Friday, October 31, 2014

Orlando Day 7

Kennedy Space Center (and we didn't get lost, er misplaced, this time!)

What an amazing place.  We needed 2 days to do everything, but did our best to get the important stuff in.

The Boss had planned in a behind the scenes tour and it was so worth it.  I finally got to see a wild gator and we drove past a couple of manatees but I didn't see them from where I was sitting on the bus.

To be around all of that history was amazing and what was even more amazing is how they are taking the past, tweaking it and working towards the future.
Yes, some of the launch pads from the past will not be usable in the future, the space is still being used as a wildlife sanctuary. We even saw 2 bald eagle nests and there was an eagle near the smaller one.

Definitely a second trip some day, as we missed out on the IMAX theater, The Astronaut Hall of Fame and this little gem I really wish we could have stopped by and visited:
The day went by way too fast and I'm not sure I can express just how amazing it was.  Maybe another day I can sit down and share more thoughts, but the big one I have is that go if you can.

Be Happy! Be Healthy! Be sure to respect the past and look forward to the future!

ps I did manage to find some goodies for the kiddos in the process, maybe even one for the Boss...sssshhh!



Thursday, October 30, 2014

Orlando Day 6

Day 7 started a little bumpy when one of us turned the alarm clock off instead of hitting snooze.  We woke back up as we had been planning to leave for the day.  

So we arrived at Universal Studios an hour later than planned and were dismayed to see that they were closing early that night for the Halloween nights.  What a racket, pay an obnoxious amount of money to get in to the park and have to leave early or pay another $42 to stay the last 3 hours.  I had had enough, I think the Boss was as ready as I was, so we left.  This means we did not get any shopping done on play day 1.  Better get my ducks in a row or I might as well not go home!

So, I almost became a Minion, nearly qualified for Men In Black, rescued the All-spark with the Transformers,  Escaped from Gringotts, survived a few natural disasters, rode a roller coaster in Krustyland, visited Moes and saw ET`s home planet.  It was TOTALLY WICKED!!!!!!(Oops, wrong studio)




On to grown-up pursuits today and a visit to Kennedy Space Center.  Will again take way too many pictures, but I know I have several friends interested (or their kids are) so I must do my duty!
I will post the pictures that go with this tonight (and may not be able to publish it until then as well).

Be Happy! Be Healthy! Be sure to hold the door for someone today just because (courtesy is so nice!)!

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Orlando Day 5

Last day to do this:

When the Boss was done with classes for the day, we decided to go for a drive (after a stop at Walgreens to replace my deodorant, which blew up quite nicely the day before--not a good thing when it was 89 degrees out!) and drove to Cocoa Beach.

I hate toll roads. 

It was an additional $3.50 to get there...
 Here are my toes in the Atlantic Ocean...Yay! 
It was warmer than I thought. Had my toes in the water but not my @ss in the sand (we did have more driving to do and the sandy toes were bad enough)
The Boss even enjoyed the walk, exploring a strange creature we think was a jellyfish...but have no clue!

The birds were cute as well, but gave whatever it was a wide berth.

The drive home was an experience.  One should not take the back roads without a map or knowledge of the area because it's the pits when the smart phone dies and you have no backup to the map....

Be Happy! Be Healthy! Be sure to laugh at me next week when I complain I'm cold!

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Orlando Day 4

After 2 days of sunburns, I did stay mostly out of the sun on day 4.  I was able to have 2 small adventures...

The first was riding the shuttle over to the convention site.  No biggie, but I sat behind 2 officers from Nigeria on the way back.  I was disappointed by the lack of uniforms, as it was uniform day.  To me, this is a sign of disrespect for the coordinators. The Expo hall was huge and very overwhelming.  The food offered there was way over-priced and a very limited selection (pizza, gyros or crepes). I rode back with the wife of a retired officer who has a granddaughter who is a retired gymnast. It was fun talking to her.

Adventure two was taking a walk.  I found a Subway, had lunch and then took a 30 minute walk around the area.  This is the one thing about where we live that I don't like.  I wish we lived somewhere that had the availability to go for walks other than Wylie drive with no shoulders or sidewalks!

Talked to a co-worker, I've been banned from ever taking time off again (at least for awhile).  Sounds like it was an interesting day back home!

