Wednesday, July 30, 2014

July 29th O'AHU

We made it to Hawaii and it is great.  We got to our Hotel at the Disney Aulani on Monday without getting lost to bad.  We rented a car so that we could explore the island.  We are very lucky to have a hotel room that is on the 15th floor and looking out at the Ocean.

We are very lucky to have a nephew like Ronnie that invites us to help them celebrate their 25th Anniversary here in Hawaii.  Ronnie both Cyndy & I thank you from the heart for thinking of us.
 This little girl is the eye of Ronnie & Annie, she is one of the four children that they have, being the only girl I think she is just a little spoiled.  We spent most of the afternoon visiting with them on Monday and had a great time.
Today we got up early and headed to Pearl Harbor.
 This place is a must see when here on the Island of O'AHU.  We got up early and arrived here by a little after 7:00 AM so that we could get early tickets to see the Arizona Memorial, we got tickets for the 12:15 ride out to the Memorial.  There is a lot to see while here,The Battle Ship Missouri, Memorial & Pacific Aviation Museum, and the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park. So after getting tickets we decided to go and see the Bowfin, we have seen the Missouri when it was in Bremerton, WA.
Here are a few pictures from our trip around the Sub.





I don't think I could really sleep in these bunks, I need just a little bit more room.
Cyndy was loading a Torpedo into the tube.
It was a great audio of the hole ship a Museum.
They had a lot of Torpedo all around the grounds here, I even learned a little bit about them.
Before we new it it was time to head over to our time for the trip out to the Arizona.

It was a very moving trip out to the Memorial, it is very hard to explain it but it was strange.




They say that their is about a quart of oil per day still leaking out of the ship.
We had a great day and really enjoyed ourselves. We seen some great sites and look forward to more of them.  Tomorrow we are not sure what we are going to do, there is so much to pick from.


Friday, July 25, 2014

July 25th

Cyndy and I have been doing last minute things before we head out on a short trip to Hawaii. We had a good rest in Seaside, Oregon, we spent some quality time with our Grandson Jared and also with our good friends Brian & Rita.  The weather was great all the time in Oregon.
We came back to the Tacoma area to get ready for our trip south this fall. We have been busy this last week getting our Doctor appointments done and I think they are all done for now.  Then we repacked the coach so that we have room for the RZR and stuff for trade shows and tours.  We are going to be doing trade shows in Oregon from the 5th of August to the 16th.  Then we are going to head back over to Seaside to finish all the paper work for the two trade shows.  We stop back in Tacoma area for our youngest granddaughter birthday who will be turning 2 at the end of the month.
After that we head south for the Grand Circle tour and then right over to the Albuquerque Balloon Festival.  Both of these have been our wish list for a long time. I thought this would be a good time to let some of our friends that read or blog know what trips we have for the up coming year.
59 day Alaska Tour   6-10-15 thru 8-7-15
Goshen - Mega Rally 10-13-15 thru 10-23-15
We also have a few trade show we will be doing next year also.
So we are getting down to a couple of days and we will be heading to Hawaii.  We will be staying at the Disney Aulani.  We are looking forward to touring Pearle Harbor and some of the other sites on this Island.  Our nephew Ronnie is great and we are looking for ward to staying at this resort.  If it wasn't for him I don't think we would be going.  Thanks Ronnie! and we are looking forward to helping you celebrate you 25th Wedding Anniversary.  Ronnie and Ann have some great kids and we are looking forward to having fun with all of them.  We are hoping to be putting a few post out while n Hawaii, we leave bright and early Monday morning.  Look out Hawaii here we come and we get to mark one more thing off the bucket list!!!!!!!!!
  

Thursday, July 17, 2014

July 17th

What a week we have had and we still have a few more days before our grandson leaves.  We have been very blessed this last week.  We have dreamed of these days for a long time.  Last Thursday we left Tacoma area with and extra person with us. As full timers and grand parents we all look forward to the days that our grand kids get to that age and they want to travel a while with us.  And it finally happened to us.  Our grandson Jared asked if he could go with us to Seaside, OR.  So on Thursday afternoon we took off for a fun packed week with our grandson Jared.
We have been together for over a week and he still is not bored with his grandparents.  I am starting to get a little water logged from so much time at the pool but, I seem to dry out before the next time we go. One of the day we took a tour of Fort Clatsop, where Lewis and Clark spent the winter.
  

We had a great time exploring the area.



We even end the trip that day with a new Jr. Ranger, he enjoyed his day and so have we.  I think this last week has really been special for both of us and we look forward to doing this with our other grand kids when they reach this age.  
He didn't know what to think of Jake the Alligator man.  If you have never stopped ats Marsh in Long Beach it is a must see.  They have all kinds of neat things and stuffed animals. Today we are going to head towards Fort Steven's and do some more exploring.  Having fun with grandson.

