Hoppes Family Adventures

WHOA!!

2010-03-20T22:25:00.003-05:00

Hey Guys!! I just realized that I haven't posted since the summer of 2008! 2008!!!! Life's just been sooooooooo busy. School has been picking up, golf coach has been going bonkers (the girls in the class do NOTHING!), other things have been sooooo tiring. I' m just glad that junior year is dwindling down. This past summer was good. Went to NO, La with my church for the ELCA National Youth Gathering. All was fun. Although I didn't have a binget at the Cafe Du Monde, hanging out with my friends was all gooooooooood. Other than that, volunteering at the First Tee of SA has been fun. They had 2 summer camps in 2009, and a spring break camp this year. Only got to help out one day this week, though. Teachers loaded me with homework. Talk about a snore over Spring BREAK!!! IT IS A BREAK, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!!!! WE ARE SUPPOSED TO GET A BREAK FROM SCHOOL, NOT TAKE IT WITH US HOME OVER A BREAK!!!!! Phew... glad I got that off of my chest. It's getting late. Hopefully I'll be able to blog sometime soon.... See Ya!

Holy Cow!

2009-10-26T13:28:00.001-05:00

Holy Cow! I just popped into our blog and realized that our last post was in JANUARY! We obviously are spending too much time hanging out on facebook. Not that there is anything exciting or interesting to post here, or there, or anywhere. Oh well. I'll try again soon.

Stop Lights

2009-01-27T11:35:00.002-06:00

So, along the route we often travel there is a corner where we desperately needed a traffic light. A small road ended at a four lane, busy road. Now, we usually had to turn right at this stop, so it wasn't that difficult. However, if there was extra traffic on that small road (the two fairly large churches located on the road often let out at the same time), the traffic would back up whenever someone needed to make a left. Whenever we got stuck in a jam, we muttered, "There should be a light here."

Our hopes finally came through a few weeks ago. The large road has been under construction, making it better for the large amount of traffic that travels there daily. Lights were placed along this road on several intersections. We were very excited about these changes.

Then they turned on the light. As I said, since I usually only make a right onto the road, I didn't really need a light to be able to find a place in traffic. However, coming home on that route means making a left from the large road onto the small road. The day the light was turned on, I came to that light, which was red, and uttered, "O crap." Without the light I could have made that turn when there was an opening. With the light I have to wait until the light turns green.

Oh well. I'm sure that it will be beneficial, especially the next time we have to drive to that corner when those churches have let out. So, I will be thankful to the city for putting up the light while I patiently (or not so patiently) wait for the light to change from red to green.

Procrastination

2009-01-14T16:41:00.002-06:00

I had something brilliant to write about a couple days ago, but I wasn't able to get on to the computer. Now it is lost in the caverns of my brain, never to be found again. I guess that's why we shouldn't procrastinate. Putting things off until tomorrow might seem harmless, but all too often we lose sight of the importance of those tasks and then we just forget. Especially when our brains stop working the way they did when we were young.

Christmas, endings and beginnings

2009-01-10T15:05:00.002-06:00

We have finally finished undecorating the house. The final lights are being packed away and boxes put in their place. I know that we can't keep it up year round, especially since it will become to commonplace if we do. The Christmas decorations are special because they are around for only a little while. It is nice to have our room back in order, with places for everyone to sit while we are watching television. But it is always sad to see it go.

Even while we are closing out the 2008 Christmas season, I'm already preparing for 2009. Each year I make homemade ornaments to give to family and friends. This year's design is not complicated, but it will take a great deal of work to create enough to give away to everyone. So, I'm beginning early. Hopefully I'll stay on top of this project, keeping it handy whenever I have a few minutes to work.

It might seem strange working on Christmas ornaments when we've just finished celebrating, but I'll be very glad if I get these done early to not have to rush with them (or give up my great idea) at the last minute. So, if you see me working with needle and thread, you'll know what I'm doing! But don't peak, because I might just be planning to give you one for Christmas next year!

Epiphany or Three Kings Day

2009-01-06T12:11:00.002-06:00

January 6th is an exciting day, but it is equally sad. Epiphany is the official end to the Christmas season. After today, I'll have to begin taking down our Christmas decorations, which have not become 'old' to me, yet. The tree is still fresh and pretty, the other decorations still bring me joy. I know it is time, especially for the outside. After all the housing association will probably be sending letters immediately telling us that our lights should have been down for weeks. However, this has been such a lovely Christmas for us that Ihate to see it end. It was so nice to have Victoria back in the house, the kids seemed to get along, gift giving was perfect with everyone getting just the right things to bring joy.

Now we have to settle back into the every day rat race of life. Victoria will head back to school for another semester. Zachary will get back into his regular activities. Bruce will be back into the swing of things at work as new projects come due. I'll be back to my normal routine of caring for my family.

I haven't really made any 'resolutions' but I have set myself some goals. I'm going to work harder at writing, delve into my 'book' and see if I can really get it going. I'm going to stay committed to the Christmas ornaments I've decided to make for next Christmas.

I'm looking forward to 2009. I do not have as negative opinion about 2008 as so many, but each new year is a chance to begin new and when we have a chance for new beginnings it is time to step out in faith and confidence that everything will be blessed by God's grace.

I begin these goals on Epiphany, the day of light, because it is with God's light shining on all we do that we see the good and the bad. God will help us build up the good and He will help us to overcome the bad. There are things to overcome, of this I have no doubt, but with God's help I'll succeed.

So, Happy Three Kings day, or even better...

Have a de-"LIGHT"-ful Epiphany.

Non-resolution resolution

2009-01-04T12:30:00.003-06:00

Ok, my New Year's resolution for this year was to NOT make any New Year's resolutions, but as I was hanging out online today I realized that I had not posted anything on this blog for a very, very long time. None of us have. But I'm going to change that (of course, I said that the last time I posted.) I will post something regularly.

I saw recently a friend (on facebook) is doing a daily photograph. What a great way to keep track of the year! I don't think I will remember to take a picture a day, but I certainly can keep my posts short and sweet. I tend to write such long stories that I find it overwhelming to sit at the computer.

So, my new posts will be short and sweet. And regular. I hope. Maybe I'll find some sort of theme... that'll keep me going.

Hope your holidays were terrific and that 2009 will be great.

Space Camp

2008-08-06T16:59:00.006-05:00

Hey Guys,

I know it has been a while since I've blogged, but I just went to the BEST camp I have ever gone to. I went to US Space & Rocket Center for a week at the Advance Space Academy. We had simulated missions (4 1-hour missions and 1 6-hour one), we met 2 famous rocket scientists (George von Tiesenhausen & Konrad Dennimberg), and 1 astronaut, Story Musgrave. We saw the Saturn V Rocket, IMAX movies, and made new friends along the way.
My favorite part, though, was when I went on my first 2 SCUBA (Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus) dives. Yeah, 2 dives! One for training, one for fun during our EDM (Extended Duration Mission, the 6-hour one). All I did was play around for 45 minutes with Toypedos, bowling balls, and a 100 pound sphere!
Our missions were amazing, too. During our 4 1-hour missions, we were trained in 4 different positions: 1 on the orbiter, 1 in the ISS simulator, and 2 in Mission Control. On the orbiter, I was able to use a fake Canada Arm (a huge robotic arm used to fix satellites). On ISS, I got to perform a really cool experiment. Mission Control, on the other hand was a SNORE. All I did was sit around and read a script.
The EDM, on the other hand, was hilarious. In a group of 16 kids, we had a body count of 19 deaths. NINETEEN!! People died twice on the orbiter, and 4 people were killed in Mission Control by a guy who was given a medical condition called Psychosis (a person with this condition goes on a psychotic rampage). He took a syringe (the thing with the needle that is used to give shots), and injected 15 cubic centimeters of air into the bloodstreams of 3 people (I was one of them). Someone else did the same to silence the psycho dude. Our counselor in Mission Control was laughing his heart out.
Overall, that week had to be the best week of MY LIFE!!!! I made lifelong friends and have lifelong memories to share with friends and family. If you have the time (and the money), look into all of their summer programs at http://www.spacecamp.com/.

It's been months....

2008-05-03T11:00:00.002-05:00

Yes, I know. It's been MONTHS since I have posted on the blog. Things have been very crazy for me right now, and I'm finally getting a chance to breathe.

Between Theatre, Key Club, and school, things have been very hectic in my life. Our play did make it past Regional and on to State contest (I saw that mom wrote about that in one of her earlier blogs), so I still had rehearsals until the end of April when we competed (by the way, we did take the championship, so it was a VERY exciting weekend for all of us in our house, and in our school!). We still have a couple of more performances this week, mostly for family, friends, and teachers at school, so we still haven't put away all of the set pieces, costumes, and props. However, I don't have after school rehearsals anymore, and I'm finding it hard to figure out what to do with all of my free time! :)

I still have lots of May obligations, though. The other day mom wrote down a list of every banquet, ceremony, and event we have to be at. It all starts on Monday, with Honors Night at school, and then I have other academic banquets, along with theatre banquet, and other receptions and ceremonies for the various scholarships I have received. On top of that, I have all of my IB testing and AP testing within the next two weeks starting on Monday. Whew. It's going to be a crazy month, but there's only one month left until graduation. I can't wait!

It's hard to believe that my senior year is almost over, but I can't wait to graduate and get on with my life. It's sad to believe that I have finally finished high school, but I can't wait to go on to college (and neither can all of my friends... lol)! It is going to be a fun and exciting time. I have finally made it through high school and survived, and that's really all that matters! :)

Love and best wishes to you all,

Vicki :)

Freshman Year

2008-04-21T18:54:00.003-05:00

Hey!! I know it has been a long time since I've blogged, but it feels good to be back! My first year of high school has been pretty hectic. I am in a program known as the International Baccalaureate, which is close to the AP program, though a little harder. I made the Varsity golf team this year and lettered, along with Key Club, also. I have also become a pledge for the International Thespian Society, and a member of our school's Chess Club. Being in high school has had it's drawback, too. Changing guitar lessons to Monday, having golf practice after school, and becoming active in our new church's youth group has given me a hard time managing time for leisurley activities. I work through it though, and it has been a blast. Making new friends, learning new things, and one year less until GRADUATION!!!!

I don't even know

2008-04-04T11:24:00.002-05:00

I don't even know what to write today, but since I promised to post more often and it has been a couple of weeks, I decided I better do something. It may be a rambling mess of unrelated words without meaning and purpose. Oh, well.

Victoria and Zachary went away for the weekend, so Bruce and I are getting brief, sneak peak of what 'empty nest' is all about. It was quiet here last night and we enjoyed watching television together without kids bothering us. But it was quiet around here last night. I looked at their rooms as I went to bed and wondered how they were doing. They did call to say good night, but there is something about knowing they are safe in their own beds that gives a mother some peace.

Even the kitties knew something was different. Felix cried out several times throughout the evening, and wandered around the house as if he were looking for them. He ran upstairs a couple times, just to see if they were up there. He missed them. Tigger, too.

In less than five months Victoria will be heading off to college and even though she is probably going to go to a school just a few miles down the road, she will stay on campus. Her room will be empty most nights and I'll have just Zack to annoy on a daily basis.

