Fat and Happy

Grandma!

My kids are out of school all week for Thanksgiving Break and we're having a great time. One thing we did was go to the library and check out some books. They love it!

I laugh every time, because Mallory always runs up to this statue and sits on it's lap. She calls her Grandma.

Her Grandma reads all the time (must be where I get it from) and she loves sitting close with this reminder of her sweet Granny who lives so far away.

Click here to see what I'm reading this week.

Take Offs and Landings

Take Off

I scheduled our Florida bound flight for late afternoon because it was cheaper and I thought the kids would be exhausted from traveling and the time change and fall into bed when we arrived.  I didn't anticipate that they would be so excited to leave on vacation that they would bug me all freakin day asking if it was time to leave.

We're finally on the plane and they shut the doors.  We're taxiing to the runway when I guy a few rows ahead of me hits the alert a stewardess button.  She addresses him over the intercom and tells him to shut it off if it's not a real emergency.

He doesn't shut it off.

Two stewardesses come to the row and he explains that the guy next to him has just passed out and he thinks there is something wrong with him.  They ask if anyone is a doctor.  There are NO doctors going to Orlando at 4:30pm on a Sunday.

They wake the guy up and he says he's fine.  They ask him a bunch of questions and he keeps passing out.

Next thing I know, we're turning around and going back to the gate.

My kids lose their shit!  They want to go to their favorite place in the whole world.  Orlando! I love you Orlando!  Sea World and Disney and putt putt golfing!

The doors burst open and several Denver Firemen board the plane and start checking the guy out.  He finally comes around enough to tell them that he sat in a bar and didn't eat.

Dude is DRUNK pants!

They removed him from the plane and we were finally able to take off and head for Orlando!

I bonded with my seat mate during this ordeal and I'm kicking myself for not getting her information.  She was awesome!

Side note: Stewardesses frown upon you taking pictures of drunk guys on airplanes.  I really was just taking a picture of the hot fireman.  Whatev.

The Taxi Ride from Hell

Wednesday was a rough day for us. We woke to learn that Obama had been re-elected.  Talk about putting a damper on your vacation!  During the day, Keith decided that he couldn't stay in our cheap little hotel room another night and that his wife desperately needed a hot shower.  (even Gru noticed, but more about that later) We'd planned to move to Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort on Thursday morning but Keith couldn't wait so we called and booked an extra day.

We called for a cab and 20 minutes later, a van arrived and loaded our stuff.  The guy spoke very little english and had a GPS that he used to enter the address of our destination.  It didn't come up on the GPS thingy.  He called someone and they gave him vague directions.  Keith looked up the hotel on his iPhone and tried to direct him but he didn't understand.  We drove around and around passing the road that we needed to turn on and finally....the guy understood enough to get us to the hotel.

Side note:  I should know by now that my husband is a snob and can't stay in budget hotel rooms that may or may not have hot water issues.

Landing

Another late afternoon departure but this time the kids were fine with it because we spent the morning at the pool!

The cool thing about flying west in the late afternoon is that the sun sets for a couple hours as you pass through time zones.  It was spectacular!

We knew it was cold in Colorado but we didn't realize that a freak snow storm had hit an hour before we landed.  As we were taxiing to the terminal, we saw at least 30 emergency vehicles on the runway and learned that a plane had slid off the tarmac as it was landing!  My phone was blowing up with concerned family and friends that knew we were flying in that night.  Luckily....it wasn't our flight and I was able to update facebook with the news that we were safe! Gosh I love facebook.....

The problem with living in Colorado and traveling to a sunny location in late fall is that the temperatures could very well be warm when you leave (so you don't bring winter coats) and then when you return 6 days later, it can be snowing and your vehicle can be frozen to the ground.

Plan accordingly.



Vacation Posts:

Great Things....On The Way

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter


Vacation Food Posts:

Three Broomsticks



Shop Amazon - Black Friday Deals Week

Another Greeley Story

We interrupt my vacation posts to bring you yet another outrageous story from my hometown of Greeley, Colorado!

According to The Denver Post, It seems that a woman was swimming in a zero depth swimming pool yesterday when her belly button ring got caught on the pool drain.

It took firefighters an hour to release her and they had to partially drain the pool!

