Hey Everyone -
I just realized that some of the links for the pictures were incorrect. I have tried to fix them all but please let me know if one doesn't work. I wouldn't want anyone to have missed Ben's great photos from Busch Gardens or my photos of searching the shells in Longboat Key!!
I have also created a YouTube page. We are going to TRY and start taking more videos. There are a few on there from the last few days. Just look at the sidebar and the link will be there for you!
ENJOY!!
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Tampa - Gasparilla Style!
Today was a laid back day! We both slept in pretty late...Heather much later than I but we both got a good nights rest! After breakfast Heather took me over to Busch Gardens...it was only about 5 miles from our hotel. She dropped me off and returned to the hotel to get caught up on some work and home stuff. She doesn't like roller coasters so there would be no point in her going with me. When I came with Kris and Shana I got the pass to return as many times as I want for the year...it was only an additional $5 so today was a free day at the park! I had a great time...no lines no waiting. I even managed to take some video on the roller coasters! Heather picked me up around 5:30 and we came back to the hotel. She had managed to get all her work done, get our information caught up, and hit the gym while I was gone. Our room has a kitchen in it so we made some dinner, played a game of Cribbage, and have been watching the Grammy's, doing our taxes, and catching up the blog all evening. Tomorrow we are going to check out the Yuengling Brewery and downtown Tampa! Should be fun!!
Day 90 - Tampa, FL - Cloudy and Rainy and Mid 70's:
We got up early, packed the car and said our goodbye's to Kris and Shana. We had a great stay in Sarasota and are glad we got to have some fun and soak up the sun. We headed north to Tampa for the annual Gasparilla Pirate Fest. We had heard many stories about how crazy the parade/party is, so even though there was a 70% chance of rain we decided to make an adventure out of if. We parked outside of Tampa in Ybor City and took the old fashion trolley car into downtown. Not our best idea because the trolley cars are a unique touch to the city but they ride like crap and are very slow. We finally arrived in-town and made our way to the parade route. We were only there for about a minute before it started to pour, so we ran along with a couple thousand other people to the Publix's across the street. We fought our way in and grabbed sandwich's and beer (well I had beer...Heather had Diet Coke) for lunch.
After our journey through Publix's the rain had turned to a drizzle and we lined up along the street and waited for the parade. If nothing else this was a great place to "people watch" we saw lots of pirates, wenches and drunk people. The craziness started once the floats came around the bend. The floats were all decked out and there were pirates galore but the real draw was the beads. I've never seen people so crazy over plastic beads. We saw a couple fights over the beads but the sheriffs were right there to keep everyone calm. We caught our fair share of beads even though we were in the middle of two trees...I actually think the trees caught just as many as we did. The parade was undoubtedly the longest parade I have ever been too but it was a great time! After the parade ended we wandered the streets and followed the crowd to a local restaurant/bar. We did quite a bit of people watching here too! It was interesting to say the least. After heading back to the center of town we made our way over to the new Waterfront Park. We grabbed some dinner at our new favorite burger joint FIVE GUYS! They need one of these in Maine...it is so good! From there we walked around the park until the Gasparilla evening concert featuring Collective Soul. We stayed at the show for about an hour (check out the videos) before Heather started to get too cold to be there any longer. Her pants were still wet from the rain earlier in the day...
We walked back to the Trolley Car stop and hopped back on to Ybor City. This part of town seems to have quite a night life. There were lots of lights and plenty of music but we were beat and headed to the car. We made our way back to the hotel and hit the sack. It was a day unlike any other we have experienced...I can only imagine what it must be like in New Orleans for Mardi Gras! or the Super Bowl? (hopefully we'll make it in time to watch them win)
Final Days In Siesta Key
Day 89 - Siesta Key - Mostly Cloudy Upper 60's:
Today wasn't as nice as we had anticipated! We hit the beach nonetheless. Kris wore SPF 30 today and didn't take his shirt off the entire time we were at the beach. After the beach Kris headed to see Shana at work while Ben and I headed back to the house. I ran a couple of errands while Ben started packing.
Once Kris and Shana were out of work, we headed to Sarasota for LUNAR MINI GOLF. It was an interesting experience. We had a lot of fun though and naturally Ben kicked all of our BUTTS! We went into downtown once we were done for a fun dinner. We spent our last evening enjoying our time with our gracious hosts. We returned home for a final Phase 10 match between Kris and Ben. I don't really remember who won but they had fun!
Day 88 - Siesta Key - Sunny Upper 70's:
It was an ABSOLUTELY beautiful day in Siesta Key. Kris, Ben and I headed to the beach around noon. For the first time in our entire stay it was not windy. We laid out and read our books for an hour or two before the boys started playing Frisbee and pass with the volleyball. I'd like to note that I had warned both of them to put on some sunscreen...Ben had put it on before we left but to this point Kris was wearing NONE. I left the boys once it started to cool down and headed back to the house for a brisk walk/run. I returned home as did the boys and Shana. Kris headed to work...his color started to show as did Ben's on his face but both of them contested they were fine. Ben and I headed to the grocery store to stock up for our departure on Saturday. By the time Kris got home he was SUNBURNED. It was a big I told you so moment. He claimed it didn't hurt but it sure looked like it. We hung out around the apartment, played some games as usual, did some reading, and hit the hay!
Today wasn't as nice as we had anticipated! We hit the beach nonetheless. Kris wore SPF 30 today and didn't take his shirt off the entire time we were at the beach. After the beach Kris headed to see Shana at work while Ben and I headed back to the house. I ran a couple of errands while Ben started packing.
Once Kris and Shana were out of work, we headed to Sarasota for LUNAR MINI GOLF. It was an interesting experience. We had a lot of fun though and naturally Ben kicked all of our BUTTS! We went into downtown once we were done for a fun dinner. We spent our last evening enjoying our time with our gracious hosts. We returned home for a final Phase 10 match between Kris and Ben. I don't really remember who won but they had fun!
