Monday, April 28, 2008
Five Islands: New Zealand
Ah, the crown jewel. I probably keep Parker looking over every square mile of these two islands - at this point, he probably knows them as well as he does the geography of Florida.
What can I say about New Zealand? Simply that I think it is the single most perfect place on Earth, at least from every image, film travelouge, and book I have read. When I think of New Zealnd, I immediately think of Gonzo's solo in The Muppet Movie:
This looks familiar, vaguely familiar,
Almost unreal, yet, it's too soon to feel yet.
Close to my soul, and yet so far away.
I'm going to go back there someday.
Sun rises, night falls, sometimes the sky calls.
Is that a song there, and do I belong there?
I've never been there, but I know the way.
I'm going to go back there someday.
Come and go with me, it's more fun to share,
We'll both be completely at home in midair.
We're flyin', not walkin', on featherless wings.
We can hold onto love like invisible strings.
There's not a word yet for old friends who've just met.
Part heaven, part space, or have I found my place?
You can just visit, but I plan to stay.
I'm going to go back there someday.
I'm going to go back there someday.
Labels: Parker, Where in the World
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Five Islands: Reunion
The next island Parker and I explored on line was Reunion. This little gem in the Indian Ocean is comprised mainly of three massive volcanic craters, or cirques, one of which is active. I was intrigues by the remoteness of it all - many of the villages within these maze of valleys are inaccessible save by tortuous trails across cliff faces or by helicopter.
Photos by Ptorodellas and Manu Frankness
Labels: Parker, Where in the World
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Saturday, April 12, 2008
When Cuddly White Whales Go Bad
Parker approached me excitedly as I came home to tell me about his trip to the library. He was especially excited about a pop-up book he found that was all about sailing.
In the book, Parker explained, a bunch of sailors were going across the ocean in a sailing ship, when suddenly a giant Beluga came and wrecked their ship! The people were then caught in a whirlpool and diappeared.
Finally piecing it together, I asked him "Was this book called Moby Dick?"
"Yes!" he shouted excitedly!
Photo by Iwana Kellie.
Labels: Cute Overlord, Parker, Spot the Pop Culture Reference
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Thursday, March 06, 2008
Methinks They've Seen it Too Many Times
Word for word, this was the conversation between Kira and Parker on Sunday:Kira: Amos Slade, you trigger-happy lunatic! Give me that gun!
Parker: My radiator! Why, you blasted female...
Kira: Hold it, right there.
Parker: Watch it, that thing's loaded.
Kira: Now it ain't loaded.
Parker: Your fox was after my chickens!
Kira: Poppycock!
Parker: You muddle-headed female...
Kira: Amos Slade, that temper of yours is going to get you into a lot of trouble someday.
Parker: Temper? Temper? Woman, you ain't seen my temper! If I ever catch that fox in my property again, I'll blast him, and next time I won't miss!
I'm thinking I might start up a Disney theater troupe soon.
Labels: Disney, Hooray for Hollywood, Kira, Parker
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Holy Moses
Parker and Kira saw Prince of Egypt for the first time last week. It made quite an impression - Parker has been asking us to define God, which started a rather complex discussion about beliefs and different religions.The next day, when we put dinner on the table, Kira stood up in her chair and shouted "Let My People EAT!"
A few days later, I listened to playing early in the morning. Parker selected one of his Playmobil figures and told Kira that this guy is God.
Kira looked at the figure for a second, and pronounced solemenly "There is no God."
"Nooo, Kira!" Parker interjected. "We're playing olden days. And in the olden days, there was a God."
Labels: Cute Overlord, Hooray for Hollywood, Kira, Let Kids be Kids, Parker
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Friday, January 18, 2008
Five Islands: The Andamans
The third set of islands that Parker and I looked over are the Maldives. From high above the ocean, the Maldives appear as tiny circles of blue spread like a necklace across the middle of the Indian Ocean. On closer view, you see they are in fact coral atolls, stretching for hundreds of miles across the sea.
