Sterling Cooper Intern

This is me if I was living in the 50's working at an ad agency.  I know I'd be one classy lady, but with spunk and not a goody two shoes Stepford wife.  I'd totally be like Joan.  I love Mad Men, it's such a great show.  And after I did this Eric said I looked like Joan which is the most amazing compliment EVER!  Joan is a foxy, sassy, redhead with a bright spark!

Christmas Dragon Strikes!

So a couple weeks ago I had a chit chat with Gage about Santa.  Most importantly I wanted to know if he truly believed in Santa anymore because I really didn't want to buy him a bunch more presents from "Santa".  After a very awkward conversation, where I'm still not sure if I actually ruined Christmas for him or not, it was put out there that when a kid turns 13, Santa turns the reigns over to the Christmas Dragon who brings a stocking full of goodies and leaves a Christmas poop floater in the toilet for the morning.   Gage thought this was much cooler than Santa and was completely ok with it.

Well, much to my chagrin, last night Karma got the better of me.  When I came home from a birthday party and went up to my bedroom I took great notice that my room smelled like a big, steaming, pile of shit.  I took the entire tour of my room looking for the culprit and came up empty handed.  So after going through the Christmas presents I got from Margie at the party, I climbed into my bed and discovered a huge pile of fresh poop.  I suspect it wasn't the Christmas Dragon but either a master poet or a fluffball with both an identity and sexuality crisis.  I hadn't noticed it prior because it was sitting all snug in my bed on my amazing new brown sheets. 

Have I mentioned how much I hate cats?  Well I hated them last night at 1 a.m. while I was running a load of laundry and changing my sheets.

Jesus' Birthday!

After writing this blog title, it's become apparent to me that I'm bummed that we didn't have any birthday cake.  Kind of put out by it now that I've given it some thought.  Anywho, I'll get over it.  Onto Christmas day.

Our day began, quite surprisingly, at 7:20 a.m. when Roan came upstairs to wake corral us.  I asked him what time he got up at and he informed me that he'd been awake since 6:30 a.m reading his space book.  In my sleepy haze I told him he wasn't supposed to be into his Santa stuff without getting us up first and then realized, oops, how would I know that Santa brought him a new Space book???  So I quickly tried to recover with uh, what book Roan, the one Jill and Larry got for you?  So far, he hasn't clue in to my goof up. 

We woke Gage up and made our way into the living room to watch them open their stockings.  Roan's from Santa, Gage's from the Christmas Dragon as he's 13 now and doesn't believe in Santa anymore.  We then broke into the presents for the boys that were from Eric and myself.  After a flurry of paper and 10 minutes, all the hype was over for another year.  So overrated.  Gage walked away with an entirely new wardrobe of skateboard clothes (which he wanted), a couple of collectible toys from video games which he loved and some Xbox shit he requested.  He was content.  Roan scored a bunch of Halo toys, Legos, a ton of art supplies, and some cool Space stuff, though he was quite put out when I told him the presents had run dry.  Overall though, I think he was quite happy with his stash.

A couple hours later we were rounding up the boys, heading to drop them at their dad's for the day and night and make our way back into Welland for Christmas lunch with Eric's parents and extended family.  Have I mentioned how much more I love food when someone else cooks it for me?  I think I probably have, but let me reiterate.  I LOVE WHEN OTHER PEOPLE COOK ME FOOD.  Eating in restaurants is probably my biggest vice...I'm aware of this.

That's Eric and Muma Cobra, Jill

And this one is us.

After dinner Eric's family has a tradition of having Christmas pudding with custard on it.  They soak it in booze then light it on fire.  All it made me want was Saganaki.  It's grossness all around.  There should never be chewy fruit in cake.  Yuck.  Anyway, I ate about 8 pounds of rice krispy squares, much to my satisfaction while they all got drunk on cake.  Larry is a huge fan of the custard portion of this delicacy and at one point I thought for sure he was going to lick the bowl after he scraped it clean. I had the camera ready, but he disappointed me.  Maybe he caught me with the camera, ready to capture it for eternity and refrained.  I know he secretly wanted to lick the bowl though.

After dessert, Eric and I had to quickly part ways.  But not before jumping on his Uncle Denis' lap while he was dressed like Santa and getting a festive photo op!  And then we came home and I napped.  Nothing better than a tummy of turkey and a nap on Christmas day in a quiet house. 

Thank you for being born baby Jesus, even if you never asked to be born!! 

Christmas with the Cobra Clan

So on Christmas Eve we began our weekend of chaos & meals cooked by other people and headed over to Eric's parents for our gift exchange and dinner.  We kept it simple and ordered pizza, much to Eric's delight.  It felt weird for me not to have Chinese food on Christmas Eve, but maybe we'll do something like that for New Years Eve....  While we waited for Chris, Lisa and Felix we watched Christmas Vacation (always a crowd pleaser) and ate h'ordeurves (I know I didn't spell that right, back off!).

After dinner we did our gift exchange.  I was so glad Larry loved his car stuff and book.  I was worried it wasn't too personal (I spend clearly too much time making sure someone's gift is about them for me that's the fun part of Christmas shopping) but he was clearly excited about it, asking me to smell the car wax we got him because it reminded him of summer, which I thought was uber cute.  Jill thought we spent too much, but I disagree.  I know hers wasn't too personal of a gift but it was all stuff she wanted, so I guess she was happy.  She likes cinnamon and gingerbread, I did manage to hear that part, so I guess I did good!  Chris and Lisa seemed to love their gifts as well.  Chris was harder to buy for than I had originally thought, but with some help from Lisa, we got the job done.  Lisa unknowingly helped me select a gift for her as well earlier this year by posting a link on Facebook to a handmade bracelet she loved.  So I clicked and it was hers.   A couple of weeks ago I came across a Doctor Who cookie jar and as an afterthought picked it up for the two fans.  They completely dug it, which I was totally happy about.  Felix didn't give a shit about anything we got him, slept through the whole thing, little ingrate.  :)  But I know his parents liked it, so that's all that mattered.  I very much enjoy watching people open the gifts I put a lot of effort into and it's so much more enjoyable when they genuinely like them.  So Christmas success!!

Eric and I  The boys got new Xbox controllers in their loot, so we they were happy about that!  And we got some moolah to put towards our new flat screen TV that's sitting promptly in our radar. 

For some reason, no one took any pictures of Eric.  We clearly need to try harder next year.

Xbox Beauties

For the past year, maybe less, I've decided to be a good girlfriend and take up one of Eric's interests-video games.  Most importantly first person shooter games.  I tried to be my typical stubborn self and buck the system, but finally I caved.  It was important to him.  So now, I'm a COD whore.  I like shooting other dudes/zombies.  I love always having the most head shots.

So recently Eric decided to get a Family Plan Xbox Live account so I'd be able to log in and have my own user name and no longer just be an entity of him-Johny Cobra Guest.  So my gamer tag is MissyAggrav8ion and I got to play around and create my own avatar.  Which I think, frankly, is a pretty amazing replica of the real me!  Eric's didn't look anything close to him so I made him change it.  Of course they don't give you the option of big ears, so I think in real life Eric should shrink his down.... But it's still pretty close to what he would look like without stretched ears.  We're such a cute computer generated couple don't ya think???

