B A S H E D

SUN DAY!

2012-01-29T19:56:00.000-05:00

The water was warm
The sky was blue
The fish were biting
Where were you?

ENJOY THE PICTURES!

CAMP JANUARY!

2012-01-23T06:35:00.002-05:00

It has been a mild winter so far here on the Suncoast. Perfect weather for an impromtu camping weekend at Fort Desoto. At the campsite office you can reserve your site up to 6 months in advance (7 for local residents) but they do save some sites for "walk-ups" only. In other words, if you get to the office early enough in the morning you can get a site without having to book it months in advance. But when they say "early" they mean it! We joined the line at 6:30 am and there was already a cackling mob of a dozen or so people ahead of us, all hoping to win the campsite lotto. The jackpot - a couple of nights in paradise. And we got lucky! 3 days of perfect tent camping weather! ENJOY THE PICTURES!

KIDS IN PICTURES 2011

2012-01-04T09:05:00.000-05:00

So long 2011 - some GREAT times and whew, LOTS of fishing photos!

ENJOY THE PICTURES!

CHRISTMAS 2011!

2011-12-27T08:51:00.000-05:00

Family is all that matters. Especially this time of year. Mary's father Paul and his wife Roena drove down for the holiday and stayed in a lovely B&B down on Beach Drive. We met them for lunch and later watched Joe throw his net. We also met up with an old friend Ramji who joined us for the festivities. The next day we all met up at the Willis's for a FANTASTIC time! Dinner was the best yet and my side still hurts from laughter! We got back together once again Christmas evening at the Willis's but we were all sobered by the news of Mary's sister's Christmas Eve house fire in Montreal. No one got hurt thank goodness but there was extensive damage. We all felt helpless being so far away and wished we could all be together. The ties in this family are strong and I have no doubt that we can all survive yet another year TOGETHER. Family is all that matters. Especially this time of year! ENJOY THE PICTURES!

SKYWAY ALL NIGHTER!

2011-10-14T16:30:00.000-05:00

One of those rare Fridays off. Mary off work. Kids off school...so you KNOW where we were headed! It was an absolutely beautiful October day and when the fish turned on it was non-stop-catch-er-rama! 20 large Macks in all - and Mary gets the trophy for the largest - over 22 inches! Enjoy the PICTURES!

EIGHTEEN AND I LIKE IT!

2011-09-23T06:23:00.000-05:00

Wow...EIGHTEEN for Casey! He's a lucky boy. When he was born we lived in this house and he has spent every birthday here. All his milestones are here, scattered around in every corner and doorway of this old house. All of his birthday joy and happiness is here! HAPPY BIRTHDAY CASEY! 18 is a big one!

SUMMER FALLS

2011-08-19T17:55:00.002-05:00

SEVEN months ago we were in the Fort Desoto campground picking out the sites we were to share with our good friends the Hannons. You gotta get those sites early. The good ones go fast. For the past seven months we have been looking forward to those camping nights, but it's been bitter sweet. We knew that when they finally arrived it would it would also signal the end of our summer vacation. So we made the most of our time together. THANK YOU HANNONS for always being there with us. I know that back in the real world life is complicated, but out there under the stars it all seems so far away.

SO LONG Summer 2011...enjoy THE PICTURES

HAWAII 2011!

2011-07-29T22:01:00.000-05:00

20 days in paradise...big heavy sigh...in my mind I'm still there. I'll try to keep that Aloha spirit with me until next time. In the meantime... ENJOY THE PICTURES

CROONEYMANN REUNION!

2011-07-28T11:03:00.009-05:00

Three fantastic weeks in Hawaii! We had a REUNION of the Cronan, Mooney and Neumann families in Laie, Hawaii. The CROONEYMANN REUNION was a great success! Much love and thanks to Martha and Keld for making sure that all of us had wonderful accommodations and fridges full of food! We also celebrated two birthdays while we were there - Happy Birthday Mary and Keld! It was great to be together for those special days!

Three weeks in "vacation time" goes SO FAST but we made the most of every day. The first week started with many sunrises and much time spent in the surf. The boys had a blast playing with Mo'i, Mom and Keld's new dog. Mo'i in Hawaiin means "King". He is a wonderful dog and we all loved spending time with him.

We all couldn't wait to meet the newest addition to the family, Miss Ella Rose! What a beauty she is! Her smile just melts my heart. And how lucky she is to have such wonderful parents in Melody and Mark. It was great to see them all together as a family. And it was great to see Ella interact with all of us. We all loved spending time with her. Can't wait to see her again!

Seeing my sisters Harmony and Melody together and spending time with the two of them was wonderful. We had so much fun together! And I loved watching my kids with them. Harmony and Corey definitely have a lot in common! And Melody and Emily are like sisters, sharing the same sense of humor! Seeing ALL of these women in my life together...how lucky am I? What beauties!

My Mom and Keld are still in love and so good together. It is always a pleasure being with them. And this reunion was their way of sharing that love with all of us. Watching them with their children and grandchildren made me very happy. Happy Anniversary Mom & Keld! Here's to many, many more!

Mark, Melody and Harmony got together and made reunion t-shirts for all of us and surprised us with them when they came. This made me very happy! I am honored to say I belong to the CROONEYMANN family and I wear my t-shirt with pride!

It was GREAT to spend time together as a family! I hope we can do this again soon!

ENJOY THE PICTURES!

FATHER'S DAY - SNOOK'S NIGHT!

2011-06-26T10:50:00.001-05:00

Spent Father's Day (and the week that followed) at The Beach Club. The Willis's joined us for dinner and fishing. Zsas caught her first shark! That night we caught our first Snook, and I say "we" but really it was Joe who landed the big fish. The rest of the week was great. Days spent fishing. Nights spent grilling and singing by the pool. Made some new friends and got to know some old ones better. A big THANK YOU to our friends at the Treasure Island Beach Club for always making our week on the beach special!

Enjoy the PICTURES!

SUMMER'S HERE!

2011-06-13T00:07:00.004-05:00

Love it when school ends! Love the endless days and the long warm nights. Love the anticipation of vacations planned and time together...BRING ON THE SUMMER!

Here are some photos from the last month. Highlights include a visit from NICKI & SONIA, a GUY HARVEY meet and greet and LOTS of cool fishing shots ENJOY THE PICTURES!

12 FOR COREY!

2011-06-02T10:24:00.002-05:00

Happy Birthday Corey Joseph! Thanks to everyone for the gifts and the well-wishes!

We spent the day doing whatever-the-boy-wants which included eating a hearty breakfast at The Central Coffee Shoppe followed by opening up his first present, his first cell phone, then a healthy dose of fishing. Wouldn't you know it, it hasn't rained in weeks and as if on cue with the official start of the hurricane season BLAMMO we get hit with a wicked storm while out on the pier. We survived and headed over to Zsas and Papa's with pizza that we picked up from Little Italy (all this time we kept checking back at home for a special UPS delivery, Corey's big birthday present, a 14 ft cast net). After our "drive-by" pizza and birthday cake-ing at the Willis's we headed back out for more fishing, but not before stopping by the house one last time to check for the net. It was there, finally! The night was capped off with more pizza and cake out on the pier with our fishing friends where Corey finally got a chance to show off his net throwing skills...we all LOVE YOU COREY and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Enjoy the PICTURES!

EMILY'S EXCELLENCE!

2011-05-17T14:03:00.000-05:00

Happy day for Emily as she received recognition for STRAIGHT A'S in school this year! A certificate, letters and a big pat-on-the-back from her principal...she couldn't be happier!

