Fri, 13 Jan 2012 22:10:09 -0500 http://geneandtina.csonka.net/ Csonka.net en-us http://geneandtina.csonka.net/images/logo.gif http://geneandtina.csonka.net/ cookie1001@aol.com http://geneandtina.csonka.net/Article105.html Happy New Year plus 2 weeks! On December 26th Paul, Gloria, Alexa, Paul Andrew, Dad, Dan, and I shed our shorts and sandals for a week and headed west to Colorado for some skiing, snow tubing, and to see Dave and Lori - the western branch of our family! Our last ski trip in 2006 we also traveled on Dec 26th- just days after a tremendous blizzard blew into Denver- completely shutting down the Denver Airport for 2-3 days before Christmas and basically keeping many folks from flying home to visit relatives.This trip brought us to a less snowier Denver and ski slopes in Breckenridge hungry for more snowfall We stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn close to the airport and on Tuesday morning Dave picked us up . Paul and Gloria used their Nitrox to haul most of the luggage since we would be transporting the food. We picked up our Durango we rented, headed to Lori and Dave's to pack up and then made our way to Breck. Dan used his new video camera that can be worn on the head for videotaping to make a time-lapse video of the trip to the mountains. It is awesome to see at fast speed this journey! After our arrival at the Park Place condo we fixed some lunch and headed over to Copper Mountain for some tubing.The tubing was booked up so we headed over to Critterland. Alexa and Paul Andrew enjoyed the ' merry-go-round tubing but absolutely loved the scaled down tubing area for younger children! Their Dad and Uncles got plenty of exercise hauling them up the small hill over and over and over.... On Wednesday everyone went skiing ( except the grandparents) and Paul Andrew and Alexa had their first ski lessons.Their instructors were amazed at how quickly they took to skiing. And most important of all they loved it! Before supper we made a Snowlady in a clearing near the walkway to our condo unit and to our delight we awoke Thursday morning to snow falling- Alexa's Snowlady had done her magic!The wind really picked up and when Lori, Dad, and I went on a Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory expedition to town we walked through some whirling, swirling snow... The new snow definitely improved the skiing base but the winds were wild at times! On Friday Alexa got in a 3rd day of ski lessons and we headed up by bus to Peak 8 for the rollercoaster ride like the one we did in Glenwood Springs. We met up with Dave and Dan and checked out the ride. It was definitely not too extreme and was a big hit with Paul Andrew. We took the free Gondola back down the mountain and enjoyed the aerial view of the surrounding mountains and town. Paul Andrew has no fear of heights and had a great time on the gondola!Our last evening in Breck we drove over to Silverthorne to visit the Ice Castles which took about a month to "grow". Very beautiful with all the lights.... Our plan was to head to nearby Frisco after checking out on Saturday morning and snowtube but during the night the wind REALLY kicked up and on the weather channel we heard that the peaks in Summit County had wind gusts up to 124 mph and in Breckenridge 80mph. We lost cell phone and internet for awhile.The tubing place was deserted as we traveled through Frisco. The drive back was a crawl due to the winds earlier and so we did not get back to Denver until late afternoon. We enjoyed a delicious meal at Pei Wei's near Lori and Dave's apartment and with goodbyes said Gloria,Paul and the grandkids headed to the Hilton. We spent New Year's Eve with Lori and Dave and their friends( Lori and Andre) , staying at the Best Western near Dave and Lori's apartment. All too soon it was January 1st , 2012 and time for Dave to take us to the Denver Airport for our flight back to warm, sunny Florida. I guess we brought the cold back with us - it dropped down at night to 34 degrees when schools started back in 3 days. There was frost on the front lawn- too bad I did not have some shaved ice delivered to make a tubing hill..... Yes, I really missed tubing but thoroughly enjoyed being in Colorado's Winter Wonderland!! And all the family returned with no injuries and more skiing practice! Watch out for the future talents at skiing- Alexa and Paul Andrew!!!! Fri, 13 Jan 2012 22:10:09 -0500 http://geneandtina.csonka.net/Article104.html Well, it is now just 12 days till Christmas so I guess I better write a bit about Thanksgiving.... We missed Dave and Lori but we had a delightful I-Chat with them. Alexa and Paul Andrew were having a grand time playing in the living room as we chatted. Alexa had brought over to Estero all the Thanksgiving projects she had created at school and Lori and Dave got to see all her beautiful work as well! I had Fresh Market provide the Thanksgiving dinner with some side dishes I made plus the pumpkin pie Alexa and I made. I was not impressed with their dinner- I think Boston Market does a better job with their turkey and sides. We had beautiful weather- wish it had cooled down a bit more but not bad. We enjoyed the playgrounds at the nearby Estero Community Park and at Fountain Lakes. Alexa used her uncles' wagon to help grandpa pick up pine cones - remember those days in North Carolina with countless pine trees! We went over to Estero High School twice- on Thanksgiving Day Alexa and Paul Andrew