Christmas 2005

Christmas 2005

The Girls

Christmas 2005

Amanda awaiting the Christmas presents to be passed out.

Christmas 2005

"Uncle Dennis" and Madeline, also awaiting those presents!!

Christmas 2005

Grandpa and Madeline

Christmas 2005

Amanda awaiting the Christmas presents to be passed out.

Christmas In Kentucky 2005

Since Christmas was on a Sunday this year it kind of screwed up our usually long weekends spending Christmas in Kentucky. We ended up leaving Cincy about 7am on Christmas morning and came back that next day (Monday) the day after Christmas, because Dennis had to head back to work on Tuesday. Christmas day was spent with Mom, Daddy Whack, Renee, and Brandon opening gifts and eating, eating eating. We did get to squeeze in playing come cards. Played a few hands of Uno and a new game that Renee and Brandon found called Phase 10 dice. We have played the Phase 10 with the cards before but have never seen the dice game. I love it! Am going to have to head out to Walmart with my new gift card and see if they have it in stock!
At least this year we didn't have to contend with snow! I remember last year we had a winter storm on Christmas weekend! It was actually nice and warm in the 50's! Here are some pictures from Christmas 2005 in Kentucky!

Christmas 2005

Mom, Joyce (Dennis's Mom)

Christmas 2006

Sammy, the one time all weekend that he sat still LOL!

Christmas 2005

Daddy Whack (Dennis's step dad)

Christmas 2006

Brandon, Renee's Husband

Christmas 2006

Dennis's Sister Renee

Christmas 2005

Brandon and Renee

Christmas 2006 !

Dennis and I were never very good at waiting... And that includes opening our Christmas presents to each other. I always say its really HIM who pushes to the point of exhaustion and says over and over "Come on, lets go ahead and open our Christmas presents. Even tho I normally put up a 15 minute arguement on how it will ruin our Christmas etc he always seems to win out LOL! So last night on December the 20th he won out again! Grrrr! :-) Since we were both done with our shopping for each other, and there is just the two of us, I guess it really doesn't matter. Or at least that was his thought.
Anyway, I recieved 4 pair of beautiful earrings, a new digital camera and a new office chair. I love ALL!!! The earrings are nice and lightweight which I love, the chair is a nice high back office style which is so much more comfy then the one I had. The one I was using was a mess! Both arm rests were ripped off, all the screws underneath had broken and there wasn't anything to hold the seat on LOL! And Oh Boy do I love my camera. The last digital I had was one of those $60.00 dollar 1 or 2 megs so this one was such a huge difference to me! I fell in love with it right off the bat and was looking around at everything to try to find some pics to take lol.
Dennis got some Cincinnati Bengals stuff, and rotassari and spit for when we go camping, new slippers, and a Bass Pro Shop Gift card. I think he really loved everthing also and now can't wait to use his new spit come spring when we go camping!
He also got a new grill for our deck earlier this month, so he is set to go!
Saturday we are heading next door to my aunt and uncles house for Christmas eve to unwrap Christmas presents and then are going to travel on Sunday, Christmas day to his parents down in Burnside Ky. We will be heading back on Monday afternoon since Dennis has to be back to work on Tuesday.
Finally finished up my Christmas shopping today, except for a few stocking stuffers. Now we can enjoy what is left of the holiday season. Check out some of the new pictures from my new camera!

Christmas In Cincinnati

Seems like every year we say that we are going to do more around the Christmas holidays, see more displays, head to the Festival of Lights at the zoo, go downtown and see the sights. But for some reason we seem to get busy and before you know it the season has passed. Its only a few days before Christmas and I still don't have my shopping done but off to find some Christmas spirit we went.
For the first 3 Saturdays in December downtown Cincinnati had what is called Downtown Dazzle. This is the first year for it so we thought we would check it out. There was Santa repelling from the Hyatt hotel, and a fireworks display afterwards. It was well worth standing out in the freezing rain! But of course, I forgot my camera in the car. Geez!! Next we headed down to the river to see the local ice skating rink and our city Christmas tree. Normally these events are held at fountain square but our fountain is being remodeled so they moved our tree to the Cove down on the river.
We have been trying to get to the Festival of Lights at the zoo for 4 or 5 years now! We had enjoyed it so much before but was going to make the time to go this year one way or the other. We finally got there this past Saturday night. We wanted to get ther early for a good parking spot and also to be able to see most of the zoo in the daylight also since it has been so long since we were there. We Loved it! WOW! Over 2 million lights. Made us want to pick up information about a season pass!
The next few days will be busy and will be taken up wrapping presents, shopping and spending time with family in Kentucky and family here in Cincinnati. So, I don't know if I will be posting anymore until after the holidays. It amazes me how fast a year can fly by. All the places we wanted to go and see this year and still didn't get too. While looking over our blog for the past year I really realize just how much we did get to see and how much we have learned.
I can't wait to start another year touring around our town and surrounding areas, and still taking more and more steps to get to our fulltiming goal!

