Catching up

The trip to Disney was fun with Nate and Rachel, Hannah and Ben, and Brian. Grandpa McC and Joan, Tim, and Emma spent a little bit of time with us too.

However, it was cold. Very, very cold. So cold I spent more money on blankets, hats, mittens, scarves, etc than I did on anything else. Poor Nate and Rachel had left sunny Phoenix to freeze in Orlando. The temperature the mornings we were at Epcot and Animal Kingdom was in the low 40s with a 15 mile per hour wind, so we were definitely cold.

It didn't warm up again until after everyone had left to go home except Hannah and I, and then we got back up into the low 80s again.

And here it is about 2 months later, and I have just returned from a visit with Ethan and Edward (and their parents of course) in Pflugerville, TX. Mia and John have rented a nice little house with a big backyard which is way bigger than their Waltham apartment, but somehow they have managed to almost outgrow it already. Where does one put all that food storage when you don't have a basement or attic? (And don't say in the garage because 1) it's too hot in TX for that, and 2) that's where the tarantula lives.) Mia is working at a lab for an area clinic group, and John is still searching while picking up contract work here and there. Hopefully they will be able to start looking for a home to buy in the near future, to take advantage of the tax credit.

Anyway, the boys are growing and had a great time cuddling with thier grandma. Edward has a lot of words if you listen closely and go with the rhythm of his vocalizations. And Ethan is quite the Jedi at Lego Starwars on the Wii.

And they're off!

I just finished packing for the next trip to DisneyWorld. You would think that we don't go anywhere else because this will be the third trip since October. However, it just worked out that way. Between the two of us we have 11 children. And 16 grandchildren. We would like to see all of them get there while they are still young enough to have some pixiedust left. So every year we plan to take a couple of families worth. It just worked out that last years group went late in the year, and this year's group went early.

In October we were a gang of 14, with Tim and I, my oldest daughter Mia and her husband John, and grandboys Ethan and Edward; and Tim's oldest daughter Sarah, with her husband Kurt, and grandkids David, Ann, Emily, Mary, and Peter; and last but not least, my friend Carol Ann from New Zealand. We had a grand old time despite the nagging thunder storms, and spent a wonderful Halloween party dressed up as 101 Dalmations.

Then in December we took my Dad and his wife Joan to the Christmas Party, to see the parade and fireworks. Although my Dad's vision is minimal at best, there was still enough that he could enjoy.

Now we are off again, this time with my son Nathan and his wife Rachel, Rachel's brother Brian, and Hannah and Ben. My kids haven't been in a couple of years, and Rachel and Brian haven't been since they were little. My Dad and Joan will be down too, and Dad wants to go to the fireworks at Epcot this time.

And another trip is in the works for the Disney Divas in September. Disney is load of fun with the family, but there is NOTHING like a trip with the friends! Hopefully we won't get rained out of the Halloween party like we did two years ago.

millrace

mill·race

(mĭl'rās') Pronunciation Key n. The fast-moving stream of water that drives a mill wheel. The channel for the water that drives a mill wheel. Also called millrun.