Giving it a "Shot"

Today, Katy got her MMR vaccination. Typically, children receive this shot when they turn one years old. However, that was right around the time that we found out that she was allergic to eggs, so we opted not to get her vaccinated for MMR at that time (MMR vaccine is grown in eggs). We had hoped that she would outgrow the allergy and then we could get her vaccinated at a later date (hopefully, before kindergarten).

Fast forward to earlier this summer when a girl in the MOMs club came down with the measles. The mother of this child did her due diligence by informing all the other moms who came in contact with her little girl so that we would be aware. HOWEVER, talk about FREAK OUT! For days afterwards, I kept scanning Katy's body for every little bump, dot, hive, anything out of the ordinary. Luckily, Katy didn't get the measles (nor did anybody else in the group that we know of), but that pushed me over the edge. My fear of Katy actually contracting the measles won out over my fear of her having an allergic reaction to the vaccine. With Katy entering pre-school in the fall, I just didn't feel it was wise to take the risk.

Katy got the shot first thing this morning and she was less than thrilled. She kept saying, through tears, "I don't like that shot. I don't like the doctor. Let's go home!" She was screaming and hollering so loud that the whole office to could hear her. We checked out quickly and were on our way.

But wait, the story gets better....!

While waiting for shot to be administered, I had mentioned to the nurse that Katy had a little spot on her chin that looked like eczema (I should know!) but could I get a doctor to look at it and maybe we could get something an RX called into the pharmacy? The nurse looked at the spot and said that she'd have the doctor call something in (we're not talking life threatening, here).

We leave the doctor's office and go to IKEA for lunch and to walk around. As soon as I pull into IKEA, the doctor's office calls and asks for us to schedule an appointment to have the doctor look at the spot. PEOPLE, I WAS JUST THERE!!! >:( Needless to say, I was more than a bit frustrated. Add to that, horrible construction on I-85 that made a normally 25 minute ride almost AN HOUR (!!!!) to get BACK to the doctor's office...!

We pull back into the doctor's office and immediately, Katy is crying and fussing and telling me that she, "Doesn't want a shot! No doctor!" We check in and after waiting a bit, we finally see the doctor. I tell the doctor my sob story and she can't believe that we had to come back... sigh!! Left hand, please meet right hand....

Oh, but at least Katy looked cute, today. Picture this: Katy was wearing her favorite pink strawberry dress that I found at a consignment sale. Her hair was done in a "mini-pony" with a big poufy hair-do-dad. She was wearing her red sparkly shoes and she made sure to don her purple butterfly sunglasses. Stylin'!

900th Blog Post!

Woohoo! We've made it to 900 blog posts here at All Things Katy! Can you believe it- I can't! 900 posts and two and a half years later...!

Muffin Tin Monday- Flower Blossom

Brown rice cake, topped with Sunbutter. Muffin tin liner with Craisins and Strawberries surrounding.

Today's MTM was more of a plate with a reusable muffin tin liner. Nevertheless, Katy enjoyed her playful meal.

Our Little "Sweet-tea"

Southern belle with her sweet tea

I have a confession to make.

Before Katy was born, I swore up and down that she wouldn't eat french fries and she wouldn't indulge in sugary, Southern sweet tea. Empty Calories! Fried! Sugar! Caffeine!

Guess what?!

She loves them both. While we do try to limit the sugary drink and keep it as a special "treat," let's just say she does get her fair share.

And, don't get me started on fries... Katy LOVES Chick-Fil-A waffle cut fries (cooked in canola oil- Katy approved!- and really the only fries she eats)! By the way, from the looks of the drive-through line that snaked and wrapped around Chick-Fil-A, today, let's just suffice it to say that CFA is not hurting for business. Boycott? What boycott...?! Boston- where's that?!

Anyway, I digress...

This past Thursday was "Free Sweet Day" at McAlister's Deli. So, after art class, we headed on over to McAlister's for a lunch date with Daddy. What a fun, midday break!

