Motocross in Bartow

Saturday night we went to watch a friend of ours, Brandon Hershey, race. I have never had the opportunity before to see him race and he's been racing for close to twenty years. It was awesome. We will definitely go watch him again next time he races so close to home. Just a few shots of him jumping the hills.

And here he is taking the checkered flag! WHOOO HOOO! Standing ovation, screaming, stomping of feet, clapping of hands.

BUBBA GUMPS ANNIVERSARY DINNER

May 25, 2009 Wade and Diana got married. May 23. 2010 they asked us all to celebrate their One Year Anniversary with them. Bubba Gumps is Diana's favorite restaurant and her and Wade ate there the evening after they got married. So what more appropriate place to have dinner. I'd never been there, but I will tell you that I will definitely go back.

Bubba Gumps is located at the Universal City Walk in Orlando. Warning...if you get there before 6pm parkings is $14. After 6pm it's only $3.

Some different ways to serve shrimp.

A table of party goers...Liz on the left, Scott, Bobby and Bobby's wife Kerin in the back with their daughter Shyenne.

More partyers(sp?)...Diana's brother Casey, her mom Rebecca, in the back on the left, Diana's dad Kevin with Layla on his lap, Ethan ( her BIL), baby Jo and Jessie, Diana's sister.

Our table...Hut, of course. Next is Casey, Rebecca and on the right Wade and Rossi.

Diana socializing at one of the other tables.

Aunt Liz and Rossi Jean.

Rossi all tuckered out from the excitement.

My ex-husband and his girlfriend Christy. They were a little later than everyone else but room was made for them.

Rossi with her Papa wearing Casey's hat.

Layla Sue Hanging Ten after dinner.

Rossi Jean Hanging Ten with Daddy.

Layla Hanging "20" with Grampa Jim.

The "old" newlyweds one year later. Very handsome couple.

Yep, you can tell they've been married awhile, lol.

Grampa Jim and Layla on the Carousel.Nana and Rossi.

It was a fun time had by all. Congratulations to Wade and Diana on their first year together and to many, many, many more.

Bark in the Park and Nature

Friday night, they had an event where people could bring their dogs to social, race and vendors were set up with pet goods. We went last year with Max and Molly. This year we just took Molly. She was a nervous wreck. Although we have 5 dogs, we don't really take them anywhere else where they can get aquainted with other dogs. So we didn't stay very long and honestly we didn't get many pictures. But there were literally hundreds of dogs there...all shapes and sizes. The event is called Bark in the Park. The highlight of the event are the Daschund Races.

Here are some of the Daschunds getting ready to race.

Poor Molly. It was so HOT! She wanted to stay on the fountain and walk through the jets, lol.

Saturday morning I worked for another employee. You all know how much I love driving around the location because there is always some kind of wildlife. Well this was my first....a hitchhiker...a grasshopper. He stayed on the passenger window a good while.
While driving around I saw the sun reflect off of something in the grass. It was this Painted Turtle. She was leaving the pond. I turned her around because I didn't want her to fall of the curb and end up upside down. I knew I needed to keep checking though, because I had a feeling she was on a mission.
And I was right. I found her a little while later in the parking lot. It was really hot and she was headed towards the orange groves. I figured she was heading there to lay some eggs. So I picked her up and carried her to the gate at the grove. There was just enough room under the gate for her to fit. Once I put her down and she realized I wasn't going to bother her anymore she hauled butt into the grove.
Then I saw this little guy. It's a baby Sandhill Crane. Not sure where his parents were. But he is a cutey.
Right as the shift was changing and I was getting ready to go home....this HUGE bird flew in front of the car and landed in a tree. It was a turkey. Here she is in the tree.
She decided to get out of the tree and find some snacks. I really am blessed to work at such a great place.

Nature Walk

You all know I have been trying to walk again. And the South Lake Howard Nature Walk is my favorite place. A week ago Sunday I was there and there was many different types of wildlife and don't you know...I didn't have my camera. Well I've been carrying my camera every since and only catching a few things here and there. I do have a camera on my phone, so once I figure out how to use it I won't have to carry my camera all the time.

