Monday April 10, 2023
This date is Cali and Alan's 3rd Anniversary - Happy Day for sure!
I had a quiet day today. I cleaned the house, washed the bedding, went grocery shopping for a few groceries and basically got ready for the arrival of Cami, Jacob and their 5 beautiful children!
They arrived late at night, or in the wee hours of the morning (If I had my journal with me I could tell you for sure). Tuesday morning I took Ransom, Gage and Isabelle with me and we cleaned out my mini-van.
Yes, they all had cleaning to do.
We had to get it finished so we could go to Legoland. I'll tell you one thing, that Legoland season Pass was one of the best things I ever invested in!
The kids immediately went to get their drivers licenses at the Ford Track.
Hello Izzy!
Gage is almost too big, but he sure had fun!
Getting ready for the pirates water show at the "Home of Captain Brickbeard". Yes, Lily and Ransom insisted on sitting right in the splash zone!
Which is where Gage, Marshall and Izzy wanted to sit too.
Hi Jacob.... Chicken!!
Do you see the wimpy parents sitting where they won't get wet?
Getting ready for Captain Brickbeard's Water skiing show.
Thursday April 13, 2023
I had a very full week. Not only did Cami and Jacob come and visit and we went to Legoland and the beach and shopping, on Thursday evening I left for Orlando to spend the weekend with my sisters and brother and his wife to celebrate John's 70th Birthday.
We toured a Disney Military resort for active duty and retired members of the Military. My brother served in the Navy. We stayed at another hotel in Kissimmee.
Friday April 11. 2023
In the morning after walking around the lovely resort, we went to Disney springs to do some shopping and get a bite to eat.
The Eppert Girls.
L.-R. Sandy, Patty, Cindy and Michelle.
And the Eppert kids with Mickey!
And all the girls. "Hello Nancy!" We love our dear sister-in-law!
Oh... the M&M store!
We all found pillows we could relate to! Haha!
Michelle and her buddies taking a selfie!
We wandered into Chapel Hats!
It was a successful visit!
And we visited the sign shop...
That night I took to and authentic Chinese Hot Pot restaurant. It was a first for them, and looking at all the dishes we left behind, it was a success!
April 15, 2023
HAPPY 70TH BIRTHDAY JOHN!!
In the morning Darryl drove over from Riverview and we visited Old Town Kissimmee where John and Sandy took a ride on the Slingshot!
Unfortunately, I can't copy the video to post here, but you can find it on their facebook pages for April.
Saturday afternoon we toured the Kissimmee Chocolate Kingdom. A lovely facility where they give you a history of chocolate in a very entertaining way.
It was quite a fun and delicious tour.
Chocolate used to be a little grainy, but the velvety smooth chocolate we eat today came about unintentionally. They say that many, many years ago, rollers like these were accidentally left on overnight and when the chocolatier arrived in the morning, instead of finding a ruined product, he found a better one.
So many chocolate sculptures, large and small, to see!
After the tour they gave you a slip of paper with ingredients on it. You checked the ones you liked and they made you a chocolate bar of your creation. Dark, milk or white chocolate with a myriad of added ingredients. Of course mine had nuts!
Sir John the Brave and daring slayer of Chocolate.
That evening we had reservations a Medieval Times Dinner Show. John was Knighted for his valor, and bravery (and his birthday).
The show was a lot of fun and the dinner was pretty good too!
Michelle made John his favorite birthday cake/dessert.
A Boston Cream Pie!
Happiest of Birthday's Big Brother!
Sunday dawned cloudy and cool. Darryl left early due to church responsibilities. In the early afternoon we drove over to Mead Botanical Gardens in Orlando. They were having a "Recycle for Art" Exhibit that was quite inspiring.
Reusing painters drop cloths...
Old frames made into fun mirrors.
A water bottle Flamingo
A turtle of old construction foam, stones and plastic spoons.
It was a beautiful Garden!
A butterfly made of plastic bottle caps...
And it poured down rain on us as we took shelter under trees!
Monday April 17th.
Now that our company is gone the time has come to pack up the house and move to the next job.
Oh... Look what we found! I didn't eat it, even though it's only been a week and a day.
And we found a very fitting sign for our kids to use many, many years in the future!
And there is still more fun to come!
