Tag Archives: andrew

Driving to Florida and Day 0

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The trip down could have been disastrous (the kids have never driven for more than 3 hours), but it wasn’t too bad. The first night we drove to Jeffersonville, OH, then the second day we drove to Macon, GA, and then on the 3rd day (Day 0) we arrived at the house in Kissimmee, FL. We arrived a little early, and so we went and got some groceries first. We then went to the house and swam.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

  • 3:35 Lisa, her parents, and the kids left home to pick me up at work
  • 3:56 picked me up and drove away
  • 4:03 got through customs at the Rainbow Bridge
  • 5:44 crossed the PA state line
  • 5:47-6:04 stopped at a McDonald’s for dinner
  • 8:09 left a rest area
  • 10:28 arrived at the hotel in Jeffersonville, OH

Lisa drove to pick me up, and then I drove the rest of the way

Christine had gotten sick the day we left, so she was pretty grumpy and groggy during the trip. At night I gave her a blessing. I laid my hands on her head, and started by saying “Christine Lisa Wing” and she opened her eyes a bit and said, “Yes?” 🙂

Christine stayed in our room and the boys shared the second bed in Grandma and Grandpa’s room.

Friday, March 4, 2011

The continental breakfast at the hotel was quite good. We had bagels, cereal, juice, oatmeal, and waffles.

  • 8:00 on the road
  • 9?29 crossed the Kentucky border
  • 9:40 stopped at a rest stop
  • 12:40 got lunch at Wendy’s
  • 1:00 crossed the Tennessee border. We’ve noticed quite a few trees with blossoms, as well as some daffodils growing.
  • 1:09-2:00 hit a lane closure in the Tennessee mountains which delayed us almost an hour
  • 4:24 crossed the Georgia border
  • 7:30 arrived at the Macon hotel

Grandpa drove for a couple of hours in the morning, and a couple of hours in the evening. Lisa drive for a few hours in the morning. I drove the rest of the way.

Christine was feeling better (not 100%, but better), but Andrew was miserable. He just didn’t get enough sleep last night.

We had hoped to swim at the Macon hotel, but it was an outdoor pool and was closed for the season. It wasn’t opening until Monday. It was too cold to swim anyway.

The hotel was much, much nicer than the previous hotel.

Saturday, March 5, 2011 – Day 0

The continental breakfast in Macon was excellent. Along with the standard muffins, toast, cereal, etc, there were also biscuits, eggs, and sausage rounds. We ate well, and then got on our way.

  • 8:16 left hotel
  • 11:24 crossed the Florida border and stopped at a welcome centre. We each got an orange juice and grabbed lots of pamphlets of things to do
  • 1:04 stopped at a rest stop
  • 3:15 arrived in Kissimmee

We can’t believe the number of anti-abortion billboards around. There must have been one every couple of minutes along the Florida Turnpike. Strangely enough, during the whole trip there were also billboards for strip joints or “adult” stores at almost every major rest stop.

Of course we were looking for license plates. Here is what we have seen so far:

  • Alabama
  • Arkansas
  • California
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Illinois
  • Indiana
  • Iowa
  • Kansas
  • Kentucky
  • Louisiana
  • Maine
  • Massachusetts
  • Minnesota
  • Mississippi
  • Missouri
  • New Hampshire
  • New Jersey
  • New Mexico
  • New York
  • North Carolina
  • Nova Scotia
  • Ontario
  • Pennsylvania
  • South Carolina
  • Tennessee
  • Texas
  • Virginia
  • West Virginia
  • Wisconsin
  • Wyoming
  • Oklahoma

Our raccoon adventure

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Yesterday we had around 15 people over to help us with our yard. We shovelled dirt into our hole, we leveled the front yard, and we dug up weeds all over the place. The missionaries came over just after everyone had left and apologized for not making it over earlier, but they’d been at an appointment. We were talking with them outside when we saw a raccoon around our chimney. Let me fill you in on that a little more…

On Wednesday morning Lisa heard a noise coming from the fireplace. There were “chirps” and even some growling. It was apparent we had an animal with babies in our chimney, which we assumed were raccoons. Lisa called around to a few places, and it was going to be $300 or more to have someone come and remove them. When Dean first showed up, I asked him what he would suggest, and he said he’d had success with loud music.

