The Celtic Festival
Sooooooo... while we're inbetween photo projects now... LOL! I thought I might take you along on our visit to the Celtic Festival this past weekend! It was just Mom & me as everyone else was either working or in Baltimore seeing Backyardigans!!! I suspect little Luz will tell me all about THAT this afternoon when I babysit her! But I was at the Celtic Festival... and I gotta tell ya... our county puts this thing on EVERY year for as long as I've lived here... 21 years... and this was the FIRST time I've attended! I learned a LOT! The most important thing I learned was that this type of festival really needs to go on for more than ONE day -- my visit was defined mORe by what I did NOT get to see than by what I did!!! Of course... had I not had "Oh Mighty Slow One" with me, I
might have seen more! *grin* I think though, that I saw enough to satisfy YOU!
The festival started at 11:00 and ran until 6:00. We did not arrive until noon -- so had I known, I might have gotten there sooner also! As we arrived, the bagpipes were playin' and the food was cookin' and the crowds were everywhere! The parade was just beginning! Along came
the blues...
... the reds...
... and the browns... 
And then came the Royals!
When I saw these guys all I could think was there is NO WAY I would give
MY two boys swords and SPEARS ... not even at 18 & 21!!!
(look at the POINTS on those things!!!)
They seemed to behave though...
at least in the presence of the King and Queen!
I guess I never realized that there were "opening ceremonies" at a Celtic Festival...
but I guess having never been, I didn't realize a lot of things!
During the National Anthem
there were KILTS as far as the eye could see!
And then... Let the GAMES begin!
Now, I DID know about the games! As a matter of fact, it was my deep desire to see the Caber Toss live, up close, and in person that had gotten me TO this festival to begin with! I've seen them on television and in movies in the past, but never up close. And if the truth be told, it was the fact that I was GOING to see the Caber Toss - even if I didn't see another bloomin' THING - that really kept me from seeing a LOT of other things! But that was because I had to keep runnin' back down to the game field to see if it was
starting yet!!! There wasn't a designated time for each event. BUT... because of that, I also DID see some things I might not have!
For instance... the FIRST time I went down to see if the cabers were being tossed, I found that Sheafs were being tossed instead! I had never actually heard of this event -- but it was pretty impressive! Using a pitchfork, the women have to throw a 12 lb. sheaf (sack filled with straw and stuff) over a bar, and the men have to "toss" a 20 lb. bag! Of course, the bar keeps going higher and higher until we have a determined winner! When I got there the bar was at 20 feet high.
I was impressed!
Sooooo... while I
was watching Sheaf Tossing, I was
missing the MEN's Highland Fling, or the Fiddle contest... (my choice). I would have been at the Men's Fling! But the next time I came down to check and see if the cabers were being tossed yet, I found that Scottish Hammers were being thrown!
When I first came upon this event, I thought they were
swinging this "ball" around and would then release it
-- sort of like a rock from a sling.
I don't knOw what gave me that idea!
Silly me!
I was wrong.
That whole durn thing goes flyin'!
As I understand it, the men throw 16 or 22 pound "hammers"
The women throw 12 or 16 pound.
You do NOT want to be in the way of them!
While I was watching the Hammer Toss, I was missing the Sheep Hearding or the Harp Lessons. My choice. I would have been at the Harp lessons! But the gOOd thing was, one of the athletes was finally able to tell me that the Caber Toss would probably start in about an hour! They were going to take a "wee break" between events - I'm supposing to rest their weary muscles!!! So Mom and I went and looked around in some of the "shops" and I bought a new Celtic CD, and then we got a bite to eat... I should have taken pictures... I forgot. Ugh... I just HAD to "try" some Celtic food -- right? Oy!