My boyfriend is a model!

Last weekend after the wedding, Syx and Taryn decided to venture up to the Falls for a sort of 'honeymoon' night at the Hilton.  The following night we were all supposed to make the trek to Hamilton to go to the Kicking the Christ out of Kristmas Klopeks show.  Unfortunately Mother Nature had other plans and she decided to shit  snow all over our parade.  Syx and Taryn thought it best not to try to venture onward to Leamington and they stayed here for the night. 

Syx is a photographer and so the following morning while I was at work they did a makeshift modeling session.  And while I know it would be tres awkward I'm kind of jealous I wasn't here.  While I don't think I'd enjoy the actual process of getting my photograph taken, it would be nice to have some pretty cool pictures taken by someone with a whole lot of talent.  Eric said he felt weird and silly but I think the pictures turned out really decent.  He's a picky pants, but I like them.  Too bad they were taken in his messy office.

I'm not sure which one I like best, but I think all three turned out nice.  My boyfriend, the model!!

Short and Sweet

Merry Christmas to all.  I wish you all a wonderful time with your loved ones throughout this holiday season.  Treasure those you love and hold them close.  Cherish the moments you spend with them even during these hectic times.  And take a few moments to yourself.  You deserve it! 

Merry Ho Ho!

My Grandma and I have an interesting relationship...In my eyes, she's not a warm, fuzzy grandma.  I do have some fond memories of her over the years, but I also have some not so fond memories.  Our personalities clashed throughout my life and sometimes I harbour resentment towards her.  However that being said, she's still my grandma and regardless if I agree or disagree (usually the latter) with her train of thought or behaviours I do love her. 

Two weekends ago I drove 4 hours to attend her 90th birthday party with both kids in tow, much to my chagrin. I'll admit I did try to get out of it seeing as I had to make that trip again the following weekend for a wedding.  My mom was successful in guilting me into going and rightfully so.  When I got there on the Friday all I wanted to do was go visit my Uncle Larry in the hospital, but nope, I went with my mom and aunt to prepare food for this soiree for 5 hours.  Yup, fun to the extreme!  Then the following day we loaded up vehicles, mine included and made the 45 minute trek to the party to help set up chairs, tables, food, etc.  And you know what?  She totally appreciated it.  The boys and I even stopped to see her following the party before we left town.  All was well. 

On Monday I got the following Christmas card from her.  I found humour yet pain in it.  No not really.  I just rolled my eyes and laughed.  She is 90 after all.  I just love how even if she means to or not, she puts me right back in the place she usually holds just for me, the back of her mind. 

Dear Holly & Sons (she usually writes their names)

Love Aunt Eva (she's been my grandma for 36+ years)

I know I saw you recently but thought I'd send anyway. (oh you shouldn't have)

Sassy fishies!

I haven't had a chance to upload my pictures from Saturday night's fun times so I'm stealing this one from Taryn to hold you over.  (Cause I know you are all on the edges of your seats waiting). 

We're doing sassy faces or fishy faces, depending on which part of the country you live in.  When I moved back from BC when I was nine, the word to use when something was crazy awesome was "deadly".  I was an outcast because in Niagara Falls, the word to use was not deadly, but "wicked".  So, you say fishy faces, I say sassy faces.  Either way, it's fun to make faces in front of a camera. 

Warm Snow

It's a week before Christmas.  Less than actually.  I'm sitting in my office at work and I feel like I've been caught up in a snow globe that some fascinated child has just discovered.  It's snowing out.  It is the perfect Christmas day kind of snow.  Big fluffy flakes coming at us in all directions.  I tried to take a picture of it but the photo does it no justice. 

 And by the time I finished uploading the pictures, the snow has completely ceased to exist.  It is now clear as a bell.  So strange.  I'm not a big fan of snow.  Frankly, winter is the most dreaded time of year for me.  But big fluffy snow falls when I'm not having to be out in it give me a warm feeling deep in my core.  But that feeling is gone now. It only lasts for a moment.  Now it's just overcast and grey with snow to be shovelled and I'm at work when I'd rather be at home in front of my fireplace with my pyjamas on. 

Edit:  It's now 4 p.m. and it's snowing like a bitch again.  This time I don't find it warm and endearing as I must trek out into it and make my way home shortly.  I hate driving in fluffy-lovely-to-look-at-but-not-drive-in snow.

Weddings!!

This weekend I'm heading back down to the Windsor area for a wedding reception for two friends, Syx and Taryn.  This party should be much more lively than the party of last weekend.  Josh, Chantale, Orbax and Eric will be joining me for some heavy drinking and good times. 

The wedding was held this past summer in Vancouver and while both Eric and I really wanted to use it as an excuse to head out west for a visit, we just couldn't financially swing it with Disney and all so close behind it.  Since Syx is from Ontario they thought it condusive to have a reception back here as well for those of us who were too poor to make the trip in August. 

Photo courtesy of lindsaysdiet.com

I'm looking forward to a great night with friends, food, booze and a cheap motel.  I've got the camera battery charging and my dancing shoes all polished up.

Lost

Last night while Roan was having a bath, I sat in there with him and we read stories.  Well actually he read stories to me.  His reading is so much more fluent now.  He doesn't seem to just be reading words anymore but actual sentences.  Reading is extremely important to me.  It's a time when I can get lost somewhere other than my own head.  I really wish my children had the passion for reading that I have (and had as a child/teenager). 

I've been a reader my whole life (from what I can remember anyway).  Both my mother and father encouraged it, and are active readers themselves.  I learned pretty quickly that there was something magical in books and stories.  The words in a book could conjure up fantastic worlds in my mind.  They could take me to places I'd never been or will maybe never get to visit.  I've figured out that I picked up most of what I know about grammar and spelling from the books I read and not so much from the actual classes and lessons I was supposed to learn them from. 

Reading has taught me that maybe I'll never hunt another human being through a jungle, or become part of my psychiatrist's family or be a UFC fighter, but I don't have to...  The world is a mighty big place, I can't expect to do or be everything.  Life is bigger than any one person.  But, when I read about other people's lives and I read their stories, I can actually catch a glimpse of a world much bigger than my own.  I have been blessed to do some traveling in my life but I know if I read great stories I'll eventually get to see the entire world.

It's also taken me 36 years to realize and understand that I can find the world in my own story too.  I just have to keep my eyes open.  And through my blog, I can tell my story for other's to read.  Maybe one day, my kids!  They'll have a better idea of who their mother is and was as she trekked through life.  

GSP!! GSP!!!

Nothing is sweeter to me right now than a French Canadian!  I've looked forward to nothing more these past three months or so than George St. Pierre putting Josh Koscheck in his place.  Josh has been juvenile, rude, immature, disrespectful, and arrogant.  I know he says he did it to hype the fight, but he was rude right out of the gates during the Ultimate Fighter tv show.  I have so much respect for George for remaining silent and just smiling at all of Josh's stupid comments.

