Disney

In November, I had a work meeting in Orlando at one of the Disney resorts.  We figured it was time to take the family to disney world.  The girls were 7 and 3.  What an exhausting and awesome trip it was!  

One day when we were at the pool, we momentarily lost Lizzie.  Carolyn and I looked around to find her, and here is what we found.  This video pretty much sums up the fun we had all week.







Meeting the characters was worth the wait, for sure!  Just look at Lizzie's face when JAKE (and the Neverland Pirates) came to our table.










Lizzie was tall enough for a roller coaster - The Seven Dwarves Mine Train.




Carolyn may be scarred for life, after riding the Tower of Terror at Hollywood Studios.




Our days at the park were long.  The girls got up early, and ended up staying for the fireworks or riding roller coasters until closing since the lines were so short late at night.  One night, we even made a quick trip to Epcot on our way back to the hotel.  We were not planning on going there.





A luau night was one of our favorite nights, and gave us a great family photo!  And, also one of my all-time favorites of Steve and the girls.


  


Lizzie, the self-proclaimed vegetarian in our household, informed us that vegetarians eat turkey legs and bacon.


 


We had fun hanging out at our hotel on the non-park days too.  Both girls got their hair wrapped.  And, the pool was cold, but fun.








And, in case you were wondering, it snows in the hotel lobby every hour.  The Christmas decorations magically appeared one night while we were sleeping.  






And, if you want to see more, click on this link to see ALL of our photos from the trip:

A trip to the hospital....

A place we have become quite familiar with.... but this time, we walked in healthy and well without any appointments scheduled.  In fact, it has been 8 months since carolyn has had any kidney/uti problems.  This is a record and (knock on wood) may be the sign that her reflux has stopped.  Fingers remain crossed.

Carolyn and her brownie troop made flannel blankets for the nicu.  They delivered them and got a tour of the hospital.  They got to play in the music therapy room.  They went into the pharmacy to see the robots that pick out all the meds.  They got to see the cat scans and all other parts of the hospital.

Carolyn held her friend's hand so tight the entire time and would not say a word during the hourlong tour.  I am not sure if it was healing to be there, or whether she was suffering ptsd.

Happy halloween

From little red riding hood, big bad wolf, grandmother, and the woodsman.

Happy halloween

The altman family as the cast of Little Red Riding Hood for halloween

A glimpse -- of the past and the future!

You know, we love our kids and would not trade them for the moon.  But, my god, they are all-consuming.  I think I forgot that we had a life and a relationship before them, and after this weekend, I realize that there is still a life waiting for us when they are grown and no long as dependent on us.

Last weekend, Steve and I got away for three nights without the kids.  While he and I have both traveled by ourselves, we have not done anything together for more than a single date night or a quick overnight since before Carolyn was born.  She is 7.

We went to San Diego to celebrate the wedding of our friend.  We rented an apartment with another couple.  We did not do all that much, per se, but the ability to actually sleep and to take naps and to pick-up and go whenever we wanted was so refreshing and energizing.  We ate, drank, talked, laughed, swam in the ocean, walked around Encinitas, played in the ocean, and of course, enjoyed the wedding activities!

 

These two ladies -- my mom and her friend Linda -- made it all happen.  They flew out to SLC to stay with the girls.  Our heartfelt thanks to them.  I am pretty sure they had a fun time with the girls, even if they went home exhausted.

And, congratulations to Marc and Meli.  We were honored to be part of your weekend. 

Lizzie - School Days

She has definitely adjusted well to her new school.

Fun Run

This is the annual (and thankfully only) fundraiser at Carolyn's school .....A Fun Run.

Steve and I said we would match anything she collected.  She asked a few of you to donate (THANK YOU) and she even took $9 out of her own piggy bank to give to her school. Altogether, she (and we) donated quite a bit toward our school.  I guess it is worth it because 100% of the money raised goes toward an extra science program, an arts program, and all of the technology in the school.  

Great Basin

Another weekend, another camping trip.  I guess we have become campers....  This time, the destination was to Great Basin National Park.  We saw Lehman Caves and did a hike to see the 3000 year old bristlecone pine trees.  Of course, there were plenty of shenanigans with our friends as well.


After driving through the wide openness and desolation of a desert, you approach a tall mountain full of life.  Great Basin is like an island in the middle of the barren desert

Our campsite was along a stream.

Here is a stock photo of the caves.

Some photos of our hike on Saturday.

We made some delicious food over the campfire, and before leaving on Sunday morning, Michelle introduced us to the Peacock family tradition -- a pancake flip-off. Pancakes were flying high and far over our campsite. The goal was to catch it on your plate.