Vacation 2009

We decided back in March to see if we could go on vacation...Amber was planning since January, but it started full fledged planning in March. Looking for a rental van, seeing who was coming. We knew Brian was going to have to stay behind because of work, and that made us sad. For the last 2 years he hasn't been able to come with us. In late May we found out the van we had last year was available for us again this year so we went ahead and booked it. Money was going to be the big issue. Gas prices were on the rise again, although not as bad as the $4.09 we paid last year, we budgeted for $3.00/gallon and for 1800 miles. I found out my aunts and uncles were going to be at my Mom's house. Aunt Darla and Uncle Dick, that I haven't seen in 9 years and Aunt Dot and Uncle David. Aunt Dot I haven't seen in 22 years and I had never met my Uncle David. I knew they were staying with Mom and I was concerned because I had no where to stay. Amber, Patrick, and Summer were going to be staying with Stephie, Amber's friend. Then Diana told me I could stay with her. All I could think about was the running back and forth like last year, but this year turned out pretty tame. I got to see Mom for a couple hours the day we came in, along with Tracy, Jimmy, and Beth, and it was a laughter filled night, but total was about 6 hours, along with my aunts and uncles. I wanted to see them more, but after being told that I wasn't really wanted in the house, or my sisters couldn't be there with me, and too much noise, well, I was told to stay away. I got to see Dad for awhile with Trisha, Tracy, Kenny, and Colby, and I was told I was still the bossy one. Just for information's sake....I was never the bossy one, that was Tracy! We had a cookout at Tracy's house and I got to catch up with Jimmy and Michelle. I was sang to by Michelle...thanks for the serenade...and then we played American Idol...well Jimmy, Michelle, and I played. I knew maybe 1 or 2 songs and the dances I had no clue how to do them, so half the time I was waving my arms around while listening to everyone laugh. Michelle's son Shane showed up and the laughfest went on from there. I think the highlight of the night was watching Michelle and Jimmy try to do "The Worm" dance. We went to the beach a couple of times, I caught up with friends I haven't seen in years, the kids stayed mostly with Stephie and they went to the malls and hotshotted around in Stephie's 2010 Camaro. Diana and I had our Frosties, Perkins, McDonalds, and talked alot. I played Bingo and won $2.50...been a long time since I've played Bingo in real life, instead of on Pogo.com, so it was fun. Diana also took us to the Moose Lodge for breakfast on Sunday and it was a nice treat. I also spent a couple of hours at Chuck E. Cheese's before we left celebrating Sherry's little boy, Chance's, 7th birthday and was happy to see Sherry and her husband Randy, after a good many years....talking in person and seeing them smile is so much better than reading emails. Kim and Omar showed up with Jennifer and I was happy to meet Omar and to hold Jennifer, almost a year old and cute as a button. You don't realize how fast a week goes until you're on vacation and can't do everything you want to do, or see people as much as you want to either. We never got to see Leslie and Matthew as they were in Tennessee with Donna and Howard, and all ya'll were on my mind. We came home on Father's Day and made it in pretty good time...just under 11 hours. I hope next year has more opportunities than this one.

Yep, me getting the first thing out of the vending machine....I love my Big Texas Cinnamon Roll!

Somewhere south of Macon, GA around 4:30 a.m.

Patrick looking at the camera.

Patrick taking his picture in the window of the van.

Amber and Summer trying to jump in the parking lot.

Amber and Summer at the Welcome Center 2 miles over the state line around 6:30 a.m.

Patrick and Summer at the state line.

A beautiful Florida Sunrise.

Summer and Amber at Miromar Mall in Estero.

Amber, Dad, Summer, and Patrick at Dad's house.

Dad relaxing in his chair.

Colby, Kenny, and Trish.

Trisha and Colby...sorry he's cut off.

A close up of Trish....love the raccoon look, Sis!

Tracy standing and looking hip!

Dad on the phone with Leslie.."HI LESLIE!!!!"

Dad, Tracy, Patrick, me, Summer, Kenny, Trisha...trying to get a family shot, and being told that I was still the bossy one......Nuh uh...Tracy was and still is!!!

Colby,Dad, Tracy, Trisha, Kenny, Summer, Amber, Me, Patrick....the family photo....Just missing Jimmy, Matthew and Leslie, Danny, Brian, Beth, Shane, Michelle and her son Shane.

Beth and Amber at Tracy's house.

Amber, Marla, Alisha, Patrick, Melissa, Summer...the gang....at Bonita Beach, access #10.

Amber, Marla, Alisha, Melissa

Yep, it's me....Look at the white legs!!!!!

Patrick and Summer

Amber, Patrick, Summer, and Stephie in her 2010 Black Camaro.

Mom folding laundry.

Mom, Aunt Dot, Uncle David, Aunt Darla.

Aunt Darla and Uncle Dick.

Aunt Dot saying, "Don't hate me because I'm beautiful."

Aunt Dot and Aunt Darla acting goofy in the laundry room at Mom's.

Amber and Summer at Mom's Pool.

Patrick relaxing at Mom's Pool.

Just standing on the ramp of the beach.

Summer sneaking in the water while Patrick gives me a hug.

Standing on the ramp of Bonita Beach our last day.

Me and Amber.

Playing with bubbles.

Still playing!!!!

Sitting on the rocks..you can see Patrick's arm.

Another shot of me sitting.

The long walk back to the van...I hurt my toe on the rocks.

A closeup of Amber.

A closeup of Summer

Summer and Amber.

A closeup of Patrick.

Another beautiful day in Paradise about to end!

Summer, Patrick, Amber, me, Melissa, Alisha at the beach for the final time...yes, my toe still hurt really bad.

Stephie and Amber before we left. Thank you Stephie for all you did for the kids!

David, Nann, Krystal, me, Kyle, and Emily. My how we have changed. Taken 5 minutes before we left for Georgia.