Day 2 & 3: Animal Kingdom & Hollywood Studios

                                                                 Misty as herself.
                                                 Indiana Jones Stunt Show.
                                                    Me and Pip--"Twighlight Zone Tower of Terror" behind us.
                                                             Triceratops Twirl
                                                   Everest in background.
                                                                       Africa for lunch.
                                                          Jiminey Cricket and girls
                                                  King Louis kissing Pip.
                                                  Mistaya, Kyran and me on "Expedition Everest"
                                                      Kyran at the LEGO store.
Pics are not ready to download--some thing's a muck with the camera--so I shall write until pic posting time.

Hollywood Studios-- a cool day for Florida--a bit of a nasty wind despite the brilliant sun shine and blue sky. I so wish I had brought a hoodie on this trip! The Muppet Movie adventure was very entertaining for everyone. Gotta love those 2 old men puppets and Miss Piggy, of course. Star Wars ride was also enjoyable. Although Kyran got a little motion sick after sitting through 2 rides in a row. Pip is too short for most rides so I wait with a special pass and when the kids are done the ride we switch off and Peter stays with Pip (or Kyran or Mist) and then I get to go right on with up to 3 guests. 

Indiana Jones stunt show was fun. 

Animal Kingdom--an adventure extraordinaire! I so stupidly let the kids go on the rapid ride first thing (the line was empty and no need for a fastpass). Hello Melissa! There was a reason the line was empty so early in the cool morning! They got completely drenched! The morning was cool in the shade (the entire Kingdom is under a jungle). I ended up having to purchase sweat pants and hoodies and flip flop for all the girls. Kyran was fine--so he said. But that boy swims in Kootney Lake for 8 months of the year. He seems impermeable to any damp cold conditions.

However, they finally warmed up in time for the Pip to have a little tinkle accident while she napped in the stroller. She ended up a bare bottomed tot in Misty's big T-shirt with the sleeves rolled up. We did manage to buy a diaper at the baby change station. 

Animal Kingdom was tons of fun with a high light being the Dinosaur ride (I smiled so much my cheeks ached!) and Mount Everest--Mist and I were terrified! KW loved it!

Peter joined us both days just around 1 PM. Food is quite tasty at the restaurants at Disney and much more healthy than 4 years ago. But pricey to be sure.

We went to the Rain Forest Cafe for supper and Downtown Disney in the evening. The kids loved the LEGO store. Today we are off to Blizzard Beach--as soon as Peter arrives from the conference.

EPCOT--DAY 1, DISNEY WOLRD

Pippi

 

Japan

Pippi dancing and entertaining the crowds at the Canadian Pavilion

Viking explorer Kyran the terrible.

Tabitha Viking.

Troll Family.

African drumming.

Italy.

Morocco.

Some scary mice in France.

(He refuses to pose with a normal face T!)

Drinking global cola.

My feet hurt so much after Epcot. Not wearing those sandals again. We pounded the Disney streets for 12 hours!!!

 Favourite rides: 

Soaring--all big people.

Test Track--all big people.

Nemo--Pippi.

Hardest thing: Nights with Pippi. She refuses to settle. Runs like a wild chimp around the hotel room until midnight. And when she finally passes out--you hear her all night long whimpering here and there. I awake to find her passed out, face down on the carpet at various sights around the room. She won't stay in her bed even in her sleep!

PS  Please scroll down, I've posted about 4 blogs at once.

Kennedy Space Centre Coastal Wilderness Islands, Florida

I cannot even begin to tell you of all the wonderful things we've seen on our afternoon Safari through the Florida coastline wilderness. The air is sweet and delicious smelling-balmy jungle and coastal air.

However, I will give you a quick list of some of the creatures we stumbled upon in the wild. A few we were lucky enough to Photograph!

4 Manatee 

1 Dolphin

                                                          
1 Dead alligator on the road
4 Alive alligators in the swamps

Eagles

Vultures

Ibis'

Egrets

Storks

Pelicans

Blue herons

Cranes

2 Wild pigs!

Top Pictures:

Manatee snout.

Manatee's tail.

                                                                      

The swamps we explored!

More Swamps.

Pip!

Peter and the kids.

Cocoa Beach, Florida

Sunday. Wow! What a day. The Atlantic ocean is warm and the sand silky soft. I could have played in the waves all day. It was so zen. Eventually you just become one with the ocean--I get the zen of surfing. Not that we surfed. No time, we just body surfed in the waves. Kyran was the bravest (and tallest) and could venture pretty far out and still stand up to the waves. (Not to worry T--he was safe!)

I am so knackered from this trip thus far as it is go and never stop. No time to even pee. Just one adventure after another. I doubt we'll even dip a toe in the hotel pools. We are out and
 about 24/7. Cocoa Beach is a blast--all those 60's flat roofed Bungalows and palm trees--straight out of "I Dream of Genie."

Hilton, Disney World, Orlando, Florida

Saturday night--We made it. A tail wind shortened our flight from Seattle to only 4 1/2 hours. It was a little bumpy at times but basically a good flight and Pip and I caught a few winks.

I of course, was singled out for a detailed search before boarding the flight to Seattle. Lucky me. 

Florida hot and beautiful. 

This is the Hilton--huge with comfy beds. We have 2 rooms. It's right across the street from Downtown Disney. Went to Wolfgang Puck's for supper and hit the hay.

