Do it DRIFT Style!

This weekend, Road Atlanta hoasted Drift Atlanta!  I had never been to a drift race, so I called in my connections and got a couple of tickets.  Joe and I went to the track as soon as we got off work on Friday.

It was so beautiful outside!  We set up my 300mm lens for the perfect pictures by the drift course, in the shakane (sp?) before turn 11.  I was so excited to experience my first Drift race, Joe was not as excited.  He had spent all day outside at Field Day at his school and he was not looking forward to 5 more hours of sitting outside with me.  As the race began we quickly started into our ongoing Camaro vs. Challenger debate. 

Of course I pull for the Camaro, because who in their right mind would say the Challenger is better!?  (Sorry honey...I am not giving in!)  Anyway, as we watched ONE car at a time come down the track, I am sad to say that I was not enthused.  This is not what I call racing.  The drivers are incredible, I will give them that, but I don't understand the point system at all.  Apparently they get points for speed, style, and a bunch of other stuff.  The only part I understood was that they got a ZERO if they spun out. 

Of course, Joe ended up loving it!  I think you really have to understand the different types of cars and motors to truly appreciate the sport.  Joe of course was rambling on about how awesome that driver was to handle that particular car with that particular motor.   It all sounds like "wha wha wha" to me.  Sooooo....I offered my ticket to someone I thought would appreciate it all with Joe. 

I met Adam, Joe's brother, at the local Golden Pantry...passed off my tickets, parking pass, and shcedule.  The boys didn't come home until about 10:00, so I guess they were really enjoying it.  They said the tandum drift racing was so much more of a thrill than the single car qualifying that I was watching.  Maybe I will try again next year :0).

Of course I also brought my flipcam.  Have I mentioned how much I love that thing?!?  Here are a couple of clips from the Drift Qualifying.

Now here is the clip of the Camaro....

And here is the clip of the Challenger....Just admit it....you know the Camaro was way better!

Raven Cliffs

Today we had so much fun with some of the greatest friends in the world!!  We were invited to go hiking and Joe actually had a day off work!! (I know I couldn't believe it either).  So Jamie invited us to go with her and Steven and Adam and Jill to Raven Cliffs.  Yay!  It was perfect weather and some much needed time outside...we were in!

This is at the bottom of the 2 1/2 mile trail (before we started)

Raven Cliffs is just above Cleavland Ga (about 40 minutes away) in the middle of the Mountains.  It was such a nice drive through some beautiful mountain property.  Anyway once we got there, we were excited to get going.  The weather could not have been more perfect! 

The views along the trail were spectacular!  I wish I had more time to climb down in and get some more shots of the waterfalls all along the trail...but I did make everyone stop for a few shots (you know I would!)

It took us a good hour to get to the top and we walked at a pretty good pace.  Because it was such a beautiful day we met a few people on the trail, but not so many that we didn't enjoy our walk to the top.

Adam and Steven stopped to look for bear caves :0)  But they only succeded in scaring Jamie half to death.

Once we got to the top, we knew the hike was well worth it!  Jamie and I stopped at the "top"

But the rest of the crew climbed to the VERY TOP of the cliffs...scary!!! (The little blue speck is Jill and the little white speck is Joe)

When the daredevils returned, we posed for a group picture at the top to prove we all made it :0). 

We were sad to leave and go back to the bottom of the trail :0(   Joe and Steven RAN the entire way down, Jill and Adam jogged, and Jamie and I took our time :0)  The views were spectacular.  We can't wait to go back again!!!

A weekend visitor

This weekend we have a friendly weekend visitor.  A friend of ours has a state-wide competition and we volunteered to puppy-sit.  So here he is, this is Sully:

Cute huh?  He is super cute!  He is very smart and very loving...and FULL of non-stop energy! :0)  Monaco is showing her age and just won't put up with him, so they can't play together.  Maybe as he gets older and calms down a little, he and Monaco will become friends.  He plays and plays and plays.  We played ball in the front yard and he was great at it.  He listens well and even sits and lays down when you ask him to.  He wants to play with Lotus but of course she is having none of that.  He exudes energy and is kind of like an ADHD child who really wants to behave but just can't control their body...yep, he is just like that.

I just have to say:  People always said that babysitting wild kids was the perfect birth control...they are right.  And puppy-sitting a border collie mix is the perfect "buy a new puppy" control. :0)

Relax, It's Spring break!

On Wednesday we just relaxed.  Joe hung out by the pool all day and momma and I went shopping.  We did get to hang out with Sean and Gary...that is always fun.  Momma cooked a big dinner and they came over to enjoy the eats and spend some quality family time together.

I can't believe that our week is almost over already!  I would move down here in a heartbeat!!  We always hate leaving at the end of our time here...at least mom and dad will be coming up to visit soon. 

We are just going to hang out and enjoy the rest of our time around the pool relaxing.  What a great vacation!

Lion, Tigers, and Coasters....Oh My!

You saw Monday's post that we watched the Discovery Shuttle launch and then spent some time at the beach (Joe's favorite thing to do in the world!).