Littlest Dishwasher

"I like to "help" Daddy wash the dishes."

"In the words of Fancy Nancy, wearing a pretty pink dress does help me get the dishes cleaner!"

"Scrub, scrub, scrub!"

"Doing the dishes is so much fun!"

(Good thing, too, since doing the dishes will be part of your chores, Katy Grace! ;-)

Bon-Odori Festival

Mommy and Katy at the Bon-Odori Festival.

Drum Performance

Folding Origami with Mommy.

Katy proudly holding up her origami crane for the camera.

(Daddy is present in the picture to make sure that Katy didn't jump into the fountain).

The 28th Bon-Odori Festival was occurring in uptown, today. So, we decided to join our Asian counterparts and share in the Japanese festivities. There were different martial arts performances and a tea ceremony. Traditional dancing and drumming also took place on and around the center stage. Katy was especially entranced by the dancing and drumming. We took part in the origami station and made a pink (of course!) crane. Of course, no cultural event would be complete without food so Ted and I just had to have a bento box for lunch ;-P. 

So much fun and who knew there were so many Asians living in Charlotte?!?!

Wordless Wednesday- Haircut

Muffin Tin Monday- Pizza Time!

(Starting in the upper left corner and circling around, clockwise)

Red Grapes, Baby Broccoli, Milk, Pizza Sticks, Mini Pepperoni, Pizza Sticks

Recently, I've found a couple of frozen pizzas that do not contain soy (Way harder to do than you would think!). Yay!! Aldi's has a brand and some Uno pizzas are Katy-approved! While fresh, homemade pizza tastes better and is definitely healthier, it's nice to have a frozen pie on hand to pop in the oven. 

Katy was a little impatient while the pizza was cooking and she ended up eating most of the pepperoni before I got a chance to take a picture- oops! Katy is starting to eat a couple of veggies, willingly. Not much, mind you, but it's a start. She likes to eat what she calls, "baby broccoli"- little spears of broccoli (She won't eat it if it's a normal spear size, but if it's in miniature, she'll eat it- whatever floats her boat- at least she's eating it!!).

On the Road Again- Traveling with Young Children

Land, Sky and Sea!

Recently, our family took a three week vacation driving to Florida, boarding a cruise boat for the Western Caribbean, spending time with family in Florida, flying home to North Carolina and driving to and from Pennsylvania. One week of that vacation was spent as a family and the rest of the time I was on my own, flying and driving with Lil' Miss by myself. So, I figured I could share some "tips" for those of you hitting the road, flying the friendly skies or sailing the ocean blue this summer.

Some things that I did to prepare for our road trip(s):

-Before we hit the road, I pre-portioned snacks into reusable snack bags/containers. This way, there is no fumbling around with boxes, trying to hand something to the back seat only to have the kid drop it. Plus, *hopefully* a little less mess in the back seat. My kid loves to eat, so I had a bag/hour in the car at the ready to toss to the back.

-I saved random little toys that Katy has collected from kids' meals, party favors, etc. through the year to use as "prizes" in the car. Think bouncy balls, small candies, little puzzles, mini slinkies, etc. Then, I stuffed these little toys into old plastic Easter Eggs. Whenever Katy got cranky or fussy, I would give her one of these eggs to open- she got a treat to open and I got a few, much-needed minutes of respite while driving.

-I keep a bag of activities and books that only come out while we are traveling. This way, that makes them more special and more of a "treat."

-Several weeks before traveling, I gather a few of Katy's favorite toys (not all of them, just some of them) and put them aside for the trip. That way, when she gets into the car and sees the doll she hasn't played with for a couple of weeks, sitting in her car seat, she is more likely to hop right in and not cause a fuss.