Some ballroom dance competition at the hotel--everyone Salsa dancing in bikinis at the pool.

PS Guess what Joop?After all that planning and talk, I forgot deodorant!!! I did the flight au natural!

YAY!

Tabitha and Mistaya's artistic photos of themselves in anticipation of the Disney World rides.

Pip just ran into my "studio" to announce with tired eyes, half open, "Shoo-shoo gone!" --her soother.

And then Mistaya picked her up lovingly and asked her, "Who snored last night?" and Pip answered "Tabi!"--even though it was actually the little Pipster!--those chubby little cheeks and plump little lips are beyond cute this morning!

OK, here are a few ramblings: (hey this is my soap box, I might as well take advantage)

Canada is becoming a Petroleum
Nation--Yuck. Our dollar rides with the price of oil--the oil sands. 

They are creating an environmental waste land in our north. We very soon plan on being the #1 oil supplier to the USA. That power is dangerous. Look what happened to Iraq--all because of their oil.

What to do...

And as for fancy bras. Any woman who has breast fed her babies owes it to her 'working girls' to honour them with a posh retirement. Only the best for breasts that nourished precious human life through its infancy. Mine have 6 1/2 years of production behind them. YAY BOOBIES! --Over the top, I know, but I SO like to have fun.

Dancing Queens

Dance party tonight. Mist joined Pip and I and Tabs' class swimming this afternoon. Mist did tricks off the high diving board to thrill the grade 3's. 

Met with Mist's teachers tonight. They all had glowing reports on her. They love the kid. And a 95% in Math. 

Mrs. Hope recognized me as Mistaya's mom because of my face--a compliment for sure!

Pip has stopped napping completely. She is also so amazingly potty trained that she can hold it longer than most adults.  Everything is "My tune (turn) Mom!" She likes to do everything herself. Even unroll an entire roll of toilet paper and gently stuff it all in the toilet bowl. And if I catch her she scolds "No! Go away Mom!"

Cooked a spaghetti squash the size of big watermelon tonight.

We'll be eating it all week!

 Lost one of my most gorgeous $200 bras at the pool today. Had to go home braless. It is one of my favorites--chocolate brown colour with pink lace. Boo-hoo. I need it in Florida to wear with all my chocolate brown dresses.  So I guess I'm bra shopping tomorrow. I always buy the very best bras. They are priced dearly--losing one really hurts.

October Sunshine

My eyes are burning. They get this way from anxiety. It's October--historically the most difficult month for some reason. Not necessarily a bad time. Oh contraire. I often have too much fun in October. But good stress or bad stress--it all brings on anxiety. So anyway, I am battling what to do to organize my work day. I will have to hire a nanny until Pip turns three and can attend campus day care part time. I just don't feel on top of my days unless work time is organized.

Took the Pip to the park today--a beautiful bright sunshiny day. Peter had  senate so the girls and I dined at DQ. Yes, we indulged in pumpkin pie blizzards for supper. Tabs made an incredible huge poster of the solar system for her class--unsolicited. She did it just because she wanted to. Her teacher was impressed and insisted he hang it up in the classroom. Parent/teacher interviews at Mistaya's school tomorrow. And swimming with Tabs class. Also a doctor's appt. Pip's ears are bothering her. Getting ready for Florida--we leave Saturday. We trick or treat around Magic Kingdom on Halloween. I took the Mist to Walmart to gather costume details. So looking forward to hot days and wearing all my summer clothes and bathing suit to the beach again! Orlando and Cocoa Beach here we come!

BAKING 101

#1. Put on a clean apron. --Pip's got rule #1 covered.

Peter arrived home this afternoon just as my mom departed for Kamloops. We had a great weekend, even though I totally forgot to take Tabs to her swimming lesson at 8:30 this AM. Cactus Club was a lot of fun. Class was fun but exhausting. It was great to have Amanda and Daniel visit. Mom worked like a trooper all weekend--helping me with the girls and the house. Mist talked her into baking our famous "Lemon Squares." And then throughout the evening Mistaya helped herself to one too many and woke me at 5AM this morning to report that she'd just thrown-up from eating too many Lemon Squares! I asked her how many she'd had--she counted over 8!!! This from a 5'2" 72 lb string bean. 

Yes, normally she would never have been allowed to over indulge like that but I was busy chatting with Amanda and my mom for the evening and failed to note how many she was taking. Managed a short hike around the mountain late today with Pete.

Peter has just taken the girls to work with him to do God knows what exactly--but it is a wee break for me. I am going to draw a bath and read my new book "The Inner Ape"--so excited about this book. It's all about Bonobos (one of my favorite creatures) and humans and how we are alike. And then an evening meditation to sort my mind...

Big Brained Babes!

I get my brains from my mom. I am bragging yet again, but I was the only one in my class today that memorized all objects in a slide and recounted them all back after a 15s viewing. 

Waiting for my friend Amanda to arrive for a little visit. I haven't seen her in ages and I think she's bringing her son Daniel so we're all excited. Pooped--an all day class is so tiring. Even for me and my big brains--yes it's all brain in there. Girls were spoiled by their Gran--McDonalds for lunch. I am using this really impressive giant wooden leaf to serve my veggies on tonight--T take note! It is so zen. Pip fell asleep on a walk we completed a little while ago. So, she is sleeping for the night. Looking forward to a nice glass of Summerhill's organic Ehrenfelser--from my one and only favorite vineyard!