A Trip to the Windy City

Even under the best of circumstances, it is hard to let go of your baby girl....even when she is no longer a baby. Next fall Samantha will be attending DePaul University in Chicago, IL and I think daddy is struggling with the idea of his first born growing up and moving away. 

While I lived in Chicago 20+ years ago, my dear husband has never quite embraced Chicago and its hustle and bustle. We decided to have a summer hiatus in the Windy City with the entire family. When I asked the girls what they wanted to do, this is what we came up with:  

#1 *** A visit to the art museum ****

Annelise wanted to go to the art museum. Unfortunately, me being me and not being an artsy fartsy mom, I picked the wrong one. We toured the Contemporary Art Museum. Apparently, my family is not a fan of contemporary art. I mean strings of Christmas lights become an art display? A series of beer bottles stuck on the wall? Paper dots tossed into the air?  I found great amusement with the bottom left picture. Old style photo development. With today's digital format, photographs have almost disappeared. Anyway...I digress. Annelise was not happy with my choice of art museums. Maybe next time she will research it herself and make sure we are going to the right one. 

MCA - not the place we thought

Here is our contemplation of contemporary art. Annelise is laughing at my choice of museums. Samantha is wondering what the heck we are looking at...and me? I'm trying to make the best of the situation and pretending like I am getting something out of the experience. Believe me...I got nothing from it except my wallet was made a little bit lighter.

Contemplation

#2 *** Visit Navy Pier ****

Cold & Foggy at Navy Pier

This wasn't really on their wish list, but after our exhilarating experience at the Contemporary Art Museum we were all hungry AND Jimmy Buffet was in town! We tried to get into Margaritaville, but the wait was well over an hour. Instead, we ate at Harry Caray's.

Margaritaville Bus

After lunch, we went over to the Navy Pier lawn where a band was playing Jimmy Buffet and beach tunes. Abby wanted a shark fin hat. Yes, I am proud to say my 11 year old is a Land Shark. (Mom of the Year award for me!) 

A Pitcher of Margaritas

 #3 *** Blue Man Group ****
We've been talking about taking the kids to see Blue Man group for almost a year, but with schedules crazy as usual, it's been tough to find a weekend when we could get to Chicago to see them.

Blue Man Group

This was the only picture I was able to take at the show. As soon as I snapped the picture, I got yelled at because there is no photography inside of the studio. What? Not even of my precious kids before the show? Apparently not! We all agreed the show was fantastic.

#4 *** Cheesecake Factory ****

It was a late night dinner at the Cheesecake Factory which kind of turned out to be a disaster. No one was really hungry. Everyone was just exhausted, but I needed to eat something so I wouldn't be starving half way through the night. The Cheesecake Factory is not my favorite place to eat. There are too many items on the menu which to me says they specialize in NOTHING! Yes, I am a food snob. 

#5 *** Run along Lake Shore Drive ****

OK I was the only person with this on my list. While the kids slept, Jeff & I got up and ran along Lake Shore Drive. On Saturday, the swells were 5-7 feet high. I was so happy I was not swimming in the water. It was slightly calmer for our run Sunday morning. We did come across what I suppose was the Chicago Triathlon Club swimming in Lake Michigan later in our run. My run was fantastic. There were so many people walking, running, and riding their bikes. It made me laugh to think when I lived in Chicago I rode up and down Lake Shore Drive with my then boyfriend and his mom. The ride was probably around 20 miles and it seemed so incredibly long! Now? 20 miles is nothing. 

#6 *** Shop on Michigan Avenue ****

No pictures required. Actually, we don't want any evidence to show how much we spent. Jeff was the designated bag boy. He carried our bags and not once did I hear him complain.

Miraculously, at the end of the trip, Jeff was astounded we didn't visit Chicago more often over the years. I think he feels a little bit better about his baby girl moving to the big terrifying city.

A New Perspective

During day 1 of traveling home, 14 hours of pure joy let me tell you, I decided to go through my “Notes” app on my phone and clean up old notes I’ve left for myself. It’s amazing what you can find when you look through a couple of years of memories.

I found old messages with data about treadmill runs, notes from podcasts, body measurements and most interesting of all was my “ARC” card from when I read Dr. Judith Beck’s “Beck Diet Solution”. Dr. Beck is a cognitive behavioral therapist who has a number of suggestions or steps to follow to change your cognitive responses to food and your food behaviors. I found her book interesting and decided to implement some of her suggestions.

