Don't You Wish

...that sometimes you could just have superpowers for a few minutes? This morning while we were out for our daily bike ride with Lexi we decided to take a different route -- as we were turning the corner, I heard a car alarm going off. There is a lot of new construction in our area and thought perhaps it was a builder or worker. All of a sudden a man on a bicycle comes ripping around the corner and down the street towards me holding something in his arm, kind of hunched over. To me it looked very suspicious [if you know me at all, I'm always wary of "suspicious" characters and ready to take them with a heeeyaaah, and an elbow jab to the gut, and then stomp on his foot....] so I made sure to stare really hard at him. I just got that "something isn't right about that" feeling and kept watching him. I had turned my bike around and was on the corner as he went by. I was so close to saying something, but didn't want to stereotype or accuse unjustifiably. I started up the street to where the car alarm had gone off, and saw a truck parked in a driveway with the passenger door wide open. The alarm had stopped and I didn't see anyone -- a lady came out a moment later and realized she had been robbed. That man had shimmied the window down and stolen her purse! She was really upset and couldn't even call 911, so I called for her and she hopped in a truck with her husband to try and follow the guy. No luck -- the police came and I told him what I had seen -- down to what he was wearing [I did stare hard!] Hopefully they will catch the guy, there were good handprints on the window....who knows! I really DETEST people who steal from others!!!

So the superpowers? I would have used my elastigirl arms and grabbed the bike while the guy flew over the handlebars smashing his face on the asphalt (oh yeah) and then wrapped his bike around him while we waited for law enforcement. Oh if only................

Four Letter Words, Gardens, In a "Jam," and Disney Withdrawals

I have a favorite four letter word, and although it ranks up there with "love" and "kids" it just happens to be another one....I know what you're thinking, and no, how could you think that??! It's

**FREE**

I was returning a book to a friend last Sunday after church and happened upon a pile of plastic on the curb. I couldn't resist checking it out and although it was dirty, wet (nice big thunderstorm), a temporary ant residence, I tossed it in the truck and brought it home. A little water, some scrubbing, ant removal and voila:
It isn't perfect, and a dog had a little chew party on a couple corners, but hey I didn't pay a cent for it and Madison has a ball in it!

My garden is flourishing -- here is a picture of the "first fruits" of the garden...
Since then I've had bowls of cherry tomatoes, green beans, cucumbers and squash. We're loving it!

We also found ourselves in different kind of garden - a blueberry farm. One morning I saw a blurb in the paper about picking your own berries at a farm nearby and went that day with friends. We went back again a week later and picked twice as many -- how can you resist when they are so delicious and only $0.98 a pound??













I was in a "jam" this week as well. It just so happens that our Bishop and his wife have many fruit trees in their yard and needed some help using all the fruit. We went and picked and came home with two kinds of pears, figs, apples and plums. I already made some raspberry fig jam and will be making plum jam too.
As far as Disney withdrawals -- the picture speaks for itself. She wears it daily! 8:]

The Night the Lights Went out in Georgia.....

...but there wasn't any hanging of an innocent man. Our last leg of our family trip to our beloved Disneyworld we stopped in Savannah, Georgia. We had orginially planned to drive to Charleston, SC but 6+ hours in the car after leaving Orlando didn't sound like the best idea (that and the fact that we didn't leave until 2pm). We stopped for lunch on the outskirts of Jacksonville and hoped that the restaurant we picked had free internet nearby.... We ended having to drive to a hotel down the street and parked in the parking lot while we searched for a hotel to stay at that night. I guess that's part of the fun, not making specific plans.

We found a reasonable hotel that was right in the historic district and plugged it into Lola (our Tomtom - thanks "RV") and we were off. As we got closer to Savannah and exits started flying past, it seemed that the hotel was still a good distance away. We got off at one of the last exits and again searched around for a wireless signal (4 hotels later ;) and found the correct address for the hotel in Savannah, and not in Hilton Head, SC (another 35 miles away!) Nice! :)

We had fun walking around the city that night and cruising the waterfront. The buildings are amazing and the history is very rich there. If you're looking for delicious homemade candies there are about 4 stores on the waterfront within 1/2 mile of each other that make amazing taffies and pecan pralines (and they offer many samples). The next morning, we wandered around the city, checked out Paula Deen's "street" with her store and restaurant, the historic cemetery and back down to the waterfront.

On the drive back home after leaving, I was reading through all the tourbooks that we found AFTER we wandered around the city and found some fun tours we'll have to try another time -- our first pick? The Haunted Savannah tour - a nighttime walking tour with a historic guide through old buildings/streets. Hopefully there'll be a next time - there's so much to see on the East coast!

"....it was all started by a mouse."

Drum roll please........ddddddddddddddddddddddd (I know you can hear it...)

Sit back, relax and enjoy the show that is the Gebski's trip to one of the happiest places on earth -

DISNEYWORLD!!!!

We all can't wait to go back - either to DL or DW. *****, a perfect 10 - yes, it truly is a place where dreams come true. 8:] (those are my Mickey ears)

"Your Ride on the Tilt-A-Whirl Has Now Come to an End, Please Exit to the Left...."

If I could sum up the last 35 days or so in one sentence, that would be spot ON! Today has been a breath of fresh air--nothing to do ;) and I can sit on the couch and not worry about ANYTHING.

Here is my attempt at a somewhat brief explanation of where I've been and what I've been doing since my last post (not the snooze post, the other ones about Virginia ;) And by the way the "35 days" is counting the time I was in VA: just so you know, all the words in brackets [...] are my subconscious thoughts about what was happening at the time

Drove back from Newport News-should have taken 4 hours but took 7 with traffic [these kids are driving me CRAZY], spent the next week cleaning my house top to bottom for company, I don't have enough to do so I think I'll paint my bedroom before they come and thanks for the help Elizabeth! [whaaaaaaat? you are the crazy one], finally hung pictures/decorations on the walls [it's been how long since you "moved in?"], one week later drove back up to Richmond, graduation - mini family reunion with Lester's side of the family, drove home, 5 awesome days spent with Brandli's and Noellen, Myrtle Beach, museums, air conditioner at home decides to keel over - a hot last night at home with 10 people in the house [should have said yes to borrow those fans, should join Lester and Corben on the trampoline - they're the clever ones], parted ways they go north and we go south but still not excited to go to Disneyworld yet [how much laundry could there be, wait can't leave the house is messy again, I know I'm forgetting something], La Quinta? what an awful place to stay [Oh Travelocity you've failed me, how can I trust you again?], wait --- is that the magic gate into the wonderful world of Disneyworld? [NOW I'M WAAAAY EXCITED], 8-10 hour days at the many parks [sleep? who needs sleep? This is Disneyworld and that's why we brought the "cot on wheels" for Madison -- she's fine!], 7 days are over already? [I am NOT leaving this amazing place not not NOT!], whirlwind visit in Savannah, Georgia, another LONG drive back home, get Christine ready to sell, have our debit card # "borrowed" for some unauthorized charges [oh, if I could just get my hands on them], air conditioner fixed [say that again, it's how much????????], two parties at our house in one week [at least the house is clean], family pictures, drive to the airport [We love you Daddy!!!].

There it is, and I know I'm forgetting many funny stories/happenings but oh well! It has been fun, exhausting and quick. Here it is in pictures (at least the first part -- I'll do the Disneyworld pictures tomorrow!)