Here are a few PICTURES of the day...GOOD JOB, EMOS!!!

LUCKY 13TH!

2011-05-13T23:07:00.003-05:00

LUCKY Friday the Thirteenth - GREAT DAY - spent the morning fishing with my honey and the evening fishing with Joe. Topped the day off by landing a 3+ foot shark!

Enjoy the PICTURES from the month of April and half of May!

ROD & REELED IN!

2011-04-01T22:05:00.003-05:00

Spring Break 2011...the weather ALL MARCH had been absolutely perfect. And then, wouldn't you know it, the one week the kids have off and it's like someone threw the switch. Blammo. We had already booked the room on Anna Maria Island, a short drive from our home. Three days and two nights in fisherman's paradise. And smack dab in the middle of this mini-vacation one of the worst storms ever to hit the bay area arrived. Three tornadoes. Rain fall measured in feet, not inches. Winds so high tractor trailers were getting blown over. This was the price we paid for the "Chamber of Commerce" weather all month. March went out like a Lion. A really pissed-off Lion.

But we were undaunted. We made the most of the breaks in the weather and hunkered down when it got real bad. The Rod & Reel Resort was excellent. The people we met became instant friends as we shared this experience together. We fished in the rain and drank beer in the Rod & Reel Pier's bar. The food at the little restaurant on the pier was so good that people braved the elements and stood waiting in the wind and driving rain for a table. We ate there, too. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. All outstanding!

The last day arrived and the weather broke. The sun came out as April picked right up where most of March left off. Perfect. Rod and Reel, we'll be back!

Enjoy the PICTURES!

PS - the fishing was good, but we stopped at good old Fort Desoto on our way home and caught the REALLY good ones!

PPS - Emily missed this trip. She was supposed to come with Sheila & Bud but they couldn't drive over the Skyway in the high winds!

WELCOME ELLA ROSE!

2011-03-18T04:06:00.005-05:00

Welcome to the world young Miss ELLA ROSE! Born Friday, March 18, 2011 at 12:34 am PST. She weighs 5lbs 7oz. and is 18 inches long. Mother and child are doing well! Congratulations to my sister Melody and her husband Mark on the birth of their first child!

You can follow the journey on MELODY'S BLOG

THE SHORT MONTH

2011-03-07T16:25:00.005-05:00

Well February came and went so fast...I guess it does that...We had some good times, played some good music, made some great memories and, well, caught a BUNCH of fish!

Enjoy the PICTURES!

SPUR OF THE MOMENT!

2011-01-22T18:33:00.005-05:00

Fort Desoto. Our home away from home. There is a campground out there that we spend a week at every year. We decided that, while riding bikes out there this week, we would book our week in August now and get the sites we really wanted. As we rode through the campground and all the memories of summers past came flooding back we realized we couldn't wait until summer to be back here again...how could we wait THAT LONG?

We couldn't....

After two MEMORABLE days out there, we are back...we survived the rain, the wind and the cold. We saw incredible foggy mornings, caught fish in the afternoons and watched the sun sink in to the Gulf, sang campfire songs and ate our catch at night. We have a whole new batch of memories to cherish and we want to share them with you!

Enjoy the PICTURES!

KIDS IN PICTURES 2010

2011-01-03T17:20:00.001-05:00

We had some GREAT TIMES this past year! Here are the best pics of the kids for 2010!

Enjoy the PICTURES

CHRISTMAS EVE EVE!

2010-12-23T22:11:00.001-05:00

With all the Christmas shopping done and time on our hands (hehe) Corey and I headed downtown to try a little fishing in "The 'Berg" ...Holy Mullet! And, with still two days left until Christmas Corey had to use his little 3 foot net (guess what Santa's bringing) to snag as many as he could. Way to fill up our Xmas stockings, Fisherman Joe!

Enjoy the PICTURES!

And to see the MULLET RUN make sure you watch the VIDEO below! (sorry about the occasional expletive, we get a little excited!)

THE GIFT OF GIVING!

2010-12-13T17:32:00.000-05:00

Mary's Grandmother Ollie celebrated her 90th birthday at her home in Connecticut with friends and family. She asked that instead of gifts we make a donation to those in need. We couldn't be there to celebrate with her so Mary thought it would be great to send her a photo of us making a donation on her behalf to a local charity. We loaded up the van with bags filled with goodies and headed out in search of those in need. We didn't have to go far.

Ollie's gift brought our family a little closer together, but that should come as no surprise. Ollie's love does that always! It was truly an honor to give on her behalf. Happy Birthday Dear One!

Enjoy the PICTURES

THANKSFISHING!

2010-11-29T18:49:00.004-05:00

The kids had the entire Thanksgiving week off so guess what we did....that's right! Every day we went somewhere different and every day we fished. The weather was perfect. We met some interesting people. We caught some interesting fish. It was a GREAT week off!

Enjoy the PICTURES!

COREY TWO-DRUM!

2010-11-11T01:19:00.002-05:00

I've been fishing at Fort Desoto for over 25 years and STILL that place never fails to amaze me! Tonight, after almost everyone had gone home and it was just me, the boys and our fishing friends Tim & Diana the largest school of Black Drum I've ever seen swam below us. We were fishing on the Gulf Pier and just about to call it a night when Corey yelled from across the pier where he was cast netting "DAD! RUN! RUN! HURRY!" I ran over to him and my mouth started blabbering the usual incredulous string of excited cuss words as I gazed upon a school of HUNDREDS of 2-4 foot Black Drum feeding on a school of bate fish. We all could not believe our eyes as Corey threw his cast net in the middle of them and started pulling. With the net ripping (it was an old net) he and Casey pulled up a monster Drum! Others fell through the gaping hole in the net. He managed one more throw and pulled up one more. As fast as the school showed up it was gone, leaving us with one hell of a fish story and a the fish to prove it! GREAT JOB COREY JOE for spotting and catching these amazing fish! THANK YOU COREY TWO-DRUM!

Here are a few more PICTURES!

And here's some VIDEO!

HALLOWEEN-EEE!

2010-10-31T08:57:00.002-05:00

I love my friends and family! All of you are such good sports for putting up with us...HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Enjoy the PICTURES!

And some VIDEO

BIG RED!

2010-10-07T08:12:00.004-05:00

The Big Red Drum (Redfish) are out there...we had a great time catching them last night! THANK YOU to our friends Diana and Tim - couldn't have done it without you! Casey brought in a 36 incher and Joe got the record with a whopping 43 inches! Great job, guys! You can only keep them if they are bigger 18 inches and less than 27, so these guys went back to fight another day...with a kiss for good luck!

OH MAN, HERE WE GO!

2010-10-06T05:42:00.005-05:00

You remember school band? Maybe this will refresh your memory...

SEVENTEEN for CASEY!

2010-09-24T05:22:00.008-05:00

Well old Casey-boy turned SEVENTEEN on the 22nd! Happy Birthday, Casey! When asked what he wanted to do, he thought about it...for a couple of days...then replied that he would like to go down to Anna Maria Island and fish off the City Pier. Great choice! We had fun on that pier, they have a little bit of everything down there. There's a restaurant and bar, bathrooms and many fisherman-friendly amenities. Casey caught lots of fish and even hooked in to a large Sea Turtle! Everyone came running to see that! It broke the line before I could get the camera/video out. I know, I know, another fish story...I swear it was THIS BIG!

