Camping and Winning

We went this weekend camping, since the summer is winding down and we need to go more then twice this year. The weather was great, except for the storm on Friday night. Here were some of the clouds that blew in. They look like big marshmallows and made me hungry for smores.

So since it was raining on Friday night my mom, Darryl and brother-in-law Brian decided to play Euchre. I had been a long time since I had played so I was a little rusty. We played 4 games with the boys winning 2 games and the girls winning 2 games. It was getting later so we stopped.
The next morning after breakfast Trevor and I decided to play Battleship, I ended up winning so he decided to play Darryl....and Trevor won which was just the begging of Darryl's losing streak.
We then decided to play Sequence and Trevor won a game and I won a game and Darryl won 0 games.
After supper my sister got out a new game she bought which is like redneck golf except the thing you throw your balls on to spins. You can kind of see it in the picture. So Trevor and I played against Darryl and Brian and guess who won twice.....That's right Trevor and I.

So after another defeat we decided to finish our Euchre game since it ended at a tie. Darryl and Brian wanted to do the best out of 7 instead of best out of 5 so my mom and I agreed. And low and behold who won the next 2 games.....you guessed it baby my mom and I. Darryl took it in stride but he did have a losing weekend. Getting beat by his wife and son at all the games we played.

It was a fun weekend.

NYC Funny stories and things seen

Since I already did a basic NYC vacation blog in this one I'm going to include funny tales.....or at least funny to the four of us that went.
When we set a date to stay in NYC we needed to look for a place to stay. We had always stayed at a hotel that basically had two beds and a bath and no room to move around in for $200 a night. This time we decided to look on craigslist and VRBO web sites to try and find an apartment to stay at where we would have more room and at least a mini fridge to hold some breakfast items. Sherry Sullivan found a place in SoHo so it was south of Times Square. But that was OK because the price was right and we spend most of our time in southern NYC anyway. I think it was about 3 weeks before we had to leave the owner of the apt. e-mailed her to let her know there was a fire in the building and the place we were going to stay in had smoke and water damage and he didn't know if he would have it ready in 3 weeks. So we started looking again. This time it was harder because the cheaper places were gone and we were all on a limited budget. Well I was able to find a place off Times Square and was able to negotiate the owner down to an OK price. We had never met this man, I just knew his name was Eran and his accent sounded like he was from the middle east. So not knowing anything about him and paying all up front via paypal we hoped for the best. We arrive and Eran is there to greet us, and he was a very nice Jewish man around my age (mid 30's). I didn't ask and his ad didn't say what floor the apt. was on. And yes you guessed it it was on top the third floor. But hey it was only 39 steps up each time......and 39 steps down :( He did help carry luggage all the way up and we laughed at the climb we were going to have to make every day. I believe Sherry S. took a picture of it to use as black mail on me since I found the apartment.

So between the 39 steps straight up each way and walking about 10 miles a day in NYC and climbing I don't know how many subway steps up and down......my butt and calves should be made of steel by now as well as all the other girls. I'm in shape running 2-3 miles a day but I have to say next time we go I need to work the muscles you use when climbing steps. There were times I was so tired when we came back that I had to pause during my 39 step climb. One thing about NYC the only obese people I saw were visitors . Otherwise because of all the walking people are in great shape there.

On Sunday we did our department store shopping. We happened to find a Burlington Coat Factory which we didn't know that they had, but I love that store and make Sherry S. take me to it when I visit her in Des Moines, since it's the only one in Iowa. So I found some clothes to try on and go to the dressing room......standing outside the dressing room talking to someone was a French Lady. Now you ask how do you know she was French. One the language she was speaking and secondly she had her arm up and was wearing a shirt that only went to her shoulder. That's right ladies.......full armpit full of black hair. It was the first time I have ever seen that and I hope the last. I think I'm still having nightmares about it strangling me. It was one of the grosses things I've seen in a long time. And I was in NYC where lots of gross stuff happens.

Another day when we were out and about we had the go light to cross and out of the corner of my eye I see a guy in weird clothes on a bike that has a flashing light. It's the middle of the day so there was no real need for a flashing light but considering what he looked like fine and I crossed and ignored him. Sheri Jones and her niece Tara were behind me and said did you see who that was on the bike with the strange outfit. I said no I didn't look because I thought he was just one of the many strange people in NYC. While neither one of them could think of his name but said he had been in some movies and he had almost ran into them on his bike. So after two days they came up with his name Matthew Modine. Sherry S. pulled up his pic on her iPhone and still a no with me. Even if he had almost hit me I wouldn't have known him, since he is a minor celebrity, beings that they didn't know his name.

We always go and see a Broadway show and this time we went to see Mary Poppins. It was very good. I would recommend seeing it in Chicago or if it comes around here. The set of it was as impressive as the performance. I don't know who did it....but bravo....come to my house and do it up. It truly was awesome.