Day 88 - Siesta Key - Sunny Upper 70's:
It was an ABSOLUTELY beautiful day in Siesta Key. Kris, Ben and I headed to the beach around noon. For the first time in our entire stay it was not windy. We laid out and read our books for an hour or two before the boys started playing Frisbee and pass with the volleyball. I'd like to note that I had warned both of them to put on some sunscreen...Ben had put it on before we left but to this point Kris was wearing NONE. I left the boys once it started to cool down and headed back to the house for a brisk walk/run. I returned home as did the boys and Shana. Kris headed to work...his color started to show as did Ben's on his face but both of them contested they were fine. Ben and I headed to the grocery store to stock up for our departure on Saturday. By the time Kris got home he was SUNBURNED. It was a big I told you so moment. He claimed it didn't hurt but it sure looked like it. We hung out around the apartment, played some games as usual, did some reading, and hit the hay!
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Still in Siesta
Day 87 - Longboat Key / Sarasota - Sunny Low 70's:
Today Ben and I took a drive over to Longboat Key. It is slightly north of Siesta Key and we figured while we were here we should see what it's all about. We didn't find to much to peak our intersests but did take a walk on Whitney Beach. While we were walking we kept pace with a pair of dolphins (or porpoises...I don't know how to tell the difference) which made for some fun. We also searched for Sand Dollars and were able to see a unique look at the many layers of sand on this beach. Take a look at the photos to see what I mean!
After we left the beach we stopped for a frozen treat before heading to the driving range and batting cages. We had seen these on our way home from the Myakka River State Park last week and decided to return today. I only had sandals since this was a last minute decision but let me tell you I am a stellar sandal golfer. Ben didn't do too badly himself...considering he had sneakers! After the driving range Ben hit the batting cages...I decided that I wouldn't venture in without sneakers...OH WELL!!
We returned home to hang with Kris and Shana. I'm not feeling too hot so I'm laying in bed writing this while they play a ROUSING game of Monopoly! I can hear it from the living room. Tomorrow looks like a beach day YAHOOO!!!
Day 86 - Siesta Key / Sarasota - Sunny Low 70's:
Ever since going to the Ringling Museum Ben and I have been wanting to head to downtown Sarasota. The forecast looked good so today was the day! Sarasota has a nice walking path along the water which we spent the morning walking around. They have a lot of art and sculptures along the path which makes it a bit more interesting to travel along. We found a great mediterrainian restaurant for lunch and the walked back to the path to hit the pier. There wasn't a whole lot going on but it was interesting to see the birds just hanging out oblivious to the people walking around.
We made a few stops before returning to the apartment. We had a low key evening of The Biggest Loser and American Idol. Once Kris was home from work we played a game of Phase 10...Shana won before we all turned in early!
Day 85 - Siesta Key - Cloudy, Windy, Mid 60's:
We didn't do whole lot today. We slept in a bit. We hit the beach for some bocci and reading. Our big adventure was heading to the Olive Garden for dinner. It was nice to get out and have some comfort food! We returned home for a game of Skip-Bo and television. Not a terribly exciting day but a nice day nonetheless.
Today Ben and I took a drive over to Longboat Key. It is slightly north of Siesta Key and we figured while we were here we should see what it's all about. We didn't find to much to peak our intersests but did take a walk on Whitney Beach. While we were walking we kept pace with a pair of dolphins (or porpoises...I don't know how to tell the difference) which made for some fun. We also searched for Sand Dollars and were able to see a unique look at the many layers of sand on this beach. Take a look at the photos to see what I mean!
After we left the beach we stopped for a frozen treat before heading to the driving range and batting cages. We had seen these on our way home from the Myakka River State Park last week and decided to return today. I only had sandals since this was a last minute decision but let me tell you I am a stellar sandal golfer. Ben didn't do too badly himself...considering he had sneakers! After the driving range Ben hit the batting cages...I decided that I wouldn't venture in without sneakers...OH WELL!!
We returned home to hang with Kris and Shana. I'm not feeling too hot so I'm laying in bed writing this while they play a ROUSING game of Monopoly! I can hear it from the living room. Tomorrow looks like a beach day YAHOOO!!!
Day 86 - Siesta Key / Sarasota - Sunny Low 70's:
Ever since going to the Ringling Museum Ben and I have been wanting to head to downtown Sarasota. The forecast looked good so today was the day! Sarasota has a nice walking path along the water which we spent the morning walking around. They have a lot of art and sculptures along the path which makes it a bit more interesting to travel along. We found a great mediterrainian restaurant for lunch and the walked back to the path to hit the pier. There wasn't a whole lot going on but it was interesting to see the birds just hanging out oblivious to the people walking around.
We made a few stops before returning to the apartment. We had a low key evening of The Biggest Loser and American Idol. Once Kris was home from work we played a game of Phase 10...Shana won before we all turned in early!
Day 85 - Siesta Key - Cloudy, Windy, Mid 60's:
We didn't do whole lot today. We slept in a bit. We hit the beach for some bocci and reading. Our big adventure was heading to the Olive Garden for dinner. It was nice to get out and have some comfort food! We returned home for a game of Skip-Bo and television. Not a terribly exciting day but a nice day nonetheless.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
The Remaining Catch Up Information
Day 84 - Siesta Key - Mid 70's Mostly Cloudy and VERY Windy:
What a day! We all got up at a reasonable hour...well except Kris but that's normal!! Ben and I had been planning on going to our first polo match since last Sunday as we had tried last week but the match was cancelled due to wet fields. Originally it was going to be just Ben and I again today but with a lack of beach perfect weather, Shana and Kris decided to join us. It was so neat! We made our way to the Sarasota Polo Club for a 1pm match. As we arrived there were lots of fans out tailgating, playing pass, listening to music, and truly enjoying the weather. We had read that it was a great place to tailgate but were not expecting as many people as we encountered. None of us really new the rules but we learned as much as we could while we were there. Polo matches are four on four with two refs. They play six chuckers each of which is seven minutes and thirty seconds long. After each chucker they change horses so that they don't get too tired...we also learned that they can change within a chucker but the play will not stop for that...we only saw it happen once and it was during a penalty shot. During half time all the spectator get to go out on the field and stomp the divots...think Pretty Woman! It was quite fun.
