Bring on the Snow!!

A couple of weeks ago the weather people (better known as a Meteorologist) said that Denver was going to get a huge snow storm so the entire city shut down in preperation. No snow just some flurries and rain...well on Thursday they said another storm was coming and that it would either be rain or snow. WELL they were right this time and get to keep their jobs....It started snowing Thurs. night and we woke up with a nice covering then on Friday it kept snowing, then it sleeted a little, then it snowed, and snowed some more. This morning we woke up and it never stopped and we had a foot and it was coming on strong!
Did I mention that Grammy & Papa came into town on Thursday from Tucson! We have had a big week planned while they were here! We had Jared's baseball tournament (minimum of three games), and Drew's benefit show of The Stinky Cheese Man. The games got cancelled first and then the benefit...SAD, SAD, SAD! The kids had no problem finding something to...electronics (WII, playstation, and their ipod's) kept them busy for a while and then the two younger ones decided the backyard looked fun! The oldest (man of the house) went out front and took care of business!
After Jared took care of the manly jobs he did what every man does best...back to CHILLIN'!

The youngin's decided that the trampoline in the backyard looked fun so they hung out in the snow for a while...they were sopping wet when they came inside but were all smiles!
Then the kids being Military brats get the brilliant idea to build forts and have a snowball fight! It was great and they take it very seriously...you will see from the salutes!
Drew...I love my OCD boy...perfect fort...snowballs lined up along the front inside (look carefully on the left)... Look at this cute girl...Wants to be like her brothers...here is her fort with all her snowballs on the right...And then my Jared who is taller than Gramma Jeanne! Doesn't give a flying flip about a fort he just makes snowballs to plummit his siblings with! Now before the war I have to remind Jared that the other two are smaller and this is not a baseball game! This kid can pitch (fast balls-really fast, curve balls, change up's and the list could go on) Here is a video of the war...keep an eye out for Jared's snowballs flying by (and remember this is him NOT throwing hard) FUNNY!


So now we had another day to hang out and relax...what should we do??? Hmmmmm??? What to do???? The kids are busy and having fun...Grammy and Papa are chillin'...what do I need to get done that has been neglected?? The kids closets? No fun.....then the light bulb flashes on....
Time for a glass of wine and Day 3 of the Disney Cruise! How often do you have a whole day? It's like the Breakfast Club...I love that movie....classic! Sidetracked...sorry...it doesn't take much...but really that was a great movie! (Such an 80's girl)

Nothing says snowy day like a glass of wine, a fire, and Day 3 of the Disney Cruise!

So grab a glass of wine, soda, coffee...and come on over

PS...We got 16.3 inches in Parker...the snow totals ranged from 15-22 inches!

Disney Cruise....Day 3

When you think of happiness what do you think of? For me one word comes to mind TOGETHER! I am happiest when my family is together....making memories...together. The blessings God has given us in each other!

I love writing about the Disney Cruise because when I close my eyes I believe I am still there...I can taste the amazing food. YES, I am ALL about good food! I can feel the salt water and warm sun on my face, you can feel IT in the air...what can you feel? Quite simply put....Magic!

So what was in store for Day 3! This is what our personal navigator said

Date: December 1, 2008

Sunrise: 6:58am Set: 5:24pm

Day at Sea! (YEA!!)

Dinner Attire: Formal (YEA! Again I love Dressing Up!)

Drink of the Day: Bay Breeze (YUM!)

I LOVE AT SEA days! The cruise ship is like your own private island, you share with 1500 other people, but that is besides the point. People live on the ship...I could live on the ship....as long as we go to port a couple of times a month...life without a target...not so sure on that...I need my target!

Monday started off similar to the other morning...slept in...ordered room service.

