the boys are back

our two sweet boys are home from florida!

i wasn't able to be at the gate to greet them
but their father was and he shared this sweet photo
of them. 

 

 

finn {age 10} + scout {age 6}

 

the flight went without a hitch,
which wasn't a concern. the boys are seasoned travelers these days.

they only thing i thought about was whether they would
both have enough reading material for their 5 hour flight home.
thanks to a new book finn picked up at kennedy space center,
and a star wars book uncle randy gave him, finn was set.
scout packed a couple 300 page books and i reminded him before
and during his trip home to save one!  fortunately, he remembered,
so he was set too.

i literally sped home from work and as i walked in the door they
screamed "Mom" and almost knocked me to the ground with their
hugs.  scout literally jumped in my arms and stayed there for probably
5 minutes.  finn's threw his arms around me and his hugged me like we
hadn't seen each other in a year. they had a wonderful time but they were
glad to be home.

it felt great to have them home.

i'm not sure what i missed the most while they were away -
our bedtime chats about our days, lively discussions with finn,
seeing scout's little head poking up from behind a book or hearing
him playing the piano.  i don't think i could pick one thing.
i missed it all. 

they excitedly told me all about their trip - the sleepovers, new movies
and treats, special outings, etc. the highlight for them was kennedy space center
with the shappard boys {grandpa, uncles randy and todd and their cousin jayden}.
i can hardly wait to see the photos...gma says they are in the mail.

finn said they were spoiled rotten and that gma and gpa aren't
strict at all. *grin*.  i told him that's the beauty of being a grandparent.
the parents get the tough part.

scout confessed the last two nights he was really missing me and almost
cried but didn't.  my brave little scoutie.  it was painful to hear it, but i felt better
when he said he felt better when we talked on the phone.  he made me promise
the next trip to florida would only be for 8-9 days...no more than 10 days.
i promised.

while the boys got their fill of fun and family time,
c and i took full advantage of the extra time we had -
both to do our own things and to spend more time together.
{c surprised me with a short getaway to mexico's wine country}

we're back in the real world again - the world of noise, dirty shoes,
play dates, wet towels, swim shorts and legos strewn around the house

still

i am grateful for it all because behind all the noise and mess are two beautiful boys
that are home and calling me mom.  hearing that simple word is well, worth everything.

boys are off to florida: june 2014

the boys' long awaited vacation to florida finally arrived.
they hitched a ride with grandma after her visit here in san diego,
and will be there until july 1st - that's 2 whole weeks!

christopher was kind enough to snap this photo of the boys
and grandma at the airport last week when he dropped them off.

mom, finn {10} and scout {6}

they are having a blast - being completely and utterly spoiled
by grandma and their aunties. i told my sister-in-laws, they might
not want to come back at all. *wink*

i miss them already, but i know the benefits of them being there
are worth it.  they are having great experiences and bonding with
family.  all wonderful things.

i'm taking full advantage of all this free time by spending much needed
time with christopher, with friends, working on home projects, hosting a baby
shower {next week}, and i am working out more than i have in a long time.
{i just might be able to fit into a swimsuit this summer}

vacation - final days in florida

c and i flew back to florida relaxed and SO ready to see our little guys.
we hadn't called to talk or skype with them during our 5 day trip in the D.R. 
we discussed it briefly, and realized it would upset scoutie if we did,
so we chose not to.  we did check in via email with grandma and she
reported all was well with the boys, which allowed me to relax and enjoy myself. 

the boys welcomed us home with BIG hugs and LOTS of kisses,
but after about 5-10 minutes, they were off playing again.
there was no clingliness or acting out which reconfirmed
they got along 'just fine' while we were away.

we only had a day and a half left in florida when we got back, so i was
on the telephone coordinating times to meet up with those i hadn't seen.
my girlfriend robin and her son met us at a bowling alley in orlando and we
all bowled and had a great time. more than once, we said we wished we
lived closer to each other. *sniff*




scout (3), finn (6) and reagan (8)

 












first time bowler - he loved it

 



  




reagan (8) and robin

  

from here the boys we headed to my brother todd and s-i-l heather's home
to meet the newest shappard member - jayden collin. 
he was wide awake when i arrived and later feel asleep in my arms. 
i literally held him for a few hours - taking in all his sweetness and newness.