How does this happen?  ONLY IN GREELEY!

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

It was a dreary and rainy day in Hogwarts but we didn't care.  It only made us believe more that we were in England and were about to meet our three best friends.  It also helped that half of the UK was on vacation with us so english accents were everywhere.  

We had to pinch ourselves to prove that we were not dreaming!

We hightailed it to the castle and it seemed to take forever!  It's at the far end so you have to walk quite a ways.  Ever so often you catch a glimpse of the castle and get so very excited!

We made our way to the Forbidden Journey ride.  Mallory wasn't tall enough to ride it but there is so much to see as you are waiting in line.  The tour of the castle was much too short because I really want to take more time but you have to keep moving.  Lines are shorter in November.

Universal Orlando has a brillant program called Child Swap!  This works great if you have a kid that isn't tall enough or family members that can't handle the ride.  They provide a little room just off from the line for the you to wait for your party to return from riding and then you can jump in to the line.

I had to ride alone because Alex was too scared to ride it again.  Be advised....it is a little scary and the fast moving.

Next was the Flight of the Hippogrift, a fun roller coaster that the entire family enjoyed!

Our final stop was Ollivander's Wand Shop.  This was the longest line we were in the entire week and it was well worth it.  

We passed the time by eavesdropping on our fellow line standers and trying to guess what country they were from.  I think the couple behind me were on their honeymoon and trying to make a little Harry while on line.  

The wand ceremony is really fun and if you're lucky a wand will pick your kid.  If you want to increase your odds....have them wear full Harry Potter regalia.  After the show....you get to enter a wand shop and let a wand pick you.  They have specially trained wand picker outter helpers that can assist you in finding YOUR wand based on your favorite numbers. 

The wands run around $36 each. 

Be advised that when you're five year old gets back to the hotel and tries to make her brother levitate and then discovers that the wand doesn't have any REAL magic and that she's not really a wizard, that she will cry and throw her wand across the room. 

Bygones.

All in all....THE best three and a half hours of our trip!

Click here to see what we ate and drank in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter!

 

Disconnected

I'm sitting in the school parking lot eating fried chicken. I'm waiting for my son to get early release from school and then I'm going home to work on posts about my trip...I swear!

Side note: did you read The Rookie Foodie today? I'm so freakin excited!

So...this morning I spent two hours in a meeting with moms from Mallory's class to plan the Holiday Party.

One of the Mom's (actually...it's Mallory's future Mother in law) is disconnected...from the world!

I didn't know there were still people in the world without Internet and phones that don't do anything other than call people.

It's been so long since I've been connected....that I can't remember what it's like not to be.

Do you know anyone that isn't connected?

Great Things...On The Way

I feel like I have so much to say about our trip to Orlando but I don't know where to start.

 I want to tell you about how we escaped from our semi-crappy hotel in the dead of night during rush hour with a cab driver that didn't read or speak english and I really want to tell you about all of the food and drink I had.  If you're at all interested in that part, I'll be telling those stories over on The Rookie Foodie.  (hint hint...go follow that blog)

I want to tell you about how my kids are still on Florida time and are up at the crack of dawn this morning and that I have ZERO desire to leave my house today.

I want to tell you that I thought about Owls during the whole trip and why. (hint hint...it's about Christmas)

And I really want to tell you about the very eventful flights in both directions and how my husband believes that I'm cursed and likely doesn't want to travel with me anymore.

Instead, I'll leave you with one funny Mallory story.

We were standing at the bus stop waiting to go to Disney Epcot when a man asked if we were from Colorado.  Both Alex and iKeith were wearing Bronco hats so everywhere we went people commented on them.  Mallory looked at him and said, 'How did you know that?  Is it because we speak english?'

The entire bus stop busted up in laughter!

Side note here: Apparently....we visited Orlando with half of Europe.  While American children are toiling away until Thanksgiving...Europe is on Fall Break and as my dear UK friend put it, it's bloody cold there!   We heard lots of accents and other languages.

Okay...one more funny story.  This one about iKeith.

Our shuttle bus from our hotel to Sea World and Universal Orlando was driven by a guy named Terry. He was so much fun and had the whole bus singing songs.  One day...we ran out of songs and he asked for suggestions.  My kids had been practicing a song that they have to sing TODAY at a book store and Keith broke out in that song.