As long as I've lived in Florida you would think I'd be used to gators...nope...they fascinate me to no end. This little guy was by himself in the small pond.

And the rabbits have been coming out more. I saw this guy as I was starting my walk.

And this guy on the other side of the trail as I was ending my walk. You can tell it was getting dark by then.

This photo was taken at my job location. You all know there is a ton of wildlife there too. This Sand Hill Crane was checking himself out in the window that is opposite my window. Oh how I love having a window view on the first floor.

Bill, my co worker, took this photo of a soft shelled gopher turtle crossing the road to the pond.Another shot. I love the mossy stuff he has on his back. The pictures do not show how big he really is.

I love nature and I'm so glad I get to see so much of it. But as time goes one and more shopping centers and housing developments get built that know one is going to use...the more nature has to find new places to live and undeveloped land is running out. I wish our government officials who approve developement would look at these photos and see what they are destroying.

Visit From My Fav Girls

My two favorite girls came to visit on Sunday....you guessed it...Layla Sue and Rossi Jean. Of course they brought their mom and dad with them.

Starting off the visit right. Grampy holding Rossi and Layla playing with her Barbies.
My beautiful daughter in law Diana (can't believe I cut her head off) and Rossi! I just love that chubby baby. She looks just like her daddy when he was a baby.
My other beautiful (soon to be) daughter in law, feeding Rossi. Actually it looks like Rossi is feeding herself.Layla doing her favorite "sleeping beauty" pose for the camera.Rossi just chillin"

It was a good visit. I made Cap'n Crunch Chicken & potato salad. Hut made deviled eggs. We ate, drank and were merry. Next visit is at Bubba Gumps at Universal City Walk on Sunday. Wade and Diana have invited family and friends to celebrate their 1st anniversary. I can't wait!

Disney Pecos Bill's Reunion 2010

Last Saturday I got to meet up with some friends I haven't seen in almost 30 years. We all worked at Disney in Frontierland at Pecos Bills' Cafe. This was in the late 70's, early 80's. What good times we had. Then life started happening. New jobs, getting married, having babies. So we all drifted our own ways. Now here we are 28 years later and thank GOD for FB. Some of us found each other. I cuss my computer most of the time, but this time I kissed it! (Not really, but I wanted to). So I want you to meet my "long lost" friends. Who will never be lost again, if I have anything to do with it.

This is me with Patti. She hasn't changed a bit in all these years. We had some times together back in the day and I'm pretty sure we are going to have some more, lol.This is me, Frank and Patti. Together again. Frank was always our "BIG TEDDY BEAR"."Frank's Angels".....we were trying to improvise a Charlie's Angels shot.Random shot of Frank, his wife Karen and Patti.Frank and his wife Karen. What a great couple. I'm so glad Karen could join us. Patti's husband Shawn was on call at work so he couldn't make it. Hut, of course, went. He was our unofficial photographer.

If you couldn't tell, we met up at Johnson's BBQ in Plant City. What a great place to eat. And they were nice enough to let us sit there for almost 4 hours. So next time you're in Plant City, drop in at Johnson's and give them some business. Not that they need it...that place was hopping all day.

Well I hope you enjoyed meeting my "old" friends. I can not wait to get together with them again. And we are NOT waiting 30 more years to do it.

A foot note: Our friend Mel was supposed to join us but a day at Discovery Cove with her co-workers was more to her liking. It's only been 7 years since I've seen her, and it's not quite 30 since Patti last saw her. Not sure about Franks. But honestly.....old friends or co workers you see at least twice a year (Mel is able to work from her home in Texas and only has to go into the office twice a year).

An engaging situation

This........plus.........this
EQUALS............THIS

Yep, my youngest son is getting married. At least he gave us some notice. Wedding date is March 26, 2011.