One suggestion was to create a “Advantages Response Card” (ARC) in order to help you stay motivated  and stick to your diet. I created my first ARC after my mom passed away in 2004. I was determined not to follow in her footsteps and find my way to an early grave due to complications of diabetes, which I didn’t think I had to worry about until my 60s or so. Yes, let’s laugh now. In the fall of 2011, I was planning my 2012 race season. I knew in order to be at my best I needed to lose a few more pounds so I went back to Dr. Beck’s Diet Solution and updated my ARC.  While I had 14 reasons why I wanted to lose weight and get in shape, the one that struck me the most this weekend was #10:

I may not do it, but I would like to feel as if I could wear a bikini.

When I wrote that in October of 2011, I never thought it would become a reality. In January 2012, I registered for IMLOU and began the long months of training. In June 2012, we went to Vero Beach, FL with Jeff’s entire family.  My suitcase was packed with 2 new tankini bathing suits I had purchased from Athleta. When we got home from vacation, my darling husband said, “You know you really could have worn a bikini.” I thought how sweet of you, dear, but no. These abs are never going to see the light of day again.

By the time IMLOU rolled around, I was down to my college weight, the weight when I thought I was in the best shape of my life and I still could not imagine wearing a bikini.

When I was in high school, I owned a bikini - one. I wore it rarely, and only at a friend’s private pool. Seriously. At the age of 17? 18? What did I have to be self-conscious about? Absolutely nothing. I had a serious lack of understanding of my own body as well as self esteem issues which most teenage girls go through, only at the time I did not realize that every teenage girl felt the same way that I did. Even though I was young and in good shape, I still did not feel I could compare myself to the models we all see in magazines. You know…the 108 pound waif of a woman-child who could be blown away in the wind.

In comparison, I was about 130 pounds with shoulders like a linebacker and calves the size of Mt. Everest, at least in my mind. In my youth, my strength and athleticism was something I had to learn to control. My strong body was something I needed to hide.

Fast forward through the years of marriage and giving birth to three children via c-section and suddenly now I had a reason to say I’d never wear a bikini again. When I was pregnant with our 2^nd child, I had a dear friend come over and ask if her teenage daughter could feel my belly. I believe the quote was “The skin is tight. It’s like a balloon and if you touch it, it will pop.” Yes, giving birth to a 10 pound 9 ounce baby will definitely stretch the skin as it’s never been stretched before. Between the road map of stretch marks and c-section scars which create a fold in the abdominal skin, I was convinced you would never see me in a bikini again.

And then as vacation approached, I started to consider it. I mean why not? I am 44 years, in relatively good shape and I really do feel good in my skin. So, why not? Remember that road map of stretch marks? The skin which was stretched to the max and will never return to a flat state? Those were still two good reasons why I should not wear a bikini.

In good humor, I went bikini shopping. The first few I tried on were quite laughable, actually quite horrifying. Note to self, you are not 17 anymore.  The top needs to be the size of the Bermuda triangle to hide all that you’ve got going on up there, you know what I mean? I started to think it was not going to happen. Shopping for a bikini in the junior department does not work for a 44-year old mother of three; however, low and behold, I found a bikini which provided coverage for the major problem areas and still allowed me to feel like I was not trying to relive my teenage years.

Now to find the nerves of steel to wear it on the beach.

But again, why not? For the first time since 2007, we were going on a beach vacation completely by ourselves. No one else had to see my flaws with the exception of my family and you know what? They can just deal with it. I called a family meeting and announced to everyone that there would be no published photos of this momma in her bikini without permission first. I reserved the right to review and delete any and all pictures which may reveal parts of my body I was not quite comfortable with.

Day 1 on the beach, you know what? No one laughed. No one said, “Look at that old hag wearing a bikini. What was she thinking?” OK, so maybe they thought it, but by that time I didn’t really care. My linebacker shoulders? They are defined and sleek. A symbol of my strength and the result of years of tumbling. My Mt. Everest Calves? They are strong muscles which helped push me through 140.6 miles on a hot, humid day in Louisville. My stretch marks? Those are the ones I am most proud of. I have given birth to three wonderful and yet extremely different daughters. They are the road map to the story of my children and their start in life.

You don’t want to see my stretched out skin? Don’t look. I don’t care. Get over it. It’s taken 44 years to get to this point. To realize all of flaws I see in myself are just that. I am not perfect and neither is my body. Those “flaws”, they are just that. Flaws, but they also tell the story of my life, the things that make me ME.

So will you see me flouncing around the Tremont pool in my new bikini? Probably not. But will you see me stand a little taller? Will you see me embrace my “Flaws”? Yes. They are now the things that I am most proud of. All of these things add up to me and I like me. What’s not to like? 

Spring Break: Day 1

Every once in a while you get a blessing in life that you don't fully understand until you in the midst of it. We left Friday night to start our vacation and made it to Paducah, KY for our first  night's stay. We were smart. We reserved a room ahead of time and even though Country Inn and Suites' website told us we were getting a 2 bedroom with a pull out coach, we wound up sleeping 3 in a bedroom Friday night because we "that's all we have left". Ahh-huh. Yah. Thanks. 