Had a simple dinner and then I went back to the motel and watched a movie and checked in on the football game occasionally while the Boss went to another event.

Day 5 is my last quiet day, I'll be movin' and shakin' the last three days before we head home to the kiddos.

Pictures today are of our room.  Simple but enough to keep me happy!

 The bed, the location of football watching, napping and a Harry Potter movie marathon.
 My blogging chair.
 Seriously, not all of us are tall.  The vanity is nearly up to my armpits...
I can reach the shower head with my fingertips, but the Boss does like the fact that he doesn't have to duck to shower here.

Be Happy! Be Healthy! Be sure to have safe treats for the trick or treaters who will be coming to you very soon!

Monday, October 27, 2014

Orlando Day 3

Day 3 was mostly a repeat of day 2.

I was up early and had breakfast with the Boss before coming back to the room, putting the 'do not disturb' sign on the door and taking a nap and reading.  It was a short nap and then I went down and enjoyed the sunshine for a couple of hours, nearly burning my knees and my shoulders.

The helicopters were flying again, it was a challenge to get a picture.
I sat on a new side of the pool again, and saw an interesting structure in the distance.
It looked like a mountain, so while we were out driving to find dinner last night, we drove by it and it's a Hawaiian Adventure place. The building behind it is actually upside down. I'll remember my camera tomorrow so that I can take pictures of some of this.

I did have my first solo adventure yesterday.  During halftime of the Vikings game (yes, I managed a nap and a sunburn before football was on) I walked up to Walgreens (less than a half mile away) and found some snacks. Had the Boss nervous that I would get lost...:)

I believe my Diet Coke lid collection is equal to the number of phone calls from my youngest.  Not sure that will last long.  I'm off to get ready today so I can wander the Expo Hall with the boss and see the Convention Center.  Yes, I'll take the camera.

Be Happy! Be Healthy! Be sure to follow the rules today!


Sunday, October 26, 2014

Orlando Day 2

Today was the Boss's first day of classes.  My lunchtime text was that he and 14,000 of his closest friends were hanging out.  Ha! I spent the morning watching cable TV (still nothing on it) and taking my vacation nap.

Mid-morning, I headed out to the pool and spent about 2 hours reading and talking to the kiddos.  Tater calls is up to 3 already.  I've lost track of how many Dizzy texts.  A run up to the room to use the restroom and refill my water bottle and I headed back down to the far side of the pool to get sun on the other side of my body.

Yes, this resulted in a sunburn.  Minor, but I can't reach parts of my back with lotion sunscreen.  

No stink bugs in FL, but I was attacked by a couple of ladybugs, who stuck around to taunt me.
I was shocked by the number of helicopters that flew overhead, wondering if they had something to do with the convention or if I should be locked securely in my room...Then I remembered seeing the helicopter tour building near where we had dinner the first night. Their route is directly over my pool.

I did spend the day "working", I read a book my co-worker asked me to to see if I thought it was appropriate for 6th graders.  Tough job to sit next to a pool and read!
 This is home for the week.  Not bad! I can just see my window.
 Had to share the clear blue sky for my Dizzy, it was 78 according to my tablet.  Perfect weather!
 This is where the Boss is this week. Poor man, they didn't have many lunch choices yesterday...
A view from my window.  I sat on this side of the pool to read Paper Towns by John Green yesterday.

Be Happy! Be Healthy! Be sure to watch some football today! (I'm going to go soak up some sunshine first)

Saturday, October 25, 2014

Orlando Day 1 part 2

OK, survived a 4+ hour flight.  Don't think I'm going to ever be a good flyer.  

The plane had 3 seats on each side, which meant that the boss and I had to share with a stranger.  Now, for those of you who know me, I'm a very social person and can get almost anyone to talk...

Not this person, and yours truly is a touch less claustrophobic than the Boss, so had the middle.  The bonus was that we had an absolutely adorable pair of littles in front of us and the younger one would pop over the seat and grin at me on occasion.  The gentleman beside me (not the Boss) would groan and look cross. For that long of a flight, those two littles were amazingly well behaved.

Leaving the airport, after a very long wait for the rental car paperwork to be done, we only got misplaced for a moment.  There are too many versions of the same motel in the Conference Center here.  Found the right chain, had the wrong one. 

