Have a holly jolly Christmas...

Merry Christmas! Today I was able to Skype with lots of family, which is wonderful! I met my newest cousin, Rory, and she's just beautiful. Then I went to Clearwater Beach with Katy and her kiddos. And ended my Christmas Day festivities by Skype-ing with Scott, Margo, Olivia, Ethan, and my mom! Yay!! They showed me some of their new toys, and opened up the gifts that I sent them as well.

So here are the pics from my day...

More holiday and skype fun!

We went to Disney yesterday to have lunch at Trail's End (Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground). Then off to Hollywood Studios for Tower of Terror and Rockin' Rollercoaster and some Christmas shopping!!

Today I got to skype with the kiddos! Yay! Gotta love Skype. Oliva told me about her pre-school Christmas party, and decorating cookies. Ethan and Olivia showed me their art projects...lots of Rudolph and so cute!! Olivia also wanted a picture of her toes. :)

Christmas Lights!

I went with Katy and the kiddos tonight to see Christmas lights!!



Here is Sean lip-syncing to the music...and saying he's a girl...lol...



And some pictures...they really are quite amazing!





If you'd like to check out their website:
Huseman Family Lights

High Tide and Candy Canes

Yesterday, I drove down to Anna Maria Island to visit Bernadette and to be her photographer. She wanted to send out some holiday personalized postcards! They turned out great! We brought Flat Olivia with us, so she got a chance to visit the Gulf of Mexico.

If you don't know about Flat Olivia: My niece, Olivia, has a pre-school project based on the books "Flat Stanley". So, all the kids sent their flat person out somewhere to experience something or somewhere. Then we send her teacher the pictures, and she puts them on this big map in the hallway at her school. It's pretty neat! I took Flat Olivia to Disney last month, and took her picture with Disney characters too. :)

ANYWAY...back to the "photo shoot"... We went out in the afternoon, so as we were walking down the beach, there were some places that we had wade in the water to get around the trees and rocks. This last hurricane season took a large amount of the beach away, and there are many places where the water comes right up to the tree/brush line. When we found our place, we saw that we weren't the only ones who thought it was a good day for a photo shoot. A little further up the beach, there was a photo shoot going on with very little clothing...we'll just leave it at that.

After we had some great shots, we decided to head back...and noticed the tide was coming in...higher and higher. All the places we had to wade in ankle deep water on our way out, was now knee deep water...and each time the waves came in - which was about every second - I was soaked to my waist!! Bernadette is lucky because of her 6 feet, about 5 feet of her is leg...so she was only soaked to her thighs.

We finally made it back, after scaling a retaining wall, and headed to dinner. Soaked. We went to Banana Cabana, and no one seemed to care - or notice - that my pants were soaking wet. After dinner, we stopped at a beachy tourist store so I could buy some lovely purple capri sweats for the ride home. ;)

All in all, a fabulous day! We had lots of fun.

Close Encounters!

Cody and I took a walk at Lettuce Lake Park today, which has become one of our typical outings for my days off. We usually see wildlife on our walks there, since this is a Nature Preserve and all. ;) Well TODAY, we had up close and personal encounter with an armadillo!! I've seen a flash of one at the park before, but this time was different. We were walking along, minding our own business, when I heard some scuffling in the leaves!! I though - oh God, please don't let it be a gator. And as we got -cautiously - closer on the path, I was relieved, and amazed, to see that it was an armadillo! We watched that darn thing for about 5 minutes, and it kept digging for food. Cody was very good, and watched patiently without startling it. Then we finished our loop, and on our way back past - that little bugger was still there doing the same thing!! There must've been something good hiding in that leaf pile.

Oh - and just so you know, the current weather is about 70 degrees, sunny and clear.
xoxo

Happy Thanksgiving!

I skyped with my brother, sister-in-law, niece, nephew, and mom tonight. I'm still sick and feel crappy, so I'm not going to blog much. I just had to share these shots I took while on skype with them.

Ethan was washing the dishes...which I found hilarious. Oh - and the greatest holiday gift - my brother surprised his family with a trip to Disney World!! Which means they're coming down to visit me in March!! YAY!!! This is the best gift ever for me...and it wasn't even for me! :)

so...it snowed...

