What it took to get to the Arizona Biltmore...


As I said before I left on this trip.....it had been four years in the making, well apparently a little more time was needed......Thursday afternoon we arrive at the Spokane Airport to learn that our flight had been cancelled, but not to worry....there was another flight going out in two hours that would still get us to Seattle in time for our connecting flight to Phoenix. So, whew.....that meant we could grab a coffee and relax a little before getting on the plane. 
While we are in the air between Spokane and Seattle we keep hearing the flight attendant assure us for those with connecting flights we will have plenty of time to make those flights. Trish and I had about a 30 minute window we were working with. So even though we were a little concerned we relaxed when we heard we would make it and the plane leaving for Phoenix knew they were waiting for us. 
When we hit the ground in Seattle we were ready to run to the next flight, but instead we were told to go to the Customer Service desk. This puzzled us a little, because we thought that would be wasting time when we should be getting on our next plane. But being the good girls that we are we do what we're told.......which ended up being taking the train to a completely different area of the airport. By this time we figured out that we had missed our flight (THE LAST FLIGHT TO PHOENIX FOR THE NIGHT!). We were both pretty bummed, because neither one of us has had a vacation in many years and we were all pumped to get down to Phoenix and start relaxing with a drink in hand by the pool. We had made the reservation for Thursday night so we would have 2 full days by the pool, now we were only going to have 1 day by the pool, because we would be traveling the other two days. Once we realized that, we went from bummed to pissed off! We'd been robbed! The lovely people working for the airlines we were traveling with could have cared less that our long awaited and planned for trip had just been ruined. Instead of spending our first night in Phoenix we were going to be staying the night in Seattle. Well, had we known that, we would have just stayed home. drats! So if that isn't bad enough, when we get to baggage to pick up our suitcases we are told they went on to Phoenix. Excuse me? How is it that we missed the plane but our suitcases didn't? I raised the question with the lovely airline worker and she said, well maybe I'd better make a call on that........hmmmm, ya think?!
An hour later our bags are rolled out to us with no more than a look from the airline worker. So now with our hotel voucher in hand we go out and find a shuttle and make our way over to the Holiday Inn. (Not exactly what we had in mind for our first night of vacation). The next morning we had to be at the airport at 4:30am......that's rude all in itself when a person is on vacation! For some reason I could not turn off my brain all night so I didn't get a wink of sleep. I was sooooo tired  by the time we arrived in Phoenix. We decided that since we were being robbed a day of our vacation we should stay an extra night. It just so happened that Trish had Monday off anyways, and Michael gave the thumbs up that everything and everyone would be fine at home without me for one more day. So as soon as we checked in to our hotel room we went to lunch and then put our suits on and headed to the pool. At last! 
So, even though the trip didn't start out the way we had planned everything worked out in the end and we had a great trip. ahhhh!

Poolside

This isn't the best picture I could have taken of the pool area, and apparently I find out now that I'm home there are even more pools..... I took this picture from my poolside lounge chair. It was overcast the day of the picture, so that also contributes to the poor picture quality. 
The weather was not very good (according to the locals) the whole time we were there.....it was ONLY low to mid 80's, which quite honestly was warm enough for me. We still managed to get sun burns even using sunscreen. 
It was so nice to sit by the pool relaxing with a fun tropical drink in hand!

Cactus and Flowers around the Biltmore Hotel



The contrast between the hard architecture and the softness of the landscaping was quite pretty! They must go through a serious amount of water to keep everything alive during the heat of the summer. You can tell I'm a gardener, because that's all I could think of as we were walking around.....how do they keep all of this watered? 

Checkers or Chess Anyone?

We didn't take time out for a game, but isn't this so cute?! This was in one of the side lawns at the hotel. 

It must be time to go home!

YUCK!.....you know its time to go home when there is a cockroach in your hotel room.....eeeeewww!  We set our alarms (two of them to make sure we didn't over sleep) for the morning we had to leave. I run in to shower, and as quickly as I ran in to the bathroom I ran right back out!....there was a big bug laying on its back on the bathroom floor.  Yuck!.....I hate bugs! My friend Trish feels the same as I do about them, but she at least had the smarts to get a cup to put over the thing. Once she put the cup over the thing she slid a piece of paper under the cup to see if it was still alive......eewww, eewww, eewww!.....it was still alive! It flipped over and we realized it was a cockroach. By this time I'm freaked out and don't want to shower with the thing in the bathroom, so we put another cup on top of the cup it was under just for a little more assurance that it was trapped. The whole time I was showering I kept peaking out to make sure it was still in the cup. I think if that thing would have gotten out you would have found me passed out on the floor. Needless to say we both managed to get ready and out of there. 

