Sunday, October 18, 2009

Fun Fall Day

We had a fun fall day today. We went to Circle S Farm to take a hayride and pick our pumpkins. Really, the only reason we go back to Circle S every year is because we took Collin's picture there in front of the "How tall this Fall" sign and I just have to go back every year so that we can compare the pics to see how much he has grown. It is hard to believe that this is the third picture we have taken there. Collin had only been home a little over a month when the first one was taken. It seems like yesterday!







Next week we are going to check out Leeds Farm with our COFLAC friends. We were planing on Circle S but some friends told us about the new place so we are going to give it a try!


Later in the evening we carved pumpkins. Collin said he wanted his to be scary! So I drew a face on his little pumpkin, got the a-okay from the boss and started carving. As soon as I finished he promptly dropped it on the floor and broke it-Oh Well!




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Finally-Guatoberfest!

Well, I finally have a moment to post albeit 1 am! I seem to be having some technical issues loading photos so I guess I will have to create a slide show to post-sorry. I posted a lot of the photos on Facebook so if we are friends feel free to check them out there.

Oh, Guatoberfest! Since I have had a week to cool off I think this will be a much happier post. I must remember to keep in mind that Collin had a fabulous time playing with all of his friends and luckily all of the "issues" didn't really phase him. I will say that it was great to get out of town and spend some alone time with my little guy and my mom-especially where there is sun and sand!


We made a week out of our 4 day cruise. We left on Saturday and stayed at the Loews Hotel in South Beach because Loews Loves Kids (that is their slogan). It's a good thing because no one else in South Beach does. The restaurants especially seemed to hate us and I don't think Collin is an out of control maniac kid but either way I noticed a cringe every time we walked in for a meal.I think our cheapest meal was $90 and that was breakfast so you can imagine what lunch and dinner did to the pocketbook!





Everyone knows that any hotel stay has to start with a good jump on the bed!




This was the view from our balcony in the hotel. It's hard to complain when you have the white sand and blue water right outside your door, not to mention an adorable little toddler just begging to entertain us. Noni bought Collin a pair of dinosaur feet slippers on one of our shopping jaunts. They were obviously very popular. He wanted to wear them every time we left the room but mam wasn't having that!







Our first stop was at the Concierge desk to get a map of the area. Collin thought the map was the coolest thing ever-he carried it everywhere and constantly examined it to make sure we were going the right direction. As strange as it may sound the kid knew his way around the hotel. Two and a half years old and he led us back and forth from the lobby to our room. He knew where the elevator was, what floor to push, which way to turn when we got off the elevator and he even knew our room number and found it without any help!! I was pretty amazed! Even if we got off on the opposite side of the hall, he still knew where to go!!?!
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Guatoberfest Cont.

We spent Saturday and Sunday in South Beach playing at the pool and at the beach.All this excitement can really work up a big appetite!






Monday we headed for the cruise port. We met lots of cruising friends while waiting in line. We were also lucky enough to run into our good friends Consuelo, Arnoldo and Lizzie soon after we arrived on the ship. Collin and Lizzie were like long lost buddies!


This is point where I must remind myself that Collin was the reason for the trip and he was enjoying himself. I will just say that our cruise consisted of a long string of bad luck, bad customer service and poor planning-to the point that if it weren't for Collin we would have packed up and gotten off the boat in Key West. I am pretty certain that the "Imagination" is where Carnival sends all of their problem employees. But, back to happier thoughts!! Collin had a fantastic time running around with his friends-new and old!

Our first stop was Key West. We arrived at about 7am and had to be back on the boat by about 1pm. We decided we were just going to stay on the boat and take Collin to the splash park on the boat. Collin had a great time UNTIL HE GOT KICKED OUT!! Security told us that swim, diapers were not allowed in the pool. I would not really call the kids splash park a pool but this was simply the icing on the crappy cruise cake! I got a wild hair up my you know what and stripped Collin down and sent him back in naked so there would be no mistaking that he was NOT wearing a swim diaper. He loved it but I started to feel guilty for a number of reasons so we left the splash park never to return.

Luckily the next day we stopped in Cozumel and got the heck off that floating dump they call a cruise ship. We had a great time with our friends from Kentucky! We went to a beach and then shopped around a little bit then back to Alcatraz!Our next and last day was a day at sea-oh fun! Hmm? What to do with a 2 1/2 year old that isn't allowed in the pool! Let's see...he doesn't gamble...he doesn't play bingo or drink!?! We managed to pass the time and even got a little non-pool play time in so the day was not a total loss!

Finally it was time to get off the boat for good. It was bittersweet because no matter how bad the cruise was we still had lots of fun with our friends and I really enjoyed getting away no matter where we were.

We stayed another night in Coconut Grove and met up with some friends staying in the same area. Conveniently there was a playground right across the street from our hotel so we took the boys over to play for a while and then we had to say our goodbyes.

Collin was so exhausted. I had no idea how tiring vacation would be for a toddler. That kid slept and slept and slept. He was a trooper through everything-plane rides, cab rides, standing in line, waiting to eat, getting kicked out of the pool-lol-everything! I always look forward to any opportunity I can get to escape the real world with him and go somewhere that I don't have the responsibility of work and home. A little mother son chill time! Does that make me selfish? Oh well!!I always welcome family time too!

Collin is so lucky to have a dad that is so involved in every aspect of his life. Wyatt made the cutest video for me to show Collin at night while we were gone. He recorded Collin's stuffed animals talking to him and telling him goodnight. It was too funny!!Collin LOVED it!

And so, it was time for our dream to end. Back home to 40 degree weather,work, home and all that comes with real life! Good Times!
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Guatoberfest Cruise 2009

My soapbox about the Advent Conspiracy

I came across this video on another blog. I have to admit I only looked at it for entertainment value. I assumed with a title like that, it had to be some wacko conspiracy theory and who doesn't need a good laugh. Suprisingly enough it really touched me and made me think. It didn't grab my interest because of it's religious value, because that's not really my thing. I am not the type of person that flaunts religion or believes in pushing your beliefs onto others. It touched me because of it's human value and because it shows me how quickly I forget.

When we were in Guatemala it was truly a life changing experience for a myriad of reasons, only one of which was bringing home a baby! We saw poverty that we could never imagine in this country. I remember thinking when I was there that despite all of the stress of the situation, I was more at peace than I had ever felt in my life. Among other things, there was no pressure to have more...there was nothing to have. People just lived their lives. Families worked together, lived together in cramped housing-if they had a roof over their heads at all-and they were happy! We were forced to enjoy eachother without our "creature comforts" and I loved it. I now remember hoping that once we got home, I would never lose that idea that we don't really need much at all. I realized our society makes us think we need more but we really don't. And after watching the video it makes me realize that I have failed miserably.


I had made up my mind that in order to honor my new found attitude and our sons heritage, we would sponsor a Guatemalan family every year so that they could have food and heat and their children could go to school-things we take for granted on a daily basis. For some reason I can never seem to find the money to do that- BUT- I can find the money to buy coffee every day, sometimes several times a day, Collin will see a room full of gifts on Christmas morning, I can go out to eat, I can do whatever I want for the most part. My priorities have gone right back to where they were before I experienced Guatemala and it makes me sad. That is the reason that I am posting the video in a permenant spot on the blog, so that I am constantly reminded, not only during Christmas but all year to give PRESENCE to my friends and family not PRESENTS and to give back to something that I feel very strongly about. I don't write this to push Guatemalan charity or any charity but to encourage anyone reading this to slow down and take a look at your life and see what means the most to you and see where it takes you.

Advent Conspiracy