We returned home just in time for the Colts/Jets game. I fell asleep and I pretty sure Ben did too! We then made our way down to the beach for the sunset drum festival. Apparently they do this every Sunday evening around sunset. It was quite a scene. The drum crew was great...the rest of the people well...let's just say they were a unique crowd. We returned home and I made Uncle Dave's Mexican Roll-Ups! They were delicious...a little spicier than we remembered but great nonetheless. We are now hanging at the house watching the Saints/Vikings games while both Kris and Shana are at work. Everyone is off tomorrow so we'll see what adventures are in store.
Miss you all!!
Love.
Day 76, Day 77, Day 78, Day 79, Day 80, Day 81, Day 82 and Day 83 - Siesta Key - Varied Weather:
So I am not even going to try and do an entry for each individual day. Instead I am going to recap our week. The photos will be on the correct days as the camera makes it nice and easy for that.
For the most part we have had a low-key week of hanging out with Kris and Shana, going to the beach, and exploring Siesta Key and the greater Sarasota area. We've played A LOT of board and card games. We are big fans of Phase 10 and Skip-Bo to keep entertained. One evening we did make our way to the bowling alley. Shana and I naturally were there for fun but boys will be boys and in turned into a friendly competition. The end result of full games was a tie at two games a piece. We all did well...and at one point had four consecutive strikes!
Ben and I took an afternoon to explore the Ringling Museum. Yes, I am talking Ringling as in the CIRCUS! It was a pretty outstanding place. We first went into the two Circus Museums. In the first one there was a model of what a "circus town" looked like. It was AMAZING. " The model is a replica of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus from 1919 – 1938. It was created over a period of more than 50-years by master model builder and philanthropist Howard Tibbals." ("Circus Museums". The State Art Museum of Florida, Florida State University. 01/24/2010. ) The pictures do not do justice to actually seeing it in person. As you walk through, the lights actually dim in the museum and the model lights up so you see what the circus would have looked like at night. I wish that the circus still looked like this...it was a whole world of it's own and a true event to attend. The second museum had some of the wagons that they used to travel on and also had John and Mable Ringling's personal train car that they would travel in as the circus made it's way across the country. It was HUGE and beautiful. They are in the process of restoring it so it is not complete but you still can see how gorgeous it was...it was truly like a home. Throughout both museums we also got to look at a number of costumes and props that were used in the circus.
From the museums we headed into the Ringling home. It was quite a place. Located right on the water. The house was enormous and full of art and a lot of unique furniture. We weren't able to see too much of the house without a stiff fee for a private tour but we were able to see almost the whole first floor which included Ben's favorite...the Pub. After walking through the house we headed outside and walked the beautiful grounds. This included a rose garden and a secret garden (Mable's private haven). We also located the graves just behind the secret garden and paid our respects.
The last stop was the Art Museum. To this day Mr. Ringling is the only private art collector to have a museum built just for his collection and to have it maintain it's works through time. The museum was VERY large. The art was not my cup of tea but it was stunning to think that he collected it all on his own.
A wonderful note: In his will Mr. Ringling left his estate to the State of Florida. It is now property of the University of Florida and is open to the public seven days a week. It is free to walk the grounds but the circus museums cost money every day. The art museum is a fee everyday EXCEPT Monday. A stipulation in Mr. Ringling's will states that the art museum MUST be free to the public one day a week to keep art alive. It was an outstanding day and Ben and I wished we had arrived early to spend more time in the circus museums...they were so fun!
On a separate day, Shana, Kris, and Ben headed to Tampa to visit Busch Gardens. I am not a roller coaster fan and so I stayed here to hit the beach. Based on the photos they had a GREAT time. Ben had been talking about this since we left and so I was excited that he had the opportunity to go with friends. They are considering going again as we got tickets that give them unlimited access until December 31!
Ben and I took trip to Venice one day this week as well. We had read that this beach was a great place to find SHARK TEETH. It was a pretty nasty day with lots of fog and wind but we braved the elements for the adventure. Unfortunately we did not find a single tooth after over an hour of exploring. Be was really disappointed! We were not the only ones looking though. There were a lot of people looking and some even had special sifters on long poles to help them get shells...we're guessing they may have had better luck. Venice Beach also has a long fishing pier that we walked on and watched a number of fisherman trying to catch the big one.
Other than that it has been a week of laying low. We've both managed to do quite a bit of running...Ben far more than I, but I'm working on it...it's a long process to get back in shape and I have no patience! We will do our best to keep our update more frequent now! Thanks for checking in.
What a day! We all got up at a reasonable hour...well except Kris but that's normal!! Ben and I had been planning on going to our first polo match since last Sunday as we had tried last week but the match was cancelled due to wet fields. Originally it was going to be just Ben and I again today but with a lack of beach perfect weather, Shana and Kris decided to join us. It was so neat! We made our way to the Sarasota Polo Club for a 1pm match. As we arrived there were lots of fans out tailgating, playing pass, listening to music, and truly enjoying the weather. We had read that it was a great place to tailgate but were not expecting as many people as we encountered. None of us really new the rules but we learned as much as we could while we were there. Polo matches are four on four with two refs. They play six chuckers each of which is seven minutes and thirty seconds long. After each chucker they change horses so that they don't get too tired...we also learned that they can change within a chucker but the play will not stop for that...we only saw it happen once and it was during a penalty shot. During half time all the spectator get to go out on the field and stomp the divots...think Pretty Woman! It was quite fun.
We returned home just in time for the Colts/Jets game. I fell asleep and I pretty sure Ben did too! We then made our way down to the beach for the sunset drum festival. Apparently they do this every Sunday evening around sunset. It was quite a scene. The drum crew was great...the rest of the people well...let's just say they were a unique crowd. We returned home and I made Uncle Dave's Mexican Roll-Ups! They were delicious...a little spicier than we remembered but great nonetheless. We are now hanging at the house watching the Saints/Vikings games while both Kris and Shana are at work. Everyone is off tomorrow so we'll see what adventures are in store.
Miss you all!!
Love.