Yea... I
tried a "bridie" -- it's a light and flaky "yummy looking"
greasy pastry filled with YUK! (YUK is defined as some sort of meat - lamb? beef? something... with a gravy of sorts and other unrecognizable "stuff" ... mostly more grease!) Mom tried a meat pie, and said hers was equally nasty - but Mom will eat anything you put in front of her -- it's that "living through the depression" syndrome. I TOLD her she didn't have to -- but she did! We chased it all down and/or rinsed out our mouths with some truly yummy Lemonade! (pictured for the benefit of a good friend of mine!)
FINALLY we got to go back and the Caber Toss was in progress! I was so excited I didn't even mind that I had missed the first toss! I was a little bit disappointed by the size of the cabers. Now, y'all have probably been to a b'zillion of these festivals - so you tell me -- aren't the logs usually quite a bit bigger than these? Are or they grossly exaggerated in the movies? Well... no matter... I found the whole event to be pretty cool! And I never knew there was ANYTHING more involved to it than simply trying to lift the darn tree and throw it! So, I was really amazed to find that this sport has a TON of rules and points of being judged upon!
First, you don't just pick it up and toss it. You have to actually "have control" of it. You must hold it at 90 degrees and then run either a certain many steps or a certain distance with it before you actually tip it and "toss" it.
Then, you're not just seeing like who can throw this thing the farthest or something "simple" like that! Noooooooo. You are trying for what is known as a "twelve o'clock flip" -- which is when you release the caber, you want it to go off straight as an arrow ahead of you, land on it's opposite end and flip and land in the 12 o'clock position right smack in front of you! THIS is what you are judged on! Perfection is the 12 o'clock flip. Points are deducted for a 1 o'clock flip ... and if you have a 3 o'clock flip, or a 9 o'clock flip, forget it! LOL! And just in case NOBODY actually gets a flip, you are also judged on the angle (and I didn't quite get this for sure) of either the log when you release it -- or when it lands the first time.... I'm not sure! But it's all very complex!
And for the record... I did see several "flips" --
but I did NOT see a perfect flip!
By this time, it was approaching 4:oo pm and Mom was wilting fast. I will admit, that this was the hottest day we have had thus far -- around 82 degrees I believe -- and there honestly was not a LOT of shade available! We had stopped in a tent here and there to listen to a song or two... but for the most part we were walking around out in the sun! Mom was being a real trooper - but 4 hours of this was pushing it! We started heading back toward the car, but I heard that Highland Fling music playing...
... so we went and sat on the bleachers and watched for a little bit. The girls were cute and some of them did a really great job! Again - I did NOT realize there was so much competition involved! These dancers are judged like it's the OLYMPICS! And I know these up above LOST points for NOT smiling! You could tell it was important because some of them had that smile just plastered on their face! LOL!
This will look fun, darn it!!! Hahaha! Others just said ... tough! But you could tell who the winners would be! And you could tell when they messed up too ... cuz one BIG mistake and they would just stop, assume the rest position, and wait for the music to stop. Nothin' more they could do. That part was sad!
When a little girl behind mom started kickin' her in the butt we took our leave! We weren't that far from the car -- but like I say - Mom was fading fast! We went slow and stopped a few times on the way to rest, but I honestly thought on the way back she was going to PASS OUT on me! We got to about 20 feet in front of my car and she started weaving and stumbling and had I NOT been right there, she would have gone DOWN! Scared me to death! I got her to the car okay - and she was FINE by the time the airconditioning really kicked in -- but I'm going to have to be VERY careful with her this summer! *whew!*
MORE Project Green & Friday Fill-Ins #69
Project Green is hosted by
Anna Carson’s Photography.
(it's never too late to jump in!)
Project Green -- Take 5
WHAT a green TREASURE this was to find!!!
While visiting a local park today, we wandered down a trail
that we had NEVER taken before! And lo + behold...
DRAGON!!!
I was sO excited!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FRIDAY FILL-INS
1. When I fell in love, I fell hard!
2. SHORTS Season is when the flowers bloom and it heats up outside!
3. Oh no! The internet connection is down, ah, now I can get some housework done!!!
4. I haven't a clue what is the craziest tv show ever.
5. Cheese and bread & veggies with dip make a great meal!
6. Once upon a time there was a garden.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to the Pasadena Park with Luz & Amanda, tomorrow my plans include The Celtic Festival and Sunday, I want to enjoy church & Sunday school - and then RELAX!!! (but that probably won't happen...)