So Tuesday was AMAZING too!!  Dad has been waiting all year to take us to Busch Gardens, so we packed up and headed over to Tampa on Tuesday morning.  It took about 2 hours to get there, and cost a pretty penny (like any amusement park), but it was so worth it!!!  This is hand's down the most amazing amusement park that I have ever been to!!!  We spent over 8 hours there and still didn't see/do it all.  For those of you who don't know, Busch Gardens is like the zoo and Six Flags all rolled into one, but a million times nicer.

When we got there my nerves were getting the best of me about riding the big coasters.  I knew that if I would just get on one I would feel so much better, so the very first thing we did was jump on the Montu Coaster - one of the tallest and longest inverted coasters in the world!

After this ride my tummy butterflies felt so much better.  We then walked around and looked at some of the amazing animals:

I just have to say that this park is so incredible!  The landscaping is perfect, the animal exhibits are spacious and have so many "look outs" for you to see the animals clearly.  For once, I felt like these animals might just have it better here in captivity than in the wild.  The cages were clean and the animals seemed happy. I even saw some animals that I had never seen before, like a Hyena and a Beba.

After we calmed our nerves from the Montu, dad started wanting to ride the prize coaster of the park:

I was terrified!!!  This thing goes so high!  I can't even describe it, so here is how Busch Gardens describes it on their website:

"It's not a dream - or a nightmare. It's SheiKra: A fierce, floorless, blazing-fast thriller in the heart of Busch Gardens.  After a 200 foot climb, this cunning coaster takes you just over the edge of a true 90-degree drop. And stops. For 4 seconds, you find yourself looking down - straight down - at the ground below as you're held suspended above it.  Then, you plunge straight toward the ground, racing at speeds of more than 70 miles per hour. An Immelmann loop and a second vertical dive into an underground tunnel end with a surprise twist for those who look on - because with SheiKra, even they cannot escape."

So I told dad that if he wanted me to ride it, we better just go and get it out of the way....oh mercy!  I screamed, I cried, I shook with fright, but I survived. And here is the picture to prove it:

After Sheikra we went to have some yummy lunch.  We needed to do something calming after lunch so we rode the train around the park...amazing views!

We saw all sorts of animals including the giraffes, zebras, and even a baby rhino!  We rode for over 35 minutes and had time for our food to settle...then it was off to Stanley Falls.

We got a little wet, well I got a little wet...Joe got soaked!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
After Stanley falls we attemped to ride Kumba, but it was closed for "technical difficulties" so we passed on that.  We stopped by to make sure we got to see the Orangatangs and the Tigers....beautiful! 
 

 
 Finally, We walked down into the Lori House and played with the birdies and then we went to the KaTonga show. I was sad about the Lori House because the birdies had been eating all day and weren't hungry, we couldn't get any to land on us, but it wasn't for lack of trying. :0)  Below you can see a couple of clips from the Katonga show....SPECTACULAR!!!  Usually the "shows" at theme parks are so cheesy...but thie was amazing.  The set, constumes, story, and actors were all excellent!  It was a great end to a long day! It was long day, but soooo much fun!  I would do it again everyday if I could!!  Can't wait to go back next year!

I know you're jealous!

What a great day!  We are so happy to finally be able to spend some quality time with my family and I am just in heaven!!  This morning we got up and left the house at 4:00 am...yes we did.  We drove over to Titusville to view the last night launch ever of the NASA Space Shuttle system.  The Discovery's second to last launch was amazing!!  Of course the event was dampened by the fact that in our rush to leave this morning, I left my camera battery at home :0(.  BUT - I did get an awesome video!  It was so great to be there considering that there are only 3 launches left....ever!  The way the shuttle lit up the sky was amazing and then the rumble of the ground about a minute latter made you feel like you were in an earth quake!!  It was Joe's first launch and probably our last....what a great way to start the day.





After the launch was over, we drove over to Cocoa Beach and enjoyed a morning in the sun!  It was breezy and just the right temperature!  The Atlantic was FREEZING so nothing more than my toes went in, but the vitamin D absorbed from the sun today was much needed.  I am going to finish off the day by shopping with mom and then reading by the pool with Joe....remind me again why I don't move here????

Spring Has Sprung and Easter is Here...

Ok - so if this doesn't explain how much I need children, nothing will :0)

I have talked so bad about my dog for years,but really I do love her a lot!  She has taught me how to be a better dog owner and she is the smartest dog I have ever had or even known.  She knows when something exciting is going on and she wants to make sure that she is a part of everything!

A second thought is that I have become quite the fan of making hand-made holiday cards.  I love to insert a picture for friends or family with each card.  I needed a picture for my easter card, so I used my best model. 

Hehe!  It is not photoshoped!  She actually wore that flower hat around for like 20 minutes (it probably helped that I had her favorite treats in my hand ).  And before you say I am puppy abusing her....look at how happy she looks!!  She is so funny!

And since she was so good for me to take her picture, I let her have her easter basket early...