Orlando is pretty, it's warm and there are way too many people around!  Not to mention that we have a 2-hour time difference and that's messing me up.  It's 6:15 at home and 8:15 here already.  Thankfully, we were up so early yesterday that I didn't have any trouble falling asleep last night while reading a great new author (Rae Carson).

A couple of pictures to entertain and then I'm off for the required vacation nap...I have until 5 tonight to be ready to face the world! :)


 The airport goes on forever and ever...
 Almost outside...already had been texted by Dizzy to find out just how hot it was outside.
  A little different landscaping. The pine trees have very strange needles!
 More trees, and how are they so green a week before Halloween?
 A ferris wheel?
OK part of a ferris wheel. Kinda cool.

Be Happy! Be Healthy! Be sure to schedule in those required vacation naps!

Friday, October 24, 2014

Orlando day 1

The Boss and I are off on an adventure. 9 days away from the kiddos and 4 of those days where we will spend a lot of time apart 2080.3 miles away from home.

Up at 4am. I don't recommend this but we made our plane in plenty of time.  The Helena airport is tiny compared to most and we cruised through the security line. I was very thankful for the rule that only laptops need to be pulled out of the bag and not all tablets, etc. I have my phone, ipod shuffle, kindle, tablet, laptop and the Boss' s tablet in my carry on. The Boss? His phone and a pair of headphones. Not sure how that happened, but i had to up size my carry on to fit it all. He has been helping me carry it through the airport as we hunted down breakfast when we arrived in SLC.

Waiting here to board the long leg of the trip, but I'll need another bathroom break and I think I'll track down a diet coke for a back up. I also made sure I had my movie player set up so i can watch a movie while we are traveling.

Tater is not thrilled with us over this trip. I expect many phkne calls and tears while I'm gone.

Thats all for now. I'll post more later after we arrive in the warm!

Be Happy! Be Healthy! Be sure to smile today!

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Multiplication arrays?

I was doing homework with my Tater last night, 3rd grade math.  Should be simple, can't figure out why the boss had so much trouble and left it for me to do with her. (Note, I tutored from 3:20-4:40, ran her to practice, went to the High School to pick up Bean from XC, took him to shop with his Boy Scout troop mates and then went to get Dizzy from practice and arrived home at 8:15--I got nothing done at home, but I did get nearly half of my book read!) I laughed and then looked at the problems.

Hmm, not sure what they are asking.  There is really only one way to multiply and one way to divide.  How you do that is up for discussion but I never did figure out what they were asking for. Had to dig out the Skittles in the cupboard to work out how to divide 24 by 3.
This am was the kid run for me.  Leave house at 7:02, drop Bean at 7:15, Dizzy at 7:25 and had Tater at the Volunteer Fire Department at 7:35 for hot cocoa with the fire fighters before they head to school as a pack for Walk to School Day.  This was the 12th year my kiddos have done it, although the first years were just at the school around the park. We missed a year or two due to rain, but usually dive in for the fun.
Home for a few more before delivering math homework to Tater (oops) and off for a haircut.  The kitties both felt the need to cuddle this am, although Mickey didn't appreciate me snuggling with Bitsey one bit.

I did not get up for the eclipse this am, knowing I had to be up before 6 and waking up when the Boss got home at 2:15 (OK maybe I was already awake for whatever reason), but I have enjoyed everyone else's pictures on Facebook this morning.

Tuesday was a much better day, my voice is mostly back and it's just the last of the crud to  drain away. Hoping for a great rest of the week, sunshine and warm is always welcome!

Be Happy! Be Healthy! Be sure to enjoy the beautiful sunshine!



Monday, October 6, 2014

Tomorrow will be a better day...

So today begins with me having no voice, sounding a bit like a frog and having my sinuses drain down my throat with a vengeance...

I get to work to discover that I'm alone on the schedule, with the assumption that either my supervisor or another staff member will help me out.  This works, and I was lucky enough to have someone who understands the job and has already had a morning herself (think skeleton in her chair...decked out in beaded necklaces).

I go and do my Books and Babies program, barely able to talk, but have some great parents who led the songs for me.  I head back to my desk once I am done so that I don't leave anyone alone too long and have to clean up the mess afterwards...

Evidently, I had a red face (think cannot breathe well and taking meds that don't like me) and coughed into my arm (not hand), and had to be sick.