Labels: Projects
Project Green ... & Thursday 13....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
13 Things about Melli That Begin With...
1. Mathew -- Number One Son! My "dear boy" who melts my heart just by sayin' "Mama"... I'm putty in his hands! (it's okay... he's 21 now and has another woman who keeps him in line!)
2. Matt Redman -- My "other" favorite Matt! And my favorite singer of PRAISE music!
3. Maggie Mae -- My favorite SONG of alllllllll time! Don't ask me WHY - I have NO idea. But this song just brings a smile to my face every time I hear it! I LOVE Rod Stewart's raspy voice, and I just love this song!!!
4. Mom -- that's me! I'm the mom! Except when we're talking about Mom - my mother-in-law - then she's Mom -- but mostly I AM MOM! Just ask my kids!
5. Maniac -- I stand accused! For real... there are those "people" who honestly believe I am a maniac. I don't know where they get these silly notions...
6. MEXICO! -- No... I've never been to the country. I don't need to. Mexico is my favorite Mexican restaurant! I go through spells where I would LIKE to eat there every day!
7. Messy -- *whips head around* ... WHO said that??? Moi? Messy? Hehehe... In MY blog land I'm neat as a pin!
8. M & M's -- Awwww ya gotta admit they are the best little calorie around!
9. Museums -- Yes indeed! I do LOVE to go to museums! And I'm not really picky about what kind! I usually find something to love in all of them. (but I am partial to ART museums!)
10. Marshmallows -- Toasted. Over an open fire. On a stick. With leftover hot dog grease on it. Added to a graham cracker. And a chocolate bar. And squooshed. Mmmmm...
11. Melon -- Melon is one of my favorite fruits! I love when it's in season - whether watermelon, canteloupe, mushmelon... it's ALL good!
12. Mancala -- This is such an addictive little game! Honestly - this was one of our family favorites. The kids and I would play it for hours on end! I'm gonna give Luz about a year - and then I'm gonna teach her!
13. ME! -- Yes, ME! I am ME! I am also Melli! Sometimes I'm Mary... but usually I'm Melli. And we already discussed that I'm Mom. ME, MOM, Melli, Mary... (Hey You!) ... that's ME!
Labels: Projects, TT
Tuesday Tunes ... AND Ten on Tuesday!!!
It's about the worsts in music:
What's the worst song you've heard in the past week?
Y'know... I don't usually LISTEN to the "bad" ones! That's why we have radios with 27 pre-sets on them!!! But... I would say I probably (for the sake of daughter, Krysti) have sat through that stupid Alcohol (by Brad Paisley) at least once this week. Or that OTHER favorite (not!) of mine... I Wanna Check You Fer Ticks! (again, by Brad Paisley)
Have you ever bought an album thinking you'd love it, only to hate it? What was it?
I would have to go waaaaaaaaaaaay back into my childhood I think for this one. I bought an album by T Rex - I don't remember which one it was. I had heard ONE song that I just loved, and thought they must be wONderful and so I bought the album. OY! I learned my lesson. I do NOT buy albums without checking out MANY of the songs...
Are there any artists that you used to like but wish would just go away now?
No... there are plenty that I never liked, that I can't believe are still around - but who are -- and are huge well loved names! But... again... I don't listen to them! The thing about music is that we have SO MANY choices that we do never have to listen to anything we don't want to hear. (unless we do it out of the kindness of our hearts, for usually, a loved one...)
________________________________
TEN ON TUESDAYTEN Things I LOVE About My Life!
1. I LOVE my God, and my Church, and
my FREEDOM to love both!!!
2. I LOVE my FAMILY!!!
3. I LOVE the area that I live in... EVEN
if it IS one of the highest priced area's
in the nation! This little section where I live
is just sO close to EVERYTHING!