I just got back from spending a week in Michigan. Below, you will see the kid-version of my trip! I decided not to include pictures from the nights I spent at Sazerac with friends. :)

My visit home was wonderful with the exception of the snow and the good-bye. Those two things, I could do without. On the excellent side, I was able to spend every single day with Olivia & Ethan, which is what I wanted to do more than anything else! I'm still hoping that teleporter will be invented so I can pop up and visit them whenever I want...however, until then, I will stick with Allegiant Air. Which - in case some of you didn't know - will be flying between Tampa Bay/St. Pete and Grand Rapids beginning in February!! I'm so excited! This time, I flew American - and yuck.

So anyway, it was great to be able to hug and kiss my niece and nephew. My next visit home will probably be mid-to-late April...just to see my family and those few who matter most.

Now - here in Florida - it is a sunny, clear, blue sky day...about 60 degrees...and fabulous. I'm happy to be away from the snow. It would just happen to dump 6 inches on Grand Haven while I was there. ;)
xoxo

Lullabye

As you may know, I've been stuck in a slump...writer's block has kept me from finishing any new songs this past year. Well - last week I was talking to Olivia & Ethan, and they totally inspired me. Soooo here is the first rough cut of the lullabye! There are mistakes, however you can get a good idea of what the final product will sound like!

...what I've been up to this month...

...update on the countdown...

Custom Countdowns & MySpace Layouts

Only in Florida would you see this scrolling at work...

It says: There is an alligator outside of the north entrance. Please do not use those doors until further notice.

HA!!

Wow, Apples!

It's true! An apple a day really does keep the doctor away!

I'll give you a quick list of what good things apples do for you. Then you can check out this link to read HOW:

Click here to read more about Apples!

1. Apples improve the bowels.
2. Apples lower cholesterol.
3. Apples reduce the risk of cancer
4. Apples slow the aging process.
5. Apples help to prevent hair loss.

Wow! :)

I am reducing my carbon footprint.

Walt Disney World is a very "green" employer. Our resorts and offices are "green", and they're constantly giving us reminders to do our part. This has made me take note, and think about how what I do every day affects the environment.

If you’ve seen “An Inconvenient Truth” or read about Global Warming, you’ve probably seen or heard the term “carbon footprint”: the amount of carbon dioxide released through energy use. Here are some simple ways that you can do your part to help, and reduce your carbon footprint!

*Bring your own canvas bags to the grocery store, or at least re-use the paper ones.

*Unplug your electronics: Most electronics still use some energy even when turned off. This 'standby mode' or 'phantom load' drains up to 10 percent of electricity used in most homes. Each charger (like ipod, cell phone, laptop, camera) you have plugged in takes up about a watt a day when you're NOT using it!

*Use surge protectors to make it easier to unplug lots of things at once when you leave a room.

*Turn off your lights when they aren’t being used, even when you leave a room for a short period of time.

*Replace any incandescent light bulbs with the new energy-efficient bulbs (they looks like a swirl).

*Regulate your home temperature: Move your thermostat two degrees cooler in winter and two degrees warmer in the summer.

*Clean or replace air filters on your AC unit at least once a month.

*Lower the thermostat on your water heater to 120 degrees.

*Set refrigerator temperature at 36-38 degrees and your freezer to 0-5 degrees.

*Use the microwave more. Microwaves use a lot less energy than conventional ovens and stoves.

*Wash clothes with cold water, hang dry your laundry rather than putting it in the dryer when it's warm outside. Clean the lint filter in the dryer every time.
Dry clothes on a clothes line instead of in a dryer whenever possible.

*Use dishwashers instead of washing dishes by hand. You actually use more hot water when you wash dishes by hand. Do not use the heated dry mode on your dishwasher.

*Turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth. You will save 25 gallons of water a month!

*Reduce water in your toilet tank. Putting a liter bottle filled with water in your toilet tank can save 300 gallons per month!

*Use a low-flow showerhead to conserve water.

*Reverse indoor ceiling fans for summer and winter operations.

*Buy used furniture because there is a surplus of it. It is often cheaper than new, with the exception of some antique furniture.

*Use cloth napkins instead of paper ones.

*Turn off your computer when you're not using it. Or adjust your computer's power management to reduce the amount of power it uses while idle.

*Drive less! Walk or bike for quick trips around town, or even to work if you're close enough (like me!).

*Buy LOCAL! Not only does it save the energy costs associated with shipping bulk produce, it keeps a portion of your grocery money close to where you live - so go to your local farmer’s market. You’ll be supporting local growers while enjoying fresh, seasonal produce. So look up your local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) and use it - you can google "CSA" if you don't know.

Some of these tips are from Green Wikia

Also, check out Be Green Now

dog park update...yes, this is my life...

