We're Home

Vacations are fun, but it's always nice to be back home. We arrived at the house Friday night around 11:30pm. Lukas hadn't had a bath in about 3 days so I stuck him in the tub and put him in bed around midnight. That boy slept until 10am Saturday morning - JOY! After sleeping in Saturday we had to get down to housecleaning business. Nanna to the rescue! Nanna helped with the baby and with the housecleaning.

Rich's cousin Jan, her husband Paul, and their kids, Garrett & Macy were vacationing in Little Rock (they are from Monette, Missouri) so they stopped by to see us Sunday morning. Garrett is 5ish and Macy is about 9 months old, so they played with Lukas. Macy is crawling around so I was hoping Lukas would learn a thing or two from her. Not yet. He cries when he lays on his stomach. He's lazy just like Mom & Dad.

Lukas is having a hard time adjusting to life at home. He never wants to go to sleep. He got me up 2 times during the night last night. Ken & Jessica saw him put on his crying show last night too. I finally gave up and let him come downstairs and sit on the loveseat between them and watch Dr. Katz on DVD.

Maybe he'll get back on schedule soon!

I'm going to try & have my film developed tonight from the trip, which by the way, was WONDERFUL! Grandma & Grandpa Holt took very good care of us. The gardens were beautiful, just like all of Victoria, BC. I want to go back there and stay for a week on Vancouver Island. Maybe in a couple years when the tyke is mobile and chatty. Or, maybe he can stay home with all the grandparents.

Pictures soon!

Icy Strait Point - Hoonah, Alaska

We're setting sail from our day at Icy Strait Point. My fingers are frozen & it's hard to type because it's FINALLY cold here. We took a tender (I think it was one of our life boats) over to the dock at the old Hoonah Packing Company, which was a salmon cannery. There was a museum, 2 restaurants, and a few gift shops pretty much all in one small area. About 890 people live in Hoonah.

We saw our first whales today. They didn't jump fully out of the water & wave to us like I was hoping. I got a few whale bump pictures, and several shots of mist shooting up from the blow hole. I've been on deck for an hour looking for wildlife. I also snapped a few pix of dolphins, but you won't be able to tell what they are in the pictures. All the sea creatures look tiny from this ship.

Lukas & Grandma are napping in our room and Grandpa is trying his luck in the casino. I'll probably blow more money on this blog post than he will in the casino! There were no internet cafes at Icy Strait Point.

Tonight & tomorrow we will be at sea, sailing 900 some-odd miles to Victoria, British Columbia. We'll be sailing at a top speed of 25 miles per hour. We've got an excursion planned for some gardens there. Should be lots of photo ops there.

Yesterday we took the train up through the Yukon and it was really nifty. I took lots of photos, even a couple of a bear and her 2 cubs. We climbed over 2,000 feet in about 20 or 30 miles. Lots of snow capped mountains and waterfalls from the melting snow.

Last night there was a pre-dinner show in the Masquerade Theater on board. They did a 70's singing & dancing show that was pretty entertaining. I especially enjoyed the ABBA compilation. It reminded me of Mama Mia (Mamma Mia?). Lukas was sitting on the bench seat like a big boy watching very intently, then I looked at him again and his little eyes were closing and his head was starting to fall forward. So cute!

Oooh, a magic show is starting. Maybe I'll go!

Skagway, Alaska

Today's port of call is Skagway, Alaska. We have been poking around town, stopping in the souvenier shops. In about an hour we are boarding a train to take a 3 1/2 hour train ride up a mountain. I'll have more exciting details on my next post. Lukas, Grandma, & Grandpa are down at the Red Onion Saloon (and formerly, brothel). Lovely ladies in corsets are serving up bloody mary's and root beers (coke for me). I'm down the street in the reasonably priced ($2.50 for 30 minutes) internet "cafe". Lots of computer mini-cubicles & people surfing. This guy behind me is obviously doing some voice over internet, because he's talking really loudly. Out front are a bunch of benches with people sitting on the phone. I'm getting cell service here, so I got to call Rich earlier. I'll be calling Nanna & Grandpa Grammer later today. Can't wait too late since we're 3 hours earlier here. Time changes mess with my head. Why can't it just be the same time everywhere? Oh great, now this guy's wife is on the "phone".

I better run & catch up with the crew so I don't miss the train. Lukas is having a good time, and he is much adored by EVERYONE on the ship. He's made a real friend with our dinner waiter's husband, who is a head waiter in the dining room. He picks Lukas up & carries him around the dining room. See you in Icy Straight (internet permitting)!