I'm trying to think of any other funny or unique stories but am drawing a blank right now. As of now we are planning a trip back to NYC in October 2010. It's a little earlier then normal, we usually have at least two years in between but with Sheri J. having Mac graduate we need to make it earlier. Eran told us his apartment on the FIRST floor sleeps 8 so if you are interested in seeing NYC with Sherry S., Sheri J. her cousin Tara and myself, start planning and saving. You will need about $500 for air and room (maybe less depending on flight prices) and about $150 - $200 per day to spend depending on if you are looking for clothes for yourself or just shopping for others. We do go down to the wholesale jewelry district. This is where Ann Silva gets most of her jewelry for the Silver Spider at a great price. We also buy designer purses at a discounted rate. Plus sight seeing and a Broadway show at a discounted price of $50 - $70.
NYC is expensive but it is an amazing place that I love to go. So think about it....Oct. 2010!!

Back in the Big Apple

I got back last night from the Big Apple and had an amazing time. This would be my third year there and every year we see new things. The city is filled with so many historical buldings and museums and there are so many things to do.
This year we saw the broadway musical Mary Poppins and it was great, we went into Central Park and went to Belveder Castle again but also went to this fountain which was further away. We went shopping in SoHo for the first time and found some great shops and saw the Flatiron building. We went to Regis and Kelly on Thursday. While walking actor Matthew Modine almost hit us on his bike :) Went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, went to the top of the Rockefeller Center Building and got some amazing pictures of the whole city. We were able to see the Naked Cowboy, and the Navy ship the Intrepid.
It was a great time with a lot of walking and climbing up and down subway stairs and the 39 stairs it took to get into and out of our apartment we rented. My butt and calves should look great after 5 days of doing this.
So much fun and you are exhusted every night from all the walking....but it is so worth it. As of today we plan on going back September or October 2011.

Interesting vacation......weird events/people

Since it has been a month since my last post I guess I better get with it and put something up from our vacation. Now I already posted a photo album of different stuff, but I will use this blog to tell some interesting stories.
We went to Sea World twice on Monday and Wed. On Monday when we were leaving to catch our trolley back to the hotel, I see a lot of black smoke. As we get out of the park and closer to our pick up spot there is this city bus with the back on fire!!! The fire dept. was on there way but here is a pic that Darryl took.

So on Wed. we go back to Sea World and I don't have a pic of this, but first let me tell you that there are a lot of people from Europe that go to Orlando for vacations. And let's just say they are a little more daring with their clothes then us here in the USA. So it is getting later in the day and the kids and us are moving on to the next place to see. Darryl and I notice in front of us walking is a man somewhat dressed up and his wife/girlfriend. She too is dressed up in 3 inch heels and I white dress. The only problem is, is that the dress is um, see through. She was wearing a white bra and then your eyes moved down a little more. We could see a white line across the lower part of her back and then just a very small upside down triangle and then it disappeared into her......yes you are right. She was wearing a thong!!! Now, for her this was not a good look, had she been more of the size 0,2,4 or even 6 yes maybe but at a size 12,14 not so much. Luckily the kids didn't notice but it was a funny sight for Darryl and I.

Now let's move onto Disney's island. They had crab races. We were able to be the last team to get signed up and therefore the last crab which was #8 whom Trevor called Snapper. They did 4 heat races and then the top 4 would race again for the final race. Finally in the third heat Snapper won. We moved on to the final race.....this was for everything....a picture and a button :) It started out with #2 crab heading for the finish line and Snapper was still in his shell. But we cheered and told him to get out and off his butt and to get into the race. He listened to us. The #2 crab was far ahead and we had no hope but we just kept cheering and yelling at him to go. He started going faster and faster and catching up to the #2 crab and then he passed #2 on the left and the were so close. Then Snapper got that extra boost of if I finish will you people please leave me alone and let me be a crab and do what crabs do....and he WON!!! So here is our proud pic with Snapper the winner of the crab race on Castaway Cay.

The last Easter egg hunt

This morning was the Lisbon/Mt. Vernon Optimist Easter Egg Hunt in Lisbon. We have been doing this since Trevor was 3 I believe. Every year you take down to Gwen's 3 eggs with your child's name and grade/age on them. The Optimist Club picks them up in the morning and spends time hiding everyone's eggs plus a Golden Egg.

The goal is to find your 3 eggs first, second or third and tell the club member who is in charge of your age group. But also hidden throught out the park in a much harder spot is the grand prize of a golden egg.

This is Alivia's last year of doing the egg hunt as it only goes up to 4th grade. Although being that she's homeschooled and we so enjoy the egg hunt I thought about saying we held her back a year just so she could do it next year, and they would have to take my word for it since I'm the teacher:)

It was cooler this morning and attendance was on the low side. But they gave out the object of the game and sent the kids on there way. Alivia was busy running around trying to find her eggs and did find the first two pretty fast. She was having a harder time with the last one but in the meantime of looking for her last egg found the Golden Egg.

