Feathers on the Water

For Camera Critters Saturday!

Lubbock is more temperate than Canada, at least most of the time! We have flocks of Canadian Geese during the winter. On one of the milder days we went to the park and I took these 2 pictures. The geese were so peaceful.

For more wonderful animal pictures, visit Camera Critters, you'll have a good time!

Happy Satureday everyone!


Cozyflier

What's a (Disney) Girl To Do??

Wow, I'm in shock, I mean really in shock!! Today I just made reservations for WDW for August! Now, I'm NOT trying to brag, but we have these vacation points that have to get used! One of my best friends who has wanted to go with us for several years finally has time.


So, Come August 11 Donna, her son Conrad, Amelia, AJ, Tyler, and myself will be back 'HOME' at Old Key West! Garwsh, 3x at the happiest place on earth in one year, I must be dreaming :-)

Cozyflier

More Ski Views!

Like I stated in my earlier post, every time we I-chatted or texted I was reminding the family to take pictures! Luckily Amelia listens to me, that's my girl. I just love this picture below, definitely a neat perspective of the front of a restaurant.

Timbers Steakhouse

The ever shy Tyler!  AJ being silly and a wind burnt Kevin!

The bridge that crosses the river on property of the Alpine Lodge

I wish they had taken more pics on this bridge, but one is all I got! I won't complain.

Tyler comes down from the lift!

I love top of the mountain pictures. Since I don't ski, I never get to see it up there!

Yep, Chris on his butt!

Oh No!  Jaws has come to the mountains!!

Apparently, the lift operator is a budding sculptor ~ this is an 'igloo' work of art! I heard on the phone that there was a monster at the top of the mountain, but I thought it looked like jaws!

By the lower lodge

AJ

What's a ski trip without a fire and S'mores?

I figured we'd have the cabin that they did have. Remember, I was suppose to go on this trip. Amelia and AJ asked me to get makings for S'mores. So, I had. There aren't pictures of the S'mores, or the disposable marshmallow skewers, but they did make them :-) The trip was a complete success!

If I get a few spare hours, maybe I'll upload another video! Why it takes so dang long to upload a video I don't know! But hey, it worked!

Cozyflier

Ski Videos

If this works there are 2 videos that Kevin shot while skiing.  They are short, but fun to watch.

Hope this works!


Cozyflier

On The Mountain!

All my nagging paid off! I have a few pictures to prove they actually skied! Chris and Tyler learned how to snowboard though Tyler hated it and went back to skis! So below are pictures from the mountain. So glad the water camera is small and freeze proof :-) It was a good investment!

Tyler, AJ, Kevin, Amelia

Chris, Kevin, Amelia, AJ in front

Chris in Gray, Tyler Red stripe/Blue in their snowboard class

AJ ready to take off!

Amelia ready to take off!

Up on top!  That is the upper lodge.

Oops!

Having fun, just look at that smile!

I will see about uploading video again. Maybe I can figure out how to make it work. I have a few more pics to share, day 3 coming soon!

Cozyflier

Ski Trip Without Mom!

The date had arrived, it was time to go to Red River, however I got attacked with stomach bug. Perfect timing... Not!

Friday morning Kevin took the kids to school, Tyler had arrived from OKC, and Chris was at Tech finishing his classes and getting assignments for M and T. Amelia and AJ would be picked up right after lunch. The car was being loaded. However, I was in bed, I was NOT packing, I was NOT going to make the trip. Everyone was disappointed.
I laid in bed and told them where the snacks where, where the drinks were located in the garage and where the kids had left their suit cases. I made sure they got my cameras, batteries, chargers, made sure they didn't forget anything critically important, and they managed to get out of town by 2pm! I was on my own, except for the cats!

This is the only car pic, technically on the drive home! Oh well!

Through the miracle of texting I stayed in touch while they drove for a little while, but mostly I slept. The family arrived in Red River about 10:30 in the evening. Every chance I got I reminded them to take pictures! I got about 100! Kev did video while skiing, but I can't get video on the blog :-(

The cabin, Alpine Lodge, Red River

The front porch, HAD, I been there I would have been curled up reading here!

