Freedom of Speech

How have you liked my blog lately?

Please give me some feedback. I have written about a few new things recently. These topics include some of my family heritage, such as the signing of the Declaration of Independence from my great (etc) grandfather (pictured above), Charles Carroll of Carrollton and the writing of my great grandmother's (Bess Carroll Brendel) historical novel, "That's the Way It Was" which has a spot in the Library of Congress. In her book, my great-grandma (Nonna B) talks about her childhood growing up on a big plantation, Old Chesterfield. All of this is part of my family legacy and American history, and as some say, "it is what it is" (or was). I have taken a huge interest in my family roots currently.


Yet, this is an e-mail I received from a fellow writing friend:

"...sensitivity to discretion was lost on some of your recent posts."

I am truly sorry if I have offended anyone. I was simply trying to share a little information of my family, and the major roles they played in this nation's history. A nation that our forefathers hoped would remain independent and free of socialism. I am a conservative person who was raised to "keep my mouth shut and opinions to myself" as any Southern belle would do. Well, I have finally found a way to speak out- through my writing. Ironically, the very person who made the above comment is the same one who has given me courage to speak out, and I am grateful to her for that!

I am proud this country allows us freedom of speech and thought. So feel free to speak your mind, too, on my comments...can't wait!

Kid's Escapades

I. The kids and I met some friends at the library the other day for a presentation on "Pioneer Days" by a local museum. We all had a lot of fun. The weather has been so hot and dry, we are looking for activities to do inside where it's nice and cool. When we got home, I asked the boys to clean their room, which to my surprise, they did immaculately. The only slight problem is that now I can't get into their closet! I was wondering why it had taken them so little time to put everything away- they simply piled all their "stuff" in the small closet. I guess I can't complain- they did do as I asked. Next time I will have to be more specific.

II. Having kids can be so...exciting. They can be expensive, too. A few years ago, Nicholas burned our microwave when he took it upon himself (as a toddler) to put his rice bowl, spoon and all, into the microwave for who knows how long. All I know is that I was giving Andrew a bath, Pete and Katie were outside, when all of the sudden I smelled this repugnant odor- something was on fire. I hadn't smelled that sickening aroma since student teaching in The Woodlands when our apartment complex caught on fire (a story for another day). I rushed out of the bathroom to see smoke coming from the microwave. I stopped the microwave, but when I opened the door, the rice was on fire and smoke filled our whole house. Boy, were we lucky! We had to get another microwave, which we bought at Target. Unfortunately, this one did not last too long. It died on us the other day. So the kids and I ventured out to Sears to buy a Kenmore. Hopefully, we'll have better luck (and if we don't, at least we know it can be fixed or replaced).

III. Remind me to share with you one day the time the boys turned on the gas by our fireplace. We had to evacuate the house, and again, we were VERY lucky to catch it in time. I am so grateful to have our guardian angels watching over my family!

A Sad Day

Yesterday was a sad day for Hollywood. Two icons now dead. Katie spent the night with her Nini and Papa, and I guess she heard a lot about the whole thing, since they love to watch the news. So she dreamt last night that SpongeBob died, too...a sad day, right?

Symbols
~by Laurie Kolp

She was the sex symbol of the 70s
Hair as big as a feathered peacock
Smile that spread like a wave.

He was the king of pop in the 80s
Music that thrilled millions of fans
Dancing with everything he gave.

Both dead on the same day
Farrah from cancer, Michael who knows?
Symbols that died before they hit the grave.

Bedtime Conversations

"Give me a piss."

I had just heard Pete tell this to Nicholas after we said our family nightly prayers last night, as he leaned in for a kiss.

"Did you just say piss?" I whispered to Pete as he walked by with a smile (thankfully it went over our youngest's head).

"Yes- thanks to the conversation we just had," my Marine answered.

Drew had just asked Pete the question, "Where do soldiers go to the bathroom during war?"

To which Pete had responded, "Well, son, if you are fighting for your life with the enemy surrounding you, going to the bathroom is the last thing on your mind; but if you can't hold it, sometimes you just have to pee in your pants."

Thank you all you soldiers out there, former and current, for fighting for our freedom to... (fill in the blank in comments, please).

Summer Rains

Here is a picture taken after hurricane Ike.