4. I LOVE watching the birds out my window
while I sit here and type to you!
5. I LOVE that I no longer work outside the home
... even if it IS because I take care of Mom!
(and sometimes Luz!)
6. I LOVE being blessed with a bounce back personality!
7. I LOVE my Monday night Bible Study!
As a matter of fact, I LOVE Sunday School too...
8. I LOVE Pizza & Pepsi & Crabs & Salad...
and knowing that God has blessed me with
having all of this so readily available to me!
9. I LOVE being in a position to help others MORE often
than needing to be helped myself.
(but I don't deny that I often need help myself!)
10. I LOVE the surprise that is my very NEXT post!
***Update! *** ... Oooops, oops, oops! I forgot to mention LOVING my blogging friends and I don't know HOW in the WORLD I missed that! Y'all are the BEST!!!
Catchin' YOU Up!
Hootin' Anni is gonna LOVE this post -- I'm suspecting right up front that this is gonna be a LONG one - and so I'm warnin' ya NOW! (my apologies to those who love my short posts!) All pictures can be clicked bigger.
We passed Micky Mouse on the SIDE OF THE ROAD last week!
(of course I pulled over!)
I thought Luz was gonna exPLOde!
She was sO excited!
We've had a LOT going on, and this is why I have not had any really informative posts for awhile. Mainly I was babysitting Luz EVERY day for the past two weeks -- and then you toss in a couple of Dr. appts for mom, and yet ANOTHER periodontal appt. for me... and well... this IS what Life is - isn't it? I mean... everyone's life is really like this. We just ARE a busy society. Not
too much enough time for reflection. And that's been US!
Lucy Goose drivin' the train ...
Mom (as usual) bringin' up the rear!
THANKFULLY (yes, thank You Lord!) my last "crisis" terminated on the first Monday I kept Luz - when I squeezed in my absolutely necessary meeting with Pastor Paul -- and his words helped immeasurably - but the man has got POWERFUL prayer too - and that helped even more! He just prays for me in ways that I don't THINK to pray for myself... and God listens! Alleluia! Soooo I have at least been happy and content during this time!!!
(you knOw who's on the other end of that teeter totter, don'tcha?) So! What HAVE we been doing? Wellllllll... a couple of several many hours have been spent trying to plan and put together our family vacation for this summer. We have finally decided to keep it simple and LONG! We WERE going to do the full month of September in Ocean City... but if Krysti does indeed begin college ANEW in the Fall, then she would miss out on the entire vacation! So, we got one week in O.C. in June ... and 3 weeks in September!!! I'm feeling VERY fortunate that Luz will be able to be there for the entire week in June - and Mathew's Carol will be joining us for the entire week, as well. Amanda will be there Saturday through Wednesday. Looks like that week is going to be a GIRLS vacation!!! LOL! Dennis might come up for a few days. Mathew will come Sunday-Tues, Derek is not coming at all for this one! And Hector is unsure - his life and jobs are sO up in the air - he really can't PLAN anything! IF he makes it, we'll ALL be thrilled! Then in September... Amanda is still up in the air on that one - but will come plenty. Carol will again be there plenty. Mathew will definitely be there every Monday and Tuesday and MAY have a few other days thrown in. Derek will probably do a week of it. When you're a tight-knit family like we are, but everyone is grown and has their "own life" going on, it is really hard to plan ANYthing!!! LOL! But I think we do a pretty fair job of having us all together for MOST of the important times! Soooooo ... that is all a done deal now -- we are even staying in the SAME townhouse for both trips -- and it is right on the beach! Whooo hooo! (honestly, I wouldn't have it any other way!)
