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Jedi Training Academy (aka 28 pounds of unbridled fury)
A few days after the Pirates League at Disney, we hit the Jedi Training Academy over at Disney Hollywood Studios. After doing my research I found out that now they don’t pick kids out of the crowd like they used to, but now you have to be the first 15 kids on line to get on stage for the next training session. We got to the park at opening (that was a feat in itself) and while John ran over to get FastPasses for Toy Story Mania, the boys and I ran over to the Star Wars area and got on line. It was quite a wait (about 45 minutes) but they were all good and patient. And the big boys played the part of the excellent big brothers once again and participated with Timmy (who was over the moon excited about the whole thing.
Timmy is on the small side (like 15th %tile for height and weight) and he was a total crack up on the stage. The Jedi Master said he was “28 pounds of unbridled fury” when he went to fight Darth Vader. Love the size difference between him and Darth.
Timmy had a GREAT time, and Jack & Patrick tolerated the whole thing (again) for Timmy. I love the look on the big boys faces watching Timmy fight DV in the video. Too funny.
And here’s the video, with included Star Wars music.
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6 for Sunday, on Monday
1. Timmy got new “glasses”. He’s making everyone call him Albert Einstein when he wears them.
2. The storm here on Saturday night was crazy. Luckily, we didn’t sustain any damage other than a broken patio umbrella, but this town is a wreck. So many trees down (on peoples houses, across streets, leaning on power lines) and power lines down. A few friends have no power even still. We lost power for a little bit Sunday but I think it was because they turned it off to fix other things on our grid. The wind was whipping (like 70 mph they said) and the rain was heavy, and there was even thunder & lightening. What is with the weather lately?? I hope it’s getting it all out of it’s system now, so we have a nice, sunny photoshoot spring and summer (and fall, too).
3. Lady Gaga- still not getting it. The only song I like is Paparazzi and that’s cause of my camera and paparazzi tendencies. She’s very interesting but I can’t get past just that.
4. Just booked a trip (no, not to Florida) to Washington DC for a weekend in March. Going to see my friend from U of Miami, Nate, and his family. Of course, lots of sightseeing too. Hoping that we’ll be in time for the cherry blossoms. And my parents are coming along so that should be extra fun (but NO trips to 5 guys, okay Hakka?)
5. I know there has been a real lack of blog material lately, but that is just about to change. I have 3 shoots this week (one this morning in Queens, one Friday and a party Saturday night) plus the St Patricks parade on Saturday, and then in two weeks the calendar starts getting very busy again. Almost communion season and you know how busy that is!
6. Been watching Dreamgirls on tv the last two days. Wow, that Jennifer Hudson can sing, and Beyonce is beautiful and so talented. Wish I had seen the Broadway show. Thinking about getting tickets to see West Side Story though. It’s been a while since I’ve gone to a show.
Almost all the pictures in this post really had just about nothing to do with the 6 things I wrote about. A full recap post from Disney coming up along with 2 more videos from the trip. Later this week, I think.
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yo ho, yo ho…a pirates life for me
On our February Disney trip, we tried something new and took the boys to the Pirate’s League for a day of Piratey stuff. They have costumes, make up, accessories, you get a pirate name, and theres even a secret room.
Timmy was SO excited about the Pirates League, and Jack & Patrick being the awesome big brothers they are, decided to go along and get piratey too. Patrick ended up being pretty psyched about the whole thing, but Jack was definitely the reluctant pirate. You can tell from his expressions in all the pictures.
I tried my first video with the Flip camera and did some editing, throwing in some pictures and music. Don’t worry, I’m totally sticking with photography (and leaving the videos to Jerry for the client shoots) but it was definitely fun to do some video too. I’m planning on posting 2 more (at least) videos from Disney too, so be on the lookout for those. If this one isn’t too terrible to watch.
There are about a thousand pictures of the boys all pirated up, but I couldn’t narrow them down for the blog, so on this rainy day you get lots to look at and a video too.