Now every year it has been that you had to find your three eggs first before you could look for the Golden Egg but this year they didn't say that. So before she picked it up Darryl went and asked the club member and he said, you could find the Golden Egg before you found your own three eggs. So Alivia grabbed it and ran off to tell the club member and give him her name.

So a BIG Congrats to my baby girl on a great job of finding the Golden Egg on her last time of doing the Lisbon Easter Egg Hunt.

April Fool's Day.....Red Hair!!

As I start this, I first have to say that I am the QUEEN of April Fool's Day jokes in our house.
I get Darryl every year with the kitchen sprayer joke. That is where we use clear tape and tape down the handle of the sprayer so when he turns on the water he get nailed. Now this morning it was all ready to go but he was running late and didn't have cereal so he had no need to turn on the faucet. So this morning we didn't get him but rest assured the day is not over yet :) My other classics are making fake puke and calling him during the day and telling him that Alivia is not feeling well and after he got home and he was in the back room she made puking noises and I yelled oh no Alivia just threw-up as Alivia and I went into the bathroom. Darryl got out all the cleaning supplies and just as he started to clean it up he realized it was fake puke.
Another really good one was after he got "fixed" I called him and told him I had been late and took a pregnancy test and I was pregnant. I think I may have even had one of my pregnant friends pee on a pregnancy test for me so I could show him as proof. On this one he was mad at the thought so I came clean soon after he got home :) But it got him good.

So today I did get him in a different way.....a red hair way with help.

Last week I scheduled a hair appointment for Darryl and it just happened to be today. At the time I set it up I had thought about doing something funny but didn't know what.

So on Monday after working out I stopped into Salon 30 to talk to Michelle about if there was any type of shampoo she could use that would color Darryl's hair. I had did an Internet search and couldn't find anything. Michelle was not there so I asked Laura and she didn't know of anything so I thought oh well we will just do the sprayer joke.
But Laura did give me Michelle's cell number and so I called her and she told me of a product called Fancyfull. It's a shampoo you can use to help keep your hair colored until you can get it colored professionally.

So yesterday I was in town went to Sally's Beauty Supply and found the product. Now most of the colors were that of normal hair color. I told the girl with purple hair who was helping of my plan. The only odd color was a bright orange. So I bought it for $6.00 and was on my way.
After getting back in town, I stopped by Salon 30 gave her the product and we went over the plan. I asked her if she was sure about helping me and although I think she was nervous she said "yes" she would.

That night we happened to get breadsticks from Paul Reever's and who happened to be working but a guy named Mike that works with Darryl. I told him of my plan and that I was going to drop off my camera so someone could get a pic. He said they have a camera there and he would get a pic.

So I go today and workout at 12:00 and he goes across the hwy for his haircut @ 12:15. I'm working out praying it goes well and he doesn't notice until it starts to dry at work. My plan worked.

Darryl gets to work and two guys give him a weird look and say nice hair. He thinks it is just because it was long an hour ago and now it is short. Then someone else says the same thing.
He goes into his office and the guy he works with also gives him a weird look but is on the phone so he can't say anything.

The two original guys come stand at his door and ask why his hair is red. Darryl laughs at them thinking they are trying to get him to look at his hair as an April Fool's joke. He leaves his office and another guy says why is your hair red. He also thinks he is in on the joke about his hair being red. To bring this story to an end he looks in the mirror sees his hair is red and calls Michelle @ Salon 30. She tries to do her best as he is giving her a hard time and tells him it washes out. He goes to where they have a large sink sticks his head under the water and out comes the red.
Now I would love to show you a pic but Mike didn't see Darryl come back to work and was too late in getting down there before Darryl rinsed it out :( But this is another April Fool's Day that will go down in history!!

The kids are already coming up with thoughts for next year. I can't wait...I love this day ;)

Hello Kitty

Although we live in town, around our area there seems to be a lot of
outdoor cats. Our beautiful calico kitty "Stinky" is strictly an inside cat. So when we do see another cat around the window we grab Stinky and let her see the outside cat so her animal instinct kicks in and she protects her home.
This involves her grunting and hissing and the hair on her back standing up as she lets the other cat know to get away.
It seems mean but we all get a big laugh out of watching her get all
worked up.
Yesterday a cat came and sat at the back door, you can kind of see her on the cement in the pic. I told Trevor grabbed Stinky and she did her thing. For the first time the cat just looked at her and stayed. So there you see Stinky sitting watching her and every now and then hissing but the other cat is sitting there looking at Stinky like yeah so what are you going to do. Your stuck inside with no claws and I will eat you up if you try to fight me. Or it was something like that in their smack talk.
Eventually Stinky got tired of just watching the cat and got down and soon after that the outside cat left. I guess the outside cat held her ground and won the face off of not leaving just because of Stinky.
It was a devastating loss for Stinky Studt and the first one in the 10 years that we have lived here. She is now on a strict training program to get her booty in shape for the next challenge of defending her home.