More New Kitten Pics

The cats (tentatively Fuji the black one and Mooch) are all getting along rather well even Sebastian’s having some fun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas in Seattle

Saturday, the drive to Seattle took five hours which wasn’t bad considering there was snow on the road from Salem through Tacoma. In Salem we had to stop at the Jeep dealership for new windshield wipers and were warned of snowy conditions affecting the Portland area. Though it was snowy, we actually encountered the least amount of traffic we have seen through the Portland area. I even managed to take a little nap though the drive was stressful and I did yell at Jan quite a bit not to drive too fast or follow too closely.

 

The Jeep did great and Jan did a fine job driving. Once there Paul and Steph got Pat to baby-sit and we drove to downtown west Seattle for dinner at Springhill restaurant. Paul and I got clam chowder and bacon cheeseburgers which were excellent.  Jan had some fish and Steph sampled some appetizers. As we dined, the blizzard rolled in and the snow fell like confectioner’s sugar and found a way to get into your clothing and chill you to the bone. As we left the parking lot, Paul jumped the minivan over a snow-covered concrete parking block which made us laugh like hell as well as the power sliding around the corners on the way home.

 

Waiting to go to dinner

 

 

 

done

 

This is one of many walks that Paul took that night. Look how happy he is!

 

 

Sunday I awoke around 7:00am and snapped this shot out the back door.

 

 

Then I went out front and took a look around.

 

 

 

 

 

Paul and I had chili for breakfast then drove down to the park to take some pictures.

 

 

 

 

 

With all the snow on the ground, the curbs were not visible and Paul drove up one while trying to get gas.

 

 

We all watched Paul shovel the sidewalk.  He’s pretty obsessive about anything being on his sidewalk so he shoveled it every day while we goofed around in the snow.

 

 

 

Jan got the kids a whoopee cushion for Christmas that she let them open early and it goes without saying it was the hit of the week.

 

 

 

 

 

done

 

 

 

 

done

 

 

 

After a nap Paul and I took the Jeep to the beach for more pictures and I got passed by a Prius on the main drag for doing fifteen mph for about three miles (how embarrassing).

 

 

 

 

 

Steph and I took Lou out for a walk and watched all the people skiing through the street. When we got back I cooked up some linguica and we snacked and indulged in cocktail hour.

 

Paul made an Irish coffee and I made hot eggnog with rum and we walked the neighborhood streets at night through the snow smoking cigars. We took shelter at a bus stop for about forty-five minutes then we walked home and watched “Badder Santa.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

We quickly developed a massive shoe pile and Paul had to lay out a blanket to keep our wet shoes from ruining the hardwood floors.

 

 

Here’s Nate and Zach waiting for their bedtime story. What hams.

 

 

It snowed another four inches overnight and Seattle looked beautiful in the morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

done

 

We got bundled up and Zach and I took turns pulling each other on the sled. Well, actually, I pulled Zach and he cried. Then I made him try to pull me but that made him cry too.

 

 

 

 

 

done

 

 

Jan and I had a morning ritual which consisted of getting bundled up in our warmest gear then four wheeling the Jeep down to Starbucks and seeing all the cars stuck in the snow. We would bring back coffee for all and donuts for Nate and Zach. That particular morning I had chili mixed with bean dip for breakfast…hmmm.

 

 

 

 

Here’s Nate waiting for Zach, Jan, and Paul to bring Grandma back from the airport.

 

 

 

Once they arrived, we all had “El Siesta Breakfast burritos” for brunch and Paul was a little reluctant to give any of his away.

 

 

 

Tuesday we all went out front and tried to show the kids how to make a proper snowman. It wasn’t the best looking snowman on the block by a long shot but I think they got the idea. Paul had fun throwing snowballs and afterwards we all displayed our different techniques of sledding. Steph’s technique got the award for looking most like Eddie Murphy in “Trading Places.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Zach got a bedtime story from Grandma as the day came to an end.

 

 

On Christmas Eve we got dressed up, cooked some food, and enjoyed some cocktails. Then we all took pictures by the tree.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s a picture of Nate reacting to Uncle Mike stealing some food off his plate.

 

 

Once Zach and Nate were asleep, Steph put together the kids’ play table then we all brought up the presents. Well, all but me because I accidentally poked myself in the eye causing my contact to get lodged way up in my eyelid.

 

 

 

On Christmas we were up, showered, and dressed by 6:00am expecting the kids to come bolting from their room but the video below shows how it really went down.

 

 

 

done

 

 

 

Here is Zach getting the Wall-E toy he really wanted from Santa. After that he wasn’t really interested in opening anything else.

 

 

 

done

 

 

 

And that concluded an awesome snow-covered Christmas in Seattle. Thanks, Paul and Steph, for having us.  We expect it to snow every year now!

 

Mike and Jan

Finally the November Caribbean Cruise!

 

Thanks, AAA, for recommending our first hotel, “The Yankee Clipper,” a three-star establishment. We particularly liked the lack of carpeting due to the severe amount of cigarette burns and the smell of vomit that permeated the hallways. The Clipper tried to move us to a “better” room but we were reluctant to sit on the stained furniture. In the second room, we called other hotels that were visible through the third floor window (as seen here) .  They were kind enough to refund our money and have their hotel car take us to a new hotel.