The Maldives as seen from space (photo courtesy NASA)
A closer view (photo by The Kosovar.
The Maldives is the smallest Asian country in terms of population. Of its roughly 1100 islands, only 200 are inhabited. It is also the smallest predominantly Muslim nation in the world.
Tourism is the primary economy of the islands, renowned for their crystal clear waters and spectacular diving opportunities. Most resorts feature individual huts suspended over the atolls and connected by walkways (Photo of resort by Andy Morris
The only island that belies this idyllic back-to-nature setting is the capital of the Maldive, Male, which covers its island from shore to shore and must be concerned with the idea of a rising sea level every day (Photo by Shahee Ilyas:
It looks like a very gorgeous place to visit, though I think the only way to really appreciate it would be to be SCUBA certified.
It also looks as though cultural norms on the island are changing, due in no small part to the key role of the tourist. In the wake of a bombing in December, the Maldive government is severely restricting foreign clerics from entering the islands, and is banning the head-to-toe clothing required of all females (there already was an exception for women working in the tourist resorts). It will be interesting to see whether religious or economic concerns will determine policy in the islands over the next few decades.
Labels: Parker, Where in the World
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Saturday, December 29, 2007
The Holidaze
Happy New Year, all!
We had a fantastic time over the holiday break, taking a much deserved and much needed two week trip to Northern Georgia. Kristin and I got to have several honest-to-goodness nights out on the town, and the kids had a blast visiting their grandparents. Parker proved that he can have fun for hours with just a handful of hangers (really), and Kira proved quite adept at climbing stairs, as botha human and as a cat.
Kira and Parker getting into the holiday spirit, and staying still for the just one second.
Kira and Parker on their first time on bicycles.
Lucille's Mountain Inn, the fantastic bed and breakfast Kristin and I stayed in on our out of town anniversary present.
William the Conqueror's Def Comedy Jam is in the house!
The kids take a moment to fish with a bear at Goats on the Roof General Store (yes there are indeed goats on the roof).
Parker strikes a pose at the Georgia Aquarium.
The piranha disturbingly await their next victim....er, meal.....at the Georgia Aquarium.
Parker gets up and personal with a Penguin - at least, as personal as three inch glass can allow you to be.
Kira and Aunt Shelli on an insanely cold December night.
Pay no attention to the large scaly gentleman behind you. Nothing to see here.
Labels: And We Are Rather Puny, Homeschooling, Kira, Let Kids be Kids, Parker, Sheer Awesome
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Friday, December 28, 2007
Five Islands: Madeira
Here is the second entry in Parker's and my review of islands of the world that we would like to visit:
One of the most unique features of the island are the levadas, a series of stone aqueducts and tunnels created by the original Portuguese settlers to bring water from the north side of the island to the south. These stone troughs are often wide enough to allow for hiking along the edge. In some places the levadas are in level territory, but in others the aqueducts go high into the mountains, and walking them becomes a delicate balancing act, particularly is one suffers from vertigo. I'd like to think I could walk on one of these, but if the photos I've seen are any indication, some of them are probably a little too agoraphobia-inducing for my tastes.
The New Years' fireworks celebration holds the Guinness Record for being the world's largest. Parker is eager to see that, as am I.
Labels: Homeschooling, Parker, Sheer Awesome, Where in the World
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Thursday, December 27, 2007
Parker's Story
"Once there was a little boy, who didn't have any brothers or sisters, or a mama or daddy, but had a brother cat. And they lived in a house that they stayed in forever. The little boy learned to drive, but it was a toy car. He crashed into many things, which made the cat say 'ooph, meow', and then the cat climbed back into his car seat. The end."Labels: Parker
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Saturday, November 17, 2007
Five Islands: Socotra
Parker and I love to explore Google Earth. It's an excellent way to explore the world and get children to see the distances between places, and its inclusion of photos from Panoramio allow them to see exactly what its like in other parts of the world by looking at photos of everyday life taken by normal people. Parker and I especially like to look at the islands around the world, and we've found five that especially capture our interest.
