Perfect Playground Weather

I miss summer already. I love going to the pool and water parks. I even like hot and humid weather. I like the freedom of no school in the summer. But, fall is beautiful and we are having perfect playground weather now. Wesley has a 30 minute piano lesson once a week. During the summer, I sat in the air-conditioned car with Josiah and Lydia while we waited on Wesley. Yesterday, was our first trip to the piano teacher's local school playground since last spring. The school recently open a new playground.

There is a cool surfboard that was surprisingly hard for Lydia.

Josiah had an even harder time with it.

Josiah like the curvy slide.

Lydia did a lot of climbing.

After Wesley's lesson, I took all three kids to the Christian bookstore to buy a new Bible for me.  I often take them to a regular bookstore and everything is fine, but yesterday was crazy with them.  Lydia had an absolute meltdown because I wouldn't buy her anything.  I wouldn't buy her a Bible, a toy, a wooden cross, or a metal cross.  Josiah ripped open a little toy car that he found in the party favor section at the end of the aisle of Bible.  After that, he rolled the car back and forth with Wesley which was fine.  I managed to keep my cool, but I didn't buy a Bible.  I did buy the car Josiah opened (I was grateful that it was less than $2) which added fuel to Lydia's flame.

Then we went to Trader Joe's and thankfully the kids were calmer. An older woman told me, "You have your hands full.  I hope you don't work; taking care of these kids is a full time job."  I would really like to say to people, "Please don't tell me I have my hands full unless you are offering a hand to help me!"  We stood in the aisle and talked with this lady for a few minutes and she turned out to be nice and even complimentary.

I came home exhausted and promised myself and the kids that they were going to bed at 7:00.  Of course, we ate dinner at 7:00 and they went to bed after 8:00.

Cox Farms

On Sunday, we went to Cox Farms. Here we are lined up to go through the bus to the vortex.

Two years ago when we went for the "preview weekend", it wasn't very crowded. Last year was slightly more crowded. Sunday seemed really crowded.

The kids didn't mind the waiting in line.

Josiah went down this slide with his hands in the air.

He ended up turning around backwards before the end of the slide.

Posing for a picture in a funny house.

The kids even liked the little dinosaur slide.

The kids on a tractor.

The kids really liked the hayride, but we didn't take any pictures.  We waited in line for at least 30 minutes.

The rope swing is always fun.

It was cute to see the goats up on their bridge over the slide.

Josiah went down the volcano slide with Chris.

Wesley and Lydia went swimming Sunday night and Wesley came home saying it was his best practice ever.  I really don't know where he gets all of his energy.  I was too tired to work out that night.

Chessie's BIG Backyard

This weekend, Chris' brother, David, and his family visited us. Lydia and Lucy had fun dressing up in princess costumes.

Amanda and Lucy.

 

We went to a new playground, Chessie's BIG Backyard.  It is an awesome playground.

Lucy and Wesley climbing.

Claire helped Josiah climb up through a tunnel. He could most things by himself, but needed help with some of the climbing.

Josiah didn't want me  to help him on the playground; he wanted his cousin Claire.

    

I look forward to going back to Chessie's BIG Backyard soon.

Anniversary Dinner - Chef's Tasting and Wine Pairing

For our anniversary, my parents kept the kids so Chris and I could go to a fancy dinner.  This was our first time doing a chef's tasting and also the first time we for a wine pairing.

Flying Fish Cafe Chef's Tasting Wine Experience was amazing.  The chef came out and asked, "Is there anything you don't eat or that you don't like?  We can adjust the menu."  I normally wouldn't eat some of the items on the menu but I wanted to experience dinner the way the chef wanted it to be.

It was us and another couple sitting at a bar in front of the kitchen.  We watched everything going on in the kitchen.  The chef brought out each course and told us about the food.  The waitress brought out every wine and told us about the wine and the winery.

At the bottom of the menu was the following quote, "Wine makes daily living easier, less hurried, with fewer tensions and more tolerance"....Benjamin Franklin

We started with Amuse Bouches: Duck Sausage-Laced Arancini di Carnaroli
White Truffle-Infused Aioli, Tiny Greens,  and Aged Balsamico Drizzle.
Presecco Jeio Brut, Bsiol Veneto Italy

Normally, I don't eat duck but this was really good.

I think it was after this that the waitress brought out "our naughty course" - bread and butter.

1st Course: Guanciale-wrapped Maine Diver Scallop
Laughing Bird Shrimp, Pineapple Tomatillos and Heirloom Radishes, with a Shellfish Roe butter Emulsion
Crios Torrontes, Salba-Argentinean '11

What is guanciale?  Hog jowl.  It's bacon made from hog jowl.  It was actually very good.  I love scallops and this one was delicious.

Second Course: Oak-grilled Local Cape Canaveral Cobia
Summer Squash, Baby Eggplant, Roasted Fennel, vine Ripe Peppers, and Yellow Tomato Coulis
Ceretto Arneis Blange, Italy '10

This fish was good but I loved the vegetables!

Intermezzo - "To Cleasne the Palate & Soothe and the Soul"

Coconut rum and sorbet.  Yum!

Main Course: Porcini-dusted Marcho Farm's Veal Tenderloin
Purple Potatoes, Chiogga Beets, Chanterelle and Lobster Mushrooms, with a Cassis, Port Wine, and Veal Reduction Sauce
Cyan Tinta de Toro, Zamora Do Toro '05

Very good!  We chatted with the other couple, who have grown children and one grand child.  They were a lot of fun and we enjoyed having dinner with them.  The woman, like me, prefers red wine.  So, when the bottle was left in front of her during the main course, she helped herself and poured extra wine for the rest of us also.