Because we got the 5 hour jump on our drive, I decided to be nice and not force my family to get up at 5 am. Instead, I woke up at 6 and started showering so we could get moving at a decent time. However, have you ever traveled with 3 daughters, 2 of which are NOT morning people? With the hot breakfast starting at 7 am, getting gas and (ahem) me chasing down a Starbucks but having to be satisfied with Panera, we didn't get on the road until 8 am. OUCH. Oh well. No worries. We're still ahead of the game, right? 

Most of the drive went well. We made one pit stop and I really expected banjos to start playing. The sign for the restroom was scrawled in a Winnie-The-Pooh like handwriting and with the 3 deer head on the walls I knew immediately we were in TN. Having to explain to my 11 year old daughter why your butthole would be bigger if you had to go to prison for shoplifting? PRICELESS. Yes, Tennessee, you still have class. 

The only traffic glitch was an extremely LONG area around Chatanooga for some unknown reason. I think that was during my 2nd nap of the day. When I woke up, I tried to find ways to amuse myself. I rolled down the window to enjoy the balmy 50 degree air. I watched two teenagers walking along the highway make more progress than we were. I took pictures of the back of my knee to show my Facebook friends that my hives have not gone completely away. Annelise let us know she needed a restroom soon to which I responded "Run up that hill and go! We'll still be here when you get done." Apparently, she did not appreciate my sense of humor. 

We started looking for a room around 9 pm. At our first stop, we were told there were no rooms from Belleview all the way to Orlando, FL. Say what? How many hotels does Orland have and there are no rooms? We were convinced someone was lying to us. 

Stop. No vacancy.

Stop. No vacancy. 

I started visualizing us sleeping in the van at a rest stop. Hmmm. If we drove straight through, we'd arrive at Fort Lauderdale about 4 am. Not unreasonable, right? Well, maybe for me who got about 4 naps in during the day, but the idea did not thrill Jeff. 

First drinks of vacation: $17 Ouch

We called Wyndham Bonnet Creek in Orlando and explained that we were owners and looking for a room for the night. Hey, what do you know? They are all booked up! However, they did help us find a room at the Marriott World Center for $244 a night. Price is not an issue when you want a place to put your head for the night. We didn't even quabble when we had to sleep 3 in a bed again. Samantha and Annelise are so lucky they didn't have to participate in the "everyone lay on your left side....ok...roll over...1.2.3." routine for the 2nd night in a row. 

The good news? We only had 3 hours left to drive on Sunday...which means we all agreed to sleep in....if you can. I was awake at 7 am, showered and had my first Skinny Hazelnut Macchiato by 8 am. Of course, my girls didn't move quite as quick and because I was already happy with my caffeine high, I didn't gripe. We'll get to the beach today. That was all that mattered. 

Watermelon Mojito

We arrived at the Wyndham Palm-Aire about 2 pm Eastern. While Jeff checked us in, I decided to investigate the amenities that the Palm-Aire had to offer and look what I found?  The open air lounge right next to the pool! What better way to celebrate arriving in Fort Lauderdale than borrow $10 from your teenage daughter to purchase  a Watermelon Mojito!

After unloading the car, I gave the girls 10 minutes to change into their swim suits. No lolly-gagging! The sun was waiting. Unpacking suitcases can wait until the sun goes down. While at the pool, I check my Facebook to see everyone back home complaining about their "Illinois Spring Break" which was being blanketed by several inches of snow. Samantha, who keeps showing more frequently that she does come from my gene pool, posted this on Facebook: 

Everyone needs to stop complaining about the snow, I have some real issues right now! This palm tree's shade is interrupting my tanning!

I'm pretty sure my comment about everyone hating us resulted in this post on my wall from my friend, Nate, the local law enforcement officer who also happens to plow snow as a side job: 

You have had a lot of posts about the weather....I would hate for you not to get to see snow with the rest of us and I happen to know a guy with a plow that could put enough snow in your drive way that it would still be there for you to enjoy when you return. That is all...enjoy your trip!!

So far about 25 people have liked Nate's post. I'm sure the number will continue to rise....especially after I posted the picture of my new Billabong sandals on the dash of our van with a beautiful blue sky in the background. 

Abby & Annelise enjoying sand between their toes

Around 5, we decided to wrap up our poolside adventure and go check out the beach before dinner. Have I mentioned that it was a high of 93 here today? Wait, everyone back home does not want to hear that? Ohh...I didn't realize. I thought you would actually be happy for me. Mawhahahahaha.

