It is 9:46 and I am tired. We had a busy day and saw TWO, yes two colleges.
Last night we did eat at Yoders and we also saw some of the Ringling Brothers Circus Museum. We got back to the hotel...David went and spent an hour in the hot tub..Niel and I rested.
Tuesday: The morning started eating breakfast in the hotel and then hitting the road to visit The New College of Florida. I will say that it is one of the best kept secrets in Florida. Part of the campus has beautiful old buildings and the other part new. The college is located in Sarasota right on the Bay. We were there from 9:45 - Noon. We had a great talk with the admissions specialist and then a tour of the campus. The New College of Florida population is only 800 students. I will say I loved this college and if I was 17, this is where I would want to go. David also wants to keep it on his list.
After we had lunch, we headed to Tampa to help Brian purchase his new 2000 GMA Sierra 1500 SLT, it is white and he is happy. He traded his Mustang in and it looks good. Niel test drove it with him and sat with Brian as they wheeled and dealed.
After the purchase, we headed over to USF (Universit of South Florida), where we had the sweetest and prettiest guide yet, Chelsea showed us around. The campus is HUGE. David liked it though and it is on his list. He has taken off Florida Gulf Coast (the college we saw on Monday) off his list.
We are now in Lakeland. We checked into the hotel and went to find the college (Which we did); then we had some dinner (Steak & Shake). Did you know they no longer have the berry cobbler? But their steakburgers are still good. We are now all back in the room. This hotel does not have a hot tub and with the temperatures at 50 outside, David has chosen to stay in the room and watch some tv and play on his lap top.
Tomorrow our tour starts at 10 am. Tomorrow night we sleep in our own beds...i will say I am looking forward to my own bed.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Monday, April 6, 2009
College Trip Day Two
Well we have visited the first College: Florida Gulf Coast. It was an interesting experience this morning--> I had the wrong map quest address and Niel punched in the wrong address to the college...so instead of making our appointment at 10; we showed up at 10:20 and ended up doing a self tour ourself (which really was not that bad). Did I mention the college ended up only being 5 minutes from our hotel yet it took us an hour to get there with the wrong directions.
Florida Gulf Coast was okay. Nothing to truly write home about. It is small which I liked and the dorms were great (yet no one could truly answer the problems with getting dorms ones Sophamore year...which we knew personally had happened to one of Mark's friends).People did seem very friendly and both David and Niel noticed there were a lot of pretty girls on this campus.
The campus was very tropical and looked very similar to the Cocoa Beach Area, just more expensive. David did not like the fact that the college seemed to be very similar to the area we already live in and he felt it was in the middle of no where (which in reality it was but go 20 minutes in any direction, one would find the masses). Traffic was horrible though.....I do not think they know how to drive in this area.
We ate lunch at a place called Red Robbin. That was nice.
Since we are already at the new hotel...we are going to adventure out and see where the college is (we would like to make this tour). we are also going to try an Armish Restraunt for dinner: Yoders. we have heard wonderful things about it, so we are going to try.
Guess that is it for now. I will blog more about our adventurous college tours.
Florida Gulf Coast was okay. Nothing to truly write home about. It is small which I liked and the dorms were great (yet no one could truly answer the problems with getting dorms ones Sophamore year...which we knew personally had happened to one of Mark's friends).People did seem very friendly and both David and Niel noticed there were a lot of pretty girls on this campus.
The campus was very tropical and looked very similar to the Cocoa Beach Area, just more expensive. David did not like the fact that the college seemed to be very similar to the area we already live in and he felt it was in the middle of no where (which in reality it was but go 20 minutes in any direction, one would find the masses). Traffic was horrible though.....I do not think they know how to drive in this area.
We ate lunch at a place called Red Robbin. That was nice.
Since we are already at the new hotel...we are going to adventure out and see where the college is (we would like to make this tour). we are also going to try an Armish Restraunt for dinner: Yoders. we have heard wonderful things about it, so we are going to try.
