Late Birthday Greetings/Catch up Post - Holidays, Books & TV
I've been pretty much totally absent from LJ since before the holidays and have missed lots and lots of birthdays - I hope everone enjoyed their days!
allyv, marvelgirl_art, elinora, _jems_, anaross, burningeden, Buffy_the_vamp6, basillo_the_cat, bearfacedcheek, shadowlass, nikkimisplaced, strange_f, cissasghost, claritaluna76, molly_may, annapurna_2, 2loud_2proud, mad_brilliant, and jamalov29.
I was able to go to DisneyWorld for a week in early December with my two younger sibs and my sister's fiance. I love Disney and it was my sister's first visit there, so my brother & I, who have gone there together several times, were really looking forward to sharing her first Disney experience with her. Alas, we learned that she really isn't into the Disney 'magic'. She liked some of the thrill rides and is majorly into shopping, but much of the rest of the charm of the Disney experience seemed to be lost on her.
Of course, we still enjoyed the trip. IMHO, Rockin' RollerCoaster & Tower of Terror are still the best rides. I also liked Expedition Everest and loved Soarin' (they should have a whole series of different films so that each ride is slightly different), but I won't do Mission: Space again - and we tried both versions. I have to say, I usually don't pay a lot of attention to the castle at the Magic Kingdom, but it looked pretty stunning this year. It kept changing colors, as you can see and to be honest, I was having trouble keeping my eyes off it. Quite unusual for me. Click pics to see larger verisons with more detail.
On my way home, I let them bump me off a flight in Milwaukee (I took a different flight two hours later) in exchange for a free round trip ticket. Yeah! Since our airline - Midwest - doesn't fly to Montana, I'll use this to fly to Seattle (where I'll then pay for a flight to Kalispell) in late April for Granddaughter #2's birthday. This will save me about $450, so I was pretty happy. Since I'm usually traveling alone now, rather than with one or more of my kids, I find the bumping thing a very attractive idea. This is the second free flight I've gotten in the last 4 flights I've taken. From now on, I will definitely try to allow time when making travel plans so that I can let them bump me again.
Just days after I got back from Disney, The Daughter and her family arrived for the holidays. The Daughter and Granddaughter #2 were here for three weeks, while her husband flew back home after two. GREAT visit! I was able to work from home for a few of the days they were here and shorten some of my hours on the other days, so we had a lot of time together. I'm not adjusting particularly well to having her so far away. My boys are so close (two of the three live next door to me on either side) that I see them with great frequency. Maybe that spoils me. If only flights weren't so expensive! (Hence the attractiveness of the bumping thing.) :-)
The baby started full out crawling AND pulling herself up to cruise around furniture while they were here, so it was lovely to share/witness those milestones, and it was the first time my family has all been together for Christmas in four years. We all appreciated that.
I'm busy at work as always and majorly bummed that the Packers aren't going to the Superbowl.
Some of you may know that I don't watch any network or cable television and haven't for several years. I do, however, rent series DVDs at times to try out the some of the shows my flist seem to enjoy. After The Daughter & her daughter flew home, I watched a couple of episodes of Heroes and liked it enough to order season one on DVD. I also watched an ep of Moonlight on my computer the other night. Seems derivitive, but has possibilities. Will watch more.
I've been doing a bit of reading in the YA genre - enjoyed Cinda Williams Chima's The Warrior Heir and The Wizard Heir (one more, The Dragon Heir, to come) and Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series. Heard a lot about Twilight, but was a little meh on it. May read the second in the series to see if it grabs me. I'm also adding to my collection of children's books.
I'm always looking for recommendations in either of these categories! *bats eyes* In fact, book recs of any type are always appreciated. I read mostly genre stuff - paranormal, mysteries and some romances. I'm not so much into Oprah books, etc.
