Summer and Soccer, What More Could You Ask For?

Summertime is wonderful time! I am really enjoying the time I have off. I cannot remember the last time I had so much free time. I am actually able to keep the apartment clean and all laundry stays caught up. The living room and kitchen haven't been this organized since Christmas Break, I love it! The past couple of weeks since getting home from Florida has been all about girl's camp. This year's theme is "It's a Jungle Out There!" I have been to almost every single store to find safari/jungle themed things. Hobby Lobby has been my best friend. I love walking through that place when I have a chore in mind. Hobby Lobby has some kind of power over me or something. I am not a creative person so I steer clear of places like Hobby Lobby unless I really have to go there. These past couple of weeks as I have been looking for stuff I have had a flood of ideas and creativeness. I am not finished with all my projects yet, but it's getting there. I am so excited that I had at not one, but several creative thoughts! That never, and I mean never, happens to me. Maybe there is some latent creativity and all I need to do is walk around Hobby Lobby to unleash the creativeness. Things are coming together and I am getting more and more excited and stressed as camp rolls around. A couple more weeks and it will all be over so I better take in all the fun now before it's all gone for another year.

The World Cup! It has been the most amazing World Cup ever! I mean, Italy and France two nations that have recently won the World Cup are out the first round! Two of the favorites gone. Thrown out like yesterday's garbage. Brazil, of course, is still in it. It is very hard for them to go our first round and sometimes it's hard to get them out in the elimination rounds too. The story so far though has been the USA. They tied England 1-1, then they come from behind and tie Slovenia 2-2 (they actually beat Slovenia but one of the goals was called back for no reason) and then, in a do or die situation, they beat Algeria 1-0 in stoppage time to win the group and move on to the round of 16. The USA, again, had a goal taken back. It's absolutely ridiculous the reffing that is going on. Two game winning goals in two games that are called back when there was no foul or off-sides to be called. I really think there is some personal biases against the USA by the referees that call their games. The refs have been tough this year, tougher than I have ever seen them, but they have not been this unfair. The problem also lies in the refs not having to answer for the calls they make. They never have to explain one call. In some cases, it's justified because it's a clear foul or something else happening, but in the cases of the USA there were no fouls being committed by the USA, but by the Slovenians, and the goal was taken back and the ref could not give a reason why. Leland keep saying they need to have a review system during the games, but this is soccer. There are no time-outs there is only stoppage time for injuries and cards. It's the purity of the sport that I love about it. I do not care for the fakers that roll around like they are in agony until the foul is called or card given, it only cheapens the game and is also one reason why soccer will never be a powerhouse sport in the USA. If you can't take a hit and you have be cheap to win, then you are not a real athlete and need to be in a career that you can handle. But, anyway, the World Cup has been amazing and I am loving every minute of it!

• It's been a little funny seeing all these people that could not care less about soccer all of a sudden becoming a soccer fans. Actually, it's a little annoying. If you can only like a sport every four years then why bother, you make a mockery of all that is decent in the sport. Either live it and love at all years, or don't. Stop jumping on the bandwagon!

FLORIDA!

Instead of placing pictures here, because it would take forever, I am giving you the link to my facebook photo album of our trip to Florida ( http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=228369&id=520695309&l=db74a0b24f ). I hope you enjoy the pics!

The trip was amazing! We were able to see my Great Aunt Edna and Great Uncle Del. It was nice being able to spend some time with them, especially since Del's medical happening since Christmas. Del and Edna will be celebrating their 61st anniversary in a couple of days. They are the cutest couple ever. The love they share is evident. Edna is a great care taker. She makes sure Del has all of his medications everyday to keep him alive and kicking. She also wakes up in the middle of the night to check on him to make sure he is doing okay. Del gives her a hard time, but that's just what he does and he is always kidding when he does so. When we pulled up to their house in Tampa I didn't recognize Del. He has lost almost 100lbs since I saw him last. He was 220 and now he is 139 and getting thinner. Those two are great together. It was nice being able to bring some sunshine into their lives. They have one son that lives in Maine and no grandchildren. They do not get to see their son much and don't get out much either. It was a good visit and I wish I didn't have to leave them. We were able to go to my favorite restaurant in all of Florida, Hellas. Hellas is an amazing Greek restaurant. The Gyros they serve are, no joke, as big as your head. The calamari is perfect, melt-in-your-mouth goodness. I love Hellas. Once you eat Hellas, you can not eat any other Greek food.