This has been an unusually dry summer. In fact, we are in a drought and the grass is beginning to die. Let's all pray for rain. Here is a poem I wrote reflecting upon my childhood summers:

Summer Rains~ by Laurie Kolp

Memories of my childhood summers

fill me with warmth and happiness

as I recall the great times;

swimming like a fish,

sleeping like a bear,

sunning like a goddess,

having fun at the beach,

weekly trips to the library.

Perhaps the most disappointing

summer memory I have as a child

is the hot afternoon rains that would

invariably come at inopportune times

causing me to miss scheduled

tennis lessons I couldn't wait for,

swimming lessons I loved,

and birthday parties in the park.

The rains would come down

predictably each day

causing anxiety and disappointment,

but then, just as quickly as they came,

the rains would go away.

Hip- Hip Hooray!

I wish this was bigger, but in case you're wondering, the note says,
"Laurie,
Thank you for contributing your story to "Christmas Miracles." We're excited about the book and look forward to its great success. "Christmas Miracles" will release in October. You will receive complimentary copies from the publisher at this time.
~Twila Belk
Manager/P.A. of bestselling author Cecil Murphy
(Publisher: St. Martin's Press)

Can you believe this came in the mail today, along with the check for my story? I am now an officially payed author!!! Yippee- I'm doing the victory dance across the living room floor. Maybe this is the beginning of what's yet to come? I sure hope so. I'll be busy typing away, submitting stories and posting on my blog. Until then- thank you- keep coming back!

Choosing Battles

Nicholas in his new cowboy boots our neighbors gave him for his birthday (thanks Charles and Monica). He is sooo funny. Yesterday, Pete had to work and so he wasn't able to go to church with us. (Amazing how different Nick acts when Pete's not there)! Anyway, Nick dressed himself in a long-sleeved shirt, jeans and his boots.

"Nicholas- it is boiling hot outside. You CANNOT wear that long-sleeved shirt to church," I said.

"Oh, mom. I'll be fine," argued my youngest.

I proceeded to go over to him and try to take the shirt off, to which Nick wrapped his arms tightly around himself so I couldn't do anything.

Sometimes you just have to choose your battles.

I decided to let it go, for I knew Nicholas would be hot soon enough. So when we got to church, guess what? He complained of being hot and not wanting to be there. Surprise, surprise! Maybe next time he'll listen to his momma!

Nicholas at swimming lessons! He finally got the hang of it and is now an official swimmer! Yeah- no more swimming lessons for this family.

Today is the first Monday of summer that it seems we don't have any pending plans. Up until now we have been busy with swimming lessons, birthdays and Vacation Bible School. It will be so nice to have nothing "scheduled" (except for my tutoring, which is in the morning). This afternoon, Nini is taking us to the movie! My poor sweet Pete had to work most of the day on Father's Day, so hopefully he will be able to spend some time at home today! Happy Monday everyone!

Mary Poppins Still Lives...

Please excuse this brief interruption from the birthday fairy, but an important announcement must be made. After this, I promise I will let Laurie get back to her blog. Did you know that Laurie has a Mary Poppins purse? I observed as she changed purses to her new birthday present purse and this is what I found:

20 pounds of junk. No wonder the poor chick has an aching back, I mean, her purse is like a heavy weight from the gym. Maybe she needs to start lifting weights again- and the purse doesn't have to be it! Thrown out on the table, I saw six tubes of lipstick, five pencils, three pens, two hand sanitizer bottles, sunscreen, and two Invisible Armor bottles- is this mom worried about germs? And what was that- a flashlight? I mean this mom must mean business. Then came all of her gum, mints, peanut butter crackers,chapstick, yesterday's paper, disposable hand wipes, prayer cards, business cards from writer friends, along with a small pad of paper so if the muse moves her, she can write. Can you believe there was tons of garbage in there- bubble gum wrappers, candy and old school programs? Then, I found an umbrella, a poncho, a camera, a cell phone, her wallet (which is jammed packed with who knows what?). I found a book- can you believe it? It looks like a mini version of the Bible, I don't know- what else can there be? Oh, a calendar and lists of all the summer activities in the area. My goodness- no wonder this chick can't get out of bed. A compact, a mirror...does this girl need to move? I think all she owns is in her purse.

Well, I tried to weed out some of the duplicates, but I don't know. This is one tough momma, and her new purse still seems heavy. Heaven help her. I think she needs a spoonful of sugar and some sleep... what do you think?

My Birthday...