I'm so proud of her, though, and I know she will be very successful. She has worked very hard throughout her school career and she has been very responsible with her college preparation. Her outstanding academics has earned her easy admission to her choice schools and a number of excellent scholarship offers. She's won several scholarships and has recently learned that she is in the top 20 (not 20%, but 20) of her graduating class (about 300). She's also a talented actress, recently won awards at local and district competitions. Her school's play is headed to Regionals next week, just one step away from State. I suspect Victoria will be successful in whatever she decides to do.

At least it will be a few years until Zack runs away to college.

I do have to admit that it is nice to have more time on my hands. I'm working harder at writing. Just a few more weeks to complete an assignment for Augsburg Fortress Press, a fifteen day series for "Christ in our Home" quarterly devotional. I had an article published in a magazine about twenty years ago, but this is my first real chance at publication. The pay isn't great, but it is a foot in a door and a boost to my confidence. There are days when I write A WORD FOR TODAY that I think it is ridiculous that I'm even trying. The devotion seems to me to have little or no value whatsoever and yet, those are the very days that someone says that they were touched by what I wrote. I haven't pursued anything beyond my posts on the Internet because I've wondered who would even want to pay to read what I have to write. Now I've seen that maybe someone does want to hear what I have to say.

I've been a stay-at-home mom for so long that I guess sometimes I wonder if I am ever going to do anything else. Now, don't get me wrong, I know that being a mom is very important and that the successes of my children are directly attributable to my nurturing and care. But being a mom is a temporary position in a sense. We are always mothers, because we always have children, but as they grow older they have to step out into the world and make it on their own. They won't need me very much longer, at least not as they've needed me during their childhood, and I will have to find a life beyond them.

I guess this is my time for discovering who I am and what I'm called to do next.

God has a plan.

I do so hope that He'll let me in on it very soon.

ALLELUJAH!

2008-03-23T18:30:00.003-05:00

Allelujah means "Praise the Lord." We sing it in so many ways on Resurrection Day. Yet, the day is still filled with fear. In Matthew's account, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. As they approached, there was a violent earthquake and an angel appeared before them. He rolled back the stone and sat on it. This was such a frightening sight that the soldiers that had been placed at the tomb to guard it ran away. The women were also afraid. The angel assured them that all was well. "Do not be afraid. Go, tell the disciples that Jesus has been raised and that He will meet them in Galilee. As they ran from the tomb, Jesus suddenly met them in the path. "Greetings," He said. Can you imagine how perfectly wonderful that greeting would sound to your ears, while also sounding perfectly frightening. The women had never experienced such an amazing thing. Even the raising of Lazarus was nothing compared to what they were seeing in their path. The only one who could have raised Jesus from the dead was dead Himself! And yet, here He was, standing before them. Was He really alive? Was it a ghost? Was it someone diguised as Jesus to fool the women into taking them to the hiding place of the disciples? I imagine all these things ran through their head.

However, they recognized Him, clasped His feet and worshipped Him. Jesus knew they were still afraid. In their joy they still did not fully understand what was happening. He reached out and touched them to the very depths of their emotions. "Do not be afraid." He repeated the command and the promise, "Go tell the disciples. I will meet them in Galilee."

When we are afraid, Jesus reaches out to us, also, in our joy and in our fear. He reminds us that He is with us. He reminds us of His command. And He reminds us of His promise.

We have so much to fear in this world. As Christians, we also fear the response of non-Christians to the message we have to bring, even though it is a message of forgiveness and grace. We are afraid to share that message. Jesus meets us on the road. Greets us warmly. Reveals Himself to us. He reminds us not to be afraid and He tells us to Go! He is faithful. And in His faithfulness we can go forth in faith without fear to share the Good News.

ALLELUJAH!

Missed another one

2008-03-23T18:28:00.002-05:00

Well, I missed my blog on Saturday, although there wasn't much to say.

Where was everyone else at this point? Judas, so upset by the events of the day, went back to the priests and confessed his sin against Jesus. He gave back the money. But there was no one left who could help him see the forgiveness offered by Jesus. The priests did not care, they got what they wanted. Jesus was unable to speak to Judas, and the disciples were scared and hiding. So, Judas did the only thing he felt he could do. He committed suicide to end the pain.

The disciples spent that day in fear and confusion. They hid from the world and mourned the loss of their beloved teacher and companion. Can you imagine the things they must have thought about, and talked about? Who was Jesus? Why did He die? Why did we spend these years following Him? What will happen to us? Had we truly wasted three years of our lives? Is this really the end?

We, too, consider these questions as we journey with Jesus, particularly at times of sorrow and distress. Why me, why now, why this? Is this really the end?

A Fictional Account of the Passion

2008-03-21T20:14:00.002-05:00

I am posting a fictional account of the Crucifixion that I wrote several years ago for this Good Friday evening. I pray it is a blessing to you.

Wow, it has been an incredible night. I don't even know how we got to the point where we are now, but I am standing at the foot of a cross. My rabbi, my Lord Jesus is hanging there.

It all started so great. Jesus and all His friends, including me, were gathered here in Jerusalem for the Passover. We were having such a good time, plenty of food and drink. Then Jesus got really strange, talking about leaving us, about how people would hate us. At one point, He said the bread was his body and the wine was His blood. What was that all about?

Jesus always did talk really deep. He knew so much about God, but most of what He said went right over my head. And He did such amazing things. He healed sick people and cast out demons. He even raised Lazarus from the dead just a few days ago. He fed people and made them feel safe. He even forgave people of their sins. We desperately wanted a king, someone to deliver us from the Romans, but He spent so much time talking about another world.

Suddenly during the dinner, Judas left. I can't say I ever really liked Judas. He was always a bit high-strung and I did not trust him. We didn't understand why he would go away at that moment. Jesus gave him some bread and whispered in his ear, then Judas got up and walked out, right in the middle of dinner!

After the supper, we went to a garden. Jesus wanted to pray and we often went to this garden because it was quiet and away from the crowds. Jesus spent so much time in prayer, talking to God just like a child would talk with a parent. He asked us to keep watch while he prayed. I watched Him for a little while. He knelt there, so still, so intense. But it was getting late and you know what kind of effect a big meal has on a body. I just shut my eyes for a moment. I wasn't the only one; we all fell asleep. Jesus got so upset that we couldn't stay awake for Him. We were exhausted after all that we had been doing and the air was so cool and calm. We often slept outside since we were always traveling to new towns to tell people about God. Besides, it was just another night, right?

But then Judas came back as suddenly as he left. He walked right up to Jesus and kissed Him. Judas was followed by a company of Roman soldiers and a bunch of those religious folk from Jerusalem. Jesus talked about them a lot. He even got into a discussion with them on Tuesday, when they tried to trick Him. He beat them at their own game, and now they are mad. But why the Romans, why the weapons? Had we really done something wrong? I have to admit that I was getting pretty scared.

We were not going down without a fight, so someone drew a sword. In the struggle, a Roman guard was hurt - his ear was cut. Jesus stopped the fighting and told us to put away the sword. And then Jesus healed the man. Can you believe that He would do that? They wanted to take Him away, perhaps even to His death, but Jesus showed him mercy by healing his ear and then went willingly with the soldiers. We followed as best we could and tried to stay near Jesus, but there was such a great crowd that it was hard to see what was happening. We heard that Jesus was taken before some sort of court and that He just stood there. People were lying about Him and saying all sorts of bad things, but He did not even try to defend Himself.

They took Jesus before Pontius Pilate. When Pilate questioned Him, Jesus talked about another world again. Doesn't He know what's at stake?

Jesus looked so sad, so hurt. He was always such a strong, healthy guy, but He looked beaten and dirty.

Pilate didn't want to deal with this case. He couldn't convict Jesus of anything according to the law and he saw no reason to crucify Him. But the crowd was getting out of control and there was talk of wanting Him dead. DEAD! Pilate gave us a choice of a prisoner to be freed for Passover - Jesus or Barabbas. I don't know how it happened, but the crowd chose Barabbas. He was a murderer! Jesus did nothing but talk about love and making things right. I just don't understand all this.

I don't know where the other disciples were; we had gotten separated in the confusion. We were all so afraid. We wanted to be with Jesus, but we hid in the crowd, afraid to be recognized as one of His disciples. I heard that Peter even said that he didn't know Jesus three times. You know, at the supper last night, Jesus said that Peter would deny Him three times before the rooster crowed, but we couldn't believe it. Peter loved Jesus so much.

When Pilate asked the crowd what he should do about Jesus, people started to yell, "Crucify Him." Crucify Him? What in the world did He do to deserve that? And what will happen to the rest of us? I wanted to go hide, but I couldn't leave my Lord. What will we do? How will we go on? We gave up everything to be with Jesus, and now… and now it is all over.

Now I stand at the base of a cross, seeing Jesus hanging there hurt and suffering. I can't believe we've gotten to this point. What went wrong? What could we have done different? They've made Him look like such a fool. They took His clothes, and divided them among themselves. They put a crown of thorns on His head, and a sign at the top of the cross that says, "This is the King of the Jews."

The crowd is taunting Jesus. "Hey, King of the Jews, save yourself and we'll believe in you." Even the other prisoners are yelling things at Him. Jesus is saying something but it is so hard to hear. He must be thirsty; someone is giving him some sour wine.

What was that? Can you believe this is happening? Jesus just asked God to forgive them, as if they did not know what they were doing.

"Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" Where have I heard that before? Oh, I remember, it is from one of King David's Psalms... My God, Why have you forsaken Jesus?

Look, the sky is so dark. The earth is quaking. Jesus just said, "It is finished." Does He know it is His time to die? Listen, He says, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." It is almost as if He has control over His very life.

With a loud cry, my Lord breathed His last breath. A centurion nearby saw what happened and he is terrified, "Surely this was the Son of God!" But now it is too late. It is finished.

Of course, we know that this is not the end. But we will have to wait for Easter to hear the rest of the story.

The Supper

2008-03-20T23:01:00.002-05:00

Jesus spent Thursday evening with His disciples in the upper room having a Passover meal.

This is the day many had waited for, the day of Deliverance. Those that surrounded Jesus saw Passover as the ideal time for Him to grasp His kingship. This would have great meaning to the Jews, making a connection to Moses and the deliverance out of slavery from Egypt. The Messiah was to come and save the people, so throughout the week as Passover grew near, the people were expectant for something incredible to happen.

The disciples asked Jesus where they were to celebrate the Passover feast. As usual, the preparation was in the hands of God, and Jesus gave them instructions – where to go, who to see. As the evening drew close, the disciples gathered in the upper room, ready to celebrate this meaningful night with their Lord.

The evening did not go as they’d hoped. Rather than speak about being a king, Jesus spoke of being a servant. He spoke of death, betrayal and denial. Peter, as usual, made great claims of his love for Jesus and his willingness to even die. Jesus told him that he would, that very evening, deny Him three times. Jesus knew Judas was the betrayer, and was clearly in control as He told Judas to do the task quickly. The disciples were confused by the words of Jesus, and became agitated as the vision they had of a kingdom began to fall apart before their eyes.

Even in the midst of betrayal and denial, Jesus comforted His disciples. He promised them the Holy Spirit, that they might continue His work after His death. He established a new covenant with the people, one of life, hope and remembrance.