First on our list is the tiny island of Socotra in the Indian Ocean, located between the Horn of Africa and the Arabian penisnsula. Socotra is known as the Galapagos of the Indian Ocean, given its diversity of animal life and relative isolation from the rest of Africa. The last time Socotra was part of a continental land mass was 6 million years ago when it was part of Gondwana. Many of the plants of Socotra are found nowhere else on Earth, including the fantastic dragon's blood tree. The red sap of the tree was sought after in ancient times as a medicine and dye. Today it drives a nascent ecotourism industry in this country, which until recently was only accessible by boat during the non-monsoon season.Labels: And We Are Rather Puny, Parker, Where in the World
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Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Happy Halloween
Happy Halloween everyone! Does this curdle your toes?
I know, what kind of sick, demented parents would take their kids to the dentist on Halloween?
I guess our kind.
Later we did go out, and had some fun, and now, the costumes:
Labels: Kira, Let Kids be Kids, Parker
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Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Robin Hood
Parker's intense fascination with all things medieval has finally centered on Robin Hood. Robin Hood is currently his favorite Disney movie, and "Robin Hood Daffy" never ceases to make him laugh. Both he and Kira have taken to yelling "Yikes and Away" while running into things throughout the house, most notably walls.------------------------------------------------
Thursday, September 27, 2007
How Mothers Let Linda Hirshman Down
I first heard of Linda Hirshman's and her stance that being a stay-at-home mom was to settle for being less than an adult human being on CNN. She has a quiet, studied voice, with a steady cheerful delivery that would make Dolores Umbridge proud. Hirshman asserts that "the tasks of housekeeping and child rearing were not worthy of the full time and talents of intelligent and educated human beings. They do not require a great intellect, they are not honored and they do not involve risks and the rewards that risk brings." She also goes on to say:
Here's the feminist moral analysis that choice avoided: The family -- with its repetitious, socially invisible, physical tasks -- is a necessary part of life, but it allows fewer opportunities for full human flourishing than public spheres like the market or the government."
So, in a few sentences, Hirshman has made it abundantly clear that the raising of a child does not require a competent adult. If her argument in meant to galvanize mothers into rejoining the workforce, it also establishes that those that will be given the responsibility of the children while they do so - be they stay-at-home dads, nannies, day care operators, teachers - are people who are neither intelligent or well educated.
And I'm not sure what 'public sphere' Dr. Hirshman resides in, but my experience in the market and government spheres is chock full of 'repetitious, socially invisible, physical tasks'. Veronica Mitchell does a great job of breaking this down in her analysis of Hirshman and her work.
After making her viewpoints known, Dr. Hirshman then follows the tried-and-true tact of all media pundits today: undermine the opposing view by belittling and discrediting the detractors. In an article in Washington the Washington Post, Dr. Hirshman attributes most of the complaints against her work to religious zealots and bloggers who revel in the mundane drudgery of their lives. While talking to Diane Sawyer on Good Morning America, she elaborated:
One of the things I've done working on my book is to read a lot of the diaries online. And their description of their lives does not sound particularly interesting or fulfilling for a...complicated person, for a complicated, educated person. It's physical, but it's repetitious.
Her supporters, she surmises, are too occupied to talk about their support of her viewpoint:
"I guess working women are too busy at work to blog about their lives and are already on their way to their jobs when "Good Morning America" puts me on at 8 a.m.
I'm astonished by Dr. Hirshman's real lack of knowledge about how people live their lives today. Dr. Hirshman, working people blog. Sometimes at work. They also post pictures to Flickr, Dropshots, and dozens of other sites - and participate in chat rooms, etc. You'd be surprised at how many people do. I'd be more inclined to believe that working women who support your stance are not likely to come out and support it because the corporate culture they are in already has your viewpoint ingrained in their philosophy, and so there is no point in coming out and affirming what they feel is obvious.
