long time no post :)

sorry to not post in so long!
Last Sunday was spent unpacking, cleaning, doing laundry and visiting. By Monday Dan was not feeling well and by Tuesday I felt like I was dying! I don't know whether it was the flu or what but I still don't feel very good and my cough has managed to enter my lungs and is getting worse.
This morning we had a knock on our door and it was our neighbor with this:

He found her on a very busy street nearby. He had to go to work and asked if we could watch her for a couple of hours till he got home.
We took her to a vet this am and the dog has a microchip. So we have a name, cell number and address for her. Strangely the address is almost two hours away. We left a message to call us. I also called the county pet shelter and let them know in case anyone calls looking for her.
1 bath and 2 flea baths later, she is feeling much better :) She is very thirsty and hungry. We spent most of the day outside in the back yard letting the dogs roam. We have been letting Bandit drink all she wants and eat in little bits so she won't get sick. The kids want her to stay so we explained that she has a mommy and when they call we will give them their dog back. We also explained that was why our dogs had the chips too. We would hope if they ever got away that someone else would take as good a care of them as we are of Bandit.
If we don't hear anything by Monday we will take her to our vet and get her checked out. From there we don't know, but she is a very loving dog :)

Very Special 5th Gotcha Day!!!!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

We love you!!! 5 years ago today we stood in a court room in Grodno, Belarus and became your parents!!! How quickly the time flies!!
Danny picked chinese food for dinner and has been so happy!

Having a ball-part 3!!

The sign at the island:


This island has a water park, restaurant, grill and 3 spots to snorkel and see lots of fish! We spent most the day Thursday there:


water park-the tubes were so much fun! We got Victoria to go down the little slide, but then the big bucket dumped all its water and she freaked! So Dan and I took turns going up and down the other slides. I have not been at a water park for a very long time!


Victoria sleeping in the middle of the water park. Danny played in the water slides for hours!


Bartender, set up another one!


Dan and Victoria after trying to swim with the really heavy surf. Right after they walked into the surf a large wave knocked them right off their feet and under water.
That was it for us swimming with the heavy waves and kids.


Makes you just want to squish those cheeks :)


The brain trust solving all the world's problems :)


Grampy, Grammy and Danny playing in the sand after dinner


We saw this going back and forth along the coast:


Dan, Grammy, Katie and her girlfriend went horseback riding Friday am so we had to keep the kids occupied while they were gone. Victoria asked for Dan all morning long.

They were playing in the sand waiting for me to finish my coffee and chatting

I just LOVE this photo!

Danny playing in the sand with auntie carla and cousin cole


Mommy if you don't put that camera down right now I am going to take a picture of you at this angle!!


We saw lots of these off the beach going into downtown


Sharing his ice cream, aaawwww :)


Our last night we all met for dinner at the hotel and had a great time!


Playing around after dinner while the steel band warms up


Do I really have to go home?!?! I want to stay with my cousins!


We ended up leaving the resort before noon on Saturday as there was lots of traffic downtown for Carnival. Luckily they had a Sbarro at the airport so we all ate pizza while we waited for our plane. Victoria even napped for 1 1/2 hours in the waiting area.
We arrived into Miami at 5:30 and had to kill time till our flight home at 8:30. So we ate hotdogs and chilled out by letting the kids run around. We changed Victoria into pjs for the flight home. Both kids were asleep by the time the plane left the ground!
Our flights went very well and we were home and in bed by 11:30! The dogs were so excited to see us that they would not leave our sides.
We all slept in till 8:00 Sunday am. I spent most of the day unpacking and doing laundry. It was a rude awakening to let the dogs out in the am and it was only 48 degrees!!!!
Nana was nice enough to have dinner so we did not need to worry about cooking dinner!
Victoria kept asking when we were going on vacation :)
It is so much fun to go away with everyone and so good for the kids to be with family! Thanks Grampy and Grammy for everything!!

Having a ball-part 2!!

Danny doing homework to start the day yesterday!


Victoria and Nicole coloring after breakfast while we waited for the rain to stop


Victoria playing in the sand during the rain storm, it rained most of the day Tuesday


The kids found the outside shower and washed the sand off their feet and legs, and their pants and tops :)


Uncle Mike practicing on their patio while we keep ourselves occupied!


Victoria slept on me for nap today! We were sitting at lunch and she told me she was tired. Luckily I can eat with one hand and had my ipod :)


Once we showered for dinner, the kids watched Dora on my computer


A family portrait while we wait to head to the Ginger restaurant, an asian influence meal!!


Unfortunately, our reservation was not till 8:00 so we were really hungry and tired :( We had 3 different servers and it took a long time!
Hey Cool! we have sticks to eat with!


Victoria just couldn't make it through dinner and fell asleep on the first person done with dinner, Grampy!
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This am we headed out for a Jeep Safari tour all over Aruba!
Here is one of the Jeeps we had! It rained for a bit on and off. It is so amazingly windy here :)
We had 3 of them and each of us girls got to be the drivers!! The guide was in the lead in a pickup, I followed, then Carla, Then Denise. We drove over crazy trails for hours!!


Really cool cave drawings


Big pile of natural rocks


The entrance to the caves


Group shot inside the cave :)


Everyone climbing out of the cave


Dan holding a sleeping Victoria in our jeep


Natural Arch


I am on top of the world!


A very simple roadside cemetary


Dan and Victoria walking to check out Baby Beach, our last stop on the tour:


Grampy sharing his ice cream while we wait for the others to snorkel and swim.


Victoria started swimming!! She was all over the pool, everyone loved to watch her float! I have a video I will post once we have time!


Dan and Mike talking to the large iguana!

tomorrow we head out to an Island that has great snorkeling and a water park!

Having a ball!!

The kids playing around at the hotel the night before we left on vacation! They were so excited about vacation and seeing their cousins that they could not sleep!


The plane trip to Aruba went very quickly!


Every where you look there are iguana's!!


Victoria changed her clothes right at the table while I was getting my laptop set up for internet. Danny saw her getting ready and did the same :) I told Dan that is what happens when you go the bar for drinks :)


While waiting for everyone else to arrive at the resort the kids jumped into the pool


A little bit of sand where the sun doesn't shine :)


Having so much fun down at the beach


She spent 2 hours in the pool and it was not really warm, her lips were blue. When we finally got her to get out she snuggled with Grampy and would not let go.


Victoria spent her entire nap yesterday in Grampy's arms!!


I LOVE this picture of my niece and her daddy! what love :)


Danny hanging with his favorite Uncle and cousin!


Chillin out with my cousing Katie!


two bats hanging around in the utility closet


Last night after dinner we all sat around the beach and listened to jazz music. Victoria fell asleep in Grampy's arms :)


At 6:30 this am Danny & I went up by the pool to watch Grampy, Uncle Adam and Uncle Mike swim laps in the pool. While they exercised we had coffee and hot chocolate :)


Danny loving some chocolate ice cream!!


Giving Grammy some loving :)


Hooray! bring on the food!


All of us at dinner tonight at the Red Parrot!


Our Beautiful niece Nicole!


Daddy dancing by the beach with his little girl :)