He said he'd respond to all of Josh's comments in the ring and he did just that.  I wish he had knocked the living shit out of him, but watching him go 5 rounds and instilling pain on Josh makes me just as content.  He is a man of pure class and honour and he has so much talent in the ring, he could put most of these fighters to shame.  In the end, it looks like George punched some class back into Josh because he seemed to be a humbled loser.  Or maybe he thought he better appear gracious or he'd never get out of Montreal alive.  Either way, the end result was what I was looking for.  Josh to walk out of the ring without the belt and his tail between his legs.

Arid Extra Dry

Monday we will have no water at work.  All day.  No water at all.  Is this enough to warrant shutting the building down and going home?  I think I believe it could be.... I'm going to need to create a pee break schedule so we will all have adequate time to leave the building, drive out of the neighbourhood and find a washroom.

9 vs. 90

This weekend the boys and I headed down with my parents on Friday to Windsor/Leamington to mainly celebrate my maternal Grandmother's 90th birthday.  We headed out Friday with the intention to stop in Windsor to visit my Uncle Larry who is in the hospital (per my last post) but because we stopped for food en route we were a little later arriving than we had originally planned.  And some how I got roped into immediately going with my mom and aunt to prepare food for the birthday party on Saturday...Five hours later...we headed over to visit Uncle Larry, who looked so much better than I was anticipating.  So I felt at ease following our hour long visit.  My aunt wasn't there, but I did get to speak with her on the phone and tell her I loved her. 

The next day was busy loading cars, getting the boys dressed and ready and heading into Leamington to set up the party room.  Roan (who is 9) was super stoked to be going to this party.  I'm not sure he fully understood that 90 year olds don't party like 9 year olds, but he seemed to enjoy himself with my cousins kids for the afternoon so that's all that mattered to him.  It was nice to see some of my mom's family (we don't often see them) again and catch up with them for the afternoon.

My Grandmother was in a lovely mood which was quite pleasant.  Don't get me wrong, my grandmother is a genuinely nice person.  She and I though don't have the most endearing relationship.  I'm a strong personality and she was raised to not be that way.  So we've clashed many many times throughout my life.  I have difficulty spending long periods of time with her.  My patience are limited and I'm easily frustrated.  Thankfully her hearing isn't strong.  haha  She has a tendency to be uber negative and non appreciative.  She has a habit of treating myself (and frankly everyone else, including my mother) like I'm a 5 year old.  So over the years I just find it easier to limit the time I spend with her.  However, all that being said she was so, so genuinely appreciative of all of the hard work everyone did to make this party happen and she was so pleased and proud that her family were all there.

Ninety years....I can't even imagine.  She's been blessed over all with decent health through the years and a good life.  She's still living relatively independently (in a retirement home, but not a nursing home), is still driving (though she's giving that up in February) and still has her lifelong best friend in her life.  My grandfather passed away over 5 years ago, so she finds time long without him but aside from that she's done well and is still doing well considering she's NINETY!

 At 19.

At 89.

Happy Birthday Grandma!  I hope you enjoyed your party.  You have earned it and deserve it.

Bummed

So this week, as it turns out, has been a more trying week for other members of my family than I thought it had been for me.  My dad is one of 9 kids.  So it goes without saying that I have 8 aunts/uncles, who all happen to have spouses and children, so that means I have a very big family.  Through the years they've had their moments with each other that all families do, and a large one like ours would never go unscathed.  But the 'wiggles' all seem to work themselves out and despite living 3 1/2 hours away from a lot of them we are a pretty close family overall.  The original 9 all have each others back, without any doubt.  They support each other, laugh together, cry together, bitch together, party together, mourn together and just overall share in each others lives even if it's only from a distance. 

Being it's such a large family it's a blessing to know that we've suffered no real tragedies or losses through the years that weren't expected (with the exception of my grandfather, but he passed away before I was born, so I don't count that).  No premature deaths (aside from the most recent mention), no major debilitating accidents, no permanent injuries, no jail sentences (whilst in the family anyway, that counts right?), no suicides...all the things that statistics say should have occurred within the mass number that is my family.  We've experienced job loss, drug addiction, alcoholism, homosexuality (of which I don't deem should be in this category, but unfortunately it is a statistic), chronic illness, divorce... so we've not gone untouched.  Overall though, we are a lucky group. 

I know as I age, that means that my dad and his siblings age as well.  And being in the line of work that I am, I'm also aware of what that eventually leads to.  So with that being said it's never a good feeling to hear about someone you love sick and not bouncing back quite as quickly.

My Uncle Larry married into this wacky family having grown up across the street from the lot of them in his youth.  He married my Aunt Nadine, the oldest of the 9 and he fathered three of my most favourite cousins; Alison, Marc and Tara.  He is an extraordinary man with patience of a saint.  He has the most generous heart ever.  He's smart and he's funny.  He's tolerant.  He's a hard worker who has provided for his family.  He's easy to talk to.  He's approachable.  And he's got a great smile.  I love my Uncle Larry and I'm pretty sure that my family would not feel complete without him being around.  He's just always been here.  He's been in the hospital fighting a harder fight against a chronic illness that's plagued him for years.  His meds are no longer responding and they are trying to figure out what the next step is.  He's had some complications while they sort this out and has had to remain in the hospital for the past week.

I'm heading down to Windsor on Friday and I very much have a need to go see him.  I'm not sure why, but it's important to me.  I have every hope and belief that he'll be going home but I just want to give him a hug. Make sure he knows I love him.  And that's all.  Just a hug.  I want to hug my Aunt Nadine too.  She's probably freaking out and scared and feeling helpless.  I'm sure I'd be feeling the exact same way after 40 years of marriage and a lifetime of friendship.

Get well soon Uncle Larry, we need you around for many more years and memories! 

Too Heavy

My blog has been just too heavy lately.  So here is some sunshine, rainbows and lollipops to lighten it up a bit. 

I picked this one especially for Roan.

 A Double Rainbow to boot!

Many choices of yummy goodness. 

Missy Aggravation is one aggravated missy.

I think I need to make a statement about my blog.  It's just that.  MY blog.  It's a place for me to say what's on my mind, say how I feel, write out stories about what's happening in my life, post pictures of things that happen to me or those I care about... 

I'm going to continue to do all of those things and I shouldn't be made to feel like I have to censor what I write for fear of people, who choose to read my blogs, going behind my back and twisting it all around.  I'm entitled to say what I want about how I feel.  Period.

On the other hand, the things I write on my blog are again MY opinions and no one elses.  Maybe they are right, maybe they are wrong, maybe they are misconstrued but I have a right to my own feelings.  Just because I write something doesn't mean it's set in stone, it means that is MY take on the situation.  Good or bad. 