At least CNN anchor Rick Sanchez took her to task in his interview. He told Linda that he knows exactly what his job is: a TV anchor. And that it's completely unimportant next to his kids. And he'd quit it in an instant if he needed to to be at home. Well done, Rick. It makes up for the whole taser thing.
Labels: Kira, Parker, Punditz, The Great Divide
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Sunday, September 23, 2007
Moving Imagination
Parker, Kira, and I spent two days at Disney this weekend, primarily to see the Imagination Movers, a children's quartet from the Disney Channel.
They had fun at the concert, but their attention was really piqued immediately afterwards, when the group came into the audience to sign autographs. Parker had to tell each of the band members how he had a guitar at home and a set of drums. After had spoken to the lead singer, Mover Rich, I asked Kira if she wanted to go and get her picture with him, as he was still kneeling right in front of us. Kira was clinging to my leg shyly, when all of a sudden, BOOM, she was off like a rocket, and nearly bowled him over with the force of her hug. Rich's face lit up with a terrific smile, and he said that she had absolutely just made his day.
Later that night we watched the fireworks at the Magic Kingdom from the steamboat. It was a lovely trip.
Some other gems from the kids:
- While going through Ocala, Kira proclaimed her absolute need for candy. Parker responded solemnly "Kira, candy's gonna rot your soul", a line from Mika's song Lollipop.
- Upon entering the hotel room, Parker saw a coffeemaker and exclaims "Look, a coffee cooker!"
- At the rest stop, Parker cautioned the group of college students getting in the car next to us that the love bugs will get in their car if they don;t keep the doors closed. The driver looked at him and said "But, If we get all of the love bugs out of our car, where will the love come from?". Parker was stumped by this question for some time.
Labels: Cute Overlord, Disney, Kira, Parker
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Monday, September 17, 2007
Carcassone
Parker and I explored via Google Earth the town of Carcassonne in Southern France. One of the few fortified towns of Europe to never be conquered, it was restored in 1853 by the theorist and architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, and became a World Heritage Site in 1997.
It is one of the most intact examples of a medieval town in Europe today, and one can't help but fall in love with it on first sight. if we ever get back to the Continent, it will definitely be on the itinerary. Although Parker is endlessly fascinated by castles, most castles in Europe today are in some sort of decay or disorder - eventually they were breached, and conservation efforts there are more inclined to preserve it as it is rather than to restore it. Carcassonne would give Parker a better understanding of what architecture and life was in that time more than the crumbling masonry of most of the fortresses of the age.
Labels: Homeschooling, Parker, Sheer Awesome, Where in the World
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Monday, August 27, 2007
Even Old New York was Once Old Amsterdam
This weekend, Parker and I talked about the Netherlands. We explored the streets and canals of Amsterdam, looked at the churches, and talked for a while about the Anne Frank museum and who Anne Frank was. We watched videos about the tulip fields and how a windmill is used to crush wheat into flour. We also looked at how dikes are built to reclaim land from the sea, and the massive wind turbines and dam control programs that are used to keep the country dry. To boot, we saw a pirate and a Viking ship.Later, we used Google Sky to look at galaxies and the Crab Nebula (Parker's favorite).
Labels: Homeschooling, Parker
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Saturday, August 11, 2007
And Then Parker Said...
Kristin asked Parker what daddies are supposed to do. His response:
Paint the walls,
mow the lawn,
ask lots of questions,
and talk to the mommy.
