Water Fun

Point Defiance Zoo has a new play zone for kids! Part of the play area is water area that has water zipping up out of different areas...Dajia had a blast. She loves water and had so much fun getting wet.



This is Dajia soaking wet and having fun!





Dajia is face down over one of the holes where water spurts up out of. She'd seen water come out of it; however, didn't grasp the concept that water was going to come out again.



Here comes the water...watch out!




Standing in the water!




Point Defiance also has a new carosuel ride. Here's another place that Dajia screamed uncontrollably once we took her off (after two rides).

The Zoo!

Last week me, my sister Camille, niece Dajia, nephew Brandon and his friend Chris headed to the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium. It was a nice day, a bit hot, but not as hot as it had been the week before. My sister and I were trying to find something to do to spend time with our nephew Brandon who was up here visiting for six weeks (my sister and her family moved to Cali last summer).



Me and my baby sister Camille!



Dajia checking out the starfish and other "sea creatures" that you could touch inside the Aquarium.



My nephew Brandon, who was up here visiting my Dad for about six weeks. Hard to imagine he is 16 now and driving...where does the time go?



I love this picture even not being able to see Dajia's face. She was completely fascinated in the Aquarium. She loved all the fish and the sharks. She sat and stared and touched the glass like she could get to them. She screamed when we tried walking on to the next exhibit.



Me and the "Family" statue inside the park!

Saying Goodbye!

Saying goodbye is never easy, especially when you are saying goodbye and don't know when you'll see that person again. My friend Chipo, who was an MC student this year, left today to go back home to Zimbabwe. She had been here in the states for quite a few years, as she was an exchange student in high school and then came to Washington to attend PLU where she graduated from a year ago. While at PLU she was on a student Visa. Once she decided on MC, we began working on changing her Visa to a religious visa, as her student visa was no longer valid. This was something we worked on all year. Unfortunately, a few months ago, we received final word that her Visa to stay in the States wasn't going to come through.

Not only was she an MC student, but we were roommates last summer as we took care of a Dementia patient, Tom! We had so much fun living together and getting to know one another. Who knew that a black girl from Zimbabwe would love TV so much and know so much about the show "Golden Girls"! We watched entirely too much TV last summer...going from the standard re-runs on every summer, to Disney (Hey from Raven), to GP's (Guilty Pleasures...those shows you don't want anyone to know you watch..."Dancing with the Stars!").

She is truly one young lady that I can count as a friend and a sister. Who knows what God has in store for her back home. She may be back in the States next year or she may never be back. I may get to go to Zimbabwe some time. What I do know is that God has ordained each and every step that we take, and Chipo's returning home is not an accident. If we never see each other on earth again, we will meet again in Heaven.

Cheeps...I love you! You are truly an amazing woman of God, and He will richly bless you for being obedient to Him about returning home. Think of all the people that you will be touching and blessing that you couldn't have done from the USA.

**Thanks Marcie for the picture**

More Vacation Pics!

I just had to share with you a few more pictures from my Disney Cruise Vacation. We had so much fun, and I was totally blessed to be able to go on this vacation.





This was a road sign on the Route 66 Road where all the bars/clubs were at on board. I just thought it was hilarious..."Nuts to You!"




Enjoying a little wine with dinner, at Animator's Palate on our last night of the cruise.




Tony and Helena...Susana's brother and wife from Spain. I love talking with Helena, my Spanish is non-existent and she speaks English fairly well. However, there are moments when the correct English terminology escapes her, and that is when we start laughing.





You never know who might just decide to take a walk around the deck in the afternoon. Repeat after me...I must always have my camera handy and ready! Me and Alexis were ready for our pic with Daisy Duck.





Me and Susana hanging out in one of the cool round windows outside Wave Bands...the club we went to every night to listen to music.





Aarrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! Who is this wench???





My favorite way to take a pic...take it by holding the camera and taking my own picture! This is me and Juana, Susana's mom. This is actually our second vacation together...she went with us to Spain a few years ago.





Me and Susana outside on Deck 10 at the Pirates in the Caribbean Deck Party!




These are some mean looking twin pirates. Laura and Virginia on Pirates in the Caribbean night!




I'm surprised he posed for this picture....Antonio in his pirate get up!

