Last minute vacation

The end of summer hovered, and we just getting back into our daily routines of late nights and later mornings when my cousin's wife texted me to inquire about using some of our Wyndham points. I asked her for her dates, thinking the latter part of August, and she texted back that she was looking to leave in about five days. Yikes! Nothing like planning early.

I found a unit, not per her required "on the beach," but close to it in Pompano Beach. I couldn't get her in over the weekend but booked her for that coming Monday, and they decided to spend the weekend in Orlando. Two days later, I found myself in Orlando after Darcy talked me into a trip to GeekyCon. While the girls were off learning about social media entrepreneurship, I hung out with my cousins at their Orlando resort.

I met the newest member of our family. I actually had met him a year and a few months prior but didn't even know that I had met him. After having ten three children, his mother thought those days were over, and well, surprise. She was mistaken. She and the family were visiting us not long after she was given the news, and she was in denial, so she neglected to mention it to me. I thought she looked awfully pregnant while she was here, and I WAS RIGHT. She gave me the news after they left, and so I sent her this.

The newest member arrived in July of last year, so I spent his first birthday with him. (Sorry, Grandma!) He is the sweetest, happiest, inquisitive little guy, and it was a joy to finally meet him. Then because he was so cute and because I didn't feel we had truly had much time to bond, I invited myself along on their Pompano vacation. What were they going to say? NOTHING.

Darcy had to work, so she met the newest member at the birthday pizza dinner in Orlando. Madison and I took Darcy home, unpacked and cleaned our clothes, and then packed again and headed off to Pompano Beach, four hours south. 

We arrived hungry and tired. This is my third time at this resort, and while it isn't on the beach, it is a huge resort with plenty to do, and the beach is a short drive away. I spent some considerable time at check-in while the desk clerk worked hard at getting me to agree to a sales "breakfast," but having just been in San Francisco and Orlando, I begged off, telling him there was nothing new they could say to me. He was kind about it and worked hard at putting me in the same building as my relatives, but because I'm a Presidential member, he assigned that task to a manager. She didn't get the memo on the same building and put us in an older unit, albeit with a poolside view.

Now that I fork over the monthly maintenance few on these points, I've gotten stubborn and picky regarding my room. The pool view was nice, but the tower was older, and the room smelled. Madison told me I was overreacting and that the room smelled nice, and so I let it go...after half an hour or so. The room actually was spacious, but I'm over the carpeted units now since having tiled or wood flooring in the newer Wyndham units.

I went out onto the balcony to enjoy my pool view, and there was one of the cousins getting ready to go down the slide that was directly outside my unit. We hollered. He waved. He pointed out his parents down at the other end of the pool, and Madison and I went down to begin phase II of our vacation with the cousins. We had a blast.

We swam at the resort pool during the day, the later afternoon, and the evening. The main pool was outside our room and opened early. Every day at exactly 9:10 am. the music was turned on, and I enjoyed a coffee outside on my balcony listening to golden oldies and watching the early bird swimmers. At 10:00 am. I took my coffee, hiked through the pool area, walked through the main entertainment area, passed by another pool, and entered the building where my family was housed. My cousin cooked us all breakfast, and it was usually waiting for me when I arrived. He's not bad as a chef.

 

We visited the beach during the day and in the evening. I could only get in to pee up to my bandage (I had another relapse regarding my cyst), but everyone else got to dive right in to ride the waves of the Atlantic Ocean.

We ate delicious food and imbibed on a few cocktails, yelped our restaurants, and tried new ones in the area. We walked the boardwalk and acted like tourists.

 

And we relaxed and talked and talked and talked. It was a great summer ending. Madison and I left them after three nights so they could have some family time, just the ten six of them. We didn't want butt in too much, but we did agree it was the perfect ending to what was a perfect summer 2016.

And while I'm blogging about social media....Vine vs YouTube: The Song (ft. Thomas Sanders)

Items on my daughters' bucket list: Meet Jon Cozart and Thomas Sanders in real life

Check.

Item on my bucket list: Make my kids' dreams come true.

Check.

I wrote about our shenanigans with social media this summer, and then Darcy reminded me of a great favorite of all of ours: Both Thomas Sanders and Jon Cozart together! I first saw Cozart on Facebook, and then when I saw Sanders on Vine I told the girls he reminded me of Jon Cozart. Apparently, we weren't the only ones who agreed. Eventually, the two met each other at a social media conference, and finally this year collaborated together. 