The living room!

Living/Dining room with the fire place!

Kitchen area

One of the bedrooms!

I think Amelia did pretty well getting pictures of the cabin for me! We stayed in this same cabin 3 years ago!

They had a great time, no broken bones, or sprained knees! Thank the Lord! That is why I don't ski.

Tomorrow, Mt pictures! I know you are anxiously awaiting!! Don't hold your breath!

Cozyflier

Crockpot Chicken Spaghetti

16 oz Spaghetti Cooked
1 lb light Velveeta
2 Chicken breasts cooked & cubed
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can Ro-Tel
4 oz can mushrooms drained
1/2 cup water
1/2 Cup diced greep pepper
onion

Combine all ingredients in a greased crock pot, mix well. Cook o low 2-3 hours

12 servings 1 Cup each 6 pts


I don't know where this recipe comes from, I got it from my niece but it is most likely a weight watcher recipe from somewhere! Enjoy!!

Cozyflier

How Did I Vacation Plan BEFORE the Internet?!?

I'm not OCD, but I do like to be prepared for vacations, ESPECIALLY Disney World. Come on, anyone who has been there will tell you, there is SOOOO much to do, that a well laid out plan is really a MUST!

As you may know, we are Disney Vacation Club members (DVC) similar to a time share only way better. So, we get points to use and that averages going about every 2 years. We have points that if we didn't use we would loose. (I don't know how to sell them!) I'm planning a quick Spring Break trip for AJ and myself.




I just spent the other day going over the web site getting the times of the park openings and closings, the extra magic hours, (we stay on property) the 'E' Night as Disney now calls it, then figuring out what days we will do what parks, and making a couple of dining reservations.

But this got me to thinking. This can be a dangerous thing! How on earth did I ever plan out how to do this before the wonderful world of internet? I just don't remember! Disney has a great trip planner on the internet, you can even make customized maps. Purchase tickets, dining reservations, even book your room ~ course I have to do through DVC!

I know that with Park Hopper tickets you can go from Park to Park, but I like to plan my 'attack' per se! I like to get to the park that is going to open an hour early, get the big rides ridden, enjoy a few hours of fun, and when say the MK starts getting busy at 10:30, go get a character breakfast. Then, go back and enjoy the rest of the day. Or, if the kids get tired, we can always go to the condo around 4, rest, eat dinner in the condo, and then go back to the park that is going to be open late! Closing down the MK until 2am is a unique memory!

Now I know I'm a Disney fanatic, but stop and think, you can book ANY vacation and get all the same info with the internet. So, back to the my original question, how did I ever plan a vacation before the internet???


I've used the internet to plan the ski trip just as much, although skiing is a little easier, I don't have to figure out what we are going to do each day! All of the family, except me will go up the mountain each day and ski!

Do you use the internet for vacation planning? Do you remember planning pre-internet?

Cozyflier

I Wish I Had More Time!

Time seems to escape me. I don't know where it goes. I have this yearning to bake beautiful sugar cookies, but I don't think I will ever be able to. I read some blogs like Cookie Crazie or Sweetopia and I think I don't have that much talent or TIME!

Especially after a day like today. I dropped the kids at school and then I started my running. Before I knew it I had been to 6 stores, gone to visit my Mom at the memory unit, and I still had to come home unload the car and rearrange furniture and pick up!

So, how do these women make such beautiful cookies? It is beyond me! Guess I'll just keep dreaming and go finish the rest of my errands so the family might be able to keep warm while skiing. (Everybody outgrew everything since it has been 2 yrs since they skied!)

Have a good week.

cozyflier

Its Valentine's Day!! Hug Some You Love!

Love is in the air, yes it is Feb. 14th. And I bet you think I'm going to get all mushy, but I know a place where love is always in the air, can you guess? Well, it is the happiest place on earth!
Yep, Disney world! Look no farther and you will see hugs abound!!

This is historic now, as Toon Town has been demolished :-(  Minnie's garden no longer exists.