Castaway Cay

Disney has their own private island in the Bahamas called Castaway Cay. We were here on Tuesday of our cruise, and had a great time enjoying the scenery, the water and just being out in the sun. I went snorkeling with Susana's brother Tony, his son Antonio, and her other nephew RJ. It was a blast...so many cool fish to see, and Disney has "sunk" a ton of items to attract fish as well as to keep the snorkelers occupied.




An absolutely beautiful view of the sun breaking through the clouds at Castaway Cay





View of the ocean, beach and palm trees....makes me wish I was still there or that I could be one of the full time residents of the island.







Another view of the sun breaking through. There had been a little bit of rain off and on throughout the day; however, the last hour or so of our time on the island was interrupted by a small tropical storm. To this Washingtonian it was nothing...but they thought it was bad enough to kick everyone out of the water and beach. But look how beautiful it is once the rain is gone and the sun is shining!





This is a view of the "sunken" mast in the snorkeling lagoon. We snorkeled out past there looking for the sunken Mickey Mouse mast head. It was a blast snorkeling for the first time.




Me and Susana at Mount Rustmore









Me getting ready to go snorkeling for the very first time. This was probably one of the best things I did on vacation. It was so cool to be swimming just a few feet above hundreds of fish swimming together. It really made me see how much God has created, and how cool he created the animals. Awesome experience, I can't wait to go snorkeling again.






Me with the Disney Wonder Cruise ship in the background




Susana enjoying some of the water at the beach





Me at the entrance to Castaway Cay, Bahamas




Me enjoying the beach chair plopped right in the water

Pirates in The Caribbean

These are pictures of my favorite Pirate, Captain Jack Sparrow




The Flying Dutchman anchored off the shores of Castaway Cay, Bahamas





Jack with Susana and the girls





Me and Captain Jack. The guy playing Jack was perfect...he had Johnny Depp's movements, voice and characteristics down to a tee. He was fun to talk with and nice to look at :) The picture came out a bit blurry, but oh well!




Jack signing autographs for all of us!






Me, Mikki and Alexis in front of the flying Dutchman

Vacation Pictures

I'm back from cruising 'round the Caribbean. We had an absolutely amazing vacation. It was warm and sunny...although we did have a storm at Disney's private island which in turn cleared the beach and we had to go back to the ship an hour or so early, but oh well.

Of course, being a Disney cruise, I met lots of characters and had them sign my autograph book. You think, she has an autograph book at her age? Why yes I do...I'm just like any typical child who gets excited when she sees all the princesses. I also like the villians, Malificent is one of my favorites!

Here are some of our character pictures





Me, Susana (my best friend), and her nieces Alexis, Mikki, Laura, and Virginia with Cinderella






Me, Susana, Maria (Susana's sister) and Alexis (who absolutely loves Tinkerbell, and was told by Peter Pan to keep her eye out for her during the cruise!) with Peter Pan and Wendy Darling






Me with the Queen of Hearts...off with their heads! and Alice in Wonderland





All of us girls with Snow White




All of us with Aurora...Sleeping Beauty

The Bahamas!

So yeah, I leave in three days for the Bahamas on a Disney Cruise! I'm so excited. Even though I travel a lot, it has been almost two years since my last vacation with my best friend Susana. Gosh I miss her!!!! Not only do I get to see her, but I get to see her whole family which I love as well. I leave Saturday night at 11:30pm...catchin' the red eye...and get to Orlando at 11:30 am (dang those layovers)! Then we set sail on Sunday afternoon for a four day Bahamian Cruise onboard the Disney Wonder.

A few of us are talking about snorkeling while at Castaway Cay...Disney's private island in the Bahamas. I've never snorkeled before, but I love the water so it should be fun. We also get to spend a day in Nassau.

Well, if I don't check in before I go...I will be home on the 13th (late that night). So happy July...enjoy all the sun we've been getting. I hope everyone had a great fourth of July! I was going to out to the Lake, but changed my mind and just stayed home. We saw some fireworks from the house. We barbequed steaks, addressed wedding invitations for my friend Holly and played cards...a nice relaxing night at home.

Happy Fourth of July!

Happy fourth of July everyone! I hope you have a great holiday. Now remember to be safe...no putting fireworks into cans, jars or other containers (unless you can run really, really fast). I hope you enjoy the fireworks tonight....let's hear some oohh's and aahhh's....!!!!