-In the same vein, I also like to have a couple of "new" toys/books ready to entertain Katy. Katy has recently gotten into the Fancy Nancy series of books. Up until the trip, we had been borrowing them from the library but we didn't own any. So, before the trip, I went onto Amazon and ordered a couple of new ones, some of her favorite ones and saved them to be read on our travels.

Some things I did to pack for our road trip(s):

-I'm a bag person- just ask my family. When I have the space (i.e. not restricted by airline baggage fees), I like to pack one bag/activity/person. For example, extra pull-ups, wipes, creams, etc. go in one bag. Pool floaties, swim diapers, sun screen, sunglasses, surf shoes and hats go into another bag. That way, you always have a bag handy and it's literally, grab the bag and go.

-I always use the same black backpack for Katy's car activities and the same red backpack for her snacks. That way, there is never any confusion in our minds and you can easily go to the designated bag and find what you need.

-I always pack a combined suitcase the same. While the suitcase is opened, hubby's clothes go on the left, mine go on the right and Katy's is in the middle. I make sure that whatever clothing will be needed first, is packed on top. Shoes always go on the bottom. For example, if we were planning to arrive somewhere late at night, just in time to go to bed, I make sure that PJs and toothbrushes are right on top and easy to access. Other than the fact that I am a creature of habit (which, I admit, I am), I like to pack this way because sometimes (just sometimes!) you forgot to make something handy and you need to reach into a half-opened suitcase (because you just don't want to lug the whole thing into the hotel for an overnight stay!) and reach in and retrieve it by feel.

-On part of our trip, Katy and I drove from Charlotte to Beckley, WV where we stopped overnight and then continued our journey the next day to our end destination in Pittsburgh, PA. I made sure to pack just one outfit for each of us, plus pajamas and toiletries in an easy-to-access bag. That way, I didn't need to lug the whole big suitcase into the hotel for just one night.

Some things I did while driving on our road trip(s):

-I have a black backpack that contains all of Katy's "car activities." I made sure this was up front with me in the passenger's seat so I could easily access it and hand it to Katy's waiting hands.

-Along the same vein, once Katy was finished playing with a particular activity, I would then place it in a certain spot (outside of the bag). That way, when I went searching for a new activity to entertain Katy, I wasn't fumbling around with activities she had already played with (all the while, Katy is growing grumpier in the backseat).

-Also in the passenger's seat were the before-mentioned pre-portioned snacks, sippy  cups, juice boxes, etc. That way, they were just an arm's length away and easy to hand to Katy.

-I made sure to have not just one, but TWO sippy cups ready in the car. I've learned by experience that sometimes one falls and you just can't take your eyes off the road to go searching for it.


-I always drive with extra napkins/tissues/wipes- you just never know when there is going to be a mess to clean up!

-Since my daughter seems to be prone to throwing up, I've learned (the hard way!) to always make sure that there is a resealable bucket/container within easy reach. Enough said.

-I make sure toys, books and stuffed animals are positioned within easy access to Katy in the backseat. That way, she can grab the item herself.

-I didn't do it this trip, but I believe I would do it for the next time: I would use old blankets/boxes in order to fill in the foot space behind the driver's seat and the passenger's seat (Katy is positioned in the center). That way, if something were to fall (say, a stray sippy cup, like I mentioned before :-), it would be less likely to roll UNDER the seat, rendering it nearly impossible to retrieve while at a stoplight and/or without major excavation.

Some other tips I learned along the way...

-Every time we stopped driving for the day, I made sure to clean out all the debris and regroup for the next day of travel. This makes it way easier to get in and have everything reset and ready to go.

-I always made sure I had a full tank of gas the night BEFORE hitting the road. It's much easier to just get up and GO! than have to worry about the hassle of filling up the car, repacking, etc. and THEN get started. So, when I got off the highway in Beckley, WV for the night, I filled up the car and then headed to the hotel. That way, when we got up the next morning, we didn't have to go searching for a gas station and then hit the road.