My birthday started out lovely with breakfast in bed. My wonderful children brought my coffee in a new mug from Starbucks with freshly ground coffee from Starbucks (along with a gift certificate). Two of my favorite mugs had recently been broken - one when the kids were playing the Wii and knocked it down, the other when they accidentally dropped one while unloading the dishwasher; hence the new mug. I love it! Along with the coffee, I had Pete's infamous pancakes, strawberries and orange juice- yummy! My great family also gave me other gifts I love: a beautiful picture frame necklace where I can place a photo of the kids and wear it close to my heart, a cardinal windchime, a neat cardinal that looks like it is going through the window (see picture below), a wonderful candle and an Aggie garden gnome.
I was so full from breakfast, I decided to take a little walk. Of course, I took my camera with me, for I would never want to miss a special moment. As I walked down the street, a huge feeling of grief struck me and I began crying because I miss Mary so much. I thought to myself that maybe I should go and visit her grave soon. By that time, I was halfway down the street and guess what happened! My friend, Libby, who just got back (the same one the dove warned me about and who had a cardinal appear to her as she read my card) popped out of her house to put a letter in her mailbox. Of course she gave me a hug, and I instantly felt better! When I got home, my cardinal was munching on some birdseed, as you can see in the photo above. ( He appeared to me all day long).

After my walk, my family took me to the phone store to pick out a new cell phone! I feel like a savy chic now that I can text finally. Katie is going to show me how. (Kids are good at keeping their parents hip). Later on, I stopped by Ms. Angelle's for a quick visit. I hadn't been able to visit her much now that the kids are out of school, so I wanted to take her some banana bread on my birthday. She was delighted and I loved seeing her. After that, the family went swimming at the country club. We had a lot of fun there. It brings back a lot of childhood and teenage memories, though, and seems surreal to be going to the country club as a parent, now.

For dinner, my parents joined us at the Cracker Barrel restaurant. We had fun, although Drew started to feel sick to his stomach (perhaps he drank too much pool water) and Pete had to take him home. I got a cute outfit and purse from Mom and Dad. Here I am blowing out the candles on my carrot cake that Katie made me.

It was also my dear nephew, Matt's, 22nd birthday. We will all (my sister's family) celebrate more birthday today along with Father's day at my parents for dinner. Poor Pete, though, has to work. Oh well, we were at least able to give him his cards and present. I sure do hope he won't be too long!

I also got lovely calls from my dear friends Karen and Jeni! Thanks so much! Karen sent me a gorgeous necklace, and Chelsea and Angie sent cards, too. Many of my lovely friends also wished my Happy Birthday on Facebook. Thanks to everyone for a wonderful day. Except for the brief wave of sadness, it was a great day, and I know Mary was with me, too.

P.S. In case you're wondering- I'm still 29- can you believe it - hee-hee.

Cardinal Delight

This morning my beautiful red cardinal sang to me as I drank my coffee. I sat outside and listened to the melodious song as I also watched a dove perched below. I said my morning prayers and gave thanks to God for the wonderful day. Tomorrow is my birthday. I think Mary is thinking of me; I sure am thinking of her. The cardinal was also eating out of the birdfeeder in the front of the house just a few minutes ago as I was typing this, but I just wasn't quick enough to get a picture this time.

Do you remember the incident not long ago when the dove warned me that my dear friend who lives down the street was in danger? Well, she had some medical problems that needed to be taken care of and was gone for a while. While she was away, I wrote to her and sent her a card to let her know that I missed and loved her. Well, now she's back and can you believe she told me that when she read my card, a cardinal came up and sat on the picnic bench and just sat there! Everyone made a comment about it because they hadn't seen such a bright red cardinal in Louisiana like that in a long time. My friend knew this was something very spiritual and felt a sense of calmness inside- like everything would be okay.

God is good. I am thankful to know my Mary still thinks of me, just as I think of her.

A Handful of Memories...

"As I awoke this morning I heard the patter of rain upon the roof. In fancy my thoughts revert back to my childhood and my old home in Louisiana, where as a child, I so often heard the old familiar sound of the rain upon my roof." ~Bess Carroll Brendel

So begins the historical novel my great grandmother wrote. Nonna B was a remarkable woman. I remember going to visit her in San Antonio, where she lived for much of her adult life. Nonna B lived alone in her house until her death. In many ways she reminds me of Ms. Angelle- independent and gutsy. Nonna B would have Sunday dinners for the family, just like my mother prepares Sunday dinners for our family. But Nonna B would prepare several decadent desserts, and her feelings would get hurt if you didn't have a taste of each one.