Have I mentioned how much I love room service? Ponder it with me for a minute...you pick up the phone and someone answers with a "Good Morning it's a Magical Day outside today!" You then tell them all the yummy food you would enjoy and they say, "That will be right down to your room." Then 10 minutes later a gentleman in a suit knocks on your door and delivers gourmet pastries...fresh from the tree fruit (I swear they grow their pineapple on the ship), juice and coffee and lays out cloth napkins and silver to eat with! WHERE CAN I GET A PHONE LIKE THAT!! I want a phone like that in bedroom next to my bed where when I pick it up someone tells me it's going to be a magical day....even better I want a phone like that next to my bathtub so when the day has been long and I need a little "Mommy" time someone delievers me food. I think there is a peice of my Jesus's heaven that looks like thatand has the magical phone :)

Back to the day...we headed to the pool with the kids again and it was gorgeous outside! We hung out and had a fun time and then kicked the kiddos to their rooms (actually they might have kicked us to the curb and took off running to Ratatouille cooking school and who knows where Jared was off to) and Paul and I had choices...what to do?? One was Goofy's Fun Fitness Pool Party...FUN but NO so we walked hand in hand to our appointment! AHHHHH our appointment. The kind of appointment you get a little giddy about! A couples massage in a room with double doors, a veranda with lounge chairs, and the ocean as our backdrop...the world melted away and it was bliss. The thesaurus describes bliss as paradise, delight, harmony....YES all the above! Then off to the adults only pool for an hour maybe two....ahhh bliss!

Later that afternoon in my relaxed state it was time for some "girl/boy" time...As much as we love the grown up time...I look forward to the kid time just as much! Watch out lady...I am grown up timed out I want my critters! Paul picked up the boys and the "hung out" together. No pictures...I don't even if Paul knows what a camera is other than "honey...take pictures for me!" Us girls got dressed up and headed to our tea party. It wasn't just any normal tea party...it never is when the Mad Hatter and Alice are your hosts. Pictures speak louder than words....

It was now time to get dressed up for our formal dinner! YEA!! I love dressing up, Laney loves to dress up...my big boys HATE it! Drew on the other hand loves it! I think for him he is just in training for his future...you know the red carpet, Academy Awards, Tony's...just the usual for him :) Jared was a broken record..."I look like a MONKEY!" "Hey Mom...I look like a MONKEY with a tie on!" but they go along with it because they love me and IT'S the RULES!

Our theme for the night was the Golden Mickey's...yes Disney's Oscar night! It was so fun! The show was great! We celebrated the heritage of Walt Disney and loved the sensational stage performances of some of the most beloved Disney Songs!

This one is hard to tell but it is Tarzan and his gorillas

This was Mulan and Drew was out of his chair fighting right along with them...I am pretty sure he was born in the wrong century in the wrong country...but I am thankful God made him wait!
This was the Lion King selection! Awesome...sorry about the reverb Daddy!

Talent is not a problem to find with Disney!

Off to our Formal Dinner! Amazing! Awesome! Fantastic! This was just dessert!!




Another great day...Is day 3 really over?...no rewind where is that button! Dang it...I can't find that remote...You should never trust Paul with a remote...it's probably in the freezer next to the ice cream...Oh well, no remote! Memories made forever and cherished! (and there are still 4 more days and my wine glass is empty so I guess that ends Day 3)

What Happened???

Did I fall in a black hole? Not really/somedays more than others
Did I get sucked into a vortex? Nope
Did I fall and now can't get up? No
Did my computer break? No....Rico is still good
Did they cut the internet lines? Heavens NO!! My world would stop!
Do I still read my favorite blog "The Pioneer Woman"? Yes
Did I start working a little from home as the Customer & Corporate Liason? Yep
Liason for who? For my kiddos theater group Audience of One (LOVE IT)
Did I just finish a big ole' fundraiser for our theater group? Yep
What kind of fundraiser? A chair-ity casino night
What is a chair-ity casino night? Good question...it was a blast!! We had blackjack and poker with professional dealers and real vegas chips...and of course bunco for the ladies...and a silent auction going at the same time...Don't worry there was no monetary value to the chips just fun for a great organization!

Are you having a conversation with yourself? YEP but I think I will end it now :) just one more? OK...just one more

Where have you been?