Hope everyone is doing well and if you want to take a minute to fill me in on important stuff - in your own life or in fandom - that would be wonderful! :-)
ETA: I have a Shelfari page. I don't know much about the site yet and have only put a few books on my shelf, but please feel free to friend me (or whatever they call it there!). :-) My Shelf.
allyv, marvelgirl_art, elinora, _jems_, anaross, burningeden, Buffy_the_vamp6, basillo_the_cat, bearfacedcheek, shadowlass, nikkimisplaced, strange_f, cissasghost, claritaluna76, molly_may, annapurna_2, 2loud_2proud, mad_brilliant, and jamalov29.
I was able to go to DisneyWorld for a week in early December with my two younger sibs and my sister's fiance. I love Disney and it was my sister's first visit there, so my brother & I, who have gone there together several times, were really looking forward to sharing her first Disney experience with her. Alas, we learned that she really isn't into the Disney 'magic'. She liked some of the thrill rides and is majorly into shopping, but much of the rest of the charm of the Disney experience seemed to be lost on her.
Of course, we still enjoyed the trip. IMHO, Rockin' RollerCoaster & Tower of Terror are still the best rides. I also liked Expedition Everest and loved Soarin' (they should have a whole series of different films so that each ride is slightly different), but I won't do Mission: Space again - and we tried both versions. I have to say, I usually don't pay a lot of attention to the castle at the Magic Kingdom, but it looked pretty stunning this year. It kept changing colors, as you can see and to be honest, I was having trouble keeping my eyes off it. Quite unusual for me. Click pics to see larger verisons with more detail.
On my way home, I let them bump me off a flight in Milwaukee (I took a different flight two hours later) in exchange for a free round trip ticket. Yeah! Since our airline - Midwest - doesn't fly to Montana, I'll use this to fly to Seattle (where I'll then pay for a flight to Kalispell) in late April for Granddaughter #2's birthday. This will save me about $450, so I was pretty happy. Since I'm usually traveling alone now, rather than with one or more of my kids, I find the bumping thing a very attractive idea. This is the second free flight I've gotten in the last 4 flights I've taken. From now on, I will definitely try to allow time when making travel plans so that I can let them bump me again.
Just days after I got back from Disney, The Daughter and her family arrived for the holidays. The Daughter and Granddaughter #2 were here for three weeks, while her husband flew back home after two. GREAT visit! I was able to work from home for a few of the days they were here and shorten some of my hours on the other days, so we had a lot of time together. I'm not adjusting particularly well to having her so far away. My boys are so close (two of the three live next door to me on either side) that I see them with great frequency. Maybe that spoils me. If only flights weren't so expensive! (Hence the attractiveness of the bumping thing.) :-)
The baby started full out crawling AND pulling herself up to cruise around furniture while they were here, so it was lovely to share/witness those milestones, and it was the first time my family has all been together for Christmas in four years. We all appreciated that.
I'm busy at work as always and majorly bummed that the Packers aren't going to the Superbowl.
Some of you may know that I don't watch any network or cable television and haven't for several years. I do, however, rent series DVDs at times to try out the some of the shows my flist seem to enjoy. After The Daughter & her daughter flew home, I watched a couple of episodes of Heroes and liked it enough to order season one on DVD. I also watched an ep of Moonlight on my computer the other night. Seems derivitive, but has possibilities. Will watch more.
I've been doing a bit of reading in the YA genre - enjoyed Cinda Williams Chima's The Warrior Heir and The Wizard Heir (one more, The Dragon Heir, to come) and Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series. Heard a lot about Twilight, but was a little meh on it. May read the second in the series to see if it grabs me. I'm also adding to my collection of children's books.
I'm always looking for recommendations in either of these categories! *bats eyes* In fact, book recs of any type are always appreciated. I read mostly genre stuff - paranormal, mysteries and some romances. I'm not so much into Oprah books, etc.
Hope everyone is doing well and if you want to take a minute to fill me in on important stuff - in your own life or in fandom - that would be wonderful! :-)
ETA: I have a Shelfari page. I don't know much about the site yet and have only put a few books on my shelf, but please feel free to friend me (or whatever they call it there!). :-) My Shelf.