Guess that is it for now. I will blog more about our adventurous college tours.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Spring Break College Tour Day One
Okay...we have officially started our spring break college tour. We left Cocoa after church around 1:30. We headed to Tampa and stopped for a visit with Brian and Chelsea. We had a great visit....of course the grandpuppy loved seeing me. He just gets larger and larger...but still so loving and gentle. After we took Brian and Chelsea out to dinner...we headed to Ft Myers....we arrived at the hotel around 9 pm. I will say....I am tired. David has headed to the pool and Niel just finished bringing in the suitcases. Tomorrow we will look at our first college: Florida Gulf Coast. The Hotel Clerk did make a note that we are here to see Florida Gulf Coast, yet I have a University of Central Florida T-shirt on and Niel has a University of South Florida t-shirt on....hey we are on a college tour.
The hotel is great...we are right next to a mall....but it is closed now and we will be busy tomorrow and headed to a new hotel. I think Niel is glad we got in after the mall closed. ;o)
The hotel is great...we are right next to a mall....but it is closed now and we will be busy tomorrow and headed to a new hotel. I think Niel is glad we got in after the mall closed. ;o)
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Spring is here in Florida (March)
Can you believe March is here and almost gone?! Now the weather is beautiful and it does feel like March is here yet it seemed to have sneaked up on me. I guess with all the excitement of the end of February....time just flew by.
My dad is doing good. Slowly recovering. The doctor says he needs to walk more ....so, mom has a schedule for him to follow. I talk to him every day and he has totally enjoyed the cards and phone calls. I know mom has appreciated them as well.
The fire in the back yard has not rekindled again...yet the air is very smokey. Many places in Florida are on fire. It is so dry right now....sorta scary, especially after having our back yard on fire. The last two weekends Niel has worked in the back yard cutting away the trees that had been on fire and getting rid of some brush that would be good fuel for another fire. Last weekend Brian & Chelsea were here for the weekend. (Brian still has not found a job) So Brian helped Niel bring stuff to the road; this weekend David helped in the yard. It is surely a two man job. Per Niel, he really needs a few more weekends like the last two to get a handled on the yard.
Myself...I have been busy at work and taking care of the house. At work we have had testing, which always interfers with my AP classes, so I have been having to do double time to try to get my students all the information they need. Not to mention the time I missed going to Ocala to be with my mom during my dad's operation. I have great students and they too have been working hard to stay on task.
At work, there are still talkes about layoffs and cutbacks for next year. It is just an added stress on teachers...something we truly do not need. As it is, there is never enough hours in the day to get all we want to get done. I can not remember a weekend I did not bring work home to work on. I even brought stuff to the hospital when we went to Ocala (which did make time fly by while waiting for my dad's operation).
David has signed up for his senior year classes. I can not believe he will be a senior. Time flies and knowing next year will be his senior year...that will fly as well...that year seems to go faster than any of the other. We are in the process of putting together a trip during Spring Break to look at Florida Colleges. He still is unsure on what he wants to major it or do for the future. Maybe the college tour will inspire him. We were hoping that church or school would have done a college tour like they did when Mark was a junior...but no such luck.
Speaking of Mark...he is on the road right now for Florida. He left Oklahoma yesterday afternoon....he is homeward bound. His plans (per him) is to sleep in his own bed and go to the beach. I guess we do live in the perfect spot for SPRING BREAK...20 mintues from the beach.
Continue to pray for my dad's recovery and Brian finding a job. I will say...the past month has been stressful but it did not seems as bad with all the prayers and Niel by my side. He is a tremondous guy and I am the luckiest girl in the world.
My dad is doing good. Slowly recovering. The doctor says he needs to walk more ....so, mom has a schedule for him to follow. I talk to him every day and he has totally enjoyed the cards and phone calls. I know mom has appreciated them as well.