Well to say the least my best friend left for 6 months and life can being a little overwhelming. Now, I am not saying that I am full of despair or depressed it just happens that when Paul is called to leave us for a time life does take over being Mommy and Daddy to three amazing critters. It can definitely be time consuming and exhausting. BUT!! I am a military sweetie and that is what we do! We give our amazing husbands/wives over the the country because we believe in the foundations of what this country was built on. So if it's the least I can do to serve the country I love to lend out my husband than I am lonely but proud!

It has been crazy around here. It seems like there is not enough time in the day for loving on my critters and filling their love tanks, homeschooling, laundry, working a little, keeping up with the schedules of theater and baseball, laundry, a little fun, redecorating, laundry, and the one I dispise the most cleaning! AHHHH But I am going to rectify the last one...After talking to my hubby he was all for finding someone to come in and clean a couple of times a month...after all what better way to spend the seperation pay than to ease the load off mama. Did I mention the laundry? IT NEVER STOPS! Gracious...I know you all feel my pain so lets take a minute and shake off the tention I caused by mentioning it again...I know you all just thought about the load in the washer that is still wet and your in bed...My advice...Let it go!

Well I have come to realize that blogging really does give me joy and not to mention it keeps Paul in the loop so I am back. I am going to finish up the Disney Cruise....ahhhh...the Disney Cruise..............................................................................................................................................................
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....................................................whoops sorry!! I just went back in time their was a beach...a fruity drink of the day...my kids playing...sand in my toes...a good book....Paul asleep in the chair next to me..........................ahhhh.................................Back to reality and laundry...NO...NO...NO...no more laundry today there is always tomorrow.

Well my beloved friends I am back and will catch you up on all the Team Marien happenings in the next few weeks...
Tidbits to look forward too? How about more Disney Cruise (yes God gave me the gift of being detailed oriented and I haven't forgotten anything...I think...), Paul & all the excitement of Weapons School (what is weapons school??? All in good time my friends...all in good time...), the critters and their fun, events, funny sayings and stories, my trip to Vegas Ohlala, and spring break.

See you soon
xoxoxoxo

Disney Cruise...Day 2

The next morning we awoke and realized that it was true! We really were on the cruise we had planned for so LONG! My kids are rockin'...since we were out till midnight the night before they slept in until about 10:00 (my kids are great sleepers). We ordered room service (awesome!) and took our time getting ready for the day. We were going to arrive in Key West at 12:00 and could go ashore about 12:30 after we cleared customs. The kids wanted to head to their clubs for the rest of the morning so Paul and I shed a tear and shipped them off and headed to the fourth deck but not before grabbing a morning drink of course. We had found this amazing deck with cusioned lounge chairs that was right next to the edge so you could just watch the water and feel the ocean breeze.

Paul and I sat with our chairs leaned back and read books. There was a strange happening on the disney cruise ship though. I don't know if it was the pixie dust, ocean breeze or what but I, Alison, who loves to read and has a hard time putting books down would fall asleep within a chapter or two. Now, I am soooo not complaining it was quite amazing to be sitting with your best friend watching God's creation pass you by! Paul roused me from my magical dozing and there we were coming into Key West. It was a beautiful day...This is the view from our 4th deck chairs...

This was our view of Key West as the ship came into port It was amazing to watch how they "parked" this gigantic boat.
This nice couple asked if we wanted them to take our picture...

