Spring Photo Akorren

This is his class. He must be growing since he is not in the front row in this picture. Normally they put the smaller students up front. He does have a few friends in his class from the previous years. His teacher Ms. Shaffer is great.

Here is Akorren's Spring Gilmore school picture. His hair is a bit long in this photo. We had it cut shortly after this was taken. He is cute, my growing little man.

Earth Hour 2009

THIS SATURDAY 28 MARCH AT 8.30PM YOU CAN VOTE EARTH BY SWITCHING OFF YOUR LIGHTS FOR ONE HOUR - EARTH HOUR.

My 7 AM Call

Okay so it's around 7:00 AM and the phone rings. I look at the caller ID and see that it is a US Government #. I figure it is Glenn checking in on how things were going this AM since he had to be at work by 6:00 AM for a Russian teleconference. I say "hello, hello.... "and am about to say hello one more time then hang up when I hear a familiar voice.

"Hi, sorry about the delay... this is Tony... I just thought I'd give you a call to say thanks for helping out with the boys for the launch." I stumble on my words, "What? oh, my, wow! ... I mean like you're up in the ISS, wow..oh, my! Glenn is going to get a kick out of this... he is at work. Thanks for calling, it means a lot." And we chat for a few minutes about the launch, kids, and excitement of life in space.

The kids are eating breakfast while I chat and I whisper to them that I am on the phone with Mr. Tony. And they look at me. When I hang up I ask them, "Where is Mr. Tony right now?" Akorren looks a me, "Mom he is in space, on the space station." Merlova's reply is more direct she just points up in the air, "He is up there mommy... in space!"
Now how cool is that? I will remember this call for a while. I know not many people can say they got a phone call from space. Yeah, COOL! (Thank you Janeen & Tony)

Fl Trip Day 11 Almost Home

So today we made it out of FL and all the way to LA. We got a phone call from our cousin Randy Roak yesterday saying that he would be in TX and wanted to stop by to see us since he was in town. We told him that we were on our way back to TX from FL. He said that since he was heading East on the 10 and we were heading West on the 10, that we should met somewhere in the middle and visit for a while.
We then decided that we would not push driving into TX tonight. The kids have been so good on the trip. So today at around 1:30 PM we took a detour in Louisiana and made our way out way to Fontainebleau State Park off of HWY 1089 in Mandeville, LA. It was a nice smaller state park right on the shores of Lake Pontchartrain. The kids all wanted to play in the water and sand, so we did for about 1 and a half hour. It was nice break after all our driving.
After we dried off, dusted the sand off and loaded back up we drove to just on the other side of Baton Rouge and met up with Randy for a dinner break at a small cafe. The place had some real good shrimp, pork ribs, and fish. Then we said good bye to Randy (after checking out his rig) and drove for another 45 minutes and stopped for the night. We knew we would be home by the afternoon of the next day, so it was nice to sneak in another family visit on the trip. We were glad to be near home as we were really missing the dogs and sleeping in our own beds. It will be nice to be back in TX tomorrow.

The kids and Glenn in front of the old Sugar Mill in Fontainebleau State Park, Glenn & Merlova snuggle on the sandy beach area after swimming in Lake Pontchartrain, a tortoise is discovered by Akorren, my 3 sand bugs digging, a brief reunion with cousin Randy.

Fl Trip Day 10 Driving

So last night ended our official vacation with the launch of the shuttle. What a great way to end the trip. We spent the night at a Days Inn right in Coco Beach on the main HWY. It was a quick drive to get to from the launch site. We took our time and packed the car back up for the long drive and made sure the kids were filled with breakfast and snacks. We we doing well leaving the Orlando area but then Glenn missed our turn off to head North on the 75 so we diverted off track and had to take some smaller roads to get back on to the 75 North. Then just as we got back on track we ran into bad traffic on the FWY. It was like a dead stop for 1 hour so we got off and made a side track around Gainesville. There was a big trailer truck accident with a few cars in a pile up. So it made us add another 2 hours+ to our detour. By night fall when the kids were tired of the 8 hours + time in the car we made it to just off the 10 and 75 to stay for the night. We were all glad to be out of the car. We had done so well on our trip by not getting into bad traffic and problems I guess it was our day to get stuck. Tomorrow we could push it and drive all the way into to TX but with today we think we might take one more day and come in on the 18th. We will have to see.

Fl Trip Day 9 Launch Pictures

Yes over Spain and we can still see it clear with the plain eye. It's knowing something like that, that makes our world seem so small.

I love this shot because of Akorren's reaction to the sound he was the only one in our family that did that. The girls were just awe struck with the light and sound.

Up even higher, I am clicking as fast as I can with my little camera at same time just trying to feel and be in the moment of this event. Amazed.

It still continues to climb and it seems to go up so quickly, I try to imagine the donkey kick the G-force are described like. The kids are just stunned at the site, wow!