Dessert Course: Mascarpone-stuffed Sinful Chocolate Torta
Aged Cognac-scented Bing Cherry Compote
Marques de Caceres Satinela, Rioja '10

I ordered a decaf coffee.  The coffee came with biscotti.  

The other couple decided to order limoncello to celebrate our anniversary.  I think if they had said any other drink, I would have politely declined because I had already had more than enough wine (and coconut rum).  Chris thinks they were pouring four ounces of wine with each course.  But,  Chris and I have fond memories of our first encounter with limoncello.

On one of our pre-kids cruises, we had dinner mates from Scotland.  The night of the Italian dinner Ronnie and his wife were so excited about "Lemon Jello."  Or at least we thought he was saying lemon jello.  We just couldn't figure out why he was so excited about lemon jello.  When it was time for dessert, he ordered limoncello for the entire table.  Not being world travelers, we were unfamiliar with the second-most-popular liqueur in Italy.  Ronnie was so excited about it because they had only had it in Italy.

So we toasted the night, our anniversary, and happy marriages and then said good night.  We took a cab back to our hotel.  Thankfully, Chris thought of taking a cab to dinner and back.

When we got back to our room, we found all the kids sleeping peacefully.  My parents were sound asleep in the adjoining room.

I was a little worried when I went to bed.  I had more to drink than usual and we had to get up early the next morning for Chef Mickey's.  The next day was the only day we could get  into Chef Mickey's.  Thankfully, I felt fine the next morning.  I was just a little tired because we went to bed so late.

Josiah was very excited about the characters.

 Chef Mickey's is a buffet.  Dinner and breakfast both are surprisingly good for a buffet.  Like Chris and I needed a buffet breakfast after the dinner we had the night before.

 It was fun seeing all three kids excited to see pose with characters.

We drove to the Contempory Resort for our 7:00 breakfast.  After breakfast we walked to the Magic Kindgom and then walked back to the Contempory for dinner at The Wave.  We ate really well on vacation.  Thankfully, we also got a lot of exercise.

Animal Kingdom

We spent our fifth day at Disney World at Animal Kingdom. We started the day at Expedition Everest.  My dad rode the roller coaster. Once. But at least he rode it.  I am telling you, it must be something about having grandchildren.

In this picture you can see how hot and sweaty we were.  I didn't think it was that bad.  Last year when we were at Animal Kingdom, it rained almost six inches.   So, the heat and humidity didn't seem that bad.

Chris bought a spray bottle fan on day one.  Wesley and Lydia took turns using it.  Until it had to be taken away.  Every day it had to be taken away but they enjoyed while it lasted.

Lydia posed like a princess even in her shorts.

Here she is trying to looks scary.

My parents rode Dinosaur.  Chris took this picture of the picture.

We had a great day at Animal Kingdom but we didn't take a lot of pictures.  We had a delicious dinner at Boma's.

Epcot

On days four and six, we went to Epcot. We walked from the Polynesian to the Transportation Center and then rode the monorail to Epcot. We started the first day at Soarin'. Everyone but Josiah rode it and my parents were surprised they liked it so much.

Lydia worked on her princess pose.

I tried to read the book Alice in Wonderland to Wesley and Lydia last year.  They loved it, but I really didn't like it and gave up.  I never got all the way through it as child either.  

We let the kids pick out caramel treats in Germany.  I think Josiah was complaining that Lydia took too big of a bite of his caramel covered marshmallows 

Josiah was very into seeing all the characters.

Pluto helped Josiah look at the camera.

Lydia continued to practice her princess pose.

While waiting to see Donald Duck, the boys practiced their push-ups 

All week, Wesley and Lydia were asking about eating at O'hana's.Thankfully, we were able to get reservations there.  The time wasn't ideal, 8:15, but the kids did great even after a long day at Epcot.

All three kids participated in sweeping the coconuts.

This picture really shows Lydia's personality.

Wesley took a more aggressive stance.

Two days later, we went back to Epcot and started the day at Mission Space.  Wesley, Lydia, and I rode the spinning side twice and my dad tried out the non-spinning side.  I had to drag Wesley away from this video game.  He played it twice.  

This was our last day at Disney and Josiah was worn out.  He just laid down on the floor in the Imagination Pavilion.  

I love how amazing the characters are with children.  One of the mom's I used to work with put the following story on facebook.  Her 4 year old son told Princess Jasmine that his older sister can't talk.  Princess Jasmine replied, "Of course she does.  So does Abu and the magic carpet.  Sometimes you have to listen differently to hear people."   Just typing that brings tears to my eyes.

Wesley had no interest in seeing Snow White. The person with Snow White told us where Shadow Man was.  He isn't one of my favorite characters in the movie but he was great with the kids.

The people who work for Disney are smart.  Really, really smart.  We never did Kim Possible at Epcot but Wesley and Lydia have gotten very into Phineas and Ferb so we let them do Agent P's World Showcase Adventure.  I think they enjoyed the World Showcase more than they ever imagined they would!

They loved listening to clues and using the cell phone to "put on little shows" as Lydia said.  The people who planned this out are so smart.  In Germany, you go in the toy store and activate a train.  Lydia found a Snow White toy she wanted it.  We later bought it and she played with it every night at dinner on the cruise.  In the clothing store, I found a great workout shirt but I didn't buy it.  Normally, we don't go in the stores.

Our first day at Epcot, we watched the American Adventure.  I fed Josiah gummy fish to keep him seated and quiet.   On the second day, Lydia joined in the Pledge of Alliance with the Fife and Drum band.

My parents and Wesley and Lydia in Japan.

While everyone else watched the movie in France, Josiah posed with Pooh and Tigger in England.  

That night we ate in Germany.  The kids loved the band.

Epcot was fun but we missed the Food and Festival.