Last Week: Why no Easter pictures?

Okay, everyone else has all these cute Easter pictures on their blogs from Sunday. Me...not so much. I never even got to see what the kids looked like on Easter Sunday; and we had to have the Hanks' pick the kids up for church because Harry had to be at church at 6:30 am. Thanks a million to Jacque and Joe, by the way.
I just spent all of last week in the bed sick with the flu. It was the stuffy/runny nose, fever, and aching flu. I came down with is last Tuesday. I started not feeling too well towards the end of work. When I came home from taking Hannah to gymnastics, I took my temperature--102.7º. I couldn't believe it. Harry was serving in his new calling at the Sharpsburg Ward and wouldn't be home until around 10:00 p.m. that night. I went to bed and told the kids they were on their own. Luckily, Harrison has his cooking merit badge and was able to make dinner for him and Hannah. I spent the next five days in the bed. I was absolutely miserable. I ate nothing but chicken noodle soup, Riptide Rush Gatorade, and water the entire time. The only exception was on our anniversary...we had Chick-fil-a. (Just a side note: Although this is the third year in a row that something has come up on our anniversary, this has got to be the WORST anniversary so far. So, I've decided to change our anniversary to May. Maybe then we won't have anything interfere.)
Harry tried to take me out on Saturday for a little while. He intended on us going shopping for a couple of Easter items and then going to La Parilla to eat. I lasted all of 30 minutes and told him to take me home. I didn't even get to go to church on Sunday...I was still in the bed. I still have a bit of a cough and some chest congestion, but I'm at least able to function. I hope no one else has or gets this flu...it is nasty to deal with. I've heard of Spring Fever, but this was ridiculous!

Jen & Harry's 15th Anniversary

Harry and I have been together for 15 years today. They've been 15 wonderful years full of laughter, tears, happiness, sorrow, triumphs and trials; but through it all, there's always been love. I don't know where we would have been in our lives without each other; and I'm so incredibly grateful that I get to be with this man for not just time, but all eternity.


Happy Anniversary, Harry!

Yours Forever and Always,
Jen

Spring Training 2008

Harry and Harrison left on Wednesday, March 12th, for Orlando, Florida, to attend this year's Spring Training about 8:15 a.m. They were, apparently, so excited to leave that Harry forgot his laptop bag that not only had his laptop, but all of the Spring Training game tickets, too. So, I get a phone call around 11:15 a.m. about this dilemma. I gathered what was forgotten, got in the truck and started heading towards Macon while Harry started to head back home. We met somewhere between home and Macon. Harry looked as white as a sheet by the time I got to him. I felt bad for him, but all was made right.

They arrived in Orlando around 6:00 p.m. and checked in at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. Their room had a Savannah view and they got to experience all sorts of wildlife from the balcony of their room. They were even able to rent night vision equipment and see the animals at night. Harrison thought it was cool most of the time. He did have a problem with a zebra and some kind of a bird while he was trying to sleep once, though. And, one time, they left the sliding glass door to the balcony open while they went to breakfast. Let's just say that their room didn't have an appetizing smell when they got back.

Wednesday, after they checked in, they went to the Atlanta Braves vs. the Cleveland Indians game at Cracker Jack Stadium in Disney's Wide World of Sports. There has been a long standing family rivalry about the Braves and the Indians. My Grandmother and my Great Aunt Irene are die hard Indians fans. We are die hard Braves fans. So, there is lots of ribbing going back and forth between the two families during baseball season. The Braves won, by the way, 11 to 4. After the game, they went to Downtown Disney where they ate at Earl of Sandwich and had dessert at the Ghirardelli Ice Cream Shop.

Thursday, they ate breakfast at Boma--a really yummy restaurant at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. Then, they went to Winter Haven, Florida to watch the Cleveland Indians play the Toronto Blue Jays. Harrison and Harry got to meet Bob Feller, a hall of fame baseball player. They came back from the game, messed around for a while, and went to eat at Beaches and Cream at Disney's Yacht & Beach Club Resort. Harrison couldn't decide if he liked Beaches or Five Guys Burger and Fries here at home better. What a dilemma.

