May 10, 2008 Ship of Thieves! Stealing the Magic..AGAIN!!! Panama Canal FL to CA!!! Part 4

[Jhalkias]

Great photos Noel!

I need to get to bed - nothing worth watching on TV . . . over a hundred channels, and nothing even catches my eye . . . when I was a kid, 3 channels on VHF, and another 3 on UHF . . . at least they played the "Little Rascals" or "Three Stooges"!

 

[gouodux]

Busy day. Left our home in the West Valley to drive to E Mesa for Shawn's sister's Wedding reception. They married out of town while we were on our cruise during Spring Break. The big problem was, here in Arizona, they have been repaving the freeways over the last few years with the rubberized asphalt. It seems only in Arizona do the shut down the whole stinkin' freeway on the weekends for like 5 miles at a time. Traffic backs up for miles. What is normally a 45 minute drive took 2 hours!!! For the folks in Arizona, it was Litchfield Park to Power road off the 202. Quite a hike. To top it off, there was a huge thunderstorm that past through while we drove there. It's the desert so imagine high, forceful winds (hard to keep the car on the road) with dust so thick the visibilty was very low. The outside temperature reading in our car was at 103 degrees (yes, we have already reached triple digits!) when we left our house, and went down to 74 degrees around downtown Phoenix. Anyway . . . . had a nice HOUR visit before we had to head back to the West Valley for Jenna and Kayla to make the Gwen Stefani concert at Cricket. Frustration over!

We are off to Vegas tomorrow morning for a week. Leslie is attending a conference and now Shawn is coming with the girls for a few days. The Store Manager at the Vegas location passed away on Friday after suffering a brain aneurism on Sunday. Quite sad, he was only 40 years old. The company Shawn works for is VERY family oriented (family owned, family run) and he is going out to lend his support. Apparently, something like this has never happened within the Leadership group in the history of the company and it is amazing to see how they are all coming together. People are flying in to Vegas from all over the country. It truly is a great company, they really stand behind their people.

Will work some fun in at the same time.

 

[birkner]

Great photos Noel!

I need to get to bed - nothing worth watching on TV . . . over a hundred channels, and nothing even catches my eye . . . when I was a kid, 3 channels on VHF, and another 3 on UHF . . . at least they played the "Little Rascals" or "Three Stooges"!

Of course, I am prejudiced and think they are all amazing!!

Isn't it amazing when you have every channel available that you have to resort to paying for an on demand movie or watch an old DVD?

Night John.

 

[birkner]

Busy day. Left our home in the West Valley to drive to E Mesa for Shawn's sister's Wedding reception. They married out of town while we were on our cruise during Spring Break. The big problem was, here in Arizona, they have been repaving the freeways over the last few years with the rubberized asphalt. It seems only in Arizona do the shut down the whole stinkin' freeway on the weekends for like 5 miles at a time. Traffic backs up for miles. What is normally a 45 minute drive took 2 hours!!! For the folks in Arizona, it was Litchfield Park to Power road off the 202. Quite a hike. To top it off, there was a huge thunderstorm that past through while we drove there. It's the desert so imagine high, forceful winds (hard to keep the car on the road) with dust so thick the visibilty was very low. The outside temperature reading in our car was at 103 degrees (yes, we have already reached triple digits!) when we left our house, and went down to 74 degrees around downtown Phoenix. Anyway . . . . had a nice HOUR visit before we had to head back to the West Valley for Jenna and Kayla to make the Gwen Stefani concert at Cricket. Frustration over!

Sound like a terrible drive with an amazing temperature drop. At least you had a nice visit!!

We are off to Vegas tomorrow morning for a week. Leslie is attending a conference and now Shawn is coming with the girls for a few days. The Store Manager at the Vegas location passed away on Friday after suffering a brain aneurism on Sunday. Quite sad, he was only 40 years old. The company Shawn works for is VERY family oriented (family owned, family run) and he is going out to lend his support. Apparently, something like this has never happened within the Leadership group in the history of the company and it is amazing to see how they are all coming together. People are flying in to Vegas from all over the country. It truly is a great company, they really stand behind their people.

Will work some fun in at the same time.

What a sad story about the Store Manager. I learned at a very young age that one should live every day with a zest, that life can be so short. However short or long a life is, it is a complete life. One should rejoice in the memories and show love to your own family as much every day as if it were your last day. DH and I never go to sleep angry. One never knows what the next day will bring so it is better to get mad, get glad and get over it in the same day.

Just my thoughts...

 

[EllaEnchanted]

I have 3 GK's that are coming tomorrow. Aspen is 12, Bailey is 10 and Spencer is 7. I will have to look for some current pics but here are some pics:

Aspen on the Magic:

Aspen and Bailey last year on the Magic:

Spencer, Pete and John on the Magic:

Great names, great looking kids, you're going to have a spectacular day tomorrow with them...enjoy!!!

