A Chilly, Windy Memorial Day (May 25, 2009)

Since Jay had to go back to the boat the day after Memorial Day, and won't be home until the middle of July, we had to get the pool ready early. Unfortunately, that meant he had to get in to put the steps in. It was a nice, bright, sunny, windy, chilly day.

Getting up the nerve to go in

Let's get these steps in quick. It's a little cool.

Mother's Day (May 10, 2009)

On a cold, windy Mother's Day afternoon(or at least it was over at the river), I was out waiting for Jay's boat (the Calumet) to go under the Bluewater Bridges.

Of course, the Calumet had to wait for the Canadian Prospector to come down

Here she comes. There's the Coast Guard Cutter Hollyhock and the Huron Lightship in the background

Under the bridges
Upbound just past the bridges
Getting ready to make the turn from the St. Clair River into Lake Huron. Heading up to Stoneport to load more stone.

March Break (March 14, 2009)

At the beginning of March Break, Amy, Kevin, Sara, Jacob, and Daniel came to visit for a weekend. The girls went out shopping for Sara's graduation dress while the guys went up to Cabelas.

Jacob and Daniel at Cabelas

It's a Boat!!! It's a Boat!!! It's Uncle Jay's Boat (April 23, 2009)

In April, I went over to visit with Jenn and Addy for a few days while Graham was gone. On the Thursday afternoon, Jay's boat came into Cleveland, so we went down to see the boat and pick him up and go out for supper

Here's Addy and Uncle Jay infront of the boat. She didn't quite get to see the whole boat, so she didn't know it was a boat, but was fascinated by the rocks falling off the boom.

Addy waiting for her supper at Rock Bottom Brewery in the Flats

After supper, we went over to Edgewater Park to let Addy run around and wear off some energy

Addy and Uncle Jay playing

Jenn and Addy at the park

Addy playing with her balloons. Probably one of my most favorite pictures from the visit.

Port Huron Lodge Dinner Dance (February 28, 2009)

This weekend was the ISMA Port Huron Lodge #2 Annual Dinner Dance at the Thomas Edison Inn

Getting ready to hang the flags at the Thomas Edison Inn the night before the Dinner Dance The first flag is hung Lots more to do

The calm before the storm. The Dinner Dance starts in about an hour.

At the Dinner Dance
Happy Birthday Theresa!!!

What a surprise!!!
Fred and Theresa

The Flower Lady won the quilt raffle

Dinner's over, it's time to party.

Time to relax in the Hospitality Room

Thanks for the Yuengling, George!!!!

Who needs a chair? Dad and Frank found somewhere else to sit. Closer to the food and drinks too. George selling Girl Scout cookies

Adventures in Baby-sitting (February 6-7, 2009)

After we got back from Florida, Jenn and Addy came to visit us so Jenn could go to a conference in Perrysburg

Addy playing in the ball pit

Trying on her new Minnie Mouse shirts we brought back from Florida
Minnie Mouse even signed and kissed one of them for her
Where's Minnie Mouse? She's right here!!!

Eating her snack

Uncle Jay, you're funny

I don't know where it went, but it's gone

Playing with Uncle Jay in the tub

Eating her lunch in her new Valentine outfit
Riding around Toledo

Warm Weather Here We Come!!! (Or So We Thought!!)

With the Toledo area having 2 feet of snow on the ground, covered in 4 inches of ice, and after the cell phone vs. snowblower incident, we decided it was time to flee the state and head south.

Somehow it didn't go quite as planned though.

The snow seemed to have travelled with us. Here we're at the South Carolina welcome center. Don't worry though, this wasn't the end of it. When we got to Dad and Lizzie's, it started snowing there too!!!! Luckily it didn't last too long or even stick to the ground.
The view from Dad and Lizzie's

Our journey continues...Disney here we come!!!!!

Our campsite at Fort Wilderness before we got set up (and before it dropped to 29 degrees) Jay cooking at our campsite

We could see some of the Wishes Fireworks from our campsite

Views around Fort Wilderness

Pioneer Hall
The Lawn Mower Tree

The Beach


One day we took a boat from Fort Wilderness to the Magic Kingdom, then took the monorail to the Contemporary Resort, and then a boat back to Fort Wilderness


The Contemporary Resort and the new Bay Lake Tower at the Contemporary Resort
Another view of the Contemporary from the boat we were on
Going over the water bridge that connects Bay Lake with Seven Seas Lagoon

Magic Kingdom from the Contemporary Resort

A peek inside the Contemporary Resort

Since the pool at Fort Wilderness was closed, we were able to go swimming at the pool at the Wilderness Lodge

Inside the Wilderness Lodge lobby

The pool at the Wilderness Lodge

We had some swimming companions at the Wilderness Lodge pool

After camping we stayed at the Pop Century Resort

Our room was in one of the '50's buildings right by one of the big bowling pins (the staircase)

A very big Tramp

A very big Lady

Magic Kingdom, Here We Come!!!!

Cinderella Castle

Carrie and Belle

Carrie and Cinderella

More views at the Magic Kingdom

Meeting Iridessa (one of the fairies from Tinkerbell)

Meeting Tinkerbell (This one's for you Sara)

Meeting Fawn (another one of Tinkerbell's fairies)

Wishes Fireworks at Magic Kingdom

The Castle and Partners statue at night

One night we went to the Grand Floridian Resort to have dinner at 1900 Park Fare (a character dinner with Cinderella, Prince Charming, the Evil Stepmother, and the two step sisters).