So right about here is when I am crying my eyes out. It is truly amazing, note how the cloud is bent, that is when the made a rotation.

Fl Trip Day 9 Launch!!

So before you know it, WOW! You hear the roar, then you feel it. The launch time was around 7:20 PM so there is still some light visible in sky but then their is this brightness, so bright that it is like the sun is now appearing out of the horizon. You want to look at it and see every moment. It's going up, my goodness yes, it's up they are launching Mr. Tony is flying. I am so inspired that I am crying, filled with joy and excitement... so happy for my friends to know what they have gone through and sacrificed to get here. This has been his life's work to get to this point, and now here it is. Zhivanna sees me crying and gets herself all teary eyed and shouts to the sky, "Mr. Tony we love you! Be safe we don't want anything to happen to you, Michael and Danny's dad!"
I turn to her and say he is fine, he is an astronaut, and he is up, up, up. I look over my shoulder to see our friends who are hollering and shouting, clapping like the rest of the guests. It is just amazing to see this huge rocket blast into space. They go higher and higher and you can still see them. They continue to climb, Glenn sees me with the tears and takes a moment to check in and ask if I am alright, and then he continues to video. The two solid rocket boosters now separate and we can see them these two lights in the sky floating away. And we can still see it. By now they are somewhere over Spain, wow! Incredible.

Mike & Garrett give us the commentary, a quick pick of the kids right before the launch, we have light and a blast of sound, more brightness like the sun, yes...lift off!

Fl Trip Day 9 Go For Launch

We left Homestead around 10:30 AM and gave hugs and kisses to our family, and made the 3 hour drive back up to Coco Beach. We were driving across the causeway when we figured we might be cutting it close to going to the hotel, checking in, refreshing, then driving back to the location on Kiwanis Island where the buses would be picking us up. So we decided to head right the pick up location. That way we could have time to relax and let the kids run around, it worked out great as we were at a park. Bathroom break, STS-119 T-shirts on, snacks eaten and packed, all the camera and photo gear ready and so we just had to wait for the buses.
While we were waiting the kids and others found a tortoise who was, trying to cross the road. Many of the shuttle guests visited with it and then we made sure it made to the other side to safety.
The buses came and we had to show our ID, passes and then got to take about a 40 min. ride to Kennedy Space Center. It was so nice not to have to drive to it. On the ride over you could already see the traffic on the roads. The place seemed to fill up suddenly with the launch being a go. Everyone kept checking text and email or the web to make sure we had the most current news of it all being a thumbs up still. The kids of course had to use the bus bathroom a few times and did not seem so hungry to eat many snacks, it was a bit of a down time for us on the bus ride over. We made it to the launch location and with our special buttons on were designated as launch guests, it would allow us access to get out to the grassy area with bleachers set up just for us. Behind us in the main Saturn 1 building is where the astronaut families would over look the launch.
We walked around inside the building as we did not get out here when we spent a half day at KSC. They had some cool things to see, the lunar lander and other displays. We had about 2 hours until launch so that would give us time to let the kids chill out. They had this temporary post off thing set up where you could purchase a limited special edition envelope with the STS-119 patch on it and then on the inside it had a paper that explained about the mission. You could by one and then have it sent that day from KSC, they would put a special mark on the stamp of the date and note that the shuttle launched on that day. I bought three with the cash I had on hand and had them ready to be mailed out. The kids played outside on the grass then after a while we decide it would be good to feed them so we stood in the lines for food to get them something. While I was in line Glenn and the kids got to see the Antonelli family from up top, they waved to each other. That was cool! Before we knew it, it was like 15 minutes to launch so we went out side, the bleachers were filled up so we stood around the sides and listened to Mike Foreman and Garrett Reisman give an astronaut side commentary to all that was going on as the crew geared up for launch. We then positioned our selves by the fence so we could get a better view of the actual lift off. Then the time passed and you could feel the excitement in the air. All the astronaut spouses and kids could be seen from the balcony behind us and before we knew it the count down had begun. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6 ... 3, 2, 1!

Kids with the tortoise before we load on the bus to KSC, my crew of 3 ready to go see the launch, me now really excited with my special button, us in front of the launch site shorty after we got off the bus, family picture in front of the count down clock they set up for us.

Fl Trip Day 9 Launch Pictures Cont.

Akorren is making a sill face in this photo but I love it because you can really tell that we were at the launch because of the cloud trail. This will be a great picture to show the kids again when they are older. I know they will like it.

This photo is just a taste of how beautiful the smoke cloud was from the launch the sunlight from the west was hitting it at just the right spot and made an incredible image. Glowing orange and purple.

Fl Trip Day 8 Vizcaya Pics.

This was inside one of the nooks found in the gardens set up under an ornate archway. I loved the face it seemed to match well with Clyde's look. I think the figure is supposed to be Bacchus, the Roman God of wine. (I worship him sometimes, hee, hee!)