i enjoyed watching the new parents in action.  they were wonderful!
i've been waiting to see my brother in the role of 'dad' for a long time and
he was amazing. he changes diapers, feeds, burps, bathes, you name it.
i'm know heather must love having a 'hands on' hubby. 

these sleep deprived and exhausted parents actually invited all my siblings
over for dinner that night so that I could see them all before i left. 
not only was heather playing hostess (after just having a baby),
she cooked AND baked for us all.
i can't thank these new parents enough.
i'm kicking myself for not having a group photo taken.*sniff*

we were up at early the next morning to catch a 6:30am flight back to san diego.

it was a whirlwind vacation, but a very satisifying one.

after the passport scare at the beginning, everything just came together.

without mom and dad, c and i wouldn't have been able to getaway and

for this we are so very grateful. 

vacation - second stop: D.R. (part 2)

from the north coast of the D.R., c and i headed back to santo domingo via the inter-island bus.
i had a new book in hand which i picked up from one of those 'take a book/leave a book' bins
from our last hotel.  i love reading so this time on the bus was perfect for me. as c dozed, i read
i was done with the book by the time we got back to santo domingo.

when we arrived back in the capital city, we contemplated finding a new hotel. we didn't have hotel reservations anywhere after the first night, but in the end, we chose to stay at coco boutique hotel, again because it was so comfortable. we ate at caffe bellini, an italian restaurant a hotel guest recomended just around the corner. the food was amazing and a more pricey, but we were on vacation and felt we could
indulge a bit.

the next morning, we were back on the bus heading to the town of puerto plata, located on the coast,
about 2 hours east of santo domingo.
,

this town was a good jumping off point for our next adventure - hookah snorkeling.
this was another one of those 'must do in the DR' things and we were excited. 
we were lucky to find out the hotel a fellow traveler recommended had a room available.
there were lots of mega resorts all around, but we prefer the smaller boutique hotels because
we get more opportunities to interact with the owner(s), other guests and even locals who
are employees.

a bit about puerto plata:

- the town has a european feel (much different than mexico's coastal communities).
- it is FULL of italians who for whatever reason, have moved and opened businesses here.
- most employees of these businesses are hatians who speak french and cater to the large number of french/french canadian visitors. we found very few spanish speaking dominicans in this beach town which was not only odd, but made it tough to communicate. the spanish that we did hear, was so thick with a french accent, it was near impossible to understand.
- the italians and europeans here love to smoke. not the best environment for me as i can't be within 100' of cigaratte smoke or i get nauseous.
- friendly folks wherever we went
- there was no harrassment. when we said 'no thanks' to a peddler/vendor, they would walk away. 
it was refreshing.

we come to find out we are the only ones signed up for the hookah tour (most tourists went on the booze cruise tour around the samoa islands).  we had our own personal guide, marco. he was a well-spoken and educated 30-something, who moved to the DR from barcelona to learn to scuba dive. he became a master diver and stayed. he's been in the D.R. for 3 yeras and now works for seavis taking tourists on scuba and hookah tours.

our first dive was to a coral reef not too far off the beach. we were just 15'-20' below the surface but it was perfect as i'm slightly claustraphobic. the water wasn't crystal clear like we've heard it was in some of the carribean islands, but it was pretty enough and all new to me. i learned the international hand signals to communicate with our instructor and c and i stayed down with him for about 45 minutes.
from here, we were taken out to the open ocean and anchored next to a 50' ship that was sunk purposefully for recreational diving.  were were excited but the winds had picked up and it was choppy.  because our air comes from a compressor that sits on a float on top of the ocean, there was brief concern that the waves may knock over the compressor which  means - no air coming through our tubes.  10 minutes later, the winds died down and we were given the go.  we were down a good 40 feet this time.

this was REALLY amazing and c's highlight from the trip.  we saw eels, fish (which kind i couldn't tell you) but my sister stacey could name them all i'm sure. *grin*  i am convinced hookah diving is right for me - no carrying heavy equipment and nothing more than a 10 minute lessons. 
some photos from our hookah dives:

after hookah diving we went back to santo domingo (same hotel) for

our final night. we enjoyed a delicious dinner at a restaurant at the main plaza

in the zona colonial.