He taught all of these Europeans a song about a turkey hiding in the woods to avoid being killed for Thanksgiving Dinner!  I found it so funny because they don't celebrate Thanksgiving.

Almost Home

Our flight leaves Florida at 4:53pm but until then...we're sitting in the Florida sun listening Jimmy Buffet by the pool!

Day One: Unplanned Thrill Seeking

Some people say that little rain clouds follow me everywhere I go. And by some people...I mean Keith.

He stopped taking me on vacation after a tsunami ruined our Orlando Honeymoon and torrential rains messed up our New York vacation a few years later.

I'm praying for NO rain this week.

I'm also praying that my husband stops messing with my carefully thought out plans.

Sea World....wasn't in my plans today but we had fun anyway. Okay...I had fun anyway.

My kids are little thrill seekers now. Unless it involves water and a 50 foot drop! I loved it!

Tomorrow...we see where Harry lives!

Are You Watching Nashville?

Are you watching Nashville?

Image Credit: Craig Sjodin/ABC

It's only a few episodes in so you still have time to catch up!  It's a great TV drama about an old country singer (think Faith Hill) and a new up and coming country singer (think Carrie Underwood) that are fighting for top billing in the music industry.  There are also a couple secondary story lines of a young girl that just wanted to write poetry getting discovered and the old country singer's Daddy (that's what you call him in the south) bing an evil doer and getting her husband to run for Mayor.

Daddy....is played by Powers Boothe.  You might not know that name because you aren't into old guys like I am but he always plays a bad guy.  I think he's fantastic as Lamar.  You get to learn some of the back story about why he and Rayna are always at odds.  A revelation that she doesn't make for 20 years!

All of the actors and acctresses on the show are doing their own singing and you can buy the songs you hear on iTunes the day after it airs.  I've already bought several of the songs but my favorite one is If I Didn't Know Better by Sam Palladio and Clare Bowen.

Nashville is one of the only shows that my sister also watches so we love discussing the show.  A few weeks ago, we were texting about it and I discovered that my dear iPhone (his name is Vern) doesn't like the word whore.

So You Want An iPad Mini?

So do I!

I think I have my dear Apple loving husband convinced that I need one since my children have claimed my first generation iPad as their own.

Here's what I use my iPad for....when I can get my hands on it.

Email
Facebook
Twitter
Angry Birds
Reading books
Updating books I'm reading on Good Reads
Checking the weather

All of these things are great activities for the iPad Mini.  I don't watch movies or TV on the iPad so the small screen size will be perfect for me.

In the keynote, they mentioned that the iPad Mini is as thin as a pencil and it's 53% lighter.  It has a 5 megapixel isight camera and you can face time with it.  FUN!

Now....iKeith did tell me that it does NOT have retina display like the other iPads so it won't be a clear as they are.  I'm fine with that.

Here's the price.

16GB $329
32 GB $429
64GB  $529

I'm also very fine with this lovely case that I found on Etsy by Iris and Lily.

Gratitude {5}

Every day at 3:20pm, I stand outside the building.  I chat with other Moms and check my watch. Like clockwork, the door swings open and I watch her walk out.  She's quite a bit younger than me and she wears the cutest outfits.

One by one they shuffle out the door with their giant backpacks that they will grow into soon enough.  I study each child's face....anxious to see the one that makes my heart sing!  There he is.  Normally, he spots me almost immediately and raises his hand to be dismissed.

Today, he's gazing at her....waiting for her to acknowledge him. She looks down and he wraps his arms around her....just for a second.  They smile at each other and he finally raises his hand and looks at me.

She is the other woman.

I knew this day would come someday.  I couldn't be the only woman in his life but I didn't expect him to become so attached to her.

He runs to me and tells me that it was the best day ever!

I'm so thankful that when my precious treasure is away from me, he's being taken care of so well.

This week....I'm grateful for the wonderful teachers and staff at my kids' school.

Ninja Training

Two days in a row this week we've gotten an email from our school principal alerting us that there have been attempts to abduct children nearby.  The first one was several miles away but the last one...at a park that we take the kids to all the time.

I'm thinking of buying a firearm.