Busy day at the Phoenix airport

Its hard to tell from this picture, but we counted 13 planes lined up ready for take off. The fact that I had to take a picture of the lineup must prove how much of a small town girl I am. tee hee!

Home Sweet Home....


I arrived home from my Phoenix trip with my friend Trish today.....that's us in the picture (the statues).....hee hee...not really, just a little funny for ya! We had an eventful trip. I just got home a few hours ago and need to catch some sleep before I fill you in on the whole thing. For now I wanted to post this pretty little picture to tide you over until tomorrow. 

Leavin' on a jet plane.....


For the first time since Anna was born I am going on a little vacation without the family.....giddy giddy giddy....well, not to be leaving my family of course, but for the reason that I'm going on vacation! And, its to someplace warm....Phoenix! hip hip hooray! Hope to get some great pictures to share with you when I get back.
This Phoenix trip planted itself in my head about 4 years ago....my girl Trish and I were sitting in the Phoenix airport on the way home from a Vegas trip for like 6 hours. All we could do is look out the airport windows and wonder what Phoenix must be like.....So....finally 4 years later we are going back and this time its for a little longer than 6 hours....more like 4 days! yeehaw!
Hope you all have a great weekend....we will do the same! (We leave in 3 more hours!....teehee)
Tune back in Monday for some vacation pics!

Plant those Dahlias ...
























Here is Anna with her favorite rake. yep, some kids have favorite toys....she is attached to yard implements. 
I'm not sure what I was thinking when I ordered all of these Dahlia bulbs, but now they have all arrived and someone (me) is going to have to plant them. 
Well actually I do know what I was thinking....every year that I go to the fair and see all of the HUGE dahlias on display, I think, some day I'm going to have dahlias like those! Well, keep your fingers crossed...maybe this is my year. I have 78 tubers to plant. The weather is still a bit to chilly at night to plant them, so for now I can just anticipate the job....hee hee
My neighbor walked by as I was taking these pictures and said, "are you getting ready to plant your bulbs?"....I said, "no, just taking pictures of them". I'm pretty sure he's wondering about me right about now....hee hee
Hope all of you are out enjoying some nice spring weather!

Something to ponder....

I don't have a picture for today, but had to pass along what I heard at the park today. Anna and I went down for our daily park outing and today we met a little boy who was walking his dog "Rufus"....(the dog was a daschund....so pretty funny that a small dog has such a BIG name).

The little boy with Rufus appeared to be about 5 years old and was quite comfortable striking up a conversation with me while we were all on the swings. He says, "I've met the President before". I responded with, "wow that must have been pretty exciting!" He says, "not really, he was kind of a bummer." I asked, "what made him such a bummer?" He says, "well, he started out by saying that $100.00 was too much, and then he said $1,000.00 was too much, and finally he said $400.00 was too much." To this I had to ask, "do you remember the name of the President you met?" He quickly responds back with, "yes, his name was Lincoln." 

It may not seem that funny to everyone else, but if you could have seen how serious this little boy was about meeting the President and him being such a bummer it would have made you laugh too. During the conversation I'm thinking, oh, he must be talking about President Bush, because he came through our town a couple years ago, but then I'm thinking, well that would have made this little boy only 3 years old at the time. I almost laughed out when he said Lincoln, because all of the sudden the questions running through my mind were for nothing! 

And, the whole time I'm talking to this kid I'm wondering where is his mother? Maybe I'm too protective, but geesh, these days I don't know if I could send Anna off alone to the park. 

So now I'm taking pictures of food......

This is a picture of the fresh fruit salad I made for Easter dinner.....it looked so pretty I thought I should take a picture and share the recipe. 
This is a great salad for summer BBQ's! 

Recipe for Fresh Fruit Salad

Fresh Fruit & Mint Salad

1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
4 mangos sliced
12oz. strawberries sliced
6 kiwis sliced
1 1/2 cups seedless grapes (cut in half)

Combine lime juice, honey and chopped mint. Pour mixture over sliced fruit and gently mix in. 
Best if prepared the same day as serving. 

The Chocolate Bunny!



Last night Anna left her empty Easter basket by the front door, so the Easter Bunny could come by and fill it. 
When she woke up this morning she ran out to see if the basket had been filled.....I heard her gasp, and yell "mommy come quick!"
Besides books, a couple stuffed animals, and candy, there was a CHOCOLATE EASTER BUNNY! 
At first she didn't quite know what it was, then she asked, "do we eat the WHOLE thing?" When I said yes, she got a big smile and said, "open it, open it!" Anyways, here is the chocolate bunny. 
Happy Easter Everyone!