We went back to the dog park yesterday, and Shanna tagged along to see if she could pick up a girl (she thinks she can use Cody to attract a gf). LOL. No such luck, by the way. ANYway, Cody met some new friends on this visit. One was a Great Dane named Daisy...who was just about as tall as Shanna, while standing on all four legs. If Daisy decided to stand on her hind legs, she would've towered over Shanna by at least a good foot!

And we also found a new - and nicer - Farmer's Market! Yay!!

Disney, and dog parks!

Yesterday, we had a work dinner party (end of fiscal year and launch of new year) at Epcot. So we had this huge buffet with foods from all of the countries in the World Showcase, followed by VIP fireworks viewing. It was awesome!

Then today, Cody and I discovered a new dog park! It's only about 9 miles from my apartment, and it is huge! It's an off-leash, 5-acre, completely fenced in park. There is a section for small dogs under 30 pounds, and the large dog over 30 pounds. We had a great time. At first we were the only ones in the large dog part, so we walked around and checked out all the picnic tables and trees, played fetch, and Cody did a lot of sniffing. They have lots of shade trees, and the dog drinking fountains as well. There are even dog pools set up to cool off, and big dog bowls with water too. It was a hot one today, about 95 degrees out, so Cody took advantage of the water. This will be our new hang out on Tuesdays/Wednesdays/Thursdays for sure! I can't wait until it starts cooling off, which should be over the next few weeks, then it will be even nicer!!

Birthday moments...

I forgot to blog about my birthday! Oops! So, thank you to everyone who sent me a bday card or a bday comment of some sort. I really appreciate it. Soooo...a few days before my bday, Bernadette and I went to Disney's Hollywood Studios (used to be Disney's MGM Studios until this year). We had a great time - I love the new Toy Story Mania ride...even though Bernadette slaughtered me each time (you play for points). I took quite a few pictures of this, which is set up like "Andy's Bedroom" from the Toy Story movies.

At work, my team decorated my desk in a 70's hippy theme. I've included a pictures of my desk as well!

My bday party was up in Michigan on my last trip home...so thanks to my family for doing that too! :)

Recent Skype shots

Yes, I've said it before and I'll say it again - SKYPE ROCKS. I can't even begin to explain how wonderful it is to see and talk to my niece & nephew on Skype every week. They are so funny - and grow so fast! If I wasn't able to see them through the wonders of video conferencing each week, I would barely recognize them every few months when I go up to visit!

Anyway, here are some shots from our conversation tonight. They crack me up, and really crack themselves up too...We always end every conversation with virtual hugs & kisses...though they're not virtual, we actually hug and kiss the webcam. :)
We're dorks, I know. xoxo

Road Trip!!

It's official - I'll be driving up to Michigan in November! I'm going to leave after work on Sunday, November 9th...and drive straight through. I should be in Coops late Monday night. Then I'll be there through the following Tuesday...leave at on the 18th and give myself a couple days to get back for work on Friday the 21st, YAY!

This way I'll be able to bring Cody along, take some of my things that are in Michigan back down to Florida with me, and stay for more than twice as many days! I won't be coming up in December now, so this will be my Holiday Visit. :)

Lettuce Lake Park

There is a county park just up the street from me, Lettuce Lake Park (Hillsborough County), and for the past year I've been wanting to check it out - but haven't. Today I finally did - and it's beautiful. I can't believe I've let a year go by without visiting it. Man! The good news is now I know and can go there weekly. Cody liked it too, and was running around like a dog of half his age...they even have doggie drinking fountains! Shanna took me around the trails, and I figured it all out. We even saw a LIVE armadillo, and huge turtle! I'm sure there were plenty of gators that saw us, however we didn't get to walk on the boardwalks by the water since Cody was with us...though he REALLY wanted to. It was about 90 degrees (humidity at 60% and "feels like 102 degrees")...mostly sunny...but shady - however the mosquitos were having a party in the shade. Cody is now sleeping on the bathroom floor. Check out my pics from our adventure! ...oh...the picture where you can see part of my car, is the only pic I could get of the armadillo (you can barely see it, in the very center of the pic). It RAN into the bushes...I didn't know they ran!!

Michigan is cool...literally.

My visit home was super short, but it was so great to see the kiddos! The hardest part was leaving. I sucked it up until we were out of sight, and then the tears starting pouring. UGH! The hardest thing for me is being away from them. There is seriously nothing more difficult. I know they're too little to understand why I can't be there everyday anymore, heck - some adults don't even seem to understand...I can only make the most of the precious few days I do get to spend with them. Unfortunately we sometimes have to make sacrifices in order to fix mistakes that we've made...and that's what I'm trying to do - fix stuff.