Another several many hours have been spent with me searching (but not succeeding) at finding the new car of my dreams! I hate to admit this, but like Dentists, I intensely dislike Car Salesmen. I always like to think that you can NOT judge an entire industry this way... but ... I really dislike Car Salesmen. And I really dislike that you can not even walk ONto the lot without being approached by one... and then hounded by him/her the entire time you're there. You can't just look, and mull, and think, and compare... they want to know "well what are you LOOKING for?" Well, if I knew exactly what I was LOOKING for I would go to that dealer, pick one out and BUY it! I don't knOw what I'm looking for! I've driven an Expedition for the last 8 years!!! It WAS the car of my dreams! IT was what I had always wanted, always dreamed of, and I have LOVED that vehicle every minute I have owned it!!! But it's getting old. It's wearing out. It's TIME to replace it. And since gas prices are soooooooooo astronomical - and rising... I have decided to
*UGH!* downsize. However... I do NOT want a "pretend" wannabe SUV. When I say downsize I do NOT mean to a baby SUV! I want a car. But I don't want a "baby car" either. Definitely NOT an economy sized model! I am a FULL SIZED++ girl! I need some elbow room in my car! Sooooo... I'm still looking. I ALMOST bought a little Buick yesterday... but God & Dennis & EVEN the manager at the dealership said "no"... this is NOT the car for you. They all knew I was "settling". I was not EXCITED about that car. I wasn't LOVING it! I wasn't coveting it... I was just sort of "accepting" it cuz it really WAS a GREAT deal!!! But it will be a BETTER deal for someone who really LIKES that vehicle!!! LOL! Sooooo... many hours down ... many more to come. I WILL find what I want... eventually.
Tammy has been coming for two weeks now. She is verrrrrrrry young, and fairly INexperienced, but we LIKE her! She's a really sweet girl! Just hasn't "lived" much! Part of their job (if you so desire) is supposed to be to help your elder take care of "their own space", or help with laundry, or things of that nature. I normally prefer she just take Mom out and entertain her... I prefer to take care of household stuff myself... but ONE day I decided to let her and Mom change the bed. Silly me. Mom had a flannel bottom sheet on her bed and apparently Tammy has never seen such a beast... she thought Mom had been sleeping with NO bottom sheet and so she put the fresh cotton sheet right over top the dirty flannel sheet! LOL! BIG help, huh? Another day, I left a pot roast simmering in the crock pot, and mom likes to peel things, so I left the carrots and potatoes and told them to peel them and put them in. I was tickled cuz Dennis was going to get a YUMMY dinner - on a Tuesday! I was going to Luz's gymnastics that night, so I wasn't coming home until late. When I got home, I was starving and went to get some yummy dinner for myself. They had not only peeled the carrots & potatoes -- they had also chopped them up -- into teeeeeeny tiny slivers!!! By the time I got to them, they were watered down mashed cartatoes! I guess Tammy has never made a roast before! LOL! So anyway... so far she has taken Mom to the senior center every time she's come. (They use my car in the early hours, and then I get it back around 1:oo or 1:3o) At the center to the south, Mom does "crafts" on Tuesdays. The center north of us is more lively -- she's been to play penny bingo there - and on Friday they had a 50's SOCK HOP!!! Tammy said Mom enjoyed it -- but would NOT dance! Mom, at 77 years of age, is still deathly afraid of making a fool of herself! I told Tammy - next time she DOESN'T participate, tell her she's
making a FOOL of herself! That WILL get her up! Silly Mom! At 77 you're allowed to be as big a FOOL as ya wanna be! Heck, I'm only 50 and I take my chances already!!! I was HOPING for some good pictures of the sock hop ... but Tammy isn't the best photographer either. Oh dear! (i guess THAT could be grounds for firing!) hehehe...
Luz & I have been taking advantage of the Spring weather that has fiiiiiinally arrived!!! We've been hitting every park and playground we can find! She is SUCH an outdoor kid - she really does NOT care for playing indoors at all. So - you know from the wormy that she helped me garden one day too.
