THE AFTER PARTY!

(Yes, I am still putting out photos from our FL trip. This will be the last post! Too much fun!)
JORDANS (Bennys sister Nataile & fam):
Everyone left to go home, but we did have a few hours with the Jordan Family. We hung out at this fruit stand/attraction sight. Super chill afternoon!
Atticus and Darcy on the tire swing. Benny and Baby checking out fruit. I told the Jordans they should use this as their Christmas card. Such a good photo of all of them!



MERMAIDS:
Our family went to see the Mermaid show at Weeki Watchee Springs. These shows have been going since 1959 and it was AMAZING! I think I drooled with my mouth open while watching! This could be a new career to work towards!?
We also swam in the springs and floated on the river (that's a "real" LAZY river for ya!)

DISNEY:
We went to Disney World with the parents (they are die-hards who have season passes) and had a MAGICAL time! I really mean that! Our family got in free thanks to a friend & her hubby who work there and we had 6 passes that got us to the front of the line. I felt a bit bad when we went in front of a handicapped little boy on HAUNTED MANSION! It was a crowded day there, but it didn't effect us at all! It was AWESOME! Fantasyland will have a new Disney princess castles section which will be opened Spring 2012 (Cozy is posing in front of the sign) Guess we'll have to go back!!
other photos: PA and....is that ME? (I never am in photos...just taking them),
Mickeys Philharmagic 3-D
Cotton Candy is what my kids always want at Disney! GROSS! (Frontierland)
Scarlett LOVED Its a small world!





We always LOVE to go back to Florida! Thanks Grandmommy and PA for a fun visit!!

"You can sleep when your dead!"

Opposites attract, right?
I am the girl who grew up in a house that was often nicknamed "The Napping House". Ya know that children's book? On a given day you could find someone asleep in the living room, curled up with a book in the next room, and many animals sleeping as well. Just ask my cousin Bryn who would randomly drop in to observe this and then drift into her own peaceful slumber.
So, when I married Benny it was quite normal to stay up until 2 in the morning to "get things done", and do "all nighters" to get school projects finished (yes, we have been together since college under-grad!).
Sad to say, this left sleeping not top priority and we have had many conversations of me explaining that sometimes its okay to "pull over for a rest" so you can truly enjoy the ride.
Totally different worlds! I have learned in our marriage to adapt through residency, fellowship and now. My kids have learned to follow my lead and sleep in (hallelujah!). I have never had kids that get up before 7, just because. Sleep has always been #1... even if I could hear my stomach growl.
So, after the reunion Benny decided that his family's unsaid motto was "You can sleep when your dead!" Hmmmm.....I don't think I'm going to get that t-shirt!
I caught this photo of him a week after the FUN at "The Napping House". It eventually catches up with him and he passes out! I try to get evidence of it when I can!
I'm guessing its a good mix for our children to see both sides?
But for now, Lets hear it for SLEEPING when your alive!!
(Doesnt he look lovely when he's asleep?!)

10 Favorite Photos from Reunion

Outside ANDY's IGLOO burger joint with Granny Simms (a place in winter haven that PA and Uncle Jim went to when they were young boys)
Some of the cousins at the bar. I LUV this angle! When our party of 40+ came through this small restaurant people ate fast and flew!

I was laughing pretty hard when our caravan of 10 cars pulled over so PA and his bro. JIM could show everyone where they grew up. The best was when the owner came out the door looking at all of us standing in front of her house. Atticus had some FUN commentary as we drove all over winter haven. "...and this is where PA bought his first tire for his car...and this is where he..." It was a fun drive!
Reminded me of driving through KAYSVILLE with my grandpa HAROLD.
and for the record...."I remember when banking was fun!"


When I couldn't find the kids in our house we stayed at I would look in these obvious places. Atticus watching tv (yes, this is why I pulled the plug this summer!) and Cozy and her Cousin Joe playing with toys in a walk-in closet far away from the noise.

Scarlett's Birthday Party!

I love this photo of Scarlett and Grandpa Simms! They both look a little uneasy!

Cousin Camp! Rocket Blasting was a ton of FUN!

Scarlett loved getting up into these camp chairs to chill!