c and i sat together not wanting to leave, but ready to see our sweet boys.
we agreed the this trip was exactly what we needed -
time together, reconnecting, sharing, and having a little fun.

vacation - first stop: florida

days have been jam packed since returning from vacation.
i spent almost a week playing 'catch up' at home and at work.
a big deadline at work is off my plate so i feel like i can take a little breather.
so without further adieu, on to the vacation highlights. i'm starting with florida
and will do a separate post on the D.R. trip.

when we arrived in florida, we stayed with grandma and grandpa for the first few days.
it was wonderful just spending time with them in their home and their sweet dog (maggie).
the boys couldn't get enough of her and i wonder if she got 'more' than enough of them after a week.

the second day i was there, my childhood friend karen drove up to eustis with her boys in
tow so we could visit and so she could introduce us to her newest family member, levi (just 7 weeks). 
he was itty bitty and precious. karen didn't mind me lovin' on him a single bit.

mom was an true angel and watched the boys so karen and i could sneak away for a little girl time.
karen was celebrating her BIG 40 in a few days so we went out for a little pampering.  we got some
time to ourself to talk and we both agreed that 40 really is the new 30 because we certainly aren't old.
no siree!!

our pretty toes



while moms were away, the boys were at play
shad (2.5), scoutie (3), and finn

later, i got some time with my favorite aunties - donna and frankie.

and as always, i could have spent hours more with each of them.

there is NEVER enough time when i visit - with anyone.  i told c

that only time when i did get it was when i was there on maternity leave.

it was easy to fly with a newborn so i'd hang out for 2 weeks.
oh how i miss those relaxed trips home...

while c and i were away in the D.R., finn and scout were kept very busy.
grandma and auntie valerie treated them to a day at disney world and animal kingdom.
i haven't even been to animal kingdom yet. let me just say they are still talking about
the parks and scoutie has asked numerous times when we are going back to florida...

one night the boys had a sleepover at auntie sherry and uncle randy's home. there they behaved
liked wild animals (they are christopher's boys during these times), but i was told they enjoyed
every minute of their time with cousins kristen and marc.

they also spent another day with their cousin aidan (2.5) and auntie stacey and uncle aroon.
they were busy EVERY day and c and i half-joke the boys were so busy they never had
an opportunity to miss us.  we were away a total of 5 nights and it was wonderful for all.




dizzy boys in a monster tire swing

florida trip - gatorland, part 3

as i florida native, i'm not sure how i managed to live there for 22 years and never visit gatorland but i had.
sure it's a total 'b' theme park, such a contrast to disneyworld and it's parks, but that's what made it so cool.
it was loads of fun! it's florida experience and it doesn't try to be anything else. they keep it real (real southern)
and it was refreshing. we ended up here because we had been unsuccessful in our search to see an alligator in the wild.

finn had his heart set on it while we were in florida. grandma suggested we go to the lake eustis dock and after an hour or so of looking down into murky water and on the banks without a sighting, we decided to call it a day. i mentioned to c that i had NEVER been to gatorland and learned he hadn't either. we were both curious and we thought the boys would enjoy it so we decided to go. we got to the park just as it opened on the day we were flying back to san diego.

the park was more than any of us expected - in a good way. the shows were entertaining and with over 2,700 alligators (that's what the lady at the ticket counter told me), we would have to be blind not to see one. she was right. they were EVERYWHERE - little ones, middle sized ones and humungous ones! scout got to ride a little red train around the park and finn got a chance to sit on an alligator - something he will certainly share with his kindergarten classmates. before we headed to the airport, we grabbed lunch there and sampled gator. yes, it tasted like chicken...just a little more chewy. finn loved it.

if you haven't gone to gatorland yet, ya'll need to go and check it out the next time you are in orlando.
i just had to use my ol' southern speak for fun. {i don't think i've said ya'll in over 15 years].

the park's signage made me chuckle (below)

a much happier scout, moments after being bitten on the finger by a rooster

while trying to feed the deer. it happened so quick - the rooster came out of nowhere. he was ok, more frightened then hurt.

we did all the cheesy touristy things *smile*

finn's biggest adventure of the day (and my most terrifying)

florida trip - in and around lake county, part 2

leslie and i took our little guys to jungle zone in tavares one morning to wear 'em out.
this place came recommended by the front desk person at the hotel our family was staying at.  
the woman was a grandmother and suggested this place for young children.  it was perfect! 

all of us (moms included) spent 2 hours jumping and sliding.
though it just opened a few months ago, they have it down well .
they have a snack bar that sells individual capri suns for the kiddos and coffee for the adults.
they know what mommas need..

we will definitely visit again when we are in town!