Carrie with Prince Charming

Jay with Cinderella

Again we saw the Wishes fireworks at the Magic Kingdom, this time from the Grand Floridian

A look around the pool at the Grand Floridian

Inside the Grand Floridian main building

After eating dinner one night, we went to play mini golf at Disney's Winter Summerland course. One course looks like what Santa and his elves so in the winter and the other course looks like what Santa and his elves do during the summer.

Santa statue at the beginning of the courses

An igloo for the elves

The castle in the snow

Minnie snow figure

Mickey and Pluto snow figures

The castle in the sand

Goofy sand statue

Donald sand statue

We went to the Spirit Of Aloha Dinner Show at the Polynesian Resort. In the show, they introduce you to different Hawaiian customs and dances.

One of the Hawaiian Dances

Fire Dancer

On our last day, we stopped at Disney's Hollywood Studios before heading over to Epcot.

The Sorcerer's Hat

Floral Sorcerer Mickey

Jay and Prince Caspian

Epcot

Spaceship Earth

Mexico

Norway

China

Germany

United States

After spending some time at Epcot, it was time for Jay's christmas present. Dive Quest at The Living Seas in Epcot.

A Hidden Mickey in The Living Seas

Some Fish

Man Made Coral

Jay in the water

A Few Other Things We Saw

Coronado Springs Resort

We saw Herbie at the Wide World of Sports

The Pool at Port Orleans French Quarter

Jackson Square at Port Orleans French Quarter Resort

Eventually we had to head back to the great white, icy, cold north.

We get a good laught at those Chik-Fil-A signs in Atlanta. Gotta love the cows.

Good Eats

While we were at Disney, we had some incredible food on the Meal Plan

The Wave-A Healthy Restaurant at the Contemporary Resort

Grilled Marinated Flank Steak with Seasonal Vegetables and Chimichurri

Cinnamon Rubbed Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Honey Roasted Root Vegetables and Apple Cider Sauce

Chocolate Mint Mousse, Strawberry Sorbet, and Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee

Vanilla Braised Pineapple Spears, Almond Pineapple Raisin Baklava, and Chocolate Cake with Salted Caramel Sauce

Pinocchio Village Haus-Lunch at Magic Kingdom

Caesar Salad

Pepperoni Pizza, Side Salad, and Strawberry Cheesecake

1900 Park Fare-Dinner at the Grand Floridian Resort

Desserts-Lemon Meringue Tarts, Chocolate Mousse, Carrot Cake, Fruit Tarts, and Cheesecake Tarts

Wolfgang Puck Express-Lunch at Downtown Disney

BBQ Chicken Pizza

Roast Beef and Cheddar Foccacia Sandwich

Maya Grill-Dinner at Coronado Springs Resort

Mixed Grill-Filet Mignon, Fresh Catch (Baked Tilapia), St Louis Style Ribs, Mixed Vegetables, and Mashed Potatoes

Filet Mignon, Sauteed Shrimp, Mixed Vegetables, and Baked Potato

Fried Cheesecake

Creme Brulee

Spirit of Aloha-Dinner Show at the Polynesian Resort

Pineapple-Coconut Bread, Sweet Golden Pineapple, and Mixed Greens with Mango Poppy Seed Dressing

BBQ Pork Ribs, Roasted Chicken, Polynesian Rice, and Mixed Vegetables

Kilauea Volcano Delight-Chocolate Mousse over Chocolate Sponge Cake with Raspberry Sauce Drizzle, Served on top of Pineapple Sauce.

Cooke's of Dublin-Lunch at Downtown Disney

The Original One and One Fish and Chips

Mini Irish Sausages and Chips

Doh Bar (deep fried Snickers bar with a funnel cake batter)

YYYYYYYYYYYUUUUUUUUUUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you ever have the chance, go ahead and splurge, it's well worth it.

Our Last Night-Le Cellier in Canada at Epcot (one of our favorites)

Le Cellier Mushroom Filet Mignon served with cream cheese mashed potatoes and finished with white truffle-herb butter sauce (minus the mushrooms, of course)

New York Strip topped with bercy butter served with balsamic red onions, watercress, and roasted yukon potatoes

Chocolate-On-Chocolate Whiskey Cake-Chocolate cake brushed with Canadian Whiskey layered with Chocolate Mousse finished with Honey-Thyme Anglaise and a Chocolate Vanilla Walnut Sauce

Campfire S'mores

At Goofy's Candy Co. at Downtown Disney, you can design your own treat. You can start off with your choice of snack (cookie, rice krispie treat, gingerbread mickey, marshmallow, pretzel rods), and then you decide what you want it dipped in, topped with, and drizzled with .

Jay got 4 marshmallows on a Mickey straw, dipped in dark chocolate, topped with sprinkles and mini M&Ms, and drizzled with milk chocolate.

Before we left, we both got a set of pretzel rods.

Jay's-All dipped in dark chocolate and drizzled with milk chocolate, one with mini M&Ms, one with peanuts, and one with mini milk and white chocolate chips.

Carrie's-One dipped in white chocolate with chopped pecans and caramel and milk chocolate drizzle, one dipped in milk chocolate with chopped peanuts and white chocolate drizzle, and one dipped in milk chocolate with Reese's Pieces with white chocolate drizzle.