Afterwards we met at Bud and Sheila's for cake and presents and, keeping with this year's birthday traditions hatched a plot to continue fishing. We ended up downtown fishing off The Pier where Casey caught the biggest catfish he's ever caught! So after 12 hours of fishing with some food and cake sprinkled in we headed home and slept like a dead fish. Happy Birthday, Son, we LOVE YOU!

And here is the video!

CEDAR KEY, MY HONEY AND ME!

2010-09-12T16:29:00.002-05:00

Found a great little hotel in what must be paradise...Cedar Key, Florida. Everything I could want for my birthday within a few yards. Nice room with a great view, bars, restaurants, bait and tackle shop and an awesome fishing pier! Me and Mary ate, drank and fished ourselves silly...well, I was the silly one. Thank you Mary for making sure I got home alive and thank you for a GREAT birthday, honey!

Enjoy the PICTURES!

And here's the video!

FRIC & FRAC!

2010-09-09T06:59:00.004-05:00

When it comes to loosing a cat, nothing heals the pain of loss like kittens. We are glad to welcome FRIC & FRAC to our family. Two brothers that are crazy as hell! I'm sure there will be many stories to tell as these guys grow up...so enjoy THE PICTURES!

And here is some VIDEO

CATFISHIN' - THE FIRST AND LAST DAY

2010-09-08T06:36:00.000-05:00

Labor Day afternoon 2010. For the first time Em, Joe and I went fishing in the lake behind the public library. It had been a long weekend of saltwater fishing with nothing to show for it. Oh, don't get me wrong, we had a great time and caught plenty of fish, just none that we would bring home to mom. Joe rigged us up for fresh water, we grabbed a loaf of white bread and off we went. The lake is cared for by the city. There are signs everywhere telling us what we can't do. The only thing allowed was shoreline fishing, but with a catch....MEMORIAL DAY to LABOR DAY. Did this mean you could fish on Labor Day? We thought so. We squeezed the bread balls on the hooks and threw them in. Not much happening. Joe walked around the lake trying different spots. Still nothing. We were about to give up when up pulled a truck with a couple of old fisher guys. They set up a respectable distance from us. We watched them. It wasn't long before they caught one. Joe went over to investigate. He came back and said "I've got good news and good news..." and held up a hot dog. He said they caught a catfish and they planned to eat it. Caught it on a chunk of hot dog. Well ALRIGHT! It didn't take long for Joe to land one. Big nasty thing. I wanted to give it to the old guys. Joe talked me out of it. Maybe we could finally bring SOMETHING home this weekend! After catching another, we ran out of bait and were running out of time. Lake closes at dark. Joe asked me for a dollar and went to make a deal with the old guys. He came back with the rest of their package and the dollar in his hand. They told him to save the dollar for his piggy bank. There must be a code amongst anglers, and Joe knows it. I told Joe that we would try to eat these things. If they were good, we would come back next weekend. "Dad," he said "no fishing until Memorial Day. This is the last day." Figures.

The fish tasted great! Guess we have to wait...until then, enjoy the PICTURES!

And check out the VIDEO

ONE LAST SUMMER BLAST!

2010-09-07T06:23:00.009-05:00

For the past few years we've ended our summer vacation with a week at Fort Desoto camping with our good friends The Hannons. They are always happy to lend us their camper bus so we have a place to escape the Florida heat/bugs/rain. We were joined by Carl & Kim the first evening for sunset and fishing, and later that week Bud & Sheila brought us out some pizzas and watched the sun go down at our waterfront campsite. Jimmy was kind enough to lend us his canoe and we had some fun with that, too. Amber Hannon was ready to have her baby at any moment, so we did what we could to encourage that...but to no avail. No Fort Desoto baby THIS year...but there's always next year! THANK YOU HANNONS for always making our week together memorable!

Here are THE PICTURES

TREASURE ISLAND "FISHING" CLUB!

2010-09-02T07:18:00.005-05:00

Summer rolled on! After getting back from our trip up north we had one week to regroup then we packed up AGAIN and headed out to Treasure Island for a week on the beach. If there is one theme that ran through this summer's vacation it was FISHING. We pretty much had a pole with us everywhere we went. The shore fishing at the beach was great. We caught a good variety of fish and Mary made some great dishes. We made some new friends at the Beach Club and even THEY caught our fishing fever. Before long we had everyone smelling like fish!

Of course the POOL is always a big hit, too! It's kind of the social hub of the Beach Club. Great place to meet new friends, have a few drinks, throw some food on the grill and even play a little guitar. And after a long day the jacuzzi definitely hits the spot.

THANK YOU Martha and Dawn for always making us feel at home...our week at the beach was the best! It's a week we look forward to all year long!

Enjoy the PICTURES

And here is some video of our stay - the dancer at the end is a riot!

Summer OH TEN - SAYING GOODBYE

2010-08-31T06:45:00.004-05:00

Two weeks goes by so fast when you are on vacation. Our time was short.

Time for one more good fishing trip with Rob and joining us this time, his daughter Juliana. Joe caught the big striper, Ju caught a shark, Casey caught the big blue and Mary caught the fluke. Great day at sea! Thank you Rob and family for always taking such good care of us when we visit!

Time for one more great meal at the Frat's house. Fresh bread, home grown tomatoes, Italian cold cuts, home-made wine and pastries from Ambrosia. Yum yum. We traveled so far and ate at so many great places this vacation. We saved the best for last. Thanks Rita & Pat for the great food and for being such good friends over the years!

Time for one more night out with friends at the Frog Pond. Lisa sang to us and we closed the place down. Don't have to go home but....

And it was time for saying our goodbyes to family. Vic & Nancy's had us all over for a cook-out. Everyone was there! Guy and Nancy cooked up a storm. We ate, drank and sang songs well in to the evening. We hugged and said our goodbyes. We were sad, but happy. We are SO LUCKY to have such a loving and generous family. The love from all of you is the magic that makes our vacations so special. THANK YOU!

Then it was back in the van for the drive down to Virginia and the return train trip home. Stopped at McDonald's for breakfast. What says ROAD TRIP more than an Egg McMuffiin? The trip home was one of reflection. What a great time. From DC to Rhode Island and all points in between. The food, the people, the good times. The memories are ones that certainly will last a lifetime!

Enjoy the PICTURES!

And enjoy the VIDEO

GOODBYE ICKY

2010-08-27T05:37:00.007-05:00

Our cat of 21 years, Icky has been missing now for four weeks. I guess we can assume that he is gone for good. He was the last of the three cats that Mary and I have had since way before marriage & children. He was the sweetest cat ever. We named him Icky because, as a kitten, he used to sleep in the litter box. For awhile we nicknamed him Beep because his meow was a soft, quiet purr-filled little "beep". He was a gift from my brother Tim.

Four weeks ago when he didn't show up to eat we knew something was wrong. A day passed and still no Icky. We canvased the neighborhood. One neighbor said she saw a dead cat at our intersection early in the morning and when she came back an hour or two later it was gone. We called sanitation, no cat was picked up. We went to the pound. He wasn't there. We check all the dumpsters. Nothing.

Mary said he didn't deserve to go out like this. He should have been with us. She was right. Corey remarked just last night that we never cried for Icky. Hard to do when you can't see him and hold him one last time. So this is goodbye. Goodbye Icky. We miss you. We love you.