Tell me he’s not the cutest pirate you ever saw. In your whole life even.
A happy to participate and be funny and silly at Disney pirate (and you can see what he’s going to look like as an adult a little here).
And the reluctant pirate.
Yo ho, and all that!
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beth & robin’s awesome weekend- part 2
So, here’s the rest of the adventure…
Saturday consisted of nothing more than laying in the sun & reading, having lunch, and a walk on the beach. So, so nice. It was a little chilly but still beautiful out.
Saturday night we went down to South Beach for dinner (some italian cafe on Ocean where the people watching is so fun) a stroll along the strip and a stop at the Clevelander which is pretty much exactly the same as when we went when we were in college. Except the music sucked. We also stopped in at the RedBull art show which was pretty cool. I think Robin was inspired and may enter next year!
It’s so funny how much Miami Beach has changed. When we first started at UM the place was just plain dangerous and ugly. It was gang infested and heaven’s waiting room. All the art deco buildings were just barely being refurbished, and it was only a few that were. Now, it’s a whole new world down there, even compared to how it started booming before we left college in 1991. It’s so good to see it so packed.
I only brought the point and shoot on vacation (I think that’s a first) so just some fun snaps. Saw a couple with their photographer on the beach and was totally jealous. I wanted to do that shoot!!! (So if there are any brides or couples out there who want a super cool shoot on Miami beach, email me and we’ll make it happen!)
Called up and Facebooked some friends from UM from different locations in Miami Beach, sending them some fun memories.
Sunday was another day in the sun, and the completion of the second book in 3 days for me. I read A Reliable Wife which was great (so different from the book I thought it was going to be) and Shutter Island which was also excellent. I thought the ending in the book was less ambiguous than the ending of the movie and it really went a little further in explaining things. But really, laying in the sun all day and reading finishing 2 books in 3 days? Heaven!
Got some Padrino’s on the way to the airport, and then back to NY. So sad the weekend was over, but happy to get home cause I was missing all my boys. Can’t wait till next year!
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beth & robin’s awesome weekend- part 1
(kinda like bill & ted’s excellent adventure)
For those of you who follow the blog or me on Facebook, you know that this past weekend I went down to Miami with my college suitemate and BFF Robin for a little mini vacation/trip down memory lane.
Let me tell you, it was awesome! All fun & sun, drinking & eating, and reading & relaxing.
We got in late on Thursday night after a two hour delay on our flight. The wine we had with dinner in the airport had well since worn off by then, but I white knuckled my way thru the flight and we got down around 1am. Straight to sleep! Exciting, I know. But it did get better.
They are redoing all the balconies on my parents building. Friday morning the drilling started at 8:30 am and there is definitely no sleeping thru that. Sounds like 100 dentists drilling in your head. So we had a quick breakfast on the beach at the cafe, and off to University of Miami.
Went to Pearson (our dorm) and made it upstairs to our old floor and old rooms. (419 and 421)
Took a walk all around campus, admiring all the familiar locations and all the new super awesome extras they have. Now there is a money machine in each dorm, an amazing convenience store with like everything you could need. A food court with Wendy’s, Sbarros, Sushi, Chinese- like the mall, only on campus. Wow, and we thought we had it good.
The fountain (but now there are like 4 other huge ones too) and lunch at the Rat. They have a great menu now with little couches set up outside. Country club anyone?
Ok, how Thelma & Louise are these pictures??
Also somehow remembered how to get to our old apartment complex- Ludlam Point and saw our apartments (211 for me).
Then, our most favorite all you can eat sushi at Taisho for dinner. Got the worst news there ever– they are going out of business this coming weekend!! Forever. No more seafood handrolls!! But I did ask for the receipe and the owner gave it to me. So now I’ll have to see if we can recreate it cause it’s like the best thing. Ever. Thank god we made it there before they did close. Or else the Thelma & Louise thing may just have happened.
Part 2 coming tomorrow. If I don’t fall asleep in the blackhole again.