...and this photo you've seen before!

the AFTER party in FLORIDA

(Yes, I am still putting out photos from our FL trip. This will be the last post! Too much fun!)
JORDANS (Bennys sister Nataile & fam):
Everyone left to go home, but we did have a few hours with the Jordan Family. We hung out at this fruit stand/attraction sight. Super chill afternoon!
Atticus and Darcy on the tire swing. Benny and Baby checking out fruit. I told the Jordans they should use this as their Christmas card. Such a good photo of all of them!



MERMAIDS:
Our family went to see the Mermaid show at Weeki Watchee Springs. These shows have been going since 1959 and it was AMAZING! I think I drooled with my mouth open while watching! This could be a new career to work towards!?
We also swam in the springs and floated on the river (that's a "real" LAZY river for ya!)

DISNEY:
We went to Disney World with the parents (they are die-hards who have season passes) and had a MAGICAL time! I really mean that! Our family got in free thanks to a friend & her hubby who work there and we had 6 passes that got us to the front of the line. I felt a bit bad when we went in front of a handicapped little boy on HAUNTED MANSION! It was a crowded day there, but it didn't effect us at all! It was AWESOME! Fantasyland will have a new Disney princess castles section which will be opened Spring 2012 (Cozy is posing in front of the sign) Guess we'll have to go back!!
other photos: PA and....is that ME? (I never am in photos...just taking them),
Mickeys Philharmagic 3-D
Cotton Candy is what my kids always want at Disney! GROSS! (Frontierland)
Scarlett LOVED Its a small world!





We always LOVE to go back to Florida! Thanks Grandmommy and PA for a fun visit!!

ONE FIVE NINE

I made these shirts with the help from a friend before I left for Florida. One of my many projects in my head that came out! I am lucky to have creative friends that help motivate me to finish my projects!
I wanted to capture the ages of my kids at THIS moment with Cozy going into kindergarten (5), Scarlett from baby to toddler (1) and Atticus (9) our pre-tween(double digits next year!) They turned out so well with the Florida stormy sky and sunset in the background! I think after I tweak them a bit I will blow up the three so they each can have one when they are older. The last one is my favorite!

Favorite 10 photos from REUNION

Outside ANDY's IGLOO burger joint with Granny Simms (a place in winter haven that PA and Uncle Jim went to when they were young boys)
Some of the cousins at the bar. I LUV this angle! When our party of 40+ came through this small restaurant people ate fast and flew!

I was laughing pretty hard when our caravan of 10 cars pulled over so PA and his bro. JIM could show everyone where they grew up. The best was when the owner came out the door looking at all of us standing in front of her house. Atticus had some FUN commentary as we drove all over winter haven. "...and this is where PA bought his first tire for his car...and this is where he..." It was a fun drive!
Reminded me of driving through KAYSVILLE with my grandpa HAROLD.
and for the record...."I remember when banking was fun!"


When I couldn't find the kids in our house we stayed at I would look in these obvious places. Atticus watching tv (yes, this is why I pulled the plug this summer!) and Cozy and her Cousin Joe playing with toys in a walk-in closet far away from the noise.

Scarlett's Birthday Party!

I love this photo of Scarlett and Grandpa Simms! They both look a little uneasy!

Cousin Camp! Rocket Blasting was a ton of FUN!

Scarlett loved getting up into these camp chairs to chill!

...and this photo you've seen before!

Dame Reunion 2011 photo

I'll have to add pictures bit by bit from our vacation. Maybe just my favorite 10 or something. For now....this is the whole Dame clan taken by my sister-in-law Shelli in the front with Mike and her twin girls. As you can imagine this was not an easy set up. Big thumbs up to her! It was so humid and hot so most of us were sweating, great grandparents were trying hard to stand up, kids were...being kids, and well, she DID an amazing job! (the 6 siblings are all in navy) It is SO Florida as some of us were swatting at bugs and flicking ants off our legs! The background is down the street from great granny Simms house in Clermont. Very Florida!

Playing Hard!

This was taken after a couple days of being in Florida! (FYI: my kids NEVER sleep in the car!) I will post more photos of our Dame Family Reunion, After Party in FL, and Utah vacations! For now I am doing lots o' laundry, trying to weed my yard everyday (I can't get rid of my sunburn on my back!), kids are in swim lessons, baby is loving her naps again, and Benny is back in FULL speed at work/hospital!
Happy Summer 2 U!