Baseball Season has Ended
We have had a great time this summer going to the Huntsville Stars. We had never had season tickets before this season. We had gotten these ticket from Katie Beth winning them in a bikini contest. This summer was very hot for baseball, but we had a wonderful time with all our baseball friends.
We celebrated Katie Beth and my birthday at the ball park along with Karen’s ½ birthday. We each got to throw out the first pitch and ride onto the field with team mascot as the “Fan of the Day” on our birthdays.
Beside going to the Huntsville Stars’ games, we got to see a Chattanooga Lookouts game while we were in Chattanooga.
We had a great time on July 3rd at Allison and Steve Tofflemire’s annual party. Everyone enjoys the game, food, friends, and fireworks. Katie Beth got to enjoy two sticks of cotton candy!
My sister, Hope, with her children, Hannah and Charlie, joined us for a couple of games during their summer visit. Charlie got the run in the Dick’s Sporting Goods Race at both game and won each time.
Katie Beth received a Brewers dress from Godpoppa Stevie and Godmomma Allison from their trip to see the Brewers play in Milwaukee, WI. Katie Beth looks great in it, too.
We are looking forward to next year’s season.
Celebrations
We have been celebrate all sorts of things this summer.
For Katie Beth’s 3rd birthday, we had a pool party, which Katie Beth really seemed to enjoy.
You can see more pictures here: Katie Beth’s Huntsville Celebration and Pool Party.
Karen wishes her birthday wasn’t in the middle of Christmas season so we celebrate her ½ birthday in the middle of July. This year, I worked with the Huntsville Stars to arrange for a skybox and invited some of Karen’s friends that she hadn’t seen in awhile.
You can see more here: Karen’s ½ Birthday.
Just around the corner is Karen and my 14th anniversary and my 44th birthday so the partying will not stop.
Summer Time
We have been going to baseball games and Katie Beth collects bugs caused by lights of the baseball stadium.
Sherwood Park pool is open. We have been going regularly and Katie Beth has started her swim lessons. She is even going off the diving boards by herself.
We have been hiking on Monte Sano mountain.
Spring is Here!
Spring came while we were in Colorado Springs. We have already started going to Huntsville Botanical Garden more frequently.
The Huntsville Stars home baseball season is starting this Wednesday. Karen picked up our season tickets today.
We have started seeds in our flower pots, which have grown over 3 inches. Katie Beth’s tomato plant is already about 5 inches tall.
Walt Disney World: Fall 2009
Here are some high lights from our trip to Walt Disney World. You can see all of the photos here. But, you need the username and password, which are “Friends” and “Photos” respectively.
Katie Beth had her own seat on the plane, which was very nice for us and she enjoyed it too.
We spent our first few days in Epcot enjoying the International Food and Wine Festival. At first, we were concerned that Katie Beth would not enjoy so much time at Epcot, but it worked out well. She especially enjoyed the Mexico Pavilion in the World Showcase.
As for the food from the festival, it was hit or miss with Katie Beth. She didn’t want to eat anything anyway much less in the park. But, she did enjoy the Grilled Pork Skewer with Farifa from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Booth.
Katie Beth had a great experience with Aurora. At first, Katie Beth has being bashful with Aurora, but she harmed up. As Katie Beth was saying her goodbyes, she stopped and asked Aurora for a kiss. Before we could say or doing anything, Aurora had leaned down and kissed Katie Beth on the forehead, which sure surprised me.
Even though Katie Beth was bashful with some people, she was always making friends. We were riding on the Wildlife Express Train at Animal Kingdom and she joined the family next to us. You have got to just love that smile.
Katie Beth enjoys casual interaction with the Disney characters the best I think. Here she gets goes on a walk with Eeyore.
Katie Beth’s favorite things to do were digging and playing. Here she is digging in The Boneyard in the DinoLand USA area of Animal Kingdom.
Or, you could find Katie Beth in any playground that we passed by while walking around Walt Disney World.
Some days, we had to throw our hands up and just let Katie Beth have her way and keep on going. Here she is without having her hair combed, a pacifier in her mouth, and an attitude while we await the opening ceremony at Magic Kingdom.
Even Mrs Bad Attitude has to nap so Karen was able to have some time for just her. She decided to get her haircut at the Magic Kingdom, which is cheap at $17.
One positive thing of Katie Beth waking up early most days was that we could get to the parks at or prior to their opening. This allowed us get into the Magic Kingdom and be near the front of the line to see Tinker Bell and her fairy friends. We only had to wait around 15 minutes.
The trip did start to wear Karen and Katie Beth out. Here Katie Beth had woken up early, but I got her back to sleep in our bed. Karen and Katie Beth sleep in this morning.
I got “lucky” and was chosen to take part in the Harbor Attack associated with the Studio Backlot Tour at Hollywood Studios. Katie Beth and Karen loved seeing me get soaked in the 1000 gallons of water simulating a torpedo strike on the boat.