 

 

Fort Lauderdale was warm and beautiful. We walked on the beach, toured fifteen million dollar estates by water taxi, and I bought a hat that escalated my chances of being mugged by a good sixty percent. Okay, it wasn’t the greatest hat.  I’m a sucker for them, but at least I didn’t get offered a free bowl of soup.

 

 

 

 

 

James and Diana showed up around four on Friday, and after a warm welcoming, we walked across the street to a restaurant on the water called “Coconuts” for dinner. We sat outside on their deck where we waited an hour and a half for the best paellas I’ve ever had to be prepared (of course, it was the first paellas I’ve ever had). We killed time by watching the sun set over the yachts, drinking rum, and sampling their seafood appetizers.

 

 

 

 

Afterward we walked around the infamous Fort Lauderdale spring break drag where we found a dimly lit alley dedicated to the pirates of the sea and the spirits that they drank. We were at home here rubbing elbows with scoundrels and drinking our fill. James fell in love with a blonde haired beauty that he was eager to smuggle aboard ship and Diana expertly lured this strapping young lad away from his parents long enough to show him her tattoo.

 

 

 

 

 

The next day we all vowed never to speak of our dark memories at the pirate bar even if they were only mere flickers of insanity fading with the rise of the warm Florida sun. No, we were rogues of the sea now. So we packed our bags, hailed a cab, boarded a ship, and took refuge in our adjoining cabins eager to begin our journey into the deep blue Caribbean.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sunday we explored the ship and got our bearings. We lounged by the pool eating ice cream and watched the men’s hairiest chest competition for entertainment (Diana wanted to enter but we talked her out of it). In the evening, we put on our finest, posed for the cameras, and walked the red carpet right into our two-story, predetermined dining arrangements.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Monday the “Splendor of the Seas” made its first stop in Puerto Rico. We spent our time in “Old Town” walking on the blue bricks brought over by the Spaniards that now line the streets and taking pictures of the colorful architecture. We explored and old yellow church, drank the world’s best Mojitos, and ate traditional Puerto Rican cuisine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday we arrived in St. Thomas eager to snorkel on Coki Beach. We met a cab driver in a bar just east of Hooters over a beer and he stayed with us all day whether we wanted him to or not. He took us to Coki Beach and everybody snorkeled.  I passed because of a sour feeling that kept me from consuming my normal fill of grog. Afterwards he took us to the far side of the island and shanghaied us when we weren’t looking.  No. Just kidding.  But we did eat at the far side of the island at some forgetful restaurant above an unforgettable harbor and endless sea.

 

After lunch he took us back to port where the girls went back to the ship while James and I took a tram to the top of the mountain. The interior of the tram car was standing room only.  Yeah, it was a sardine can. And with only two tiny windows, the temperature easily exceeded a hundred degrees. The view was fantastic but I got yelled at for taking pictures of some crappy bird. Later James and I got challenged to drink their house drink which was supposed to knock you on your ass but just ended up being some kind of Baskin-Robbins’ milkshake that robbed you of your ten dollars. Then James and I sweated our way back down the mountain and walked to Hooters to buy a shot glass, look at the women, and head back to the ship.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whoever guessed Wednesday is the winner! Yes, you heard correct.  Wednesday is the lucky winner of the “Mike goes down on vacation” pool. I’m not sure what the dollar amount is so you’ll have to see Jan to collect your winnings. But I assure you there was no fall taken here, no funny business, just pure unhealthy Caribbean sickness. With that said, I really can’t comment on the pictures for the next couple of days but a lot of people did not get off in Santa Domingo due to the inhospitable port. It does look like Jan, Diana, and James still managed to have a good time even though their shipmate was down with the scurvy. (James, thanks for checking in on me and bringing me those dinner rolls, dog. It was a lifesaver. I thought Jan would check in on me but hmmm…guess not.).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday was our last stop and I bucked up enough to leave the ship. The Bahamas, baby!!! It was beautiful and we spent our time walking the grounds of the Atlantis Hotel and touring the fantastic aquarium inside. Afterwards we took a water taxi back to port and explored the “Pirates of Nassau” museum. Later we had reservation at an upscale steakhouse aboard the ship for dinner and enjoyed an awesome seven-course meal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jan, Diana, and I would laugh hysterically by talking like these two German guys with dyed blond hair who wore Speedos at the pool on our ship. There’s a lot more to the back story but they would make comments like, “Yah! There’s lots of bootiful ladies at the spa!” James hated it which of course would make us do it more.  

done

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another killer trip, crew.  Thanks for the memories!  “Groveland Jeep Excursion 2009”

 

Mike and Jan.

So here’s a little video of an incident that went down in the cigar shop at the Atlantis Hotel.

New Additions

 

Just thought I’d post a few new additions to our family.

 

Sebastian trying to be patient with Coco who is five months.

 

This one is three months and we haven’t decided on a name yet so suggestions are welcome.

 

Coco all worn out after a big day!

 

Let the craziness begin, what have we done.