Here are some PICTURES

Summer OH TEN - THE BIG CITY

2010-08-25T10:33:00.013-05:00

We awoke to what felt like a fall morning. It was the perfect weather for our trip to the City. Almost missed the Metro train. Thankfully Nicki still can run like the wind. Exit to Grand Central Station. Walk out on to the streets of NYC. Clear blue sky. Nice breeze. Time to walk. Try not to bump in to people while walking and staring up at the impossible heights of the buildings. Try not to get run over following Guy through the crosswalks. Stood at a corner and looked up. A building looked familiar. Asked Guy "This looks like something, what is it?" He laughed as he told me "The Empire State Building". I thought I heard him whisper "Dumbass", but I couldn't be sure...very loud on those streets. Walk through the narrow, quiet streets of SoHo. Me and Joe making as much noise as we can. Saw a sign that read "DON'T HONK $350 FINE" I shook my head and shut up. We turned the corner on Canal Street. Whoa. Need a watch? Sunglasses? Hats? Walk down to China Town. Try not to get poked in the eye by the little old ladies with their big umbrellas. Stop for lunch. Sit a table for six with 14 other people. Dumplings were so good I would have sat on someones lap. Met up with Guy's sister. Very sweet. Tried to keep up with her. Saw where Guy gets his "Frogger" skills from. Finally caught up to them in Little Italy. Had a cup of much needed espresso. Split up. Mooneys in one cab. Miquelons in another. Headed to the Circle Line for a short boat tour of Manhattan. Cab drivers are crazy. Lines on the road don't mean a thing. Arrived at Circle Line. Pried my fingers from the door handle and gladly exited the cab. Sat in the blazing sun waiting for the boat to depart. Mary buys us an ice cold beer. I love her. Don't ask her how much THAT was. She's made of money. Haha. Boat tour was short and sweet. Caught a glimpse of Ground Zero construction. Learned what SoHo stands for. Saw Lady Liberty again...it's been awhile. Get off the boat. Walking again. Headed toward Times Square. Let the freak show begin! My kind of place. Ended up back at Grand Central. Feet hurt. Looked up and saw another building that looked familiar to me. Didn't want to ask. Guy suggests a pint at a nearby pub. Sounds REALLY GOOD to me. Casey asks the time. Incredulously I realize that 7 hours have passed since we first stepped out on to the streets. The City keeps it's own time. No wonder everyone moves so fast!

Here are the PICTURES

And the video...

Summer OH TEN - CHILLIN'!

2010-08-24T13:02:00.004-05:00

The summers in Connecticut are brutally hot.

Thankfully, the pools are COOL!

Enjoy the PICTURES!

Summer OH TEN - AROUND STRATFORD

2010-08-24T06:08:00.005-05:00

It was great having our van with us on vacation. We were able to jump in and go whenever and wherever we wanted. During our two weeks in Stratford we visited many places and saw many faces that hold special memories. From Wooster Woods to the Stratford Cemetery. From playing in Rob & Maria's backyard to surfing down Great Gramma's stairs. We were even joined by our good friend Tom for some fishing on Bond's Dock!
The town of Stratford was founded in 1639. 371 years old. People have lived there for a LONG time and I can see why!

Enjoy the PICTURES!

And here's the video...

Summer OH TEN - MARNICK'S, BRAVO & THE SUPER DUPER WEENIE!

2010-08-23T11:37:00.004-05:00

Our quest for great food continues...MARNICK'S in Stratford for a great burger and a walk on the beach, on to Fairfield to meet up with David Bravo and his son, Isaiah for some shoe-swapping and drum-banging, then on to the SUPER DUPER WEENIE for some awesome dogs!

Enjoy the PICTURES!

Summer OH TEN - STRATFORD - FUN WITH JOANNE & BOB!

2010-08-23T09:34:00.003-05:00

The Stratford area is home to most of Mary's extended family. Her Aunt Joanne and Uncle Robert (Bob) have always welcomed us in to their home when we visit. They usually have fun things planned for us and this time was no exception! We spent the afternoon on their boat tubing in the Sound and swimming in the Housatonic River. Later, we met back at their house for steaks on the grill and guitar music in the evening. Even Zsa Zsa played us a song!

Enjoy the PICTURES!

And here is some video of the day!

Summer OH TEN - RHODE ISLAND

2010-08-06T09:55:00.007-05:00

Bud and Sheila were also in Stratford. Bud's granddaughter, Samantha graduated high school and there was a big party for her up in Rhode Island. So we all drove up there together to celebrate. It was a short and scenic trip. Rhode Island is beautiful in the summer. We arrived at the Meadowbrook Inn for the festivities. Everything was great. Samantha looked radiant. Her parents Jeff and Christy and her sister Amanda did a great job with the party. All her friends and family were there. It was an honor to be included amongst such a great group of people!

Afterwards, instead of making the drive back, Bud and Sheila treated us to a night at the Shelter Harbor Inn, one of their favorite places to stay in RI. I can see why, it was absolutely beautiful! We checked in, unpacked and then headed back out to Jeff & Christy's house for the after party. Songs and 'smores by the campfire. The perfect end to a great day!

The next morning we ate breakfast together at the Inn. Best breakfast I've had in years. Corey cracked up us all up when he ordered his breakfast...

He looked at the menu, then said "I'll have the Eggs Any Style"

And that was all he said.

We packed up and headed over to the beach for a quick look at the Atlantic before heading back to Stratford. Misquamicut Beach. Wow. Those New England beaches certainly are breathtaking!

All in all, I'd have to say that Rhode Island was the most scenic part of our summer trip. I would love to go back again, thank you Willis's!

Enjoy the RHODE ISLAND PICTURES

Summer OH TEN - FISHING AT MIDDLEGROUND

2010-08-05T09:35:00.018-05:00

In the Long Island Sound, about half way between the Connecticut shore and Long Island sits the Stratford Shoal Lighthouse, or what the locals call MIDDLEGROUND. Built in 1877, this lighthouse made of granite sits atop a dangerous 3/4 mile long reef. Up until 1970 it was operated by a keeper. The stories those keepers could tell...

We arrived at our destination (Stratford, Connecticut) a little road weary but excited be there. There is nothing like family. It's like wrapping yourself in a warm, comfy blanket. One member of the family, Mary's cousin Rob was gracious enough (twist his arm) to take us out on his boat to Middleground the day after we arrived...time and tide wait for no man! Rob is a great captain. He grew up on these waters and he thinks like a fish. It didn't take us long to start haulin' them in! We caught a cooler full of Porgy and Sea Bass which were both tasty. Later, the boys wanted to hook in to something bigger so we anchored and fished for Striped Bass and Blues. Great day!

Enjoy the MIDDLEGROUND PICTURES

PS: Floating around Middleground was spooky. That lighthouse looked surreal out there in the middle of nowhere. The Gothic stones and cloudy eye-like windows made it look like an old cemetery church. It is there to warn those of the danger that lurks below. I thought I saw a shadow pass by one of the windows. Man, I wouldn't want to be out there at night...

Summer OH TEN - BALTIMORE & THE BLUE MOON

2010-08-04T15:33:00.011-05:00

Two days in DC was enough, I guess. If we go back, I'd like to spend more time in the museums. Our GPS navigation came in handy for the trip out of Washington. I had to laugh. It was only 1.8 miles from our hotel to the freeway, but the arrival time was estimated at 45 min. I thought the damn thing was broken. After hitting Dupont Circle my trust in the "Garmin Lady" was secured, although the constant chant of "recaaalculating" gets old...anyway, off we went. Watching the Food Channel gave us the idea to stop at some of these "Drive-in, Diners and Dives" we've been salivating over. We planned stops all along our route to Connecticut. Our first stop was BEN'S CHILI BOWL, which was in the DC CHANGE video. Our next stop was in Baltimore, a place called the BLUE MOON CAFE, where we heard tell of a french toast encrusted with Cap'n Crunch. The area of Baltimore the Cafe resides in is REALLY cool, a nice change from the insanity we left behind. The food and service was excellent. The french toast was incredible!