He's also starting to lose one of his baby teeth - the adult tooth is knocking and is ready to move up. It's a slow process, much like Zeus toppling and devouring Cronus, if Zeus and Cronus had been played by glacier. Parker refers to his new tooth as his first "female tooth". I guess he already understands that women are the more adult of the sexes ;)
Labels: Parker, Unbridled Hope for the Future
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1 Cents Added:
too funny (my college roommate would shorten that to toof...but that is too punny)
By 
, at 6:57 PM
Star Wars Weekend
We braved the sweltering weather of the Florida summer to brave the one location that Florida residents routinely avoid like some sort of cursed ancient burial ground - Disney World. True to form, it was sweltering, and gave us an absolutely torrential downpour that ended our attempt at the Star Wars Weekend way early. We spent about two hours trapped in a theater with Jedi Mickey, catching only a glimpse of Chewie as he was whisked to the back (According to his handler, the Ewok that was with him got swept away by the flash flood).Parker wasn't as into it as I thought he would be. He didn't want to join the Jedi Training Academy, an interactive adventure where kids in the audience could duel Darth Vader. Later, parker solemnly told me he didn't need to be part of the training, as he was already a Jedi. He seemed pretty confident about it.
We were soaked to the bone by the time we got through the park and back to the cat, riding a tram through a violent lightning storm that was certainly equal to any fireworks display we might have seen later that night. We then practiced some contortionist tricks changing out of our clothes and into our clothes from the day before, in the back of the van, taking breaks every eight minutes or so to hide behind fog-tinted windows as another tram disgorged another soggy mass of tourists who had reached their limits. I think my shoes dried out somewhere near Ocala.
Labels: Art, Disney, Kira, Parker, Star Wars, Weather Dominator
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Friday, July 20, 2007
Life's a Beach
Our weekend of 'relaxation' at Jacksonville Beach with my mom and Aunt Margie took a turn for the worst almost the moment we stepped our onto the golden sands. I did a poor job of girding Kristin for the sun's pummeling - and she develop a severe that would last for several weeks. Just twenty minutes later, while picking up Kira, I consigned my glasses to the briny deep - or at the very least, to a group of curious minnows in three feet of water.
Kristin and I spent most of the rest of the day shopping for glasses, a task turned Herculean ordeal by the sheer number of frames that are now manufactured in China. The only United States made glasses in the store where the stylish roll shades they gave me after dilating my eyes, MADE IN USA stamped proudly across the brow of the plastic.
In the end, I selected three frames. My main glasses now have stylish wood accents that underscore they are Italian...while wearing them,I feel like I'm skimming across Lake Como in my Cris-Craft on the way to Clooney's villa:
My second pair of glasses are from Japan. They actually use fishing line cut into the groove of the glass to hold the lenses in, which makes the glasses nearly invisible on my face:
Finally, I got a pair of sunglasses from Italy.
The lenses are tinted with an amber filter: it takes some getting used to, as things seem so much different when I'm wearing them. For example, I took these right outside the office:
The trip did get better after that. I learned Rummy in between smearing Aloe across Kristin's tortured back, and we saw the new Harry Potter, as well as read the last Harry Potter. Mom ran into an old high school friend she hadn't seen for for twenty years at the library. And Parker got to learn about geology, the weather, and marine biology.
Labels: Anti-Fun, Art, Parker, Sheer Awesome, Spot the Pop Culture Reference
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Saturday, July 07, 2007
Smooth Jazz
Parker has taken to listening to various radio stations as he goes to sleep, and its starting to have an effect.The family made our semi-weekly pilgrimage to Starbucks (it's kind of like the Camino de Santiago de Compostela, with caffeine substituting for rosaries). as Parker and I played some checkers, the melodic Jazz that store favors percolated through the air.
"What kind of music is that?" I prodded Parker.
Parker shrugged "A saxophone."
"Mm-hmm," I agreed. "That's Jazz."
"No." Parker objected. Then, in a voice two octave lower, we said "It's Smoooth Jazz. 97.3."