I loved exploring her house. From a child's eyes, it seemed spooky and mysterious. The back of her house she often rented out (again, like Ms.Angelle) and I remember thinking it was haunted. I was too scared to venture back there, so I usually stayed in the kitchen where all the adults gathered, or sat on the big porch in one of my favorite rocking chairs. Nonna B would always come out, set me on her lap and rock me as she told me stories about her childhood. These stories filled my mind and helped pass the time, just as Nonna B wrote at the end of her book:

"A handful of memories will brighten the gloom of the loneliest day. Anon."

My Hero, My Husband

Since I am making the time from now until July 4th a somewhat patriotic tribute to the wonderful USA, I wanted to share with you a poem I wrote in one of my poetry groups about heroes. This is dedicated to my true hero- the one and only hero in my life- my sweet husband Pete. I love him so much and am so proud of who he is, what he stands for and what he has sacrificed for our country. He is the best husband and father anyone could ever hope to have, so here's to you Pete:

My Husband, My Hero

by Laurie Kolp

My hero is my husband
Let me tell you why-
He spent time in the Marines,
And is such a super guy.

Pete has been known
To give a stranger his coat,
Someone under a bridge
Whose life was in a tote.

My great hero Pete,
Panama did he invade
To overtake Noriega
And imprison this renegade.

My husband is the kindest man
That you could ever meet,
And through all his experience
He has become wise and complete.

Poor thing lost his mother at fourteen
From a long bout with Leukemia,
So he had to help his father
Raise the kids and ensure their academia.

Years later Pete's father became ill
And died from pancreatic cancer.
While Pete was in his twenties
He began searching for some answers.

The military helped give Pete guidance
And with benefits, he finished college.
Soon he felt the time was right to settle down,
He married me and now he shares his knowledge.

Together we have three beautiful children

To which Pete is the greatest father.

He spends all his extra time with us,

For anything else to do, there is no other.

I love you, Pete- you are my hero.

A fact I hope you never forget.

My life with you is blessed, indeed

And choosing you, I have no regret.

"That's The Way It Was"

Do you have any fond childhood memories? Perhaps you took several fun vacations with your family, or remember holiday get togethers. One of my fondest childhood memories is the family reunions we would have every couple of summers. My family had roots spread all throughout Louisiana and Texas. We would pick a spot for our reunion and get together for some family fun. I think my great grandmother, Bess Carroll Brendel, started this tradition. I loved her dearly. She died when I was young ( I remember being devastated), but there are some things about her I will never forget. She loved to write and paint. She painted beautiful pictures in her studio, some of my mom and uncle that are hanging in my mother's house. Nonna B (as I called her) also wrote a book that was published and is in the Library of Congress. The book is called "That's The Way It Was" by Bess Carroll Brendel. In this book, she writes about her childhood on a plantation called 'Old Chesterfield' and I am even mentioned in it, as her sweet young baby great granddaughter. Perhaps I inherited her writing genes- she always did tell me I was very creative. Well, whatever it is that I inherited, I do know one thing. I am proud of my family heritage and I hope to write more about it in the upcoming future.

Are You Proud?

While we were at Disney World, we had the opportunity to watch spectacular fireworks every night. This was a true treat, since we usually only see fireworks like that on the 4th of July, a day which we Americans celebrate our nation's independence. How proud are you to be an American? Perhaps you, like me, don't truly comprehend the depth of our independence, but my husband, Pete (and other military people who have gone overseas to fight for our freedom) understands the breadth of our liberation. Today is Flag Day, a day in which we should proudly hang our flags and demonstrate how proud we are to be Americans. The 4th of July is only a few weeks away, and then, too, we may honor who we are. Our flag hangs from now until the 4th, because we are so proud to be free. When our country was attacked on 9-11 by terrorists, that freedom was taken from us. George W. Bush had just become our president, and he vowed to never let those terrorists rape us again like they did. I think Bush did a mighty splendid job keeping us safe. In fact, I think that was his major objective while in office. The pitfalls our economy is undergoing right now are an accumulation of many varying factors, many of which are world-wide. How can someone blame our president for something that started on the other side of the country with shipping and other world-wide business, and trickled down to our nation? I think these people are just looking for someone to blame. Remember- when you point the finger, four more are pointing back to you. Don't judge a person unless you have walked in his shoes. I must say, Obama is NOT who I voted for, but I hold nothing against him. I think he is doing a fine job- and it is not his fault either that our country is in this mess. I see bumper stickers around town that say "Impeach Obama"- there they go pointing fingers again.