BLUE MOON CAFE PICS

PS - they had a 80's music trivia question written on their chalk board. You guess the song and the artist and you win a free coffee. The clue was these lyrics

I don't know what to do and I'm always in the dark
We're living in a powder keg and giving off sparks

We got the title of the song right but was WAY OFF on the artist...can you guess? No googling...

Summer OH TEN - THE TRAIN & THE CAPITAL

2010-08-03T07:06:00.035-05:00

Our summer vacations together are always magical. New places, familiar faces and memories that will last a lifetime. We've captured some of that magic and bottled it up for you! Enjoy!

Our trip started at the Amtrak train station. Included in our trip supplies this year was our VAN! The Auto Train runs from Florida to Virginia. The only route in the country. 17 non-stop hours of great food, drink and NO DRIVING. Throw in a sleeper car and you're in heaven!

Enjoy the TRAIN photos!

We awoke refreshed, jumped in to the van for a short drive to our nation's capital. We stayed for two nights on H Street, within walking distance of everything. We've never been to DC, so this was a new adventure. The City, the Food, the People, the Mood. Sensory stimulation!

Enjoy the DC PHOTOS!

And below is the DC VIDEO!

EM'S PARTY - THE VIDEO!

2010-07-04T12:36:00.002-05:00

EM'S "BLOCK PARTY"!

2010-06-27T16:27:00.011-05:00

When asked what she wanted for her birthday this year, Em happily replied "A BLOCK PARTY!". We did the next best thing and invited the neighborhood, her close friends and family and threw her one heck of a 18TH BIRTHDAY PARTY! THANK YOU EVERYONE for coming out and sharing you time and love with Emily! Enjoy the PICTURES!

EIGHTEEN FOR EMILY!

2010-06-16T04:30:00.001-05:00

Our first born, our beautiful EMILY ROSE turns EIGHTEEN today! She touches everyone's life in her own special way... WE LOVE YOU, EMILY! Enjoy the PICTURES from her early years!

SNIPE FISHING

2010-06-15T08:38:00.006-05:00

Yesterday we took a tour of some of our old fishing spots around the city of St.Petersburg. From Weedon Island all the way to Bay Vista...and a few points in between! Enjoy the PICTURES

SCHOOL'S OUT!

2010-06-10T22:12:00.004-05:00

Today was the first day of summer vacation. We spent most of it at our favorite place, Fort Desoto. Fishing off the pier. Walking on the beach. Another beautiful sunset. We certainly live in paradise. Enjoy the PICTURES!

ELEVEN ON THE FIRST

2010-06-02T10:15:00.005-05:00

Corey will tell you that he loves to fish, so it was no surprise that he wanted to do this for his birthday. We fueled up with breakfast at his favorite downtown diner and hit the road. The Skyway bridge connects our peninsula to points south. You may remember that a span collapsed years ago, tragically. The remaining bridge was turned in to the world's longest fishing pier. It was here that we spent the day. Later, we took a break and met the Willis's at Corey's favorite dinner spot, Cracker Barrel. After presents and cake back at Bud & Sheila's place we headed BACK out to the pier for more fishing in to the wee hours. Happy Birthday, Corey Joe! Enjoy the PICTURES and THE VIDEO

FRAGILE FRIENDS

2010-05-20T08:01:00.003-05:00

We have been visiting the beach alot lately...every day they tell us the oil is getting closer. It's in the "loop current" and headed for a trip around Florida's coast. No sign of it yet. Mary took these pictures of our fragile friends. They will certainly feel the effects of anything toxic washing ashore. Let's hope it doesn't happen...here are the PICTURES

THE BEAUTY OF THE BEACH

2010-05-06T06:00:00.008-05:00

We went to our favorite beach today, all five of us. It has something for everyone. The boys love to fish from the long fishing pier. Mary loves the sun, sand and surf. Em isn't much of a "beach girl" but she loves to take a nap in the shade. I love sitting in my chair, feeling the wind on my face, hearing the waves crash, smelling that familiar beach smell and seeing all the colors, especially when the sun sets. The beach is never the same place twice. Each time it offers something we've never seen before. There's always something new washing up.

I love everything about a Beach Day. Waking up knowing "today's the day". Rounding up all the beach essentials. Crossing the bridge and rolling down the windows. Finding the perfect patch of sand. The loading up is never a chore. The drive out never takes too long. The "beach drag" through the sand is always worth it. And when the sun sets and first star twinkles I feel completely at peace. At peace with nature. At peace with my loved ones. At peace with me.

"Heartbroken" best describes the emotion I feel when I think about losing all of this. Enjoy the PICTURES

420!

2010-04-20T05:46:00.005-05:00

We took an impromtu ROAD TRIP down to Sarasota to see my long lost brother. I am happy to report that he is alive and doing well! The trip continued and we ended up at MUNCHIES 4:20 CAFE, "cuz yo mamma don't cook past midnight" where we ate some awesome food and hatched a plan for yet another road trip...thankfully, we ended up back home...eventually. Enjoy the PICTURES!

CASTLES IN THE SUN

2010-03-30T13:14:00.006-05:00

Time marches on, and this week went by in a flash. Guy, Nicki and Sonia came from Montreal for some family time...and family time is what they got! The weather co-operated for the most part (which is hasn't lately) and we got to get out and enjoy the Sunshine State! Thanks again to Zsa Zsa and Papa for making this whole week possible...it was one to remember!

Enjoy the PICTURES!

SUN & STRAWBERRIES!

2010-03-08T07:07:00.008-05:00

It has been a long, cold winter. We finally had a chance to thaw out, heck even got a little Sunday "sunburnt" at the Strawberry Festival! Emily was the big winner on the Midway this year, throwing 3 balls in the basket and taking home the giant banana! Enjoy the PICTURES!

KIDS IN PICTURES 2009

2010-01-04T07:28:00.004-05:00

Here are the best pics of the kids from 2009 - it was a fun year!

Enjoy the PICTURES!

PARTY TIME!

2009-12-24T09:06:00.003-05:00

We had a fun Christmas Eve Eve party at our house last night!

Enjoy the PICTURES!

BEAT IT!

2009-12-17T20:58:00.002-05:00

Today Corey and some of his friends participated in a talent show after school - all for fun. He likes to call it MJ & THE JACKSONS...Enjoy the video!

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT!

2009-11-16T20:59:00.010-05:00

The folks at All Children's were kind enough to give us copies of both the TIME CAPSULE CEREMONY and MARY'S DAYTIME SEGMENT that aired on News Channel 8. Here they are!

TIME CAPSULE

DAYTIME - Mary's interview is the second interview - about half way through

DAYTIME!

2009-11-10T06:59:00.007-05:00

We used the GPS Mary won from the time capsule contest to guide us to the News Channel 8 studios in Tampa yesterday. "RECAAALCULATING" was the word of the day. Mary was interviewed for a local morning show regarding Emily's glove and she did well. It was nerve racking but with a special ancient calming technique she made it through!

Some PICTURES for you!

A FIGHTER'S GLOVE, A MOTHER'S LOVE

2009-11-04T16:41:00.023-05:00

Today we attended the TIME CAPSULE ceremony at the new All Children's Hospital site. Among the items placed was a boxing glove given to Emily from her Grandfather back when she was just weeks old, encouraging her to continue the fight for her life. Mary wrote and submitted a short summary of what the glove has meant to Emily and all of us.