Labels: Parker, We Who Are About to Rock
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Friday, February 23, 2007
1-2-3 Like a Bird He Sings
Parker got up the other day singing a new song. We thought he had made it up, but he kept insisting he wanted to hear it, so Kristin looked up the lyrics on Google. And, as it turns out, Parker had memorized the brand new Tim McGraw song after hearing it just one time on the radio the night before. Although it isn't yet available for sale, Parker has been listening to a free copy from McGraw's site incessantly, it having replaced Mika's Grace Kelly as the flavor of the week (Oingo Boingo made a valiant effort with Weird Science, but came in a pale second place).Later I was working on an identity project with a tight turnaround, and Parker came to me and asked to play a game. Thinking I was being very clever, I said sure and told him we were playing a computer game where letters had to be linked together. After watching me for about twenty seconds, Parker announced solemnly: "That's not a game daddy. That's a logo."
It's getting that you can't pull anything over his eyes.
Labels: Kira, Let Kids be Kids, Parker
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Sunday, February 11, 2007
Where Did You Dig Up That Old Fossil?
The whole family went to Lake Santa Fe today for a birthday party. Lots of fun, though I still kept scanning the waters of the lake for the reptilian death I expected to lurk beneath the surface. Instead, Parker and I saw cute fuzzy otters swimming to their burrow, a hawk, and an egg-eating pig.The house we were at had stepping stones that surrounded the back end of the house. One of the concrete ones had etched seashells across its top. Parker thought they were fossils, and explained to me that the shells had been buried underground and became hard like rocks. Move over, Daniel Cook.
Labels: Parker
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Monday, January 29, 2007
A Day at the Races
Kira, Parker" and I went back to Disney today. We made our way leisurely south through Horse country, and took time to watch riders practice for a horse jumping competition. The announcer would state each competitors score over a loudspeaker after each run, and Kira would excitably respond:"Parker, listen! A robot!"
At Disney, we ate at the Garden Grill at Epcot, and Kira finally got to meet Mickey Mouse, as well as Chip, Dale, and Pluto, who was their favorite (Pluto played peek-a-boo with them, and Kira kissed him on the nose). We then rode the Land boat ride through the hydroponic gardens, and then took the monorails to the Magic Kingdom, where we rode Small World, the Carousel, and Dumbo.
Finally, we watched the fireworks - an experience that would have been more enjoyable except the kids suddenly remembered they had not eaten in hours, and then Parker had a meltdown over not being able to eat ice cream in 45 degree weather, and Kira spilled her popcorn all over. Nevertheless, I think the day was huge hit, given that Kira asked to ride the elephant and watch the firework for days after.
Labels: Disney, Kira, Parker, Unbridled Hope for the Future
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Monday, January 08, 2007
My Favorite and My Best
I took the kids to Disney this Sunday, proving it is a viable day trip for us. We left the house a little before noon and got to the park around two. Kira napped as we made our way across the parking lot and into the park. Parker confided in me as we entered that Disneyworld was "his favorite and his best". Kira woke up soon after we entered the park. We shared a box of popcorn as we watched a parade and then met the cast of Pinnochio. We then watched the Main Street Barber Shop Quartet, who sang directly to Parker about Ice Cream as he munched down on a mickey mouse shaped confection.
We then rode It's A Small World, which the kids absolutely enjoyed - and led to a second and third trip. After riding the teacups, went and ate lunch in Pinnochio's restaurant, which allows you to sit and wive at riders of Small World, which the kids did with gusto. We followed that up with Meeting Tigger before riding the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (how I still miss thee, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride) and then went to the Toontown fair to meet more characters. The wait there was a real challenge, as Kira was quite ready to leave, but the sheer joy that came over her face to see Goofy come running around a corner made it worth it.We ended the evening with watching the Wishes fireworks show. Or, should I say, we ended our day at the park - there was still the two hour drive home after that.
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Saturday, December 30, 2006
The Fifth Day: A Five Hour Tour
Parker, his grandpa and I went to the Magic Kingdom today. We watched a parade, a street show involving Woody from A Toy Story, and rode the Pirates of the Carribean ride.This was by far the longest line we had to wait in on the entire trip, and took nearly an hour and a half to get on the five minute ride.