Yes, hugs are everywhere at WDW and on the Disney Cruise Line. So even though we have this very special day to celebrate LOVE, we don't have to forget that love is around us 365 days a year and a hug is a very special thing!

So go ahead, hug someone you love, you'll feel better and they will to.

Cozyflier

Another Countdown or 2 or 3!

Just 7 days and we will be in Red River, NM! Why, you ask? Knowing how I feel about snow and cold! Well, Kevin and the kids, and when I say kids, I mean all FOUR kids want to ski!!!!!! So, we will head to the slopes. Usually I shop, peruse the local digs, and take lots of pictures. However, since I will be going to WDW in March, I will be saving my $$$ for Disney!! So, I'm taking my computer, a good book, and of course the camera! I will sit inside the lodge, watch them warm up on the bunny slope, take my pictures, send the water camera with them which is freeze proof to 10*, and find a fireplace to sit by!

I just found these really nice books at Barnes and Nobel. They are leather bound, gilt edge, and have multiple titles in one book. For example, Jane Austin is 'Seven Novels'. I just finished re-reading 'Pride & Prejudice'. There are 6 other titles in this book and I'm looking forward to reading many of them. I also bought leather bound Sherlock Holmes, I use to read Holmes in junior high. There are 6 or 7 novels in this book also. The best part, these books are only $19.98! I'm hoping to find the Jules Verne book for Kevin, I think he would enjoy that one.

Anyway, I digress. This week will be spent getting ready for the trip. The house sitter is lined up, so R2-D2 and Gizmo will be happy, Chris has a friend watching his place, and I think all the ski gear still fits the kids! That will have to be checked this weekend.

We know that with all the wild weather Red River has received abundant snow, so I know the gang will have a blast and I can already hear the stories of AJ zooming down the mountain and jumping small moguls!

Pray for no broken bones or blown knees. (That is another reason I don't ski)

7 busy days ahead, lots of laundry, lists to be checked and double checked. Oh how I dread packing.  The X-cargo will have to be put on the van, with 6 of us going and all the ski stuff we will need all the space in the van!  The trip should be fun.  Haven't seen Tyler since Halloween.  After we get back home it will only be a couple weeks ~

Then it will be final prep for Amelia and Kev to go to Europe! Wow, the time has gone by fast. It was a year ago that we started planning for their Spring Break trip!

While Kevin and Amelia go to Europe, I will be in Florida as I mentioned above, we had vacation points that had to be used, so AJ and I will spend break at my happy place! Be forewarned! By the end of March this blog could turn seriously Disney!

For now, happy weekend!

Cozyflier

Snow Art

Last week as the country was buried in snow we got 'a lot' for West TX! 4 inches with ice brought this city to a halt! The schools had a snow day, can't believe that, this Chitown girl never had snow days!!

Anyway, AJ found things to keep him occupied. The new under armour got a workout. He spent time bundling up, then would go outside for 10 minutes then come back in for awhile. Then one time he asked me for the camera. This is what I discovered when I uploaded pictures to the computer.

An epic battle in a Galaxy Far Far Away!

The classic snow angel!

So, my child has a one track mind! I'm such a proud Mom! I did something right, I have 2 Star Wars fanatics and all my Star Wars treasures from the 1970's are being watched over with love by my oldest! No, I don't have to worry about girls, I just have to worry about Wookies!

Cozyflier

S-P-I-R-I-T Do you Have It?

Middle school doesn't have parties, not like elementary school. The kids don't get Christmas parties, they don't get treats, they don't get to hand out Valentine's, they are 'grown up' and 'Cool!!!

But, what does middle school do? Middle school does SPIRIT days! I don't remember so MANY SPIRIT days when the other 2 boys went here, (or they didn't tell me) but it seems like once a week or twice a month we've been having SPIRIT days. Beginning of school we had crazy hat, nerd day, PJ day, duct tape day, bandanna day, and so forth!

In the past 2 weeks, we had Camouflage Day and Western Day

Here's a peak of AJ and Amelia showing school SPIRIT!!

We still have jersey day, heaven help and college team day, oh my! I think I want to go back to class parties. Making cookies was easier in retrospect!

Cozyflier