Did you know my great ancestor signed the "Declaration of Independence"? Yes- it's true. His name was Charles Carroll of Carrolltonhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03379c.htm and he was proud to be an American after coming over here with his family to flee from religious persecution. On my mother's side, the Carroll family was very prominent in the South. We still have land in Louisiana from that time.Charles is remembered in the third stanza of the state song 'Maryland, My Maryland':

Thou wilt not cower in the dust,(Maryland!)Thy beaming sword shall never rust,(Maryland!)Remember Carroll's sacred trust,Remember Howard's warlike thrust,-And all thy slumberers with the just,Maryland! My Maryland!

Are you proud to be an American? If so, please tell me why. America is a great place to live, or at least it has been. Hopefully we can keep running on a fair democracy and not let socialism take over. I don't think our founding forefathers, my great, great, great grandfather, would have wanted that for this country. Let's unify and move on, instead of pointing the fingers at past people who did their best (don't parent's do their best at the time, but someone always blames them, too?).

Happy Birthday, Nicholas!

Nicholas

Born on Friday the 13th,
At 9:08 AM,
My baby Nicholas
Came out rather slim.
7 pounds and 9 ounces
And 20 inches long,
Compared to his nine pound brother,
Nick’s delivery was like a song.
I felt the angels singing
The day that he was born,
And since Nick’s been in my life
He has, like music, cheered me up when I’m forlorn.
For my dear sweet Nicholas has a way
Of inching right into your heart
And when he is around
That’s when the party starts!

Happy 6th birthday, my dear, sweet Nicholas!

In the News

Today on my poetry blog we had to write a poem that had a news headline as the title. Can you believe that when I opened up this morning's paper, the headline was about CARDINALS?
(Lamar, that is).

Cardinal Turf

"Cardinal Turf" is what the headlines read
about the local college, bringing football back ahead.
Years have passed since Lamar had a football team;
basketball, baseball and golf have ruled this college scene.
But when I read these glaring headlines in the 'Beaumont Enterprise,'
I was taken a few steps back, much to my surprise.
A football team did not come to mind when I read these great big words,
instead I was reminded of my true friend~ my bright red birds.
My cardinals, you see, appear to me, in times of dire need
as a reminder of God's true love, and Mary who died too young, indeed.

Another Miracle!

I'm really missing Mary right now. But I know she's close and I'll tell you why. While on my trip, I spotted a cardinal several times, but I wasn't able to get a good picture.
This morning I woke up in a funk. I mean- it's the first Monday of summer and half the family is sick, Drew's got a cast- what are we to do? Pete's still staying home from work because he feels so bad. Everything just started irritating me, so I went outside at 7:00 AM to pull weeds because nobody cleaned our house and yard while we were away like I had dreamed. Anyway, I sat and pulled, thinking about Mary's sister, Jeni's upcoming wedding. I really want to go, but at the same time, I feel guilty about spending the money on plane tickets to fly to New York. Pete thinks I should go, and I want to go, but- isn't that selfish of me to take that money away from my family? This is what I was thinking when I heard a beautiful, all too familiar tune start to comfort me. I was yanking those weeds and wondering what to do and my little red cardinal appeared, right above me and sang to me VERY loudly. I got up and looked, said a prayer (like I always do) and revelled in the moment. I really think I need to go. And can you believe while I was typing this, I got a call for a new tutoring student? Yes, the money will be there, and something magical will happen- I just know it!

Airplane Thoughts

Sitting in this airplane
I nervously chew gum
as I glance at all the people
wondering if any has a gun.

My mind wanders back
to the flights in 2001,
when terrorists took over
and killed everyone.

I look at my sweet family
and say a little prayer,
for the turbulence is awful
today up in the air.

But despite all these fears,
sinus pressure and unease,
flying beats two days driving
and our trip to Florida was a breeze.

Missing Mickey Mouse

...and a few more pictures I simply could not resist sharing with you. Although we are all sick now, the trip was such a memorable experience. We are saving to go back- we did not have enough time to do it all. Disney World is the best family vacation and good for all ages. I miss Mickey Mouse already!

The Kid's Favorites

As promised, I will highlight what each of the kids liked most at Disney World. Pete and I loved everything- we truly can't say what was the best. Just watching our children have so much fun and seeing the looks on their faces as they explored each park was priceless.