Later that night, we managed to sneak back to the park with Shelli and Kristin, sans kids, and take in the New Years fireworks show, one night early. It was amazing, and benefiteed from a 360 degree launch platform around the entire park. Still, it did not feel as impressive as the daily Wishes show, which is to me the best fireworks show I have ever seen.------------------------------------------------
Friday, December 29, 2006
The Fourth Day: Four Boat Rides
Today we headed over to Epcot for another day of Playhouse Disney. While Kristin and Kira took the boat over to Epcot, Parker and I went on a quick trip on Star Tours, dodged a rain storm, picked uop some vitally needed souveneirs, and took the van over to meet up with them at the other park. Ironically, we got to the Living Seas at just about the same time as Kristin, thereby proving that even glaciers could outrun the Disney boating fleet.
We went to the Living Seas pavilion to watch Shelli go diving in the large coral reef tank. Then, we headed to Morocco to watch the night time closing show and eat some fine Mediterranean food. Then Parker and I repeated our feat of earlier int he day and got the van to pick up the rest, who cleverly escaped out Epcot's back entrance and boated over to the Swan.------------------------------------------------
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
The Third Day: Three Shaken Martinis
On Thursday, we went to Epcot for Lunch and aleisurely stroll around the World Showcase. Parker got to meet Snow White, and he did a pretty good imitation of Bashful for her benefit. Kira slept most of the day. Near the end of the day, we left the kids with the family and went to eat at Blue Zoo in the Swan and Dolphin, and made our way to Pleasure Island to catch Casino Royale, easily my favorite Bond film since The Living Daylights. Daniel Craig made me realize that Brosnan was simply acting like James Bond - it was all superficial. Craig easily brought the most persona to the role, since, well, ever. And, as Kristin was fond to point out, he's good-looking too, in a rough-and-tumble sort of way.------------------------------------------------
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
The Second Day: Two Grand Prixs
For the second day of our resort stay, we went to the Magic Kingdom and tooled around Tomorrowland. We made several trips on the Transit Authority, went back and forth on the Speedway, and finally got Parker into the Buzz Lightyear ride, after he had a 100% emotional reversal too after I explained the ride would be silly, not scary. Kids are so mercurial.------------------------------------------------
Monday, December 25, 2006
The First Day: An X-Wing in a Wrosr Tree
Ah, our first day at Disney (sure to the first of many this year). We got to the parks mid-afternoon, just after the skies opened up with the kind of Florida thunderstorm that makes you want to look up the definition of a cubit. Riding to the gates in the tram was like riding a never-ending log-flume ride, and had us wondering if we had really made the right decision. We went straight to guest services to get our season passes, which comes with an application for a micro-loan.The Guest Attendant looked at us knowingly and said "The total comes to $1200....worth of fun!"
The first half hour was spent trying to dry off and finding a restaurant with a little bit of cover. After a soggy lunch we caught the end of the MGM Christmas parade. Kira got her hands on a Pluto 'doggie' that she glommed on to like white on rice, and we then proceeded to make our way to Star Tours.
Despite some initial reluctance, Parker took to the ride like a duck to water, riding it an unprecedented three times. After a little coffee, we decided to call it a day. This level of breakneck activity defined our entire trip, and I know that we parents sure enjoyed it.The final attraction of the day was ducks, which proved nearly as popular as everything else. Best of all, no lines.
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Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Parker's Sanguine Wisdom
Just before we left for our trip to Disneyworld, we tested the children's with homemade kits to determine their blood types. Kira went first, and it wasn't pretty. Parker, having seen what just went down, steadfastly refused to participate, and had to be held in order for us to get the pinprick needed to find out the type. As a last ditch effort to get us to stop, Parker proclaimed as loudly as he can:"I like my blood on the INSIDE!"
Don't we all.
Labels: Parker
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