-I always count the bags that I take into a place. For example, while we were on our cruise, I knew that we had four bags and I knew that I needed to leave with four bags.

-When parking a car that you are going to leave for awhile and then have to go back and retrieve, be sure to park it somewhere with something to remind yourself with. For example, when we parked our car and then left it for our seven night cruise, Ted parked it on level 2 (2 as in our daughter is 2 years old), That way, we had something to jog our memory when we came back to the parking garage and vacation on our mind.

Okay, so there you have it- travel safely this summer and happy trails!!

Sentence of the Day- Running Late

This morning, after a phone call from Crystal, Elizabeth's mother, I explained to Katy that they were running behind.

Katy replied,  "No, they not running. They driving!"

Sporty, We are NOT!

While playing in her cousin's playroom, last week, Katy walked out with a baseball mitt on her hand. She held up her hand and exclaimed, "Look- a puppet!" Hmmm... I guess that's what happens with the daughter of an artist (who loves the Muppets) and a designer who are are not sports-minded in the least....!

Wordless Wednesday- Downward Dog

Sentence of the Day- Tears

Katy was crying and throwing a tantrum this afternoon because she did NOT want to take a nap (what else is new?!). Of course, she had tears running down her face. So, I went to wipe them away and she exclaimed,

"Keep my tears on, Mommy! I still cryin'!"

Oh, the things she says...!

Welcome to the Madness- The Cousins Convention

"Five little cousins, bouncing on the sofa..."

The rest of the trip's pictures can be viewed here:

Week three, and the final stop of our summer vacation, was with the Tinkey side of the family to meet new baby cousin, Luke Coyle, and spend some time with both my brother and sister's families in Pittsburgh.

Our flight arrived home to Charlotte late Sunday, July 14. I spent the next day doing laundry, sorting pictures from our first part of the trip, packing and then Katy and I were on the road first thing Monday morning. I was DRIVING with Katy by myself, to Pittsburgh- eeek!! Along the way, I dubbed it, our "Mommy Katy adventure." Adventure, for sure!

Katy did great on the drive. My saving grace was that I stopped midway in Beckley, WV, to spend the night. I had to know there was an end in sight and it helped to break the drive up a bit so we weren't driving for seven and a half hours straight. I made sure to have plenty of snacks (already portioned into bags) and drinks handy to toss back at Katy while I was driving and minding the road. Katy had lots toys and books beside her to keep her busy. Whenever she got too whiney or crazy, I reached into my special stash and pulled out old, plastic Easter Eggs filled with random toys and candy- Katy loved that!

Because of the recent storms that hit WV, finding a hotel room was a bit tricky. Between the power outages and visiting power crews, hotel rooms were scarce. Who knew WV was such a popular place to stay?!

We made it to Hope's Tuesday, right around lunchtime. Garmin was my friend and guide along the way- what did we ever do without GPS??! Right away, we got to hold and cuddle baby Luke. He was just as soft and smooshie as his pictures. Katy LOVED her newest cousin. She kept wanting to hold him and take care of him. Anytime he would cry, she would run over to wherever he was laying and proclaim what he needed. "Luke needs a bottle!", "Lukie needs his pacifier!", "Luke has a stinky diaper!" She was quite the "Little Mommy" with him. Katy even managed to get Luke to all asleep a couple of times in her lap.

The next morning, I decided to take the girls out for a walk in Hope's new double stroller. 60 pounds of kids, 15 pounds of stroller and several large hills.... let me tell you, I got my workout! Afterwards, we settled for some playtime in the front yard.

On Thursday, Katy and I drove up to Grove City, PA, to visit with my Grandma Tinkey, Katy's great-grandma. Katy spent the morning exploring Grandma's house and looking at her many pictures. She was very interested in knowing who everybody was in each picture. Katy even managed to take a good nap on Grandma's bed, that afternoon. Uncle Jeff was visiting for the week, so we got to have dinner with him, as well.