If you enjoyed my blog entries on our two favorite social media stars, don't miss them together here singing the differences between their platforms; Vine and YouTube. 

Ultimate Storytime with Thomas Sanders

Once I embraced social media, after fighting against it, (my husband insisted I learn to understand our kids' world) I did so with a passion. I joined Facebook, then Twitter, followed by Instagram and finally Vine. Vine is a social media platform for six second videos, and I joined because my brother and his wife had joined to follow their son, the up and coming actor. I joined too to be supportive, and while they have since deleted their app, I am still a follower. I like the quickness and creativity of the six second video, and it reminds me of all of the hours my friends and I spent recording our own little scenes in my bedroom as tweens.

Back in those ancient days, video cameras recorded on film, and children were never behind the camera. Instead we recorded our creativity via audio cassettes. My friends and I invented radio shows, game shows, and talk shows complete with our own commercials, and we edited and worked hours at creating our masterpieces. One of my friends and I wrote a musical using songs from our 45 records. We acted it out using one person to man the record player, cuing up the right record when it was time for the characters to sing. We had dreams of being discovered, of showing the world our talents, and of becoming famous. I still have some of those tapes today, much to the horror of my daughters, but we darn creative and perhaps ahead of our time.

So when I discovered Vine it brought back my own creative endeavors. I started out following the most popular viners, and eventually through reposts, settled on following several that I felt had the most talent in all of the departments from writing, to directing, to acting.  One of those was a viner named Thomas Sanders.

The first vine I saw was one of his "Tottleberry" vines that he would do when he found a sign that made no sense. Because I find humor in that very thing, I clicked on his page and watched more of his vines. . He was so happy. His creativity and talent was A+ and family rated. All of us starting watching his Vines because they were good, funny, and had us laughing out loud. He instantly became my favorite, especially when he sang a shout out to all the "Cara's" (yes, with a "C") in the world.  I have passed on his talent to anyone who crosses my doorstep and my path.

Darcy: "It's a little weird. I mean, he's in his twenties."

My daughter finds my social media obsession odd for an "older" person. In her mind, it is all "fan girling", and when I argue this point and explain how I use to do this very thing only with a microphone and a cassette tape she rolls her eyes. Parents aren't suppose to be on social media. Never mind that half of Vine is people my age making videos! I aim to support all of the people who I enjoy. I have people who support me in my blogging, and I only feel it fair to do the same in other realms. We are, after all, in this social media world together.

Eventually, I found out that Sanders was based in Florida, attending the University of Florida, and that made me want to support him even more. A local boy makes good kind of thing I suppose. Frankly, I just find him to be talented and creative. I enjoy his "Disney Pranks" where he surprises friends with various Disney props. I laugh at his "Storytime" where he approaches random people and gives them a line in his best narrator's voice, and then films their reactions. I like the messages he sends out to his fans, who call themselves Fanders, and I feel that in this world of chaos he brings in a little levity in six seconds.

As Vine grew in popularity a few years ago he was interviewed on The View, in a segment they did for a week on Viners. He talked about his dream of working one day on Broadway, and how he was enjoying this ride he was on in the land of social media. Eventually, like all new fads, Vine began winding down, and many of the Viners turned to YouTube. Sanders was no different, and while I've watched some of his videos and watched his ads so he can collect his pay, I prefer his Vines.

Around the time that school let out for the summer, he announced a project he was working on. He and four friends were going to go on tour to various venues around the United States and Canada performing a musical loosely based on Sanders' Vines. Opening night was in Tampa. The four of us jumped at supporting him. We bought tickets for all of us, and then Darcy bought a VIP ticket so that she could attend a meet and greet with him. This was a surprise to Madison and me since we are bigger fans of his than Darcy, but it was her money.

Friday night we attended the big event, "Ultimate Storytime with Thomas Sanders". We really had no idea what to expect. It was held in a night club, standing room only while gathered around the stage. The VIP ticket holders went in first where they were treated to a meet and greet photo opportunity with Sanders, a Q&A with the actors, and a few extras. The rest of us stood outside in the horrendous heat. About halfway through our time in line I received a SnapChat from Darcy and opened it.