It's cathartic for me to write about stuff so I don't let it fester inside of me and create turmoil which will result in me losing my mind and freaking out over what are small things that would in other ways just add up and cause me to blow up.  So continue to read it if you will, but I'd appreciate it if you refrained from running and 'tattling' or frankly, a better idea, write about it in your own blog and stop creating drama and shit where I went out of my way to avoid the drama and shit by NOT bringing up my feelings in the first place and just writing about them.

So to the pot stirrer, I write: 
I could venture off into a long diatribe about the dynamics and past experiences in my relationship with my ex and maybe that would give you a better insight as to the extent of my frustrations or maybe it wouldn't because you haven't walked in the same shoes with him that I have.  He's a good person (I'll give him that), he's a great friend, but I've dealt with a lot more personal disappointments as a result of his actions (as I'm sure he has with me as well) than him just not 'being able to help me move one weekend or bailing on a fun night out'.  So until you truly know the WHOLE story, sorid details and all, you don't get to make a judgement.  He and I have a much deeper history and your opinion will not change my opinion.  All you have done is caused stress for him, so what a wonderful friend you must be.   Good job!

Aggravated!

So while I'm still disappointed in the behaviour of my thirteen year old lately, the disappointment towards his father has trumped it.  I know Gage is 13, he's growing and learning right from wrong as he works his way through life.   I'll get passed this provided he learns from his mistakes and becomes a better person. 

His father, on the other hand, is 37 years old and I'm not sure he isn't just a bigger version of a 13 year old.  Maybe he is too proud to teach his son a very valuable lesson when one is needed, I'm not sure about his ideas behind his decisions and I don't think he's teaching the boys anything good with this decision.  I feel like it's an up hill battle.  I know my kids are good kids and I know they will make mistakes through out life and I know they will do wonderful things as well.  But I can't help but feel like I'm swimming against the current on most things.  It's only fair to keep their dad in the loop, but it sometimes leaves me frustrated.

I know when I had children with him I signed on for a lifelong tie to him.  More frustrating when he's the very first person in line bashing my parenting skills.  And I'm not one to toot my own horn, but I'm a damn good mom and being as removed from my parenting as he is gives him no right to even remotely critique my abilities.  I try to remain sane and civil by reminding myself that he didn't really have a true father figure growing up, so he has nothing to model himself after.  And when he finally did meet his real dad well, they are more friends (of course, they're adults, that goes without saying).  He models his relationship with the boys after him and his father (or what he wanted from a father growing up).  His real father who was never there to go through the shit with him, discipline him, set rules for him, etc.  Right now, he needs to know he can't be their best friend AND their dad.

**Because someone has read this blog and misconstrued it and ran immediately to my ex to inform him I would like to clarify that these are my feelings about the subject.  This does not imply that my ex isn't a part of the boys lives.  Quite the contrary.  If he wasn't involved I wouldn't have been faced with these frustrations.  I am completely aware that I will never get through this life without having the odd frustration with my ex and he with me.  It's just not sane to even think that way.  But he loves his kids and that has never been a debate.  I'm just hoping as they get into their formative years that he'll realize when it's appropriate to step in as the father and not as their friend.  I don't like feeling like I'm always the disciplinary or hard ass. This should be a two way street.  Again, this blog was about MY frustration and how I saw things.

Sad Mamma

Sometimes being a mom isn't all it's cracked up to be. 

It's ironic that I spent the morning cleaning my desk and came across papers on how to parent a teenager and what not and while I was reading through some of the things a typical 13 year old puts his parents through I genuinely thought I was pretty lucky.  Then I got the phone call.  Sigh, the fourth most dreaded phone call one can receive about her child.  A call from the school/teacher. 

I thought I have been raising a better person than he's apparantly been lately.  This is probably the most disappointed I've ever been in him.  I know it's early, he's only 13, and that there will probably be many more times ahead of me, but it sucks to learn that your kid has the capability of being a shmuck.  I know he's better than this. 

He's got some hard core punishment coming his way.  I guess I want to believe that because he's still young, I can mold him into the character I'd like him to grow into.

The Roanster

My son Roan is pretty amazing.  He's smart, funny, outgoing, quirky, and adorable, but he doesn't believe he's any of these things.  He has extremely low self esteem and while it is frustrating to me, it's more heart breaking.  He's always bashing himself and putting down everything he does.  He focuses only on the negative even when there is no negative to focus on.  We have to be careful about anything we say to him because he will turn it and make it a negative.

About a year and a half ago Roan was diagnosed with ADD and Tourette Syndrome.  Thankfully he doesn't display too much hyperactivity or compulsiveness with the ADD.  His downfall is the inability to focus or concentrate.  Or rather the ability to focus and concentrate on too many things at a time.  And with the Tourette's he doesn't have any major tics thus far so for that I'm extremely grateful because children can be very cruel.  None of his friends at this point, are even aware he has this disorder and if they do, it doesn't seem to matter to them.  I hope we can keep it that way. 

A major symptom of these disorders is low self esteem.  I've taken some extreme heat from my ex suggesting it is my poor parenting skills that have resulted in his low self esteem (this coming from a very part time parent who has no real idea what it's like on a full time basis), I've put him in counselling (thankfully that helps some) and we've altered his meds (which helped to peter out some of the negativity).  We have been trying to find an extra curricular activity that Roan enjoys because it's what HE likes to do, not because his brother likes it.  We've finanlly discovered drawing is Roan's passion.  And frankly he's getting so good at it.  He gets caught up on what to draw sometimes, but when he's into it, he's really into it. 

We signed him up for Art classes and for the first time we didn't listen to him whine and complain about having to go to something.  Well last weekend his father forgot to take him to his last class so Roan's bummed that he didn't get to pick up all the stuff he'd been working on.  And I guess I'm a little bummed about it too.  I'm hoping we'll be able to catch the instructor there soon and pick up his projects. 

Anyway, last week he came home from school with another drawing and it is AMAZING.  He, of course, thinks it's stupid and ugly.  I'm going to take it to Michael's and get a frame for it and hang it in the house.  Somewhere prominent for all to see.  I think I'd be devastated if he gives up on his drawing.

Ancient Chinese Secret?

I wonder if Chinese proverbs get lost in translation when they are turned into fortunes for Fortune Cookies....

Mine was the bottom fortune.  I'm thinking it should have said something about having riches close to home or something along those lines.  I've gotten the ones below as well.  All from the Mandarin.  I didn't realize Fortune Cookies were so literal. 



Mr. Squirrel

On Wednesday, Gage came up into the kitchen and asked me if we could name the new (still nameless) kitty Mr. Squirrel.  I have no idea where he comes up with this stuff.  Immediately I responded with but she's a girl.  To which Eric calmly and quietly answered, "She's not a squirrel either."  Touche.  I thought about it for a minute.  Thought about what I'd call her and decided I didn't really care.  So I said I was fine with that.  Much to his complete surprise.  I think I threw him off with my acceptance of this suggestion.  So off he went, proud as punch.  So Mr. Squirrel it is.  I figure I'll call her Squirrely or Butthead or Fatty or Princess, or whatever it is I feel like calling her at that moment. 
She's adapted nicely.  And I've figured out she's a total "asshole" like Shakespeare.  I figure they are both still relatively young and kitten-like.