I do have some experience with guns because I used to live in the country.  But I don't have formal training.  I'm looking into it.

Last night was our first real PTA meeting and I think many of us where enjoying the small break from our kids.  I don't know why PTA meetings get such a bad wrap!  Ours are fun and we laugh a lot.  Mostly because I use it as an opportunity to practice my stand up comedy routine.

In light of recent events, there was discussion about forming a watch dog group that would consist of Dads patrolling the school and grounds.  I know so many Dads that are worried sick about their kids right now.  I bet they would love the chance to be the protector at school.

The other topic of discussion was safety training for the children.  Everyone agreed that it would be a great idea and thought it would be well received and attended.  Our principal misunderstood how many classes we could have and suggested that we have a lottery drawing to make it fair.

I immediately pictured a scene from the Hunger Games with our principal pulling numbers from a hat to determine which of the students would learn how to escape from an attacker and which ones would not.

It made me laugh.  If my kids don't win the Elementary School Hunger Games, then I'm signing them up for Ninja training.

Models of Courage

Adrienne and I went to school together but we didn't know each other.  Our paths crossed a few times because we both sang in the choir but we were never friends.

Eight years later, we met officially and bonded over our love of food and Melrose Place.  She introduced me to fancy food and the proper way to set a table.  Every Monday night, I'd go to her house and watch our show. I'd bring wine and she'd make a great meal.

It was during this time that I learned that her Mom had breast cancer.  Her Dad was out of the picture and she was dealing with this alone.  She never really talked about how her Mom was doing but would share memories of her childhood with me.  Her Mother taught her to cook, sew,  set a table and how to serve a proper english tea.  These were the things that Adrienne had been teaching me!  Somehow I felt like I knew her Mom too.

On Christmas Eve of that year, Adrienne gave me a teapot and tea cup for Christmas.  Every time I use it, I think about Adrienne and her Mom and I hope that she is still a breast cancer survivor. It also reminds me to do my monthly exams and stay healthy.  I don't want to just be a memory to my kids.


 This October, Ford Warriors in Pink® has launched its first ever produced documentary, “Bang the Drum: Living Out Loud in the Face of Breast Cancer.” The film honors 11 men and women breast cancer survivors who have demonstrated strength and courage in their battle with its “Models of Courage” program. 2012 marks Ford Motor Company’s 18th year of support for the breast cancer cause. In that time, Ford has dedicated more than $115 million to the breast cancer cause.

 You too can get involved in this tremendously worthy program! When you buy Ford Warriors in Pink apparel at fordcares.com, 100 percent of the net proceeds go directly to support breast cancer awareness all year long.


 To keep connected, be sure to check out Ford Warriors in Pink on Facebook and follow @WarriorsinPink on Twitter.


 This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Ford Warriors in Pink. The opinions and text are all mine.

Necessary Evil

I started the weekend grateful for no plans and two full days of building legos, eating snacks, watching the food network and naps.

Two hours later, I was grateful that I had a down comforter because I found myself sick in bed with the stomach flu.  Keith kept the kids quiet with movies and popcorn while I slept.

The only good thing about the stomach flu....is the weight loss.

Saturday night, my world was ripped apart with news of another attempted abduction of a child the next town over....just 7 miles door to door.  I sat up in bed obsessively checking twitter because the grandmother of the victim had managed to snap a picture of the car with her cell phone.

I finally had to go to sleep....I was delirious with fever and fear.  But sleep didn't come easily because I was angry that my children aren't safe.  I tweeted that my kids were never going outside again....and I was only half kidding.

Sunday brought a beautiful Colorado day.  A perfect day for playing outside with friends.  Mallory asked to go outside but we had to say no.  Poor thing had a sick mama and a daddy on a deadline trying to work and take care of kids at the same time.  There wasn't an adult to go out with her...which is the new rule.

The new rule.

We have a bunch of new rules now.  You can't run ahead.  I have to be able to see you at all times.  Don't talk to or take anything from people you don't know.  Adults don't need kids help so if someone asks you to help them find their puppy you need to scream and run.  Run fast.

I hate the new rules.

But they are a necessary evil because there is evil among us and I can't have blind trust that they will be safe.  You all know me.  I'm pro-active and I can't sit and do nothing.  You know damn well that if someone harms ONE hair on my kids' heads that I'd go ape shit crazy.  Some of you think I'm already there.