I might admit that I screamed like a "fangirl", but I pretended I was annoyed he didn't understand I was there to support him, but really I was touched that she took her time with Sanders to do that for me. He was gracious enough to also take a photo with her.

We eventually got into the venue and headed past the bar, where quite a few parents where hanging out, and we met up with Darcy who had secured a decent place to stand. It didn't take long for the musical to start, and when Sanders made his debut on stage I might have screamed along with all of the rest of the Fanders. It was like the time I saw Barney, the purple Dinosaur, in concert only I didn't shed tears this time. There was an icon! Right there. On stage. Someone I've been supporting and laughing along with and enjoying immensely for a couple of years. Right there in front of me. I get emotional like that.

Darcy: "It's weird. You're too old for that."

I'll remind her of these hateful spewings when she is older and still feeling twenty-ish inside.

The musical (photography was not allowed) was very good. It incorporated a lot of Sanders' Vine characters within the story, which carried an upbeat, happy-go-lucky, be who you are kind of message. It was very positive, very entertaining, very creative, and very funny. The actors were wonderful, the singing good, and the whole show made for a delightful night. Both Tom and I enjoyed it immensely...even at our old ages. We left the venue feeling very positive. I think too for me it was also nice to see that having an idea, a dream, can also become a reality, and that there are people out there willing to take a chance on social media stars and help them obtain their goals. It was just a message of hope all around.

Darcy: "Awwww, Mom, you are so happy you got to see Thomas Sanders. I'm glad I had him make that SnapChat."

Ultimate Storytime with Thomas Sanders continues until September 2, 2016. The album is also available Here. If you want to follow him on Vine, and get a daily chuckle, just search for his name at www.vine.co. 

Summer is over...for us

Summer is over. Not for everyone, just for us. School begins and summer ends here in our world because for us summer is no school, sleeping late, tons of fun in the sun, and no school. I took some time off from blogging, not on purpose, but I decided that this summer I would do as much as I could do with my girls, and so when opportunity arose to do just that blogging went out the window. (Insert horrified looking emoji because no blogging means no income, and yes, I was aware of all of that, and am lucky to be able to chuck it all out the window for two months.) Now that summer is over I will have to buckle down and make up for my lost time (and income).

Summer ended two weeks early here. Blame our school board. They got together before the end of last school year because they didn't have enough concerns and decided to put a halt to dreams summer so that kids wouldn't have to study for exams over Christmas break. Please. Like kids even did that! It happened so fast no one was paying attention to even protest, and by the time it was a done deal, well, summertime was ripped into two.

For Darcy summer ended August 9th and she started school the next day. This is her senior year despite the fact that she is already ready to head for college. This year she starts in a brand, spanking, new building after spending two years in portables learning cottages. She leaves our house in pitch darkness to get to school in time for the 7:05 a.m. bell. Despite that, she always gets up on her own and heads out the door perky and chill.

This was first day of senior picture in the house

This was the picture outside

And this was her in her car in the driveway backing out. It IS dark.

Summer ended for Madison this week. She enjoyed three and a half months of summer before she and I flew to North Carolina to move her back into the dorms for her second year. She and her roommate from last year chose a different dorm building this year. It turned out to be nice, but with smaller, oddly shaped, rooms. We had some disappointment in the beginning, but as usual, Madison rallied and made it her own.

Lounge area as she heads down the hallway toward her room

Her hallway leading to her room

Her room before the boxes of her stuff arrived

Her little corner of the room

I left and flew home before she started school so she had to take a selfie for her first day of school. I insist on that even though she is in college.

Darcy: "Awwww....we have to work with her on her selfies."

Happy School Year peeps. Thanks for understanding my summer time off. Thanks for reading my ramblings. May the year until next summer go well for all of us!

GeekyCon

August came quickly. It usually does, but this year it came faster because our school board voted to start school two weeks early. It put a damper on the summer, but I was determined to squeeze out as much of my time with my girls as I could. We returned from our CA vacation the weekend of July 4th. A week later we had family arrive for almost two weeks. They left, and we had a lull. It didn't last long.

Darcy: "So, hey, Mommy..."
Me: "Oh, boy. That lead in always means you want something from me."