got to see and feed the fish in my classroom and Paul fed my touch tank specimens. We headed over the second time to launch the model rockets and it was a miracle that Dan found the bigger of the 2 rockets. It performed beautifully but just a few feet more and it would have landed in the large retention pond behind the school. Black Friday shopping was successful for Gloria and Paul - their ski outfits from the Columbia Clothes Outlet are stunning and were a bargain!! Alexa and Paul Andrew had a blast in the bounce house as usual and Alexa enjoyed the doll house Jessie gave us a year ago. It was a busy Thanksgiving filled with lots of family fun and some spilled drink and food. Brings back memories when Paul and his brothers were youngsters.... Tue, 13 Dec 2011 19:14:37 -0500 http://geneandtina.csonka.net/Article103.html It had rained for days starting on October 16th. The weather reports promised a cold front would follow. A gift that only God can give - beautiful blue skies and 70's temperatures descended upon us as we arrived in Orlando. By Thursday, October 20th everyone had arrived by car and plane - we arrived with my brother Bob at the Wyndam Lake Buena Vista soon to be followed with Lori's family. While the guys got their tux order collected and corrected the gals ( Edna, Tina, Lori, Diana, and Donna) headed to a nearby nails salon for a deluxe pampering manicure/ pedicure! That evening we headed to Pointe Orlando and ended up at Maggiano's where family and friends got a chance to spend some time together before the wedding. Lori and Dave's wedding day had arrived. The beautiful autumn weather had settled in and promised a wedding day we all had prayed would unfold. By late afternoon all the gals hair and makeup were complete and it was time to head down to Town Manor in Auburndale. As Gene drove my thoughts were of family and all the joyful moments we have shared. These are the moments in time you cherish in your heart forever. And then "the moment" arrived! it was time to begin the wedding ceremony. I was escorted by my youngest son and Dave's best man, Dan, to the front row. And just before Lori's bridal walk, Alexa performed her flower girl duty wonderfully, gently dropping the rose petals as she advanced forward. And then Lori, a vision of beauty, appeared and was escorted by her Dad. At that moment I knew tears would be difficult to keep in check... But soon we all applauded and cheered as Dave and Lori had their "first married" kiss! Dave and Lori were now husband and wife. Lots of picture taking and videotaping, delicious dining and toasts to Lori and Dave, and of course dancing followed. Alexa shares my joy of dancing and it touched my heart to see her and her little brother Paul Andrew dancing together. The sunset at Town Manor on Lake Juliana was stunning that evening and one that I indeed will never forget. Lori and Dave's wedding, a moment in time to remember and cherish forever... Sat, 29 Oct 2011 14:53:25 -0400 http://geneandtina.csonka.net/Article102.html Our fall trip this year had an unexpected delayed start. Due to an ill flight attendant on our Delta flight we did not fly out on Wednesday, September 28th.This was the first time we boarded a plane and then had to disembark 30 minutes later. Even thought we lost one day of our trip and ended up flying out Thursday morning all was well that end's well! We booked a cottage on Squam Lake for Thursday night and woke Friday morning to a beautiful sunny day! We took the boat excursion on Squam Lake and saw a good number of loons. These waterbirds have a very unique call that can be described as eerie or mystical depending on your viewpoint. The 1980's movie " On Golden Pond" was filmed here and featured Henry and Jane Fonda as well as Katherine Hepburn. Definitely want to see this movie again. We spent the next 3 nights in Lincoln,New Hampshire at Bluegreen's South Mountain Resort which they just recently purchased. We had a beautiful one bedroom suite with a lovely view of the mountains! We ended up having 2 days of rainy weather but it was not an issue.We relaxed, found some very good restaurants, and got a chance to unwind. Our last part of our trip we drove the Kacamangus Highway over to Conway and discovered a bounty of hiking trails we hope to sample on our next New Hampshire adventure. Sat, 29 Oct 2011 13:13:54 -0400 http://geneandtina.csonka.net/Article101.html Dave and Lori traveled to Florida the middle of September, a close friend of Lori's was married on September 17th in the Clearwater area. We headed up Saturday morning September 17th to join them for a visit and though it was still hot the humidity had dropped a bit. Lori had lots to do since she was a member of the bridal party so during the afternoon Dave, Dan, Dad, and I headed over to Clearwater Marine Aquarium. Winter, the star of the recently released movie, "Dolphin Tale" , became a movie star here - the movie was filmed at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. We watched along with many visitors that day a success story. Back in December 2005 Winter was just a baby bottle nose dolphin who was saved from certain death when she became entangled in a crab pot buoy line. Though she lost her tail ( never to be a wild dolphin again) she has become world famous wearing a prosthetic tail on a scheduled basis to help keep her spinal column properly aligned. I purchased the aquarium's video which features the actual rescue and