Sunday, July 13, 2014

July 13th

We have made it to Seaside TTN in and hiding out for a couple of weeks.  Would like to bring you up to speed on how our trip from Calgary went.  The morning of the 8th we all had coffee and donuts and said our good by's.  We had to be out of the park by 10:00 AM because during the stampede they have a lot of people staying here.

This was a great group and we hope to see them all again soon.
The last night before we left the social kind of went to the dogs.  Turbo had a gift for all his new friends he made on this trip.
 His big's friend was Jeb!!!
And poor Dusty, she was the oldest and put up with Turbo.
Spirit was a cool dog, he kind of did his own thing and put up with Turbo.
Then their was Sage & Sierra, they loved playing with Turbo.  All the dogs got along just fine and they seem to have a good trip too!
We were finally on the road by 10:00 AM and heading back to the states.  We were planning on taking our time but we got one of those phone calls that everyone gets once in a while that a close relative has just passed away.  So we kind of beat feet and headed back to Tacoma.
We had to wait at the boarder for about and hour in line, but had know trouble getting across. We spend the night in Hayden, ID.  Got up the next morning and left by 8:00 AM and on the road to home.  Forgot how hot it can get sometimes here in Eastern Washington, it was 100 degrees, and this little fat body does not like that.
We new home was getting closer when we crossed the Colombia River at Vantage. I want to remind you it was hot.
We know we are close when you see Mount Rainier.  We got back to Tacoma about 4:00 PM.  The next morning we went to the service for Cyndy's cousin and by 12:00 PM we were on our way to Seaside TTN to get all of the paper work done for the Rally and set back and relax before our next trip.  That reminds me in 15 days we leave for Hawaii, that should be fun.
 

Sunday, July 6, 2014

July 5th

Today we were up kind of early and on the buss before 8:30 AM.  We are headed downtown to the Olympic Plaza and to what they call Rope Square.  They were serving Pancakes with maple syrup and bacon.  What was kind of funny we are waiting in line for our pancakes and we see these clowns handing out napkins.
  They gave you the pancake in the napkin.  They mix there batter with a little maple syrup, then while cooling the pancake they put a strip of bacon on it and then flip it over to finish cooking the pancake.  It was really, good I ate two but should of went back for more.
We are down town today to visit the Glenbow Museum and take a ride up in the Calgary Tower to the Observation Deck.  The museum was great they showed a lot of history of Canada early days and everyone said it was well worth the trip.  But it isn't everyday that you go up into the Tower and a horse is riding in the elevator with you.
Yep! horse is getting on elevator.
Yes it does fit even with the girl holding the bucket, and you may ask what is in that bucket?  Nothing right now.
Horse and rider made it out and rider still on the horse.
OK, now the bucket has something in it!!!!
The cowboy is David Cowley and the girl holding the bucket is his little sister.  Do you think your little sister would do this for you!!!.  Anyway every year David and his horse "Tucker" (this year) come up into the tower on the first Saturday of the Stampede at 10:00 AM.    He said it is all in the horse having trust in you and you trusting the horse.
He really trust him but----
 looking at this picture I don't think that horse is going to get much closer.
I think he is not liking what he seen looking down.
What amazed me is that Cyndy got that close to the edge. David & Tucker are competing in the Cowboy Up Challenge at the Stampede and we are going to try and make it over to see them competing.  It was a something to see and we had a great time.  We had a great day and looking forward to going back to the Stampede tomorrow.

Friday, July 4, 2014

July 4th

Happy Birthday USA!!!!
Today we started our day off by heading downtown for the Calgary Stampede Parade.
We had some pretty nice seats, we were very lucky by the time the parade started we were in the shade of the buildings.  It was nice and warm and I am glad we did not have to sit in the sun.
The Parade Grand Marshall was William Shatner.
There were a hole lot of horse's in this parade, from small to large ones.
There was a lot of different kinds of floats and lots of marching bands.

They even had a few different Indian Tribes in the Parade also.
Even had a moose riding a little horse.
I had to look twice when this guy came riding by and he wasn't a small cow boy either.
It was just about noon when the parade got over and we headed to the Calgary Stampede for the rodeo, and believe me they did a great job of putting on a first class rodeo!!!

The horse's started of by getting rid of a few cow boys off there back, but before long the cow boys were ahead of the horse's.

As you can see they figured out how to stay on.

We seen the girls do the barrel races, and they could move those horse's around them barrels.
Then the bull riding was good, bulls one cowboys 0.
Not again, bulls 2 cowboys 0, but before long the cowboys started to stay on and I think it was bulls 3, cowboys 6.
This was great they had teams of kids, holding on to these little horse's and all they had to do was get one of them on the horse and ride it.  These 3 didn't have a change to do that.
These 3 did get one on and he made it for a short ride.
We had a great day at the rodeo and parade, everyone had a great day, but tiring.  Tomorrow is another day of exploring Calgary area.  We are going to the Olympic Plaza and the Olympic Park, should be fun.