John tells us that Jesus got up during the feast and got a bowl of water. He went around the table washing His disciples' feet. It was a poignant moment, a teaching moment. Jesus was telling them that they were called to be servants and He gave them a new commandment. "Love one another." That love is not just a love with words, but a love with deeds. He was their Lord and Teacher, but He was willing to lower Himself to a humble place to do the work of a slave. They were called to do the same. "The student is not greater than the teacher," He said.

Jesus also gave them a new covenant. During the dinner, He took the bread, gave thanks and broke it, giving it to His disciples. "This is my body, given for you." Then, after the supper, He took the cup, blessed it and gave it to His disciples. "This is my blood, given for you." He told them that whenever they should share the bread and the cup often, in remembrance of Him. We still join in that feast, along with the first disciples and all the Christians from every time and place. It is a foretaste of the feast to come. It is a glimpse of the Promise of eternal life. In that day we will share an even greater feast, but as we gather together and share the sacrament, we escape time and place to gather with all the saints in remembrance of Christ Jesus. At that brief moment in time, we embrace the timelessness of God's promises and see what we will enjoy when we share in His Glory.

Silence

2008-03-20T12:02:00.002-05:00

I missed yesterday, and though it was not on purpose, it was appropriate for the Bible is silent as to what happened on the Wednesday of Holy Week. This is not surprising since Tuesday was such a busy day. It is also not surprising because Jesus often lived as an example to us in how to deal with the big moments of our lives. He was silent because it was a day to prepare for that which was to come. I imagine He spent the day with His friends, enjoying their company, sharing the last few moments together. He probably talked to them about the same things He had said all along, reinforcing the lessons taught over the years. Most of all, I am certain He prayed. The Passion would not be easy for Him in flesh or in spirit. He was about to face the worst persecution. He was about to be arrested for no good reason, lied about, and condemned to die. All this by God's hand. It was the plan all along. But it couldn't have been easy. It would take more strength, more assurance, more faith than anything else He had done. Now, more than ever, He needed to be 'in touch' with God.

So, the fact that Wednesday was silent is not surprising. Jesus was preparing for that which is to come.

BUSY!

2008-03-18T15:53:00.003-05:00

The Tuesday of Holy Week is the most written about day in the Bible.

It was a day of controversy and stories. Jesus spent time in the temple teaching, where the leaders sent men to catch Jesus in some sort of crime so that they might have him arrested. His authority was questioned and He was set up with the question about taxes. He warned of false teachers and the end of the age, so that His children would recognize the times He has promised throughout the Word. As He spoke these words, the leaders became more determined to be rid of Him. He seemed untouchable.

We are busy people. Schedules are filled with work and school and then we fill in the empty spots with our leisure activities. If we aren't busy with something, we are busy taking care of our homes, going to the grocery store or running the kids to whatever activity we've scheduled for them.

Not only are we busy, but we live in a noisy world. The television or radio is always on. The noises of construction ring all around us. Kids are screaming, dogs are barking. It is so easy to lose touch with God when the world around us is so loud and busy.

Jesus is getting ever closer to the cross and these were the final moments for Him to speak God's word into the lives of the people before they turned completely. The things He said were not always acceptable. He offended many, who then turned away. As they heard the stories and warnings they stopped believing. They didn't really believe anyway--they wanted Jesus to be someone that He was not. As Jesus preached in those final hours, they saw more clearly that Jesus was not the expected Messiah.

He was a much different Messiah.

Temple

2008-03-17T14:34:00.002-05:00

I hear tell that there are some churches that have installed ATM machines in their lobby. I have not seen it with my own eyes, but I can imagine that it might happen. Of course, the church can easily justify the addition as being a convenience for members and guests. So few people carry cash these days; it is much easier to use a debit or credit card. An even smaller number of people carry checkbooks. We don't want visitors to feel bad that they don't have anything to put into the offering plate, so we make it as easy as possible.

Things don't change. They may not have had ATM machines in Jerusalem during Passover week, but they did make it convenient for visitors. In preparation for the Passover, the people went to the Temple to atone for their sins, offering the appropriate animals for sacrifice. The journey was hard, especially for those who had come a long way, and it was too difficult to carry along the animals. A perfect sheep could be harmed or lost along the way. So, there was a marketplace set up in the Temple area to sell animals for sacrifice.

The other problem was currency. Many of the people had come from far away; they had currency from foreign nations. The foreign currency was not acceptable in the Temple offerings, so there were money changers available in the Temple courts for the convenience of the pilgrims.

Jesus had been in the Temple before, but on this particular trip into the city He found great offense at what was happening in the courts and marketplace. He overturned the money changers' tables and set free the animals. His problem was not that there were animals for sale or that the money changers were there. This was a necessary part of Temple life. The problem was that they had set up this marketplace in the area of the Temple that was supposed to be available for Gentiles to worship God and pray. The smell of the animals and the noise of the crowds had made that impossible. They had no respect for others, concerned only about fulfilling the letter of the Law and not about the needs of others. It was a matter of mercy and grace.

The attitude of the people began to turn with this trip to the Temple. Jesus was not willing to leave the status quo. The message He preached was not something new, but it was something that had been forgotten in the midst of their religiosity. They were more concerned about outward appearances than about the heart. They were more concerned about doing their duty than rejoicing in the greatness of God. They had been blessed to be a blessing to the world, but they were caught up only in assuring their own blessedness that they missed the opportunity to bless the foreigners that had come to be in their midst.

Are the ATMs a bad thing? Would Jesus be pulling them out of the wall if He visited those churches today? I'm not so sure. He would, however, do so if they made it impossible for people to worship and pray in His house. If the ATMs became more important than the message, if the offerings drowned out God's grace, then Jesus would be throwing them out the door.

Palm Sunday

2008-03-16T21:28:00.002-05:00

Well, yesterday I posted that I did not want to use this blog for 'religious' ideas, but today is Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week, and the subject matter seemed to be a good place to begin a better habit of writing a daily blog. Since neither A WORD FOR TODAY or MIDWEEK OASIS will focus on the Holy Week events, this is as good a forum as any to share my thoughts about the coming of Easter and the cross through which we have to pass.

I have titled this blog "Palm Sunday" but in many churches it was also called "Passion Sunday." The Church is filled with people who make it into a church building just a few times a year--Christmas and Easter. Some also make the trip to church on Palm Sunday.

The story of the Triumphant Entry is a happy story. Jesus rides into Jerusalem to the shouts of praise raised by the crowds. He is loved. He is adored. He is honored as one who is a king. The donkey seems to us to be a humble beast, unworthy of a kingly rider, but the donkey was often used as the mode of transportation for kings. However, it was a powerful image to the people who were waving palm branches and singing Hallelujah that day. Jesus was the one for whom they were waiting. He was the Messiah. He was the one who would restore Israel.

It is an exciting image. However, the praise quickly died and the atmosphere in Jerusalem changed dramatically. Within days the people were willing to scream "Crucify him!" Whatever made them change tune, something horrific happened later in Holy Week.

However, most of those Christmas and Easter people never hear the story of the cross. If they come on Palm Sunday, they experience the jubilation of praise to the long expected Messiah, but if they wait until Easter to return to Sunday, they generally miss the rest of the story.

Until now. I am not sure how long it has been part of the lectionary, but we now hear the entire Passion Story on Palm/Passion Sunday. Since the cross is vital to the Resurrection, those who do not hear the story only see the triumph of palms and empty tomb do not truly understand the depth of God's love for His people and the sacrifice of Christ's life. Without the cross, the triumph of palms and empty tomb are meaningless.

I love to follow the story throughout the entire week. We had a pastor in California who did that. We had worship daily, following the story as Jesus went from triumph through suffering and then back to triumph again. I suppose that's what I'll do this week. Hopefully I won't get lost in the busy-ness of spring break and manage to find the time to post on the blog.

It frustrates me that we have to hear the entire story in one day. After all, it is an experience to be savored -- not like we savor chocolate or prime steaks -- but as we linger over the stories that change our lives. Good and bad, joy and horror, it is the entire story that makes us who we are. Yet, I'm glad that we do hear the entire story so that those who can't, or won't, get to church during Holy Week will truly understand the depth of God's love which was glorified not in the empty tomb, but on the cross. It is there that Christ overcame sin and death. It is there that we were saved.

Thanks be to God.

Failure to Blog

2008-03-15T19:11:00.003-05:00

Obviously, I failed. I posted last on New Year's Day, promising to be more regular with my posts. It is now March 15, and I am finally getting around to posting something on this blog. Not that there's anything to say. I suppose that's why I'm not doing such a good job with keeping the resolution. I just have very little to say.

Now, there are a great many people who would scoff at that statement, especially since I can get very wordy with A WORD FOR TODAY and MIDWEEK OASIS, my two daily devotionals. I manage somehow to find hundreds, sometimes even thousands of words to say when I am writing those. After eight and a half years, I'm still constant and regular with those postings, all which have a Christian and Biblical subject matter.

However, when it comes to this blog, I don't seem to have much to say. I don't think I really want to write more faith stuff -- not that it is a bad thing, but because this blog was designed to be something the family does to keep our friends and family "in the know." As you can see, my family has not been any better about posting. They certainly have far more interesting lives than mine, but I suppose that's why they don't have the time. I guess for now you'll have to enjoy what they have posted about our vacation to Disney which was almost a year ago!

I don't mind that I do not have an exciting life. As a matter of fact, I've learned something recently. It is nice to have some freedom from the busy schedule. It is nice to have time to watch some television, read a book and take my time at the grocery store. I should clean my house. I should get on with some of my craft projects. I should do some more volunteer work. Perhaps I should even think about getting a job. However, I am enjoying the freedom I have with so little on my plate. I am also working on some writing that is not being posted on the Internet. Maybe this is my time to find that book or novel that I know is trying to get out. Perhaps soon I'll be posting the exciting news that you can pick up my book at your local Borders Store.

For now, I'm making the promise again. I am going to post more. Since I have so little to say; since there is so little excitement in my life, it may be little more than tedious rambling. It would be good to come, though, because I might come up with some brilliant thought or remarkable perspective. Probably not, but visit anyway.

Happy New Year

2008-01-01T16:59:00.000-06:00

Ok, it is New Year's Day and it has been way too long since I have posted on this blog.

I am officially posting my resolution to post more regularly in 2008! I'm not big on making New Year's resolutions because it is so easy to fail. We think that by saying we will begin something on a special day like this day, the first day of a new year, that it will be easy to make it happen. We are good for a few days, maybe even a few weeks, but nothing has really changed except the numbers on the calendar. It is so much better to make these changes when we are emotionally, physically and spiritually ready to make them.

Well, as it turns out, for the past few months I have been taking a class in creative writing. The class has given me confidence and inspiration. I have also been chosen to write for a devotional book that is published quarterly. It seems as though my life is going in the direction of a writer. This blog, along with A WORD FOR TODAY and MIDWEEK OASIS, will give me an excellent outlet for all this writing. It is a place I can write something other than the devotional work that has been my focus for so long.

I hope you'll return often. I still have so many stories to tell from San Diego and from our life here in Texas. I even have some stories that have nothing to do with reality except the creative reality of fiction.

San Diego, California

2007-09-24T16:01:00.000-05:00

I went to San Diego the last week of July. The kids were in Missoula and Bruce was in Mississippi, so I did not want to stay home alone. My sister lives there, so it was a chance for us to visit and for me to do some sightseeing.