The fire in the back yard has not rekindled again...yet the air is very smokey. Many places in Florida are on fire. It is so dry right now....sorta scary, especially after having our back yard on fire. The last two weekends Niel has worked in the back yard cutting away the trees that had been on fire and getting rid of some brush that would be good fuel for another fire. Last weekend Brian & Chelsea were here for the weekend. (Brian still has not found a job) So Brian helped Niel bring stuff to the road; this weekend David helped in the yard. It is surely a two man job. Per Niel, he really needs a few more weekends like the last two to get a handled on the yard.
Myself...I have been busy at work and taking care of the house. At work we have had testing, which always interfers with my AP classes, so I have been having to do double time to try to get my students all the information they need. Not to mention the time I missed going to Ocala to be with my mom during my dad's operation. I have great students and they too have been working hard to stay on task.
At work, there are still talkes about layoffs and cutbacks for next year. It is just an added stress on teachers...something we truly do not need. As it is, there is never enough hours in the day to get all we want to get done. I can not remember a weekend I did not bring work home to work on. I even brought stuff to the hospital when we went to Ocala (which did make time fly by while waiting for my dad's operation).
David has signed up for his senior year classes. I can not believe he will be a senior. Time flies and knowing next year will be his senior year...that will fly as well...that year seems to go faster than any of the other. We are in the process of putting together a trip during Spring Break to look at Florida Colleges. He still is unsure on what he wants to major it or do for the future. Maybe the college tour will inspire him. We were hoping that church or school would have done a college tour like they did when Mark was a junior...but no such luck.
Speaking of Mark...he is on the road right now for Florida. He left Oklahoma yesterday afternoon....he is homeward bound. His plans (per him) is to sleep in his own bed and go to the beach. I guess we do live in the perfect spot for SPRING BREAK...20 mintues from the beach.
Continue to pray for my dad's recovery and Brian finding a job. I will say...the past month has been stressful but it did not seems as bad with all the prayers and Niel by my side. He is a tremondous guy and I am the luckiest girl in the world.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Jan. 25th , 2009
First we have been really busy since Christmas has been over. Niel gave me livingroom furniture for my Christmas present so during Christmas break I took wallpaper down in the entry way and the livingroom. We then ordered the furniture and then painted the livingroom. I also took the wall paper down in our bathroom. So this weekend I painted our bathroom.
The livingroom furniture was delivered Friday....so we started setting up...I had already boxed up stuff that I wanted to go to a yard sale and stuff I still wanted to save...it is amazing how we get so much stuff in our life....I think I have too much stuff still but I am learning to perg. We are not quite finished with the bathroom so I will wait to take pictures of that, but my livingroom is done. Enjoy the pictures:
BARNEY THE CAT
Well....we get so attached to our animals...they are always here to welcome us when we come home from work and they are always glad to see us. Barney was no acception to that rule. He was a good cat. Sometimes I think he thought he was a dog, in all truth, he was the alphadog at this house. If you went for a walk, so did Barney. He loved hanging with people..if you moved from one room to another..so would Barney...but he was a CAT and loved his independence. He loved to roam outside, he loved to guard our yard from other cats, and he loved to hang with the boys. I think he thought he was one of the boys...I guess after 16 years, he was one of the boys. He would wait for Niel to come home from work at night and walk in. When Niel took the garbage to the road, Barney would follow him but expected Niel to carry him back, which he did. This weekend, our beloved Cat died. He had not been feeling well these past few weeks, I thought he did not like the cold weather we had been having. Well, on Saturday, he perked up...he helped or supervised David working in the yard, he was helping Niel in the garage and he helped Niel put my new curtain rod in the livingroom. He was helping me unpack books that I had boxed up during the move. Well, a few minutes, he walked into the kitchen..then I heard weird breathing...he was laying on the floor...I went to get Niel, he was still acting strange and less then 5 minutes he died. He went to chase mice in the beyond. So, here are some pictures of our beloved cat...he is now buried in the flower bed he loved to lay in. He will be greatly missed by this family.