Jeff facebooking about his evil wife

While at the beach, instead of fully engaging with the beautiful gift of glorious sun and sand around us, Jeff decided he needed to clarify his position on the snow on our driveway: 

To all my friends back in the snow reading Carla Ironman Lebers obnoxious Facebook posts and thinking of retaliating, please keep in mind that I have not been rubbing it in from the pool all day!

 

What? Just because he does the snow shoveling he thinks he can throw me to the wolves? I will remember this! 

After a day of eating licorice, peanuts and Swedish fish, we were ready for a decent dinner; however, our youngest children are fairly picky eaters. We decided to go casual and eat at the Aruba Beach Cafe on a recommendation from the front desk staff at the Palm-Aire. A 30 minute wait for a table for 5 didn't seem unreasonable especially considering the restaurant is right on the ocean. The hostess handed me a Blue balloon with OCEAN scrawled on it while she explained that this is how they find us so DO NOT LOSE THE BALLOON.

Who thought it would be a good idea to give kids a balloon on a windy oceanfront? Do you realize how many people hate my 11-year old right now? The 30 minute wait turned in almost 60 minutes. I was almost ready to tell Jeff we should just go order a pizza and eat in the room when they came to find us. 

Blackened Seafood Trio

Unfortunately, we did not get to sit outside and enjoy the fresh ocean breeze, but sat inside. OK....no problem. Annelise asked if she could order the $30 filet mignon even though Jeff suggested she wait until we ate a steak house instead of a seafood cafe/bar. I ordered the Blackened Seafood trio. Samantha ordered the seafood stir-fry, Jeff the Aruba burger and Abby the chicken strips. I think it's fairly sad to say that the best food of the night looked like it was Abby's chicken strips. I think you can find my review on Trip Advisor later for the Aruba Beach Cafe at 2 stars. 

Day 1 is complete. We are getting ready to go to the beach now. Let's just see if I have the nerve to wear my new bikini.

The Smell of Nostalgia

Because my family is even more impatient than I am about starting a vacation (if you can believe that), and no one liked my idea of hitting the road at 5 am, we decided to start our family vacation today.

Changing our plans required the coordination of a logistics manager of a Fortune 500 company. My day was completely full between teaching Pump and Flow, running to Wal-Mart to purchase Les Mis for the 20 hour car ride and attending the middle school talent show where my rock star sang her little heart out.

Note: The talent show was well worth my highly unproductive afternoon. So many talented and brave kids who got up on that stage to showcase their blessings in performance. While waiting for my baby girl to perform, the school superintendent came through. Now keep in mind the super & his family are our normal travel companions. Unfortunately, they cannot vacation at spring break this year because their freshman daughter is playing high school softball. Needless to say, The super did not want to talk to me, to hear me gloat about putting my toes in the sand. Sadness... But I'm sure we'll soon have another vacation planned which will include them.

This year Jeff and I decided to take a different approach to spending money for the kids on vacation. We gave them each $100 and told them they could spend it as they wished but it needed to cover any tanning, pedicures, books, magazines, music or souvenirs for vacation. If they chose not to spend the money, it was theirs to keep and spend as they wished post-vacation. So far it's been an interesting experiment. Samantha decided she didn't need a pedicure. Abby decided she only needed one book but definitely wanted a pedicure before leaving. Annelise went to Barnes and Noble and SURPRISE spent nearly $60 there. Guess who is going to be very picky about any souvenirs?

So after school while I took Abby to get her pedicure, Samantha and Annelise ran Mozzy down to the kennel. Once home, I was on a mission to make sure everyone was packed and suitcases ready for Jeff to load up while I was teaching my final class, Zumba.

Thanks to all of our organization we were actually ready to hit the road by 6:30. Probably more because I threatened to not leave tonight and get up at 4 am if they didn't get their butts in gear.

We hit the road but of course no one had dinner prior to leaving. As we discussed places we could stop in Springfield, I mentioned Jolly Tamale. Man, you could have heard a pin drop for about 5 seconds. The girls all swore I told them Jolly Tamale had closed long ago which to them explained why we hadn't gone there in a couple of years. I, personally, think they just misunderstood me. JT closes every year during the state fair and I'm pretty sure they thought I meant permanently. Oops

After stopping to pick up carry out from Jolly Tamale, we got back in the car and Annelise said, "Do you smell that? That's the smell of nostalgia." Nostalgia for her? It's ancient history for me. I had lunch at Jolly Tamale just about every weekday from 1986-1988 while I attended Lincoln Land Community College.

And, yes, I still get the same thing every time. Sancho, no lettuce, medium sauce. Occasionally when I have someone to share with I'll also get an order of nachos. Yes, that is nostalgia. The sweet taste of cheap Mexican food which filled the belly of a poor college student.

So lets hear it for the smell - and taste - of nostalgia.