This year was the first time for us to see the Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights at Hollywood Studios. They say the display has over 5 million lights. It was impressive. This video clip doesn’t do it justest, but the photos look great here.
Katie Beth enjoyed the Animal Kingdom. We enjoyed it, because it got some us time.
Katie Beth even found more places to climb.
We had a fun time riding the rides at the Magic Kingdom.
As an extra treat, we got to see the Space Shuttle launch from our resort. You can see the smoke trail right in the center of the picture. I just wished that I had gotten my camera sooner as the photo would have shown the fire from the boosters.
Before returning home, we even tried to get our Christmas picture at Walt Disney World. With all their decoration already up, we thought it would make for a great picture. It is harder than you expect to get a good picture. We started taking pictures every morning in the parks in hopes of getting a good one.
We even have a picture that we take every trip. We hope to watch Katie Beth grow up over the years in these photos.
Well, we had a good trip. But, all trip must come to an end.
You can see all of the photos here.
But, you need the username and password, which are “friends” and “photos” respectively.
Huntsville Stars
What a night is it has been.
First, we joked about the Huntsville Stars and the radio station WZYP attempting to break the record for the most people in bikinis in a photo with their “Beach Night”. They had to get more than 1,923 bikini-clad women to break the record.
At the last minute, we stopped before going out the door on our way to the game. I got Katie Beth’s hula skirt and matching bikini. Karen grabbed the Huntsville Stars beach towel. We arrived at the game and saw the big WZYP vehicle out front of the stadium.
We hopped out of the car and Katie Beth looked cute with her bikini, sunglasses, and a towel over her shoulder. The hula skirt was blowing in the wind. Everyone in the ticket office loved how Katie Beth looked. They were all leaning out of their windows to look.
You can see all the pictures here, but remember “Friends” and “Photos” are the username and password respectively.
Well, we didn’t see any other people in bikinis. None!
About this time, the radio staff walked up to us and told Katie Beth that she won the contest. We didn’t know their was a contest. We were just thinking Katie Beth could be in the picture or just have fun.
We were given two season tickets to next season! Wow!
We were beside ourselves. Everyone was happy for us.
They still planned on taking a picture for the attempt at the record. Katie Beth and the radio personality went down to the baseball field and had their picture taken together.
Next up, Yahtzee!
Karen was selected to play Yahtzee on the baseball field prior to the game. With a little help, she was able to roll a Yahtzee of ones. She won a set of tickets to next year’s AA All Stars game, which will be hosted at the Huntsville Stars stadium.
Onto the news!
Given Katie Beth was wearing a hula skirt and bikini, I knew that I could get her videoed by the local newscasters. Well it was twofer night, because Katie Beth walked up and kissed a little boy next to the newscasters while they were videoing the game. Two of the sports casters quickly turned and started videoing. Katie went on to go after the poor little boy and kissed him again. She ended up in both newscasts as the lead into the Huntsville Stars piece.
The Season of Travel
It looks like Fall will again be the season of travel. I can see two trips already, but I expect more.
I haven’t had to travel for work this whole year, but I expect that to change in the Fall with a huge effort to be worked on during October or November.
Our family will be heading off for our trip back to Walt Disney World in November for 1½ weeks.
13th Anniversary Just Around the Corner
August 3rd will be our 13th wedding anniversary. We are having a great time. Katherine Elizabeth came into our lives two years ago and our life has completely changed from what we would have expected.
Wonderful Time at Walt Disney World
Well, our trip is over. Katie Beth had a great time, but she had to learn about queues.
She had a great experience with Mulan in the China Pavilion at Epcot. Katie Beth took Mulan for a walk through China. It just wonderful, and thankfully, no one was waiting in line to see Mulan. They walked around the “Temple of Heaven” and then they returned to where Mulan had been. They hugged and said their goodbyes.
I think Katie Beth enjoyed all of the play areas more than anything else in the parks. She climbed all of the place at the Pixie Hollow Play Area. You will find video at the link at the bottom of this page.
She got to have a turkey leg, which is one of the best items to eat throughout the parks. There is nothing like the shine of grease all over your face from a turkey leg.
She enjoyed the Safari and Petting Area at Affection Section in the Animal Kingdom. She had a hard time understanding that you can not go wherever you want. She kept wanting to go inside the safe areas setup for the animals so they could get away from children. She really enjoyed seeing all of the animals.
She had a great time seeing all of the Disney characters, too. Here she is with Eeyore, Winnie the Pooh, and Tigger. You can see many more pictures of Katie Beth with other Disney characters at the link at the bottom of this page.
The rides were fun. Katie Beth especially enjoyed the Mad Hatter’s Tea Cup rider. Here is small video clip:
You can see more pictures and videos here. Remember that “Friends” and “Photos” are the username and password, respectively.