The livingroom furniture was delivered Friday....so we started setting up...I had already boxed up stuff that I wanted to go to a yard sale and stuff I still wanted to save...it is amazing how we get so much stuff in our life....I think I have too much stuff still but I am learning to perg. We are not quite finished with the bathroom so I will wait to take pictures of that, but my livingroom is done. Enjoy the pictures:
BARNEY THE CAT
Well....we get so attached to our animals...they are always here to welcome us when we come home from work and they are always glad to see us. Barney was no acception to that rule. He was a good cat. Sometimes I think he thought he was a dog, in all truth, he was the alphadog at this house. If you went for a walk, so did Barney. He loved hanging with people..if you moved from one room to another..so would Barney...but he was a CAT and loved his independence. He loved to roam outside, he loved to guard our yard from other cats, and he loved to hang with the boys. I think he thought he was one of the boys...I guess after 16 years, he was one of the boys. He would wait for Niel to come home from work at night and walk in. When Niel took the garbage to the road, Barney would follow him but expected Niel to carry him back, which he did. This weekend, our beloved Cat died. He had not been feeling well these past few weeks, I thought he did not like the cold weather we had been having. Well, on Saturday, he perked up...he helped or supervised David working in the yard, he was helping Niel in the garage and he helped Niel put my new curtain rod in the livingroom. He was helping me unpack books that I had boxed up during the move. Well, a few minutes, he walked into the kitchen..then I heard weird breathing...he was laying on the floor...I went to get Niel, he was still acting strange and less then 5 minutes he died. He went to chase mice in the beyond. So, here are some pictures of our beloved cat...he is now buried in the flower bed he loved to lay in. He will be greatly missed by this family.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Happy New Year
Christmas came and went so fast this year, but it was a wonderful Christmas. We had 13 for dinner for Christmas Eve..I will say it was a housefull but a nice get together. We ate at 4 so Mark could meet up with Janel's family for another dinner at 6ish. After dinner we were able to attend a Christmas Eve service. Brian & Chelsea were even better, they stayed up an attended Christmas Mass, Chelsea played her violin at that Mass. Me...sorry, a tad bit too tired. It was nice this year, Niel's dad Stoyell was able to spend the evening with us.
Christmas morning does not start as early as it did when the boys were little, they all started getting up at 9 am....I made a breakfast casserole, a frenchtoast casserole, and sausage balls. I think the smells woke them up. We ate our brunch and then tackeled the presents. I will say we all had a wonderful Christmas. Brian & Chelsea headed out about 11 ish to spend the rest of the day with Chelsea's family. Mark headed over to Janel's. The rest of us....we got ready for the 1 oclock movie: Marley & Me...which is a wonderful movie. I highly recommend it....you will laugh and cry. I think Brian & Chelsea have their own Marley...who goes by the name of Throttle:
Now...it is New Years....personally I do not know where the time went, between Christmas and now. I know one day I took down Christmas (Saturday), church was Sunday....Monday we did head down to see Neil's brother Eric. Please pray for Eric, we are also trying to get him transfered to a nursing home near here..that way we can visit him more.It is a whole day trip...3 hours down there, visit time and eating, then 3 hours back....makes for a very long day.
I am remodeling my livingroom. On Tuesday, Niel & I went furniture hunting...we had decided we needed more seating in that area (especially at Christmas) and besides, the furniture in this livingroom is my yardsale furniture...so, it is time to make it a real livingroom. But, once you decide to change the furniture you have to paint, take wallpaper down, etc....so yesterday Niel & I went and got paint and I took down the wall paper in the entry ways and packed up all the nicknacks that will now sit in the attic (need to de-cluter when you change things up as well). Niel also put another outside outlet by the pool area.....So, now thanks to Niel, this house finally has outside outlets.
Mark picked up three Chinese students yesterday at the airport...they are down to enjoy the wonderful time of Florida weather. Brian & Chelsea came over last night to enjoy New Years as a family. David...ditched us for a Youth Campout. We had a quiet evening at home (noone invited us to any parties..if anyone was having parties..we were not on their invite list) .....the kids (Brian & Chelsea, Mark & Janel, & the Chinese students, all went over to the youth campout for awhile and then they came back and joined Niel and I....Brian shot off fireworks and we all sat around the firepit and watched them.The midnight campfire..was really nice. I will say it was really nice. Family time is always really nice. Time with Niel is always really nice. Niel had also built four benches for the firepit....so it was nice to sit on these nice benches. We had the tiki-torches on and a fire in the pit and fireworks in the sky...could not have asked for a nicer evening.
