rained, but never for long while we were out in it. The boys got pool time and ride time and we all came back feeling very vacationed.
We have tons of other pictures of our adventures and so much more to share from our trip. I think I'll spread it ou over the next few days so I don't over whelm anyone.
1. I feel most energized when I _______________________.
Get some alone time and can read and listen to music. I am an introvert and really recharge by being alone and quiet. Reading is a refuge and outlet both.
2. Where were you ten years ago?
Ten years ago we were fresh back from a trip to Florida: Clearwater Beach and Disney World. Just after we got back I discovered that I was pregnant with Bruiser. Turbo was five and would be headed to Kindergarten and I was working from home as a geologist for a Uranium exploration company.
Turbo on the beach at Sand Key, Florida
3. July 17th is World Emoji Day. Do you use emojis? Which one's your favorite? Your most used?
I use emojis when I text Nick and Turbo. I will use the occasional smiley face with other texts but I am not really a big time user. I don't even have a favorite.
4. What song would you put on a wedding DO NOT PLAY list?
Alanis Morrisette's You Oughta Know:
A song about a nasty breakup, most definitely not wedding ready.
5. What deserves less of your attention? More of your attention?
I should probably spend less time reading. I love to read, but should not try to spend all my free time reading.
My family deserves more of my attention. With the move and us all being together all the time now we are spending more time as a family doing things together other than just sitting at home. This is a good thing.
6. Insert your own random thought here.
The guys raced in the Fat Fish Racing Muddy Mountain Mayhem race on Monday.
Turbo at the start of the race
The weather was wildly variable from fog to sun and back to fog.
Bruiser and Nick finish the race
All my racing guys
Turbo took first in men's recreational division.
They had a good time and I was there as the cheering section. It was a nice family outing and we all look forward to the next race.
Time for Tuesday random and this one is pre vacation. Pre Disney vacation. Yep, we are going to go introduce the boys to the Disney Koolaid.
Now on to the random:
Last week at work we had some visitors to our garden level offices:
Three white tail deer came to visit and snack on the bushes.
This is a creative solution:
I often complain about not being able to remember things, I blame mom brain. It is most definitely not because I'm getting older.
A drinking game might make the work easier, or make for a bigger mess, not sure which.
Yeah, I'd completely freak and wreck the car most likely. Full body shiver, yuck!
We had another flood in the basement. Poor Bruiser's room got inundated. We have figured out the former owners didn't even seal the windows into the holes and they used crap windows to boot. So new project that will get down before snow flies. Sigh, my bathtub keeps getting put off farther and farther.
Well that covers our random. What random do you have?
We had a fairly quiet weekend. Nick went fishing all day Saturday, he didn't catch any, but the guys he was with did. He had fun though and got to see a reservoir he hadn't before.
Friday evening we hit Food Truck Friday down by the river. Wood fired pizza, ice cream cones and a couple of TABs made for a good evening. When we got home there was hanging out with neighbors and good tunes. It's nice to have a good neighborhood to live in.
Saturday morning Nick left at 5 to go fishing and the boys and I hung around the house and didn't do much other than groceries and laundry. It was hot, so the boys and I stayed inside with the central air. A bit of a novelty for us this central air. Nick got home around 9:30 and there was more garage hanging out to be done.
Sunday had less things to be done. Nick did some weeding in the back yard and I got a nap. Really it was nice to have a quiet weekend before our vacation. Now all I have to do is pack and get the house ready for the house sitter who is coming to watch the house and the dog.
Now for MMMM. The theme this week is songs with numbers in the title:
2. Share a camping location that you think is a Must-Visit
We go camping a lot. On average we try to get camping at least twice a year, if not more. We have been several places.
Kemmerer Wyoming; or at least the mountains above Kemmerer.
Beaver Creek Campground in the Black Hills.
Veedauwoo Wyoming.
Telephone mountain Wyoming.
Alcova Lake Wyoming.
Arches National Park
Grand Canyon National Park
Several places in the Snowy Mountians:
Lake Owen
Rob Roy Reservoir
Cinnabar Park
Rambler Estates and land plots (we camped on a land plot)
Pelton Creek Campground
However, our favorite place would have to be the Picaroon on the North Platte river. Getting there can be an adventure in and of itself. A one lane dirt road with tight switch backs makes getting campers down to the Pic a fun process. Once down to our favorite place to set up we are right on the river and sheltered under lovely cottonwood shade trees.
There are several options for activities:
River rafting
Kayaking
Fishing
dam building
simple wading
We also love the fact that we always go with family we thing of as friends. We have many great memories of fantastic times at the Picaroon.
1. What's something in your house you'd like to get rid of but can't?
Since we just moved, there is not a lot of extraneous stuff hanging around right now. There are still boxes to unpack but not as many as you would think. Since we spent 9 months moving, we moved and unpacked as we went. Got rid of most of the extras as we went as well.
2. When is the last time you experienced a sense of nostalgia? Elaborate.
Well, this sounds kind of awful, but at the liquor store there is a new beer: a Baies Ameres Saison Chokecherry. It made me remember the chokecherry wine my mother used to make. Made me a bit nostalgic for my mother and picking chokecherries. We always went on my birthday, the end of August because they were ripe by then.
3. You're only allowed three apps on your smart phone or tablet...which three do you keep?
Facebook is a given. NOAA Weather app and Google maps. The weather is something we check regularly. Google maps is necessary so I know where I'm going.
