Sssh....don't tell anyone...we're cheating on CSR -- Contest -- Days 6 & 7--#3516

[KatMark]

Oh yeah, rub THAT in her face!!!
Wow, ruthless!!!



As much as I would love that, I'm trying to drop a few pounds so probably best not to tempt me with your delicious cookies!!!

Me too! That's why I've not made any since Markie's graduation.

Morning Kathy! I'm behind as usual. Sigh.

Love the umpire picture of Mark! He looks so professional, you can tell him I said that! And how sweet that he's raking in the dough for Nickiland. It's nice that he has his priorities in order.

Aw, Markie and his GF are sooo cute! She looks very sweet. And congrats to him on his wrestling win!

I can't believe you're getting so close to your trip. I can hardly wait for the TR and you haven't even left yet!

Plans are all looking fabulous, I know you'll have a wonderful time, especially if Nicki has anything to say about it.

Oh, and how is sweet Nicole feeling? She's been in my prayers Kat, I hope she's doing well.

Thanks, Molly (and I've missed you). Mark takes his umpping very seriously. Well, that is except when he is screwing around with the little kids and turning their bats around on his head or hiding the ball.

Markie was very happy with his win.

I have a call in to Nicole today.

im just being a gentleman and letting you ladies win.

Sure you are, Dan.

well now marv, since we havent had her cookies yet, maybe they would help you drop a few pounds, she never said if people were able to keep them down, or if after they eat them, they toss there cookies.

And I thought I liked you, Dan. You just ask my youngest son who is an authority on Chocolate Chip Cookies. He says I make the best in the world, and the wrestlers at the high school must think so too since after he's been gone five years, I'm still making them cookies for the new wrestlers because they won't let me stop!

Kathy is not 60

Thanks for sticking up for me, Rosie!

 

[KatMark]

Loving this picture!!!!





I'm glad because I don't want to get the MODS on you again!!!!


Congrats to Markie!!!!!!!




I can't believe you are in the 60's!!!! Man, your time is flying by!!!!

Hi, Tim. It's so good to have you back....I've missed you my friend.

Thanks for the comments on my "ump" and my "wrestler."

Honey, if I were in my 60's, I'd already be living in Florida.

 

[that's nice]

Honey, if I were in my 60's, I'd already be living in Florida.

LOL I've have to visit you in the 55 and older trailer park!

 

[KatMark]

LOL I've have to visit you in the 55 and older trailer park!

I'm not 55 yet either!!!!!

 

[mommy2mrb]

love the photos of your guys!
congrats to Markie on his win! they are a cute couple!!

 

[pinkxray]

A little late but-

Congrats to Markie on winning the tournament.

Love the umpire picture of Mark. 8 games in a weekend sounds exhausting.

 

[Amy&Dan]

Hey Kathy, I am so sorry about Andy's girlfriend, that is just beyond belief for someone so young.

Love the picture of Mark and the one of Markie (very lovely girlfriend). Nicki money is a good thing!

I thought about you everytime I walked by the Plaza last month.

Sorry I have been off your trip report, I get behind and then I can't get caught up! But got caught up with you and Lisa's reports today so who says I didn't get a thing done all day???

That is one nice condo in Marco. As you know we are big Marco Island fans too!

 

[inkedupmomma]

congrats to your son, and love that pic of Mark! yer outtaaa heaaaa!

 

[FauntleroyFAN07]

And I thought I liked you, Dan. You just ask my youngest son who is an authority on Chocolate Chip Cookies. He says I make the best in the world, and the wrestlers at the high school must think so too since after he's been gone five years, I'm still making them cookies for the new wrestlers because they won't let me stop!

im just trying what i use on a lady in the office, she makes a baked good, and i tell her it is good but she should try better next time, which is a cue that we like them and she should make them again for us.

she knows we are teasing her and she likes to bake for us, so it works...its a good way to say that you like them and want them again.

 

[mom3sonstt]

im just trying what i use on a lady in the office, she makes a baked good, and i tell her it is good but she should try better next time, which is a cue that we like them and she should make them again for us.

she knows we are teasing her and she likes to bake for us, so it works...its a good way to say that you like them and want them again.

My husband works in HR where he is at now (his post-retirement job) and for any potential worker at their office (he hires for sites across the country) he makes sure they are aware that it is an office that "likes to eat". His contribution is keeping the candy jar full - others bring in baked goods.