rehab of Winter to provide my students a real world look into marine mammal rescue/rehab. Later that evening while Dave and Lori were at the wedding we strolled along the charming downtown sidewalks in Safety Harbor. We had a delicious dinner at the Paradise Restaurant and then headed out to the pier on Safety Harbor to enjoy the sunset. The evening air hinted that fall would eventually arrive. And soon Lori and Dave will be married....... Sun, 09 Oct 2011 11:33:15 -0400 http://geneandtina.csonka.net/Article100.html A hot day for sure but then it was August 20th when Lori's family and friends honored her with a bridal shower. Diana, Lori's older sister, planned a wonderful afternoon at Carrabba's in Cape Coral - from the delicious bruschetta to the scrumptious dessert we enjoyed delicious dining. Gloria, Yoyi, and Alexa came over from Miami for the celebration - we left Paul, Paul Andrew, Dave, and Dan with plenty of Publix deli food so the guys wouldn't have to forage. It was a wonderful occasion - Diana reserved Carrabba's before they open - so we had the entire restaurant to ourselves and plenty of time to visit and chat with Lori's family and friends. Alexa has been practicing her flower girl walk and is ready for Dave and Lori's wedding! All throughout the afternoon Lori was just glowing- we all know she will be the most beautiful bride. My son Dave is one lucky guy and I am looking forward to soon having 2 wonderful daughters in law.... Wed, 31 Aug 2011 18:23:14 -0400 http://geneandtina.csonka.net/Article99.html In the Turks and Caicos it is all about the water, sand and sky! The turquoise waters invite you in and the powdery sand that never burns your feet caresses your sole. For several years I have thought the Turks and Caicos would be a wonderful Caribbean destination and this summer I just had to check it out! The Royal West Indies Resort on Grace Bay was very quiet this time of year as opposed to the Sandals Resort, Beaches ( lots of families there!) The landscaping at our resort was very lovely- one of the 2 pools was tucked away in a lovely garden and a gentle waterfall created a quiet relaxing atmosphere. The other pool was by the resort restaurant and sported some very handsome dolphin mosaics on the pool bottom. Our studio accomodation was very spacious and beautifully decorated. Fortunately we found a small bistro and bakery just down the road which had very reasonable prices and delicious quiche and sandwiches. Food is very expensive on these islands! We snorkeled 3 of the 4 full days during our visit and found a very lovely beach coral reef just down from the Beaches Resort that was very quiet and so beautiful. We did a boat snorkeling trip which took us to a shallow reef that was equally stunning. However, I have to admit not all areas we snorkeled were lovely. Hurricane Ike in 2008 and probably human impact have damaged different areas of the coral reefs. Bad news-one young man on our boat snorkeling trip saw 2 lionfish! Unfortunately, they are being discovered in greater numbers each year in the Caribbean as well as in Florida. We met a family with 2 little girls on the boat snorkeling trip who were also staying at our resort. They live in Castle Rock, Colorado where we visited last month! Small World!! I guess my husband and I are in fairly good shape - we actually walked all of Grace Bay during our stay - 12 miles!The only thing missing was the beautiful hillsides of mountainous islands but then the water would not have been that azure blue that keeps bringing people to the Turks and Caicos. As for Jo Jo the bottlenose dolphin he did not come our way. He was probably on vacation........ Fri, 29 Jul 2011 10:17:44 -0400 http://geneandtina.csonka.net/Article98.html Gloria and Paul came over with Alexa and Paul Andrew the weekend after the 4th of July.Dan had not headed back to Orlando so we had a nice family get together. We did an IChat Friday evening with Lori and Dave- Alexa tried on her flower girl dress and Lori got to see how beautiful Alexa looked in her dress! Paul Andrew is going to look so handsome in his vested suit- did not put him through a try on!! We spent the weekend playing in the Hyatt's pool, enjoying the water slide and the lazy river. Alexa has become quite a swimmer and just loves water. Paul Andrew is not there yet but give him time. Alexa painted another watercolor picture in her art book and together we worked on fabric painting on a t-shirt. Paul completed his movie on their Disney Cruise and we enjoyed seeing all the beautiful locations they visited and great family pictures. Hope to tag along whenever the family heads overseas again... There are so many beautiful and amazing places to visit in this world!!! Sun, 24 Jul 2011 21:11:51 -0400 http://geneandtina.csonka.net/Article97.html Dave and Lori have been residents of Colorado since winter and we decided as soon as school was out it was time to head west! I wrapped up the school year on June13 and on June 15th Gene, Dan , and I were on a flight to Denver, Colorado to spend time with Dave and Lori and explore the beautiful state of Colorado. The first evening we walked around the Breakers where Dave and Lori live - we could see why they love their new home with all the beautifully landscaped grounds, ponds, and huge lake. David who loves to garden has a plot in the Breaker's community garden- just a short distance from their apartment. We stayed the first 2 nights in Denver - drove out to Castlewood Canyon near Castle Rock, Colorado (about 45 minutes outside of Denver) to sight see on our first day. Enjoyed lunch at the Stone Church Restaurant- scrumptious entrees at what was once a church! The next morning Dave and Lori joined us on a 3 day visit to Estes Park, Colorado. This mountain town is a gateway to the Rocky Mountains National Park and is ELK CAPITAL in my book! We stayed at the Evergreen Cabins on the Fall River. It was a great choice- the river was directly behind our cabin, elk all around the area, beautiful mountains in all directions, 3 miles from downtown Estes Park and 2 miles from the Rocky Mountain National Park entrance. Need I say more... Well, yes I finally saw my Bullwinkle. A huge,bull moose at Beaver's Pond in the RMNP just resting 20 feet from where I stood. I never got to see him stand but no complaints from me. In the nearby meadow a female moose with a very young baby moose was a sight to behold! While heading back to Estes Park we drove in falling snow that afternoon in the Alpine area. On this trip we experienced mid 30's in the Rockies and later in Denver it did reach 90 degrees one day. Our next locale to visit was the Manitou Springs and Colorado Springs area of Colorado. We visited the Garden of the Gods- beautiful red rock formations, drove up to the summit of Pikes Peak (14,110 ft.), visited Florissant Fossil Monument, Cripple Creek( old gold mining town now a town of 12 casinos), and the impressive Air Force Academy. We headed back to Denver and spent the last 3 nights further enjoying Dave, Lori, and their little dog Jack's company. About 35 miles from their place is Clear Creek and so Dave and Dan enjoyed white water rafting while my friend Nancy Avalon (who lives in the Denver area) joined Gene and I for some fun in Idaho Springs while the guys rafted. They had a spectacular time and no spills in the water for them! The last day in Denver we ate dinner and walked around the Denver Downtown Mall. I just loved the horse drawn carriages!! Before we knew it- it was time to head back home! Our visit to Colorado was filled with spectacular scenery, sightings of so many critters- elk, moose,prairie dogs, chipmunks, and too many birds to count! Enjoyed delicious dining and most of all the simple pleasure of being with family. Already looking forward to our next visit..... Tue, 05 Jul 2011 15:18:21 -0400 http://geneandtina.csonka.net/Article96.html On April 16 we drove up to Gainesville to attend Paul's MBA graduation. We rose early the next morning for the 9:00 am graduation and 50 degree weather was a reminder how different Gainsville's weather is compared to South Florida! Alexa and Paul Andrew attended their Daddy's graduation which was quite entertaining with lots of laughter! The UF professors chosen by the graduates as outstanding instructors shared several humorous stories about the graduates that were indeed very funny... After the ceremony we headed outdoors and someone tapped on my shoulder. I turned around and there is my brother Tom!! He arrived just in time to congratulate Paul and also Dan whose graduation was 3 weeks later. Dan's graduation on May 7th was also at 9am just like Paul's. Dave flew in on May 6th - this was his first time back to Florida since moving to Denver in January. The graduation ceremony began with bagpipe players leading the graduates. I am a lover of Celtic music and bagpipes- this was a wonderful ceremonial entrance! The UCF Arena floor was completely filled with graduates but we were able with the photographic skills of Paul and Dad to get video and pictures of Dan during graduation. To celebrate the achievements of both my oldest and youngest son we spent the rest of the weekend at Blizzard Beach and Sea World. We had a wonderful time at Blizzard Beach. Not sure who had more fun- the "big kids" or the grand kids !!! Sat, 14 May 2011 12:27:07 -0400 http://geneandtina.csonka.net/Article95.html Alexa celebrated her 5th Birthday at The Little Diva's - a fun party place - with her little friends on Sunday, May 1st! All the little girls were treated to fingernail and toenail polishing and hair styling. Decked out in spa robes and the most adorable flip flops decorated by Yoyi the little girls were a sight to behold!It was a very Happy Birthday for Alexa- not at all a diva- just a beautiful princess... Sat, 14 May 2011 11:57:21 -0400 http://geneandtina.csonka.net/Article94.html Easter was April 24 - the latest I ever remember, ever! Needless to say,teachers and students were ready for spring break... We arrived in Miami late afternoon Saturday- Paul was still not feeling 100% - he caught whatever Alexa had the week before. On Monday we sailed on the NCL Sky. This was our second cruise on the Sky so we made our way around the ship easily. We ate seafood every night and enjoyed the company of Laura and Carmon Huckabee from northern Virginia.They also vacation near the Outer Banks of North Carolina and shared many of their experiences as we did over our evening meals. Weather was great during the entire cruise but rough seas in Freeport cancelled our snorkeling trip.We had snorkeled in Freeport in the 1980's and I was hoping to get a chance to check out the coral 20 years later... We did connect with a fellow coworker of mine and her husband at Paradise Island. We met at the Atlantis Resort and shared cruising experiences on their ship Majesty of the Seas with ours. As always, the azure