Bungees and Brazilians

Maggie was the first adventurer.
Then followed brave Owen.

After 10 attempts, I finally got the flip!
After lots of shopping.

The rump steak was my favorite of the evening.


All the meat you want -- dad was in heaven.

"No more, no more"

Despite the tropical storm, we had a great day. We shopped at the outlet malls and one of the indoor malls. Since Meg was the only avid shopper, the rest of us found some exciting entertainment -- the bungee trampoline. Maggie and Owen were the first brave pioneers, and I must add, they were very brave. No fear at all! They did great, and Maggie even backflipped a few times. Owen tried but was too little. Afterward, Joe and I decided it looked fun so we gave it a try. Joe is quite a pro doing doubles. I wasn't going to be shown up by him so I got a few front flips out of this old body. We had a great time. If only mom and Meg would have given it a try! After shopping, we headed to Rioz -- the Brazilian steakhouse. This was dad's night to pick, but I think Joe was equally as happy with the choice. I must say it was delicious. I think they brought at least 13 different meats to our table, and that is not including sides! We were stuffed by the end and ready to be vegetarians for the next day or two. DJ, I even tried lamb and pork! We came home tonight, went to bed, and got up to watch the tropical storm outside. I guess everyone else at the condos had the same idea because half the people were on their balconies watching. Mom, Joe, and I decided to go down to the beach -- in the middle of the storm. Dad and Meg opted to stay in the warm, dry room. The three of us had a blast being blown by the wind and splashing in the ocean. Meg said it looked like we were drunk. We had quite an audience watching from the balconies, and I'm sure they thought we were nuts, but as mom often says, "You only live once." We are hoping tomorrow clears up, and we can have one more good day in the ocean.

In my mind I'm going to Carolina

The Miss Nelson cast and crew
Jill (aka Miss Nelson) and I

Jill, Jon Michael, and I

I had to say goodbye to the Miss Nelson cast on Friday which was a little sad. We had a great run, and I loved the new friends I made. I hope to work with many of them again, and seeing how small the theatre world is, I don't doubt it will happen.

How cute is this pic?!

I have a week break before I head back to KY to start rehearsals and workshops, and I get to spend it the best way I can think of -- on a family vacation. This is the first time in four years I have been able to take a vacation with my family, and I am loving every second of it. We arrived on Sunday, and yes, I did get my 12 miles in at the beach! It is a blast being here with everyone, but especially the kids. They are so much fun. We wore ourselves out in the waves yesterday and today, and if the weather allows I am sure we will a bit more. We started the week out with Carraba's (which is tradition Meg told us) and a game of putt-putt. We went to Roy and Sid's on Monday night. It is not a recommendation -- very average food. Tonight we went to California Pizza Kitchen. Lori and JR, I remember going there with you all last time we were all here! Maggie, Owen, and Josie are loads of fun, and I am getting my fill of them. Here are some fun pics of our week so far.

Daily ice cream is also a tradition -- a rather dangerous one!

Josie is joining the ice cream tradition rather early.

Owen chose a non-traditional putt-putt stance.

"The girls" of the trip (minus Josie). Maggie and I posing. (Imagine that) After a day of wave jumping. Josie, once again, being perfectly content.
Owen sporting his Peter Parker look and drinking a strawberry daiquiri. Meg & Joe are really letting him make his own choices. haha.

Tours & Toys

For the last three weeks I have been touring Kentucky doing a kid's show called "Miss Nelson is Missing". Mark and Bethany directed the show so we had a little reunion in KY which was lots of fun and too short. The kids seem to love the show, and we actors love performing it. My cast is really great onstage and offstage which is a plus considering we spend lots of time together riding in a van! We stayed in Williamsburg, KY, the first leg of the tour and became well acquainted with the dining there. Our last night we went to a fancy restaurant (the only one in Williamsburg, KY) housed in the Cumberland Inn. The stair shot is our "family portrait" from the night. The other shot is us celebrating Williamsburg, KY!

We spent many an afternoon walking to Walmart for snacks. On this particular day we had to walk in the rain. Kate, our stage manager, was ready for the occasion -- she brought ponchos! Here we are modeling them. This has been a fun three weeks (except for the early mornings!), and I am glad I get one more week with this great group.