Day 76, Day 77, Day 78, Day 79, Day 80, Day 81, Day 82 and Day 83 - Siesta Key - Varied Weather:
So I am not even going to try and do an entry for each individual day. Instead I am going to recap our week. The photos will be on the correct days as the camera makes it nice and easy for that.
For the most part we have had a low-key week of hanging out with Kris and Shana, going to the beach, and exploring Siesta Key and the greater Sarasota area. We've played A LOT of board and card games. We are big fans of Phase 10 and Skip-Bo to keep entertained. One evening we did make our way to the bowling alley. Shana and I naturally were there for fun but boys will be boys and in turned into a friendly competition. The end result of full games was a tie at two games a piece. We all did well...and at one point had four consecutive strikes!
Ben and I took an afternoon to explore the Ringling Museum. Yes, I am talking Ringling as in the CIRCUS! It was a pretty outstanding place. We first went into the two Circus Museums. In the first one there was a model of what a "circus town" looked like. It was AMAZING. " The model is a replica of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus from 1919 – 1938. It was created over a period of more than 50-years by master model builder and philanthropist Howard Tibbals." ("Circus Museums". The State Art Museum of Florida, Florida State University. 01/24/2010
From the museums we headed into the Ringling home. It was quite a place. Located right on the water. The house was enormous and full of art and a lot of unique furniture. We weren't able to see too much of the house without a stiff fee for a private tour but we were able to see almost the whole first floor which included Ben's favorite...the Pub. After walking through the house we headed outside and walked the beautiful grounds. This included a rose garden and a secret garden (Mable's private haven). We also located the graves just behind the secret garden and paid our respects.
The last stop was the Art Museum. To this day Mr. Ringling is the only private art collector to have a museum built just for his collection and to have it maintain it's works through time. The museum was VERY large. The art was not my cup of tea but it was stunning to think that he collected it all on his own.
A wonderful note: In his will Mr. Ringling left his estate to the State of Florida. It is now property of the University of Florida and is open to the public seven days a week. It is free to walk the grounds but the circus museums cost money every day. The art museum is a fee everyday EXCEPT Monday. A stipulation in Mr. Ringling's will states that the art museum MUST be free to the public one day a week to keep art alive. It was an outstanding day and Ben and I wished we had arrived early to spend more time in the circus museums...they were so fun!
On a separate day, Shana, Kris, and Ben headed to Tampa to visit Busch Gardens. I am not a roller coaster fan and so I stayed here to hit the beach. Based on the photos they had a GREAT time. Ben had been talking about this since we left and so I was excited that he had the opportunity to go with friends. They are considering going again as we got tickets that give them unlimited access until December 31!
Ben and I took trip to Venice one day this week as well. We had read that this beach was a great place to find SHARK TEETH. It was a pretty nasty day with lots of fog and wind but we braved the elements for the adventure. Unfortunately we did not find a single tooth after over an hour of exploring. Be was really disappointed! We were not the only ones looking though. There were a lot of people looking and some even had special sifters on long poles to help them get shells...we're guessing they may have had better luck. Venice Beach also has a long fishing pier that we walked on and watched a number of fisherman trying to catch the big one.
Other than that it has been a week of laying low. We've both managed to do quite a bit of running...Ben far more than I, but I'm working on it...it's a long process to get back in shape and I have no patience! We will do our best to keep our update more frequent now! Thanks for checking in.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Getting Caught Up
Day 75 - Siesta Key - Overcast and high 60's:
Once again it wasn't a great day for the beach. Heather and I decided to check out a local park and headed to the Myakka River State Park. The park is one of Florida's oldest and largest state parks. The Florida wild and scenic Myakka River flows through 57 square miles of wetlands, prairies and woodlands. It has many great hiking and biking trails and would be great to explore again. The main draw for us was the 25 foot high, 85 foot long Myakka canopy walkway. It also has a 74 foot high tower. The tower is used for researching the canopies of subtropical forests. We had our fun on the walkway and then walked/hiked around the park for a couple hours. We tried our luck at bird watching and snapped a few photos but there weren't many birds around. We then headed back toward Siesta Key for some dinner. After dinner it was time for a thrilling game of Monopoly. Kris had never played and of course kicked our butt with his beginner luck.
Day 74 - Siesta Key - Cloudy and high 60's:
Today wasn't a great beach day, so we walked around (here's the problem with not updating regularly...you forget what you did...we'll try to do better). We do know that after Kris and Shanna got done at work we headed to the AMC Theater. Kris and I went to see Avatar 3D and I hate to say it but it did live up to all the hype. Heather and Shanna went to see the Blindside and it made them both want to watch football, so I guess Sunday will be a good day.
Day 73 - Siesta Key - Sunny and 70's:
Today was our first day in Siesta Key and all we wanted to do was head to the beach and try to get the tans we lost in Maine back on our bodies! We enjoyed the beach for a couple of hours and then went to meet Shanna at the Daiquiri Deck for some frozen drinks. We then went to Target and Publix's to stock up on some grocery's and board games for the week. After a long day at the beach we cooked some dinner, had some drinks and caught up with Kris and Shanna.
Once again it wasn't a great day for the beach. Heather and I decided to check out a local park and headed to the Myakka River State Park. The park is one of Florida's oldest and largest state parks. The Florida wild and scenic Myakka River flows through 57 square miles of wetlands, prairies and woodlands. It has many great hiking and biking trails and would be great to explore again. The main draw for us was the 25 foot high, 85 foot long Myakka canopy walkway. It also has a 74 foot high tower. The tower is used for researching the canopies of subtropical forests. We had our fun on the walkway and then walked/hiked around the park for a couple hours. We tried our luck at bird watching and snapped a few photos but there weren't many birds around. We then headed back toward Siesta Key for some dinner. After dinner it was time for a thrilling game of Monopoly. Kris had never played and of course kicked our butt with his beginner luck.
Day 74 - Siesta Key - Cloudy and high 60's:
Today wasn't a great beach day, so we walked around (here's the problem with not updating regularly...you forget what you did...we'll try to do better). We do know that after Kris and Shanna got done at work we headed to the AMC Theater. Kris and I went to see Avatar 3D and I hate to say it but it did live up to all the hype. Heather and Shanna went to see the Blindside and it made them both want to watch football, so I guess Sunday will be a good day.