Josh, Delinda and the kids arrived at Hope's late Thursday night. Of course, my child was still up and going strong by the time they pulled into the driveway (what a night owl!). We said our "Hellos" and then promptly went to bed.

The next morning, Josh, Delinda and I took Kayla, Katy, Molly and Joel on a (less hilly) walk to the local elementary school where we played on the playground. The girls had a blast climbing and swinging and jumping and sliding!

After our time at the playground, we rounded the troops and took them all to Chick-Fil-A for lunch. It was "Cow Appreciation Day," where you could get a free meal by dressing up like a cow. Katy and Molly looked adorable in their matching cow pillowcase dresses. Lunch was chaotic, to say the least.

Learning our lesson at lunch, we decided to order in from Pittsburgh staple, Primanti Brothers, for dinner. We all enjoyed our humongous sandwiches filled with meat, cheese, slaw and fries. The sandwich was definitely worthy of Food Network  spotlight!

Saturday dawned after a very long night for myself and Katy. She was up all night with a fever and just not feeling herself. She was clingy and whiney- not a good day. While the other cousins played outside with Molly's pool and water balloons, Katy and I hovered inside. She ended up getting sick several times, making me very nervous for our ride home the next day. Luckily, though, I was at my sister's house and not stuck by myself in some hotel room with a sick toddler- thank goodness for small miracles!

In between Katy's sickness, I did get to sit down with the gang and enjoy Hope's delicious Chicken Caccitoire for dinner. After we ate, we said good-bye to Josh and Family as they had to leave and go home to Philly.

Two AM on Sunday morning, Katy sat straight up and clearly informed me that she was hungry. Her fever was all gone and she was talking and chatting away. Granted it was two in the morning, but I was happy to have a healthy toddler on my hands! So, we literally had a very late night snack!

We left Hope's house Sunday morning and made it back to Beckley, WV, for a  midway stop. Katy was a little more antsy and needy on the way to Beckley, but on last and final leg of our journey Monday morning, she did GREAT!

It's GREAT to finally be home but was had a WONDERFUL time meeting the newest Tinkey and spending time with the siblings and co.

"Because" Katy Said So

Katy's current favorite answer to most questions is, "Because." Sometimes, it's said with ambivalence, sometimes it's said with sass- such a "teenager" response for my little two and a half year old toddler!

Mommy, "Why did you just leave that toy in the middle of the floor?"
Katy, "Because."

Mommy, "Why didn't you sit by your friends at story time?"
Katy, "Because."

Mommy, "Why aren't your shoes on, yet?
Katy, "Because."

Mommy, "Why did you just close that door on your cousin?"
Katy, "Because."

Mommy, "Why did you spill that milk all over the table/floor/chair?"
Katy, "Because."

Mommy, "Why are you jumping on the bed?"
Katy, "Because."

Mommy, "Katy, why are you not asleep, yet?"
Katy, "Because."

Chick-Fil-A Cow Appreciation Day 2012

"Udderly" adorable, dressed in her Pillowcase Cow Dress and Ruffle Leggings (sewn by moi)!

"I love Chick-Fil-A! (Just not the 'Moo-Moo', aka the cow)"

Lunch time with the cousins. 

(Aka, Complete and utter chaos!)

Two Sweeties sharing a sweet treat!

For CFA Cow Appreciation Day this year, I broke out the new sewing machine and sewed Katy a pillowcase dress out of cow material and ruffle fabric leggings. I have to admit, it was adorable on Katy. Since we were going to be in Pittsburgh, visiting with the cousins, I sewed cousin Molly a matching pillowcase dress. We tried desperately to get a picture of the two girls together in their matching outfits, but they had other plans. Forget trying to get a picture of them WITH the CFA cow!