The purpose of my trip to San Diego was to see an exhibit of the Dead Sea Scrolls at the Natural History Museum in Balboa Park. My sister was volunteering at the exhibit, so she took me to the park early in the morning and we planned to meet for the tour late in the afternoon. I spent the day visiting many of the different museums found in the park, including the art museum, the photographic museum, the model railway museum, the Japanese friendship garden, the Museum of Man and the horticultural building. It was a wonderful day.

Balboa Park is a wonderful place to visit. There are gardens and beautiful architecture, along with so many different kinds of exhibits. I could not visit every museum or see everything I wanted to see. If you do go, I suggest you get a passport, which gives entry to most of the museums for a week. The savings are extraordinary. My favorite exhibit was called, "Impressionist Giverny." The paintings were done by men and women who had been disciples of the master Monet. They weren't really disciples, as Monet often did not have anything to do with them and they were jealous of Monet. They traveled to Giverny to paint the same sights and to replicate the style of Monet. I love Monet's work, have always had an interest in Impressionism, so the exhibit was especially enjoyable to me.

In the Photographic Museum, I saw one photo of my hometown in the winter. I could imagine myself in the snowstorm that was seen through the car windshield in that photograph. The Horticultual building, pictured to the left is absolutely beautiful, filled with tropical plants, including orchids. It would have been nice to just spend an hour sitting there, enjoying the plants and taking pictures, but there were too many things to do. I did manage to get photos of the reflecting pond, as well as photos of flowers throughout the park. You might recognize the building from a current commercial on the television.

The scrolls will be in San Diego until December and it is a marvelous exhibit. If you are going to be in San Diego soon, I highly recommend taking the time. The exhibit begins with a comparison of the landscapes found in Israel and in San Diego. They displayed pictures of each place side by side and asked the viewer to guess which was which. It was a difficult task, the landscape is very similar. The exhibit took us through information about the changes that have occurred in the Dead Sea, then then we took through the story of the scrolls. We learned about how they were found and how they were preserved. We learned that there were many bad decisions made in the beginning, so some of the scrolls are quickly decaying from the atmosphere, the use of scotch tape, and overhandling.

I did not know what to expect when we came to the room where the scrolls were on display. It was a very dark room, since light is also causing decay. The scrolls were fragments, some not very large, but interesting to see. The selection of scrolls was interesting, showing us more than just the ancient documents. Each scroll was chosen to show us some aspect of life in the community from which they came. There were scrolls written in Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic. Some of the scrolls were from books that described the rules of the community. Other scrolls were biblical texts or commentaries about the texts. At the end of the exhibit they had other antique manuscripts, showing the visitors how the words on those ancient texts had endured for millennia. It was a fascinating look at a community of faith, of how they lived and how they shared their knowledge of God.

I'm too sexy... and yes, I'm a gorilla...

2007-09-08T20:36:00.000-05:00

Bruce and the kids were all going to be out of town during the last week of July and I so that gave me the freedom to take a trip to visit my sister in San Diego. The trip was planned in a matter of days (I got amazing plane tickets at the last minute) and it only lasted a few days, but we did so much that I have plenty of adventures to share.

Bonnie and I went to the San Diego Wild Animal Park one day. We had already visited a mission and had a lovely lunch, but decided that it was too early to go home. Since Bonnie is a season pass holder, the stop would not cost us anything but some time and the gas to get there. The Wild Animal Park is part the San Diego Zoo but is at another location and is designed to be a much different place. The habitats are more natural and the park covers a huge area. One thing that is the same is that both parks are incredibly hilly. You can't get from one place to another without climbing a steep hill. There is a tram that is like a safari and during the twenty minute ride we saw everything from cheetahs to zebras to rhinoceroses.

After the ride we walked through some of the areas of the park to see the lions, monkeys and other inhabitants. We weren't very organized with our visit and I started to get tired. I wasn't sure I even wanted to walk to the top of the hill to see the tigers, one of my favorite animals. We did it and were blessed with a view of the baby elephants at play. It was so much fun to watch the smallest one following the older one, trying to do all the same things and annoying the older baby all the while. They reminded me of my kids.

When we climbed back down the hill we found a place to buy a drink and then thought about going home, but we realized he had not yet seen the gorillas. I love to watch the gorillas. They are so funny and have so many human-like attributes. I can usually recognize some personality traits in the gorillas that I identify with people I know.

We were watching the gorillas for awhile and another visitor mentioned the fact that the 'old gray' was not out. That was the gorilla she wanted to see. He made a brief appearance, managed to get most of the gorillas (I think all the females) to follow him behind a rock. I realized that the rock was hiding the entrance to their living space and that if you move toward the end of the habitat you can see what's going on behind the rock. The old gray had decided to hide back there along with several of the other gorillas.

Meanwhile, one of the male gorillas followed us. He seemed offended that we would stop looking at him to go look at the old guy. He stood right in front of us and posed. Yes, he posed. He made several poses that appeared as though he was a male model working a photo shoot. My sister took these pictures of our friend. My camera was nearly out of battery and I didn't bother to take any pictures. He seemed very disturbed by the fact that I took pictures of the old gray but none of him, so he kept posing.

We couldn't help but laugh. Every time he took a new pose we laughed a little harder. He got so mad about our attitude that he finally waved us away with his hand, he turned around in a huff and went to sulk. Yes, this was a gorilla, but I could have sworn I was seeing some drama queen acting a part. We laughed all the way home.

What's a queue?

2007-08-20T21:36:00.000-05:00

I wanted to share one last post on Walt Disney World. I know that the boys have at least another post to add and Vicki may have more to write, but I have a trip to San Diego I need to share, so it is time to move on. I love the picture on this post, even though it is not a postcard shot or indicative of anything Disney. I love it because it shows my family as they are, and as they were as we waited in line after line. It is real and Walt Disney World -- though absolutely wonderful -- is not always real. The control over the details, the way they use normal human nature to keep things moving the way they want, the way they create this magical place that makes people feel happy -- all these things make it another world, a world that we eventually have to leave. In this picture we were standing in yet another 'queue' or line. We stood in many lines, though I have to admit that I was very surprised that we never stood in a line longer than thirty minutes during the last week of June. I suppose we got lucky, or we didn't 'follow' the typical behaviors, or there just weren't as many people in the park as we expected, but it was very pleasant. The hardest lines, like this one, were the lines in which we waited for transportation. After a long day at the parks, the last thing we wanted to do was wait for a ride home. Yet, some of our most wonderful moments were standing in those lines, as we shared our joys from the day and talked about what we would do next. We also complained about our sore feet and our tired bodies, talked about how wonderful it would be to lay down and rest.

Standing in line was one of the few places we actually chatted with other guests. Even though we were in a crowded park, it seemed like it was a world of our own. We were constantly moving, going from one place to another, so it was during those times in those queues that we actually had the chance to meet and talk to other people. There was even a family from Connecticut that we saw over and over again. It was to the point of being funny how alike we were in our itinerary. So, standing in line was not so bad. It was a chance to chat, to stop and rest in the shade and to look forward to something new around the bend.

Character Stories

2007-08-17T18:29:00.000-05:00

I think one of the best parts of visiting Disney is seeing the characters all over the parks. Of course, the easiest way to see characters is to visit a character meal. We saw Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, Pluto, Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore, Piglet, Chip and Dale, Cinderella, Mary Poppins, Jasmine, Belle and Snow White at different meals around the park. We also saw characters on the streets. There are certain places throughout the parks set aside for character meetings. The sites are often in areas related to the characters -- we found Flik in the Animal Kingdom near the Tree of Life Garden because the Tree of Life is a theater showing "It's Tough to be a Bug." Some of the classic Disney characters like Chip and Dale and Daisy hang out near City Hall at the beginning of Main Street. Mickey stays in ToonTown, in a special building near his house.

We spent a lot of time standing in lines waiting for pictures and signatures with some of the characters, but it was worth the wait. The characters are fun and they interact with the kids -- young and old -- as they might if they were really the person they represent.

SPOILER ALERT! I'm about to give away a couple of Disney secrets, so if you don't want to know, skip to the next paragraph. On our "Keys to the Kingdom" tour, we learned some very interesting facts. First of all, if you think you do a lot of laundry, think again. It would take a normal family 42 years doing one load of laundry a day to wash the amount of laundry that they do in one day at the Magic Kingdom. They create one ton -- that is two thousand pounds -- of lint every day. Since every employee is a cast member, every uniform is a costume. Secondly, the best job at the park is to be Tinkerbell. Tinkerbell appears every night during the fireworks display. To be Tinkerbell, the person must be no larger than 4' 9" and weigh no more than 90 lbs. The character suits up in 90 lbs worth of equipment, is attached to a zip line that is hooked to the castle, is pushed out a window and she flies for 30 seconds. She gets off the zip line, takes off the equipment and goes home. She is paid for an eight hour day. Of course, the job is not as easy as it sounds. Imagine wearing your weight in equipment. If the zipper doesn't work and she gets stuck in the middle of the zipline, she must pull herself to the bottom with her own strength. Disney has three Tinkerbells on staff -- a full time, a part time and a substitute. Finally, the costumes, especially those that have furry bodies, are very hot and heavy. The length of a visit with many of the characters are very short. There is an established schedule that must be adhered to for the safety and well being of the cast members. In the heat of the summer, some characters must go inside every few minutes to get a drink and cool off. They do try to keep the characters in shady areas, but it is still very hot. You have to be patient when you decide to stand in line because you might have to wait while they go to rest.

You have to have patience if you decide to wait for autographs and pictures. We had a couple experiences that were disappointing. We waited in several lines to meet characters we found in the parks, but they left by the time we reached the front of the line. Sometimes we left, not wanting to waste any more time waiting. We waited in line to see Jasmine and Genie for a long time, but it was worthwhile because Zack was anxious to meet Genie. By the time we got to the front, it was time for Genie to go inside for a few minutes. We didn't mind waiting, but Jasmine stayed to continue visiting the guests. That meant that we were herded through the experience and Zack missed out on seeing one of his favorite characters. Genie's handler was kind and she did get an autograph for Zack, but we could not jump the line for a photo. Luckily we found the characters from Aladdin later in the week at another park, but it was disappointing for Zack at the time.

I really enjoyed the characters from Aladdin when we met up with them in the Magic Kingdom. They were in Adventureland near the Magic Carpets of Aladdin ride. We knew they were coming, so we got in line and were very near to the front when they arrived. They seemed to have a very special relationship -- especially Aladdin and Jasmine. Genie was jealous of their concern for one another and he pretended to choke Aladdin to get him away from Jasmine. It was all in good fun, of course. They chatted with the kids, joked with Zack and even got their picture taken with all of us. I enjoyed the camaraderie between the characters. I wasn't sure if they were acting as they were because they were such good friends or because they were in character. It was great fun whatever the reason.

By early in the week we had all (except for Bruce) purchased some sort of Disney ears to wear as we visited the parks. As you might notice in our photos, Victoria and I wore our Minnie ears everywhere. Zack purchased Stitch ears because he loves Stitch (who we found in the Animal Kingdom). Zack does this really cool (or annoying if you ask Victoria) impersonation of Stitch. Whenever a character noticed his ears, Zack pulled out the voice. Victoria already told you about Belle commenting on Zack's ears and voice in an earlier blog. Those ears -- both Zack's Stitch ears and our Minnie ears -- were the topic of conversation at many of the character visits. At a breakfast with Goofy, he was offended that none of us had bought ears like his. He said that his were more practical and he used his to wipe his forehead. It was very funny.