 

[brookelizabeth]

I was going to do replies and the next day of our Marco Island portion of the trip, but we got some really bad news today. Andy's ex-girlfriend (the one I thought would be my daughter-in-law at some point), has a cancerous tumor by her cervix. She starts chemo on Thursday. Despite the fact that things did not work out with her and Andy, she is a very sweet girl (and young -- she is only 23) who we absolutely love, and we ask that you pray for her that the chemo works.

I just saw this - along with the update - she will be in my prayers! It's sad when anyone has to go through that, but at the age of 23...

As I've mentioned before, Mark is definitely NOT big on dressing up for Halloween, etc. However, he has agreed to go as a pirate for the MNSSHP party if I didn't go crazy. So on our first day at the MK, we will get some type of pirate hat at the dump shop outside of POTC. And I got these matching t-shirts for us to wear. I figured this was about all he would put up with:

VERY cute!!! You guys will look great!

Second, I have a DIS meet in Chicago on July 25. Captain_ Oblivious (Mark) and FreezinRafiki (Barry) are coming to Chicago. The gals are going to the American Girl Store on Michigan Avenue and having lunch there. The guys are going to Wrigley Field for a tour and then meeting me for lunch Downtown. So I will have the pleasure of being in the company of five gentlemen (okay, three...I don't want to give Mark and Barry big heads). I'm really looking forward to meeting these great guys.

Sounds like that will be a fun one!!!

Here is a picture of my wonderful husband doing what he has to do for that extra money so we can go see Nicki (we call it the Nickiland fund):

He has games this weekend (8 of them) and then 8 next weekend and then the season is over. Well, there is actually a tournament the last weekend of the month, but Mark has to go to Vegas for a business trip (poor guy).

We are taking Friday off of work and going to the Zoo. Hopefully it will cool off a little as it is supposed to be mid-90's all week. Although being in the 90's would be okay...it will get us ready for walking at Disney World.

68 days until Disney.

Back with a Disney update later today or tomorrow.

In the meantime Mark, our youngest was coaching at a summer tournament in Iowa where they were also having an "old-timers" category as well. Mark has not wrestled (except practicing with his kids) since February of 2009. He took first place at the tournament. Here's a photo of the champion with his girlfriend:

Congrats to Mark, and what a good man you have there-working so hard for the Nickiland fund!

Your plans are looking wonderful. Your pictures of the beach made me sigh...I would love to be there today!

 

[KatMark]

love the photos of your guys!
congrats to Markie on his win! they are a cute couple!!

Thanks, Lisa. I am hoping to meet her soon.

A little late but-

Congrats to Markie on winning the tournament.

Love the umpire picture of Mark. 8 games in a weekend sounds exhausting.

Thank you, Diane. And you are NOT late....we all get busy with real life.

Yes, 8 games can be exhausting...especially when it is so hot.

Hey Kathy, I am so sorry about Andy's girlfriend, that is just beyond belief for someone so young.

Love the picture of Mark and the one of Markie (very lovely girlfriend). Nicki money is a good thing!

I thought about you everytime I walked by the Plaza last month.

Sorry I have been off your trip report, I get behind and then I can't get caught up! But got caught up with you and Lisa's reports today so who says I didn't get a thing done all day???

That is one nice condo in Marco. As you know we are big Marco Island fans too!

Hi, Amy. She is hanging in there...still no being sick which is a good hting.

I like the pics too.

No apologizes necessary...I know the feeling (I'm behind on several right now).

congrats to your son, and love that pic of Mark! yer outtaaa heaaaa!

Thanks, Jenn. You should be an ump...you have that call down good!

im just trying what i use on a lady in the office, she makes a baked good, and i tell her it is good but she should try better next time, which is a cue that we like them and she should make them again for us.

she knows we are teasing her and she likes to bake for us, so it works...its a good way to say that you like them and want them again.

Good recovery, Dan.

My husband works in HR where he is at now (his post-retirement job) and for any potential worker at their office (he hires for sites across the country) he makes sure they are aware that it is an office that "likes to eat". His contribution is keeping the candy jar full - others bring in baked goods.

Tanya, I keep a candy jar on my credenza for nibbles during the day for my floor.

I just saw this - along with the update - she will be in my prayers! It's sad when anyone has to go through that, but at the age of 23...



VERY cute!!! You guys will look great!


Congrats to Mark, and what a good man you have there-working so hard for the Nickiland fund!

Your plans are looking wonderful. Your pictures of the beach made me sigh...I would love to be there today!