 


another day c and i took the boys to wooten park in tavares.
it's a lovely little park with a giant wood playground and a splash park which was the boys' favorite.
it wasn't too crowded but i imagine on a hot summer day, this place could be nuts!
this is another place we will visit again on a future trip.

home from florida

we are back home from a wonderful and extremely full visit to florida.
despite a head cold that grew progressively worse and caused me to be more or less comatose for the first 4 days of the trip, i plugged along and started feeling better the morning of the wedding *big sigh of relief*.
i even felt good enough to strut myself on that dance floor alongside the bride and groom, my uncle, childhood friends and leslie who was 'tearing it up'.

i will share the photos i took through kodakgallery this weekend and post a few as well. family,
please be patient. i just haven't gotten that far yet as i am still playing catch up.
laundry and halloween costumes comes first and i don' t have a week to work on them.
(we have two kid's birthday/halloween parties this weekend)

the wedding of course was the highlight of our trip.
it was magical - truly the best wedding i've ever been too. i may be a little biased, but i have gone to my fair share of weddings, and this one was not only stunningly beautiful, but a complete blast!! my mouth actually hurt from smiling and laughing all night.

i overheard others saying the same thing. i wish i could give a better description, but i'm tired and it's been a long week. i can just say it was a joyous occasion. i can hardly wait to see the professional photos.
i am so grateful to todd and heather for allowing me to share in their beautiful ceremony and celebration!

they are off honeymooning in ireland. and since every post deserves a picture or two,
this is what i am envisioning they are seeing as they drive along the countryside,
staying in quiant bed and breakfasts.  so lovely.

rain rain come again...like now

let the rain kiss you. let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops. let the rain sing you a lullaby. - langston hughes i just love the rain - i really really do! my coworker thinks i'm crazy when i say this. i've told her how i miss rain and my wish for it to rain more here in san diego. you see, san diegans aren't use to rain because we hardly EVER get it. we get a little more rain than the deserts of arizona. it's easy to forget this because, as a coastal city, there's a little moisture in the area and it's alot more green. so cal's rainy season (if you can call it that) is over the winter months and oh, i just love this time - even though my hair doesn't. it gets even more frizzy and big, but it's good for my skin and it's good for my mental health. i know rain can make some people depressed, but because it's so rare here, it's a treat for me. i love the smell of it and even the sound of it hitting the rooftop and the pavement. year's back i met a guy who's wife was from florida and he told me his wife actually set their sprinklers to come on in the wee hours of the morning to partially spray on the side of their home so she could hear the sound of water on her bedroom window and be reminded of her home in the south. i thought that was crazy but funny. i haven't gone that far... yet! besides my family and dear childhood friends, the the biggest thing i miss about florida is the rain (and the warm ocean water). i don't miss the humidity and bugs that come with it, but i do miss those heavy downpours. i have so many memories surrounding rain - especially from my childhood. i met my best friend while playing in the rain when i was 7 or 8 years old. my family was driving home from somewhere and had all the kids packed into the stationwagon. we drove by 6 kids playing in the rain outside the home that had recently had a 'for rent' sign on it. i knew they must be the 'new family' and i had to get out there to meet them. when we got home, i jumped into my rainboots and jacket and within an hour or two, i had made a new friend - my lifetime friend robin. it's been unusually dry in southern ca over the last several years and it's rained even less. whether it's man made or global warming, i just am hoping for more rain this winter! until then, i may get lucky and get a rainstorm during my upcoming trip to florida in two weeks. i will just hope it won't come while i'm driving or more importantly, on my brother's wedding day!