Old Time Photos Session

We are back home from Branson and as much as I hate to admit it, we had a nice time. Branson may not be my dream destination, but it was nice to get away and spend time with the family and friends. Here are a few shots from our Old Time Photo Sessions. 

Don't we look grand? 

Me and my little hunk of cowboy

The photographer told us to look into each other's eyes and look serious. I couldn't do it. Sorry I am not some young maiden waiting to be swept off my feet. I'm a hardened old bitty.

Laughter is good for a marriage, right? 

The funniest part was watching Annelise who really didn't want to put on a dress. She asked if she could wear a cowboy outfit instead. We had so much fun harassing her. Look! She's even showing some leg!

Jeff and his little ladies

For some reason, all three of my girls wanted a gun. What has Jeff done to my children? My sweet innocent babies????

Yes, we are a fine bunch of women. The boys were greatly outnumbers on this little vacation.

All of us ladies

Hopefully, we won't be like the Hatfields and the McCoys, but here is all 9 of us all ready for a show down at the Circle K Corral.

The whole clan

The cutest of the two??? Yes, little Miss Abby and her dear friend, Trey.  After the pictures, Trey's sister said, "When they get married, I can't wait to show them all of these pictures." Oh man.  Poor kids. Their lives have been planned for them.

Trey and Abby

As much as we all acted like we didn't want to do it, it was a lot of fun to get dressed and goof around. Good memories. That's what vacations are all about.

Old time photos

We are in Branson for a few days of R&R. Unfortunately, there is no rest for a group fitness instructor as we have the month of launches coming up soon. So Zumba, Body Flow and Body Pump DVDs all came with me as well as my barbell set. Yes my dear husband was thrilled when I walked out with that at the last minute. But hey I need ton prepared for the onslaught of new people who will be attending my classes in January.

Day 1 in Branson was nice and relaxing. After my workout was completed we wet to the pool for a while. No, I didn't get in. Still haven't been in the water since August 26....uh-oh. Later we spent some time at the arcade playing laser tag and various other games followed by dinner at Montana Mike's Steakhouse. We went to the Clay Cooper show that night. My girls were not thrilled as they are not country fans but the show was more of a variety show than anything and very entertaining.
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On Sunday we visited two different wineries. At Mt. Pleasant winery, I found an apron I wanted to buy which said "Zero to Naked in 1.5 bottles". I would have bought it but..... It was an apron. What would I do with that??? Seriously

Maybe it pertains to me. Maybe not. 

For the afternoon we went to the Landing for shopping. We had many laughs at the Old Time Photo shop I'll post pictures later once I get the pictures uploaded. Instead you'll have to enjoy this lame picture I took of Abby and I before getting out of our old time clothes.

4th Street LIVE!

After our initial ride on the IMLOU course, I knew I wanted to get back to Louisville. The first ride was on an excruciatingly hot day with air temps at 103 and pavement at 111. I suffered greatly throughout the day, but I learned a lot about hydration and nutrition on the bike as well as learning the course and how to handle the non-stop rolling hills. I wanted to get back to Louisville and implement the things I learned on the first trip.

Earlier this week I thought there was no way I was getting back down there. My hives were really irritating me Monday and Tuesday and I was almost to the point of saying screw it. I'll just show up at IMLOU on race day and wing it on the bike. I was scheduled to see my doctor on Thursday to get a steroid shot which was supposed to help; however, miraculously, Wednesday and Thursday my hives seemed to get much better. Suddenly, I was optimistic. Awesome Cheryl was coming up to Peoria on Friday to get her bike seat adjusted and we decided we needed to go to L'ville. So after the bike fit, we hit the road and made our way down to Louisville for another ride on the bike course.

4th Street Live - The place to be in Louisville, KY

After checking in to our hotel, we decided to walk down to 4th Street Live and find the finish line and hopefully something yummy to eat for dinner. We found a gold mine! 4th Street Live is such an amazing place. So much fun and energy. Plus according to our research, 4th Street Live has a plaque for the official finish line of Ironman Kentucky, but all be damned we couldn't find it. So we gave up and decided to eat.

Kilcooly Sandwich at Ri Ra'

The restaurants and bars along the Ironman finish line have a wide variety of offerings. We had a hard time deciding, but we settled on Ri Ra', a typical Irish restaurant with dark interiors and good Irish music. Awesome Cheryl and I both had the Kilcooly sandwich: turkey, bacon, cheddar cheese & a slice of Granny Smith apple on sourdough bread. Cheryl decided to try the sweet potato tater tots while I had the hand cut fries with malt vinegar mayo with a Harp to wash it all down. The sandwich and fries were absolutely delicious. I could just imagine Jeff sitting in the bar waiting for me to cross the finish line.