When we were in Epcot, traveling near the village representing England, we ran into Mary Poppins. She was very prim and proper, as Mary Poppins should be. She was honored that Victoria was so thrilled to meet her, Mary Poppins was one character she really wanted to meet. Zack was standing near Mary Poppins when she noticed his ears. She asked Zack if everything was OK. She said she was worried about him because the ears did not look proper. She suggested that he should see a doctor. She had Zack laughing so hard. We met up with Mary Poppins later when we had lunch at Cinderella's Table. When we reminded her that we had met her before, she saw Zack's ears and asked if he'd seen a doctor about his ear problem. We were immediately impressed that she would remember that conversation but... (SPOILER ALERT! ... I think that the whole ears thing is a scripted response to seeing a kid in Stitch ears, especially since Stitch is very popular at the parks this year.)

My favorite character would have to be Captain Jack Sparrow. Jack was not available for consultation, he was busy teaching a crowd of people how to use a sword, but it was so fun to watch him in action. Of course it was not Johnny Depp, but I think the cast member did a marvelous job recreating the character from the Pirates movies. He had all the mannerisms, facial expressions and voice that we love. I wish I had been able to get my picture with my man Jack -- he is sooo bad, but soooooo good. After all, Bruce spent the week chasing after all the princesses (we have pictures of him with most of them as well as Minnie, Daisy and Mary Poppins. Take note of the picture in this blog.) As Jack finished his show and ran to escape whichever villain was after him today, I could not help myself. I screamed, "I love you Jack" much to the consternation of my family. They'll tell you today that they are still embarrassed by my boldness. How could I resist? It was Captain Jack.

Of the furry characters, my favorites from Disney will always be Chip and Dale. There's something about those cute and cuddly chipmunks that I just love. I was a little disappointed that I was not able to get my picture with both of them at the same time, but I did enjoy meeting them at the Liberty Tree dinner. That's me with Chip in the picture. I learned something new at that dinner. I was never able to keep the two straight -- I mean, they almost look like twins, of course they are hard to tell apart. However, there are differences. Chip has a black nose and one tooth in the front. Dale as a brown nose and two teeth. They have very different personalities. Chip is fairly calm, as calm as a chipmunk can be. He interacted with us, but like a gentleman. Dale, on the other hand, was crazy. When he was finished at our table he went to the next and grabbed a map from a man who was sitting there. At first he had the map upside down, trying to point out special features to the man. He suddenly realized it was upside down and turned it around, again trying to figure out where things might be. He eventually threw the map back at the man and went on his way.

We did wait in a lot of lines so that we could meet the characters and many visitors to the parks might think it is a waste of time. I thought that it was some of the most fun we had during the week. The kids certainly enjoyed getting autographs and I enjoyed watching them interact with the characters. Most of all, I enjoyed interacting with them myself. One of the current features found at Disney is a thing called "Photopass." At many points around the parks there are professional photographers ready to take your picture. Get as many taken as you can -- then buy the CD. It is expensive, $125 this summer, but with the CD you get the rights to use every picture however you like. You can even add Disney icons and autographs to the photos for the same price. Each photo would cost at least $13, so if you used more than 10 of them, it would pay for itself. Our CD had nearly 150 pictures, many of which are found in our slide show, so it was worth every penny for us.

Disney-MGM Studios Backlot Tour

2007-08-17T10:13:00.000-05:00

I think one of the reasons why I loved Disney-MGM Studios so much was the theming. I mean, I am a "theatre geek" (as mom likes to call me) and am into all of the movies and theatre stuff, so naturally I'd love hanging out in a theme park that is centered around the world of movies and theatre. Believe it or not, MGM Studios has more than what the public sees--there are working soundstages in off-limits parts of the park where everything from TV commercials to shows are filmed.

What I loved the most about the backot tour (my favorite attraction at the park) was that it gave a really good insight into behind-the-scenes at a place that produces and films commercials and movies. The tour started with a short movie explaining how the special effects for the movie Pearl Harbor were created. The movie talked about how the director, producers, and special effects artists were able to make ships "blow up" and fires happen.

Then the tour started. The first part of the tour was a presentation at a special effects tank. The presenters used water and pyrotechnics to create a scene similar to what was shown in the movie (not to same scale, of course). It was fun watching the special effects presentation. We got a little wet, too (and the people chosen to help with the demonstration got even more wet)!

After five or ten minutes at the special effects tank, the tour continued with a ride on a red tram. After walking through a replica of a prop storage area (it was REALLY cool) you board the extra-long tram to take the rest of the tour around the "backlot". As the tour continues the tram passes by movie memorabilia displayed, some of the different soundstages at MGM Studios, and even the office where the Disney Imagineers work.

The tram comes to a spot called "Catastrophe Canyon". I won't tell you all about it because you should really experience it for yourself. I will tell you one thing, however: BEWARE.... you never know what might happen... and yes, you might just get wet. Also featured on the tour are the costume and scene shops, and if you go at the right time of day (during work hours) you can see people actually working!

The tour ends by passing the stunt show theatre. It was fun going by there because the drivers and the cars were practicing and warming up for a show later that day. We got to wave at them as they went screaming around corners into backstage parts of the stage. After getting off the tram you walk though an awesome showcase of movie costumes, props, and set pieces. I liked the Barbossa costume from the first Pirates movie. They had a Darth Vader costume as well (Zack liked that one) and some other fun things to look at.

This was a fun attraction. The wait wasn't very long, either. Since it can accommodate many people at one time, we only waited maybe fifteen or twenty minutes to get on a tour. It was well worth the wait as well.

Getting around the "World"

2007-08-13T16:43:00.000-05:00

One of the cool perks of being a Disney Resort guest is that you get complimentary use of all the methods of transportation around all of Walt Disney World. There's three main types of transportation that can get you around the world, and our family got the chance to experience all three.

First, there's bus service from the resorts to pretty much anywhere in the "world". For example, from the Caribbean Beach Resort (our resort) we could take a bus to any of the four theme parks, the two water parks, and Downtown Disney. The buses are air-conditioned and the drivers are very friendly. When you get on a bus to go to a park music plays that fits the theme. For example, when going to Disney-MGM Studios showbiz music (like scores from movie soundtracks) played in the background. No matter where we were, when going back to our resort the bus played Caribbean music (I got very tired of hearing "Under the Sea" and "Kokomo"--with just the music and without the lyrics-- every time we were going back to our room). Even though the Caribbean music may have been annoying, the bus was still a wonderful service. Typically buses run every 20 minutes and begin running at about 7 am. We had mostly great experiences with the bus system (although one time we waited at our stop for about 40 minutes before an Animal Kingdom bus that wasn't full showed up), and when we didn't it was mostly because our stop was the last on the route.

Second there's the futuristic monorail that links the Magic Kingdom to the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC) and some of the fancy resorts. There's also a monorail that links Epcot to the TTC. We only rode the monorail once. We rode it on Saturday morning after our breakfast at Chef Mickey's (we were in the Contemporary Resort and the monorail comes right through) and had fun going by all of the different resorts. On its way to the Magic Kingdom, the monorail passes by the Contemporary, Polynesian, and Grand Floridian resorts. It's a very fast and comfortable way to travel if you get the chance. Kids love it too, and it's even OK (and fun) to ride it just because you want to (it might have been quicker for us to walk to the Magic Kingdom from the Contemporary, but we wanted to take the monorail anyway)!

The last way is by boat launch. There are some areas of the resort that can only be accessed from other areas by the boat. We learned this the hard way. When going to breakfast at the Beach Club, we thought we could get on a bus to any park and then transfer to the bus to the Beach Club. Well, this statement is true for any park EXCEPT for Epcot and MGM-Studios. Of course, the bus we got on went to Epcot, and once we got there the cast member at the bus stop told us that we had to take a bus to MGM-Studios and then take the boat. So that's what we did. We weren't late for our reservations because we left very early, but we did learn that the resorts on the lake near Epcot were only accessible to the two parks by boat (and the Epcot boat docks on the other side of the park in World Showcase--that's why we could not take the boat from Epcot to the Beach Club) or by walking. The boat was wonderful though, and the captains were very nice and funny. They even took a picture of the family for us.

There are some cases when calling a taxi is useful and perhaps the best way to go. We had to call for a taxi twice during our stay. The first time was for when dad and Zack had to be at the Magic Kingdom for their tour at 7:15 (there was absolutely no way they could have caught the bus) and the second time was when we had to be at the Contemporary for breakfast (after our Beach Club adventure, we really didn't want to deal with transfers again). However, it is possible to travel from place to place without a cab.

Overall, the transportation system was great. It was wonderful to park the van for the entire week and not have to worry about driving it around or having to deal with parking lots at all the parks (the bus stations are at the front of each park). We didn't move the van at all while we were on Disney property!

The best advice I could give to the Disney traveler is this: make sure that you give yourself plenty of time to get from place to place, especially if you are planning on going from resort to resort. It can take a lot longer to get there than you think. And make sure you know what bus goes where--and if there are certain parts of the resort that are only accessible by certain modes of transportation (i.e. the boat story).

That's Entertainment!

2007-08-11T18:19:00.000-05:00

There is so much to do in Walt Disney World that it is impossible to do it all. There are four major theme parks and two water parks. In Downtown Disney there are places to eat and show. There are movie theaters, clubs and the Indoor Interactive theme park called Disney Quest that Zack described in a previous blog. Walt Disney World also has plenty of opportunities for sports -- ball parks, golf courses and boating. Each resort has swimming pools and entertainment typical of the theme. Our resort -- the Carribbean Beach Resort -- had beaches, fishing and boating. You really can't do it all.

I certainly enjoy the different theme parks. I liked the Animal Kingdom and all the animals we could see. Epcot's World Showcase was exciting and Future World was educational. Disney-MGM was interesting, especially to my children who are interested in acting and show business. Magic Kingdom had the most rides. We all had our favorite activities and as much as I enjoyed some of the rides, I think I like the shows the best.

The Disney-MGM Studio theme park is focused on movies and television, of course. We had dinner and a movie the evening we visited. The dinner was at a restaurant called Hollywood and Vine, which is decorated like a diner in the 50's with waitresses in uniforms and rock-n-roll on the jukebox. The food was a great buffet filled with down home food like our mothers might have made. When we left the restaurant we wandered toward the theater for the evening show. "Fantasmic" is a fireworks and light show starring Mickey Mouse and his friends. In this show, which is a little frightening for the younger children, Mickey's dreams turn to nightmares as all the Disney villains try to take away his joy. Video clips appear on curtains of water that rise out of the lake while Mickey fights for his dreams. He succeeds and then all his friends come out to celebrate.

At Epcot, we saw the evening fireworks and light show called "IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth" which presents the history of the earth from the beginning of time to the present and then into the possibilities of the future. What I enjoyed most in Epcot was a street performance we happened upon while shopping in the villages. As we were leaving a tea shop in England, we noticed three actors setting up in the street. They did a show about King Arthur using Diseny guests to play some of the roles, including Sir Galahad. They made stupid jokes and got the whole audience involved with certain phrases or actions. It was very funny. I saw Sir Galahad later that day and greeted him warmly, with a bow and a smile. I'm not sure if he was embarrassed, but Vicki was!