Friday, they went to Typhoon Lagoon water park (follow the link and check out the pics). They got there right when it opened and rode the Crush-n-Gusher, a water roller-coaster, six times. They also rode the towering Humunga Cowabunga. They've been to this water park before and have never been brave enough to go down this slide. So, they must have had an extra helping of courage for breakfast. After the water park, they played a round of golf at the 9 hole walking course that Disney has. Apparently, Harrison made a bogey on one of the holes (I've been told that is good). They also saw a very big turkey and a deer while they were on the course. When they were done, they headed over to another one of our favorite Disney restaurants--The Polynesian Resort's 'Ohana. They indulged in all you can eat won tons, stir-fried veggies, flame cooked pork, steak, shrimp, and turkey. Yeah, Hannah and I still haven't forgiven them for that one.

Saturday, they packed up, checked out of the hotel, apparently ate breakfast at Boma (again), and headed to Wide World of Sports to watch the Braves play the Tampa Bay Rays (they dropped the Devil this year). Then after the game, they started the drive home. They got in around 10:05 p.m.

They had a really good time. I'm so glad they were able to spend this quality father/son, male bonding time together. Harry also proved to himself that it is absolutely possible to go, stay on Disney property, have a great time, and never set foot in one of the amusement parks. For those who don't know, Harry is a bigger Disney fan than I am. He is always extending our stay one more day, or adding one more day onto our tickets. He's notorious for it. So, this was a very big exercise in will-power for him. He said that he always thought it might be possible, but he never thought he'd be strong enough to resist. Yeah, Harry!

Hannah: The Cartwheel Queen

Today, Hannah was supposed to perform in the Tyrone St. Patrick's/Easter Day Celebration with her gymnastics team. However, things were canceled due to a tornado watch. That was a bit disappointing. But, the girls still were able to participate in Taylormade's annual Cartwheel-a-thon. The premise is a fundraiser where the girls get pledges and see how many cartwheels they can do in a 15 minute period of time. Hannah didn't get any pledges, but me, for this event. So, at first she wasn't going to do it. The first girl went and did 347 cartwheels. The second girl went and did 387 cartwheels. Well, half way through the second girls 15 minute block, Hannah decided she was going to do it just to see what she could do. I told her that I would pledge 10¢/cartwheel.

So, she started after she was told that she needed to get 388 to beat the record. After her 15 minutes were up, Hannah had completed 440 cartwheels! I was astounded and happily wrote my check for $45. All of the other girls that did this were doing multiple cartwheels in a row and then turning around and going back. They were so dizzy and off balance by the end of the 15 minutes, they couldn't even sit up straight let alone stand and walk. Since Hannah can do a cartwheel with either leg, she took a different approach and I guess it paid off. She also has the equilibrium of a jet fighter pilot. She finished her cartwheels, walked right over to me, sat down on the mat, and said, "I'm tired and sweaty." I asked her if she was dizzy to which she replied, "No, I don't think so--just tired." Stacy, her coach, looked at her dumbfoundedly and said that Hannah was truly a freak of nature (in a loving, nice, amazed way). We all laughed. She is this year's Cartwheel Champion.

I took a short video with my phone...check it out:

Just a Blurb...but an important one for me

I know that for many of you this will be a "Yeah, and..." moment, but for those of you who know me very well know that this is a BIG deal--I turned in my application for my passport on Friday! I took 6 years of French and I've never been to France. As a matter of fact, the only time I've ever left US soil is when I walked across the border into Canada to see Niagra Falls when I was a teenager. It's not that I haven't wanted to, I just never had a passport, or the money to go anywhere (okay and the courage to go anywhere). You see, in addition to suffering from paralyzing delusions of grandeur, I also suffer from severe contact dermatitis. So, I've always been afraid to go anywhere for fear that I would break out in hives, or have a horrible allergic reaction to something while away. I know it's stupid, but it's true.

So, I bit the bullet and went ahead and turned the papers in. Harry and I would like to go on a cruise in May to celebrate our 15th anniversary (which is Thursday, the 20th). Of course, I'm leery of that, too--what if I get seasick? I can hear everyone now..."Jen, don't be stupid." I'm trying not to and hopefully having a passport will prevent me from continuing to do so.