As we walked out of Ri Ra', guess what we found?? The sign for Ironman Kentucky was right across the street. Don't ask me how me how we missed it, but  of course, we had to have our picture taken in front of it. So hard to believe Ironman is only 5 weeks away!

Don't we look like we just finished IMLOU? 

Of course as we were walking out of 4th Street Live, we found another sign. So which is the official finish? I guess we'll have to find out on August 26th. Walking back to our hotel, I found a new lawn ornament for our house. Do you think Jeff will let me bring it home?

Street Art on Market Street

Maybe my girls can make me a 3 foot replica? Something bright and cheery. Well, let's wait until August 27th to see if I really want to remember Louisville, KY.

Vacation Blues

We are back home from a fantastic vacation.  We spent a week on the Western Caribbean in ports in Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Cozumel, Mexico. We've had this vacation planned for 51 weeks...the moment we came home from last year's vacation. 

Jeff & I boarding the Carnival Magic

We spent the first 3 days on the ship getting lost. No really. LOST. Our cabin was on the port side on the aft of the ship. Our dining room was in the front of ship. Certain floors don't go all the way through. Up stairs, across, down and then you will get there! It only took 6 days to figure it all out.

Jeff running a lot of laps on the SportsDeck

I tried to get into the spinning classes on the ship, but by the time I found my way to the fitness center all of the spots were already taken. Instead we had to run on the 12th deck on the outside track. 7 laps = 1 mile. 7 laps of people walking across the entire track, kids playing on the track, putt putt golf balls skimming across the track. I ran on the track once. Jeff had much more patience and ran on it a few times. Me? I made my way to the fitness center at the front of the ship and watch the waves crash into the ship instead. Finding a treadmill at 9 am was very difficult. So I switched my plan to working out around 3:30 in the afternoon after I've had plenty of sun and before I had to shower for dinner. The other benefit? No froo-froo drinks until after my workout was complete. Saving calories, YES!

A View of the Falls

My family at the water fall

Our first port was Jamaica. Our group went to the Dunn River Falls where you make a 600 foot walk up the falls, hand in hand like a human chain. The falls were so incredibly crowded. Some of the climbs were quite challenging. At first, I thought I was not going to enjoy the climb, but it really was fun climbing up with the kids trying something totally different than what is available in Central Illinois. 

Look at that water!

Our second port was in Grand Cayman. We decided to just spend the day at 7 mile beach enjoying the white sand and beautiful blue water. Grand Cayman is incredible. The water is blue and transparent. You can easily see down 30-40 feet. The kids got to snorkel. I got to read a book. If I was smart, I would have brought my cap and goggles to practice some of my Total Immersion skills, but they were still aboard the Carnival Magic.  We spent the day on the beach and then went to Margaritaville by the pier where they had a water slide on the top floor and enjoyed some Jimmy Buffet.

Abby snorkeling in Cozumel

Our 3rd and final port of the week was in Cozumel, Mexico. In 2005, we took this same cruise and swam with the dolphins at Chankanaab Park. The park is absolutely beautiful and we decided we wanted to spend the day there. The snorkeling at Chankanaab was breath taking. I followed a beautiful fish with a broad orange and green stripe on the tail, purple scales on the backbone while the body was an iridescent blue green. I just followed the fish round and round. The bright colors under the water in the reef...words cannot express. I could have floated in that water for entire day and just enjoyed the peace and quiet of the water. 

Mango Margarita for me!

After a day of snorkeling, we made our way back to the pier to enjoy some shopping and a quick stop a Fat Tuesday where Jeff & I even did a shot of Sex on the Beach. We sang lots of songs together in our balloon hats. Definitely good times for the family!


Sadly, our vacation had to come to an end. Cruises are great since you don't have to do anything! No laundry. No cooking. The hardest decision of the day is which drink to have and when! The best part was that my two oldest girls enjoyed the cruise even more than I did. They each took part in the Camp Carnival activities for their age groups. We rarely saw them! They would wake up after I had already left for the deck to enjoy the sun and not come back until dinner. After dinner, they were off again. They developed so many friendships with people from across the entire planet. 


However, it's time to get back to work. Time to work out. Time to focus on nutrition. Time to put in the work so I can become an Ironman. 

Part of a Disney Dream

I just had to post this. I thought this part of the Disney Dream which is still being built looked pretty cool for the kids who will be with us on this cruise.

I am actually leaving today for the Food & Wine Festival and should be obsessing about that trip, but I am also looking forward to our cruise in March. I've never been on a Disney cruise and everyone says that as usual nobody does it better than Disney.

Just a glimpse of what we can look forward to.

