Playing With Chewie (the cat..not the blanket)

This cat loves Xander (and people). He is still a barn cat, but he will sneak in the house when you open the door. He follows Xander around like a puppy when we are outside.

Picking Corn with Grandpa

Xander helped his grandpa pick some corn from the garden last week. Grandpa would hand it to Xander and he would put it in the wheelbarrow.

"Is this thing full yet?"

Disney World-Thursday

Looking for Lizards

Our last morning at the pool and Xander spent his time looking for the little lizards that liked to sun themselves on the lounge chairs.

Disney World: Wednesday (Evening)

When Jason returned in the evening we thought we would take a walk around. We only made it
right outside the door to our room. Who needs Disney when there are perfectly good rocks and dirt outside? There are also these little lizards everywhere. Xander laughs when the run away.

We decided the walk must continue. We were mainly bored of just standing there. As we passed the path Xander and I turn on to get the pool in the morning he stopped walking, pointed to the path, and did his little sign language please. We said to follow us and he just stood there doing it. So he had a little meltdown and the walked continued.

Unfortunately huge thunderstorms rolled in. Jason said he was sick of paying the touristy prices, so we headed out of Disney for some Cracker Barrel (Eggs in a Basket). Anyways, this was the sign on their door. I think it is good to let thieves know this, so they can weigh their odds on getting caught and decide if it is worth it.

Disney World: Wednesday (Morning/Afternoon)

It was back to the pool in morning for Xander and I. We got there around 9:30, but around 10:00 two other little kids his age showed up. It was nice because then he had other kids to play with. He would throw his little plastic frog and then crawl after it.

We headed to lunch with Jason at noon.
After lunch we went back the room for Xander's nap. When he woke up he walked to the door and said bye-bye. I wasn't really up for heading back to the pool, so I drove back to Downtown Disney. It is not very far from the resort. So we basically walked around, played with the stuff in the stores, and I took random pictures. It was nice because it wasn't very crowed at all.

We headed back into the toy store.He saw the container of ball again and got so excited. I am a total sucker because I bought him one. I know...but it is his only souvenir so far (that is how I am rationalizing it).

Disney World: Tuesday (Evening)

After Jason got out of his conference we headed over to Downtown Disney for dinner. I thought Xander would enjoy eating at theRainforest Cafe. If you have never been to one it is like you are eating under the rainforest canopy and they have huge fish tanks and large fake animals that move. Every 30 minutes the lights go down, the animals come to life, and there is a fake thunderstorm. He did not enjoy that part too much. He would whine and want us to hold him. Jason said we were paying to traumatize him. He did like the fish and animals though.

We spent the rest of the evening just walking around Downtown Disney.

He did a dive for the container of balls. I am glad Jason had his legs.

Disney World: Tuesday (Morning/Afternoon)

We went to the Magic Kingdom on Monday and I took way too many pictures. I am planning on posting about Monday later once I go through the pictures. (It bothers me too that the days will be out of order, but oh well.)

Xander and I went to the pool area in the morning. He played mostly in the kiddie pool, but he kept pointing to large pool and doing "please", so I took him in. When we got in to the 4 foot water he started saying, "down down down". Seriously kid you can't swim!

We met Jason for lunch at Pepper Market in the resort's main building. The convention center were the conference is at is also in this building. Xander likes all the fountains.

The resort is centered around a large lake. It has lots of pretty paths and bridges to walk around. After lunch Xander and I stopped to to take some pictures with the resort in the background on the way to find the playground.

Playing in the sandbox at the playground

That brings us to now...nap time for Xander!

Disney World:Sunday

If Xander takes a long enough nap everyday I will try to update the blog daily. We are in Florida for a "semi-vacation". Jason has an engineering conference at Disney's World's Coronado Springs Resort from Tuesday-Friday, so he will be working during the day and let's face it moms never get a real vacation unless you leave the kids at home. However we are really excited to be here.

We arrived at the resort Sunday late evening. We pretty much got checked in, went to the store to get some milk and other refrigerated items for Xander, and ate at Wendys. Ok, nothing too exciting.

Xander looking at books in the car.

Xander in his first car wash...loving it (My old car has not been taken to car wash years.)

Us outside the hotel

Xander more excited about the rocks outside the hotel entrance.

Things I Question

So we are heading to Florida from Atlanta today. We needed to stop for lunch because Xander was having enough of sitting in his car seat. The sign on the highway advertised an Arby's so we decided on that. When we get off the exit it turned out the Arbys was attached to a Pilot travel station (which I feel should be indicated on the sign:)). I don't know what it is, but to me it is like eating at a restaurant attached to a giant restroom. I don't care how nice the travel station is I just don't like eating at restaurants attached to them. I mentioned this to Jason as we were pulling in. He thinks I am little nutty about this type of thing because I also do not like eating at "combination" restaurants either. You know the ones: A & W Rootbeer/Lee's Chicken, Wendys/Tim Hortons, and the one that bothers me the most Taco Bell/Long John Silvers. A few years ago these restruants started popping up everywhere with no rhyme or reason to the combinations. Let's take a closer examination about the oddities of these establishments (after all I am in the car and Xander is sleeping and I have nothing better to do). First of all one could argue the virtue of these type of restaurant's which I suppose would mainly be variety. I would gladly give up variety over leaving a restaurant smelling of both taco bell and Long John Silvers. What would that smell even be? First of all upon entering the restaurant you are still plagued with question of which restaurant you will eat from. So the whole time you are in line you are riddled in your head with, "Do I feel more like tacos or fish?" Once you decide which restaurant you will order from you are overwhelmed by the menu. There is way to much going on and you have to order combo meals with a letter and number code. For instant if it is from the Taco Bell menu then you would order a T3, but if it was from the LJS menu you would order a LS5. I hate to even mention those individuals who think it is cool to order off both menus. I am sorry but a nacho grande should not be eaten with fried fish and hush puppies (People who choose to do this remind me of a third grade boy who thinks it is cool to mix every flavor pop from the fountain together.) If you can make it through to this next step then with your tray in hand you wander out to find a table to eat at. So one side looks like a Taco Bell with cushy vinyl green seats and the other half has wooden booths with a nautical theme. So if you order Taco Bell do you go sit in the Long John Silver "side" of restaurant? It seems slightly unnatural to me. So, am I saying I will never ever eat at one of these restaurants..no. I have before and I will probably again. Will I let Xander order off both menus when he gets older...I guess. I will probably have to at least give him a "come on really" look though.

House Update

So, these photos are already outdated because the stone on the front is already done and the siding on the front is maybe half done. So...more pictures to come in a week or so when we get back.

The inside is coming along too. Jason has most of the insulation up, just the garage needs to get done. We are out of town this week (We are all going on Jason's business trip at a Disney World resort:).) Then we get home Sat. and Jason flies out Sun. night for a week in Washington D.C. (Xander I are not going with.) Anyways, he hopes to finish insulation in the 24ish hours he is back in town inbetween trips...crazy!