And Friday we went to the beach for the day! THAT was great fun. Our beach is very little... Just a small piece of sandy shore, wee little waves on the Bay - unless there's a storm brewin' - then they might reach a whole FOOT high! But it Luz had BIG fun at the little beach! We got there and found out that "I" was the only person on the planet that assumed the water would still be too cold to swim in! EVERY other child there had their bathing suit on! Luz gave a little pout about that... but I promised her we would bring it next time, and she carried on having fun! Before long, she decided that bathing suits were not a requirement... and before we knew it, she was soaked! LOL! Ya know what? Ya only live ONCE!
Told ya! She had BIG fun!
I've promised her
HUMONGOUS FUN at the BIG beach!!!
We also went to see our first MINOR League game of the season. Amanda, Hector & Luz just happen to LIVE right behind Baysox Stadium! They can actually watch the fireworks EVERY weekend, right from their own front yard! I forget which day it was (they've all run together) but ONE day last week was just flat out GORGEOUS and I decided to go get tickets for "whoever" was available to go to a game that night! Turned out it was LADIES night -- for OUR family anyway.
It was Mom, Me, Amanda, Krysti & Luz! None of the men-folk came! (are you seeing a pattern here?) Luz loved it! Of course, WE made it everything it should be! She had peanuts and cotton candy and soda! She got to "hug" on Louie, the mascot. And she learned the finer points of "cheering"! And Baysox stadium EVEN has a carousel and "other" entertainment for the kiddos! So she had a GRAND old time!!! We ALL did!
So! I think that has you PRETTY much caught up with me! Oh... Church was EXCELLENT today! I am a "little" bummed because the weight loss challenge has been postponed until September ... and of course, I won't BE here for 3 weeks of it! But I think with Summer coming up, they couldn't get enough people to commit to it now. So... September it is! I'm starting NOW! ;)
I hope this post satisfies the masses! LOL! I don't think I've spoken or typed sO much at one time in... well... since... SAVANNAH!!! ;)
Labels: Grandbaby
Baby's Got Soul!
When I saw these guys all I could think was there is NO WAY I would give
at least in the presence of the King and Queen!
there were KILTS as far as the eye could see!
For instance... the FIRST time I went down to see if the cabers were being tossed, I found that Sheafs were being tossed instead! I had never actually heard of this event -- but it was pretty impressive! Using a pitchfork, the women have to throw a 12 lb. sheaf (sack filled with straw and stuff) over a bar, and the men have to "toss" a 20 lb. bag! Of course, the bar keeps going higher and higher until we have a determined winner! When I got there the bar was at 20 feet high.
I was impressed!
When I first came upon this event, I thought they were
I was wrong.
Yea... I tried a "bridie" -- it's a light and flaky "yummy looking" greasy pastry filled with YUK! (YUK is defined as some sort of meat - lamb? beef? something... with a gravy of sorts and other unrecognizable "stuff" ... mostly more grease!) Mom tried a meat pie, and said hers was equally nasty - but Mom will eat anything you put in front of her -- it's that "living through the depression" syndrome. I TOLD her she didn't have to -- but she did! We chased it all down and/or rinsed out our mouths with some truly yummy Lemonade! (pictured for the benefit of a good friend of mine!)
First, you don't just pick it up and toss it. You have to actually "have control" of it. You must hold it at 90 degrees and then run either a certain many steps or a certain distance with it before you actually tip it and "toss" it.
And for the record... I did see several "flips" --
... so we went and sat on the bleachers and watched for a little bit. The girls were cute and some of them did a really great job! Again - I did NOT realize there was so much competition involved! These dancers are judged like it's the OLYMPICS! And I know these up above LOST points for NOT smiling! You could tell it was important because some of them had that smile just plastered on their face! LOL! This will look fun, darn it!!! Hahaha! Others just said ... tough! But you could tell who the winners would be! And you could tell when they messed up too ... cuz one BIG mistake and they would just stop, assume the rest position, and wait for the music to stop. Nothin' more they could do. That part was sad! 
Amanda & Krysti ...
Mom thought she MIGHT just need
Join the blogroll. Visit participants.