My daughter Emily was born with a heart defect. She spent her first 5 months of her life at All Children's Hospital "fighting" for her life. Her Grandfather sent her a pair of boxing gloves that stayed at her bedside for the entire 5 months. The gloves came to represent a lot for me. Not only Emily's fight, but also the fight of everyone around her, including doctors and nurses, RT's, surgeons and therapists.

The gloves came home with us as we continued to fight. We fought for Emily's rights as a disabled person; and we watched her fight for all her milestones as she attended Speech, OT and PT at All Children's.

Along the way, I have done some fighting too. I fought my way through nursing school while raising 3 young kids. I returned to ACH to join the fight. These gloves have meant a lot to me, but I would be willing to give them up to the time capsule, as we continue to fight for All Kids.

Only one of Emily's gloves was placed in the Time Capsule. We'll be keeping the other!

Here are more PICTURES

And below is the news coverage of the day's events!

THRILLERWEEN!

2009-11-02T06:34:00.005-05:00

Halloween arrived with much anticipation this year. Finally, it fell on a Saturday. The moon was full. The weather was warm. The dead were rising!

Enjoy the PICTURES!

LATITUDE ADJUSTMENT

2009-10-26T05:24:00.007-05:00

The weather finally changed and it's starting to feel like fall. We took advantage and spent a couple of afternoons out at Madeira Beach and I got to play with some new friends in the SOUTHERN BOYS band at LATITUDES, a great new beach restaurant/bar. We brought the whole family and there was something for everyone. Casey & Corey fished off the docks, Emily tapped her toes to the music and Mary enjoyed the "hee haw jamboree". Even Bud & Sheila joined in and won a "raft" and a bucket! All in all, lots of fun!

Enjoy the PICTURES!

16 CANDLES!

2009-09-23T05:31:00.006-05:00

Casey turned 16 yesterday! Hard to believe! We had a good day. Thank you everyone for the cards, gifts, texts and emails!

I've added some BIRTHDAY PICS from the years gone by - enjoy!

43 ON MY SHOULDERS

2009-09-12T18:41:00.007-05:00

You ever get those "birthday blues"? The day before my birthday I was feeling down. When asked what I wanted to do this year I finally replied "Stick around the house and have some fondue and drinks on the front porch." I woke up early the next morning to the comforting smell of my birthday cake baking and I KNEW it was going to be a great day. After getting the kids off to school Mary and I took a walk on my favorite beach. She spotted a cool piece of driftwood. She said that would be nice to have. I nodded in agreement and kept walking...then I stopped, turned around and figured "what the hell". We both grabbed an end and began the task of carrying then dragging it down the beach back to the truck. While driving back home I pictured that piece of driftwood sitting on the front porch with paints and brushes around it, and everyone taking a turn at painting something on it. I asked Mary what she thought of this idea and she said "It's your birthday". She suggested that we first paint it Periwinkle blue. Off to the hardware store I went. And with the blue paint drying, my birthday blues had evaporated. The rest of the day took on a life of it's own with a steady stream of friends and family stopping by and everyone taking a turn adding to the wondrous artwork that became possibly my best birthday yet! ENJOY THE PICTURES!

THE BEST SUMMER YET!

2009-08-24T12:29:00.011-05:00

Well, this is it, the LAST DAY of summer vacation. And what a summer it was! After our Hawaii/California trip we spent some time with THE WILLIS FAMILY visiting all the way from Rhode Island. Check out the pictures from our trip together to SHARK'S TOOTH BEACH. It was great to see Jeff, Christy, Samantha and Amanda! We hope to see them again soon!

After their visit it was off to TREASURE ISLAND for WEEK 30! We made many new friends this year and we really enjoyed our time together. Here are the pictures of WEEK 30!

We hadn't loaded up the family and hit the highway in many years, so it was time for a ROAD TRIP up to Wilson, North Carolina to visit Mary's dad PAUL and his wife ROENA. We were met there by GUY, NICKI and SONIA who flew in from Montreal. THANK YOU PAUL AND ROE for putting us up (and putting up with us)! It was GREAT to see everyone again. Here are the pictures from the ROAD TRIP TO WILSON!

Then it was time to get together with our good friends THE HANNONS for yet another installment of FORT DESOTO CAMP-ERAMA! We went fishing, boating, eating, drinking, playing cards and music together and had a GREAT TIME! THANK YOU HANNONS for always making our time together very special for us! Enjoy the pictures of FORT DESOTO 2009!

So it is with heavy hearts that we say so long to another GREAT SUMMER. Looking back, it has probably been the BEST SUMMER YET!

REMEMBERING JEZEBELLE

2009-08-12T07:01:00.004-05:00

In 1990 she showed up at our door step. 19 years ago. Back before we were married. Back before the kids. She was a young cat, and Mary fell in love with her. We kept her and gave her the name Jezebelle. We decided to take her to the vet and get her shots and found out that she had already been fixed, so she belonged to someone. This was the great mystery of her life. How old was she? Who did she belong to? What happened that made her leave? We never knew.

So we figure that she was 21 years old the day she passed away. She was always a shy cat. She survived a few major injuries. Just recently she loved to come in and sit on the couch with us. Mary and the boys would brush her and she would purrrrrr and get her long claws stuck in everything. She was always sweet and always beautiful. We will miss her.

Here are some PICTURES

CALIFORNIA!

2009-07-20T13:38:00.003-05:00

Melody and Mark opened up their California home to us for the last leg of our summer journey west. We arrived to blue skies and orange Mochi. We slept, ate, reminisced, hunted the illusive Skunk family, did a little Hollywood, Venice Beach, China Town (yummy Yang Chow) and even flipped off LA's Finest (well, SOME of us did)!

THANK YOU SO MUCH Melody and Mark for having us again! YOU STAY CLASSY, VAN NUYS!

Here are the PICTURES

HAWAII - THE LAST DAY

2009-07-16T10:54:00.004-05:00

Casey walked around and took some pictures on our last day in Hawaii. It is always hard to leave paradise. THANK YOU MOM & KELD for having us again! We love you!

Here are the PICTURES

The sting of leaving was soothed by the knowledge that we were on our way to CALIFORNIA to spend a few days with my sister MELODY and her husband MARK! Those pics are up next!

KENNY THE KIDNEY

2009-07-15T17:50:00.004-05:00

Corey had surgery on Monday to remove his non-functioning right kidney. The surgery went well and he is at home recovering. They were able to remove it laparoscopically, so his recovery should be short. Corey asked the doctor for a picture of the kidney (which the doctor admitted was a first) so HERE IT IS (not for the squeemish). Corey sends a big THANK YOU to all the nurses on 4 NORTH for taking good care of him (and us)!

HAWAII - DAYTRIPPIN' - THE ROCK, SUNSET & THE VALLEY

2009-07-08T06:55:00.005-05:00

Once again the boys climbed THE ROCK at Waimea Bay and once again SPLASH! And as an added bonus, down around the rocks below they were able to swim with the Green Turtles. We had a summer storm one day and the surf out at SUNSET BEACH was big, a rare treat for this time of year! We couldn't resist playing in the water! Mary and I went out alone one afternoon and walked up WAIMEA VALLEY to the water falls. Beautiful!

Lots of PICTURES to enjoy!