Ashley's Birthday Post

I created Ashley's birthday post before I left, so you have to scroll on down to the 16th to see it!

Happy Birthday again Ashley!

Juneau, Alaska

The internet on the ship was down today, but I found a coffee place that had internet access for free with a $2 purchase. So, Ashley, I'm drinking a mocha in honor of your birthday!

We've been to see the Mendenhall Glacier - very big & icy. Lukas is still hanging in there, he's just not napping as much as he needs to. Our dinner is at 8:30, which is his bedtime (that's 11:30 our time now that we are 3 hours behind Arkansas). Tonight we're going to try & take him to the after dinner theater because there will be a comedian. I'm sure I will not get to stay the entire time.

We almost brought the small umbrella stroller, but since he had a seat on the plane we brought the old car seat, which fits on the big stroller, and we brought that. THANK GOODNESS! He's taken most of his naps reclining in that stroller. I think I'd have a very cranky baby if he had to nap sitting up all the time!

Good times & good food are being had by all. Until next time!

We're Here!

We made it to Seattle, and then on to the Vision of the Seas yesterday at just about set-sail time (5pm Seattle time). Lukas was a super-champ on the flights yesterday. He woke up at 4:00am yesterday and kept going until what would be after midnight our time. He had a couple naps, with the longest being 2 hours on the Phoenix to Seattle leg.

Today we are at sea and we just did some sidewalk sale shopping on deck. Now we're paying 50 cents per minute to surf the web. I'm trying to think & type fast & hope Lukas will be cool. We're about to check out all the onboard shopping facilities and then probably head to lunch.

We have a lovely room that adjoins with Grandma & Grandpa Holt's room. We have a good size window too. It is great just sitting on the bed watching the waves roll by. Lukas was going to get a pack-n-play to sleep in, but I just piled up the pillows and let him sleep with me. There is NO room for a pack-n-play in our room. But we did have plenty of room to unpack our 3 suitcases, garment bag, duffle bag, and backpack. It's really all Lukas' stuff.

Be sure and check back tomorrow for a terrific birthday treat for my friend, Ashley Dixon!

jenn

Cruise Countdown - 2 days

Today was my last chance at Jazzercising & I bailed on Jessica. Rich & I were on a roll cleaning up the apartment and I didn't want to leave him.

2 more days and we'll be cruising! I still haven't packed 1 single item. The luggage is still in the attic. I'm still trying to get all the clothes washed so I can pack them. I'm very excited that the ship has a clothes pressing service. You don't have to get your clothes cleaned, they'll just press them. I don't have to worry about wrinkles - hooray! I am wondering if they press tiny clothes. Perhaps I should throw in the travel iron just in case.

Time to do some Ortho work now. Bye!

Happy Birthday Ashley!

Today is my good friend Ashley Dixon's birthday. I thought I would do a tribute to her fabulous kitty cat collection. I took these pictures a year or two ago (my computer said the files were created 7/12/05, but this was around Christmas, so that's crazy). We were doing a photo shoot with Taz, who was the featured Christmas Card Cat that year. So Ashley, I hope you have a fab birthday and I'm sorry I'm in Alaska and will miss it. And while I was preparing this tribute, I realized that Ashley should start a cat blog! She could share her pictures & kitty antics. Her cats are very busy and get into much mischief. Ashley could call it "Cattitudes" or "Cats O' Plenty" or something CATchy like that.

Okay, now I'll bring on the kitty cats - Happy Birthday Ashley!
jenn

*clicky-click on the kitties to enlarge the pix*


Atticus (Catticus)


Taz (aka Mr. Burns, when shaved for the summer)

Louis (IV)

Sophia (Princess)

Mystery Cat (Ashley, can you identify your cats by their shadow?)

Lukas = Jenn or Rich???

We've finally brought out the baby pictures - who does Lukas look like?

Daddy Rich???


Not so much

Maybe a little

I just wanted you to see Grandma Haddock's hairdo
(click the picture to enlarge)


Mommy Jenn???

That smile looks familiar (especially the chin)

hmmm... maybe

Lukas loves to splash too

Here's my Grandma (Memi to me) Grammer's 70's do
Check out our groovy outfits

Cruise Countdown - 4 days

Well, I can hardly sleep at night because I'm busy thinking about all the things I'm going to pack for the cruise and which suitcase I'm going to pack it in. I did start putting some of my clothes that are giong with me in one spot in the closet. That's a start.