Here's how it all came about......Liz posted a date on her FB and wanted everyone to guess what it was. Well I KNEW. So I called Scott and asked him. He told me to talk to Liz. I asked him again and told him it was a yes or no question......I just wanted to know. Finally he came clean. I guess he thought Hut and I were going to be upset. Liz is an AWESOME girl....how could we be upset? Besides....they are waiting almost a year. But we are having a blast with wedding plans. So another happy chapter in my book of life.

Coming Soon.....

As soon as my computer quits being a putz I will have some new posts. Just a sneak preview...Liz and Scott's engagement, Reunion with Friends after 30 years, NEW photos of Rossi and Layla and as usual Florida Wildlife photos. Stay tuned.

GOALS

I haven't posted in awhile...I have some things I want to post about...but I keep forgetting to upload photos. So they are on the back burner for now. Today I was thinking about some goals I'd like to set for myself. And hopefully stick it out to complete them, lol.

First and foremost on my list is getting my health back on track. This includes finding a new doctor (because I don't feel like I'm getting the care I need from the one I have), keeping better track of my diabetes, losing this excess weight (which is really not easy), and trying not to stress so much, especially about things I have no control over.

My second goal is to get a work out regime going and sticking to it. I LOVE walking. We have so many beautiful walking paths in and around Winter Haven, that you could walk a different one everyday for 2 weeks and not walk the same one twice! I do have a favorite one, though. I've been doing really good for almost 2 weeks now. I took the last two days off because my ankles hurt, but tonight I'm going to be back on track. I PROMISE! And I want to get back into boxing. I love boxing. I have alot of friends who go to boxing. But for some reason I just don't have the motivation to get up and go once I'm home. It's a really good workout...I wish I had room at home for a punching bag...I'd get one and work out at home. I have so much invested in boxing it's crazy.

My third goal is really a short term goal. I am knitting afghans for my two granddaughters. I am going on vacation at the end of the month. Not going anywhere...just staying home. My goal is to try to finish those afghans or get as close as possible before my vacation is over. I haven't really worked on them since I started walking again. Bad Nana, lol.

My final goal (for now) is to be a better person to my friends and family. I unfortunately suffer from depression as a side effect of my diabetes. Some days I just go off on tangents. Those of you who read my FB comments usually know what days those are. I really want to get that under control. I have been working on this and hopefully will continue to get better at controlling it. Medication, unfortunately for me, doesn't help. But I'm open for suggestions.

So what goals do you have set for yourselves?

Two Wonderful Days...Rolled Into One

On Sunday, May 9, 2010 I will be celebrating two wonderful events, rolled into one. First of all, I will be celebrating Motherhood (and Nanahood) with Mother's Day. I am very fortunate that I have two very loving sons who happen to find to very AWESOME woman to share their lives with. And Diana (Wade's wife) is one of the most wonderful Mother's a Nana could ask for to raise her grandbabies. And Liz (Scott's soon to be wife) is great with kids. So I know that she, too, will be a wonderful Mom to grandbabies when they decided to start a family. So HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to Diana and also to Liz (getting an early start with her,lol). Wade, Diana and Layla Sue at Sea World, riding the Spinning Ride.3 generations of LOVE! Nana, Wade and Rossi Jean. The recently engaged Scott and Liz (yes I need to do a post on that).

The next celebration would be for 18 Wonderful Years with the Love Of My Life. I don't know how I got so lucky. Some days I wish I could clone him and then I think....NOPE, not sharing! And my boys got lucky, too. Hut has been an awesome father to both of my children and he is definitely the Grampy to spoil the grandbabies.

Grampy "trying on" a shirt for Layla and a boa! How many Grampys do you know who would do that, lol. He is such a great man.

We renewed our vows on the Valentine's Day before our 16th Anniversary. We had been going through some personal issues and wanted to let everyone know that we would survive through thick and thin. So this was our way of doing it.

I really do love this man with all my heart. I hope I have at least 18 more years with this man.

Dance Like No One Is Watching! I may step on his toes and try to lead, but he dances with me whenever the spirit moves us!

Me and my "chubby hubby". Yes, Ben & Jerry's he was my chubby hubby first. Here's to many, many more years of wedded bliss to the most wonderful man in the Universe. I LOVE YOU!