A Letter from an Autistic Child.

My nephew is Autistic.  He is also a most amazing little boy.  He struggles and it breaks my heart.  My brother and his wife struggle and it breaks my heart.  I wish making the world an easier place for him was in my realm of capabilities, but sadly, it is not.  I can only try to educate the other people in my life about what Sebastian and his parents go through daily.  With the holidays coming up I'm sure they are even more stressed than normal.  The letter below is written from the standpoint of an autistic child.  Please be patient and understanding as we enter into this hectic season. 

Tips for relatives and hosts of holiday gatherings who might need a
crash course in what to expect from their guest(s) with Autism.
Autism and Holiday Gatherings ~ Viki Gayhardt

Dear Family and Friends:

I understand that we will be visiting each other for the holidays
this year! Sometimes these visits can be very hard for me, but here
is some information that might help our visit to be more successful.

As you probably know, I am challenged by a hidden disability called
autism or what some people refer to as a pervasive developmental
disorder (PDD).

Autism/PDD is a neurodevelopmental disorder which makes it hard for
me to understand the environment around me. I have barriers in my
brain that you can't see but which make it difficult for me to adapt
to my surroundings.

Sometimes I may seem rude and abrupt, but it is only because I have
to try so hard to understand people and at the same time, make myself
understood. People with autism have different abilities: some may not
speak, some write beautiful poetry. Others are whizzes in math
(Albert Einstein was thought to be autistic), or have difficulty
making friends. We are all different and need various degrees of
support.

Sometimes when I am touched unexpectedly, it might feel painful and
make me want to run away. I get easily frustrated, too. Being with
lots of other people is like standing next to a moving freight train
and trying to decide how and when to jump aboard. I feel frightened
and confused a lot of the time, like you would if you landed on an
alien planet and didn't understand how the inhabitants communicated.
This is why I need to have things the same as much as possible. Once
I learn how things happen, I can get by ok. But if something,
anything changes, then I have to relearn the situation all over
again! It is very hard.

When you try to talk to me, I often can't understand what you say
because there is a lot of distraction around. I have to concentrate
very hard to hear and understand one thing at a time. You might think
I am ignoring you--I am not. Rather, I am hearing everything and not
knowing what is most important to respond to.

Holidays are exceptionally hard because there are so many different
people, places and things going on that are out of my ordinary realm.
This may be fun and adventurous for most people, but for me, it's
very hard work and can be extremely stressful.

I often have to get away from all the commotion to calm down. It
would be great if you had a private place set up to where I could
retreat.

If I cannot sit at the meal table, do not think I am misbehaved or
that my parents have no control over me. Sitting in one place for
even 5 minutes is often impossible for me. I feel so antsy and
overwhelmed by all the smells, sounds, and people--I just have to get
up and move about. Please don't hold up your meal for me--go on
without me and my parents will handle the situation the best way they
know.

Eating in general is hard for me. If you understand that autism is a
sensory processing disorder, it's no wonder eating is a problem!
Think of all the senses involved with eating: sight, smell, taste,
touch AND all the complicated mechanics that are involved with
chewing and swallowing that a lot of people with autism have trouble
with. I am not being picky -- I literally cannot eat certain food as
my sensory system and/or oral motor coordination are impaired.

Don't be disappointed if mommy hasn't dressed me in starch and bows.
It's because she knows how much stiff and frilly clothes can drive me
buggy! I have to feel comfortable in my clothes or I will just be
miserable! Temple Grandin, a very smart adult with autism, has taught
people that when she had to wear stiff petticoats as a child, she
felt like her skin was being rubbed with sandpaper. I often feel the
same way in dressy clothes.

When I go to someone else's house, I may appear bossy and
controlling. In a sense, I am being controlling because that is how I
try to fit into the world around me (which is so hard to figure out!)
Things have to be done in a way I am familiar with or else I might
get confused and frustrated. It doesn't mean you have to change the
way you are doing things -- just please be patient with me and
understanding of how I have to cope...mom and dad have no control
over how my autism makes me feel inside.

People with autism often have little things that they do to help
themselves feel more comfortable. The grown ups call it "self
regulation," or "stimming'. I might rock, hum, flick my fingers in my
face, flap my arms or any number of different things. I am not trying
to be disruptive or weird. Again, I am doing what I have to do for my
brain to adapt to your world.

Sometimes I cannot stop myself from talking, singing, or partaking in
an activity. The grown ups call this "perseverating" which is kind of
like self-regulation or stimming. I do this only because I have found
something to occupy myself that makes me feel comfortable, and I
don't want to come out of that comfortable place and join your hard-
to-figure-out-world. Perseverative behaviors are good to a certain
degree because they help me calm down.

Please be respectful to my mom and dad if they let me "stim" for a
while as they know me best and what helps to calm me. Remember that
my mom and dad have to watch me much more closely than the average
child. This is for my own safety, preservation of your possessions,
and to facilitate my integration with you tippies (what we autistics
fondly call you neurotypical folk!) It hurts my parents' feelings to
be criticized for being over-protective or condemned for not watching
me close enough. They are human and have been given an assignment
intended for saints. My parents are good people and need your
support.

Holidays are filled with sights, sounds, and smells. The average
household is turned into a busy, frantic, festive place. Remember
that this may be fun for you tippies but it's very hard work for me
to conform. If I fall apart or act out in a way that you consider
socially inappropriate, please remember that I don't possess the
neurological system that is required to follow tippy rules.

I am a unique person--an interesting person. I will find my place at
this celebration that is comfortable for us all as long as you'll try
to view the world through my eyes!

Rainy Days

I'm sitting at work, it's cold and raining outside and I'm sipping a hot apple cider.  If I have to be at work, I guess this is alright. 

Remember when we were in high school and there would be a thunderstorm and it would get crazy dark and even though you were in school it just felt cozy?  Under those florescent lights, with the darkness outside?  It was almost wrong-like but so right?  I remember those days.  And I miss them.  Or rather that feeling.  Today is like one of those days.

I also miss the hot, fresh baked, oatmeal-chocolate chip muffins they'd cook in the cafeteria that I could buy at second period.  Those were delicious.

I have some terrible news.

Not the best sentence to hear when you answer the phone.  This was what I heard when I picked up the phone this morning from my ex husband.  Ugh.  Now what?  He (I'm sure with much pain and embarrassment) told me that he was fired.  Not laid off which we have expected from time to time, but fired.  Uh, what?  How does this concern me you might ask as I mentioned my ex husband?  Well it concerns my child support payments for our two boys.  Or rather the ceasing of said child support payments for our two boys. 

Now thankfully I have my own salary and I make a fairly decent living, but I've come to expect the extra $150 dollars a week that I got on a regular basis from him.  So sadly I'm going to have to curtail some of the extra curricular activities I currently am able to afford.  This does not make Holly a happy camper.  It also pisses me off a little that I'm in anyway dependant on him for money of any kind.  I know I'll be fine and I should have more empathy for him and his wife with the lack of a major salary in their household, but right now I'm focusing on me. 