Great site for a good laugh

Shay Jenkinson sent me a link to a website that had an hysterical practical joke played on some unsuspecting patrons of Grand Central Station in New York City. Check it out:


Since that was so great...I decided to see if there were any other pranks. I found a whole website where they have posted all of their practical jokes. It's an anthropologists dream come true. I laughed and laughed to the point of tears at some of them. Have fun!

http://improveverywhere.com/

Disney's Chief Magic Official Job

As many of you know, we are a Disney family. We truly believe in "the magic of the mouse" and love to help others make their Disney dreams come true, too. That being said, this is Disney's Year of a Million Dreams Part 2. Due to the shear volume of dreams and wishes to grant, Disney is hiring a Chief Magic Official to over see the whole granting process. I have to admit, I thought about applying for the job myself, but never got the gumption up to actually submit a video. And, after seeing the finalists videos, there's really no way I could have done anything like this. There are several wonderful videos that you can check out at http://dreamcmo.com/ including Atlanta's own Star 94.1 DJ, Tripp West, but I think I'm throwing my vote towards Amy Kate Connolly. I absolutely LOVED her video and she sounds like a woman after my own heart. So if you want something to put a smile on your face, check out the videos for Disney's CMO and vote.

ºoº Jen ºoº

ABC Me

Elizabeth tagged me and I didn't even realize it. So, here it goes:
A-Attached or Single: Quite attached

B-Best Friends: There's too many to list

C-Cake or Pie: Man that's a tough one... I'm a cake decorator, but I LOVE peanut butter pie

D-Day of Choice: Thursday (we don't have to be anywhere and LOST comes on)

E-Essential Item: Toothbrush and waterpik (man I hate these braces!)

F-Favorite Color: Blue

G-Gummi Bears or Gummi Worms: Gummi NOTHING for two years now (see letter E)!!

H-Hometown: Sharpsburg, GA

I-Indulgences: Pedicures once a month

J-January or July: JULY!!! I HATE being cold and I LOVE the beach and the pool.

K-Kids: Harrison 14, Hannah 10

L-Life is incomplete without: Family and Friends

M-Marriage Date: March 20, 1993 (Yep, 15 years is coming up)

N-Number of Siblings: 3 (2 brothers and a sister)

O-Oranges or Apples: If they aren't cut up into bite-size pieces, neither one (Letter E again).

P-Phobias or Fears: I REALLY can't stand snakes, fleas, or mice

Q-Quotes: I have a lot...I'm an English major... Some of my favorites are:

1. "To thine own self be true." William Shakespeare




2. "Fools rush in where angels fear to tread." Alexander Pope




3. "It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare. All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or other of these destinations. It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and the circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics. There are no 'ordinary' people. You have never talked to a mere mortal..." C.S. Lewis

R-Reason to Smile: Disney World, the Beach, No laundry

S-Season: Summer

T-Tag Four: Shay Jenkinson, Kasey Doty, Amanda Jewkes, and Kara Ballif

U-Unknown fact about me: I won a ballroom dance competition in the Cha-Cha in college.

V-Vegetarian or Meat Eater: Meat Eater (we try to eat red meat only once a week, though).

W-Worst Habit: Paying my kids to clean my bathroom instead of cleaning it myself (I HATE cleaning bathrooms)

X-Xrays or Ultrasounds: What's wrong with me that I need to make a decision about this?

Y-Your Favorite Food: Potatoes--any way, any kind!

Z-Zodiac: Libra

What We've Been Up To

Okay, I haven't updated our blog in a while--I'm still recovering from my diabetic coma from having to eat birthday cake for two weeks straight (not really). So, this is what's been going on:

• Gymnastics is still going for Hannah--7 1/2 hours a week. She will be performing from 12:30-1:00 pm at Triangle Park in Tyrone on March 15th.


• Harrison has had Festival Band Practice twice a week since the beginning of February. He will be performing on March 27th at the Clayton County Performing Arts Center--I think at 9:30 am.


• Harry & Harrison have been gearing up for their upcoming trip to Spring Training in Orlando by playing golf and attending a golf clinic last Saturday. They will leave next Wednesday, March 12th, and come home on March 16th.


• I, well, I'm slowly being tortured to the state of true and utter insanity by my orthodontist. I just got an adjustment today that has made me neither happy, nor comfortable. They added "build-ups" to two of my back upper molars to allow my upper teeth to be pulled further back into alignment; and by doing so, those, now, are the only two points that I am actually able to chew my food. Which, by the way, makes for a very slow eating process with quite a limited array of food to choose from; thus resulting in a rather cranky and severely sarcastic and short fused Jen--way more so than normal :c). Basically it's like putting a Jolly Rancher on each side of your mouth and biting down on them continually for a full month without the comfort of that sweet, fruity flavor! SERENITY NOW!!! (See Seinfeld Season 9 Episode 3 "The Serenity Now" to fully appreciate my comment).

Well, that's really all for now...not much going on except the day to day life stuff. I'll have more next week when the guys go to Florida.