Monday, September 25, 2006

Back Home and the First Day of Work

As you all may know we got back on Saturday around 3:30 pm and dog tired. We all also seem to be suffering from a sinus bug. Yin has the sniffles and a runny nose, Yuri has an ear ache, Brando has a congested head and ear ache and I have sinus drainage and congestion. The worst part of the trip was the airplane ride home. Yin did pretty good on the way home sleeping most of the way and then watching the We Wes (Wiggles) on the second leg from Baltimore. (We couldnt get a direct flight home.)

To everyone who wanted me to take lots of pictures I hope I did not disapoint. I clicked through a 512Mb card the first couple of days and loaded a fresh 1 Gb card for the following days. I was doing well until the return trips to the parks where I got the ,Oh I have already seen it and probably photographed it already, mind set. The total picture count on the digital camera was 720 photos. Yuri took a disposable camera and clicked off another 24 exposures of who knows what. So I hope to have some good pics for everyone to check out soon. I plan to post some in the upcomming days. Hope everyone had a nice weekend and a good first day back to work.

Friday, September 22, 2006

Animal Kingdom



A few days ago we all went to the Animal Kingdom. Although it is probably the most beautiful of the parks it is also the most crowded because of the small paths they funnel people into and also the most hot. The vegetation and narrow paths add to zero air movement. We went to Dinoland and Yuri and I rode a kiddy coaster. Then he started making fun of Brando for not being able to ride the coasters so we went on a little further to Expedition Everest. He wanted to ride it so I said sure. We got on and he was hoppin and a skippin and saying how much fun this was going to be. We got up to the ride and they loaded us in and strapped us down. I looked over at him and said, "This is a big boy coaster not a kiddy coaster." He looked at me a little puzzled. We took off and road about half way throughout the ride. I looked over and Yuri had a look on his face that was between half sick and scared to death. I smiled at him and let him know that everything was ok. We got off the ride and Yuri said, "My stomach hurts." I laughed a little and said, "Are you going to make fun of mommy now?" and he shook his head. The Yeti was pretty cool and I highly recommend this ride for the entertainment and also to close the mouths of smarty pants little boys who think they can ride just any ride.

Thursday, September 21, 2006

From MGM to Magic Kingdom and back


Today we had a fun packed day at MGM Studios in the morning and then we rested at the hotel for a bit then back to MGM for a bit to eat at the Sci Fi theater and then watch the Indiana Jones Stunt Show. After that we hoped a bus that took us to the Monorail station to get to the Magic Kingdom. We rode Snow White and then Its A Small World then we took turns riding the Haunted Mansion. The rides are almost empty and you and basically walk right up to them and get on. I didnt have any problems with any characters and didnt have to get my toon dippin gloves on. But I may have to have electroshock therapy to get this damn small world tune outta my head.

Incident at Hollywood and Vine


We have gone to not 1 but 4 character meals since we have been here at Disney. In a last ditch effort to get the most bang for the buck Brando reserved another meal at Hollywood and Vine with some more characters. We got there and after a short wait walked into see Jo Jo and the Little Einsteins where there. Yin loves Jo Jo so all through eating lunch we heard Jo Jo, Jo Jo over and over and over... Now Jo Jo is moving from table to table and just went we think we are next then she would move to another table. Little Yins little patients (about 5 seconds long) was wearing thin and seeing her with her heart set on seeing and hugging Jo Jo the tension was mounting with every tick of the clock. Finally she was at the next table and we had our cameras and autograph books at the ready. The people at the next table must have taken 15 pictures and Jo Jo had to sign a couple of dozen books. Finally she was moving on to us but NO she turns and walks the other way. Maybe she forgot or didn't see or something like that. I walked up to the person that assists the characters as they move through the crowd and told them that we have been waiting along time and was ready to leave and that we were missed when Jo Jo went through the crowd. She said that they would eventually get back around to us. My head must have split open at that point. I was nearly about to choke out the helper and Jo Jo herself. Yin has see plenty of characters but for her every time is like the first time in her little mind. We walked up to space Mickey and Goofy at EPCOT and of course after unbuckeling Yin out of the stroller and packing her to the line the lady said, "We just closed the line." Try telling this to a 2 year old to make them understand. The scene wasn't pretty. After a bit my nerves calmed down and my need to rip the heads from all the characters subsided and I was able to enjoy the rest of the day. Hopefully all the character meals are over and I will not end up in a Florida jail for dunking toons in the turpentine.

Monday, September 18, 2006

Disney 2006 More Pics

Here is a few more pictures of the our vacation.


Disney 2006


All we heard was Me Mouse Me Mouse Me Mouse. Well the first evening we did not see him at all and Yin had her heart set on seeing him. Well I was still wondering if she would have anything to do with him at all. Well take a look at the pictures below and make the decision for yourself....



Lets just say that Me Mouse has little Yin for his biggest fan now. The only words out of her mouth now is Me Mouse, Dance, Hug , Funny..over and over and over. Lets just say she really likes Mickey now. The weather is a little warm but the parks is practically empty and we are having a blast. Hope everyone had a nice weekend. We are purchasing the internet every couple of days to keep everyone posted. Well gotta run.

Friday, September 15, 2006

YAHOO Internet

We are staying in the Hilton Garden Inn in the Big City and we are on the 14th floor. The veiw is breath taking of the city at night. I will make sure and snap a photo and post it at a later day. I hope everyone is having a nice weekend. We went to Circle Center Mall to the Disney store. Yin and Yuri posed for the camera with Pooh and Tigger. Before we left the mall Yin had to give Me Mouse (Mickey) one last hug and blow him a kiss. Cant wait to see what tomorrow brings.