Our Chick-Fil-A lunch was our one and only outing with all five cousins, ages three and under (with good reason). In a word, it was CHAOTIC! Molly kept wanting to run away from us, Luke didn't like the car ride over, Joel ended up getting sick, Kayla wanted to play in the play area and who knows what Katy was up to! Lunch time was one big game of "Pass-the-baby"/opening up straws, food and dips/cutting up food/running after children/feeding children- MADNESS! It was crazy in the moment, but I know that all of the adults will look back on this event with a chuckle. For now, though, I think we're just all recovering! ;-P

*For those of you who do not know, Chick-Fil-A deems a certain day of the year (usually in July) where you can come in dressed like a cow and get a free meal.

Winter (Park) in July!

Playing Bunny Family with cousin, Derek (What a good sport! :-).

Chowing down on some obligatory Fourth of July watermelon!

Watching the Koi fish with David Smith.

Front row seat at the Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour.

Katy trying to pick Pebbles up.

Flight home! First time in her very own, paid seat 

(up until now, she was considered "infant in arms." I miss those days)!

After our week-long cruise, Katy and I stayed in Winter Park for an extra week. My Grandma Petruzzi, "Granny" to Katy, was also visiting so it was nice to spend some additional time with her as well. Ted went to visit our friends, the Nolands for a couple of days and then he headed back to work.

Since we were so busy on the cruise, it was nice to have a relaxing week at the grandparents' house. Katy loved swimming in their pool and terrorizing their dog, Pebbles. She kept trying to pick Pebbles up, even though they probably weigh the same amount! We met up with friends, took in some Fourth of July festivities and did typical "Winter Park activities," such as the Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour and the Farmer's Market on Park Ave. Katy loved getting wet and playing with water and ice cubes on the lanai- who knew that the simple act of pouring water could be so much fun?!? (We're talking HOURS of entertainment here!)

A fun second week of our summer vacation!

Muffin Tin Monday- Cousins!

(Starting in the upper left corner, circling around clockwise) Pretzel Bites, Mini Pepperoni, more Pretzel Bites, Strawberries, Cheese Slices and more Strawberries

 Yummy!!

Sharing a Muffin Tin Meal with Molly Dolly!

We were visiting with the cousins in Pittsburgh, last week, so we decided to share MTM with our cousin, Molly. We jazzed the tray up with Elmo liners turned inside out since both girls love the furry red monster. Katy loved her tin and gobbled it all up! Lunch is always more fun with company!

Shutterfly Long Live Summer – Facebook Photo Contest details

Here's a fun little promotion that Shutterfly is doing right now. It's called, "Long Live Summer- Facebook Photo Contest." The prize is a trip to the Bahamas! So, go out there, take those pictures and share them right here. Enjoy!

Wordless Wednesday- "I Think Somebody Has A Stinky Diaper....!"

Muffin Tin Mondays- Hungry, Hungry Lil' Miss!

(Starting in the upper left corner, circling around clockwise)

Homemade Mini Blueberry Muffin, Red Grapes, Mozzarella Balls, Shark Crackers, Sausage Bites, Baby Carrot Sticks

Today's MTM was a winner! Katy devoured her food. The only thing left at the end of the meal, were a couple of shark crackers. Yummy, yummy!

Cruisin' The Ocean Blue!

Formal Night

Make your own picture slideshow

On June 24th, we gathered with about half of the Petruzzi family for a week of sun, fun, food and cruising aboard Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas. We caravaned to Port Canaveral. Eventually, we all made it onto the boat- there were twenty of us total- for a seven night cruise. Our group included Grandma Petruzzi, Mom, Dad, myself, Ted, Katy, Aunt Mariella, Jenna, Adam, Jason, Michelle, Brian, Uncle Paul, Aunt Sue, Uncle Doug, Aunt Cindy, Christa, Derek, Uncle Jeff and Aunt Lee. 

The first night, we enjoyed our first sit-down dinner in the formal dining room. Our tables were split by age- "Kids" and "Adults." I guess some things don't change- even if you yourself have a child! Katy did alright for the first dinner. She hadn't had her nap so she was a little cranky, but not unmanageable. We called it an early night for bed and woke up refreshed and ready to go.

