Mini Golf at Universal Orlando

We've been wanting to go Universal City Walk's Hollywood Drive-in Golf  for quite a while now.  We walk by it every time we go to the the theme parks there.  This Sunday after church, we headed out to play some mini golf.

Isabel chose "The Haunting of Ghostly Greens" 18-hole course versus the "Invaders from Plant Putt" side.  Some holes are super short, but most were normal mini golf sized and just so detailed.

It. was. HOT.  My poor whitey white hubby and daughter were drenched.

Getting cool with the misting fans.

We had a really good time AND got a buy-one-get-one coupon for next time, when we try the alien side. Hopefully Jake doesn't have to work one day this next weekend so we can take him too.

There I am!

Derby Time!

One of my younger sisters Vicky is on a Roller Derby team. Has been for like 3-4 years at least, and I've never seen a bout/match.  When she posted on Facebook that one would be 40 minutes away from my house, I decided to surprise her by going to the game.

But first, signage!!

and shoppage!

New clothes to match the teams colors for Isabel.

The blue shirt is for me.  I wanted teal to match my new glasses, AND it has bling.  My sister's derby name it Bling-It-On, hence the bling.

We drove 40 minutes out and ended up getting there before she did, so our seats were set up and Isabel was ready with her sign.

Titi (teetee) means Auntie in Spanish.
 My sisters are all called "Titi" followed by their names by my kids.

Vicky gave a big old screech when she saw the 2 of us (the boys were both working.)

It was really cool except for the part where I had no idea what was going on, and only yelled when I saw our bench clapping.  Ha!

Isabel's in love with Elsa

Dub City Derby Girls won 179 to 100 against an undefeated team. What-What!

This is me...wearing the opposing team's color. Nice!

Oh, she's also training (HARD) for Bikini competition she's doing in August.  Check out her blog, "Bling's Adventures in Bikini Competition Prep" over on the sidebar "Blogs I Read," if you want to make yourself sick with envy.  ;)

I'll Be In My Bunk

BLAM!

My 26-year-old nephew was in Miami at Florida Supercon and sends me this picture! 

Squeeeeee!

He met Mr. Baldwin, who was confused by the two A's in my name.  My nephew told Adam that my mom (his grandma) was probably drunk when she named me, hence the extra A.  That got a laugh.  

 I can't wait to get it and frame it!  The text read "Happy Very Early Birthday!"  (It's in September.)

More Fun Stuff

Hello!  This summer is in full swing and I am TIRED.  Sorry for the failure in posts.

We went to an "I Hate Milk" party.

Isabel's "milk" mustache.

We've hit Universal Orlando (Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure) several times.

I was sent another person (this time from Houston) to train.  I'm waiting for her to email me pictures; she took a ton.  She also tuned me in to an AMAZING on-line eyeglass place.  As long as you have your prescription, including your P.D. measurement (pupilary distance), you can order glasses for CHEAP!!!!  WARNING: TOTALLY ADDICTING.

$29 TOTAL, including shipping.  YES, prescription lenses.

$24 TOTAL, prescription glasses, with shipping and tint too. (tint not pictured.)

Zenni Optical.  Go check them out.

David and I went for the first time in our 20 years here to The Enzian Theatre.  WHY did we wait so long to go??  We went to see Joss' "Much Ado About Nothing" in this amazing place where you can sit and have a meal at a table, on a couch, in a chair.  Just an awesome venue.  The movie was SO GOOD.  Shakespeare has to be seen to be understood and it has to be done right.  This was done right and was so much fun. I love Joss Whedon.  The audience really appreciated it, laughed at all the right moments; it was a good date night. 

That's me in the front center in pink.  There are more couches and tables below me,
and more behind where David was taking the picture.

David checking out the menu.

The appetizer was good.  David was not too thrilled with his meal (crab cake sandwiches.)  Mine was pretty good (the bun was a little crunchy on my chicken salad sandwich).  

Jacob's been working his TAIL off this summer, saving money for the fall.  This fall semester, he's $2,000 short from last semester, which was already about $2000short after all the scholarships he got.  That's $$ he either gets from new scholarships (he's lazy in the "searching" front) or from work.  He steadily paid off $2300 to me for the Spring semester and  another $700 for a car bump he had with a co-worker that we settled AWAY from insurance.   Now, he's working to pay the $4,000 he has to come up with for the fall semester.  He won't get it all done this summer, but he's giving me cash every week that I save up and track on a spreadsheet.  Private college ain't cheap, and we (David and I) ain't a bank.  He'll work part-time during the fall semester too, to help with the $800 a-month payment that gets sucked out of my bank account.   

Isabel started Jazz dance class at a local dance studio and is LOVING IT.  She also wants to join Tae Kwan Do.  KYEAAAA! That's happening this coming week, as well as another trip to Charlotte in 2 weeks to train a new manager.  They're sending me, rather than a manager, to train a new manager.  Uh huh. Yeap.  *shaking head*

And that's what's new these past 2 weeks.  

Bi-Weekly Update

We had David's sister, husband, 4 kids and a random kid (was told we had an extra person as she walks in the door)  at our house a couple of weekends ago.  They were staying with us for 2 nights before they headed off to Tampa (2 hours away) to stay at a condo for a few days.  They arrived on a Thursday night.  Friday while I worked they all went to the beach and took Isabel with them.

Looks like Summer is here.

Friday evening, after work, I started making a big spaghetti dinner for all eleven of us.  Spaghetti, meat sauce and meatless sauce, salad and garlic bread.  David's sister had her sewing machine with her and repaired Isabel's sad baby blanket.

Then we played a prank.  David's sister took a scrap piece and sewed it up.  We told Isabel it was all we could salvage of her blanket.

She was pretty confused until I handed her the real blanket.  After showers, they all pretty much passed out. They left Saturday for Tampa.

That Monday I flew to Charlotte, North Carolina EARLY to be at the branch there for two full days.  Never again will I try to save the company $$ by taking a connecting flight through Atlanta.  I'm trying to be all "save the company close to $300," but by the time it was all said and done, delays, running, headaches and hunger were not worth the savings.  My boss flew direct so *I* am over the connecting thing.  That, and Mister Farts-in-his-sleep Man sitting next to me on the way up was enough.

The kids drove to Tampa (nervous mom here.  My son and daughter in a car alone for over 2 hours. Ugh) to meet up with David's sister & family at Busch Gardens.  A good time was had.

I returned Tuesday late night and was back at my office Wednesday morning. (Again, no more connecting flights to Charlotte for me.)

The kids are out of school and Isabel and I were sick for the first two weeks of her "summer vacation."  We're both on the mend.

More to tell later (co-worker from Houston in town for training; cake for a good-bye party at church),  just need to upload more pictures.