 

[EllaEnchanted]

We had a very nice time. Sophia enjoyed the indoor inflatible place, and we then went to her Godparents for that party. The pink iPod shuffle for the 12 year old girl was a big hit.

Unfortunately though, Amy is coming down with some kind of cold, and did not feel the greatest all night.

Glad you had a great night out....sorry Amy is not feeling well. Get her to bed with plenty of fluids and sleep. Hopefully she'll feel better soon.

 

[EllaEnchanted]

John...hope you had a great time tonight!

We are home rather early Perla (the birthday girl) was sooooo sick She ended up vomitting 3x during the mass and then went home to sleep for a while. She showed up at the party at 615, made her entrance...spent a few moments in the bathroom and after the official gift ceremony went back home to sleep. It was heartbreaking to me. Here is a moment she has waited forever for and she couldn't enjoy it. She looked beautiful but so sick. I ran to my office and got her some homeopathics to try and help, but left after I gave them to her. Hopefully she will be able to go back in a while and at least dance with her friends.

As a side note, at one point, I did the panic, "I've lost my youngest child search" I found her outside with Perla and her mom. DD was walking behind Perla holding up her dress so it wouldn't get dirty because "it was so beautiful!" I thought that was so sweet. They were walking hoping the fresh air would make her feel better.

Kaylee, that's aweful...the poor girl, she must be so disappointed plus not feeling well. It's not like you could do it again another time.

How sweet your DD was holding up her pretty dress...it's the little things like this that make it so memorable for you.

 

[EllaEnchanted]

We're on page 998 now...just two more to go to hit the big 1,000...I'm sure we'll do it tomorrow.

I think Karen had a little too much wine when she said I needed to add another zero and make it 10,000...that or just way too sleepy!

 

[been2marceline]

I am 1957 - Sept 4th
DH is 1960 - Feb 16th

We are going to a 25 wedding anniversary party at a 5 star here in VA.

This is a great way to celebrate. They are sending a limo to pick us up.
5pm cocktails
7pm dinner

Stay the night

10am Brunch tomorrow morning

How fun is that?
Lisa

Lisa, we are almost reversed!! DH is August 1957 and I am December 1960!

Karen

 

[been2marceline]

We had a great time! We went out for dinner, we each had one drink, then came home and talked and laughed until 1:30am. Then we got up at 8am and talked and laughed until almost 2pm, went out for a late lunch, and she headed home right afterwards. She's a much happier person with the soon-to-be-ex out of the house.

Holly!! Excellent friend time! You're help with lifting her spirits will come back to you ten fold!!!

Thank heaven for good friends!

"...and in the end, the love we take, is equal to the love, we make..."

Karen

 

[been2marceline]

Thanks for the compliments. I did post the Chatty Cathy doll picture. My sister use to collect the Breyer horses.

Was going to mention the Breyer horses as well... I still have several of them from my "youth" as well!!

Karen

 

[disneylover5]

Lisa, we are almost reversed!! DH is August 1957 and I am December 1960!

Karen

What day in 1957? I think Katypop (my table mate!!) said her birthday is Aug 31st 1957!! And I am Sept 4th 1957!!

At my daughter's dance studio we have the "57" club.....there are so many parents born in 1957.

Noel - Here is a computer task for you...I have heard that the most babies born in USA was 1957 (height of the baby boom) until 1989 (when Daniel was born......)

My siblings were born in 1952, 1953, 1955, 1957 (me) and 1961. The only the middle 3 are left now......we were a true baby boom family!!

 

[disneylover5]

It was such a nice time at the anniverday party last night. They had a suite and at 5pm we all meet in their suite for drinks and snacks......looked out over the Blue Ridge and Sugar Loaf Mountain was right in front....so very beautiful. I was underdressed....most had on gowns and diamonds , But I have never felt comfortable dressing like that and I think I looked very nice.

Charley (the husband) had on a short sleeve shirt with a tie and no jacket....so at least I was more dressed up than him!!

At 7pm we went for dinner downstairs....lobster bisque, spinach salad, and then you could pick from 4 meals. I had salmon stuffed with scallops (still on my diet, so I am still trying to be careful).....dinner broke up at 11pm and I was exhausted. The entire group went to play pool and play darts (yes in the gowns) except me...I could not stay awake another minute and I had to get up at 3am to do the excursions for the Disney trip!!

My DH came into the room at 1:30am and I got up at 3am...It took me 1 hour to make the reservations and I did not get exactly what I wanted....many things were sold out. I had to reserve 3 staterooms for 6 excursions. I made 3Palo reservations ..... not much at all was left there.

We did not get VIP Pisa, so I may book a private excursion. It is the only one where you get to go up in the Leaning Tower....and my kids really want to do that.

Has anyone climbed the Tower of Pisa.......should this concern me?