Katie said she liked the "Festival of the Lion King" show at Animal Kingdom. Thanks to a friend, I had heard that this was a must see. The show was spectacular. Sorry the pictures didn't turn out too good, but I am getting a better camera soon.

Andrew liked the "Tom Sawyer Island" we rafted out to. We could have spent a whole day there, exploring all the amazing trails, tree-houses and kiddie play area. There even was a place to play Checkers. I was a little nervous as we walked over a rickety bridge because Drew had fallen on one in preschool (as stated in a previous post), but we ventured well.

Can you believe that out of all the parks, scary roller-coaster rides, spectacular firework shows and parades, Nicholas still liked swimming at the hotel the best? This really does not surprise me because when I was a kid the swimming pool was always my favorite part of our vacation!

P.S. Don't worry. Drew and I went to the coolest video arcade while they went swimming.

Strange Call From School Nurse

You know, I've had a lot of strange calls from preschool and school over the past several years, but today's call has to top them all. Before I give you the details of this unusual call on this second to last day of school, let me share with you some of the other calls I have gotten.

Once, when Andrew was three-years-old, I had been to his preschool for a Mother's Day tea. I had left so happy and full of warmth, only five minutes ago, and had just pulled into my mother's driveway to pick up Nicholas when the preschool called and said Andrew had fallen on a rickety bridge on the playground- straight onto his nose. It was bleeding profusely, possibly broken, but he was "okay." I dashed back to the school and took him to the doctor, who said at that age, the nose doesn't really break, but boy, did it look like it. Andrew eventually looked like a raccoon. Can you believe that when we got back from the doc, a one-year-old Nick walked up to Andrew's swollen, horrible nose, touched it and said, "What happened?" Of course, that started the bleeding all over.

Through the years I have gotten more calls, "Hello, Mrs. Kolp? This is the school nurse," uh-oh,

"and we have Andrew here. He fell off the monkey bars and hit his head." Or, "Mrs. Kolp," (nasal tone) "this is the school nurse. Katie is here with fever and cough." Oh, those years of asthma and recurring pneumonia were horrific. "Mrs. Kolp, this is the school nurse. We need a change of clothes. There was an accident here."

But today, the nurse's call was the most unexpected and bizarre. Just having gotten home from Disney, I was running around, trying to do laundry, grocery shop, pick up dogs (at least Pete is still on vacation, but he is not feeling well), worried about the kids who have bad colds, going through mail and e-mails and trying to catch up in my poetry group, when the phone rang at 11:15. I had to take Katie lunch at 12:15 because she was feeling bad and I wanted to check on her. I thought the call was about her, but no- it was about Nicholas. "Hello, Mrs. Kolp? This is the school nurse. Nicholas fell in a huge mud puddle and is soaked through his clothes all over his body- hair and all. You know how hard it poured yesterday and the day before (no- we were on vacation). Can you come and take Nicholas home to give him a bath and change him?" GRRR.

"Was he hurt?" I asked.

"No- just filthy."

I had no idea that Nick would be as dirty as he was, but not hurt at all (thank you Lord). I made him stand up while I drove him home and then proceeded to strip Nicholas and give him a bath from head to toe. Even his tennis shoes needed washing. I told him, "I guess this is where the dirty boy image comes from," I said. "What were you doing?"

"Going across the monkey bars," was his answer, "but then I fell."

"What did you do after you fell?"

"I was too scared to go to my teacher, but my friend did. My teacher wasn't even mad."

Of course not- who could be made at those cute cheeks and big eyes?

*I'll update more Disney from the kid's perspective next time.

We're Back!

We had the most magical, fun, exciting, yet exhausting time at Disney World. Here are a few of the more than 250 pictures I took. I was just so excited to update you I could not wait another minute. So, when I get a chance to go through the photos, I will post more on the blog.
I don't even know where to begin, the trip was so awesome. Despite Drew's broken arm and Nick's cold (which we all have now), we managed to visit four theme parks and experience most of the highlights at each one (and nobody got lost- YAHOO). I have not walked that much in a very long time! We rode some of the best rides, saw some wonderful shows, and the fireworks at night- well those were beautiful and breathtaking.
Since it is the middle of the night (I was woken up by Katie who is coughing), I will stop for now and say, "Good night- I'm glad to be back." But tomorrow I will let you know what the highlights were, post more pictures and share with you what the kids loved most. How have you been?