My only hope is that after 18 + years at this company and constantly paying his Union dues that his Union will be able to get him his job back.  The reason for the dismissal, in my opinion, is kind of lame and I think they are grasping.  So for that alone, I suspect he'll be able to get it back.  BUT, in the meantime this monthly shortage is going to suck.  And I'm going to have to eat at home a lot more now which means I'm going to have to cook.  Double Ugh.  I guess I'm going to have to hone these skills.

Reactivated

So yesterday I reactivated our membership at the "Y".  I had every intention of doing it once my vacation was completed, so I stuck to my guns. 

Two years ago when I first started going to the "Y" I was at the heaviest I've ever been (excluding pregnancy) at 152 lbs.  Now thankfully I'm 5'8" so I can carry that weight without it being too obvious.  Needless to say seeing that number on the scale was the kick in the ass I needed to join the gym.  After 4 months of, at least, 4 classes a week I was down to 123-125 lbs.  While I know this is slightly underweight for my height, this was a weight I was completely content with.  I would have been fine at 130.  Point is, I didn't want to go any lower than 125 lbs so I cut back my schedule to three classes a week to try to maintain.  And I succeeded quite nicely.  This was the first time since I was 20 years old that I actually liked my body.  I didn't have anything to nitpick about.  I was happy with it.  I willingly wore a bikini, shorts weren't too scary for me anymore and I got new clothes. 

Fast forward to about a year ago, maybe more....I found myself quite comfortable in a  new relationship (still am) so I slacked a little in the gym department because it cut into my time hanging out with Eric.  It's funny too because he was in great shape when we hooked up as well.  He enjoyed daily jogs, riding his bike, hiking, etc.  Just overall keeping busy.  Well now we are both feeling the weight gain (I'm not quite back to the 152 mark, but only about 4-5 lbs shy of it)  and have made the conscious decision to try to tackle it so we feel better about ourselves again. 

Monday was our first day back.  I've decided to stick to what I know works because we tried the gym for a couple months in the spring, just using the machines and what not and I'm clearly not that disciplined.  Classes work for me.  It's a set amount of continuous time, I've got pressure on me to keep going (because 50 year old woman are doing it, so I should be able to), and the instructors do a mix of all different types of excersises to focus on all areas of the body. 

So again, I'll aim (during a good week) to get there 3-4 times.  Monday is Body Sculp (which I love), Tuesday is BoxFit (another favourite), Wednesday is Athletic Hour (Yeah!) and Thursday is Zumba (I've not tried it yet).  I won't always be successful with Thursday's also being soccer night for Gage, but I'd really like to fit into my size 7's again so I'll do my best.

While I hate the work out itself (I'm not gonna lie), it makes me so happy to see my face still flushed an hour after a workout and to smell like a dude.  Let's get sweatin'!!!

Hogwarts, Hogsmeade and Universal!

Thursday was a jammed packed day because Universal was only open for 9 hours total.  So we tried to make the most of it.  We started our day in Suess' Landing.  Did a couple of cute kiddy type rides and grabbed something to eat.  While we were eating we got the chance to meet the Cat in the Hat, Thing 1 and Thing 2, and the Grinch.  I was only able to snag pics with Thing 2 and the Cat but whatever, I dig that shit.

We then ventured into The Lost Continent and checked out Poseidon's Fury where we toured the remains of Poseidon's temple.  It was pretty neat.  We left the lost continent and made our way to the star of the day, HOGSMEADE!!

I'm not going to lie, this was secretly the whole purpose of the trip.  I promised the boys about three years ago that I'd take them to Disney when they were a little older (I wanted them to remember the trip).  I found out last year that they were building the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and made sure I booked the trip around the completion of this.  So here I find myself.  My holy grail.

I was in awe the minute we walked through the main gates into Hogsmeade.  The attention to detail was outstanding.  I felt like a little girl.  I got a stronger hop in my step and a bigger smile on my face.  We checked out all the shops, so awesome.  Gage dueled a dragon.  We went wand shopping and Hogwarts uniform shopping.  We hit up Zonkos for gag gifts and Honeydukes for candy before making our way up to Hogwarts itself.  The stroll through Hogwarts was nothing like I imagined.  It was so much better.  After touring the classrooms and hallways of Hogwarts we stopped at the Three Broomsticks for a bite to eat but most importantly for some pumpkin juice and frozen Butterbeer (which was probably one of the best things I have had to drink).  I wish we were able to bring Butterbeer home with us, but sadly we could only bring Pumpkin Juice.  After many hours of our day spent in Hogsmeade, we finally emerged and found ourselves entering Jurassic Park.

Roan got to study Dino eggs, and since none of us wanted to get wet and walk around the park cold, we passed on the ride in this section.  Only to come up on Dudley Doo Rights, Rip Saw Falls that Roan was adamant about riding.  Gage caved and went with him.  I held my ground.  Both boys came off that ride completely soaked.  We found a moment after this ride to appease Gage with some Ice Cream Dippin' Dots.  The ice cream of the future.

Marvel Super Hero Island was our last stop of the day and luckily we got to meet Captain America, Wolverine and Cyclops.  Lame, but exciting!! We did the Spiderman 3-D ride, which was pretty sweet I will say.  And Gage and Roan dared the Doctor Doom's Fear Fall and came out successful.  We wandered over to the Incredible Hulk Coast and Gage loved it.  Roan was too short to get on this one, though I'm not to sure he'd have done it even if he could.  He could actually see all the loops and twists.  Enough to alter his former coaster bravery.

We came back exhausted but are gearing up for our last day of fun in Florida with Universal Studios again.  I have a feeling Harry Potter is going to draw us back for a couple hours today.  Maybe Hogsmeade at dusk....

Aggravated with daily updates

I'm bored writing about my days at the Disney parks.  I lived them, I'm too 'meh' to write about them anymore.  Tuesday and Wednesday consisted of us hitting up Hollywood Studios, Epcot and Magic Kingdom one more time.  We got to meet more characters, which was mainly my doing.  My kids hated it (though secretly towards the end they kept saying, "But I want to be in the picture too!", so I think they liked it.).  We managed to hit up a few of the attractions/rides that we had missed the first time around.

We also did dinner at an authentic 50's Diner where the waitress was ruthless with the rules of the 50's era and nailed my boys a few times because their elbows were on the table.  She also refused to take Gage's plate away or bring him his dessert until he ate his veggies.  I should have found a way to pack her into my luggage to bring home.  Wednesday we did a Character Buffet and got to meet the gang from the Hundred Acre Woods (Pooh, Piglet, Tigger and Eyeore).

Since the weather has finally changed to proper Florida temperatures, we took advantage and hit the pool for a little bit again.  Thursday and Friday are set aside for Universal Studios.  My body is starting to permanently ache from all the walking, jostling on rides, etc.  I had a good feeling when I booked all this that by Saturday I'd be happy to be going home and I think I guessed correctly.