Day 73 - Siesta Key - Sunny and 70's:
Today was our first day in Siesta Key and all we wanted to do was head to the beach and try to get the tans we lost in Maine back on our bodies! We enjoyed the beach for a couple of hours and then went to meet Shanna at the Daiquiri Deck for some frozen drinks. We then went to Target and Publix's to stock up on some grocery's and board games for the week. After a long day at the beach we cooked some dinner, had some drinks and caught up with Kris and Shanna.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
The Challenge
Day 72 - Delray Beach to Siesta Key - Upper 50's:
Another fairly uneventful day in our trip! I got up fairly early and did a short run at the hotel. Ben stayed back and worked on our expense report...yes we keep track of everything we spend and where it goes. After showering and getting ready we headed down to the office so that he could give us some tips on where to go and when to go there in the southwest. We got some great tips and ideas and will certainly use them once we get out west.
Once we had all of our info from Mark and Steve we headed back to the house for lunch. Then it was time for the BIG BASKETBALL CHALLENGE. Ben and Sean have been going back and forth about this since before we went home for Christmas. It was a GREAT game. The score was back and forth for the entire game. The game was tied at 14 all before Sean hit a three from deep downtown to win the game. Even Sean had to admit that Ben did well considering he was a hockey player! We should have video of the game soon...keep watch!
After the game we said our goodbyes. I was really sad to leave. We have had the BEST time here and Mark, Becky, Sean and Erin were a HUGE part of that. We can't wait to see them this summer in Maine.
From there we headed to Alligator Alley (otherwise known as I75) to make our way to Kris and Shana in Siesta Key. There is definitely called Alligator Alley for a reason. There were SOO many gators. I wish that we could have stopped for photos but there was just no time. It was a long drive...but we were warmly welcomed by Kris when we arrived. We headed straight to pick up Shana at work..mind you we walked...and then grabbed dinner! We are now catching up and watching The Biggest Loser...next up American Idol.
We'll be here for a while...hoping it warms up soon!
Another fairly uneventful day in our trip! I got up fairly early and did a short run at the hotel. Ben stayed back and worked on our expense report...yes we keep track of everything we spend and where it goes. After showering and getting ready we headed down to the office so that he could give us some tips on where to go and when to go there in the southwest. We got some great tips and ideas and will certainly use them once we get out west.
Once we had all of our info from Mark and Steve we headed back to the house for lunch. Then it was time for the BIG BASKETBALL CHALLENGE. Ben and Sean have been going back and forth about this since before we went home for Christmas. It was a GREAT game. The score was back and forth for the entire game. The game was tied at 14 all before Sean hit a three from deep downtown to win the game. Even Sean had to admit that Ben did well considering he was a hockey player! We should have video of the game soon...keep watch!
After the game we said our goodbyes. I was really sad to leave. We have had the BEST time here and Mark, Becky, Sean and Erin were a HUGE part of that. We can't wait to see them this summer in Maine.
From there we headed to Alligator Alley (otherwise known as I75) to make our way to Kris and Shana in Siesta Key. There is definitely called Alligator Alley for a reason. There were SOO many gators. I wish that we could have stopped for photos but there was just no time. It was a long drive...but we were warmly welcomed by Kris when we arrived. We headed straight to pick up Shana at work..mind you we walked...and then grabbed dinner! We are now catching up and watching The Biggest Loser...next up American Idol.
We'll be here for a while...hoping it warms up soon!
Monday, January 11, 2010
Warming Up
Day 71 - Delray Beach - Upper 50's:
Well at least today we didn't have to wear our winter coats all day! Not too much to report on today. I woke up early to head over to Gulf Stream School where I did some classroom observations. They are a K-8 private school with approximately 250 students. Yes K-8 and only 250, I kept thinking there are 250 kids in one grade at MAMS!! It was a whole different atmosphere at GSS. First of all kids have uniforms and must wear them, they have nine class periods a day including PE and a study hall, EVERY students plays EVERY sport, and everyone has recess. From a teaching perspective the class sizes were a dream! The largest class I saw only had eight students. The seventh grade math class was very similar to ours at MAMS as they were working on unit rate, unit price, ratio and proportions while the sixth graders were working on fractions and measurement. It was nice to get back into a classroom and help students who were struggling. While I was hard at work Ben was sleeping away....not really, he got up and went for a run before he came and picked me up!
Once we got back and he showered we started getting organized to leave Mark and Becky's tomorrow. It's going to be a sad departure as we have enjoyed our stay so very much. It's nice to spend so much time with them as I usually only see them once a summer if I'm lucky! Hopefully we can make a trip to Florida an annual visit...if nothing else I know that I have a family who will be getting pajama's for Christmas from now on...they all have been wearing them...it makes me so happy!
After packing we headed back over to GSS to pick up Erin while Becky took Sean to tutoring. When we got back Ben and I took Maddy for a long walk on the beach...it was so nice outside. Once Becky and Sean got back we had dinner after which Sean and Ben went to competition mode...first it was video games....football I think (Sean won)...then onto pool (Sean won)...then Erin and I joined them for a game of Clue (Sean won)....then the boys played another game of pool (Ben won). They have set their basketball challenge for 10:30 tomorrow morning. It should be quite a sight, I'll take plenty of pics and I think Becky is going to take video so that Erin can see it since she has school!
We are now getting ready for bed...we had to say goodbye to Erin tonight because we won't see her before we leave. She is growing into such a wonderful young lady. It's hard to believe she is going to be twelve in just a few weeks. It seems like just yesterday she was a toddler wondering the halls of the Regency!
We'll say our goodbyes to everyone else tomorrow before we head on our way to Kris and Shana! GOODNIGHT!