The movie "The Lion King" was the theme in a show found in the Animal Kingdom. In this show Timon plays with some acrobatic monkeys who play on trampolines and trapezes. There is singing, dancing and plenty of fun with Simba and his friends. The animatronic animals seem almost lifelike, especially the elephant that was right near our seats. Some of the dancers are on stilts -- it is amazing to watch the way they move and dance. There was always a stilt dancer near the elephant, whose trunk could swing back and forth and his head bobbed up and down. About halfway through the show I noticed that the stilt dancer was having a little difficulty staying on his feet and I realize rather quickly that it was because the elephant was playing with him. His trunk kept hitting the back of the dancer's head, tapped the dancer's arm and even pushed at the dancer's back. The dancer turned and played with the elephant. The dancer grabbed the trunk, danced and boxed with the animatronic animal. I don't know if this was typical for the show or whether the cast members playing the roles had a special relationship, but it was sure fun to watch.

We saw a couple of shows in the Magic Kingdom, including "Mickey's Philharmagic" which was described in an earlier blog. We went to the Country Bear Jamboree, which Vicki thought was lame. We ran into a street performer, Captain Jack Sparrow, who was teaching the crowd how to use a sword (but he deserves a separate blog.) We also went to The Enchanted Tiki Room - Under New Management. Now, I remember seeing this attraction, or some form of it, during previous visits to Disney parks but I never had an interest in visiting. But we had a few minutes on our hands and the show was about to begin, so we went in to watch. It is a cute show, with animatronic birds singing annoying songs. The show stars Iago from "Aladdin" and Zazu from "The Lion King." They fight over the control of their new business venture until the Tiki gods punished Iago and brought everything under control.

We missed too many shows that we really wanted to see, but we simply ran out of time. I guess that is as good a reason as any to go back again!

MY Favorite Ride

2007-08-11T17:31:00.000-05:00

I do have to admit that I'm not the kind of person who does thrill rides or roller coasters (just ask my family.... they try to get me on rides that I absolutely won't step onto). I'd rather spend all of my time spinning around on the teacups or riding the other "kiddie" rides than step on a coaster. Especially one in the dark (like Space Mountain). But I do have to admit that MY favorite, absolute favorite ride was Splash Mountain.

Maybe it was the whole cute story/animatronic adventure or maybe it was the fact that flume and water rides are fun (to me at least). I was looking forward to Splash Mountain. We rode it on Friday night after dinner (we decided to get fastpasses since the line was over an hour long and we didn't want to deal with it before dinner).

The ride really did seem to go on forever. There were a gazillion rooms of animatronic figures and songs. There was even a smaller drop before the larger one (the larger one being only five stories tall). Every time I thought that we were about to go down, we would enter another room or go around another corner. We finally did go down the large drop though, and it felt GREAT (especially since the day was pretty hot... the water felt very good).

I got SOAKING wet. SOAKING!! Zack told me that the left side of the boat doesn't get wet, so I sat on the left side (his reply after I got wet: "I didn't say that the back of the boat doesn't get wet!"). The horrible thing was that only the front of me was soaking wet. I had a gray t-shirt on too, so anyone could tell that I was soaking in the front, but that my back was dry. Luckily because it was still a little warm (just a little.. lol) I dried fairly quickly.

I liked the end of the ride. The last room of animatronics takes you to a room with a great big moving steamboat and a whole bunch of figures that sing "zip a dee do da". Since the story told during the ride talks about how Briar Rabbit is going home to his "laughing place", the ride ends with him safely home and singing along (although he does have different words the very familiar tune).

We didn't get any pictures of the animatronics during the ride because we were afraid that we'd ruin our cameras with all the water (and it was good that I had mine hidden... it really could have been destroyed!), or that we'd lose it when we went down the drop (many people do lose their hats and sunglasses as they go down). I did get some pics of the outside of the ride, and I've included them with this blog. My favorite picture is the one that's to the left of a log going down the ride. We also bought the picture that was taken as we went down the final drop (because Splash Mountain was the one ride we all went on together), but that one hasn't been scanned and saved on the computer yet. Once mom gets it on the computer and saved I'll try to get it posted.

Even though it is considered a "thrill ride" and I normally don't ride those, I had a blast riding Splash Mountain. It was by far my favorite ride. I'd ride it again in a heartbeat! :)

The Modern Age Cats

2007-08-09T19:19:00.000-05:00

Hello,

Since everyone else is busy blogging we thought we (Felix and Tigger) had to get into the act also. Dad affectionately calls us "The Boys." That means we probably rule the roost.

Life as Felix the cat is interesting. To start with, some you may not know that I was actually born in "Jolly Ole England" 9 years ago. Since then the family has taken me on many trips and moved me twice in my short life. The only saving grace is that they never fully abondon me. I hate traveling, especially since we usually go to the place I hate the most, the Vet office.

Some people call me "Satan incarnate" when we head to the office. I really don't like people prodding me and sticking me with needles, although everyone tells me it is for my own good. This year Mom and Dad decided to have me sedated for the exam, which actually was a good thing. The doctor examined a huge lump on my rear leg. The removed it and I am glad they did because the tumor actually wound up to be cancer. I am happy to report that so far I am free of any recurrances. My family is really hoping I stay that way.

I spend most of my day doing what cats like to do, sleep. Mom says I sleep about 18 hours a day. I'm not so sure about that, but I do know I like my sleep. My favorite place is Dad's recliner. Victoria says its my chair, but Dad says it is his because he paid for it. All I know is that if it isn't occupied by a human, it is mine.

I would really love to go outside, but that happens very rarely. Everyone takes great care to ensure the doors stay closed so I don't escape. Not sure why they want it that way, they keep talking about fleas and ticks in the yard. I do get creative when I really want to get outside. When we lived in England I taught myself how to open the doors. In England they have door handles not knobs and when I got big enough I jumped up on the door handle until it opened. Ah, the freedom, but it didn't last long. My most creative venture was when I decided to jump out the open second story bathroom window (again in England). I am not sure how long I was outside, but when the kids and Dad figured out I was missing and opened the the back door to look for me, I was ready to return.

My personal life changed drastically three years ago when Tigger (a.k.a. "The Runt") entered the family. I wasn't too sure about the little hair ball but he is alright. Everyone says Tigger keeps me young, and I guess that is true. I do like to have the daily romp or two with him and we go running around the house playing. We do get into some major tussels but I lay down the law, especially when I am losing.

I really love my family, they treat me like gold. To show my appreciation I like to give them love back, especially when they are busy on the computer. My favorite thing is to annoy Mom and Dad when they are working. I really love to wag my tail like a dog and hit the keys. It is my version of typing.

Thats about all for me. Time to turn over the blog to the Runt, er, little brother.

Unlike Felix, I (Tigger) have Texas roots. I came into the family three years ago.
Entering the house was a little traumatic for me. Felix growled and hissed at me. I wasn't sure what to make of it, but I turned on the charm and he eventually warmed up to me. Maybe it was because I liked to play with him. Everytime he moved his tail I would chase it. It was fun.

I, like Felix, like my sleep. If there is a corner or wall to lay against I am there. I do like hiding under the desk in our den also. For a short while Mom even put a small blanket in the spot so I would be more comfortable. I try to stay on the same sleep cycle as Felix so when we are awake we can play. I like to annoy Felix when he isn't looking. Sometimes I will lay on the piano bench or coffee table and wait for my big brother to come by. When he isn't expecting it, I bop him on the head when he walks by. Sometimes I even jump on him. I love those surprise attacks. What a hoot.

I also like to entice Felix into tussels. I learned early how to win. When Felix thinks he has the upper hand, I get him to fall on me and then pull my best wrestling move. As he is falling on me I raise my legs and flip him over my body gaining the upper hand. When I do that, Felix gets mad and growls. That ususally means play time is over becuse he is a sore loser.

My favorite time of the day is meal time and it doesn't matter if it is breakfast, lunch or dinner. If there is food, I am around. I even have a special chair in the corner of the dining room next to the table where I can sit and get the birds eye view of what is for chow. Who could resist my cute face? I especially love the meat just as long as it doesn't have too many spices or fat. Only the healthiest meat for me.

I too like to help with chores around the house, especially laundry day. I like to help mom sort the clothes into piles before they go into that noisy machine. But oh, it feels so good when they come out of the dryer and they are so warm and smell so fresh. I get my best naps when I lay down in the baskets with freshly folded clothes. The only thing better is sleeping in the basket of unfolded clean clothes. Everyone wants to take them away from me. I'm not sure why.

I guess thats about all for now. It looks like Dad is getting ready to do his evening chores which means treat time is just around the corner. Felix and I love our snacks every day. Everyone says they are good for our teeth, all I know is they taste real good and I can't wait for my share. I even steal one or two from Felix when no one is looking, at least I think they aren't looking.

Hope you all enjoyed hearing a little of our lives. Maybe we will blog some more at a later time.

DisneyQuest

2007-08-09T12:25:00.000-05:00

I'm back, and ready to blog again. Back at Disney World, at Downtown Disney, right next to La Nouba, is DisneyQuest. DisneyQuest is a five story "interactive theme park" (I call it an arcade). Each of the five floors are unique in their own way. When you enter, a cast member puts you on an elevator, where The Genie is your pilot, and he takes you to the third floor, Ventureport. This is where your adventure begins. The other four floors are divided into four different zones. There is the Explore Zone, the Creative Zone, the Score Zone, ans the Replay Zone.

Floor one, the Explore Zone, has three big attractions. You've got the virtual Jungle Cruise where you and some friends are put in an inflatable rafts and use paddles to actually row where you go through the age of the dinosaurs. There is no heavy equipment to worry about. just keep your eyes on the screen and row. Then you can become a swashbuckling pirate in Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for Buccaneer Gold, where you step onto a ship and fight the ghost of the Jolly Roger and other virtual pirates on a search for gold (if you want to do this attraction, get to Disney Quest before it opens at 11:00 a.m.). And on part of floor two, you can ride on one of Aladdin's magic flying carpets and save Genie in Aladdin's Magic Carpet Ride.

On the other parts of floor two, the Creative Zone, you can create your own Space mountain and ride it in a simulator at the CyberSpace Mountain. And every 30 minutes starting at noon, you can learn to draw your favorite Disney characters at the Animation Academy. There are some other activities there, too.

Part of floor three and floor four is the Score Zone. On floor three, there is Buzz Lightyear's AstroBlaster. At this attraction, you and a friend jump into a bumper car and fire asteroids out of a cannon at the other players. And become a living pinball in the Mighty Ducks Pinball Slam. In this fusion of hockey and pinball, try to outscore your opponents by hitting targets and scoring a goal against the computer goalie. Floor four and five has a virtual reality game called Ride the Comix, where you put on a VR helmet and take a laser sword and fight off comic book villains.

Floor five is the Replay Zone. Here, the older generation can go back in time and play old arcade games like Galaga, Space Invaders, and Centipede. The cool thing about it is that the games are free!! Except for Ski-Ball, that has a quarter fee.

