Castle Dinner

Ahhhh, such a wonder is the dreams which inspire the world. Or as it says on our picture that we got, "A dream is a wish that your heart makes..."

It was a great time had by all. Dawn was so excited, it was cute. Isaiah wasn't the least bit annoying and also seemed a bit excited to be there. Okay, so let me lay it all out for you.

We all know what the castle looks like right? But what does it look like with no people? I'll show you, but that skipping ahead in our little tale. So, first off, we get there and have to wait just a bit as they were setting up for the next set of dinner guests. Namely us and the other 20 or so people. As we wait, whom do we run into but none other than, THE ROPE NAZI! Why do we call her that do you ask? Well, as we were waiting outside, another couple came out, done and smiling. Since the park was gearing up for the fireworks, they had the area around the castle roped off to make people go around instead of through the castle area. Not realizing this was except for castle dinner guest, a nice couple was going to step over the rope and go around the castle like everyone else.

Enter the rope Nazi. She comes barrelling around the desk yelling at these people, "Wait! Stop! You can't step over the rope! Stop!" Enters another cast member that is watching the area to make sure people don't try and slip through the castle over the rope. "I don't think they can cross the rope, can they cross the rope, wait here, I don't think they can cross the rope can they?" She is muzzling out like a repeating rifle to the new cast member. To which the new cast member calmly says, "As long as they don't run through, trip and break their necks, sure, why not." To the guest, "Just make sure to follow the others around the castle and not back into the park area..." where he proceeds to explain that the firework drop debris in this area which is why it gets blocked off. Wow, talk about not a promising start. So, anyways, the rope Nazi lets us into the main floor of the castle where we wait for our picture with Cinderella.

I am rope Nazi! And I call your names too.

So, we get inside and look around a bit. Its pretty cool, all set up castle like, DUH! Everyone is calling us Lord, Lady & Prince which was kinda neat too and what do I notice, but Cinderella's little mouse friends hanging out on one of the cross bars above the fireplace. Cool. So, we wait a little bit and in comes the princess herself. By this time Dawn is giddy and having a great time already. So, we have our picture taken, wait about 5 minutes, rope Nazi calls out our name and its off to dinner.

Meeces to pieces ----------------Princesses

Now we walk up the castle stairs to the main dining room. We had a great table. Right above the main floor looking out the windows towards the carosel. This, which Dawn found out later, was perfect in more than one way because the fireworks actually go off at 10pm RIGHT behind the carosel. So we got to watch while we ate. They even dimmed the lights inside and played to music as well. It was even nicer because the ones that actually go off next to the castle, only made a slight popping noise inside, even the big ones. Very nice.

So, we eat, (Which was absolutely wonderful food. Pork Tenderloin for Dawn, Prime Rib for the boy, and Seared Salmon for me. Yummy.) we have fun watching the fireworks, and we are about to get desert, when what to my wandering eyes should appear? No, not that one... this one!

Man, that Fairy Godmother can move. She was all over the place. It was hard to get her picture. But I did, sorta. And they danced, Dawn got mouse bashed when one accidentally smacked her with its nose. Dawn thought this was funny and came back to the table giggling. So, desert was served, we were like one of the last ones there because we took our time and enjoyed it all, so we wandered around for a few more pictures and then went home happy and full. Oh, remember that first question at the begining to this? Well, with a few more pictures of the inside, let me show you.

Oh look, there is a blog here...

Well, let me see here. Has it been six months yet? No? Then I am doing better. Weeeee... I just love having a life. Anyways... let me see... I think I left off with Jan. Yes, Yes I did. So, let the updates begin. And remember kiddies, there were no animal hurt in this invasion of the blog.