Well...today...looks like we will be painting! Getting the room ready for its makeover.
Happy New Year Friends & Family!!!!
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Pre-Christmas
Tis the season to be busy. Let's see: December: David turned 17 on December 4th...he sang at Epcot on the 7th. The above picture is of Chelsea and Brian & then Niel and Me, we all met at Epcot to hear David sing. I must admit, I love Epcot at Christmas time...they have all the different Santas from all around the world there near their country (guess the north pole is empty during this time...because they are at Epcot)...Well, below is a picture of me and the French Santa:
While at Epcot we ate at the Land....it was wonderful. It was country diner type of food and it was all you can eat. I will say, Brian really liked the place. When you have a child in the concert, to guarantee a seat to watch the performance, you need to purchase a meal & ticket deal from Epcot. You do need to eat but it is a gimick. But it is nice to have a nice meal and then watch the show. So it was worth it. Again this year, I sat in the perfect seat...David walked right by me again.
We have been busy with Christmas parties: Niel's work party was on December 5th; our Churches Christmas party was on Dec. 13th (my parents came down and enjoyed that with us); my work Christmas party was on Dec. 20th. So...every weekend we were holiday out. ;o) I will say my favorite was Niel's....we got to eat with some of our friends and it was a nice time. Niel's Christmas party is more eliquent than the rest, everyone dresses semi-formal and it is really nice.
Mark flew in on the 19th....which he turned 20.Can you believe, Mark is no longer a teenager..he is now a man. Where did the time go? He was suppose to fly in on the 18th but the fog in Dallas had their planes in Oklahoma City grounded...so, to get another flight, they drove to Tulsa and flew out the next morning and arrived home on December 19th @ 2:30....I had him balloons and a welcome home sign. If he had made his first flight, I had arranged for a bunch of his friends to go to IHOP at 12:30 am on the 19th ...but that did not happen...but it would have been cool. Instead he got to choose where he wanted to go to dinner. He chose a place called Grills at the port. A very nice fishy place.
School is closed for winter break. We had our exams the 16th - 19th, as well as David. So, we are finished with school until January. Myself, well, I will be working on my AP Government class....they start up on January 8th. It is a very demanding class but I love teaching Government, so it is also fun. It is wonderful to totally enjoy ones job.
Brian & Chelsea arrived here yesterday evening. When they got in at 9 pm...all three boys and their girlfriends went to the movies together. They sure do have a great time together. I love having all three boys home. The house seems so alive when they are home. They love spending time together which I love to see as well. Yesterday I was able to spend time with Mark and David....it was wonderful.
Everyone seems to be stressed about the Christmas season, especially in these economic times...everyone looking for the perfect gift to give to those they love. Well, the perfect gift does not cost money, the perfect gift is your TIME. Yesterday, just having time with the boys was wonderful. TIME is the perfect gift.
Today my folks arrived in town. We all went out to lunch ...the boys love spending time with them...since I no longer have the van, we had to take two cars. PopPop road with the boys...he sure does love his boys. They love spending time with him as well. This after noon we made Christmas cookies...yes, I made Christmas Cookies...it is fun and everyone seems to like to eat them. Now mind you, they will not win any awards but they sure do taste good. Yes, we also ate cookie dough while we made the cookies.
I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas...take time to enjoy each other's company.Spend TIME with each other..that is the perfect gift...your time with someone else. That is all everyone really wants....is time together. Tomorrow I will have about 13 friends and family for Christmas Eve dinner...it will be wonderful...TIME together. Enjoy your time with your family and have a Very Merry Christmas. Expect more post after Christmas with pictures.
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