HAWAII - FUN IN LAIE

2009-07-07T09:23:00.003-05:00

We had the good fortune of staying with my mom on the north side of the island in a little town called Laie (pronounced LA-EEE-AY). We swam and snorkeled in the ocean almost every day. We sat on our own little beach when the tide was low and found MANY interesting things. Have you ever seen what a hermit crab looks like WITHOUT it's shell? We were visited daily by our one-legged friend Matilda, the Myna bird. We met some travelers from the main land and helped them celebrate a birthday and an engagement. We celebrated Emily's 17th BIRTHDAY, FATHER'S DAY and had a GREAT DAY with my Aunt LIZZY from Canada, whom I haven't seen in almost 30 YEARS!

Enjoy all the PICTURES!

HAWAII - DAY TRIPPIN' - THE CRATER, THE BAY, THE BLOWHOLE & WAIKIKI

2009-07-03T09:30:00.016-05:00

Every day we tried to get up and get out SOMEWHERE. We made our way around the island trying to see things we hadn't before. We logged many miles on our day trips and we took even more PICTURES!

HAWAII - NIGHT FISHIN'

2009-07-02T06:37:00.006-05:00

The best chance to catch the rare fish is ALWAYS at night. We donned our masks and sharpened our spears and headed off into the great, dark unknown. You'll enjoy seeing what we found!

Here are the PICTURES!

HAWAII - The FIRST DAY and SUNRISE

2009-07-01T10:01:00.005-05:00

We arrived on the island early, with plenty of time to enjoy the day. We awoke early the next morning to our old friend Sunrise. Here are the PICTURES

ONE DECADE!

2009-06-03T08:40:00.004-05:00

Hard to believe Corey is TEN YEARS OLD!

The party actually started on Sunday at the local roller rink with a few friends and LOTS of cake! Then on Monday we spent the day doing whatever he wanted. Started off with a GREAT breakfast at the Central Ave Diner in his hometown of St.Pete. We sat at the counter and watched as our food was prepared. Corey has been cooking his own breakfast lately, so he watched and learned. We then headed over the bridge to Tampa the see the BODIES exposition at the Museum of Science and Industry. COOL! Then off to Walmart for some B'day shopping, Bud & Sheila's for a swim, Little Italy for massive amounts of pizza, then back to Bud & Sheila's for cake, ice cream and presents. WHEW.

Happy Birthday, Corey! Enjoy the PICTURES

Mary Mooney, RN Receives the April DAISY Award

2009-05-29T11:06:00.004-05:00

Congratulations to Mary Mooney, RN who is the DAISY Award recipient for April, 2009. Mary works on 4NW.
The DAISY Award is presented monthly to an All Children's Hospital Nurse that has provided extraordinary service to our patients.
Mary decided to become a nurse after her daughter was a patient at All Children's in our NICU and Early Steps Program. Mary saw the dedication and commitment of the staff and wanted to be a part of this team. Mary attended St. Petersburg College and joined ACH as a patient care assistant on 4NW and then transitioned to an RN. She has been a nurse at All Children's since completing nursing school seven years ago.
The person that nominated Mary stated that while Mary was caring for a newborn, she was persistent in expressing concerns about symptoms to the appropriate staff. Because of this, the patient received a diagnosis and treatment in a timely manner. They also said that Mary has superb assessment, communication and persuasive skills. This child's story ended up being a happy one because Mary was his nurse! Congratulations Mary on a job well done!

SPRING "BREAK"

2009-04-06T06:15:00.006-05:00

Spring is a subtle change here in Florida. If you are not careful, you'll miss it. We did our best this past week to take notice. The kids had the week off, so trying not to waste each entire day sleeping we got up and got out. Oh, and you are not seeing things, Corey has yet another cast on his arm.

Enjoy the PICTURES!

WARM HEARTS

2009-02-26T07:36:00.008-05:00

In the midst of the coldest winter I can remember, we were visited by two rays of warm sunshine. Nicki & Sonia heated things up with their smiles and their youthful energy. We laughed, sang and played the chills away. The happiness they shared will keep us warm until spring!

Enjoy the PICTURES

And to visit Nicki, Guy & Sonia's blog CLICK HERE

SONIA-WEEN!

2008-11-03T06:49:00.007-05:00

What a GREAT WEEK!

Nicki & Guy and their beautiful daughter Sonia came for a visit all the way from Montreal this week. This is our first time meeting Sonia. What a pleasure it was to spend time with her! I miss her already! Guy and Nicki are great parents. I love and respect them both. Adopting Sonia has drawn the two of them closer, creating a family. There is a lot of love there!

Lisa, Grover and Will also made the trip here from their sunny home in California! We had a blast together Halloween night! Smashing pumpkins!

Beth and Zach came over from their home in Boynton Beach to meet Sonia and spent time with us. Beth and Zach went TRICK OR TREATING with all of us (Sonia's first) and later the next day rocked with us at the Quaker Steak and Lube!

Bud and Sheila graciously opened their home to all of us. It was family central this week! Good food, good drink, good times! Thanks for the Zoo trip, too!

Little Sonia with the big heart gathered all of us together. We'll take a little piece of her with us as we go!

Enjoy the pictures!

LOWRY PARK ZOO

HALLOWEEN ETC

FUN AT ZSA ZSA & PAPA'S

SEMINOLE WIND

2008-10-27T11:34:00.005-05:00

My band THE ROCKUS BAND plays a great song SEMINOLE WIND originally recorded by a Florida artist JOHN ANDERSON. Casey got out the video camera the other day and recorded us playing it at a local haunt - I liked the sound quality, so I added some pictures and a little editing and thought you would like it too!

It's best viewed in HIGH QUALITY - once you are at the youtube page, click the "view in high quality" link to the right below the video. Leave a comment and tell me what you think!

Thanks Casey!

SEMINOLE WIND VIDEO

MULLET & GUSTAV

2008-09-01T12:55:00.003-05:00

As Hurricane Gustav roared through the Gulf and the rain bands blew through our area, fisherman GEORGE was casting up a storm of his own! SIX MULLET in ONE CAST! Good job, George!

Thanks again to the Hannons for having us out and sharing this Labor Day Weekend with us!

Enjoy the PICTURES!

ARIZONA!

2008-08-14T06:51:00.020-05:00

Ten INCREDIBLE DAYS in ARIZONA! WOW! We landed in Phoenix, rented a van and drove up to Flagstaff to stay with our good friends, the KORONKIEWICZ FAMILY. THANK YOU TOM, LISA, NICHOLAS and your amazing dog, NUNZIO for opening up your home and sharing all that you have with us!

Tom and Lisa are GREAT GUIDES and luckily they both took the week off of work to show us around! We saw more of the area than I ever believed we could and ALL of it was mind-blowing! The view from their back yard alone is enough to melt away the stress of every day life. We had fires every night and watched the sun set over the mountain. Flagstaff purple, Tom calls it. And the when the stars came out...AMAZING.

We got there on Nicholas's SECOND BIRTHDAY! He is SO MUCH FUN to be around and talented in so many ways. He shared time with each of us and touched us all in his own special way. We all fell in love with that boy. I miss him already.

August is monsoon season up there, so there was plenty of moisture for our Florida skin, but it took a few days to get used to the altitude (7,000 feet). The mantra was always "drink water, drink water" and this seemed to work as we adjusted without any problems. "Eat food, eat food" was also a popular mantra...I gained 5 pounds! Mary REFUSED to get on the scale. That's vacation for ya...eat, drink and be merry...PLENTY of merry!

Every day was a new adventure. They are SO LUCKY to live in Arizona, which is truly a national treasure. We saw volcanic fields, visited American Indian ruins, hiked trails through ancient forests, swam in chilly red rock waters, drove through dizzying canyons and long desert passes. The beauty is everywhere and heightens all the senses. And ALL OF THIS is right in their back yard!