blue seas of the Caribbean were a feast for the eyes.... Sat, 14 May 2011 11:34:59 -0400 http://geneandtina.csonka.net/Article93.html Even though the official Earth Day is still weeks away -Gene and I joined dozens of Estero High students to beautify our school's campus yesterday. Our baseball team helped out at the front pond at the school which is" my baby". In the last 7-8 years we have watched our 40 cypress trees thrive and if it wasn't for a nasty vine that likes to wind up the cypress tree trunks we would have it easy. There is good news- as the cypress trees increase in height like the one surviving cypress tree that was planted when Estero High was built in 1987- the vine has little success taking hold. I am starting to need a mountain fix - just looked at a picture Dave took at the Arapahoe National Forest in Colorado. When Dave sends pics of those beautiful Rocky Mountains my mind starts to take me to those moments in my travels when I look out from a mountainside and can see forever into the distance.... Such beauty our God has given to his children... Sun, 03 Apr 2011 09:26:35 -0400 http://geneandtina.csonka.net/Article92.html As usual my seasonal allergies arrived with the March winds. I did not notice any pine pollen gathering on the vehicles though- that is not the norm. On March 1st I began Zumba and wow what a workout but hey I like to dance and who knows maybe I will learn how to properly dance! Paul and Gloria celebrated their 7th wedding anniversary- it does not seem that many years since they were married. But then in 3 years Gene and I will have been married 40 years! I finally have my dress for Dave and Lori's wedding and found the perfect shoes. Alexa is so excited about being a flower girl at their wedding.A little princess she will be!! Dan visited us during spring break and we tried to eat out every 2-3 days. We did a wine tasting in Estero one evening that was well attended , had a huge variety of wines to sample, and even included dinner. This past weekend Gene took me to Captiva and we went on a cruise to Cabbage Key. We had a great time cruising - the weather was wonderful and the water very clear. We saw several manatees while waiting for the boat to depart and while waiting for the Captiva Cruise boat to pick us up for the return trip we got to see 2 river otters steal food out of a cooler on the back of someone's boat! Those bandits each grabbed a gallon size ziplock and dove back into the water. Our lunch was great- we dined at the only restaurant on Cabbage Key which has walls festooned with literally thousands of dollar bills! Periodically they remove a few thousand and donate to charity. On the way back we had several bottle noise dolphin swim for a few minutes along side the boat and leap over the wake as they love to do. We definitely had a fun day playing tourist. On Sunday, spring officially arrived - summer temperatures will not wait for June. So, better get out outdoors to enjoy this weather!!! Mon, 21 Mar 2011 20:03:11 -0400 http://geneandtina.csonka.net/Article91.html The weather was not too cool in February- well maybe for my dear husband. Even so, Gene headed out on February 16th to Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed with me, 2 dozen students and different environmental agency staff members to collect data on bird populations. Gene and I logged hundreds of hours hiking and researching for many years the plant and animal populations in CREW and it was a joy to return for further study. The data we collected will be entered on a database that will be utilized for long term study for students and different agencies. On Saturday,February 19th we drove over to Miami to visit with Paul, Gloria, Alexa and Paul Andrew. We arrived in time for me to go with Gloria to Alexa's music class which I always enjoy! On Sunday we celebrated Paul Andrew's 3rd birthday!! Paul Andrew and all his party mates had a grand time at his party. It was fun playing with all the gymnastic equipment and as usual the youngsters had boundless amounts of energy... It was a very Happy Birthday for my adorable grandson Paul Andrew!! Sun, 20 Mar 2011 17:57:37 -0400 http://geneandtina.csonka.net/Article90.html After being in freezing temperatures for 5 days in Wisconsin Dells I was hoping we would not have a 85 degree Christmas Day. A real warm Christmas Day is not my '"cup of tea". Gloria, Paul, Alexa, and Paul Andrew arrived Christmas early afternoon. Unfortunately, Alexa and Paul Andrew had been sick for a week- Alexa much worse. We did our cookie baking and opened presents but Alexa was not herself. She wanted to nap and go to bed early! The next day she seemed a bit better. We headed to Coconut Mall and while there a cold front arrived and not having worn a very warm jacket I felt colder then back at Wisconsin!! We headed to Barnes and Nobles Starbucks Cafe for some warm- up beverages.Back at the house Alexa and Paul Andrew enjoyed their tunnel we got them for Christmas. Dan and Paul received remote controlled helicopters from Dave. All of us were amazed at the maneuverability of these pint size choppers. Simba not the brightest of the kitties had no fear... That evening after Paul, Gloria and our sweet grandchildren headed back home to Miami we headed up to even chillier North Ft. Myers to visit with Mary, Charlie, and Dee Dee. Lori arrived on December 28th for an overnight visit- she and Dave had been apart since before Thanksgiving when