Pursuing Your Passions at Sea

I was looking around on MSN and got this little article about cruising. Here are the two that I want to go on first.

This one is just for the adults. No kids allowed. This will be my long awaited vacation:

Spa Haven: Set sail in the Mediterranean aboard Costa Cruises’ Concordia or Costa Serena to relax and rejuvenate in a 20,500-square-foot Samsara spa, the largest spas at sea. Book one of the spa suites to enjoy spalike décor in your cabin and get easy access to “the ultimate wellness experience.” For more information, visit http://www.costacruise.com/.

And for next year's Christmas trip with the kids:

Christmas Cruise: Here’s how to cruise over winter break without giving up the festive atmosphere of the holidays. Take a river cruise along the Danube from Prague to Vienna, and see towns en route that are transformed into glittering Christmas bazaars. On board, you can enjoy traditional European specialties such as Glühwein and Lebkuchen. For more information, visit http://www.avalonwaterways.com/Cruise-Vacations/Christmastime-Cruises.

Acceptance

As some, if not all of you know, I should be in Vegas right now. But alas, I am not. Unfortunately, I am here in Draper, at my house, doing laundry. I just looked it up and in Vegas today it will be a sunny 78 degrees. Here in Draper it is going to be a cloudy 52 degrees, with snow likely tomorrow. I am not bitter. I am not mad. I am not a pitiful, sad, depressed homebody in this situation because...

Susan and I will be leaving for Park City to stay in a condo in about 2 hours. Yes that's right people. I am making lemonade out of my lemons. Susan still wanted to do something and so did I, so we are. We are going up a little after noon, spending the afternoon doing, oh, whatever we want. Then we will have dinner, oh, wherever we want. We will not have to cut meat for anyone. We will not have to take anyone to the bathroom (except for ourselves), and we will dine in utter contentment. We will then proceed to do, oh, whatever we want.

This is all that I wanted. I have tried and tried again to go to Vegas with my girlfriends. Different groups too. It has been planned and canceled about 3 times now. Depressing, right? Well no more! I have these lofty expectations for what a vacation is. But now I will take what I can get. If it is an hour to have a pedicure, that will be my vacation. If it is going shopping alone with Lewis, that will be my vacation. Yes, I need a week in Hawaii. But for now I know I am not going to get that anytime soon, so I will take what I can get and enjoy it!

Will my trip be short? Yes. Will it be close by? Yes. Its it much deserved? Absolutely.

And tomorrow evening when I get home I will be happy to see my children. I will be happy to see my husband. I will be ready to go back to work.

Whens my vacation? Today. Today is my vacation.

Isn't time funny? I have been looking through some boxes of old pictures all evening. I look at a picture and can completely remember the day. Everything I did, everyone I saw. Everything. Everyday seems like just yesterday. I remember conversations, meals at restaurants, walk and drives that I went on. Shopping trips, concerts, and activities that we did. Young women's activities, camp, young adult volleyball, and all night movie parties. I remember so much.

As I look at these pictures, I wonder how 15 years have come and gone since some of them were taken. I wonder why some people turned out how they did, while others turned out differently. Tonight I was reading an old friend's Facebook page and wondered, "Who are you?" I don't recognize them as a person at all. They look the same, but everything else is different. Attitude, demeanor, thoughts, beliefs, everything. I wonder if that is how people see me now too? Or am I the same person I always have been?

I feel like I am pretty much the same person, but am I?

I Did It!!

Be proud. It doesn't matter if the person I voted for won or lost*, I did my duty. It was fun. I hope all of you went out and voted. Win or lose we did what was needed of us.

I had to go to 3 different places for them to find me in the system. (I only needed to vote for my local elections. I also moved since the last election so I needed to do a provisional ballot. It was a mess and then the lady on the phone in Salt Lake, at election headquarters, found me and I got where I needed to go. I went to three places and talked to a ton of nice people.) I met the nicest woman at VF Outlets. She was maybe 40. She went on and on as to how I was such a pretty girl and how I will make a beautiful bride when I am old enough.... I think she may have needed glasses. In her defence I do not wear a wedding ring so she must have just assumed. Just don't tell my kids that I am not married. They might have questions.

I ended up voting at the church just up from my house. And look who helped me...

Haley saw this picture and said, "Hey, that's the lady from the school library. Why did she get to vote cha (you)?" Thanks for the help ladies! And I hope this picture makes it to your blog too!!

*I never lose...

Hair, If You Care....

Haley got her hair cut and it looks so adorable. It looks fresh and clean. She looks older too. She wanted it boy short and I told the lady to talk her out of it. When she gets older fine, but not when she is 6.

Abigail wanted in on this too so I took a picture of her hair. She would not go get a haircut. I need to bribe her to do it. She has never had a hair cut before and needs one BAD!!!

Puff the Magic Dragon

My mom and dad gave Abigail Puff the Magic Dragon book and stuffed animal. She loved it! It came with a CD of Peter, Paul and Mary singing 3 songs, one being Puff the Magic Dragon. This totally takes me back. As a child I loved this story and song. I do not think that I have ever shared that with my kids. My voice still cracks up at the end when Puff goes into his cave. *Sigh* So as soon as we got into the car I stuck the CD in and we listen to the song over and over all the way home. Now the boys, were less then thrilled. The girls on the other hand are in love. We have been singing it for 2 days now. I am looking for the little cartoon, but I can't find it anywhere. So, if you have it or know where I can get one (not online either, I have had too many disappointments when ordering movies online, right Murl?) fast so we can watch it before the girls decide that they are "over" it, let me know. Thanks!

Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called honah lee,
Little Jackie paper loved that rascal puff,
And brought him strings and sealing wax and other fancy stuff. oh

Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called honah lee,
Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called honah lee.

Together they would travel on a boat with billowed sail
Jackie kept a lookout perched on puffs gigantic tail,
Noble kings and princes would bow wheneer they came,
Pirate ships would lower their flag when puff roared out his name. oh!

Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called honah lee,
Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called honah lee.

A dragon lives forever but not so little boys
Painted wings and giant rings make way for other toys.
One grey night it happened, Jackie paper came no more
And puff that mighty dragon, he ceased his fearless roar.

His head was bent in sorrow, green scales fell like rain,
Puff no longer went to play along the cherry lane.
Without his life-long friend, puff could not be brave,
So puff that mighty dragon sadly slipped into his cave. oh!

Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called honah lee,
Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called honah lee.

Phelps

Halloween

Halloween pictures with some of the cousins

Halloween Activities

Thursday: Trunk or Treat at the church with the neighbors. Here they are are in the car when we were all done and about to drive home.

Friday: Trick or Treating in the neighborhood. Here is Jason in his Skateboarder costume. He choose his costume about 2 minutes before the trunk or treat. He just did not care one way or the other. He ended up happy though.


Adam was a Business Traveler. He actually had a name and everything. Everyone though he was the guy from 24. You may notice that he has had a hair color change. He was going to be Adam Savage from Mythbusters so we dyed his hair, and he then changed his mind. Oh well. He looks good with the new hair color.

Abigail was Dorothy Gail from Kansas. She went through about 10 ideas and then FINALLY stayed with this one for 10 minutes and so I got her dressed.

Haley was a "Pink Pirate" thanks to help from Sheila. I was not going to buy the $30 costume that looked like it would fall apart in about 20 minutes, so she came up with a better idea that was great!