Jan.: January was different from most months around here as Dawn, Isaiah, and I all went to visit dad (Kerm to you numbskulls who don't know what I am talking about) and we got to freeze. Weeeee. I haven't seen cold like that in YEARS. It was great. We started off lunching at Speghetti Works and turning in early, then the fun began. Cold, weee, it was fun. Well, I and Isaiah thought it was anyways. Dawn didn't so much. We had a great time, saw some of the old family, namely Chris, Makenzi (I probably butchered the hell out of that, get over it. :) Sorry.) and Andy when we all went bowling. Keith made a surprise appearance. The Brian family built a snowman and had a snowball fight, we played games and just had a great time. Keith and I did our great Scottish rendition of craziness during a card game and even Kevin's girlfriend got in on the scattergories party one night we were there. Good times, good times.


The arrival-----------------------Sketti Works


Freezing Dawn-------------Snowman Hitler




Bowling if fun for the whole family!!!

Now the trip home. The first picture, Dawn made me take cause it was funny and she had never seen one before. The rest of the trip was not as much fun. The first plane; BROKEN. So, I call and get us switched to another flight which will arrive later, but still okay. Second plane lands; BROKEN. DAMN... So, I hurry up and call back and get us back on the original flight which will now be totally late and get us into Memphis after our layover. We catch the next flight to Orlando and don't make it home until 4 hours after it was supposed to arrive. Weeee... so we had real BBQ on our layover and wandered around the airport. What do we find... the worlds smallest escalator. I am not kidding. It is as long as the picture, the bottom is at the bottom the of pic and you can see the top. Talk about lazy incarnate. Sheesh. And then all is well. Weeee...


Kum & Go Gas Station----------TEEENy Escalator

Feb-Present: Well, lets see... ummm... well... Get up, go to work, pay the bills, pay more bills, oh and did I mention bills. ~LOL~ Dawn had her b-day the 21st of last month and the gang had a cake for her and sung for her, AFTER she got off work of course. Sheesh, can't even get her own b-day off, so we have a special surprise for her exactly one month off. (Best I could get.) Other than that, besides finding our mortgage going up over $200/month, the rest has been pretty uneventful. Came to find out that when they did the taxes on our house it was at the old owners house value and not the new really freakin high value, so hence our increase when they did the first year end recalculation. "it might go up a little" my ass. Ouch, that pains. As you with home know. Anyways, the rest of this is pretty usual. Gaming with friends, hanging with the family, and basically being here. Will update more after the end of he month when we have dinner in Cinderella's castle as a late b-day present for Dawn.

Toodles....

Million month stretch...

So wow, it has been like six months sinceI posted anything. Does that tell you how boring my life is? Well, to cap the last months real fast. BORING! With a few notable exceptions. Well, excet for this last weekend when we all went to see dad in Nebraska, but we will get to that in a bit. Let us take a tour of the last few month shall we?

The last time I posted anything was July 22nd shortly after Mom came to visit and Calliope came for a few months. So, let us do a month to month thing. It should be fun. And if not, then everyone can watch me stick my tongue out at them.

Aug. : Pretty boring all around. My b-day came and went and not much else happened this month. So, lets move on to Sept.

Sept. : Well, Sept came and Dawn and Calliope went to the beach. It was Calliope's first time to the ocean. They had a great time. I am sure mom was a bundle of nerves after the last experience where all of us almost got swept into the sea because it was right after a hurricane, but that was fun too. Looky here. :)

Yo Homey, buried Alive : Look at all that water

They had fun and were there all day. Sadly, Calliope had to leave us just shortly after this to go back to Las Vegas to start her first year in school. It was sad, but we will see her again soon. Other than that, it there wasn't much going on.

Oct. : Now we start getting into the fun parts of the missing months. Why do you ask? Well duh, do we even need to say that its time for Halloween? We did the special Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party and it was great. I think Isaiah loved the candy alley more than anything. The whole walk behind the race track that is normally just a walking scenery thing, was lined with folks giving out candy. Yes, I think we all OD'ed just a bit on sugar.

Yes, that gang is all here. Disney really does go all out.

Disney Boo to you.... Duh, just read the picture.


We had a great time with the ghost and Ghoulies and even got a new one of our own.

Meet Gilda the death angel. Weeee....