Easter Egg Hunt



This morning we went to our local park for the annual Easter Egg Hunt. Too bad it was raining! Anna didn't care about the rain though.....she just wanted those eggs. By the time we were done we were all soaked. 
Yesterday myself and a lot of the other neighbors dropped off a dozen eggs each filled with candy and money at one of the neighbor's houses down by the park who coordinates the whole thing, this morning some of the neighbors "hid" the eggs (for the little kids the eggs were just dropped around on the ground), and then we all met with our kids for the countdown to the Easter Egg Hunt. 

Anna had a great time and couldn't wait to get home to see what was in her eggs. 

Happy Birthday to me!

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Graphics for Happy Birthday Comments

Jump and Party!




 
Since today is my birthday Anna wanted to have a birthday party for me (I know, isn't she the best?). Well, when you're a 3 year old party planner this is how you throw a party..... We went to Jump and Party! We had never been there before today, so I was not expecting to participate myself.....(I didn't think adults would be allowed on the inflatables). My mistake.....now of course there were other parents there with their children, but Michael and I were the only two adults climbing in and out of these HUGE inflatables. I didn't get a picture of the whole place, but there are several big inflatable things (obstacle courses) for you to play on. I was pooped by the time our hour was up. Thank goodness it was only an hour! Anna had a blast, and I must admit I had a pretty darn good time myself. :0) Great Birthday party Anna! 
I'm delighted to say that tonight Anna will be with my dad while Michael and I go out to dinner....a little more relaxing. 


Last Day of Gym Class





It was a sad day....this was Anna's last day of gym class at My Gym. Due to the economy they are closing their doors after being open for only a year and a half. We are all disappointed :0( It was a great place for all of our kids to meet once a week and a nice break for us parents once a week. Anna had the best teachers....Thank you Miss Dawn, Miss Amy and Miss Maria. We are going to miss seeing them each week. It was a great learning experience for both myself and Anna.

Easter 2008





Last Easter we rented a house over on Alki in West Seattle. We went to the zoo where Anna was able to join in the big Easter Egg Hunt. She loved that!
Anna 28 months, Danielle 15, Michael 13

Easter 2007

Here are a bunch of pictures from Easter 2007. I can't believe how much the kids have all changed in 2 years time. The two older ones (Dani & Michael) were not too thrilled when I told them we were going to color eggs....they're much too old for that ya know!....well, isn't it funny that as soon as I got those little cups full of color and handed them their eggs they were all over it! Too old my foot!
hee hee, and they're going to be so happy I posted these pictures....shhh,
don't tell them.



Anna 16 months, Danielle 14, Michael 12

Here's a site for moms to check out: www.nannydeprived.blogspot.com

Mom Quotations

The World Pays Homage to Moms.... as it Should!
Enjoy these great Mother Quotes!


"My second favorite household chore is ironing. My first being hitting my head on the top bunk bed until I faint. ~Erma Bombeck

"I'm not going to vacuum 'til Sears makes one you can ride on." ~Roseanne Barr

"Cleaning up with children around is like shoveling during a blizzard" ~ Author Unknown

"Any mother could perform the jobs of several air-traffic controllers with ease."
~ Lisa Alther

"By and large, mothers and housewives are the only workers who do not have regular time off. They are the great vacationless class."
~Anne Morrow Lindbergh

My New Theme Song

Everybody sing along!

All I can think of is the 60's show "Laugh In"


You would think the same thing if you witnessed her riding her trike in person. She tips over a lot!.....I'm not laughing at her, I'm laughing with her.....Its not her fault though, we have a lot of cracks and seams in the driveway and that little trike just doesn't take them well. She has a bigger trike, but she can't reach the pedals on that one yet.

At last, the park...
























...and some play time with Daddy!
The sun was shining and no snow on the ground. Happy Day!

Isn't this how you garden?......


Maybe there would be less back trouble if everyone took lessons from Anna! She seems to have gardening down....hee hee
Maybe its the fact that I'm always asking her not to get dirty, and this is the closest way she could make herself suspended over the flower bed......she's a thinker!

We went to Lowe's a couple nights ago and bought dahlia bulbs and she's been dying to plant them. I keep telling her it needs to be a little bit warmer before we can start planting anything, so again with the thinking, she looks up and says, "how about rocks?....can I plant rocks now?"
So, that is what she is doing.

Now, who is going to be the one to tell her that rocks don't grow?