The Paparazzi Mama would never say no to a picutre It was about lunch time and time to get the kiddos and head to one of the restaurants on the boat for lunch. We picked up Laney first and she filled us in on how she made Flubber in the science lab just like the movie and that they played the movie while they were making it. Drew went to an animation class and learned how to draw some character but informed us that it was not as easy as it looked. Good call Drew! Jared met us at lunch at the coordinated time and had been hanging out with his new "people". I can't remember all the kids names except one kid who wanted to be called Skittles! Funny...so Jared informed us that they had hung out in their room, went and got some food (fries and ice cream), then played some hoops, got more food and soda, hung out in the room some more, got more food, then played ping pong and more hoops and the he was "starving" and ready to eat some good lunch! GEESH...Growing 11 year old boys. We fed our starving children and headed off the boat to see what kind of shopping fun could be had in Key West. Here is a picture of the boat as we got off on the pier. Had to take two pictures to get the whole boat.
So we shopped and the kids liked looking in the stores for souveniors. The only thing they didn't like was having to follow mommy into the jewelery shops...I tried to explain that when your on cruises you like to buy cool jewelery. They totally didn't get it but I didnt' find anything uber cool in Key West anyway. We headed back to the boat after a few hours. We knew that we needed to be on the boat before sunset because that is when the crazy's head out in Key West and Paul and I didn't want to have to explain their eccentric life styles...we were on vacation after all. Once back on the ship we wanted to go to the pool with the kids. Drew was looking forward to chilling in the hot tub watching the big screen tv. We had fun at the Goofy pool...Daddy swam with the kiddos while mom lounged on the side. We jumped in the hot tub a few times and watched a discovery show about fish...not sharks...which I thought was a good call by the Disney people. After a little swimming Jared was done in the pool and on to bigger and better things with "skittles" I assume. He was off and running and I hollered out "be back in the room by 5:30" as he bolted down the hall and gave me the signature preteen "ok" wave as he blazed to the elevator to head to the room to change. We also had a fun visit with Goofy and his son Max. Here are pictures of the afternoon.

The view from the hot tub...After some fun in the sun we got a snack (they had so much awesome food all the time but I must say my favorite was the fresh fruit and pannani sandwiches..yum). It was time to head back to the room to get ready for the evening.

We got all dressed in our "cruise casual" clothes (which for Laney meant a Snow White dress)and headed to the Walt Disney Theatre for the big show. Tonight was Jason Bishop a big and upcoming illusionist. He was great and did some amazing illusions. But I must say they best part was when he sat down at a small table and had a camera right on his hands so you could see everything he did and be mystified:) At one point he asked the kids in the audience to grab a dollar from Mom or Dad if they had a painful experience happen to them. One kid said that he had been hit in the head with a basketball, another kid said that he fell off his bike and then of course there is my Drew with his hand raised high. The illusionist (lets call him Jason)calls on him and Drew proceeds to tell him that while he lived in Tucson he not only fell off his bike but landed on a cactus! Jason says he has been to Tucson and that those cactus hurt and Drew wins and to come up to the front. My Drew who is not shy is social settings blazes up and stage and his mommy is just thankful that the story was true and he didn't get on stage from false pretenses:) Jason and Drew banter back and forth and Drew has the whole room (1000 people or so) cracking up. Jason then changes Drew's dollar into a ten dollar bill. I have four short clips from my camera labeled part 1 through part 4. Sorry there are four but I wanted to keep them small but I would definitely recommend watching them all IN ORDER if you are the type of person who enjoys a good laugh!! It was Awesome!!! Everybody loves Drew!

Drew and Jason Bishop Part 1


Drew and Jason Bishop Part 2


Drew and Jason Bishop Part 3


Drew and Jason Bishop Part 4

After the show we headed to dinner but not before Delaney stopped and got a picture with Belle and Minnie!

Dinner was amazing again!! Once dessert was served Jared was off again to eat the ship out of their supply of ice cream and french fries and to tear up on the basketball court. We told him he had a curfew of 12:30. Can you believe that! Lucky 5th grader! Delaney went to her class and got to do Toy Story Boot Camp and crafts and Drew headed off and got to have a pizza and ice cream party. Tough life for them I know!

Paul and I headed off to Rockin Bar D for some fun of our own. We sat down and listened to Soul Drive and then they had the Physical Comedy of Jeff Civillico. This guy could juggle anything and he was hilarous. Then we did a dance off of one hit wonders. It was fun and Paul and I had a great time dancing the night away.

This was our nightly host David dressed up in his best 70's for one hit wonders night!

About midnight we remembered we had children. I guess it was a late night with a fun filled day. This is my tukered out Kindergartener!

Jared came in about midnight and we looked at our cute towel animals and called it a night! Tomorrow is a SEA DAY with lots of fun so check back soon. I promise I will post quicker. It was the whole holidays, Paul leaving for six months, and getting sick thing that made it difficult but that is another post for another day. Enjoy the towel animals....xoxoxoxo