Baby Blues

I had a very vivid dream last night where I woke up really hungering to have a baby again.  Thankfully I took prevention of this kind of feeling into my own hands and surgically altered my body.  I can't imagine truly starting over again at this age, but I found myself trying to go back to sleep to have my new baby again....

Animals real and imaginary!

Today the Disney story came alive with creatures, big, small and abominable!  We started our longest day of the week with breakfast in our hotel restaurant where Roan wasn't feeling too great.  His stomach was bothering him and I was worried we'd have to start out later or all in all, just not go.  But after cramming some dry toast into his belly he started to perk up.  So onto the bus and off to Animal Kingdom we ventured.

It's a beautiful park.  Kind of a cross between a zoo and an amusement park.  The weather was still a little chilly but thankfully 4 degrees warmer than it had been. At least it was moving in the right direction.  As soon as we got there we found exotic birds who were so close we could touch them.  No cages, no big fences, it was different than we were used to. We bee lined it to the back of the park to get on the Kilimanjaro Safaris as it was the main ride I wanted to do at this park.  You encounter wildlife as you sarfari in an open sided jeep across 110 acres of African like savannah.  The weather today was perfect for this ride.  Not too hot, not too cold so the animals were out and moving.  It was pretty authentic like and I couldn't believe how close up they could get to the jeeps with no barriers between us.  One black rhino got about 5 feet from me and if we'd stayed in that spot long enough I think he would have gotten closer and I could have touched him.  Maybe not, but one can dream, that's what Disney is about no? 

After the safari trek we hopped on the train and went over to the Conservation Island and got to meet Pocahantis, Raffiki, and Jimminy Cricket!!!  The kids were less amused but I was happy as a lark!  I made them take pictures of all of us with them.  I'm not too sure Roan even knew who any of them were.  Gage was more aware.

We then made our way over to Asia and boarded a runaway train down Mount Everest.  We had to beware of the Yeti.  This roller coaster went backwards and my stomach wasn't too happy about this.  But overall it was a decent ride and Roan had tackled his second major roller coaster with ease and excitement enough to ride it again.  I passed and got in line to watch the Finding Nemo Musical.

Which was amazing.  It's a breathtaking stage show that merges original music and puppetry with live performances.  Think Lion King on Broadway.  We had AMAZING seats because I was second in line so we were up close to the stage.  I cannot get over how perfect it was.  Even the boys were in awe.  It was pretty spectacular.

We skipped the raging river rapid ride today because it was just a tad too cold to be walking around wet.  So we headed towards the time machine to go and save a dinosaur but not before stopping to take a picture with Flick from Bug's Life.  The boys had a quick snacked and we were introduced to Disney's version of shit hawks.  Mallard ducks.  I'll take this version any day.  So adorable.

So off we went to travel through time to save an allosaurus (I think).  Gage thought it was way too loud, Roan thought it was one of his favourite rides.  I thought it was ok.  The boys then headed over to Dinosaur Town to ride a roller coaster similar to The Fly at Canada's Wonderland but more lame as Gage says.  And then we hopped in line to meet Pluto and Goofy!!   I rubbed Goofy's belly per my aunt's instruction and they made me go stand with Pluto.  haha  I love the character shots.  They are my favourite.  I've got no problem waiting in line for those!

We then had to book it from this park, back to the hotel to change for our 5 star dinner reservations at the Grand Floridian Hotel.  That hotel looks like it's right out of the Great Gatsby.  I can't even imagine how much it costs to stay at that hotel.  It was magnificent and beautiful.  The grounds were breathtaking.  Our dinner reservations were at Narcoossees on the waters edge right behind the hotel.  It was definitely the nicest restaurant my boys have been to and likely even myself.  Both Gage and I had the Surf & Turf and if ordered off the menu each plate was $59.  That's crazy.  But man oh man, it was so wonderful.  Roan had Filet Mignon as well.  No lobster.  We clearly enjoyed our dinner with Gage claiming it was the best dinner he's ever had.  He was so excited for it.  We could see the tips of Cinderella's castle from our table changing colour as night fell and eventually turning into the white twinkle lights they have on it for Mickeys Very Merry Christmas Party that we had tickets for so we headed out to the Magic Kingdom for some Christmas fun.

Because we were at one of the hoity toity hotels we were allowed to take the Monorail over to M.K.  Gage was super happy as he'd never been on something like that.  We got there in probably 3 minutes which was nice.  We headed in and up Main St. where it was lightly 'snowing' (soap suds actually, but it looked so real in the night sky) and went over to Tomorrowland to get closer to Space Mountain.  We started out at the Monsters Inc. Laugh Station which is a mock comedy club with interaction from the audience. It was actually way more funny than I was anticipating and I wish it had gone on longer.  We then boarded Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin, where we got to participate in shooting targets.  Gage destroyed Roan and I.  We finally made our way over to Space Mountain, the glow in the dark roller coaster through space.  Roan was uber excited about this ride.  And I had fond memories as well.  With the park being closed to only those who bought passes to the Christmas Party there were very little wait times.  When we finished the ride, Roan loved it, Gage was mildly disappointed.  He thought the glow in the dark part and the stars and planets and shit were cool, but the ride was boring.  He wanted loops and since it was inside a dome, that wasn't going to happen.

Next we hit the Speedway which is a weak version of go carts and then headed over behind the castle where we ran into Tigger!!  Stoked.  By the time we got into the centre of the park the fireworks were starting.  And can I just say this was the best display of fireworks I have ever seen.  We also got to see Tinkerbell fly out of the castle which was crazy awesome.  We then boarded the Snow White ride which the boys thought was lame, but not nearly as lame as It's A Small World....I explained how IASW is a staple of Disney and you have to do it at least once.  Once will be all they do it.  haha  We then journeyed into Neverland with Peter Pan before making our way over to the Haunted Mansion for a twisty turny ride through a haunted house where a ghost boarded our car trying to come home with us.  It was pretty neat.  We decided at this time to head back to the hotel. It was 11 at night and we'd been going for 14 hours and were exhausted.

So back we came to get re-energized to hit up Epcot and Hollywood Studios to do some of the rides we didn't get a chance to do the first time around.  More pictures from today can be found here.

It's a Magical Day in the Studios!

So I'm going to try to update on day two in Florida.  We'll see how much enthusiasm I have for this as I progress along.  So Day 2 was set aside for Hollywood Studios (formerly MGM).  I remember fond things about this park from when we came with my parents 22/23 years ago (Jesus).  So that being said, I was looking most forward to this particular Disney park.  I wasn't too disappointed.  It's still (in my opinion) the best park.

We started the day with the 3-D Muppets movie.  It was cute.  It worked us in nicely.  Roan really liked it.  I was hoping they would have character meet and greets with some of the Muppets, most notably Janice.  I wanted a picture with her for Eric.  If you've read any of my posts you'll know he thinks she looks exactly like a puppet version of Leah Miller who I have a girl crush on.