So while walking through the gardens we came upon and ancient ritual for raising the dead. No, just Papa and the kids playing. Kona was having too much fun and Akorren obviously thought it was funny too. They even chanted some. Merlova is mad because she did not get to be up on the slab first, poor kid!

Since I took a photo of Zhivanna with the gate Merlova insisted that I take her photo by this white statue as well. I thought she was going to do more of the sphinx pose for me but didn't.

Zhivanna shows off some of the other wonderful iron work in the gardens. The kids just enjoyed walking all around out side looking at all the structures around. In the garden behind Zhivanna some photographers were doing a photo shoot with models, I think that is where she got her inspiration from.

Akorren by the stone marina that was part of this huge castle-mansion, the view was beautiful. To the right of this is a Greek style permanent stone barge that makes a lovely background to the water way. Impressive!

Fl Trip Day 8 Photos/ Vizcaya

So after our alligator farm trip we went back to the house to rest. Then our nephew, Chris was really wanting to take us to this place called Vizcaya.

It is a National Historic Landmark that was built by agricultural industrialist James Deering in 1916. It has a Museum & Gardens with a main house, ten acres of formal gardens, a hardwood hammock, and historic village. I was not thrilled by the 45 min. drive in Miami traffic to get there but our nephew was very excited to show it to us. Truly beautiful and worth the trip. He and I wrangled the kids for part of the time visiting it so that Clyde, Daniele, and Glenn could enjoy it. We were not allowed to take photos inside.

The Johnson family outside our new home (we wish), Akorren & Marina pose by the "booby" statue, Glenn admires the iron work of the front gate entrance, Merlova and kids in the main glass entrance inside Vizcaya, Chris with the kids by the pool.

Fl Trip Day 8 Photos More

The handler coaxes one of the bigger gators to feed from his hand... I mean feed on the fish in his hand, the handler dropped into its' jaws at the last minute. SNAP!

I love this picture of the alligators gathering at the edge of the pond during the feeding show at the gator farm. You cannot tell the scale by this photo but some of these ones were at least 4 ft. in lenght. I love the one smiling for the camera. How cute!

Now this picture is shortly after I set up Zhivanna to hold this gator on her own. Within a few seconds it wriggled and she dropped it on the floor and it began to run as fast it could under the metal bleachers. I lept into action, in super mommy mode, and grabbed it just before the gator made its' way to freedom. Notice Merlova's dirty look at Zhivanna for 'dropping it' and daddy helps out while she holds it. Zhivanna's response of course was, "Sorry, sorry... but it was an accident." Our response: "Zhivanna it is always, just and accident."

Akorren & Kona get a chance to hold the babies. Akorren held him very tightly yet with care.

This guy was crazy amazing, he seemed to really know how to handle these gators. Funny thing was his voice sounded like that Ernest guy from the movies, it was hard to take what he had to say seriously sometimes.

Fl Trip Day 8 Photos Cont.

This was one impressive alligator skin. I am glad we did not meet him alive. Zhivanna takes the cake with her pose in this shot. Love it.

THE GATOR IS SERVED! And they eat it all up. The ketchup really helped. They thought it tasted like chicken, silly kids what do they know. I love Merlova's expression, she ate it up no problem saying, "Mommy I'm eating alligator."

The grand kids all crowd around the snack stand. They want ice cream, but Papa says, "Gator first... then ice cream". They are all so hungry, even after the two bags full of snacks we fed them in car less then 30 minutes ago.

Zhivanna and Papa Clyde ready for the ride. She didn't want to hear the noise of it. She had a blast too.

The air boat tour was the best part of the visit for me, I loved the speed and motion of the boat on the water. When the got going fast it really felt like you were just gliding on the water. The fact that the alligators were so close to you made it exciting. More than the jungle boat ride at Disney, even. I almost could reach out and touch this gator in the picture. I have never been so close to one. Wow!

Fl Trip Day 8

Today we went with Clyde, Daniele and the kids, (minus Loray & Andi) to an alligator farm. Grandma Dani treated the kids and family to an air boat ride and tour of the farm. It was so much fun. We really could not tell if the grand kids or grandma had more fun. We got to see a snake show where they touched and held snakes. Then we took an air boat ride though the Everglades (way fun!) about a 30 minute ride. Akorren and Merlova sat in front with cousin Chris & Kona to get the full effect.
Then it was time to try some fresh fried alligator (tasted like abalone to Glenn & I) Papa Clyde's treat and then we saw the alligator show and a feeding. The kids and adults were rather tired by the time we headed back to the house around 2 PM.
But this was only half of the day. For the afternoon we took at drive into West Miami to see a place called Vizcaya.

Grandma Dani and the grand kids enjoy visiting with the anaconda, Merova like the python the best, the kids all wear the snake (Merlova is happy to touch the tail), we start our ride on the air boat.