it’s just been a 3D kinda day!

Waiting for the IMAX 3D picture at the Tennessee Aquarium

After a very leisurely start, (that means we really slept in for a looonnngg time!), we headed out to the Tennessee Aquarium which is in Chattanooga, TN.  Downtown Chattanooga is beautiful and very easy to get around in by the way.  We’ll probably spend some more time there on our return.  We had planned on packing a lunch (I actually made the sandwiches and then placed them in the refrig) for our time at the aquarium.  Well, lunch time came and we only had the cooler with the pops in it.  So I improvised and spent $7.10 for a baker’s dozen of some fantastic cookies.  It was either that or submit to highway robbery!  (pretzels over $2, etc)  So we had a good laugh at that.

The cookies and Mt.Dew hit the spot and we spent some wonderful time in the aquariums (they have two) here.  Some time was spent in a butterfly garden, petting / feeding stingrays, petting sturgeon, seeing a great variety of God’s wonderful sea & lake creatures and then the IMAX theatre.  We had a really good day today.

Some thunderstorms came through and we are expecting more tonight.  So, tomorrow is looking to be a brighter and clearer day for Lookout Mountain.  We’ll spend the day at Rock City and the surrounding sites.  (I’ll make sure the sandwiches are packed this time)  Friday we anticipate leaving for Orlando and all the excitement there.

We have been relaxing, reading and playing Rook… which is where I am off to now.  Brice & I lost last night to Angie and Patrick by 5 points… tonight is revenge!  The younger kids are in bed – Keegan is totally exhausted, probably from riding the “alligators” (escalators) – which has been his favorite thing.  Erika has been enjoying her puppet stingray she purchased at the store, and AnnaMarie loved feeding the stingrays…she’s a pretty brave girl!

Thanks again CBC!  this is sooo wonderful!!!

First stop in our 2 week trip: Chattanooga, TN

We’ve arrived safe and sound in Chattanooga, TN!!  We’re staying in a lovely home of some friends – an absolute blessing!  I had planned on uploading some pics tonite, but it is late and everyone else is in bed.  So, I’m off to bed too and will upload some tomorrow!

Looks like maybe the Chickamauga Battlefield or Tennessee Aquarium tomorrow!  All the kids are excited (especially about not having to sit 9 hours in the van again!).

Thanks again CBC!  This is shaping up to be a wonderful trip…even though we’re only one day into it!!!

The Eve of Excitement

Angie and I had to head to church & Walmart to pick up those “last minute items” that always seem to allude you in your vacation planning.  It was almost 10pm when we arrived back home.  As we were getting some things around, I heard the door to the little kid’s bedroom open up.  It was Erika.  She came out with this cheesy grin on her face, and when I asked her why she was up & what she was doing… she said, “I just wanted to say “HI”".   Now it’s hard to not let that melt your heart, but she is soooooo excited about leaving in the morning.

We all are.

Tomorrow won’t come soon enough!

My reading list for vacation:

• Paddy’s Lament
• Touched with Fire
• Only Yesterday
• Here is your War
• Ladies & Gentlemen, the Bronx is Burning

5 books covering almost 125 years of history.  I think we can get it done in 14 days.

A little Magic for vacation

After heeding the advice of one my college friends, Steve, I looked into the option of taking my oldest sons to an Orlando Magic game while in Florida.  There are to be two games in Orlando during the week we’ll be there: one against the Memphis Grizzlies and the other against the New York Knicks.  I checked into the Knicks game, but ultimately decided on the Grizzlies – because to get the seats we wanted (and that would fit in our budget) I had to go with them.  So, we’ll be in section 202 on Wednesday, April 8th cheering the Magic to victory!   We’re pretty excited!

A DVD that drops jaws…

We were given a vacation planning DVD from one of our friends for Disney World.  What a blessing!  Our youngest sat with mouths wide open as they saw the princesses (don’t ask me their names – I’m still working on that), Mickey, Donald and Goofy.  The older guys were pretty pumped with the various clips of roller coasters, Pirates of the Carribbean and such.  Angie & I were just over all impressed with quality of everything.  We are really getting excited!

Suggestions on our stay in Florida

We will be staying in Orlando, just about 10 minutes from Disney World.  We have one day passes both to Disney World and the Holy Land Experience.  Some other considerations and suggestions have been:

• Tampa’s Lowry Children’s Zoo
• Cocoa Beach
• The Kennedy Space Center
• Sea World

Any other suggestions for this area?

Places to consider in Tennessee

So while we are in the planning stages of this wonderful vacation, these are some ideas we have had about our stay in Tennessee:

• Rock City
• Lookout Mountain
• Chickamauga Battlefield
• Chattanooga Choo-Choo

What else is out there in this area of Tennessee?

What is it all about?

On Sunday, February 22nd, Calvary Baptist Church, Leesburg, IN surprised us with an all-expense paid vacation to Florida.  We want to share with them, and you, what we are doing and have done.  Our hope is to update this periodically with pictures, video, etc from our trip.  We want to say, again, “thank you CBC for all you do for us!”.