Nice Little Outing

Trent and I feel so lucky, we just got back from one of the best vacations ever. There are a lot of components that factor into what makes a vacation a "great vacation". I think the biggest factor in making this such an amazing vacation was the fact that we went from hellish winter in Erie, PA to perfect, sunny, beautiful southern Florida. I think that fact also contributed to why I experienced such a feeling ecstasy laying in the warm sand on the most beautiful beach in the continental U.S. Because this blog doubles as a photo album for us, be warned there are a lot of pictures. Here I am getting fried on our way out deep sea fishing
Trent and I on a bridge overlooking the Fort Lauderdale canals


On Fort Lauderdale Beach


Eating on the Boardwalks

Our hotel in Islamarada-central Keys in the Florida Keys

Driving down to Key West from Key Largo-breathtaking views, seriously

Trent on the airboat tour in the Florida Everglades

Trent and I in the Everglades-creepiest place that is somehow still beautiful

The beautiful canal streets leaving Fort Lauderdale and Miami-where Shaquille O'Neal has a place

Trent with the King Mackerel-we ate that fish a hour later at a trailer restaurant down in Islamarada-it was incredible

Key West

Trent and I going out snorkeling in Key West

Snorkeling-35 minutes later I was throwing up in this water with fish swarming around me eating my upchuck-At least the Barracuda's didn't bite-I'm not kidding. Shouldn't have swallowed so much sea water.

Just off the reef, Trent had just finished throwing up in this picture-same problem, we swallowed too much salt water. Thanks so much to my wonderful Mother-in-law for watching our kids for us and only knocking one hole in the wall.

Olivia's 7th Birthday

On the morning of Olivia's 7th birthday she had the biggest surprise she could have hoped for- her Grandma Kathy had flown in late the night before just in time to surprise her on her birthday.
Look at how happy she is!

Look at Sophie, this is on the first day of Grandma's visit, by the last Sophie was constantly in Grandma's arms. Grandma left yesterday and Sophie is still walking around the house looking for her (sad). Olivia's choice was to have her favorite cupcakes, check out Sophie stealing pieces!

Again, Olivia's choice was a Japanese Steak House (can't say the choice bothered me). Since we moved in the fall, we had not been to one in Erie, and I have to say this is one of the best we've ever gone to. Very authentic and a great seafood selection, which we all love!

Of course Olivia's favorite part was the drink with an umbrella, of course.

Happy Birthday, my first little one. I Love you more than I could ever express here.

And Thus It Has Begun

The snow has begun. We've been waiting in a somewhat uncertain anticipation for the snow to really start coming. We knew the snow and weather statistics moving up here, so we can't say we're shocked, but at just under 3 feet and counting...I don't know how to feel. A foot is expected today, and more tomorrow, the next day, the next day and so on. Snow is beautiful when it's more of a mild decoration outside, I'm not sure what to call it when snow is all you see outside. When mailboxes and fire hydrants have big long red poles on top so the plows don't hit them. I was told (when I was complaining at the bus stop it wasn't safe for the kids to ride the bus to school) that this is nothing, "it has only begun". Welcome to Erie.......

it's hard to capture the true amount of snow in a picture with snow drifts happening everywhere-I'll try to capture a better one next time

If anyone doubts the amount of snow Erie gets, check out the info about Erie, PA on Wikipedia, go now and think of us please the next time you see a blue sky and asphalt-no such things exists here in winter. The roads are only snow paths the skies are only clouds. But happiness is not found in the weather-or is it?

Christmas 2009

Christmas morning The girls are always much too spoiled by Santa, and grandparents, but for them it's magical and the greatest time of year, well except birthdays, and Easter, Halloween and........any other time they get spoiled.

I thought this was a cute picture of Maddie and Sophie sneaking eggnog in a wine glass, late Christmas day.
The girls favorite-a kids laptop





Olivia gave me this flower picture frame, she had been dropping hints for weeks about this present. I think she realized how much fun it was to to give a gift she paid for herself,(well kind of, I handed her the money and looked the other way-does that count?) "almost better then getting presents" actually was what she said-almost.



This little one woke up too early, actually now that I think about it, she's always up too early.




Sweet memories. The girls and Trent singing Christmas songs- Trent played the harmonica while the girls and I sang, I bet your wishing you were there to see such harmonious music being performed.

Oglebay

Our Christmas vacation! We escaped cold, cold snowy Erie, PA! We went to Oglebay Resort just outside of Wheeling, West Virginia. We only stayed a night and 2 days but it was "Wild and Wonderful", as West Virginia goes. Trent used to come down here in the summer for his management seminars-he always loved it and wanted us to come try it out-it was beautiful. West Virginia is so incredible hilly-I wish I would have taken pictures of the old rickety houses sitting on rocks, hanging over cliffs. Oglebay sits on the top of a-would it be a mountain?, or would it just be a large hill, either way it winds around and around going up with those 150 year old rickety houses dotting the cliffs. Oglebay Resort property is basically the whole entire top of the mountain, it's quite a sight.
Of course the indoor pools were the girls favorite.






The festival of lights is the main attraction Oglebay host in the winter. It was really nice, but we started it late and it goes on for miles...and miles.... The girls were all asleep by the time we made it back to the lodge. It was such a nice break and little vacation, hopefully we can make this a tradition.

Old Neighborhood

Ahh, the old neighborhood. The girls and I drove the 90 some miles down to our old neighborhood this last week over the break. It was so nice to see all our old friends, we miss all of you guys.

I'm so sorry Dave and Pam, they destroyed your basement.

Always hard to say goodbye, but we'll see them again-hopefully soon.

Beautiful

Isn't it beautiful when your kids take a nice photo-it truly is cause it's so rare. Another absolutely beautiful thing is when your youngest child finally learns how to put herself to sleep.