Hey, Brook. Cancer is an evil thing and I hate even saying the word. As my late Dad would say, it's just not right for it to happen to someone that young. He always said, that should happen to people my age if it happens to anyone, but never one so young. Hopefully she beats this and have it behind her soon.

I'm glad you liked our t-shirts; I'm very happy with them. If Andy goes with us, he won't have one, but I'll get him a pirate hat.

Mark is great to work out in the heat to do all of the games to give us vacation money. I have to remember that when he ticks me off.

I wish I was at the beach right now too.


To all, sorry no update...between the heat and us melting lately, I've just not gotten around to it.

I hope to get an update (I know I promised that a few days ago) soon. We went to the Zoo yesterday for our "Disney practice" of walking in the heat and humidty and will post some of those pictures a little later and then do the next day update. We are less than nine weeks away from our trip.

 

[MaryAz]

 

[Poolrat]

We are less than nine weeks away from our trip.

That means I am too!!! I have been so busy I am not even keeping count.

 

[KatMark]

Hi, Mary. Hope you had a great time in Vegas with the girls. I can't believe we will be seeing you and the girls soon.

That means I am too!!! I have been so busy I am not even keeping count.

Yes, Pat. For us we will be there nine weeks from this past Thursday. When do you arrive?

 

[KatMark]

Well, it has felt the last two weeks, give or take a day, like we were living in Florida. We have been melting with temperatures in the high 80's, low 90's and then the HIGH 90's...we actually hit 99 two days in a row, with a heat index of 110.

So with all the umpping Mark has been doing and my not seeing him on the weekends, I suggested we take yesterday off and go to the zoo and spend the day together. So that is what we did.

They predicted another scorcher -- mid 90's for the day and a chance of an isolated shower.

We arrived at the Zoo at 9 a.m. as there was no traffic. The Zoo didn't open until 9:30, but we sat and drank our coffee until it was closer to 9:30 to buy your tickets. We decided when purchasing our tickets that since we like the Zoo so much and try to go at least twice a year, that we would become Zoo members as we had been when the kids were little. So for $108, we joined the Zoo (the money helps the animals after all). For this $108, we get into the Zoo free for a year, the Children's Zoo free and we got 6 guest passes and four passes for the Dolphin Show and the Motor Safari.

At 9:30, we headed to the new bear exhibit first. The bears weren't out yet, so we decided to go check out some other animals. As we were walking, the sky got pitch black and it started thundering really loud. We found refuge in a house where there were a bunch of Australian (I think they were Australian) dogs and sat in here for 45 minutes watching the dogs play while we waited for the storm to pass. It was a nasty one, but we have been without any significant rain for over three weeks so it was much needed.

After the rain, we started on our way in search of some animals and came upon some of the following:

Sloth bears playing:

King of the Jungle:

Continued in next post

 

[KatMark]

From there, we went to the Dolphin Show. Brookfield Zoo has been working with dolphins for 50 years and just recently had a full rehab of their dolphin home.

First, we went to view them underwater while we waited for the show to start.

Their new home:

After the dolphin show, Mark wanted to go see the elephants. So we headed to the Elephant house. It wasn't too hot, so we figured they would be outside, but we didn't see them, so we walked the long way around to go into the house. On the way, we saw these guys:

So, we got to the house, and NO elephants. When we were there last year, they had two. It appears that one died about two weeks after we were there last year and the other one was returned to join her "sister" in St. Louis which will enable Brookfield to redo their entire "indoor elephant facility." Mark was VERY disappointed. But he said, "at least I get to see MY FAVORITE elephant in two months -- DUMBO!

So next up, it was time to go back to the bears. Continued in next post.

 

[KatMark]

Bear picture overload

Then it was my turn to see my favorite animal:

Then it was time to go to Tropic World:

Up next, no trip with Mark is complete without at least ONE hat photo (got to practice for all those hats in Disney.

 

[KatMark]

So no trip anywhere is complete without at least one hat picture:

Had to have a picture with an "elephant"

We had a great day "practicing" all of our walking and "hat trying" on for our Disney trip.

The next day of our September trip coming up soon.

 

[Poolrat]

Yes, Pat. For us we will be there nine weeks from this past Thursday. When do you arrive?

I arrive Sept 27th. While I am anxious to go, I have not really "planned" out my trip. I think when my summer slows down a bit I may be able to look at it but really I have a couple of things up in the air that may play in to what I do when.