Brian Gets Our Goat

Brian spent all of March in Gainesville at the University of Florida doing a rotation of radiation oncology, which consequently is the medical specialty he has decided to pursue.  Seriously, Brian?  It's like you're not even trying to challenge yourself.  Anyway, he got to spend a few of his weekends here in Lakeland taking in the night life and scenery.  Which is another way of saying he came to our house and got to feed some goats in the rain. 

It's not too late to give up your medical school dreams
and switch to goat husbandry.

AND, he got to color some Easter eggs.  

It was magical.

No, you don't understand, look at this egg:  It was magical!!!

And that sums up Brian's visits with us in Lakeland.  Tune in next time where you will get to see pictures of Brian raking the front yard and then shopping for paper towels.  Settle down, I will post them as soon as I can!

Ta-da!

Just FYI, we finally got that glass panel put in the front door.

I think it turned out lovely.

Only downside is constantly getting ready to yell at the kids for leaving the front door open.

Oh, wait, sorry, it's just the new glass :)

OURS

OUR INSPIRATION

NAILED IT!

Do You Have Any Special Skills We Should Be Aware Of?

Well, I am pretty awesome at taking pictures of people in mid-air.  Here is a portfolio of my work:

This picture had me freaked out for a few minutes because I tried to look at it
right after I took it and squinting in the bright sun made Luke pretty
much invisible.  I was trying to figure out how I could have missed
him completely, and yet he was not in the water or on the board.
Well played, scoreboard.

You're obviously hired.

How to Throw A Studio C Birthday Party

Step 1:  Enlist your brother-in-law to create an invitation that looks something like this:

Step 2:  Plan your menu.  I was thinking of something like...

With...

Some...

And to drink, how about some...

Step 3: Head to Party City and have a magical night of finding exactly everything you need for your own costumes- Juan who works at Cabo, Lobster Bisque and Shoulder Angel, respectively.

Step 5: Have the party.  Which includes, watching some Studio C on a projector with awesome sound:

Playing Mafia.  See picture above.

Perfecting your best "Poker Faces" while playing Uno:

Dividing into teams for some Studio C "Who Said It?" relay trivia...

 Playing twister: 

Eating some C-shaped birthday cake:

Tying balloons to everyone's feet and having everyone try to pop them.  (Yeah, okay, this has no actual tie to Studio C, but 12 year olds just love to run around like maniacs, am I right?)

Playing the "Blender Game."  Which is basically where all the kids agree to play a trivia game where they could possibly end up drinking a totally disgusting concoction, yet not one of them actually follows through with that promise.  (This game was played as a live YouTube event by the Studio C cast.  Click the link here to watch.)

It was only a mix of milk, hot sauce, spinach, banana, yogurt,
vienna sausage, tomato, goldfish crackers and an artichoke heart-
what's the big deal??

I just can't do it!!

And having a scavenger hunt.  Again, no real tie to Studio C, but kids just love scavenger hunts and the church is huge, so it's a match made in birthday party heaven :)

Step 6: Thank all your guests for coming.  Thank you Scott Sterling, Aww Yeah, Lady Shadow, The Absent Minded Robber, Juan, and Destiny from the Restaurant of Life.  And everyone else who came and played along :)

Love this group of kids! Not pictured: Lobster Bisque, Emma, Rebecca and Ben.

Hope you had fun Cindy, because I am off the hook for the next six years!  

The last time I threw Cindy an official birthday "party"

Look Deep Into My Eye

So the other half of our anniversary trip was going out to eat at Roy's (a very uppity Orlando restaurant) and also riding the new Orlando Eye.  

The restaurant treated us very well and even had a special desert made for us.

Is there a more perfect desert for us in this entire universe than a single plate with pineapple upside down cake nearest to Jacob and a chocolate lava cake closest to me?

No my friend, there is not.  

Happy Anniversary written in Hawaiian and chocolate

The Eye is basically a 400 foot tall giant Ferris Wheel type thing that, thankfully, moves very slow and is air conditioned to provide maximum comfort.  

It changes colors at night, but we came in the morning to avoid the crowds. 

Still a pretty cool place!

For once, I am the one looking at the camera!!

Boom-shock-a-lock-a!

We also went to the SeaLife Aquarium that was located there in the same building, but it was just okay.  They had some pretty cool sea creatures in there, but the approximate one million school children who were also there, were not as cool.

They did have a 360 degree aquarium tunnel, so I was able walk over some sharks, but honestly, this probably happens every time I go to the beach.

And finally, we hit up Disney Springs to go to the Ghirardelli Chocolate shop to order 

the most ridiculous chocolaty concoctions we could ever imagine.  

We were in pain by the time we were done, so it must have been delicious.

I completely missed getting the shop in the picture, but you get the picture. We were there.

Wax On, Wax Off

As part of our 15th Anniversary celebration, Jacob and I decided to check out the new Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum in Orlando.  I didn't really know how much fun this actually sounded like. I mean, just walking around and looking at wax statues seemed kinda boring.  However, you are totally allowed to touch the statues, use the props that are lying around and really ham it up for some sweet pictures. And after we got done I decided it was actually super fun.  Color me surprised!  Here is our highlight reel:  

Remember that one time Jacob was on Jimmy Fallon?

It's a shame I didn't film when Jacob spun Cher singing
The Dukes of Hazzard theme song on the wheel of musical impressions...

And that time I caddied for Tiger?

And when I got eaten by a T-Rex?





Oh, Oprah, you are such a tease!

Her face accurately looks like, "Stop touching me."

Albert Einstein selfie!  (Never thought I would be typing those words together)

I know he's made of wax, but he seriously looks like the life has been
sucked out of him by watching people taking selfies all day.  Am I right?

Samuel Jackson looked so real I thought he was going to snatch my purse to find out what was in my wallet.  But everything is not what seems, right Selena?

I can neither confirm nor deny that posting this picture on Facebook caused Sean

 to think that Jacob actually met Keith Urban.

Just filling in for Chad. He broke his arm.

Meeting Obama caused some strong reactions in both of us....

Good thing there was some free awesomeness and attractiveness right around the corner!

Look at me, Cindy! I met Taylor! I know you're mad you missed this, but just shake it off.

This is actually a picture from when I interned as a water boy in Denver last season.  

And look, it's the Abe-ster!

Whatcha thinkin' about Audrey?
How handsome Jacob is.
Me too.

You helped end segregation?  That deserves a high five!

So, David Beckham, got any extra tickets to the next Orlando City game?

So, Steven Speilberg, got any extra tickets to the next Star Trek movie?

I nominate Steve Jobs as the most realistic looking figure in the whole museum.  

Amazing detail on this guy.

Plus, he looks like his whispering something to Jacob out of the corner of his mouth.

"I can't believe you married her.  She is way out of your league.."

Fun fact: When I stood next to Shaq, my head came up to his ribs.  His RIBS!

Maybe I should wear a fedora all the time!

Um, no. 

Okay, fine. I will just carry around a bow and arrow instead.

This has to be my favorite picture of the entire day. 

Nothing makes you feel more alive than being terrified while rescuing a pretend alien. 

So the moral of the story when it comes to this place:  

If you visit the wax museum, all your wildest dreams will come true.