Rounding Out April

Obviously I'm still having the love-hate relationship with this blog. I am still slowly posting but it is so sporadic and for that I apologize. 

I already posted about two events that happened in April: a Taekwondo tournament and our trip to Carpinteria. Believe it or not, other things happened too! 


First of all, I cannot believe I have not yet posted the April Fool's Day food that I made for the kids. Originally I didn't think I would continue the tradition, mainly because I was so busy with work and life, but I could not quit this fun holiday just yet. 

The kids knew it was coming this year. I offered them juice when they got home from school and  right then they figured I was up to something. 

"Juice" was actually Jell-o that was cooled with a straw inside.

"Fried Egg" Sundae is pudding, marshmallow cream and ice cream.

I also checked another item off my Life List: #89 Bet on a Live Horse Race. My youngest sister, Ashley, was in the Bay Area for work. My schedule was crazy busy that week so we decided to meet up Sunday afternoon at Golden Gate Fields to watch some horse races. I had so much fun! 

It was Dollar Day that day so parking, admission, beer, hot dogs, etc. were all just $1. I decided I was willing to lose $20 on bets but ultimately ended up winning most of the bets I placed. I think I walked away $4 ahead. 

My first bet!

It's a winner!

Me and Ashley

The last post-worthy event was a 5K race that the kids and I ran to support the local school district: Race for the Stars. It was a cold, cloudy, drizzly morning and we were feeling lazy but we braved the run anyway. 

Josh ran the full 3.1 miles without stopping to walk and finished at about 29 minutes. Carley's leg was bothering her and it was painful to run so she and I walked the majority of the race and finshed at 50 minutes. 

As usual, we hung out at the post-race expo for a little while before heading home. There was a bike raffle, which we knew nothing of, and in the background I hear Carley's name being called. Apparently all of the children racers were entered into the raffle. Sure enough, Carley won a bike! It is a little big for her but she is outgrowing her small one so the timing couldn't have been better. 

Pre-race

Josh at the finish line.

Sweaty hugs

Feeling proud

Carley's new bike

Wait. There is one more thing to post about, Easter! Our Easter was pretty simple. We dyed a dozen eggs, the kids got simple and small baskets, and the family went to Sarah's house for an Easter potluck meal. 

And that wraps up April. 

Our First Cruise: A Day in Miami

Our boat returned to Miami early in the morning but our flight wasn't until the next day. We disembarked the ship about 10:30 am, caught a cab to the airport, rented a car and spent the day seeing some sights.

We decided to go to the Florida Everglades first.


We took a tour of part of the Everglades with Everglades Safari Park. I didn't know much about the Everglades or how close to Miami it was before that day.


Alligators live right there!




Our first airboat ride was awesome! The boat is so loud we had to wear earplugs.


It was so fast. We would even drift the turns. It was so much fun!




The tour guide knew right where to find an alligator. Apparently alligators claim their own individual territory and stay there.


The guide parked the boat and talked to us about the alligators and the Everglades. This alligator wasn't shy; he came right up to the boat after we parked in his territory.


The Everglades were gorgeous.

We saw several alligators and turtles in the water heading to and from the Safari Park.


Back at the Safari Park, Josh and Carley got to hold a baby alligator.


After the Everglades tour, we headed to Miami Beach.

Originally I wanted to visit South Beach but traffic and parking were so ridiculous. It probably took us an hour to get to nearly Mid-Beach before we finally found parking!


I actually don't know what beach we ended up on. All I know is we were in Miami Beach, Florida at the Atlantic Ocean and that was good enough for us.


The sand wasn't a soft as in the Caribbean and the water wasn't as clear but the ocean was still surprisingly warm. The kids dove right in!



This picture just makes me smile. Josh is swimming in the background and all we can see is his feet sticking out like a whale's flukes. In the far distance is the Carnival Glory, our cruise ship, heading back out to sea. We wished we were still on it!


One of the reasons to head to the beach after spending many days on beaches during our cruise was to check Life List #59: Swim in the Atlantic Ocean off my list! Check.

For that matter, Life List #58 is "go on a cruise" so I guess I can check that one off too!