That's just about it. When you are done, just head to the Explore Zone on the first floor, follow the exit signs, and leave through the DisneyQuest Emporium (a store with other Disney memorabilia).

La Nouba

2007-08-06T17:00:00.000-05:00

I have always been fascinated with the work of Cirque du Soleil. I've seen some of their specials on TV and have fallen in love with their comination of acrobatics and dancing. When mom told us that we were going to get tickets to see Cirque at Disney World, I was very, very excited.

Their show at Downtown Disney's West Side, titled "La Nouba" (performed in the appropriately-named Cirque du Soleil theatre), was exclusively created for the WDW Resort. Throughout the hour and a half show two worlds collide--one monochromatic and dull, and the other colorful and full of life. When the two come together it leads to a whole new experience unlike any other and an exciting celebration.

Talented acrobats from around the world come together to perform amazing acrobatic stunts. There were German wheels, Diabolos (girls using Chinese yo-yos), trapeze artists, tightrope walkers, performers doing an aerial ballet with silk scarves hanging from the ceiling, and stunts on bikes, and much more. One of the ending scenes used a whole bunch of trampolines (Zack said the trampolines were his favorite part). I also loved the dancer on pointe who showed up quite a bit during the show.

The show's music is mainly instrumental; there is very little dialogue at all (my favorite song from the show is titled the same as the show; it is a piece that was performed in the beginning when the "main characters" entered the theatre and is performed with a trumpet). I thought the music was absolutely wonderful... we bought the CD with the program. Because there is not a lot of dialogue in the show, you must be able to follow it by watching all the movement and facial expressions of the performers.

The only problem I had with the show was that there was always so much to watch while there were performers on stage. Sometimes I found it hard to focus on one area of the stage when there was a character in the far upstage corner doing something interesting. It was tiring upon occasion, too.

I absolutely loved the technical aspects of the show (upon leaving the theatre I turned to my mom and said, "I'd hate to be a stage manager for that show!"). Not only are there so many light, sound, and special effects cues, but there also are so many different set changes and cues to hit with the acrobatic pieces as well (like the trapezes and stuff).

If you go to Disney World and get the chance to see Cirque du Soleil, do so. We were lucky because our tickets were included in our vacation package (some do include Cirque tickets, but some don't). If you were to buy tickets from the box office they can get to be pretty expensive. If you can afford it, though, it is worth the money. It is ninety minutes of fun and awe-inspiring performers and lively, colorful music. It's well worth the wait... really.

Disney's Animal Kingdom

2007-08-06T14:02:00.000-05:00

Victoria stole my thunder by already talking about the "Tree of Life" found in Disney's Animal Kingdom, but I am going to add a few photos and thoughts about this marvelous sight. It was one of my favorite things at Walt Disney World, I suppose because it is so beautiful and took such creative talent to make.

The "Tree of Life" is a larger than full size tree sculpture that is filled with images of animals carved into the trunk. It is like playing "I Spy" and you could spend hours looking for all the different animals represented. The tree is the centerpiece of the Animal Kingdom, though there is plenty of other things to do there. The park is divided into several different regions representative of different parts of the world including Africa and Asia. The characters, buildings and costumes fit the themes. There is also an area that is themed around dinosaurs with funny rides as well as a place to dig for bones. The newest ride in the park is called "Expedition Everest": it is the roller coaster that Zack described in a previous blog.

Walt Disney had a dream -- well, he had many dreams -- but this particular dream grew after he took a trip to a tropical rainforest. There, as he floated down the river, he imagined a ride at Disney World that would represent his trip. His vision became the Jungle Cruise found in the Magic Kingdom, however it was not all that he wanted it to be. As usual, Walt Disney was ahead of his time in imagination. He wanted the Jungle Cruise to include real animals -- including hippopotamuses wallowing in the shallow depths of the river along which the boat traveled. His advisors were adamant -- it was not possible for the park to use real animals! There were legal issues, animal care issues and safety issues. It would not happen as Walt Disney dreamed. He agreed to allow animatronic hippos and elephants, but always looked toward the day when they could make it right. The Animal Kingdom came long after Walt Disney's death, but that park fulfilled his dream.

One of the rides is a safari which takes visitors on a half hour trip through a wild animal park. The animals in the park are free range, meaning they can move and roam as they might in the wild. You never know where you might find the animals -- the tour guide is as surprized as the visitors when an elephant appears close to the road. I'm sure there must be some restraints -- it would be dangerous to allow the lions roam free, though they are given plenty of space. We did not see any of the rhinoceroses because they were beyond the view of the tram, but we did get to see the lions. I'm going to let you in on a secret, however... Disney is always in control. To keep the lions in just the right place at just the right time, they have installed air conditioning on the rock. It is the coolest, most comfortable place in the lion's habitat, so he is likely to be found there all day long.

As I said, "The Tree of Life" was one of my favorite parts of Walt Disney World. As an artist, I appreciated the incredible attention to detail. The animals were not in proportion -- there is a beetle as large as a buffalo -- but the animals meld together as if they belong in the same world. The owl pictured here is just one close-up from the tree. As you can see, it almost looks real. You can see the intensity of its eyes watching its prey somewhere beyond our vision. On the larger picture above, you can see how this carving fits into the rest of the sculpture. It is a beautiful and amazing thing to see.

Back to the Islands, man!

2007-08-04T16:45:00.000-05:00

The resort we stayed at during our trip was the Carribbean Beach. It was great! The buildings were colorful and there was even a lake! There are buildings that are separated into different "islands". Our "island" was Barbados.

Each island has its own laundry facility, pool, and our island even had a stretch of beach that included a playground and some hammocks. There was also a complex called Old Port Royale. It included a food court, a restaurant, and a gift shop. The pool near Old Port Royale was themed and included a waterslide (we never got to swim at this pool... it was too crowded when we went and we decided to swim in the quiet of our island pool). Also at Old Port Royale you can rent paddleboats to take around the lake, and bikes to ride on the path that runs the perimeter of the lake (it was a great way to walk from our building to other parts of the resort).

Our room was very comfortable (and colorful, too!). I loved flopping down on the bed to rest my feet (which needed to be done quite often).

All in all, we loved the resort. It's a great place to stay if you're ever at Disney World!

Disney Rides

2007-08-03T18:50:00.000-05:00

Since everyone here has posted something about Disney World, I guess it's my turn. The rides there are so awesome, you have to ride them for yourself. At the Magic Kingdom, you've got Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in Frontierland, a subtle roller coaster that is a must for roller coaster lovers. You hop aboard a train and ride through the Wild West, and a collapsing mine. And don't worry, the rocks barely move. Then there is Tomorrowland, a gaze into to the future. If you want to relax, ride the TTA: the Tommorowland Transit Authority. It just takes you around Tomorrowland. And then go to the first indoor coaster in Disney World, Space Mountain. It's 28 mph speed is slow, but it's a great ride (probably one of the best roller coasters in the history of all coasters).

In Epcot, you've got Test Track, where you buckle up and ride a test car through a series of tests a car goes through to be approved to be sold. Fun ride. except the part where you go through a heated chamber. That stinks on a hot day.

And the newest additions are the Rockin' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith, and Expedition Everest: Legend of the Forbidden Mountain. In the Rockin' Roller Coaster, Aerosmith invites you in a limo to ride through the streets of Hollywood to their concert. Yet this is not a normal coaster. It is an indoor, air-compressed coaster that shoots you out of the station at 60 mph in 2.8 seconds. AWESOME!! You can find this in MGM Studios.

Then head over to the Animal Kingdom and ride Expedition Everest. This coaster seems like a normal coaster, until you reach the top and see the tracks have been ripped up. Then as you hear the screams of another cart going down the big drop, your journey continues....backwards. The rest is for you to find out, except that you do finish the ride going forward.

Well that is all for know, more blogging later. Bye!

The Tree of Life

2007-08-03T17:15:00.001-05:00

I think that the absolutely most incredible thing at Disney World was the Tree of Life in the Animal Kingdom. It's in the center of the park on Discovery Island and is a man made tree that contains carvings of over 300 different kinds of animals. There's everything from the tiniest bug to the largest mammal.

We spent absolutely forever walking around the tree. The detail was so incredible that we would stop and look at one section for five or ten minutes before moving on. We didn't even make it to the back side of the tree during our first visit, so we had to go back and walk some more.

Not only are there all of the carvings to see (and they're not just on the trunk itself... there are also carvings on the roots that pop out to the pathway) but there are also animal exhibits to see. I think we found some of the coolest animals along the trail behind the tree, like the Galapagos turtles, macaws, and porcupines. We got to take our time walking around as well; because so many people focus on riding on and seeing all of the attractions, the paths were pretty clear and quiet.

If you go to the Animal Kingdom definitely spend some time walking around the Tree of Life. You'll be glad you did!

It's All in the Details...

2007-08-02T14:59:00.000-05:00

The opportunities for fun at Walt Disney World are not limited to the rides and shows. Disney also offers a variety of tours that give guests a look at Disney from a different perspective. Behind-the-scenes tours include "Hidden Treasures," "Gardens of the World," "Behind the Seeds," and "Backstage Magic." The tours cost anywhere from $10 to $199 and are worth every penny. Bruce and Zack went on tour called "Disney's Magic behind our Steam Trains, and I will leave it to them to share about their experience.

Victoria and I took the "Keys to the Kingdom" tour, a five hour tour (lunch included) that showed us the logistical, technical and operational sides of the Magic Kingdom. We learned the four Keys to the Kingdom -- courtesy, safety, efficiency and show. Everything that the cast members do at Walt Disney World fulfill at least one if not all four of the keys. Our tour guide, Matthew, shared the story of Disney and gave us a peak into the things we might not notice about the park so that we would realize that it really is in the details.

For example, we were in Liberty Square, the area in the Magic Kingdom that is themed around the American Revolution, with buildings representing the Federal or Colonial architectual styles. One day, Matthew was giving a tour like ours when he noticed that some of the shutters on some of the buildings were crooked, leaning farther away on the top than on the bottom. Thinking that he had discovered something 'wrong' with the way the the buildings were designed, he went to the Disney imagineers with his discovery. They laughed a bit at his naivete and gave him a brief lesson in American history.

At the time when those buildings were built in places like Philadelphia, the country was at war and metal was difficult to come by. It was not only very expensive, but it was necessary for all metal to be used for military purposes. The common people were not able to purchase metal hinges for their homes, and so they had to use leather to hang their shutters. The climate and weight of the shutters eventually caused the leather straps on the top to stretch and thus the shutters began to tilt. The upper class residents were able to use metal hinges, so the shutters stayed straight. So, in the design of Liberty square you can see that it is all in the details -- some of the shutters are tilted, some are straight, representative of the different types of buildings and the classes who might have resided in the buildings.

While walking through Liberty Square, Matthew called our attention to the pathways. The 'roads' were designed with lighter bricks in the middle, making them very decorative and attractive. Matthew explained that this was another detail that pointed to the authenticity of the design. The lighter colored bricks were representative of the Colonial American sewage system. They did not have pipes hidden below the streets as we do today. In that era, the sewage flowed in gullies down the middle of the street. To that end, there is no indoor plumbling found within Liberty Square. The accessible bathrooms are actually located on the edge of the neighboring lands. Though the Magic Kingdom can seem like a very big place, it is very compact and the buildings are much closer than they appear. That is one of the secrets that we learned on our tour.