she moved to Denver. Lori and Dave headed to Orlando for a few days to spend some together before she had to fly back to Denver. Dave will be driving out to join her sometime after mid January. For New Year's Eve my friend Jane joined us at Outbacks- yummy! Dan stayed a few days after New Year's then headed back up to UCF. The parents are home alone except for the kitties..... The holidays are past and a New Year is here. I wish to all much love, good health, good times, and much success in all we set out to accomplish! Tue, 11 Jan 2011 21:30:10 -0500 http://geneandtina.csonka.net/Article89.html The tree and trimmings are packed away and school is back in session. It was a busy Christmas holiday but one filled with family, friends, and good times. Before we headed out to Wisconsin Dells on December 20th we had two cold fronts that made the national news. Wisconsin had subzero temperatures the week before we arrived!!Besides the cold they had over a foot of snow and the Metro-dome in Minneapolis collapsed. I began to wonder if this winter wonderland might turn out to be a nasty nightmare! Dan and Dave joined us for this pre - Christmas Wisconsin trip and together we flew to Milwaukee on a direct flight with no complications. Thankfully, the temperatures hovered around upper 20's to 20 degrees at night with light snowfall every other day. My dear husband drove the 3 hour drive from the Milwaukee airport to the Bluegreen Christmas Village without a worry! A Pennsylvanian native ,he has the skill to drive on snowy roads. We had lots of fun at Wisconsin Dells. Dan both skied and snowboarded , Dave skied, I snow-tubed, and Dad and Dan videotaped the winter wonderland. We had a blast at the indoor water park Kalahari and Dad tubed on a water slide for the first time! We headed one day over to Devil's Lake and we got to see a frozen lake where hardy Wisconsin fishermen fish through ice. Dad and Dave got some really great pics of the hillsides and formations around the Devil's Lake. We arrived home on Christmas Eve - my friend Jane picked us up from the airport- and we jumped into Christmas Day preparations!! We were very fortunate our travel plans worked out so well!!! Tue, 11 Jan 2011 20:46:32 -0500 http://geneandtina.csonka.net/Article88.html On November 19th Dan, both my brothers Bob and Tom and his wife Anita arrived at Estero to help us jumpstart the Thanksgiving Holiday . We had a delicious dinner from Boston Market with all the sides - just love the creamed spinach and sweet potato casserole! Corky was very sweet to our kitties and did not chase them at all- Simba was mostly oblivious to Corky's presence... Later that evening we walked around Coconut Mall and enjoyed the lovely weather. Saturday was football day so Anita and I explored Miramar Outlet. We had a girl's day out that was so relaxing - once again just gorgeous weather!!! On Sunday we ate breakfast at our favorite spot- Perkins- and then Tom and Anita headed back to the Fl. Keys. Bob and I checked out Fleamaster's later that day and found some great bargains at their farmer's market . Bob just loved the way I fix fried eggplant... I had school on Monday and Tuesday so Bob received private computer lessons from Dan who is a terrific teacher. He seems to have the natural ability to explain concepts with just enough info to keep you advancing but not too much to create confusion. Many a time over the years I have asked Dan for computer help . They also played billiards at our clubhouse and for the most part they are equal in skill but Bob's back complained after their second day of pool. We are getting older... On Wednesday I fixed the turkey and Dave arrived with Jack. Jack is a cute long haired dacshund that just loves tennis balls. The cats decided not to make friends again- of course if Jack and them had more time together they would get use to each other... On Thursday Gloria, Paul, Alexa, and Paul Andrew arrived. Alexa loved the jumping ball I got here. Paul Andrew is still a bit to small. We headed over to the Estero Community Park for a visit and then back at the house it was time to fix some side dishes . Mary and Charlie arrived with apple, pecan, and pumpkin pies ( yummy) and we had our Thanksgiving dinner.Alexa and Paul Andrew were recovering from their colds but to see them running around playing you would not have known it. We did some shopping, Paul and Gloria hit Miramar Outlets at midnight and I went to Steinmart at 6:30 am! We had leftovers on Friday but Saturday we did lunch at TGIF and Dan produced a spectacular movie of our Coconut Mall visit. Alexa looks like a movie star with Gloria's sunglasses!! Paul, Gloria, and the grandkids headed back to Miami late Saturday afternoon with Dave heading back Sunday morning to Tallahassee for that lonnggg drive.... On Sunday Bob, Gene, and I headed to Bonita Beach to enjoy the never ending gorgeous weather. Monday was Dan and Bob's day to head back. It was wonderful having everyone coming together for the holiday - as always so thankful for all God's blessings.... Tue, 07 Dec 2010 16:19:57 -0500 http://geneandtina.csonka.net/Article87.html My last entry was in August about our Celebrity Solstice Cruise and upon our return my leisurely summer days came to a close . September did not produce any hurricane event for us and I tolerated the hot, humid days better than usual with the knowledge that many places north of us were sweltering this summer. Norfolk, Virginia actually made 105 degrees!! October swept in with some lovely low humidity days and we finally dipped below 90 degrees for a few days. Finally, the long awaited trip to Vermont and the Adirondack Mountains in New York arrived! Our friends of 20 years, Mary and Charlie, joined us for a 10 day autumn adventure- though we planned our lodging and some sightseeing spots - we decided early on that we would just explore and see where the road would take us! The cool, crisp 50 degree days with robin egg blue skies made for comfortable sightseeing jaunts. The gold, orange, and red leaves are always spectacular against the blue, blue skies.We enjoyed the multitude of waterfalls on Rte. 100 in Vermont. Texas Falls had such amazingly clear water. In Waterbury, Vermont we had to play tourists and visited the retired flavors graveyard at Ben and Jerry's , Cabot Cheese , and sampled Lake Champlain Chocolates. Ohh so good... From there we headed to Smugglers Notch Resort near Stowe. The road in was like driving an obstacle course with Volkswagon size glacial boulders edging the steep road. We were in the Aspen Units- very nice- and for 2 days we roamed the area , hiked, visited the Cabot Cheese Factory, and sampled wines at the Boyden Valley Winery. Leaving Vermont on the Charlotte- Essex Ferry we crossed Lake Champlain and arrived in New York. Ausable Chasm near Port Kent was a 500 million year old natural wonder well worth the stop and we would have stopped at Whiteface near Lake Placid but the gondola was not running... Late in in the day we arrived at Prospect Cottages at Blue Mountain Lake. We had a wonderful visit to the Adirondacks- saw plenty of geese, turkey, and deer. Our accommodations were the entire upper floor of the Loon Lodge at Prospect Cottages! The complementary breakfast was filled with all kinds of breakfast breads, quiches, and side dishes. Best of all was the wonderful staff- we felt like family during our stay... The Adirondack Museum at Blue Mountain Lake was amazing and literally you could spend days trying to see everything! We even squeezed in a train ride along the Hudson River before leaving the Adirondacks. The last two days of our trip we traveled south to Leonardsville and spent the night at the historic Horned Dorset- a lovely restored Victorian bed and breakfast. Charlie and Mary visited their relatives on the last day before heading back to Albany and Gene and I headed to Tully, New York were we connected with my Aunt Alice and her family and Gene's cousin Bunny . I was so glad we were all able to get together while on our trip! Yes, Vermont and the Adirondacks was as wonderful as I imagined and even though we had to scrape ice off the windshield a few mornings the beautiful autumn foliage and beautiful mountain views made up for the morning chill. And best of all we shared this with our friends ( in our book they are family) Mary and Charlie Curtis.... Sun, 05 Dec 2010 14:03:12 -0500 http://geneandtina.csonka.net/Article86.html The last week before heading back to school Gene and I joined the Armands , Aba and Abu for a 7 night Eastern Caribbean Cruise on the Celebrity Solstice. This was Alexa's and Paul Andrew's second cruise - by the end of the week they had advanced to experienced cruisers. Paul Andrew greeted the cabin attendants with a "Hi there" as we strolled down the hallway and the glass elevator was a constant fascination- no fear of heights with these children! Alexa enjoyed the visits to the Fun Factory where she played with other children on board and especially enjoyed visiting the deck pool with Booie. The weather at our first port of call, Puerto Rico, was rainy so after one attempt to walk around the port we gave up and spent the day on board. The Solstice is a very lovely ship with lots of places to relax and take a leisurely stroll. Our next stop was St. Thomas and we lucked out- the weather was fantastic! We took an open air taxi to Magen's Bay which is considered to be one of the top ten beaches in the world to visit. The lovely turquoise water and the tree covered hillsides enclosing the bay definitely make this beach a destination worthwhile to repeat again and again. An added bonus was a school of friendly squid that appeared when we snorkeled near the rocks. St. Maarten was very hot ! We took the water taxi over to the beach near one of the shopping areas. Fortunately, there were chaise lounges and umbrellas to use when we came out of the water. As we looked over the ocean we could see the island Saba in clear view. St. Maarten is actually a great place to island hop to some very lovely less populated islands. The food and service was phenomenal at the Solstice's Tuscan Grille and the entertainment on board was very good. I was very impressed with our cabin's appearance and size. It was a wonderful week and all too soon we were back home to Florida.We thoroughly enjoyed our cruising with all the family and brought home some very special memories! Sun, 29 Aug 2010 16:47:59 -0400 http://geneandtina.csonka.net/Article85.html It is always a pleasure to get together with the family for holidays . Even with Paul's extremely busy schedule he managed to squeeze in time for some beach time over both these holidays. Dan fortunately was able to make it down for July 4th and take a break. Lori and Dave had made already 2 trips down to SW Florida in the last few weeks so they had already done their share of driving the full length of the state!! It was great seeing all of Gloria's family for the July 4th holiday at Siesta Key . Even though the weather was less than perfect for part of our visit it did not dampen our spirits and we had a wonderful visit! After their full week at Siesta Key it was good to hear that Alexa and Paul Andrew are very comfortable in the water! In the years to come hope to teach them how to snorkle .... Sat, 10 Jul 2010 16:11:12 -0400 http://geneandtina.csonka.net/Article84.html Within 5 days after school ended Gene and I were on a direct flight to Pittsburgh! During our 8 day visit we visited Gene's 3 brothers and families and explored the beautiful northwest corner of PA. Throughout our visit we enjoyed catching up with family and dining at some very good restaurants. Our first overnight stop was in Greenville where Gene's brother Paul resides . It was lovely relaxing out on his back deck in the evening air- the yard lit up with a multitude of fireflies.Unfortunately in Florida we spray for mosquitoes which affects so many more species... We revisited several places we have visited with the sons such as Jake's Rocks and Kinzu Dam. This trip we spent several days in the Allegheny National Forest and Cook Forest - hiking in areas new to both of us. We stayed in a cabin 2 nights and also stayed with Gene's college friends Tom and Sue Curtin. We headed eastward and stayed near several state forests- this time our accommodations was a 1830 Bed and Breakfast in Lock Haven. In Holidaysburg we visited with John and Malinda and of course shared pictures of grandchildren! The last leg of our trip was back to Pittsburgh. We spent the afternoon visiting the Phipps Conservatory with Gene's brother Steve and our niece Stephanie. I have to say that in the last decade Pittsburgh is " new and improved"! Definitely, we had a wonderful time on our visit and would love to return the hospitality to family and friends that made our entire Pennsylvania visit perfect!! Sat, 10 Jul 2010 15:42:53 -0400 http://geneandtina.csonka.net/Article83.html My dear husband has has Northern Georgia on his mind as a travel destination for 2 years. I figured my birthday was a perfect time to explore the Georgia mountains!! Our cabin near Helen, Georgia was beautifully decorated- definitely the nicest we have ever rented. It was built on pilings over a pond and our accommodations included a free frog concert every evening- Ribbitt... We enjoyed all the beautiful waterfalls- especially Anna Ruby Falls, Amicacola Falls, and Tallulah Falls with its 1,000 ft. Gorge. The Georgia mountains reach up to 4,784 ft. and in the valleys pristine rivers are so delightful and contain some very large rainbow trout! We panned for gems at Crisson's Gold Mine and strolled through a 3 story home built in 1876 that now houses thousands of antiques and collectables . I bought at the Martin's House some very lovely hand crocheted table scarves. Dining on Lake Burton provided both scenic view and delicious cuisine while Unocoi Lodge was the spot for all you could eat trout buffet. We hiked in the location where the Appalachian Trail southern entry point is located and have many many more waterfalls, trails, train ride, horseback riding, and maybe some river tubing for our next Georgia mountains adventure.. Fri, 09 Jul 2010 21:07:08 -0400 http://geneandtina.csonka.net/Article82.html Alexa and everyone who attended will long remember her " Minnie Mouse" birthday party - it was so much fun!! The bounce house/ slide was a big hit - at the end of the party the " big kids" were sliding down and it was tough deciding who was having more fun! Paul Andrew easily kept up with Alexa- he was like Spiderman as he climbed back up for the next slide down. Dan and I had a blast just trying to videotape all the action. Alexa and all the little girls were so cute dancing with their Minnie ears and skirt. The surprise visit of Minnie Mouse brought big smiles- these children could not believe their eyes..... Yoyi indeed transformed the Armand homestead into a Minnie Land for a day and it will be one birthday that will be long remembered! Sun, 04 Jul 2010 20:19:01 -0400 http://geneandtina.csonka.net/Article81.html The drive to Luray, Virginia from the Richmond Airport was stunning - yellow forsythia, white and pink dogwoods, redbud trees, and green, green grass behind white wooden fences. What a feast for the eyes! After such a cool winter, especially for northern Virginia, the arrival of spring was a beautiful sight to behold. On this trip we visited Luray Caverns, antiqued shopped in Strasburg, ate at the historic Mimmslyn Inn where Eleanor Roosevelt stayed, and hiked in the Shenandoah National Park. We especially enjoyed the mountain views on the the " Little Stoney Man" Trail and seeing the very tame deer along the park's roadside. The last couple of days my brother Bob drove to Gordonsville just outside of Charlottsville and we stayed in a yurt- a cross between a cabin and a tent at the Bluegreen property Shenandoah Crossing. Throughout our visit the temperatures were above normal-mid to high 80's - except in the higher elevations.A cold front at Gordonsville brought nighttime temps back in the 50's which is normal for April. It was great visiting with my brother Bob and finally visiting the home of Thomas Jefferson- Monticello. Spring break passed too quickly but I felt reenergized and ready to begin our final 4th quarter of school! Sun, 04 Jul 2010 19:47:40 -0400