Labor Day Extravaganza! *photo heavy*

I'm still recovering from the 3 day weekend. Since moving to Florida, Chris & I have joined the rest of the fambam spending the weekend at The Disney Beach Club Villas Resort.

.painted my nails in honor of the weekend ahead.

After a 2.5 hour car ride to drop off our fur-baby Charlie, we arrived at last!

.perfectly centered shot :) instagram @knmarkford

Our first night we went to dinner at Buca - a yearly tradition. Always on the menu:

• Apple Gorgonzola Salad
• Caprese
• Spicy Chicken Rigatoni
• Chicken Marsala
• Pasta Alfredo
• Pesto & Prosciuttio Stuffed Chicken
• Gnocchi
• Green Beans
• Garlic Smashed Potatoes
• 3 Bottles of *smuggled in* Wine

.buca!!.

.imitating the happy italian lady holding flowers, dressed in her native attire: christmas lights. Ashley & I are never afraid to take funny shots & do stupid things - but apparently I'm the only one doing that here LOL. for some reason no one wanted to take a photo with the statue. I still haven't figured that out. :)

.lambrusco.

.the gluten free, dairy free, trying-to-be-good-because-all-this-food-will-make-us-sick girls. aka salad feins. don't be fooled, we ate from everything ordered, but we cleared the salad bowl :) LOL 

.buca lova.

.all to celebrate Ronnie's 18th bday!!. 

.la familia!.

After dinner, we headed home, got in jammies & proceeded on to game night. This year: Apples to Apples. Dad won with 8 cards; I had 2... "worldly" & if I remember correctly "energetic".

.oh - it was on. 

.this game got fierce. 

Every year we attend Mass at Out Lady of the Universe. And every year I see my friend Santi (from my home parish in Tampa). He makes a yearly "pilgrimage" to this Church every Labor Day Weekend. No photo of us. I'll be sure to get one next year.

.sunday funday mass :).

Group shots from around the Villas Resort:

.the ladies. 

.Husband <3.

.the youngins.

My SIL (sister in law) Lindsey recently got a waterproof case for her iPhone. Needless to say - we had a LOT of fun in the sand bottom pools. Here are 2 of 30,000,000 photos...

.pirate slide.

.underwater camera fun.

Miscellaneous photo. I love her. :D She's the best sister God could have given me.

.seester :D xoxo. 

Sunday night: dinner in. HOMEMADE PIZZA!! yum-o!

.homemade pizza. 

I made my pizza with organic sauce & no-wheat, gluten free dough. delish! 

Next Memorial Day, we'll be coming back to the Disney Resorts to stay at the Animal Kingdom!! I'm so excited! We wanted to scope out the place - you know, because we snotty Disney resort-going people. Jk. We walked around for about 2 hours enjoying the animals, decor, drums, & seeing the sights. So excited for May 2013!

.the wall of the animal kingdom. word.

.the bathroom of the animal kingdom. hakuna matata. 

.my lovie.

After much calculation, we figured out that with the Disney vaca package my cousin Julie has - we'll get to spend every Labor Day at Disney for the next 42 years! Bring it on! :)

xo, 

Random Facts. Random Fiction.

As some of you know - I am a scrapping queen. Ok. Used-to-be queen. I gave up my crown this past year in the move to Florida. Much of my life & art is seen on my other blog. Now, my kingdom of paper is laying dormant in boxes & piles. I haven't had the drive to pick up my art.

((sigh))

The move to Florida has been a life changer. 3000 miles will do that to a girl. Yes, I'm still surrounded by sun & sea - but my California blood misses Thai food, art hippies, LA markets, the 15 freeway, and yes of course - family. But as I keep from diving into the mourning of my native land, I still have so many familiar things here in Tampa.

Sun: it's always sunny in Florida (and Philadelphia).

Palm Trees: Having just bought one for my patio - it calls for partial shade. Can someone tell me why they frequent islands & tropical weather. That's not partial shade. That's full-blown sun people. I think the Wal-Mart garden center lied to me.

Jesus: He'll follow you where ever you go. He's like a stalker. But that's ok. Jesus is cool enough to be a stalker. I kind of like the attention.

Husband: He'll follow me where ever I go. But that's ok. He's also cool enough to be a stalker. Well, my stalker.

Coffee: as a Starbucks (from this moment forward, now known as Star) Gold Cardholder ((three times over)) I am known as a coffee monster. I think it is actually part of my bloodstream seeing the amount I put into my body on a daily basis. I've moved past 16 oz mugs. Pshaw. That's a weak man's size. I've upgraded to 36.

This blog will be dedicated to my little stories - most of which begin as memories in progess or conversation ramblings between friends.

Well. It's after midnight. I just finished baking 24 Irish Car Bomb cupcakes & 3 dozen cakepops for St. Patrick's Day tomorrow. I just wrote my first post. I have to wake up in 8 hours to go into a ministry meeting. Oh yes, at the Library CoffeeHouse. I suggest the Cinnamon Bun latte, soy. No whip.

Night.

NOLA

.frenglish.

.our hotel's balcony.

.still in recovery mode.

.st. louis cathedral.

.gluttony.

.the remnants of an Old Fashioned.

.Chris' hero: Chris McMillian.

.mint julep.

.new orleans classic: sazerac.

.our hotel.

.breakfast.

.beignets.

xo,

Texas....

NOLA up tomorrow :D

xo,