The Restroom Door signs at our local crab house!
And they could probably work for ... 
WHAT a green TREASURE this was to find!!!
BLOW!
1. Mathew -- Number One Son! My "dear boy" who melts my heart just by sayin' "Mama"... I'm putty in his hands! (it's okay... he's 21 now and has another woman who keeps him in line!)
(I am hard up for GREEN around my house!)
I would like to introduce you to Lesli Eunice Perez Hernandez! She is 3 years old -- just one month younger than Luz -- and she lives in Guatemala with her parents and 3 siblings. 
Only two of my FAVORITE sights to see when "looking through"!
Lucy Goose drivin' the train ...
(you knOw who's on the other end of that teeter totter, don'tcha?) So! What HAVE we been doing? Wellllllll... a couple of several many hours have been spent trying to plan and put together our family vacation for this summer. We have finally decided to keep it simple and LONG! We WERE going to do the full month of September in Ocean City... but if Krysti does indeed begin college ANEW in the Fall, then she would miss out on the entire vacation! So, we got one week in O.C. in June ... and 3 weeks in September!!! I'm feeling VERY fortunate that Luz will be able to be there for the entire week in June - and Mathew's Carol will be joining us for the entire week, as well. Amanda will be there Saturday through Wednesday. Looks like that week is going to be a GIRLS vacation!!! LOL! Dennis might come up for a few days. Mathew will come Sunday-Tues, Derek is not coming at all for this one! And Hector is unsure - his life and jobs are sO up in the air - he really can't PLAN anything! IF he makes it, we'll ALL be thrilled! Then in September... Amanda is still up in the air on that one - but will come plenty. Carol will again be there plenty. Mathew will definitely be there every Monday and Tuesday and MAY have a few other days thrown in. Derek will probably do a week of it. When you're a tight-knit family like we are, but everyone is grown and has their "own life" going on, it is really hard to plan ANYthing!!! LOL! But I think we do a pretty fair job of having us all together for MOST of the important times! Soooooo ... that is all a done deal now -- we are even staying in the SAME townhouse for both trips -- and it is right on the beach! Whooo hooo! (honestly, I wouldn't have it any other way!)
Luz & I have been taking advantage of the Spring weather that has fiiiiiinally arrived!!! We've been hitting every park and playground we can find! She is SUCH an outdoor kid - she really does NOT care for playing indoors at all. So - you know from the wormy that she helped me garden one day too. 
And Friday we went to the beach for the day! THAT was great fun. Our beach is very little... Just a small piece of sandy shore, wee little waves on the Bay - unless there's a storm brewin' - then they might reach a whole FOOT high! But it Luz had BIG fun at the little beach! We got there and found out that "I" was the only person on the planet that assumed the water would still be too cold to swim in! EVERY other child there had their bathing suit on! Luz gave a little pout about that... but I promised her we would bring it next time, and she carried on having fun! Before long, she decided that bathing suits were not a requirement... and before we knew it, she was soaked! LOL! Ya know what? Ya only live ONCE!
Told ya! She had BIG fun!
We also went to see our first MINOR League game of the season. Amanda, Hector & Luz just happen to LIVE right behind Baysox Stadium! They can actually watch the fireworks EVERY weekend, right from their own front yard! I forget which day it was (they've all run together) but ONE day last week was just flat out GORGEOUS and I decided to go get tickets for "whoever" was available to go to a game that night! Turned out it was LADIES night -- for OUR family anyway. 
It was Mom, Me, Amanda, Krysti & Luz! None of the men-folk came! (are you seeing a pattern here?) Luz loved it! Of course, WE made it everything it should be! She had peanuts and cotton candy and soda! She got to "hug" on Louie, the mascot. And she learned the finer points of "cheering"! And Baysox stadium EVEN has a carousel and "other" entertainment for the kiddos! So she had a GRAND old time!!! We ALL did!
My gOOd friend Baba's sun conure!
Little Tupac...
And Luz looking through the cage at ol' Tom ...