Well at least today we didn't have to wear our winter coats all day! Not too much to report on today. I woke up early to head over to Gulf Stream School where I did some classroom observations. They are a K-8 private school with approximately 250 students. Yes K-8 and only 250, I kept thinking there are 250 kids in one grade at MAMS!! It was a whole different atmosphere at GSS. First of all kids have uniforms and must wear them, they have nine class periods a day including PE and a study hall, EVERY students plays EVERY sport, and everyone has recess. From a teaching perspective the class sizes were a dream! The largest class I saw only had eight students. The seventh grade math class was very similar to ours at MAMS as they were working on unit rate, unit price, ratio and proportions while the sixth graders were working on fractions and measurement. It was nice to get back into a classroom and help students who were struggling. While I was hard at work Ben was sleeping away....not really, he got up and went for a run before he came and picked me up!
Once we got back and he showered we started getting organized to leave Mark and Becky's tomorrow. It's going to be a sad departure as we have enjoyed our stay so very much. It's nice to spend so much time with them as I usually only see them once a summer if I'm lucky! Hopefully we can make a trip to Florida an annual visit...if nothing else I know that I have a family who will be getting pajama's for Christmas from now on...they all have been wearing them...it makes me so happy!
After packing we headed back over to GSS to pick up Erin while Becky took Sean to tutoring. When we got back Ben and I took Maddy for a long walk on the beach...it was so nice outside. Once Becky and Sean got back we had dinner after which Sean and Ben went to competition mode...first it was video games....football I think (Sean won)...then onto pool (Sean won)...then Erin and I joined them for a game of Clue (Sean won)....then the boys played another game of pool (Ben won). They have set their basketball challenge for 10:30 tomorrow morning. It should be quite a sight, I'll take plenty of pics and I think Becky is going to take video so that Erin can see it since she has school!
We are now getting ready for bed...we had to say goodbye to Erin tonight because we won't see her before we leave. She is growing into such a wonderful young lady. It's hard to believe she is going to be twelve in just a few weeks. It seems like just yesterday she was a toddler wondering the halls of the Regency!
We'll say our goodbyes to everyone else tomorrow before we head on our way to Kris and Shana! GOODNIGHT!
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Freezing in Florida
Day 70 - Delray Beach - Sunny mid 40's:
Today was Mark's Birthday and we were informed that because of the momentous occasion he got to do whatever he wanted and we all had to agree! It was a fairly uneventful day. We got up and Erin and I made Shrinky Dinks. I didn't take pictures but I'll try to get some! After that a whole crew..10 or so came over to the house to watch the Patriots get demolished. It was really a party killer. After the game I helped Becky start the birthday dinner. It was Sean's birthday yesterday so he and Mark got to pick the dinner and the cake. It was fajitas and carrot cake. Dinner was DELICIOUS. I don't know the marinade Becky used but it was great. The carrot cake was good too!! After dinner I helped Erin and Sean with some homework. I am headed to observe at Erin's school tomorrow so I have been prepping my questions. It is supposed to start to warm up tomorrow...we might even get to 60 degrees!
Today was Mark's Birthday and we were informed that because of the momentous occasion he got to do whatever he wanted and we all had to agree! It was a fairly uneventful day. We got up and Erin and I made Shrinky Dinks. I didn't take pictures but I'll try to get some! After that a whole crew..10 or so came over to the house to watch the Patriots get demolished. It was really a party killer. After the game I helped Becky start the birthday dinner. It was Sean's birthday yesterday so he and Mark got to pick the dinner and the cake. It was fajitas and carrot cake. Dinner was DELICIOUS. I don't know the marinade Becky used but it was great. The carrot cake was good too!! After dinner I helped Erin and Sean with some homework. I am headed to observe at Erin's school tomorrow so I have been prepping my questions. It is supposed to start to warm up tomorrow...we might even get to 60 degrees!
Merry Christmas
Days 47 - 69 - MAINE to FLORIDA - COLD to COLD:
Sorry it has been so long since we've posted. Things on the trip changed a bit while we were in Key West....we ended up leaving a day early to surprise everyone and be home for Christmas. We arrived home on the 18th. It was quite fun, we surprised my brother and my aunt Janet. I wish I had had a video camera to tape her response...it was so funny! On Saturday we hung around before heading to our first Maine Red Claws game. Before the game we had a great time meeting up with Bob, Jen, Pat, Whitney, Sarah, and Mick for dinner and drinks before the game. We all (with the exception of Mick and Sarah) headed over to the game after dinner, Bryleigh is a dancer for the team and so we surprised her by showing up! She was excited. The rest of our week consisted of visiting everyone and "enjoying" the cold weather. We Christmas was fun except that I was a bit sick on both Christmas Eve and Christmas day. We did our best to enjoy our time either way though. We were spoiled as usual and are having a good time enjoying our gifts.
Our original plan was to head back to Florida the day after Christmas but due to circumstances beyond our control we ended up not being able to head back until January 9th. This of course meant that we would not be able to meet Andrea in Nashville for New Years Eve :( we were quite bummed but there was nothing we could do about it. So in the meantime I spent a lot of time learning how to make pajamas...this was very much to my mother's delight. I ended up making approximately twelve pair or so...I outfitted the LaCasse clan, Gug, Nancy, and the Walsh crew all with new winter sleepwear. We also got to visit more friends. We made it to Mike and Theresa's for a homemade pasta dinner. I do not recommend the pasta making attachment for the Kitchenaide Mixer...it took three of us to make spaghetti using the attachment that was supposed to make elbow macaroni...it was a sight to watch us work the machinery!
We ended up spending our transition into 2010 with Anna, Jesse, Brady, Rylan, Mike, Mary, Lydia, and Cameron. We enjoyed a meat fondue...it was a first for both Ben and I and chatted while we all played with the kids. Mick and Sarah made an appearance at the end of the evening just in time to ring in the new year. It was a fun night and we were happy to be able to spend some quality time with Jesse, Anna, and the kids before they head off to Germany in March. On New Year's Day Ben, Brady, and Jesse spent the day ice fishing...it wasn't the most productive day as Jesse got two flags...nothing worth catching though! It was nice for Ben though to be able to get in one day of fishing.
We got our fair share of snow while we were home and even managed to get in some snow shoeing with Molly. It had been MANY years since I had been and let me tell you it is a WORKOUT! We learned that Gunner loves the snow. Ben took him out to play and he dove right in digging out toys no matter how deep the snow. He also loves the snow blower. I told my parents they should video tape it as they would likely win some money on America's Funniest Home Videos.