Since it is still warm, I am staying on the May's houseboat which is a first for me. It is great being with them again and the lake is an added bonus. One of my favorite new hobbies is jet skiing. Victoria got me hooked, and now it is a regular activity for us. Two weeks ago, we had a one-show day so we arrived home by noon. I called Tiffany, my cast member, and asked her if she wanted to go for a ride. She had never been on a jet ski and was hesitant. After a bit of time, she was driving. I hope the summer lasts a little longer so we can get a few more rides in.

This weekend I traveled home to spend a little quality time with dad. We met up at the Huntington Mall and went shopping at Dick's Sporting Goods. It is one of our favorite stores. Then we "ate up" at the Olive Garden and topped our night off with some DQ. Today I came home from my run and JR was at the house with his four wheeler. He and some friends were going so he invited me to hop on for a ride. An hour and a half later, we got back. It was a blast! I see why you love going, Lori! Here we are doing a little cousin posing.

Dad, Mama, and I went out for dinner and ice cream tonight. I was glad to see her. It has been a great weekend; although, I missed you mom. I love being this close to home and having time with my family!

I also wanted to post a pic of my new shoes for my running buddies. Yes, I got Brooks this time! (Mr. Average, I took your word on them) I am now running 12 miles, plus my Mizunos were shot so I thought it was time for a new pair. Only one more mile until the half-marathon goal is reached. Woohoo!

A little plug for Robert's Running Shop in Huntington, WV. It is an excellent shop with great shoe choices and knowledgable employees. It is well worth the stop, and I would highly recommend it to anyone.

Red River Reunion

This past labor day weekend my Celina friends and I had a reunion at Red River Gorge. It was the perfect group for an adventure weekend, and adventure is precisely what we did. We started the weekend rock climbing. (Yes, this has become a favorite hobby of mine) It was the most difficult and challenging climbing I have done thus far. We all made it to the top on the first route. Unfortunately, only one of us made it to the top of the second -- Congratulations, Travis (said between clenched teeth) hehe. We had a great time together and were completely exhausted afterward. We felt we earned the right to "eat up" so we headed to Lexington that evening for dinner. Atomic Cafe, a wonderful downtown Caribbean restaurant, was the dining choice. If you are a sweet potato fan, the sweet potato chips are a must. Afterward we spent a bit of time exploring Lexington, posed in the fountains at Triangle Park, and found another of Lexington's treasures -- Sauls Good Restaurant. No one shared dessert that night. Thank you, Kirsten, for the referral. Taking a "photo moment" before route #2.

Ashley and I before climbing.

Ashley and I after climbing.

Travis on climb #1.

Ben, Ashely, Travis, and I in Triangle Park

No, we did not plan to wear matching dresses!

The next day we headed back to the gorge for some serious hiking. We climbed atop an arch, cooled off in Creation Falls, and then started the rugged hiking. Seven miles later, we ended our hike and hitched a ride to the bottom of the road. Ironically enough, the people that picked us up were our campsite neighbors. We had experienced some irritation with our "unknown" neighbors the night before because of the huge amount of trash that had been left out and the use of our fire pit so we found it amusing they were the ones that helped us. They turned out to be very social and full of information. One tip they gave us was to try out the "jumping rock", and that we did. I must say, it was my favorite thing we did all weekend.

Travis, Ben, and Ashley in "Hell's Kitchen" along the hike.

The "jumping rock."

Free falling

Ben, Ashley, and I cooling down in Creation Falls.

Posing on the arch.

The next day we did a bit more hiking to another arch and a scenic viewpoint. Both were breathtaking. We were a bit hungry afterward so we opted for the dive we had eaten at the night before -- Miguels. Anyone who knows me knows that I am not a big pizza fan. It was my favorite pizza ever, and I opted to eat there twice. (Are you surprised, DJ?) Although my pizza was not typical. It was a Mexican pizza. Corn, black beans, avocado, and tomatoes on whole wheat crust! MMMMmmm. If traveling in the Slade/Red River area, Miguels is a must. We chowed down there two days in a row, and both times the food met our tastebud's expectations.

Angel Arch

Girl power Miguel's Mexican Pizza! This one is for you, Kirsten.Chowing down!

Red River Gorge has become a favorite destination place of mine, and I hope to spend more time there. I think it is funny that I spent many years of my life living in Kentucky and am only now discovering some of its beauty. Thanks, you guys, for going. I loved every minute of our weekend and hope another one is in the making soon.