From SEDONA to the GRAND CANYON, and even an overnight trip to VEGAS, we experienced it all. It was trip that NONE OF US will ever forget...take a little trip with us and ENJOY THE PICTURES!

FUN IN FLAGSTAFF

SUNSET CRATER

WUPATKI

OAK CREEK CANYON/SEDONA

LOCKETT MEADOW

THE GRAND CANYON & THE CONDOR

TO VEGAS AND BACK

SAGUARO CACTUS

The video will be coming soon!

MORE SUMMER FRIENDS!

2008-07-27T17:42:00.004-05:00

This past week was one of the best weeks this year (so far)...we got a room for the week out at the TREASURE ISLAND BEACH CLUB. There were MANY cool people out there this time. Every day the pool...every night the pool...cold fridge full of much food and drink (mostly drink)...the beach, ah the beach...sunsets...ice cream at the Shake Shack...late night pool side guitar surfing (don't ask) and the MANY FRIENDS we made...all of this swirled together in a seven day blur of fun for all!

So much fun even the camera died...so the PICTURES are limited but enjoyable!

SUMMER FRIENDS!

2008-07-15T09:04:00.011-05:00

We had a GREAT WEEK camping out a Fort Desoto! Our dear friends, THE HANNONS helped make it that way...we spent time fishing, boating, eating and partying together and thankfully, the weather co-operated.

We helped MARY celebrate her BIRTHDAY, we met WILL & DONNA ROGERS and shared music with them, attended BILL & CATHY KROMER'S party with the ROCKUS BAND...and topped the week off with a feast of HOBO STEW!

We met some new friends, got re-acquainted with some old ones and made some lasting summer memories.

Enjoy the PICTURES!

SWEET SIXTEEN!

2008-06-17T10:07:00.004-05:00

Great weekend!

Spent a few days over in DAYTONA BEACH - played some music at the world famous MAIN STREET STATION - took a day trip for Father's Day up to the oldest city in America - ST. AUGUSTINE then came back Monday to celebrate EMILY'S SIXTEENTH BIRTHDAY with friends and family!

16 on the 16th!

Enjoy the PICTURES!

THE FIRST OF JUNE!

2008-06-02T10:01:00.004-05:00

HAPPY 9TH BIRTHDAY, COREY JOE!

A fun filled couple of days - friends gathered at the local Lazer Tag & Arcade to help Joe celebrate on Saturday - "Taste of Pinellas" and presents, swimming and "Yu Wang" chinese food @ Bud & Sheila's on Sunday!

Here are the PICTURES!

CLASS PICNIC 2008

2008-06-02T09:53:00.004-05:00

Emily had her last middle school class picnic...I can't believe she is moving on to high school!

Enjoy the PICTURES!

SMOKE ON THE WATER - REVISITED

2008-04-14T16:39:00.006-05:00

Casey shot this video this past Sunday on Emily's little digital camera (I didn't even know it could do that!). Fun to watch - a little hard on the ears!

ARIZONA @ THE BEACH

2008-04-02T13:34:00.006-05:00

Our good friends from Arizona came to visit this past week. Tom, Lisa and Nicholas Koronkiewicz. We've known Tom and Lisa FOREVER but this was our first time meeting Nicholas...and he is SOOOOO COOOOL!!!

Check out the PICTURES of our day at the beach together!

We can't wait to see you guys again!

ROCKIN' JOE!

2008-03-21T08:04:00.003-05:00

With three ROCKUS gigs under his belt, Corey Joe is creating quite a BUZZ in the local music community! Well...at least around HERE! The boy has natural showmanship and NO FEAR when it comes to performing...ROCK ON, JOE!

Enjoy the PICTURES!

TOP DOGS in ATLANTA!

2008-02-27T13:21:00.008-05:00

Emily and Mary took a road trip with THE TOP DOGS, TOO! to the great city of Atlanta to participate in the CHEERSPORTS NATIONALS. They had a great time and came in FOURTH overall! Great job!

You can view the entire PHOTO ALBUM HERE. This is a collection of pics from many of the families that attended.

XMAS in CONNECTICUT!

2008-01-02T13:49:00.000-05:00

Brrrr....my Florida blood has been thinned for TOO LONG!

It was GREAT to see everyone again - THANK YOU Great Grandma Ollie for putting up with us for the week!

Here are some PICTURES for you to enjoy...the video will be coming soon!

HALLOWEEN-ED

2007-11-05T08:32:00.000-05:00

A blustery eve didn't keep the ghouls away!

Enjoy the PICTURES

Summer's over? Oh NOOOO!

2007-08-20T17:24:00.001-05:00

Well THAT'S IT for another summer vacation...and as sad as I am to see it go, I can say that we made the most of it.
These past two weeks have been crammed full-o-fun. We went "blue crabbing" out on the Skyway, spent a few days out at Treasure Island, had a great visit with Lisa and Grover, went to Shark's Tooth Beach with Dave, Roxanne and Cody, went camping out at Fort Desoto with our good friends the Hannons (thanks for the use of THE BUS!), went fishing, boating, and even a night of dinner and dancing with the ROCKUS band!
So ADIOS summer - see you soon!

Here are some PICTURES

DIG THE SUMMER

2007-08-02T04:48:00.001-05:00

Summer '07!

2007-07-30T16:14:00.001-05:00

What a GREAT TRIP!

Los Angeles first - a visit with my sister Melody (aka HYGENA) and her husband Mark. Hollywood, Venice Beach, and points beyond. Even met up with Corey's teacher!

Then off to Laie, Hawaii to see Mom and Keld for 2 weeks in PARADISE...some much needed R&R!

Enjoy the PICTURES HERE

Some my sister Melody took HERE

SKATE PUNKS LIVE!

2007-06-19T17:42:00.000-05:00

We took a road trip and checked out a couple of area outdoor skate parks. Man oh MAN was it HOT!

Check out the video below! (for those not familiar with YOUTUBE, you usually have to click to PLAY button twice)

Here are a few PICTURES as well!

HURRICANE SEASON!

2007-06-04T13:02:00.000-05:00

JUNE 1st.

The official kick-off date for HURRICANE SEASON.

The official kick-off date for COREY'S BIRTHDAY WEEKEND.

And as we suffered through drought here in Florida, with a record year for wildfires (officials estimate that 2648 wildfires have scorched nearly 194000 acres in Florida since January of this year) JUNE 1st arrived and with it TROPICAL STORM BARRY.

BARRY pounded us in to our rainy season and helped contain over 80% of the wildfires - and COREY pounded back with a GREAT birthday weekend, lighting a few fires of his own!

Here are some PICTURES!

SUNSET SOUNDS!

2007-04-15T19:45:00.000-05:00

Well it was FRIDAY the 13TH but is was our LUCKY DAY! Beautiful weather and a good crowd made for a GREAT EVENING!

My band ROCKUS played for the City of Largo in Ulmer Park for their Sunset Sounds Series and MANY FRIENDS and FAMILY were able to attend! We sang, danced and played many instruments together...we were even treated to a special performance by the MOONEY FAMILY SINGERS!

THANK YOU to everyone that attended! We'll see you NEXT TIME!

Enjoy the PICTURES!

STATE CHAMPS!

2007-02-12T06:19:00.000-05:00

We are SO PROUD of our TOP DOGS TOO!

STATE CHAMPS!

WOOHOO!

Enjoy the PICTURES!