Family Pic

It's been a while since we had one of these done. Happy New Year!

Marco to Wilmington

4:45 am to 4:45 pm. 2 stops.

FL Fam

Emilia get's a ripstick for Christmas

Gingerbread House

Marco Island, FL

Christmas Dinner

Mangrove Cafe

5 Mile

Morning walk with Grampy

Mackle Dog Park on Marco Island, FL

Tubbin' it with Grampy

More Pics from Shy Wolf

Shy Wolf Sanctuary

http://www.shywolfsanctuary.com/

This is "Promise".

My buddy Chris' best Christmas present.

Technical Difficulties

Over the border video should be working now. Had some SSL issues. Go to main blog site and check it out if you'd like.

Over the border 1pm (video)

Back on the road

FL bound with a stop

Started out around 4:30 am,  

In Florence, SC 29501, USA now and headed to visit customer Palm Coast Coffee on St. Simon Island, GA.  

Emi Bakes Christmas Cookies

Emilia's SACP Church Musical

Crystal River Manatee Interview Day 3

Crystal River Day 3 (Video)

Taken with a Canon D10.

Three Sisters off Crystal River (Video)

It's a thumbs up from Arianna. Taken with a Canon D10.

Manatee Day 3

Well, it's been a wonderful time down here. I was truly impressed with how the girls behaved and their interactions with both the manatee and the rest of the group. I could not have hoped for a better trip with Arianna and her friends. We stayed at the Best Western.

Touchy Feely

Arianna gets to touch a manatee while snorkeling.

Emilia & class fighting hunger

After first manatee encounter (video)

Taken with an iPhone.

Manatee Encounter Crystal River (Video) Day 2

At the start of the trip I really didn't think we'd be getting this close!

Taken with a Canon D10.

Heading out 7:00 am Day 2

Back at the hotel end of Day 1

Once we were back from the days adventures the kids had some relax time in the hot tub and pool at the hotel. We were fitted in our wet suits and ate some hot dogs by the patio. We then went for ice cream and started to settle down. Wake up is 6:30 am tomorrow for our swim.

Arriving in FL Day 1

Once we arrived in the Crystal River area we headed over to the Homosassa Wildlife Park where we prepped for our swim tomorrow. We learned more about our how to observe these sea cows in their natural environments. Note I had some technical difficulties earlier with pics so if you head back to the main blog you'll see the photos I tried to post earlier.

My Current Location 11:11 am

Yulee, GA 32097, USA

Rest stop

My Current location 8:30 am

Kings Hwy, Yemassee, SC 29945, USA
Finally about to get on a major highway (I95). Only 450 miles to go!

My Current Location

Charleston, SC 29492, USA

Everyone is awake and now they're going to try and keep 'em quiet with a movie. Shriek 3. 

My Current Location

3592-3750 Dick Pond Rd, Myrtle Beach, SC 29588, USA

So we are headed to Crystal River, FL but are told that we need to first stop here to pick up our driver. 

With the boys behind us on on the bus  this already seems too long of a ride.  

On the bus 3:30am

Headed to FL for the meeting of the manatee.

Emilia's Piano Recital (Video)

Grammy's famous

Makin' sugar butterscotch cookies.

Visit to Baby Capps

Stopped by to see Carson & Stuart Capps and their new baby Jake here in Wilmington. Before moving to ILM to raise a family Carson and Stuart both worked in theater in NYC. We met over the summer as Carson & Stuart held theater dance workshops for our kids in which our girls were taught how to learn a new dance routine in less than an hour.

Indian

Madeline, Rachel & Arianna

Annual treck for the tree.

After what seemed like hours of searching we came up with the "perfect" tree. Well, that's what we're going with anyway.

Thanks

Torello, Gladding, Begley

Sanz Fam

After spending a great time in CT with friends & family for Thanksgiving. We traveled to Westchester County NY so that we could spend a day with my buddy Parris and his family. We left NY around 7 pm and were home around 6:30 am. NY/NJ slowed us down just a little. Tracey again drove most of the way and I picked up that last few hours. It was a rough ride towards the end after no sleep but it was worth getting home and not having to deal with Sunday traffic.

Curbside Cafe (Video)

This was Arianna's G.R.E.A.T. Project for Middle School. With the help of her church group she made and delivered meals to the Mercy Homeless Shelter in downtown Wilmington and then composed this photo diary.

Our coffee helps try to perk up the troops in Iraq

My buddy Chris taking time out for a picture.

The meal was awful but the company was nice.

Alex & Tracey get a night out at the Wilmington Dancing with the Stars fundraiser. No, we didn't dance. But it was for a great cause: An elevator.

Emilia's School Pic

Halloween

Annual Pic
Dressed for the occasion
Emilia and friends sharing the spoils.

Arianna School Picture

If Mama was Married (Video) Arianna

Hanna Block Center, downtown Wilmington

Life Upon The Wicked Stage (Video) Emilia

Hanna Block Center, downtown Wilmington.

Students from Japan

UNCW asked us to host two Japanese students this weekend. Chiyoko (with Ari) & Yuki (both aspiring English teachers) came out to dinner with us on Friday at Brix Pizza. Saturday Arianna and Emilia had auditions and a soccer party in which they came along as well. Saturday night we had a small party at the beach along with Herbie and Brandon (friends from Evolution Salon). Then to church on Sunday morning. It was a very fun time. Chiyoko & Yuki have two more weeks in America before heading back to Osaka, Japan. We miss them already.

Unbelievable