She did. Apparently, through social media, on a Friday, while at work, she learned that GeekyCon was in Orlando for the weekend. I looked at her my thoughts whirling. With my embracement of social media, I have learned a lot. I follow strangers on Instagram and SnapChat. I have Twitter followers I don't know. I have favorite Viners and YouTubers, and some nights we just sit at home and watch these various entertainers on our television. When we discovered that VidCon was going on in CA the same time we were we actually thought about changing our itinerary to attend. All of us. It is the big kahuna of all things social media, but there are also little cons held around the country. GeekyCon was one of them, and it happened to be in our backyard.

Darcy: "Jon Cozart is there. Please! Please!"

She had me at Jon Cozart. Several years ago I was introduced to him via a relative on Facebook. He posted a video of Cozart who had written a little ditto he titled, "After Ever After". (If you haven't seen it, by all means click and watch. You won't be disappointed) It is a little parody of four of Disney's princesses, and it is hilarious and oh, so very creative. I showed it to everyone. Tom and I watched it over and over amazed at how he put it all together. I showed the girls. I showed my friends. I still show people when they look at me with no recognition when hearing his name, despite his appearance on various talk shows. I'm all about creativity, and social media has opened up a huge business. I applaud those who take advantage of it.

I snagged a Wyndham for two nights, and we left the next morning before dawn. I dropped the two girls off by 9:00 am where they interacted with tons of nerds and various social media "celebrities". I

I didn't see them again until 6:00 pm when I picked them up and took them to dinner. They ate, showered, dressed in party outfits, and went back again to the convention center for a dance and the distribution of the new Harry Potter Play that came out after midnight. I picked them up once again at 1:00 am. and returned them back again eight hours later. It was all worth it. They saw Jon Cozart multiple times, enough for him to ask Darcy where her sister was by day two when she got his autograph without Madison.

I hung out at the resort, hooked up with family who popped into town for the weekend (more on that later), and spent a lot of time driving back and forth to the convention center. It was all worth it. While I didn't get to spend time with the girls I got to witness their excitement, hear their stories, and bask in their joy. Plus, I got to be the cool mom for a weekend.

And it made August creeping up so quickly a little more tolerable. Just a little.

Summer staycation in photos

People don't truly understand how hot it is in Florida in the summer. This candle was in the part of our condo that doesn't have air conditioning. Florida is HOT.

Every morning after coffee my SIL went outside to my pool where she soaked up some rays and enjoyed the warm water. This is her wondering where I am because she sometimes got lonely out there with just the dog.

I finally took the gals to an eating place they had never been to before, one of Madison and my fav places. This is my lunch staple, the Vermonter Salad with bacon, cheese, apples, and pecans. Delicious with honey mustard dressing.

Sometimes my dog just has to put his paw down and refuse to do things Susan's way. Here he is trying to tell her that Florida June weather is NOT the time to take a walk in the evening.

This was another eating establishment that we had not been in before, and this is yet another attempt at a mother/daughter photo for our summer adventure photo book.

Susan took this photo as we got ready to enter the Clearwater Marine Aquarium for an evening with the teen stars of the two Dolphin Tales movies. It was evening for members where we mingled with the animals and the stars while munching on hors d'oeuvres. (This was the only photo where I looked thinner than I am)

At the end of the week, Susan's sister and her husband arrived for a week's stay. The men went to a Rays Game and the women to the beach. We all went to dinner at our favorite beach pizza place and, of course, these non-Floridians wanted to eat outside.

That changed really quick after a huge bolt of lightning, followed by the loudest thunder crack ever. We all jumped up like we had been struck and hightailed it indoors where we ate for the evening.

We took the ferry out to the #1 beach in the world; Caladesi Island and spent the day sunning and swimming. The island is remote and all natural. One has to hike to get to the beach. The water was very calm and clear the day we were there and we all came back with more sun than anticipated.

Except for my non-beach going daughter who stayed under the umbrella and who kept applying sunscreen that never quite got soaked in. We made a lot of fun of her, and typical Maddy fashion, she only made one comment when she wasn't sunburned and we were.

As always we went to our favorite steak place, and this happened to finish up our staycation. Susan and daughter left the next morning, and her sister left a couple days after that. It was another great visit, and it was hard to return to our daily lives.