Looking back through the vacation pictures to post on the blog has been a real treat. I do remember the little things that were irritating such as Josh and Carley bickering a lot, Carley saying "this isn't as fun as I thought it would be", or the several other things. But those irritants don't matter much. All I see and feel from these photos are joy, adventure and fun. I had such a wonderful time. I'm so thankful for my hard working husband who was able to provide us with such a great experience. I am so appreciative that he and I were able to give this experience to our kids. 

Cheers!

Life List #50: Share a Bottle of Expensive Champagne With Someone Special and Also My Birthday

39!

As it turns out, 39 is the birthday where I just wanted to dig in my heels and run the other way. I have always looked forward to every age and every birthday but that attitude seems to be gone. I don't know what it is about 39 but I finally get the "anniversary of my 29th birthday" thing.


This is my "no way ever am I turning 39" face.

(Actually it's the "okay kid, hurry up and take the picture" face.)

This year my birthday coincided with the three-day weekend to celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. and so we escaped to Tahoe for the long weekend. Our friends, Wendy and Chris, went in on a rental house with us.  Even though the trip wasn't to celebrate my birthday, we did, in fact, celebrate my birthday while we were there.


I swore up and down that I did not want a present this year; getting away with the family was gift enough. Walt wouldn't have it though. He bought a gift and brought it along.


His gift was two new champagne toasting flutes and a bottle of Dom Perignon champagne.

A bottle of Dom Perignon!


Apparently he knew it was on my Life List. Life List #50: Share a Bottle of Expensive Champagne With Someone Special. The timing couldn't have been any more perfect. The occasion was special but not over the top. The champagne became the celebration, not me turning 39. At least that's the way I spun it in my head.

Dom Perignon Brut was light and bubbly and delicious, completely unlike the $10 bottle I drink on New Years Eve. I have never had champagne like that before and hope to have it again someday.


I'm officially 39. It is going to be a good year.

Cheers.

Finally Another Post

Here is a quick update of the past six weeks. I have been horrible about posting to the blog, which seems to be fizzling out. I don't want the blog to go away. I have loved updating everyone who reads about what we do as a family. After the Great Hiatus, it seems not too many come back to read. That coupled with me photographing less then the blog started to fizzle. So if you're out there and you read this let me know. Be like the Whos in Who-ville in Horton Hears a Who and make yourselves heard so this very small blog will not have to die.

On to this post.

We went to the county fair in May. Mainly we went to see the Demolition Derby but we enjoyed a few other things while there, like cotton candy.

 

The kids rode one ride. This sort of trap-your-kid-in-a-hamster-ball-and-let-them-run-on-water type of ride.

They loved it.

The Demolition Derby was fun. There were three rounds in the Derby and after each one Carley excitedly asked "is there another one!?"

The only woman driver won the Derby. You go, girl!

Father's Day was simple and quiet. It was during Walt's work week so we had our barbeque "dinner" at noon so he could get to sleep. 

Carley loves all holidays. She helped me make the Super Dad sign in the photo above this one. She also modeled three outfits to see which one her dad wanted her to wear on his day. Man, I love her. 

Josh and Carley walked in a parade with their Tae Kwon Do school. 

They handed out fliers with coupons for free classes. 

The kids and I made an overnight trip to Red Bluff to visit family. Leyton, my nephew, had a sleep over at my dad's house with us. 

Leyton showed the kids how to do flips off the diving board into the pool. 

Josh was so nervous that he'd do a back flop. Sure enough, his second attempt ended in a back flop and it stung! That was enough for him for now. 

We planted a garden this year but it isn't as productive as the first garden we grew. Carley and I started these flowers from seed. I can now cross another item off my Life List: #45 grow flowers from seed to bloom. 

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls: Life List #57

Lately I've been feeling uncreative and like I have nothing to photograph. I want to photograph something but the intensity of my last semester of school sort of squelched my creative abilities. Or at least my creativity is in hibernation. 

One thing I like to document through photography is accomplishing the items on my Life List. I figured it could give me something small to focus on, just a little something to make me pick up my camera. So yesterday I did.

Life List #57: Make cinnamon rolls from scratch.

I used The Pioneer Woman's recipe. I didn't realize until into the process that her recipe is for 40-50 rolls! Half the dough is still sitting in the fridge until later today.













I ran out of powder sugar so the maple icing was a little runnier than it was supposed to be.

The final result was one thumb up. I think I would have gotten two thumbs up if Carley wasn't busy finishing the last of her cinnamon roll. They were absolutely delicious!