Don't Blink, Life Goes Faster Than You Think.

Recently we went to the beach and each night my family and I would take a walk on the beach. I would look down at the sand, watching out for shells or other objects not to step on. Then I realized there are soooo many different footprints in the sand. Each of those different footprints belongs to someone in this world. Each footprint in that sand has some story. A story that may be very fascinating or very unforgettable. But they are all stories that belong to someone out there in this big world. Who are they? Where did they come from? It's a big world!

I can't describe the look on my daughter's face when she saw the castle for the first time.

When I was about my daughter's age, I went to Magic Kingdom for my first time. We spent only spent one day at Magic Kingdom & I do mean a day. I remember asking to stay & watch the parade & fireworks but the answer was "another time". I left some what disappointed. When we went this year, I told my husband "I have only one request on this trip & that is we see the night parade & fireworks." What a nice little surprise to see Tinkerbell come down from the castle.

My Tragic Kingdom finally turned back to Magic Kingdom. If you read my previous posts, you know about the horrible start to my Disney vacation (if you didn't read the posts, shame on you-just kidding). My vacation actually has a happy ending. The following day, my mother had surgery on that broken hip & all went well. I arranged for a fight the next day & landed at the Orlando Airport round 12 pm Sunday. My mother in law promised my that she would visit my mother frequently & that she did. Mom is currently in a local nursing home for rehab. Things are slowly looking up. Reunited at last!

So as Maggie darted passed my rescue crew & toward the main road, my heart sank. I thought she will not be coming back. I was convinced that I would find her lifeless body on the main road. I did not give up, no did my rescue crew. We then expanded our search to larger areas. I even searched my own street in hopes that she would find her way back home. No luck. As my rescue crew & I grew tired of combing the streets, we decided to take a break. Off to the hospital I went. I arrived at the hospital to find out that my mom broke her hip & will require surgery. That's just great. Now what? I have no emotional support with my husband & children in Florida. I wrestled with the thought of calling my sister in Virginia. I prayed to God for strength. I made the decision to call & left a massage explaining in detail the situation. She did return a message responding, I don't know what to tell you. Do you want my to come up? Yeah, I know to others this would be a no b...

Yes, I kissed my husband & kids good bye with tears in my eyes. I got back in the SUV & headed for the Parkway. It was a lonely trip. So many thoughts swirling around in my mind. I reached my mom's street & began to put the pieces of the puzzle together. I questioned the neighbors that live around my mom. They told me that she fell & couldn't get up. She called for help, two of the neighbors came running & the ambulance was called. She didn't hit her head so that was a positive outlook. What about the dog? Has anyone seen the dog? The next door neighbor & his wife replied, we tried to catch her but she wouldn't come, she is so fast. I then started my search for my dog. I walked numerous times around the plan calling her name "Maggie". No luck. My in laws arrived to help. I thought for sure that Maggie would show up with my mother in law calling for her. Maggie absolutely LOVES her. No luck. During this time I called the ER & spoke t...

So I left off with the phone call from my childhood friend telling me that my mom fell & that the ambulance was called. At this point she didn't know any other details & that she would call her dad for details. After I hung up the phone my husband said "Just calm down, she probably just has some scrapes & cuts. Let's just get to the airport & we will figure out what we should do." Five minutes had gone by & I didn't hear from my friend. So, I called her back. She didn't know anything more. I asked "What about our dog? She was watching our dog. Do you know if the dog was in the house?" She replied, "I'm not sure." I called her dad & asked for details. He told me your mom fell outside on the driveway & was calling for help, she couldn't get up. He call the ambulance & they were transporting her to the hospital. "She was watching our dog. Do you know where the dog is?" The neighbor replied, ...

This year my husband & I made the decision instead of a beach vacation, we would go to Disney. We felt that the kids are now old enough, no strollers to push, they can probably handle the heat better than an infant or toddler & they are old enough to remember this trip the rest of their lives. Once you read about my experience, you will agree that remembering this trip is an understatement. So get your Kleenex or Puffs (if you prefer) & get ready for a good cry. March 2009 : We booked our Disney trip after much research. AAA had the best deal over all. May 2009 : The excitement begins to build about the trip & the count down began. Start to lake our list of things we need to take & shop for new clothes. June 9, 2009 : Schools out for the summer & the packing begins. June 10, 2009 : My last day of work for the summer. Let the final push to pack begin. June 11, 2009 : Shop for last minute items, get hair cut, pedicure & get the dog extra supplies. 8:3o pm -T...

Our long awaited trip to Disney went from these expectations, to doom & gloom. Details to follow when I get my life in order.

Schools out , or in our case just about out. That only means one thing in our family, beach trip. In the past have gone to Ocean City but the excitement wore off & the crowd tends to be high school & college students. Too wild for a family trip so we now head to Myrtle Beach. We love it. I recommend to friends to stay at the Breakers ( http://www.breakers.com/ ). They have several pools & a lazy river & pool side service (the ones that all adults love). This year we are heading to Disney for our vacation but hope to get a great deal at some point to return to Myrtle for a long weekend. The preparation for any beach trip can be crazy. I am constantly making a list of what we need to pack. So here is a list for you to use as a guide to prepare for your next beach trip. Vacation List: Medication Facial soap Razor Soap Shaving cream Shampoo Conditioner Brush & comb Deodorant Mousse Curling Iron Facial creams Make up Tooth brush Tooth paste Tweezers Contact lenses case ...

Our plans for Disney are firming up. Yet, I still have many questions. I have heard pros & cons about the meal plan. I want your input. Thank you in advance.

What an experience!

The Hard Rock now has a theme park located just off of US 501 in Myrtle Beach. The theme park opened this spring & has many things to do for all ages. The parking lot & park lacked the typical crowds. This was an advatage, we parked close to the enterance & we were able to ride the lines over & over again. I guess you can contribute this to it being the first year & tourists are set in their ways of visiting the same attratctions likeBroadway at the Beach & Barefoot Landing. The park has several different theme sections: Rock & Roll Heaven British Invasion Lost in the 70's Born in the USA Cool Country Favorites: Led Zeppelin - Located in Rock & Roll Heaven. My son's favorite ride. This rollercoaster that sends you 15 stories high, 65 mph and loops six times, all set to Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love". Video cameras are in each car & records every emotion of the experience. Maximum RPM - Located in the British Invasion. My daugh...

This is the same woman. Notice that she changed suits. She has one for the pool & one for the beach. WOW! is all I can say.

This picture was taken in Oak Hill, WV. My 7 & 9 year old kids laughed for about 30 minutes over this "In" sign at Wendy's.

The mood in my house this week is excitement. We all are preparing for our departure to Myrtle Beach. Call us crazy for driving. The 12 hour trip shouldn't be so bad, we are breaking it up over 2 days. Today we took a trip to the post office to stop the mail & then headed out to Walmart. Last minute things to pick up, like flip-flops for my son. He is into Ironman this year & found a pair of flip-flops with Ironman on them. "Mom, can I get them?" he asked. Of course he could get them. He couldn't find a pair in his size. Why? They don't make mens shoes with Marvel super heros. This is when reality set in. My baby is growning up toooooo fast.