4. July 11th is National Blueberry Muffin Day. Who knew? Do you like
blueberry muffins? If you were going to have a muffin would blueberry be
your choice? What's the last thing you baked?
I do like blueberry muffins, but am less into homemade ones. If I had to choose, I prefer Almond Poppy seed muffins. The last thing I baked was macaroni and Cheese just last night, from scratch. It was very tasty!
5. What's the biggest way you've changed since you were a child? In what way are you still the same?
I will speak up for my self more often than I did as a child.
I still am an avid reader. I am always reading and have been since I was about 9.
6. Insert your own random thought here.
In our new town there are a few thrift stores I need to go check out. I have yet to see what they have other than checking them out online. There is also a consignment shop to go visit. I have to admit I will miss the consignment store in our old town, it was large and had a wonderful selection for the boys. I liked shopping there too.
I need to go see what the local shops have. Especially since back to school will be coming soon.
So, It's Tuesday and that means time for some random observations. So here goes:
Saw this scrolling around Facebook. As a geologist we can always find more rocks.
I got Nick a weather station for Christmas and we all geek out over it a bit. It has a lightening detector that shows how many strikes in the last 48 hours and the distance to the last one. It's kind of cool to know how far away the strikes were.
Our cat has become fascinated by the garage. In the new house we have an attached garage. She loves to dart in there and "hunt" ants. Or stare at them with high levels of fascination.
My fourth post ever was about being the finder in the house. this sums it up perfectly:
I love that Nick is handy. he is great at doing those little projects around the house. Last night he put in a shelf for the cat to watch the birds from.
Before
After
The cat loves the new bench. She was bird watching this morning as the birds raided the feeder we put out.
So there you have it, my random for the week. Have a great week!
We had a productive weekend. But first what we did for the 4th of July.
We paddled 3 miles up a canyon that is part of a local lake. We got far too much sun but had a blast in the process. We will definitely do this again.
There were fireworks later that evening, but we only saw them from a distance. We were just far too tired to want to deal with traffic by getting closer. And we are taking the boys to Disney World so they are going to get up close and personal fireworks there.
After that adventure, the rest of the week was relatively quiet. Saturday Nick got motivated and started the closet in Bruiser's room. We sort of had to build him a room when we moved into the new house. He now has not only a wall, but a partial closet and a door. Yep, a real closing door. Nick hung that this weekend too.
There was haircuts for all the guys this weekend and some hanging out with the neighbors, turned into quite the mini cook out. Good time were had and a good weekend all the way around.
Now for MMMM. This week is a freebie week and here's what we have been listening to at home:
Turbo has discovered 80s music and loves this one:
The Bangles with Walk Like an Egyptian:
Bruiser like 80s rock with this as his favorite:
Nick of course loves all kinds of music and since we have the Amazon Fire cube with Alexa he has been having fun calling up music. We both enjoy this one:
The Proclaimers with I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles):
So here we are at another Tuesday. The weeks do march on. Let's get the party going:
Bruiser's favorite phase is "If I'm correct..." He says it all the time and prefaces most of his statements with it. It's a bit odd coming out of a nine year old. Makes him sound about 40.
We think we have a feral cat living in the massive juniper bush in the back yard. He's orange and large. I haven't seen him, but Nick and Turbo have. We cut back part of the juniper this weekend, Nick called it a sun porch for Garfield. With the discovery of a couple of very old (predating us) dog toys, it was time for the juniper to be subdued. I think I might be allergic to the juniper. It gave me some irritated red bumps and scraps.
Last night the boys went and raced (well, recreation class racing, so nothing intense) a local mountain bike club race. It was called the Fat Fish Racing summer circuit. This race was the Maze Craze. They had a lot of fun. I went along for moral support and was the cheering section. I was also in charge of pictures.
I must say I miss the temperatures in Laramie. It never got much over 90 there and then only for a few days. Here we hit the 90s+ almost regularly. At least it cools off at night still here, maybe not as much, but it does cool off.
We are still unsure of our exact plans for tomorrow, the 4th of July, but water, our kayaks and plenty of sun are definitely involved.
Well, we had a very busy weekend. It started Friday. Turbo went and took the test to get his learner's permit. He passed on his second try at the test. He is now an official learning driver. I'm slightly scared, and completely wanting to deny the passage of time. It can't have been that long since he was a baby in my arms.
After that triumph, we went on to do a ton of yard work. I pulled thistles upon thistles. Nick now calls me the Thistle Princess. I'm not a fan of thistles and our yard came with far to many of them. Now we have a lot less of them.
Saturday it rained so we ran a lot of errands around town, groceries, bike shop, the hardware store. I did laundry, and such. It was a quiet kind of day, but still quite nice.
Sunday we started out by pulling more thistles. I really have a war going on with them. I will win the war. After the weed pulling we loaded up the boys and got lunch, sub sandwiches, and headed to Ayer's Natural Bridge, a rock arch that has water flowing under it, so it is a true natural bridge. It was a lovely park and the boys got to wade and try their hands at dam building. We also stopped at a near by state park with a lake and river access. We will be heading out there again.
Once back home, Nick took Bruiser to the rec center so Bruiser could do some proper swimming. Then after they got home, Nick and I got the wild bug to do more yard work. We borrowed a hedge trimmer from the neighbor and attacked the wildly overgrown juniper bushes in our back yard. We discovered about four feet of stairs, several lost dog toys and hacked back a ton of branches. We are quite proud of our efforts. So much more needs to be done, but we had to start somewhere.
Now for MMMM. This week is patriotic songs so here you go:
