BRIAN!!!!

(WARNING:  MONSTER POST!!)

I wanted that post title to reflect the enthusiastic feeling of my children.  Anytime they are lucky enough to have Utah release one of their aunts or uncles or Grandparents to come and see them, they are WAY excited.  And they were counting the minutes till Brian actually arrived in Lakeland.  Technically, we just saw Kelly and Brian during our summer vacation in July, but Brian hasn't been back in Florida in about two years, so it felt like it had been forever.  We decided we had to maximize our Uncle Brian time to the fullest!! So here is what we did....

Luke's T-Ball Game

Brian was astounded at Luke's ability to be so carefree during the game.  Brian did not have a good experience playing baseball at that park when he was a kid.  You will have to ask him about it sometime :)

Out for some pizza and shenanigans after the game...

Next up was Old Town!  Seriously, how long has it been since anyone went to Old Town?  Like eleventy billion years at least.  But that place has really kicked it up a notch!  I got us all unlimited ride wristbands off Groupon for a smokin' hot deal and we spent many hours over there having a grand old time.  I highly recommend Old Town.  The kids thought it was as good, if not better, than Disney.  Super fun :)

On the Ferris Wheel to start out the day!

Brian was the only one who could handle the Tilt-A-Whirl.  And he did.  Many times.  

He will be rewarded in heaven for his sacrifice.

Cindy on her hog.

Brian and I adore this picture because it appears that my mom is alone and just really wanted to ride a giant caterpillar roller coaster all by herself.  Luke was actually in the seat next to her.  See?

There was also another real roller coaster at Old Town called the Wind Storm. Didn't go upside down at all, but that thing was a serious bang for your buck!  It looks like this:

(image from here)

And you can barely see the top of Luke's head right next to Grandpa in the FRONT CAR. You would think that with Luke's tender little personality he might be afraid of things like this.  No.  I was amazed the whole day at the things that Luke went on.  I think he rode the Wind Storm 5 times?

This was my mom after riding the Wind Storm.  I love how she always tries to ride stuff.  

Still hasn't thrown in the towel of fun. :)

Luke also rode this:

Image from here.

 It is called the Flying Dutchman and it "really whips you around" according to my dad.  I will say that as my mom and I were watching Luke on this, his eyes got incredibly giant and he looked very worried every time he would pass by the ride operator at the bottom.  We thought he would cry, but he just shook his head back and forth as if to say, "Nope, not having fun." When I ran to greet him getting off, even in his misery, he smiled and sheepishly said, "No way I'm going to ride that again!"



Cindy is deathly afraid of heights, so when she went on the Ferris wheel AND the rock wall, it was a major breakthrough.   This was about as far as she could get up the wall, but I was astounded at her bravery.

Later that night Luke also tried his hand at the wall.  The ropes at the top are attached to an automatic pulley system and Luke was so light that when they strapped him in the rope started to pull him up to the top!  He could barely keep his feet on the ground to walk up to the wall.  He actually got about as far up as Cindy did in the end. Way to go, Luke!

Old Town also has installed a new ropes course and a zipline.  Yes way, Ted!  And it is pretty darn cool!  You get strapped into a harness and then are free to use the pulley system to go anywhere along the paths of the three story ropes course.  Luke was by far the smallest kid up there, but he was amazing!  Not scared at all.  Cindy bailed after walking up the first flight of stairs :) But it was a good try.

Brian would look good in suspenders...

Luke and I walking the plank!

Across the rope bridge...

Hi, Mom!

Mom tried very hard to catch either me or Brian coming across the zipline.  But when we got down on the ground again, we basically got 6 pictures that looked like this:

It was a valiant effort :)

Cindy and Luke on the bounciest dune buggy in the world.  This one actually was one of the best kids rides at Old Town. Hilarious to watch too.

He never could catch Cindy...

Eating some ice cream during the car cruise.  It only took Luke about 13 seconds to get a complete chocolate goatee and and sideburns.  I got to eat Almond Joy ice cream! Where has this been all my life?  And the old time car cruise was incredible.  There are some seriously sick cars riding around out there.  And how can you argue with a car cruise that ends with the General Lee??

We were so wasted after this night.  I think we all slept like the dead.  Sunday we all had dinner at my Mom's house.  Luke and Cindy were still obssessing about the rock wall- enough so that Luke commanded Brian to help him make one out of Legos.  Of course Brain not only complied, but also cut and tied some strings to make it truly authentic.  Only Brian :)

Finally, yesterday I commanded Brian to come and carve the pumpkin with the kids.  And he did!

Future surgeon.  Always cautious.

Luke NEVER tires of the bunny ears

Then we decorated cookies!!!  Could my hair look more dark?

Luke made me take his picture with the pumpkin many times.  This one was my favorite :)

Brian, you are amazing. Thanks for coming to hang out with us all weekend!  If UCF or USF doesn't make you an amazing offer to get you to come to school here, they are both dead to me.  Just remember, palm trees, the beach, free food from Mom and Dad, cruise ports, me, old peeps- we got it all :)