Vacation Preparedness

I don't leave for 2 days, 23 hours, 58 minutes and 10 seconds, but I just have to say I am getting really excited. I've been planning my menu. Confirming airlines. Looking at forums to obsess gather as much information as possible. And of course, it gives me time to reflect on our last trip to the Food & Wine Festival in 2008 when our dear friends, Ben & Renee, joined us on the trip. Renee had never been to WDW so we tried to hit as much as possible throughout the weekend.

The Festival Center of the F&W Festival. A lot of fun shopping.
A lot of great events. 

Renee & Ben at the festival with their Mardi Gras beads and
recent beverage purchase.

To me, this sign said a lot. CELEBRATE THE JOY OF LIFE!

My dear husband - double fisting it!
And everyone thinks he's such a nice, sweet guy.

Green Army Men at Hollywood Studios.
Yep, they whistled at Renee & I. We still got it!

Jeff & Renee relaxing by the lagoon.

Dinner at Narcoosee's to watch the fireworks. Renee
took this great picture of us! Love it!

We tried many, many glasses of wine. This was in Germany.

Renee didn't like many glasses of wine.

But the best memory of all was watching BEN,
quiet, sweet Ben try to feed the ducks off
the bridge by Canada. 

Here's to making many, many more memories at the Food & Wine Festival.

Happiness in a Magical Card

Behold, my ticket to happiness!

What is it you may ask?

It is the gift card you can purchase at the Walt Disney World 2010 Food & Wine Festival at EPCOT. It works like any other gift card. You can load it up and whip it out each time you want to purchase something.

The 2010 menus are as follows:

• Argentina
  • Roasted Corn and Cheese Empanda
  • Grilled Beef Skewer with Chimichurri Sauce and Boniato Puree
  • Bodega Norton Reserva Malbec
  • Bodega Norton Cosecha Tardia
  • Kaiden Cabernet
  • Pasual Toso Torontes
• Australia
  • Seared Barramundi with Blistered Cherry Tomatoes Arugula, and Lemon Oil
  • Grilled Lamp Chop with Roasted Potato Salad and Red Wine Reduction
  • Lamington (sponge cake dipped in chocolate)
  • Rosemount Traminer Riesling
  • Marquis Phillips Shiraz
  • Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet
  • Nugan Estate Riverina Chardonnay
• NEW-Belgium
  • Steamed Mussels with Roasted Garlic Cream
  • Freshly Baked Waffles with Berry Compote and Whipped Cream
  • Stella Artois
  • Godiva Chocolate Ice Coffee
  • Leffe
  • Hoegaarden
• Brazil
  • Grilled Pork Skewer with Farofa
  • Shrimp Stew with Coconut and Lime
  • Leblon Frozen Caipirinha
• Brewer's Collection
  • Radeberger Pilsner
  • Schofferhofer Weizen
  • Hovels
  • Schlosser Alt
  • Altenmunster Octoberfest
  • Altenmunster Dunkel
  • Altenmunster Marzen
  • Clausthaler Classic
• Canada
  • Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup
  • Maple Glazed Salmon with Lentil Salad
  • Chicken Chipotle Sausage with Sweet Corn Polenta
  • Nanaimo Bar
  • Moosehead Beer
  • Vidal Icewine
  • Chateau De Charmes Riesling
  • St. David's Bench Vineyard Merlot
• NEW-Charcuterie and Cheese
  • Cheese Fondue with Croutons and Roasted Potatoes
  • Applewood Smoked Beef, Duck, and Ham
  • Martini Prosecco
  • Ace Joker Hard Cider
  • MacMurray Ranch Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
• Chile
  • Shrimp Ceviche
  • Pastel de Choclo (Beef and Corn Pie)
  • Concha y Toro Casillero del Diablo Sauvignon Blanc
  • Satna Ema Reserve Chardonnay
  • Casa Carmenere
  • Montes Classic Cabernet Sauvignon
• China
  • Black Pepper Shrimp with Sichuan Noodles
  • Pork Pot Stickers
  • Xinjiang Barbecue Chicken Stick
  • Tsingtao Beer
  • Dragon's Hollow Chardonnay
  • Green Tee Plum Wine Cooler
  • Happy Lychee
• Desserts and Champagne
  • Strawberry Angel Verrine
  • Pear Streusel Pudding Cake
  • Dark Chocolate Sensation
  • Moet and Chandon White Star Imperial
  • Rose Imperial
  • Nectar Imperial
  • Nectar Imperial Rose
• France
  • Escargots Persillade en Brioche
  • Braised Short Ribs in Cabernet with Mashed Potatoes
  • Creme Brulee au Chocolate au Lait
  • Merlot, Chateau Des Deux Rives, Bordeaux
  • Chardonnay, Private Selection Barton and Guestier
  • Sparkling Pomegranate Kir
  • Parisien Cosmo Slush
• Germany
  • Spatzle Gratin with Ham and Cheese
  • Nurnberger Sausage in a Pretzel Roll
  • Apfel Strudel featuring Werther's Original Karamell Sauce
  • S.A. Prum Essence Riesling
  • Hooked Riesling
  • Gunderlock Diva Spatlese Riesling
  • Rudi Wiest Rhine River Riesling, Radeberger Pilsner
  • Hovels
  • Altenmunster Octoberfest
• Greece
  • Greek Salad with Pita Bread
  • Spanakopita
  • Chicken Souvlaki with Tzatziki
  • Baklava
  • Boutari Moschofilero
  • Enoteca Emery Athiri Mountain Slopes
  • Boutari Naoussa
  • Atlantis White
• Hops and Barley
  • Boston style Crab Cake with Cabbage Slaw and Remoulade
  • New England Lobster Roll
  • Pecan Bread Pudding
  • Samuel Adams Beers: Boston Lager, Octoberfest, Cherry Wheat, 15th Anniversary Festival Beer Coastal Wheat Light, Cream Stout, Blackberry Witbier, Latitude 48 IPA
• Ireland
  • Lobster and Scallop Fisherman's Pie
  • Kerrygold Cheese Selection
  • Warm Chocolate Lava Cake with Baileys Irish Cream Ganache
• Italy
  • Polpettine Toscane with a Rosemary Breadstick
  • Baked Cheese Ravioli with Creamy Bolognese Sauce Melted Mozzarella
  • Cannolo Al Cioccolato
  • Primavera Fruit Smoothie
  • Fantinel Prosecco
  • Chianti Placido Banfi
  • Pinot Sartori
  • Moretti Beer
• Japan
  • Spicy Tuna Roll
  • California Sushi Roll
  • Tuna Sensation
  • Wabu Ribettes
  • Kirin Draft Beer
  • Hatsumago sake
  • Denemon Junmai sake
• Mexico
  • Tamal de Pollo
  • Taco de Chilorio
  • Esquites (Pan Fried Corn and Spices)
  • Churro
  • Dos Esqis Beer
  • Passion Fruit Frozen Margarita
  • Conga Fruit Punch
  • Wine L.A. Cetto Chardonnay
  • Wine L.A. Cetto Petite Sirah
• Morocco
  • Beef in a Pita Pocket
  • Falafel Pita Pocket
  • Baklava
  • Amazigh Red wine
  • Sangria
  • Tangerine Mimosa Royale
  • Iced Mint Tea
  • Casa Beer
• New Zealand
  • Seared Sea Scallop with Vegetable Slaw and Lemon Oil
  • Lamb Slider with Tomato Chutney
  • Villa Maria Private Bin Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
  • Villa Maria Private Bin Hawkes Bay Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Villa Maria Private Bin Unoaked Hawkes Bay Chardonnay
  • Villa Maria Private Bin Marlborough Pinot Noir
• Poland
  • Kielbasa and Potato Pierogies with Caramelized Onions and Sour Cream
  • Golabki (Pork stuffed cabbage)
  • Chopin Strawberry Balsamic Chiller
• Puerto Rico
  • Asopao de Pollo (Chicken Soup with Rice)
  • Medianoche Sandwich
  • Bacardi Frozen Torched Cherry Colada
  • Bacardi Frozen Lemon Mojito
• Singapore
  • Shrimp Cake with Singapore Noodle Salad
  • Coconut Braised Beef Rendang with Jasmine Rice
  • Singapore Sling
  • Tiger Beer
• Spain
• Serrano Ham, Chorizo, Manchego, Olives, and Tomato Bread
• Seared Albacore Tuna with Romesco Sauce
• Spanish Almond Cake
• Marques de Caceres Rioja Crianza Red
• Paul Cheneau "Lady" Blanc de Blancs Cava
• Marques de Caceres Rioja White
• South Africa
  • Flavors of Africa (Salad, Bread, and Spreads)
  • Seared Beef Tenderloin with Sweet Potato Puree and Mango Barbecue Sauce
  • Goats do Roam White
  • La Capra Pinotage
  • La Capra Shiraz
  • La Capra Chardonnay
• South Korea
  • Lettuce Wraps with Roast Pork and Kimchi Slaw
  • Barbecue Short Rib with Steamed Rice and Cucumber Kimchi
  • Honey Ginger Tea
  • Jinro Chamisul Soju
  • Bohae Bokbunjajoo (Black Raspberry Rice Wine)
• United States
  • Bison Chili with Wild Mushrooms, Cabernet, and Pepper Jack Cheese
  • Heirloom Tomatoes with Oregon Blue Cheese, Red Onions, and Basil
  • Sagelands Vineyard Merlot
  • Four Corners
  • Sagelands Vineyard Riesling
  • Columbia Valley
  • Red Stag by Jim Beam