Nov. : This was probably the most boring month. Nothing happened here at all. Well, Thanksgiving, but that is a very tame holiday. I mad ham and other stuff. So, nothing too major... What Isaiah? Birthday? What about... OH!!!! How could I possibly forget your 13th b-day was in there. Yeah, that too.

Dawn overcomes balloon issues : Duh! Video arcade. What else on your 13th?

Presents and cake for the dork boy. Yes, it's on the cake too.

Dec. : Hmmm.... I think there was a card about this too, but what the hell, there are always more pictures to go along with the Christmas season. Not to mention that we did the Disney Christmas party too. Special events are cool and Dawn has become the epitome of a Disney freak and all that goes with it. Even got annual passes this year with her bonus money and such. Wow. We are like there all the time now.

The parade was awesome as always. So were the fireworks that everyone saw in the christmas card. We did a few more show and lots of cocoa and cookies all over the park. Like I said, they go all out. Then of course there was the presents and the decorating. It was a good year. And a wonderful 2nd year for Dawn. Weeeeeee.... Just keeps gettin' better.

Mom and son prepare for presents and Santa...

Dawn opening Isaiah's gift and me delving right in too.

Mom keeps from freezing with her electric blankie. (Nevadians, sheesh) and the tradition lives on in the next generation.

Jan. : Well, you will just have to wait for the next blog entrance for Jan. That will be a whole one by itself since all the fun times we had in Omaha, NE of all places. Stay tuned....

Mom Visits & Calliope Arrives...

Well, it has been some time since I have gotten to the update part of this thing. It seems like there isn't enough time in a day. Whew. So, Lets recap the events of the recent past shall we? As some of you already know, there was this time back in April that mom came down to visit. Well, as you also may know, Mom dosn't do pictures, so I had to neak one in of Dr. Lynn checking her email on the back porch. Yeah, I have a wireless network in my home and Mom thought that was way cool to be able to sit outside and check her emails. This is also the porch that has the grill that she bought us as a house warming gift. It is way cool and we use it alot more than I ever thought. I love grilling as there just isn't anything that compares to the taste.



Well, after she left, with a present for the Bro out there in the world, things went back to normal. I am sure you heard a bit about the game scaring the crap out of dear Keith. Gotta love it. F.E.A.R. was the game and it creeped him out so bad at one point he had to leave the house. Totally awsome game and I love the fact my fearless bro was wierded out by it. Anyhow, thing got normal for awhile, summer came, Isaiah will be repeating 6th as he failed with a .98gpa. I didn't even know that was possible. Needless to say, we are starting up a point system with him to see if it help this year.

Clyde is getting bigger and more cute by the day, work is work, summer is at an all time hot and humid state, and bills are up. They are coming sometime today to replace the air handler unit for the AC as it is on the last of many legs. I am never more greatful for home warrenty than now. Talk about a money saver with the new AC unit, wow.



Then came the big day, Calliope and Scott (Dawn's ex) were coming to visit. They came and over the next 4 days, Scott got to meet me and see the house, I met him and Calliope, and all in all it went much better than I had hoped for. Scott was, as Dawn put it, on his best behavior and he and I even had a few time alone where we talked about the kids and games and such. Will we ever be friends? Doubtful, but at least we enough respect & trust for each other that we could spend time at events and such without it turning ugly. I have a good feeling about the future with all of us and the kids. Very promising.



They all went to Disney and had a great time, did the dinner thing a couple of time (me included) they went swimming at Scott's hotel, which was like the invasion of cuba from what I hear tell, and then Scott flew home. Calliope has turned out to be an absolute angel, she went to her Florida preschool for the first time on Thur and that too went very well. there wasn't any crying or anything. She wanted to try on the belly dancer outfit mom sent from Egypt and go through all the other things sent and given to her for christmas and such that she had waiting here for her. Very fun all around. All in all, everything is looking up. I couldn't be happier with my life right now ... okay, maybe if I was independantly wealthy and didn't have to work, but other than that... ;) Today I have the kids with me for the first time while Dawn is at work and its been fun. Can't wait to see what the future brings. Take care family and we will write more as things get updated.