The rest of the trip was spent at Disney and Universal. We went to Epcot for our Disney Day. It was interesting. It is more of the science and nature park. The rides and lands you go into are more on the "let's help the environment and do our part" type. It is a learning experience. It was cool going on the "living with the Land" ride. The ride takes you through the Disney Garden. The garden area is full of fresh fruits and vegetables and many new scientifically researched methods for growing foods. The food in the restaurants in this area comes from the garden. I really wanted to get off the boat and go pick all the freshness. I know I would have been kicked out of the park and my picture posted as "Do not ever let this person back into the parks", but it was so tempting. It was neat to see a tomato tree, jack fruit, and a combination hydroponic/aquaponic growing area. Disney is on to some good stuff and great ideas and ways of growing foods. We also went through the Nemo exhibits. The dolphins and the manatee were putting on little shows for everyone. It was fun watching them in their aquariums. We also did the "Soarin'" ride. It was a great simulation sky ride over California. The best part of the ride was the scents that coordinated with the areas with you were flying over. Over pine trees there was a real pine smell and going over the orange groves you got the scent of fresh oranges. Thankfully it was all simulation on a screen because a few times I did get some motion sickness but all I had to do was close my eyes and I was fine. It was a great day a Disney!

The next day was spent at Universal Studios. This was my playground. Disney was great, but Universal was way better. Universal had a little bit of everything. We started out on the "Return of the Mummy" roller coaster ride. It was a little scary, especially for young ones, but it was the perfect rollar coaster for someone like me who gets motion sickness very easily. Then it was off the The Simpson's. It was fun standing in line (fun standing in a line? Yup!). Here's why. There were TVs that were playing clips from past shows and Krusty coming on to talk about the ride. There was always something to look at to take your mind off standing in lines. Once in the ride you are in a simulated environment. Again, if you get motion sickness, close your eyes. Like the "soarin'" ride all the rides and shows at Universal had scents, and water and air to make you more a part of the action. After The Simpson's we went to MIB (Men in Black). This ride has you going against the aliens. You have a laser gun and shoot at all the aliens you see. You are spinning, going backwards, and trying to shoot. It is a blast. Leland got almost 200,000 pts while I only got 47,000 points. I am a terrible shooter with a laser gun. Give me a real rifle and I am all over that. After MIB Leland went on the JAWS ride, I abstained from that ride because I still cannot watch the movie, it scares me a little too much. We then went on to Disaster! An activity in which they take people from the audience and place them in different roles as you are part of the filming for a new movie "Mutha Earth" starring "The Rock". It's a lot of fun and Leland was cast in one of roles. He played a guy screaming in terror for the trailor. The first part you on a sound stage and they are filming the different shots of people that were chosen for different roles. The second part you are in the subway and are caught in an earthquake. You have the responsibility to ham it up and really play the role as the cars go sideways, tankers blow up and water comes rushing in. As the ride goes back to the beginning the trailor plays and you get to see what you were a part of. It was quite fun and interactive. Then it was off to Twister! I was a little disappointed. I thought it was going to have more wind on the audience and less action so you could see everything that was going on. But it was like a real tornado ripping through the area with cars moving, signs falling, and things flying in the air. You are even sprayed with water and the roof above you starts to come apart. It was okay. We then went to Shrek and it's 4-D experience. The seats were moving, water was sprayed and air was rushed at your face and feet. Totally fun! Then there was Terminator 2. If you want a real 3-D experience, T2 is it. It was so freaky with things jumping off the screen right you.
We also went on to Islands of Adventure where we went to Jurassic Park (a little scary for little ones and makes your heart jump a little), Seuss Landing (where the worlds of Dr. Seuss come to life), The Wizarding World of Harry Potter (opens this weekend so it was closed for us, but we still got pictures), Spider Man (Way cool 3-D with character jumping on the car) and then Poseidon's Fury. That show was funny and full of action as Poseidon battles his fiery opponent. All the "rides" at Universal had actors and really made you a part of the action. It was so much fun! If you ever get a chance, Universal is the place to go!

That's the Florida trip in a nutshell. I wish I could share more on the experiences, but some things you have to try for yourself to get the true feeling of it. If you go to Disney or Universal, get the express passes. They put you at the front of every line. It is a little more expensive (we paid 30 per person but the price is different at different times of the month so check it out on-line first), there are only a certain number of passes allotted (so get there early), but it is totally worth it!