The Big Day

MY BRANDO
Above picture is pixelated to perserve the identity of the individual.


Today is the big day in which we will head to the Big City to fly to Disney. I must admit the I am about as excited as the kiddies are. Thanks to the tireless planning and organizing efforts of my dear wife Brando, she made this whole trip possible. She has the whole week scoped out and has planned and read all the info available to get the most fun out of this trip. She has checked and rechecked everything and spent countless hours reading and chatting with people who go to Disney alot to find out the best things to do so we dont waste our time on stuff that is not as entertaining for us. I hope that everything goes smooth and if we do run into a hiccup, it wont be due to the lack of effort or planning on my dear sweet Brandos part. She is the bomb. Thanks Brando for organizing this whole trip. Thank you again for taking care of the vacation plans. I know it will be great.

Thursday, September 14, 2006

Disney Pics

Here are some true unedited photos of me enjoying my vacation. These are real unedited pictures....Honest and for true....


Heres me at The Magic Kingdom




Heres me at Epcot




Heres me at The Animal Kingdom



Sure does look like I will have lots of fun....Mmm...Errr... I mean I had lots of fun. Yeah....Thats right.

Headed for the BIG D and I dont mean Dallas


Tomorrow after work we will be heading up to the really big city to go shopping and stay the night in a hotel before we hop a plane and head for DISNEY. I am really excited and cant wait to see the look of the kids faces when we get to The Magic Kingdom. I am hoping that Yin is not scared of the characters and I know Yuri will have a good time.

Today at work I think that they are trying to see just how much I can do in a day. I was called in to work last night at 9:30 and got home at midnight from an emergency work order and today when I got to work their were 2 emergency work orders waiting for me. I also had 2 other jobs lined up to finish when I got the 2 E's (emergencys) done. It looks like I might make it out of here on time but you never know with this job. I was informed that the job I have been working on was going to get checked out on Friday night at 10:00 pm and they wanted me here to help with the check out. I told them that at that time I would be in the really big city relaxing in my hotel room. They will have to find someone else. $ is nice but time is golden. I cant wait for vacaction to get here and in a flash it will be gone. Hurry up Friday!!!

Monday, September 11, 2006

Day of remembrance


WE SHALL NEVER FORGET!!!

I am setting about 30 feet away from where I had heard the horrible news 5 years ago today. I cant tell you what I did that day before receiving the news but I can tell you everything I did after with crystal clarity. I remember the pictures of horror on the news and the empty sinking feelings that came the days, month's and years after. We have not forgotten. I still harbor hatred for the people who have done this. I believe in the old testament: An eye for an eye. I hope and pray that we speed there delivery where they too will get theirs. The memory's are burned into my brain and hope that age does not dull them. I want to remember and will never forget.

Friday, September 08, 2006

Holy Cow!!!


Tonight was the first night of the city Fall Festival. The past years have been a really enjoyable evening of baby contests, concessions stands and funnel cakes. I remember playing hide and seek all over town and having a blast. Now that my kids are a little older I was hoping that they could go up to the center of town and experience the same joy that I did.....HOLY COW!!! I think the Fall Festival, getting dark early and the full moon, its this combination that makes the freaks come out from hiding. I am sorry to be so judgmental but when you are up there with your family and every Goth dressed, foul mouthed, get a hotel room teenager is up there it looks pretty scary. Also it looks like about 20% of the cities population is burned out on meth. I swear that it sounded like we was in a popcorn popper, from all the people around uses teeth blowing apart in there heads. The town looked like a groping, tweaking group of the walking dead. It is a real shame. I thought that since we were going out of town this weekend that we would miss the parade but I think we saw it tonight. Scary!!!

Southbound on Ole 41

Tomorrow morning we will get up and head South. We will visit Mom and Dad for a bit and then it is off the my cousin Bridgets new house. I am glad that this trip is in the wake of, not good news but the best news it can be considering the situation, news. It should be enjoyable and this will be the last time the kids will see Mom before she starts Chemotherapy. I hope she doesnt have any really bad side effects and the only thing we have to explain to the kids is why NeNe is wearing a hat. This is a while down the road though so I shouldnt obsess on that now. The only thing I should have to worry about this weekend is Mom wrestling the kids. Maybe she will behave herself and we wont have to put her in time out. Wish us luck.

Wednesday, September 06, 2006

Self Centered


I have realized something since the current family crisis. I DONT DEAL WELL WITH STRESS. I must be the worst person on the planet when it comes to dealing with stress. At first news of the crisis, I was away and stessed about getting home to be with family. Upon arriving home I enjoyed very breifly the reunion of our family at the airport. Back to bleek thinking. I have taken every last bit of stress out on my wonderful wife and kids. In some way I think that I have been trying to keep as busy as possible to try to keep my mind off the problem so to relieve the situation but as soon as I have a slow moment then BAM. I now know that I am no good in stressful situations and at a loss at how others do it. Some people thrive in turmoil and confussion. I wilt like a flower. I hope that this crisis and self awareness of the terrible person that I become during these situations will help me get better. Now that the family crisis has subsided a bit I have just now let myself feel the sorrow about the Erwin family. Its like my mind said NOPE you are at your limit before you have a meltdown so we will block this feeling for now. I am not sure what it is....Self preservation or Self centered. I do feel terrible and also feel lucky to have such a wonderful family. Family is...... Family is the people who make up for your own short commings. I hope there are no more stressful situations but if there are I hope to do better in the future.

Saturday, September 02, 2006

A Good comic video found some where on Net

A Good comic video found some where on Net

Check it out if you need a little laugh.