Monaco's Basket

Enzo and Lotus' basket

I promise that I am not crazy!  Do I need some children to spoil? Yes, but until then my fur-babies will have to do.  And they actually know what is going on!  Watch Monaco open Easter Eggs with perfect ease and watch Enzo bust up his Easter bag like he knows how this works....and then Lotus even says "thank you"!

Anyways - I just love my babies and I will miss them while we are in florida....hopefully I can udate the bnlog while we are there so you can all see how much fun we are having! :0)

Happy Easter!!

What does it mean????

So last night I had one of those crazy dreams where all your teeth fall out one by one.  I HATE those dreams!  I always wake up in a panic and go brush my teeth just to make sure they are all securely there.  So I started wondering what that was suppossed to mean...so I looked it up and here is what I found....


 The typical dream scenarios include having your teeth crumble in your hands, fall out one by one with just a light tap, grow crooked or rot. Such dreams are not only horrifying and shocking, but they often leave you with a lasting image of the dream. So what does it mean?  

***  Mine usually crumble in my hands.....

One theory is that dreams about your teeth reflect your anxieties about your appearance and how others perceive you. Sadly, we live in a world where appearance and attractiveness matter and your teeth help to convey that image. Teeth play an important role in the game of flirtation, whether it be flashing those pearly white, kissing or necking. Thus, such dreams may stem from a fear of rejection, sexual impotence or the consequences of getting old. Additionally, a dream research found that women in menopause have frequent dreams about teeth. This further points to teeth dreams as being related to getting older and/or feeling unattractive and less feminine. Teeth are an important feature to your attractiveness and how you are presented to others. Caring about how you look is natural and healthy.

***  This could possibly be it....I have been trying very hard to loose weight lately and this past week I felt very unsuccessful...

Another rationalization for these falling teeth dreams may be rooted in your fear of being embarrassed or making a fool of yourself in some situation. These dreams are an over-exaggeration of your worries and anxieties. Perhaps the dream may be a result of you being unprepared for the task at hand.

** Nah...not me...not now...

Teeth are used to bite, tear, chew and gnaw. In this regard, teeth represent power. And the loss of teeth in your dream may be from a sense of powerlessness. Are you lacking power in some current situation? Perhaps you are having difficulties expressing yourself or getting your point across. You feel frustrated when your voice is not being heard. You may be experiencing feelings of inferiority and a lack of self-confidence in some situation or relationship in your life. This dream may be an indication that you need to be more assertive and believe in the value of your own opinion.

** Definatley not me....

Traditionally, it was thought that dreaming that you did not have teeth, represent malnutrition which may be applicable to some dreamers.

*** I doubt it....


A scriptural interpretation for bad or falling teeth indicate that you are putting your faith, trust, and beliefs in what man thinks rather than in the word of God. The bible says that God speaks once, yea twice in a dream or a vision in order to hide pride from us, to keep us back from the pit, to open our ears (spiritually) and to instruct and correct us.

*** I do need to get back on the right spiritual path...???
In the Greek culture, when you dream about loose, rotten, or missing teeth, it indicates that a family member or close friend is very sick or even near death.

*** Lord I hope not!

According to the Chinese, there is a saying that your teeth will fall out if you are telling lies.

*** Oh My!  Never!!

It has also been said that if you dream of your teeth falling out, then it symbolizes money. This is based on the old tooth fairy story. If you lose a tooth and leave it under the pillow, a tooth fairy would bring you money.

** I am banking on this one :)
 
Soooooo - I have no idea what my teeth dream means....any ideas????   I really hope that it is the last sentiment that if your teeth fall out, the tooth fairy will come and leave you a lot of mula....yep, that must be it! :0)

Grad School

So this past week I finally applied to Graduate School.  I have so many thoughts running around in my head about it!  I am mostly excited!!!  I have been waiting for Joe to finish grad school, and now that he is in his final semesters I can finally work on furthering my education!!  I am going to be working 100% online towards a Masters in Technology Education through Lesley University in Cambringe MA.  It is a one of a kind program that is going to open up so many doors for me.  I am nervous about the student loans and the work load, but I know it will all be worth it in the end.  YAY!!

If you are interested in reading about the history of Lesley University, click here:  http://www.lesley.edu/about/history.html 

So here we are...

Ok so after spending entirely too much time "updating" my life in other arenas, I decided that I needed to centralize!  I love the interenet to keep in touch with friends and family, but having too many place to deal with has become overwhelming...so here we are at blogspot.  Nothing exciting, just a way to keep famliy and friends update on our little place in the world.

So to get you started...some excitement...hehe.  This is how I spend my weekends.  I try my darndest to teach my incredibly smart dog things that will be of use to me :).  So you have to have a little background history....

I make Monaco home-made doggy ice cream.  After she finished eating, she always brings me the empty cup...probably asking for more....but none the less, I always have to get up from what I am doing to throw her trash away.  So here you will see her throwing her own trash away :0).  Well, just so you know, she was every fiesty this particular day and so you will see her throw the trash at me, throw it at the trash can, and try to "kill" it before she finally puts it nicely in the trash can. :0) (She looks rough becuase she just had a bath and was getting brushed out...and all the different trash in the floor was from us trying to get her to throw away different things :0)