the Zippidy do dah Bonga Date!

Thatcher and I went on a Bonga date when we went to Florida last month! "A BONGA date...NOT a Momma date!" T would remind me!
He did not know where we were going...neither did his mom...until we got there...to DISNEYWORLD!
The monorail was our first adventure!...he loved riding on it!
Now..these pictures are not in an order...I just added them randomly...except the last ones as they are of the VERY best part of teh day for Thatcher!

T LOVED playing in this "Snow" He played for probably about 15 minutes..."Come sit with me Bonga" "Let's make a snowman!" "Come touch the snowman Bonga!"

Isn't he the cutest!

Pizza Planet..He sat in or on EVERY bike, car, truck, played every game, sat in every booth at least once! Uncle Matt and Graham would have LOVED this bike!
Honey I Shrunk the Kids playground. HE LOVED THIS PLACE! We have pictures of his mom playing here when she was 5! SOOO MUCH FUN! Even Bonga went down the slides!

"Are the pistons pumping?" he asked the engineer!
"Where is the coal" Thatcher wondered!
M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E!!!!
"We are on a Bonga date...not a momma date, Right Bonga?"
" Thank you Bonga. I love this Bonga date"
" I love our Bonga date!"
Thatcher LOVED the parades! Loved teh Ice cream!
I LOVED being with my Thatcher!
"I love you Bonga!" "I love you too Thatcher!"
We got to see So many friends in the parades..he did not want to go see Woody and Buzz in person..I was glad too, because teh wait time was 45 minutes!
We did see Little Einstiens and Handy Manny...after which he said.."I know Handy Manny...I Love Hand Manny!"

Then we rounded a corner and saw...


This was the perfect ending to a perfect day! He HAD to wait in line for these pictures..and he kept looking up at me and smiling and saying "OHHHHHH" then dancing from excitment!
Disney...through the eyes of an almost 3 year old grandson! NOTHING quite like it!
There will be more Bonga dates...and I think I decided that this will have to be a Bonga tradition.
Disney...one on one with the grandchildren!
Life...What could be better???

Catch up time

Hello! It has been too long...Mark and I went to Florida for a week in March...most of it sans kids! It was GREAT! We spent the time Baseball games, hiking, baseball, exploring, and yes...you guessed it baseballing! It was spring training time and Mark has always wanted to go watch the Atlanta Braves...so we did! It was beautiful weather...and great company!Following are a few of the highlights of the week!



Port Canaveral Beach..the pelicans are very tame..and looking for dinner from the fishermen! This one would walk right up them and take it from their hands...or table!


This WONDERFUL food brought to you by Squid Lips! IT was GREAT food....



...and a great view of the river!


Then it was off to our first Braves game vs the Washington Nationals at the Space Coast Field.




Batting Practice...we WERE that close!


The new kids on the block.. Jason Heyward! He was great fun to watch!
The Braves won!!! We had a great time watching the game..and had fun fans around us!


The next day we were off to Disney Sports field for another game...against the Florida Marlins....another victory! AND a SUNBURN!!!! for me! Again..close seats! FUN time!


They are the Braves jazz quartet...fun to hear them play!



Day three...


Who would have ever thought this was 20 minutes from Universal Studios???!!! NOT me!
One minute you were driving through traffic, then you turn off on a dirt road and find a piece of heaven!

A natural Spring with water at a steady 72 degrees year round. Water crystal clear!
Hiking...canoing...picnic!!! FUN times! LOTS of wildlife too!
We were canoing that close to him...


And this guy in the water. He crossed our path and we followed him into a little cove...on the other side that the one above was sunning himself in.

Beautiful scenery...the water here was black from the tinatic acid in it. Ma
de for great reflection shots!
Canoing....great times!




Day four...the last day on our own...Hannah and Graham drove down after school Thursday...

This is Blue Springs State Park...winter home for manatees! Right behind us is the spring boil...130 feet deep~!


We were very fortunate to get to see them this close..and showing off for us too! We did see MANY all together..and across the river from us...but this one came swimming by, flipping and rolling to get the catfish off his back! The ranger was telling us that in January, during the cold spell we had, there were over 300 in the river! They were so thick he said that you could literally walk across the river on their backs. There is a retired ranger who goes out every morning to count them. He knows them by the marks on them. What a great job! They really are amazing to watch. The babies live with the moms for two years.

I LOVED the scenery once again!


This is a Tilapia fish! And it really does not do its size justice here! They would build their 'nest' and lay eggs...then protect them from the awaiting catfish! The nest was probably 3 feet in diameter! The water is soooo clear! that was probably 3 feet deep!


The kids made it safe and sound...so on to Friday!

Mini golfing at the resort...They were soooo bad they got locked up!

Afterwards...Mark and I went to another Braves game...against Detroit Tigers...andother victory! and the kids went to Universal studios! Notice the red chest!

Saturday we all went to have some fun at the park! Hoping to get a glimpse of teh new Harry Potter!

And there it is! Opening June 2010!


One of the local high schools was putting on "Les Miserables" and we were REALLY hoping to go see it..but alas, it was sold out! So MArk spent 30 minutes looking for a Race Track gas station so he could have a Coke Slurpee...CRAZY man!

It was a great vacation..but as all good things..they do come to an end...
So did the Braves winnings!!!