One of my favorite rides in the Magic Kingdom is "The Haunted Mansion." Unfortunately, the ride was closed during our visit. They are renovating the building and updating the technology to make it an even better experience for park visitors. I was very disappointed, but it gives me an excuse to go back again soon!

There is a show in Liberty Square called "The Hall of Presidents." This audio-animatronic theater presentation tells the story of America in the voices of her presidents. It is amazing to see them all on the stage, to notice the insignificant details that make the characters look real. One of the presidents had a twitch in his foot. Another tapped his fingers. The characters who spoke appeared life-like, with characteristic body movements and facial features.

We had one of our character dinners in Liberty Square at the Liberty Tree Inn. Character dinners are a wonderful way of guaranteeing a visit with some of the Disney characters, but it is good to make your reservations early for these dinners. At the Liberty Tree Inn, the cuisine is a good old American Thanksgiving dinner with turkey and stuffing served family style. The characters visit every table, giving each family the chance for authographs and photos. Some of the characters act very silly. Pluto took Bruce's hat off his head and tried to wear it for a bit. Dale (as in Chip and Dale) picked up a man's map and tried to give him directions until he realized that the map was upside down! Minnie was hostess and she wore a lovely colonial frock, as you can see in the picture. We also met Goofy and Chip.

For some people, Liberty Square is a way to get from one land to another. There are only two rides in the area -- the Haunted Mansion and the Liberty Belle Riverboat. However, there is good food and shopping -- well worth some or your time.

POLAR BEAR DROP!!!!

2007-08-02T12:01:00.000-05:00

Camp was fun in Montana. The performance went great, and everyone had fun with it. But in my opinion, I have to say the best part of camp was not related to theatre at all. My favorite part was the POLAR BEAR DROP!! The whole camp got up at 6:30 in the morning to watch people jump into the lake at 7:00. After we jumped, we had to swim across the lake as fast as we could. I went with my entire cabin, and it was a BLAST! A few guys in my cabin had second thoughts because they thought the water would be freezing. It wasn't. Some people even did it twice! Not all people in the camp did the polar bear. Personally, I think it should be mandatory for all campers to jump. Yeah, it WAS that fun. The cool thing was that it woke us up for the day of the performance (and rehearsals. AAAAAAAHHHHH). But mostly, I absolutely CAN NOT wait for the polar bear next year! Will the lake be warm? Or will it be freezing? No one will know until next summer.

Dreams do come true... they really do!

2007-08-02T10:50:00.000-05:00

OK... my last post was about my Montana adventures with Zack. Everyone else (meaning mom and dad) are talking about our vacation, so I guess it's my turn to talk about MY FAVORITE PART of our trip.

I absolutely loved every minute of it. Really. I didn't want to leave once our last day rolled around. Even though I loved it ALL, I think the best part of the week for me was meeting my favorite character. A moment I was waiting for all week long.... getting the chance to meet Belle.

Belle has always been my favorite of ALL the princesses. I think it's because she's the most like me. I love her story. So if I could only meet one character all week, I would have had to choose Belle. We were lucky enough to find her and the Beast in Epcot when we were walking World Showcase. As we were coming upon the France pavillion we saw a line forming and the characters there. Zack and I ran to get in line (seriously... mom told us to run and get in line) because I realized it was the one person I REALLY, REALLY wanted to meet.

We waited in line for I guess about ten or fifteen minutes (with all the anticipation it seemed like FOREVER). Finally we were next in line, and we got to walk up and meet Belle and the Beast! She signed our autograph books and started talking to us. She commented on Zack's Stitch ears ("You look like our friend Stitch!" *Zack talks in Stitch voice* "You sound like our friend Stitch!" *Zack and I start giggling* "Do you get in trouble like our friend Stitch?" *I start to nod "yes" to her*) and she asked me what my favorite story was (a VERY Belle thing to say).

Of course, I really didn't know how to tell her she was my favorite character of all time. So when she asked me what my favorite story was, and I said that it was hers, she got all excited and started asking me about my favorite part (I answered, "I like it all!"). When it came time for pictures, she said she would be honored to take a picture with me. HONORED!!!! Meeting Belle was definitely my dream, and finally my dream really did come true.

We ended up seeing her again the next day at Cinderella's Royal Table. So I got to see her twice! I didn't care how the rest of our vacation went... I had gotten to meet Belle. My vacation was complete.

More blogging later. Mom says I should give Zack the chance to blog about his stuff sometime soon. I know for sure he wants to talk about his camp experiences, and maybe even Disney as well.

Bruce enters the blogging world!

2007-08-01T19:03:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone bears with me, this is my first attempt at blogging. I admit, I was a little surprised when Peggy told me she set up a family blog. I am never good at these things, never quite know what to write about. Life is grand, still sort of enjoying my military retirement, even though I haven't stopped working. Thats for another blog. The kids keep me going. The remaining challenge for this summer will be making sure Vicki knows how to drive safely. I am really looking forward to taking her to a parking lot and turning over the car to her (yeah right). Only kidding Victoria, it is going to be fun.

Like everyone else I too had a great time on our Disney vacation in June. It truly is the Happiest Place on Earth. The drive was long (would have been nice if Victoria could have driven some of the miles so I could sleep like Zack in the back of the van) but worth every mile. The best part of the week was acting like a kid and enjoying all the fun things Disney has to offer. I think I enjoyed meeting the characters just as much as Victoria and Zack. Some even tried to give me more hair. I could tell you lots more about the week, but I am sure the rest of the family will fill you with lots of useful tidbits for when you decide to visit. Bottom line, I highly recommend the trip even if you are an adult. Got to run, more to do. Please keep visiting the site, you never can tell what you may learn about us.

A movie for all your senses...

2007-08-01T09:38:00.000-05:00

Walt Disney World was created by Walt Disney because he always had a dream to provide the theater going public with an experience of all the senses. As a matter of fact, when he created the film “Fantasia” it was meant to be multi-dimensional. He went from small town to small town to ask the theater managers to play the movie. However, to play it, the theater owner or manager had to promise to make some changes to their property. Special speakers were required as well as special equipment for mist and smell to reach the viewers. The costs for these changers were extraordinary; none of the managers were willing to put so much into presenting the film. When it was officially released, the viewers only had a part of the experience and it left many disappointed.

Walt Disney was simply ahead of his time. He had the imagination but not the technology necessary to give the audience the multi-sensory experience. Of course, Disney has long been innovators – they have created technology that did not exist to make some vision come to life. Some movie theaters are now being built with the equipment that would have made “Fantasia” an amazing movie experience.

Since he could not make it happen on the big screen, Walt Disney decided to make it happen in a much larger theater. That is why he created Disneyland in California. The Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida is designed on the same pattern. The park is designed to be a huge movie that the viewer can actually step into. From the parking lot into Main Street, the visitor is greeted with the same things they would see at the theater. They park and then approach the ticket booth. At the front door you can see posters advertising upcoming attractions – the themed areas inside the park. As you walk through the door, the first thing you will smell is the popcorn coming from the carts parked nearby. Main Street is where you will see the movie credits. There are names painted on the windows above the stores. These names tell the story of Disney – from accountants to designers to Walt Disney himself.

Finally, as you begin walking down Main Street you can finally see the feature presentation – Cinderella’s Castle. You can not see the castle from anywhere outside of the park – it is not visible until you step on to Main Street. The Main Street Train Station was specifically designed to hide it until the very last moment. Walt Disney wanted it to be a breathtaking moment. The entire Disney experience – at whichever park you visit – is the same. It is not a theme park, it is a show. The workers are cast members, their uniforms are costumes. They are actors on a stage and you enter into a very different world.

Another way to Experience what Walt Disney intended for that early movie is an attraction found in Fantasyland. Mickey's PhilharMagic is a 20 minute 3 dimensional large screen movie using ideas and visuals from the movie "Fantasia," but also adding the other sensory features that Walt Disney intended. It is so much fun to try to catch the things that pop out of the screen at you -- jewels, instruments, even Donald Duck. The smell of roses and the feel of mist on your skin makes it an incredible experience. Mickey's PhilharMagic is a FastPass ride, though the auditorium is large and the wait is usually short. It is worth the wait.

The pictures in today's blog were taken by Bruce.

Montana Camp!!!!!!

2007-07-31T18:18:00.000-05:00

Mom told me today she started this blog, so I thought I'd interject for a post and let you know what's been going on in my life (the title does read "Hoppes Family Adventures," right?). Zack and I had an interesting and fun week last week.

We're back from camp! Or "Montana Camp" is what my cabinmates like to call it. The Performing Arts Camp I have gone to for the past few summers was last week and this year Zack and I got to go together. It was a fun (and very interesting) week. With it being my third time and Zack's first, I didn't know what to expect. Early Sunday morning we traveled together to Missoula, Montana to spend a week at Camp Paxson on Seeley Lake and attend theatre camp with Missoula Children's Theatre. Although it was hot and dry (we couldn't have campfires because of the weather) it was still a great week.

I absolutely LOVE theatre camp because I know lots of people and I have the GREATEST time of my life! On top of that, the setting is absolutely GORGEOUS (it's pretty much the prettiest place in the world for me)!

We spent the week singing, dancing, and acting to a show they called "America". It was very different and I had never done anything like it before. Zack and I both had great parts (he was Paul Revere in a scene and I was Robert Fulton... which was an entire monologue!) and loved hanging out with all of our camp friends. By the end of the week (like always) we didn't want to leave. I cried when the show was over Friday night because it was all over.

I didn't know how much Zack would like camp; since it was his first time I didn't know how the week would go for him. He had a blast, though. I think he loved it and it sounds like he might want to go back next year. I was so glad he had a great time because I really did want him to have fun.

It was an absolutely awesome week, and I hope to have more pics on soon!

Dreams do come true

2007-07-31T15:03:00.000-05:00

Outside Cinderella's castle each day the Cast of the Magic Kingdom put on a spectacular show in which Mickey proclaims his love for Minnie and the princesses all dance with their princes. Goofy and Donald pretend to be pirates and Peter Pan defeats the wicked Captain Hook. Finally, believing overcomes all evil and everything comes out right. In the end we learn that dreams really do come true.

This is one of my favorite pictures from our week in Walt Disney World.

Inside Cinderella's castle is a shop that sells the usual souveniers as well as a few highly prized and highly priced pieces of Disney memorabilia. In the hallway is a lovely set of mosaics telling the story of Cinderella.

There is a restaurant on the second floor called "Cinderella's Royal Table." We ate lunch with Jasmine, Snow White, Belle and Mary Poppins. Cinderella was our hostess and she puts on a fabulous feast. If you want to dine at Cinderella's Table, be sure to make your reservations early. All the seatings fill up fast.

On the third floor of Cinderella's castle is a newly remodeled suite. It cost four million dollars to prepare and is used as a special surprize for one family each day who is invited to stay there for a night. We did not get chosen, so maybe not all dreams come true!

We had a wonderful time during our week at Walt Disney world. The cast members were always ready to make sure it was a magical experience for us all.

More pictures and stories will be posted soon!

Disney Coming Soon

2007-07-18T12:47:00.000-05:00

I've finally gotten my computer back from the geeks and I'm ready to start working on the travelogues for our trip to Disney during the last week of June. Check back soon.