The first full day on the ship was a day at sea. So, we enjoyed a nice breakfast at the Windjammer dining room and then we hit the H2O Kids' zone. Katy wasn't so fond of all of the unpredictable water fountains but she did like the hot tub! After a nice lunch, Katy took a nap (Daddy, too!) while I enjoyed a relaxing afternoon poolside with my Kindle.

After Katy woke up from her nap, we explored the ship- 14 floors is a lot of ship!- and then we got all dressed up for our first formal dinner.

Let me digress a bit and say that Royal Caribbean was WONDERFUL about Katy's food allergies. I have never been in such an understanding, accommodating environment when it comes to food allergies. I only had to tell our waiter, Percival once about Katy's allergies to eggs, nuts and soy, and the rest of the week was carefree when it came to feeding her. Even in the environment of a buffet meal (like breakfast and lunch at the Windjammer), the chefs were accommodating and willing to make a special meal for Katy and/or point out "Katy-approved" foods when asked.

Katy ate like a queen the whole trip! She may only be two and a half, but she ate more than most grown adults! She ordered steak most nights and ate more than her fair share each time. Dinner was a delight, mostly in part to our wonderful wait staff. When we got to the table, Katy had a bowl of strawberries already waiting for her. They made sure to order her food first and make sure she wasn't waiting too long to eat. She managed to wolf down two steaks a night- I'm not kidding!! She delighted in drinking chocolate milk every morning and she loved being spoiled with hot dogs, french fries and raw onions at lunch (yes, my child LIKES to eat raw onions!).

We landed in Labadee, Haiti on the third day. Labadee is Royal Caribbean's own private island oasis. Uncle Jeff and Aunt Lee rented a cabana on the island. The cabana was quiet, cool and definitely a special treat! We enjoyed a relaxing, picturesque day swimming in the turquoise water, eating a delicious spread and playing in the sand. Katy fell asleep on the way back to the boat so it was naps all around!

That evening, we let Katy stay up late and watch the Masquerade show. We weren't sure how she'd do since it was so late, but she loved all the lights, sparkly outfits and singing. Katy lasted almost to the end of the show before she fell asleep in my lap.

On the fourth day, we landed in Falmouth, Jamaica. I joined Mom, Grandma Petruzzi, Aunt Mariella and Michelle for high tea at the Good Hope Estates. Good Hope Estates is one of the oldest, most well-preserved estates on the Jamaica. We had the chance to tour the house and take in the breath-taking views. Tea was relaxing, if a little too hot for my liking.

After dinner, Uncle Paul and Aunt Sue volunteered to watch Katy while Ted and I enjoyed some "kid-free" time. While Katy was happily playing and wearing out Uncle Paul and Aunt Sue, Ted helped "Team Petruzzi" ace the "80s songs" trivia (We beat our "rivals," the Webbers :-). We even won a magnet picture frame for our efforts! Then, we went mini golfing with Mom and Dad at the top of the ship. I've never been very good at mini golf on dry land, let alone a rocking, moving boat! Good thing we didn't keep score! It was fun to have some time just to ourselves.

We landed at Grand Cayman on the next day. We joined Uncle Doug, Grandma and Christa for a little shopping excursion. The shopping area was a little further than we had expected, so we ended up hailing a cab and being dropped off at a very nice, quiet shopping area. This was the perfect, non-touristy find. We enjoyed some frozen yogurt, explored a new book store, Uncle Doug got his falafal and Katy splashed around in the fountain. Katy ended up getting so drenched in the fountain that we ended up getting back on the boat with a "naked baby" (aka, topless toddler because she didn't want to put the wet shirt back on).