Our last week home was spent working for Ben. He decided to help Jesse take down the Christmas lights at LL Bean. I did two days of work at the hotel and spent some quality time with Bryleigh. She is turning 21 this week...it's CRAZY that she is old enough to go to a bar.
We headed back to Florida on Saturday just in time for the FREEZING cold weather. I mean it too. It was just as cold getting off the plane as it was getting on the plane. We got back to Mark and Becky's just in time for dinner and a basketball game. We went to see Florida Altantic play Louisana. They have a friend who plays for FAU and it was a fun game as the Owls got the big win. After the game we grabbed a drink at a local restaurant before heading back to the house for the evening.
It was a great trip home...we are sorry to anyone that we were not able to see....it was a bit tough as we had no car. We are back to the blog and will keep everyone updated as best we can.
Sorry it has been so long since we've posted. Things on the trip changed a bit while we were in Key West....we ended up leaving a day early to surprise everyone and be home for Christmas. We arrived home on the 18th. It was quite fun, we surprised my brother and my aunt Janet. I wish I had had a video camera to tape her response...it was so funny! On Saturday we hung around before heading to our first Maine Red Claws game. Before the game we had a great time meeting up with Bob, Jen, Pat, Whitney, Sarah, and Mick for dinner and drinks before the game. We all (with the exception of Mick and Sarah) headed over to the game after dinner, Bryleigh is a dancer for the team and so we surprised her by showing up! She was excited. The rest of our week consisted of visiting everyone and "enjoying" the cold weather. We Christmas was fun except that I was a bit sick on both Christmas Eve and Christmas day. We did our best to enjoy our time either way though. We were spoiled as usual and are having a good time enjoying our gifts.
Our original plan was to head back to Florida the day after Christmas but due to circumstances beyond our control we ended up not being able to head back until January 9th. This of course meant that we would not be able to meet Andrea in Nashville for New Years Eve :( we were quite bummed but there was nothing we could do about it. So in the meantime I spent a lot of time learning how to make pajamas...this was very much to my mother's delight. I ended up making approximately twelve pair or so...I outfitted the LaCasse clan, Gug, Nancy, and the Walsh crew all with new winter sleepwear. We also got to visit more friends. We made it to Mike and Theresa's for a homemade pasta dinner. I do not recommend the pasta making attachment for the Kitchenaide Mixer...it took three of us to make spaghetti using the attachment that was supposed to make elbow macaroni...it was a sight to watch us work the machinery!
We ended up spending our transition into 2010 with Anna, Jesse, Brady, Rylan, Mike, Mary, Lydia, and Cameron. We enjoyed a meat fondue...it was a first for both Ben and I and chatted while we all played with the kids. Mick and Sarah made an appearance at the end of the evening just in time to ring in the new year. It was a fun night and we were happy to be able to spend some quality time with Jesse, Anna, and the kids before they head off to Germany in March. On New Year's Day Ben, Brady, and Jesse spent the day ice fishing...it wasn't the most productive day as Jesse got two flags...nothing worth catching though! It was nice for Ben though to be able to get in one day of fishing.
We got our fair share of snow while we were home and even managed to get in some snow shoeing with Molly. It had been MANY years since I had been and let me tell you it is a WORKOUT! We learned that Gunner loves the snow. Ben took him out to play and he dove right in digging out toys no matter how deep the snow. He also loves the snow blower. I told my parents they should video tape it as they would likely win some money on America's Funniest Home Videos.
Our last week home was spent working for Ben. He decided to help Jesse take down the Christmas lights at LL Bean. I did two days of work at the hotel and spent some quality time with Bryleigh. She is turning 21 this week...it's CRAZY that she is old enough to go to a bar.
We headed back to Florida on Saturday just in time for the FREEZING cold weather. I mean it too. It was just as cold getting off the plane as it was getting on the plane. We got back to Mark and Becky's just in time for dinner and a basketball game. We went to see Florida Altantic play Louisana. They have a friend who plays for FAU and it was a fun game as the Owls got the big win. After the game we grabbed a drink at a local restaurant before heading back to the house for the evening.
It was a great trip home...we are sorry to anyone that we were not able to see....it was a bit tough as we had no car. We are back to the blog and will keep everyone updated as best we can.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Sunset Key....
Day 46 - Key West - Sunny mid 80's:
We awoke early again today to make our way to the mainland to visit some of the sights that we had driven by on the Conch Train Tour. Our first stop was at the southern most point in the United States. The tip of Key West is located just 90 miles north of Cuba. It is crazy to think how close it is and yet how different the two worlds are...I have now been to the easternmost and southernmost points in the continental United States.
From the southernmost point we headed the Hemingway House.
Ernest Hemingway lived in Key West for more than 10 years and wrote some of his most famous novels including A Farewell to Arms and Death In The Afternoon. The Hemingway home was and still is the largest privately owned land on all of Key West measuring just under one acre. The house is surrounded by a brick wall built by Hemingway and Joe Russell. Joe was the owner of Ernest's FAVORITE bar in town called Sloppy Joe's. The bar is still in operation today although it has moved locations to a larger venue than the one that Ernest frequented. Hemingway owned the home from 1931 until he passed away in 1961. It has the first pool ever built in Key West. The pool is very large at 65 feet in length and was built at a cost of $20,000. It was built while Hemingway was out of town by Pauline, his wife at the time, (who did it because she was NOT happy with him) and replaced a full size boxing ring that he had previously had in the spot. When he returned and found the pool...and not his boxing ring...he was furious. When he found out the cost, he took a penny from his pocket and said to Pauline you've taken everything I have so you "might as well take my last red cent" as he put the penny in the wet cement surrounding the pool. You can see in my pictures that the penny is still there.
