McCormick Mania!: 2013

Saturday

Russel

About a month ago our hedgehog, Sonic, died of old age.

He was given to us as an adult. He was very grumpy, we think because he wasn't held much.

We decided to get an new one but as a baby. We brought Russel home on Friday, Oct 12th. He was about 5 and 1/2 weeks.

Isn't he adorable!

He loves Cilantro!

I really need Grand kids so I can stop sewing for our baby hedgehog!!

See how much Russel loves Cilantro!

Sunday

We joined Taylor's mom at their beach house in Ocean Isle after Memorial Day. The guys found an all day mini golf place. They had a great time even though Tim was the brunt of the jokes. While the guys golfed the girls checked out all the little thrift shops.

We had a great time on the beach. The kids purchased an inflatable boat and really enjoyed it.

They buried Taylor in the sand. Don't worry, we dug him up before high tide hit!

While Tim, Missy, Christine and I took a walk, Missy spotted this live star fish in the water. We named him Patrick, took him home and did a photo shoot, then released him. I thought that was really cool!

We brought our unicycle and Tim tried it on the beach. He did a great job and even won appluase from the young girls next to us.

Monday

Stuttgarter Frühlingsfest

Tim and I enjoy Oktoberfest so much he wanted to try another Beer Fest out....so off we headed for a two day adventure to Stuttgarter Frühlingsfest. Although we had a good time we prefer Oktoberfest hands down. It was much easier to find a seat here. In fact, Tim and I had no problems getting one. The tents started to fill up around 4-5ish. We found it to be lots of young people and everyone smoked. You were permitted to smoke in the tents here but at Oktoberfest it wasn't allowed. Needless to say, my sinuses flared up!

Now getting back to our hotel the first night wasn't so fun! After three beers, Mr. Navigator, aka Tim, got us lost and took over two hours to find our hotel. I couldn't walk at all and a bird pooped on my head!

Stuttgart is a very pretty city. It is located between hills. I think it is one of the prettier cities in Germany.

Tim and I stopped by the bakery and I found my favorite German pastry. I had one of these every day when I was in high school in Ramstein.

Spring Break Cruise-2013

Tim found a great price on a cruise during spring break leaving out of Ft. Lauderdale. Oma and Opa were supposed to go also but Oma had a routine MRI that showed she had some issues with her brain bleeding so they didn't go.

The boys went to check out their room and found this!

Our first stop was the Cayman Islands. Byron had to work but his friend Traci took us around and showed us the island. We were able to have breakfast with him. We were supposed to go out to Stingray Island but the weather was bad so the excursion was cancelled.

Waiting to get back on the ship. We had to use our towels to stay warm!!

T
The cruise had a bunch of rock bands from the 80's on in including Yes, Ambrosia, Genesis Revisited, and Cheap Thrills, a band with two Cinderella guitarists. Here is Jeff Labar, a guitarist form Cinderella.

We stopped in Jamaica for the day and went to Dunn's River Falls.


The boys had a great time climbing the falls.


This spider was at the entrance to the falls and was HUGE!!


Our view when eating at the buffet! Gorgeous!

Mom's breakfast of choice! Along with the bacon and potatoes she stole of everyone else's plate.

Thursday

Susie's Sprouts

Susie's Sprouts

My garden started last year with watermelon, cucumbers and squash. The only thing that grew were three watermelons.

They actually got pretty big but really were not that sweet... but it was exciting to watch them grow and I got the gardening bug bad!

Next came the eggplants. We got so many eggplants from the two plants I planted. I learned to cook eggplant many ways. This really hooked me!

Christine, Shaughn and Tim helped me till and enlarge the garden and mix in compost. Christine was going to "share" the garden with me but I don't think she thought I could manage it. Little did she know, or myself for the matter, that I have a green thumb, or just lots of luck!

Here is the garden when we finished planting everything.

and a few months later! We ended up having to put up a fence to keep Baxter from eating all my stuff!

I love the garden sign my girlfriend got me for my birthday!

Yes, the cauliflower is pink. It got sunburned, but it still tasted great!

Brussel sprouts!

Chinese cabbage! This head was so big and heavy, my kitchen scale couldn't weigh it!

We have added another bed for the spring planting! We are going to grow spaghetti squash, one of my favorites!

Sunday

Sunday Brunch

Our dearest friends had us over for brunch this morning. All of our kids came, along with her sister Debbie and husband Joe, and Susie's parents.

I love the age the kids are now. They have grown into wonderful adults and actually enjoy spending time with us! It can't get any better than this!

Susan an Peyton are quite the enteratainers. They

are the perfects hosts. I love having a friend that

entertains so well!

The Color Run!!!

Today Christine and I, along with Will, ran/walked the Color Run. For those of you that aren't familiar with it, it is a 5K run/walk. You need to wear at least a white t-shirt. At each kilometer along the way you are doused with colored powder. The first was pink, then yellow, blue, orange and every runner had a bag at the end to share!