After dinner, we participated in the 50s and 60s music trivia. While we didn't necessarily rock at it, we did have fun. Ted got called out in front of the whole crowd for his funky dance moves. When he finished dancing, Katy ran up to him and the trivia coordinator asked Ted, "This isn't your little girl, is it?" Katy confirmed the genealogy when she clung to Ted's neck. Katy even won a special prize for dancing and bopping along to the music- she stole the show!

After trivia, we took in the show, It was a musical montage of fairy tales called, "Once Upon a Time." There were lots of princesses and singing and Katy loved it all! She watched the whole show with rapt attention.

The last port of call was Cozumel, Mexico. It was a busy day at the port because not only was our ship there, but also two other Carnival ships! Good day to be a vendor selling your wares to tourists! Katy and I started out with Aunt Mariella, Mom, Dad and Grandma. We did a little shopping and then parted ways- Grandma and Aunt Mariella went to a Mayan museum and Mom and Dad went shopping for an anniversary ring for Mom. We tagged along with Mom and Dad for awhile and then we took a taxi back to the boat in time for a late lunch and nap time.

While Katy and I were exploring Cozumel, Ted went snorkeling with Brian, Jason, Adam and Jenna. They took a catamaran out a ways and then spent the afternoon looking at coral reefs and swimming. After they finished snorkeling, it was time for some fun! Swimming! Rum Punch! Bouncy pads in the middle of the ocean! Fun, fun! The only misstep was a lobster-red back for Ted after an afternoon in the hot, Caribbean sun. Since you could clearly see where the life preserver straps crossed on Ted's back, we joked and said that Ted was either part of the Swiss or the Red Cross.

The next day was a day at sea. We woke up and then hit the H2O zone before the masses got there. We had fun swimming and sitting in the hot tub. Katy even braved the fountains! That evening, we watched the ice skating show. While the skaters weren't exactly at their best- one of the skaters fell on her head- eeek!- Katy enjoyed all of the lights, costumes and dancing.

Each night, Katy was excited to see what animal our stateroom attendant had folded our towels into. She kept calling them her "baby" and she insisted on cuddling said, "baby." She got very upset with me one day when I actually used the towel "baby" for it's intended use. Oops!

We were sad to land in Port Canaveral and end our vacation at sea. We had such a good time and Katy was did really well. She lapped up all of the extra attention and she enjoyed seeing all of the new sights and sounds. Cruising with a toddler is definitely manageable and we would do it again in a heartbeat!

Other than a little rain on the first day and then again on one of the days at sea, the weather was sunny and hot- exactly what you would want on a Caribbean cruise! The food was first class and we had such a pleasant experience concerning Katy's allergies- she didn't break out in hives once, the whole trip! Of course, the company was hilarious and we all had fun!

Sentence of the Day- Fish Tale

On our recent cruise vacation,  lobster was on the menu one night. We thought it'd be fun to order one for Katy, to go along with her nightly steak. The lobster came out in it's shell. Katy took one look at it, pushed her plate away and exclaimed, "Katy no eat Nemo!" The whole table was cracking up! Needless to say, Ted did what every good Daddy should do and he "took care of" the problem (by eating it). Hee, hee!

Happy 4th of July!

Happy Fourth of July!

We're celebrating Independence Day in Winter Park, this year. We took part of the annual Old Fashioned Winter Park Fourth, downtown on Park Ave. We met up with friends, ate watermelon and hot dogs, and boogied to some music.

There was a sea of red, white and blue and Katy fit right in with her bandanna dress that I made (I'll attach a pic. as soon as I download all of our vacation pictures).

Katy fell asleep on the way home- she was exhausted! We had fun!

Happy Fourth!

Wordless Wednesday- So Big!

Muffin Tin Monday-Happy Fourth of July!

Hooray for the Red, White and Blue!!

(Starting in the upper left corner, going around clockwise) 

Strawberries, Whipped Cream, Blueberries, Ham, Cheese Wheel and Apple Butter

In honor of our country's Independence, here is a patriotic Muffin Tin Meal! Yummy!