I can't wait for them to experience Disney World for the first time!! I want to see Olivia's face when she sees the castle, and the princesses. And Ethan's face when he sees Lightning and Buzz Lightyear! Thinking about these things, and about my quick trip home, really makes me start wishing for that teleporter again! :)

I just got back to Florida a few hours ago...have all my stuff unpacked, dog walked, got some groceries, and am now uploading all my pictures to snapfish...and making a slide for this blog.

In uploading my pictures, I realize that I didn't take any pictures on Friday at my Aunt Deb's house! Dang it all. We had so much fun though - but I'm going to do a quick recap of my trip in order.

On Wednesday I flew in to Lansing Airport, and Brittany picked me up. We had a yummy lunch at Marie Catrib's in GR (Diamond & Lake). Then I unpacked some things at my moms, and went over to see the kids! I can't even begin to describe how much I miss them - and to see them after 4 months is very emotional! This time Olivia was on the porch happy to greet me and ready to play, and Ethan didn't seem to miss a beat. I think Skype really helped with that. It was so great to see them and to hug them and kiss them! They are SO TALL!! Then we all went over to my dad's for a grilled chicken dinner, and my Grandparents were there too.

Thursday started with the kiddos again, of course! I picked them up, and we went over to Karen's. Her kids are 1 and 3, so all together the kids are 1, 2, 3, and 4 - an active bunch! As soon as Ethan saw Ella, he just wanted to hold her hand and give her kisses on the cheek, and hug her, it was so cute! Then later that night, I went to dinner with Karen and Sharon at Bistro Bella Vita downtown GR, and then met up with more friends at Rocky's Pub. I even got to play a couple songs at the bar! AND I think Meghan may be ready to move down here before it snows! :)

On Friday, I went to my Aunt Deb's with Margo and the kids for swimming and grilling and birthday cake! We had lots of fun in the sunshine, and I was whooped by the end of the afternoon. Then my mom and I met Scott, Margo, and the kiddos for pizza at Fricano's in Muskegon, and ice cream at Temptation's in Grand Haven.

Saturday - today - started sad. My mom and I went over to Scott & Margo's to say bye to the kids. Oh man, that was tough...it's so sad to know I won't see them until December...or maybe if I'm lucky, October. And I hate that I will miss Olivia's first day of pre-school.

All in all, a great trip. I just wish it could've been longer.
Enjoy!

veggies, veggies, and more veggies!

We went to the Farmer's Market today and wow! We bought big tomatoes, little tomatoes, medium tomatoes, avacodo, garlic, red peppers, cherries...and mmm mmmm mmmmm!! The tomatoes are so yummy. Shanna and I have decided that we are going back every week. I spent a total of $4.50 and Shanna spent $6.00! Had we bought this in the grocery store, we easily would've spent 3 times as much. Amazing. Shanna had the best value purchase: 5 garlic bulbs for $1.

Here are some colorful pictures! We had so much to choose from.

only one week til: michigan here i come!

I only have one more week before I can give hugs & kisses to my niece & nephew! YAY!! I can't wait!! I was just talking to my brother on the phone, and realizing how little time I have there. *sigh* It's tough to fit in everyone in just 2 1/2 days. eeeeks!! Oh well, better than nothing.

As you can see, I added a new little feature to my blog page. A flikr badge in the left column. This will show 5 different pictures from my flikr albums each time you refresh my blog! Neat-o! Typically I only upload my very favorite pictures to flikr, whereas I upload ALL of my pictures to snapfish. Uploading can be time consuming when you take as many pictures as I do.

Speaking of pictures, prepare for a new slide show tomorrow night! Shanna is taking me to a Farmer's Market and Flea Market tomorrow here in Tampa and I'm SO excited!! I've been jonesin' for some fresh fruits and veggies!! I can't wait to see what types of characters visit the Farm/Flea Markets down here. Should be interesting...

mad photographic skills

I have taken some pretty great shots over the last couple years - basically since I bought my digital. I wanted to share some of the shots that I'm proud of with you! There are some pics of the kiddos, some self-portraits, pics of Mackinac, of the Upper Pennisula, Grand Haven, Memphis, Tampa, Ludington, Walt Disney World, Wisconsin, Anna Maria Island, Maui, Chicago, Vegas, and more! I also like to take pictures of signs.