About an hour into our day the camera battery conked out on me.  Bummer!  We did the Behind The Scenes "ride" which I remembered with total fondness only to be completely disappointed that the Golden Girls House was no longer part of the tour!  WTF??  Double bummed!  The boys seemed to like it, but I don't think they had as much enthusiasm as I did.  Must have been the lack of all things nostalgic for them.  Anywho, we ventured on through the false front buildings and all three of us were the most impressed.  We took lots of pictures in front of them.  The detailing is extraordinary.  We then headed back over to the Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular and it was just about exactly as I remembered it.  Of course the boys really liked it.  It was up their alley.

The boys seemed to be completely fascinated with the gift shops and today we bought a ton of souvenirs.  Roan spent a buttload of his money on silly bands (yup, even more) and some new drum sticks, an art book, some wooden guns (outside of the Indiana Jones) that remind him of a couple of guns in Call of Duty and he made his own Light Sabre at the Star Wars shop.  Gage was more frugal with his funds and only bought a couple of the wooden guns and made his own Light Sabre as well.  I bought myself a Sleeping Beauty night shirt, and a couple other things for Sawyer and Sebastian to go with the shirts I got them on Saturday.  Their souvenirs are done.

We headed over to Tower of Terror and The Rock 'n Rollercoaster part of the park after shopping.  I cannot begin to give the Tower of Terror any justice at all, but it was NOTHING like I expected.  I knew full well it was a Drop Zone type ride where you go up 13 stories and then you free fall (sort of).  Well it had that but it had other elements that made it a so much better ride.  The interior of the 'hotel' is nothing like I've every seen, it was creepy and beautiful.  The pictures I took do it no justice either.  If you ever get to Disney, do yourself a favour and do this ride.  After the Tower of Terror we ventured over to the rollercoaster.  Thankfully we've not hit one ride that Roan cannot go on.  Another thankfully is not being able to see the coaster before hand or I truly think Roan would have bailed.  Needless to say he went on it.  It was probably the BEST coaster I've been on and I've been on a lot.  It had loops, corkscrews and amazing speed all in the dark with black lights and strobe lights.  It was so fast all the moisture was pushed out of our eyes.  I was worried Roan was crying or hating it but when we finished and I asked if he was still in his seat, he screamed, THAT WAS AMAZING!!  I guess he liked it.

We did a few other rides that we stumbled across while we were waiting for the line up for Toy Story 3-D to shorten which were pretty decent as well.  We stopped for ice cream after the rides and it made my tummy hurt hard core.  I felt like crappola, so we canceled our dinner reservations at the Sci-Fi Diner (sadly) and headed back to the hotel so I could lay down.  It was crazy cold and we were all exhausted so there were no complaints from Gage or Roan.  The boys ventured out to play with their light sabres in the gardens below our room and I took a crazy hot bath and crawled into bed for an hour before heading over to the restaurant in our hotel for some nachos.  Pictures posted here.

Disney is crazy awesome for people watching. I saw a disgusting fat man with his two disgusting fat children who were terribly behaved and he had zero control over them.  And he was trying so hard....but he just sounded like such a dick.  And he had a sweet Taz tattoo on his forearm and sugar tits that I got to stare at for 20 minutes while we waited for the Tower of Terror.  You know those kids are bad when even Roan comments and says he wanted to punch them in the face.   

Day three?  Animal Kingdom.

Epcot Escapades

So today we left on our Disney Vacation.  To be precise we pulled out of the driveway around 6:35 a.m. By 6:45 we had pulled away from the mandatory stop at Tim Hortons and hit the highway.  By 6:50 a.m. Roan had spilled his chocolate milk all over himself requiring us to pull over, me to dig out a pair of pants from the suitcase and him to change on the side of the highway.  Typical. 

Got through customs with absolutely no problems or hold ups.  Frankly both my mom and I were quite surprised.  It was a decent follow up to the milk mishap.  Got through security and what not with no problems and hung out watching the planes come and go.  Briefly lost one of our boarding passes which caused a momentary panic attack but soon found it in the front of my book.  Phew.  Roan handled the plane ride like a champ,  He was originally a little afraid but soon realized he very much likes flying.  Of course since the plane was full of kids it should come to no one's surprise that I had the loudest, most cry-eyest (yah I made that up) kid right in front of me.  I did find humour watching him literally kick his mom in the face when she was trying to control him.  Make sure you reward him with a trip to see Mickey!!

Disney picked us up at the airport which was so utterly convenient. I would highly recommend it.  And after about 5 minutes Roan passed out.  Got to the hotel in much better time than we had anticipated only to find out our hotel room was almost a mile walk from the main lobby.  It's a really cool hotel though.  The girl at the main desk however gave us the wrong room number.  She gave us a number that doesn't even exist, so after walking around the not so small hotel for 10 minutes my patience were quite thin.  Got it sorted out though and made our way over to Epcot.  At this point we were starving and short with our patience.  All of us.  Food was our main mission with a mission to Mars to follow. Epcot was packed with people because of the International Food Festival, so that made it even more trying.  But eventually we won the battle.  With food in our bellies our jovial moods returned and off we went.  We shortly thereafter caught up with my friend Jeremy, in Norway,  who works at Disney who joined us for the day. 

 

 

Gage bought his first souvenir (a soccer ball because he doesn't have enough already) from Germany.  Roan got some silly bands and I bought my niece and nephew some things.  Jeremy gets 45% off.  He's handy!!  We made our way over to Mission Space which simulates a ride to Mars.  Roan was stoked to put it mildly.  And actually it was quite awesome.  We then sent Eric and my parents video postcards via email of me getting abducted by aliens, Roan taking up residence on Mars and the three of us sending greetings from space.  They have some pretty amazing things here.  We took a boat ride through the Land Pavilion to learn that Disney grows as much of the vegetables they use in the restaurants as they can.  They have some pretty amazing and innovative ideas and techniques.  I thought that was pretty cool of them considering how much food they must go through.  They also farm a lot of their seafood that is served in the restaurants as well.  We didn't get to see everything we wanted but we have the hopper passes so we'll go back for a couple hours one morning to hit those things we missed.  

We had dinner at the Coral Reef in amongst an aquarium.  It was so delicious and the atmosphere was awesome as well.  Gage and I both had raspberry Pina Colada's.  Mine with booze, his without.  I had steak, Gage had huge scallops and Roan had a chicken breast.  Everyone ate everything. And if you know Roan, you know that's pretty amazing in and of itself. Delish!  At this point though we were all so looking forward to getting back to the hotel.  It was freezing here.  Well not as cold as home, but pretty cold for Florida.  Figures.  We lucked out and only had to wait 10 minutes for the shuttle bus to bring us back and I jumped into a hot bath to warm myself up.  

Now Roan is passed out and I'm following closely behind him.  Tomorrow is Hollywood Studios for the day.  I'm excited.  I remember this park from when we came when I was kid.  I loved it.  Hopefully  my memories are correct.   If you want to see the other pictures of today you can get them here.