No, firstly, no one, me especially, would send me out to a room full of babies sick. It's allergies. Luckily the director was with me and reassured me that nothing was wrong. (Yours truly cried...)

Then I head out for home, forget the 2 new books that are on the hold shelf for me, and went to get ice cream.  10 minute wait later I finally get my ice cream and I go and pay my house payment.  Another ten minutes, after I was told my receipt will be right out, I get the impatient "Yes?"

"Just waiting for my receipt." I reply, trying not to sound irritated, not only with the wait but her rude tone.

Receipt came a few moments later with an apology from the other clerk.  She forgot to send it and moved on to the next customer.

Seriously? I really don't think I want to go out of the house again tonight.  Unfortunately, I have to take Dizzy to practice, run another errand and go to Brownies (still no voice). Then I need to pick up all 3 kids, as the Boss has a meeting tonight himself before I can come home and go to bed.

Here's to great coworkers who gave me the shoulder to cry on (or cried with me) and the promise of a better tomorrow!

Oh, and there are still a million flies in my house! Yuck, kitties better get busy! (note: at time of publication, Mickey is asleep on the couch and Bitsey is nowhere to be found...)

Be Happy! Be Healthy! Be sure to use common sense!

Red Door

The final step to our house painting was to update the look of the front door.  

According to Ask.com, a red door signifies welcome, sanctuary and status.  I'll take the first 2 gladly, the last isn't as important.  

Bean had a study group yesterday and the first thing the gals said when they came in was that we had a nice house.  Not bad! Then they headed down to the Kitty Kondo (laundry room) to meet the twerps who were contained due to the fact that we had no front door while it was being painted.

I missed the opportunity to get a picture of our ceiling after having no door all day.  Holy fly city!  Mickey is in heaven chasing them down.

So, the red isn't quite what I had imagined, I was expecting more burgundy, but it definitely fits with the Bengal red of Bean's school...Nice mistake we made, isn't it?

Be Happy! Be Healthy! 
Be sure to not talk to me today--have to save what little voice I have for my Books and Babies!

Friday, October 3, 2014

Sleep, need sleep

After a full day yesterday, including work, running kids and a meeting, I ended up near 10 pm in my driveway assisting Bean with a science experiment. Mentos, diet coke and regular coke.  Totally shocked me when the regular coke and the fruit Mentos had the longest bubble time and the most liquid left afterwards.  Went to bed at a normal time and have been up since 2:15am.

Thankfully, the morning was beautiful and these were my sights on my way to work.


A long day at work filled with great co-workers and an hour nap before the girls arrived home saved me today.

Dinner is making the house smell wonderful, can't wait for it to be ready...
Headed south tomorrow to watch Bean run in cross country. This is the meet he's been waiting for, as it's the flat course and he's shooting for under 20 minutes. Stay tuned...

Be Happy! Be Healthy! Be sure to enjoy some comfort food this weekend!


Wait? Winter? NNNNOOOOOO!!!!!!!

So, unfortunately, the white stuff on my car is that nasty 4-letter word SNOW. Darn it, I wasn't ready for that to happen.
It's supposed to be warmer starting tomorrow, so this should all go away quickly.

On a happier note...

This is the book haul I came home with today from work...Guess there will be no housework done for a little while, as most of them have waiting lists and I need to get them back soon!
Not sure if there are more for tomorrow, but I can say this weekend will be full of old friends!

Be Happy! Be Healthy! Be sure to enjoy a good book this weekend!

Thursday, October 2, 2014

Montana Flowers

We've had a couple of hard frosts around here, so I was tickled this morning when I went outside and found that my pansies are still blooming.  I gave the flower bed another look and was treated to the tough Montana flowers I've raised this year.
Them mums are just getting going, they were waiting for the cooler weather to bloom. I should be able to enjoy them for some time.
Hard to see, but the lavender is still going strong. This plant looked bad earlier this summer and I thought I would be losing it, but it dug in and is going to be just fine.
The morning glories decided that now was the time to bloom, after I took away the trellis to paint it...


I do have to admit that summer is over, but dinner last night in the slow cooker smelled amazing when I walked in the door from work...
Be Happy! Be Healthy! Be sure to enjoy a good meal with good friends!