We got really bad news yesterday - Grandma Susie's daughter, Whitney, isn't going to be able to go on the cruise :( Turns out they have restrictions on pregnant women. What a load. Even though her doctor gave her the okay, Royal Caribbean said "no way". We'll miss her, but we'll find her a REALLY good souvenier. There is the tiniest of silver linings (for Lukas anyway), Lukas will get his own seat on the airplane. We're going to take his car seat & maybe he'll sleep through the flight. If not, I'll pack the quietest toys we have for him to play with.

I've FINALLY updated our family calendar. Just zip to the bottom of this page & log in to see it. It has the rest of May's work schedule for Rich. It does not include Memorial Day yet. I'm sure I'll just be working.



Lukas & Grandpa with silly expressions - Canton Flea Market, Canton, TX - April 28, 2006

Home Movies Are Here!

Please check out the new addition to the site - home mini-movies of Lukas. The links are on the right side of the page (well, link for now, but I'll upload more soon). Enjoy!

Cruise Countdown - 7 days

Lukas & I are leaving for our Alaskan Cruise with Grandma & Grandpa Holt in 7 short days. Will we be packed by then? We better be! Rich is staying here & working. Boring. We'll have a grand time without him. I'm trying to decide whether to take the digital camera or the SLR or both. I'm also trying to pare down the amount of things I take. I'm leaning toward the SLR with the 300mm zoom - hello, it's ALASKA. I WILL get a picture of a whale.

I plan to use the onboard computers to post to the blog while we're at sea. Even if I take the digital camera, I'm guessing I won't be able to upload any pictures out there.

Everyone cross your fingers that Lukas hasn't outgrown all his warm fuzzy clothes! It's going to be chilly to us.

Pictures From Texas

Nanna & Lukas looking at fishies at the Rainforest Cafe in Grapevine, TX
Lukas wants Jack - here kitty kitty
"Hello ladies"
Lukas & Grandma Haddock after a bath
Lukas reads the menu at the Rainforest Cafe in Grapevine, TX
Grandpa Haddock & Lukas doing a little channel surfing
Lukas does NOT like the feel of grass underneath him
Lukas & Mommy

6 Months Already?

Our little guy is 6 months old - time flies when you're changing diapers. He had his check-up and immunizations today. He weighs 20 pounds (over the 97th percentile) and is 28 inches long (90th percentile). Dr. Gray says he's "beautiful" and that we're doing a good job. That's encouraging. Lukas can eat whatever baby food his heart desires at this time. He's not ready for Cheerios yet though.

Rich says Branson is slow at lunch, but about the same as Little Rock for dinner. Lukas and I are ready for him to come back home. He's got to get busy teaching Lukas how to crawl.

My Mom, Lukas, and I went to Dallas to visit the Haddocks over the weekend. We stopped at the Rainforest Cafe in Grapevine, TX on the way. They have big aquariums and other nifty animal stuff. Lukas was intrigued by the aquariums. We went to Canton, Tx to a very large flea market on Friday. We bought surprisingly little. We just walked around all day. We got completely lost and had to have assistance finding our car. That was fun. Lukas held up pretty well. He rode in his stroller most of the day. I finally tried a deep fried Twinkie. It was very dissapointing. I recommend just eating a regular Twinkie. They freeze it on a stick, then batter it, then deep fry it, and lastly they coat it in powdered sugar. While taking my first bite, I knocked off the majority of the powdered sugar which flew all over me. Lovely. It had been heated up so much that the yummy cream filling turned to liquid and just ran out on my paper plate. I couldn't even differentiate between Twinkie and batter. AND, it was on a scary pointy stick.

Grandma & Grandpa Haddock had a nice visit with Lukas. They hadn't seen him sit up and play before. I know they were very impressed. Eloise, Mom & I took Lukas to have his pictures made at Super Target. He sat up and smiled and looked so handsome. It was so hard to choose poses, that we bought 8 out of the 10 they photographer took. Now I have to wait for them to come in. Lukas had a screaming meltdown at Johnny Carino's Italian joint on Saturday night. Fortunately it is a very loud restaurant and we just blended in. Grandma had to hold him while she ate, so Nanna had to cut up Grandma's chicken. It was quite a scene. He was really sleepy, and finally fell asleep about the time we were ready to go.

Rich was supposed to fly in on Friday to meet us, but due to some funky weather (that I didn't actually notice), the flights got delayed and the last one out of LR got cancelled, so Rich couldn't make it. So we got to see him for all of a day before he left us.

I'll post some of our trip pictures soon - the ones of Lukas petting Jack the cat are quite cute!