So, back to the missionaries… I threw some rocks at the raccoon to scare it away so it wouldn’t go back down the chimney. Now the problem was how to get the babies out. We decided to “smoke ’em out” (as someone said). We got a fire going and not too long after, a baby raccoon fell down. Elder Hanks had some gloves on (and one of my t-shirts over his dress shirt) and grabbed it right away and took it outside. Another 10 minutes or so later another one fell down. We still heard some chirping, but the last one wasn’t coming out. Elder Hanks was using some different sticks/rods/hooks to try to get it out, but it just wouldn’t come. He eventually knocked it down and we got rid of it as well. I then covered the chimney and so we’re good now.

By the time Elder Hanks put the third raccoon outside, the other two were already gone, so we assume the mother took them. This morning, the last one was gone as well. As far as we know they were all alive when we left them in the ravine.

As Elder Hanks was leaving, he said with a big smile, “Is it wrong that this is the highlight of my mission?!” (he’s from the midwest and loves the outdoors and hunting).

Here is a picture of Elder Hanks with Andrew and the second raccoon.

2008 year in review – 2009 look ahead

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For our Family Home Evening this past week we reviewed the year and talked about what we were looking forward to this year.
Here, in no particular order, is our list of things that were noteworthy in 2008:

  • Andrew ate lots of Nanna’s hospital food
  • Andrew got 2 trophies from bowling in the summer
  • Lisa got a new calling (released as Primary Music Leader and called as Enrichment Leader)
  • We got a new van
  • Andrew got his own room
  • Matthew got his own room (because Andrew got his own room)
  • Matthew got out of Nursery and started Sunbeams
  • We got some of the bathroom redone
  • Christine kept getting cuter
  • Graham kept his calling
  • Matthew learned how to write his name
  • Andrew learned to tie his shoe laces
  • Christine learned to walk (it was a Christmas miracle)
  • Andrew passed a swimming course
  • Matthew passed a swimming course (Sea Turtle)
  • We put in new tiles in the kitchen
  • Andrew really got into LEGO
  • Christine says “Hi” to everyone
  • We spent a lot of time at the hospital visiting Nanny, Mom, and other people
  • Andrew spent the March Break at Grandma and Grandpa’s house
  • Graham started a monthly father/son night
  • Andrew started grade 1
  • Matthew started JK
  • Christine turned 1
  • Matthew turned 4
  • Andrew turned 6
  • Andrew was the student of the month in SK
  • Lisa went in her first craft sale
  • We went to Buckhorn

Here are some things were are looking forward to in 2009, or things we would like to change (quasi-resolutions):

  • Andrew will start grade 2 and turn 7
  • Matthew will start SK and turn 5
  • Christine will turn 2
  • We will go to Florida in February
  • Julia will get married in March
  • Both boys want to pass another swimming course
  • Matthew would like to whine less (honestly, he said this himself)
  • Andrew will listen better
  • Lisa will be more fun (when she said this, the boys yelled out, “Yay!”)
  • Lisa will exercise more regularly
  • Graham will be less of a “junker” (this is the boys nickname for Graham because he always gives them junk food)
  • Graham will keep working on the house
  • As a family, we’d like to do monthly service for someone
  • Lisa and Graham want to get to the temple every month.

In case you were wondering, Graham and Andrew stayed up till midnight on New Year’s Eve. Matthew was allowed to, but was too tired to stay up so he went to bed. Lisa was obviously allowed to stay up, but slept on the couch for a couple of hours. Lisa, Graham, and Matthew were up for the actual date change at midnight.