Now it is 8:45am and we are usually up at 6am for church....so this is a very nice break for us!! DS17 is taking his sisters to church....and DH and DS17 have a charity golf tournament at 1pm.

Brunch is not till 11 and I am going in search of coffee now..

I really need coffee​

 

[disneylover5]

oh yes Karen,

I brought 2 bottles of Rosa Regala (SP?) and everyone loved it......after I finished drinking 2 glasses I did not drink anymore....wanted to be able to get up at 3am!!

 

[HollyTyler]

Fun Fortress

There is also another one not too far away called "Pump it Up"

Well, I'll bet it's similar to Crazy Bounce: http://www.crazy-bounce.com/index.html. Crazy Bounce has something like 10 giant inflatables, most are ones that are 2 stories high and you climb up and slide down. Tyler's favorite was the Titanic. Crazy kid! I wish we had something close enough to do his birthday party there next month.

 

[HollyTyler]

John...hope you had a great time tonight!

We are home rather early Perla (the birthday girl) was sooooo sick She ended up vomitting 3x during the mass and then went home to sleep for a while. She showed up at the party at 615, made her entrance...spent a few moments in the bathroom and after the official gift ceremony went back home to sleep. It was heartbreaking to me. Here is a moment she has waited forever for and she couldn't enjoy it. She looked beautiful but so sick. I ran to my office and got her some homeopathics to try and help, but left after I gave them to her. Hopefully she will be able to go back in a while and at least dance with her friends.

As a side note, at one point, I did the panic, "I've lost my youngest child search" I found her outside with Perla and her mom. DD was walking behind Perla holding up her dress so it wouldn't get dirty because "it was so beautiful!" I thought that was so sweet. They were walking hoping the fresh air would make her feel better.

How sad for Perla to be so sick on her special day. But very sweet of your daughter to help with her dress.

 

[HollyTyler]

We had a very nice time. Sophia enjoyed the indoor inflatible place, and we then went to her Godparents for that party. The pink iPod shuffle for the 12 year old girl was a big hit.

Unfortunately though, Amy is coming down with some kind of cold, and did not feel the greatest all night.

I hope Amy is able to get some rest this weekend to help that cold go away quicker.

 

[HollyTyler]

I have 3 GK's that are coming tomorrow. Aspen is 12, Bailey is 10 and Spencer is 7. I will have to look for some current pics but here are some pics

Beautiful grandkids Noel! Have fun with them!

 

[HollyTyler]

It was such a nice time at the anniverday party last night. They had a suite and at 5pm we all meet in their suite for drinks and snacks......looked out over the Blue Ridge and Sugar Loaf Mountain was right in front....so very beautiful. I was underdressed....most had on gowns and diamonds , But I have never felt comfortable dressing like that and I think I looked very nice.

Charley (the husband) had on a short sleeve shirt with a tie and no jacket....so at least I was more dressed up than him!!

At 7pm we went for dinner downstairs....lobster bisque, spinach salad, and then you could pick from 4 meals. I had salmon stuffed with scallops (still on my diet, so I am still trying to be careful).....dinner broke up at 11pm and I was exhausted. The entire group went to play pool and play darts (yes in the gowns) except me...I could not stay awake another minute and I had to get up at 3am to do the excursions for the Disney trip!!

My DH came into the room at 1:30am and I got up at 3am...It took me 1 hour to make the reservations and I did not get exactly what I wanted....many things were sold out. I had to reserve 3 staterooms for 6 excursions. I made 3Palo reservations ..... not much at all was left there.

We did not get VIP Pisa, so I may book a private excursion. It is the only one where you get to go up in the Leaning Tower....and my kids really want to do that.

Has anyone climbed the Tower of Pisa.......should this concern me?

Now it is 8:45am and we are usually up at 6am for church....so this is a very nice break for us!! DS17 is taking his sisters to church....and DH and DS17 have a charity golf tournament at 1pm.

Brunch is not till 11 and I am going in search of coffee now..

I really need coffee​

What a wonderful evening you had!

Tower of Pisa: Yup, I climbed it. Nothing to be concerned about. I think I remember hearing that there was some restoration work done to add some sort of stabilizing braces or something to stop the tilting. This was after I went (I went in 1987 or 1988). But I do remember feeling slightly disoriented while climbing, but in a fun way.

 

[HollyTyler]

Well, it's a beautiful day! Only 51 degrees right now, but supposed to hit 75!!!! Woohoo! Great because the rest of the week is supposed to be low 60s (which is still nice, in my opinion). Tyler and I are headed to the dairy cow barns at Michigan State University. MSU has so many great free things to do and see! The cow barns are fun because each cow has a cute name on their nametag. And you can watch milking at 2pm every day. He also wants to go see the sheep, horses, and pigs, but I doubt I can handle that much stink in one day. Last time we went to see the cows, I almost vomited a few times from the smell. Yup, pathetic city girl here!