Ice Rink Downtown Cincinnati

Ice Rink & Tree Downtown Cincinnati

Ice Rink Downtown Cincinnati

Another one of the huge decorations at the zoo entrance

Cincinnati Zoo Tree

Polar Bear taking a dip at the zoo.

One of the huge decorations at the entrance to the zoo

View from the Beach Grand Lake St Mary's

St Mary's Ohio, Grand Lake St Mary's ! View from the Beach Area

Grand Lake St Mary's

The first time Dennis and I discovered this lake I fell in love with it, and we have come back once a year since. We really found the lake on accident when trying to take up some time awaiting for a car race in the evening. Grand Lake St Mary's has over 52 miles of shoreline just waiting for boating, fishing and swimming. In the area is also the St Mary's State Park which has a large campground, boat dock, picnic shelters and more. By the looks of the people on the shore line this is a popular place to fish, boat or just take a nice leisurly walk. But not once have we been up here where it seemed crowded. Normally tho we are up here around the second week of September so maybe that is why. Of all the times we have visited this part of Ohio not once have we found one person who wasn't friendly and will go out of their way to help out a visitor! I really thing if Dennis and I ever decided to retire and settle somewhere this is the place we would pick!
To find out more about this beautiful lake, state park and surrounding area please click or copy/paste the links below.
Just writing about this lake in the middle of December makes me want to jump into the car, load up the camper and fishing poles and go!
Grand Lake St Mary's State Park Website:
http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/parks/parks/grndlake.htm

St Mary's Ohio Homepage Link:
http://www.bright.net/~stmarys/

Auglaize & Mercer Counties Website:
http://seemore.org/

One of the displays outside the museum

Looking inside to the Space Capsual

Dennis standing in front of one of Neil Armstrongs Space Suits

Moon rock that Neil Armstrong brought back from the moon!

Entrance to the Neil Armstrong Air & Space Museum in Wapakoneta Ohio

Neil Armstrong Air & Space Museum

In September of 2005 on our vacation we stopped in Wapakoneta Ohio to visit the Neil Armstrong Air and Space Museum. Neil Armstrong was the first man to step onto the moon in 1969 and this museum honors his and others accomplishments in space. The museum is located directly off interstate 75 at exit 111. The site is closed on Mondays. The dramatic entrance to museum makes you feel like you are getting ready to walk inside the moon! There are many artifacts from several simulators, space suits, moon rocks, Gemini spacecraft, and many articles, pictures, and a complete history of the Gemini space program. There is also an astro theater that has different shows/movies. times vary.
We spent about 90 minutes in the museum which we both found very interesting and was well worth the $7.00 admission price.

Tuesday September 6th 2005

The plan for today was to relax and hang out at the campground, maybe do some fishing and reading. We did stay most of the day except for going to Minster Ohio to tsee what was up there. Minster is only about 3 or 4 miles from the camground. We were really surprised to see quite a few stores and fast food restaurants. Well, when I say quite a few I mean for here out in the country.
Minster had a Wendy's, Mcdonalds and Pizza Hut, and also an IGA grocery store. We stopped in the store picked up some cajun turkey breat for lunch and then stopped on the other side of the state park for lunch, then headed back to the campground.
The rest of the day and evening was spent fishing and relaxing and chatting with our neighbords. What a beautiful quite park. I sure wished with lived closer so we could camp her more often!
As you might notice, no fishing pictures have been added today LOL! Guess the big ones where over on the other side of the lake!