Behind the house is where Hemingway did all of his writing. The building was originally a carriage house and he built his studio on the second floor. The studio today looks just as it did when Hemingway was alive and writing. Along with a great number of novels in Key West, it was also here that Mr. Hemingway got his first cat, Snowball. It was given to him by a ship's captain and was likely a MAINE Coon cat. This cat was unique because it had six toes. Today there are 43 cats living at the Hemingway House and all of them are descendants of the original six toed cat of Mr. Hemingway. The cats were EVERYWHERE! The most famous cat water fountain in the world is also here...you can see it in the pictures...the top is a Spanish Olive Jar while the bottom is a urinal from a local bar in town. The property is surrounded by beautiful gardens and is truly a wonderful place to visit.
After we left the Hemingway House we headed over to Truman's Little White House. The building initially served as the command headquarters of the naval station during the Spanish American War, World War I and World War II. In 1946 the historic building first served as the winter White House of President Harry S. Truman and a site for the Cold War response by later presidents. We were low on time so we didn't go inside but if we make it back to Key West it will be one of our first stops.
We headed to find lunch next and made our way to MARGARITAVILLE!! One of my favorite songs of all time is Cheeseburger in Paradise by Jimmy Buffet and here you can get it just as he sings. I only had the burger in paradise as I don't care for cheeseburgers. It was great! I was so happy to make it there before we left. After lunch we headed back to catch the ferry to Sunset Key and enjoy the pool again. After a few hours of lounging we cleaned up and walked around the island to try and catch the sunset. Yet again, it was cloudy and we weren't able to see much! We finished our walk at Latitudes and AMAZING restaurant on Sunset Key. It was an incredible meal. I had Cesar salad, New York strip, potatoes, and bread before finishing with chocolate cake. Ben had lobster bisque, baked stuffed shrimp wrapped in bacon, yellow fin snapper, potatoes, and vanilla ice cream for dessert. Needless to say were were STUFFED.
After dinner we boarded the boat back to the mainland for our long drive back to Delray. Due to unforeseen circumstances we had to cut our Key West trip short by one day but such is the life of the travelers. We had a smooth drive until we reached Miami where it rained like I have never seen rain before. It may as well have been a blizzard because we couldn't see much as we drove. Ben did a great job though and got us back to Mark and Becky's safely!!
Three Questions for My Students. The first person to answer them correctly gets a prize.
1. What is the easternmost point continental US?
2. If you started walking from mile marker 1 in Key West and walked north all the way to the end where would you be?
3. How far would you have walked?
We awoke early again today to make our way to the mainland to visit some of the sights that we had driven by on the Conch Train Tour. Our first stop was at the southern most point in the United States. The tip of Key West is located just 90 miles north of Cuba. It is crazy to think how close it is and yet how different the two worlds are...I have now been to the easternmost and southernmost points in the continental United States.
From the southernmost point we headed the Hemingway House.
Ernest Hemingway lived in Key West for more than 10 years and wrote some of his most famous novels including A Farewell to Arms and Death In The Afternoon. The Hemingway home was and still is the largest privately owned land on all of Key West measuring just under one acre. The house is surrounded by a brick wall built by Hemingway and Joe Russell. Joe was the owner of Ernest's FAVORITE bar in town called Sloppy Joe's. The bar is still in operation today although it has moved locations to a larger venue than the one that Ernest frequented. Hemingway owned the home from 1931 until he passed away in 1961. It has the first pool ever built in Key West. The pool is very large at 65 feet in length and was built at a cost of $20,000. It was built while Hemingway was out of town by Pauline, his wife at the time, (who did it because she was NOT happy with him) and replaced a full size boxing ring that he had previously had in the spot. When he returned and found the pool...and not his boxing ring...he was furious. When he found out the cost, he took a penny from his pocket and said to Pauline you've taken everything I have so you "might as well take my last red cent" as he put the penny in the wet cement surrounding the pool. You can see in my pictures that the penny is still there.
Behind the house is where Hemingway did all of his writing. The building was originally a carriage house and he built his studio on the second floor. The studio today looks just as it did when Hemingway was alive and writing. Along with a great number of novels in Key West, it was also here that Mr. Hemingway got his first cat, Snowball. It was given to him by a ship's captain and was likely a MAINE Coon cat. This cat was unique because it had six toes. Today there are 43 cats living at the Hemingway House and all of them are descendants of the original six toed cat of Mr. Hemingway. The cats were EVERYWHERE! The most famous cat water fountain in the world is also here...you can see it in the pictures...the top is a Spanish Olive Jar while the bottom is a urinal from a local bar in town. The property is surrounded by beautiful gardens and is truly a wonderful place to visit.
After we left the Hemingway House we headed over to Truman's Little White House. The building initially served as the command headquarters of the naval station during the Spanish American War, World War I and World War II. In 1946 the historic building first served as the winter White House of President Harry S. Truman and a site for the Cold War response by later presidents. We were low on time so we didn't go inside but if we make it back to Key West it will be one of our first stops.
We headed to find lunch next and made our way to MARGARITAVILLE!! One of my favorite songs of all time is Cheeseburger in Paradise by Jimmy Buffet and here you can get it just as he sings. I only had the burger in paradise as I don't care for cheeseburgers. It was great! I was so happy to make it there before we left. After lunch we headed back to catch the ferry to Sunset Key and enjoy the pool again. After a few hours of lounging we cleaned up and walked around the island to try and catch the sunset. Yet again, it was cloudy and we weren't able to see much! We finished our walk at Latitudes and AMAZING restaurant on Sunset Key. It was an incredible meal. I had Cesar salad, New York strip, potatoes, and bread before finishing with chocolate cake. Ben had lobster bisque, baked stuffed shrimp wrapped in bacon, yellow fin snapper, potatoes, and vanilla ice cream for dessert. Needless to say were were STUFFED.
After dinner we boarded the boat back to the mainland for our long drive back to Delray. Due to unforeseen circumstances we had to cut our Key West trip short by one day but such is the life of the travelers. We had a smooth drive until we reached Miami where it rained like I have never seen rain before. It may as well have been a blizzard because we couldn't see much as we drove. Ben did a great job though and got us back to Mark and Becky's safely!!
Three Questions for My Students. The first person to answer them correctly gets a prize.
1. What is the easternmost point continental US?
2. If you started walking from mile marker 1 in Key West and walked north all the way to the end where would you be?
3. How far would you have walked?
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