With all of this said.  The one thing I could find to be thankful for this week is....Law Enforcement.

Bless them for all they are doing and have done to try to keep my community safe.

And Rest in Peace Jessica Ridgefield.

Helicopter Parents UNITE!

I wanted to tell you about a great new TV show that I watched last night but I can't.  I have to re-watch Nashville for a few reasons.  1.) iKeith wasn't home to watch it with me.  He was working late on a deadline.  IT'S APP SEASON, BABY! 2.) I cried through most of it.

There's been a lot of sadness in Colorado this week.  Friday morning, a 10 year old girl left for school and disappeared.  I've been watching twitter and facebook and the news like a hawk each time there is a press conference.  I've held my kids tighter and watched them closer.

Last night, they found a body. 

I considered sleeping in my kids' room last night.  Unwilling to let them out of my sight. Tears in my eyes and a heavy heart.  I tossed and turned until Keith finally came home.  I was uneasy until my family was all under one roof.

And now I sit here, coffee in hand....awaiting the 6:30am press conference.  My heart hurts for Jessica's parents and family.  I'm sure they didn't sleep at all and won't for awhile.

Please, if you can...say a prayer for Jessica Ridgeway's family today.  Keep them in your thoughts.

And hold your kids a little tighter.

If you need me, I'll be sitting in the lobby of my kids' school.

Helicopter parents UNITE!

Update:  Westminster PD will not confirm that the body they found last night is the body of Jessica.  They are still searching.  I'm feeling very uneasy.  

A Prince at Halloween

Once upon a time in 2006, a baby was born to a couple who didn't think they would ever have kids.

He was the first grandson for two families that prayed for him (and later...his sister) for years and years.

Never! Underestimate the power of a praying Mama.

On this boys first Halloween, many aunts and uncles were excited for him to wear a costume and packages arrived to the state of Utah bearing gifts.

A pumpkin from Texas and a cow from Colorado.  Mommy and Daddy bought the lobster!

This is the life of the heir of a family name and fortune.

I imagine this must have been what it was like for Prince William too.

Gratitude {4}

This weekend, we went to Black Hawk and stayed as guest of my brother in law at the Ameristar Hotel and Casino.  My kids love this place for two reasons:

• The 34th floor roof top indoor pool.
• The Crab Leg Buffet

I enjoy a few things:

• Starbucks
• Quiet time alone while they swim
• Crab Leg Buffet

This time we also got to watch fireworks from our room.  As you may recall, Colorado was on fire over the summer and many communities didn't have their fireworks displays.  Blackhawk rescheduled their Boom Town Fireworks for yesterday.

It was a blast!

This morning, I enjoyed a cup of Starbucks coffee, CBS Sunday Morning and quiet time.  I'm so grateful for little pockets of quiet time!

That's Amore

A few weeks ago, we went to the Belmar Italian Festival in beautiful downtown Lakewood!  It's always so much fun to go to this event because it usually falls around my birthday and I like to celebrate for several weeks.

I'm a princess, dammit.

One of the cool things about this event is the flag throwers.  These guys in tights and beautiful jackets come down the street with flags and when they get to the center of town, they throw them at each other and into the air.

As I watch these beautiful men and their talent in tights, I'm really drawn to the one in blue.

I tweet this picture with the caption...My next husband will be Italian!

Then a few days later, I was going through old pictures and I realized that I've had a thing for this guy for a while.

It appears I took his picture the year before.

I think it's fate!

When the stars make you drool just like a pasta fazool
That's amore
When you dance down the street with a cloud at your feet
You're in love
When you walk down in a dream but you know you're not
Dreaming signore
Scuzza me, but you see, back in old Napoli
That's amore

Disclaimer:  I'm not running off with or in love with the nameless Italian guy in tights.  Let's call him Giovanni.  Yeah, I am NOT running off with Giovanni.  I love Keith every much.  

Gratitude {3}

Making memories.

We do not remember days; we remember moments.  ~Cesare Pavese

These are the days of the endless summer.

These are the days, the time is now.

There is no past, there's only future.

There's only here, there's only now.

~Van Morrison