We decided that this year we would do something different for New Year’s besides sitting in bed and watching the ball drop. So we headed to Biloxi, Mississippi to check out the Casino’s and spend a night away from the jmonsters. We recruited Courtney and Andy to come with us since a group is always more fun and we don’t get to see them nearly enough.
After checking in to the Hampton (where else) we freshened up (meaning napped) and headed over to Biloxi to go to dinner. We didn’t really make any plans and ended up at the Hard Rock Cafe Casino. We had burgers and nachos and overpriced drinks and enjoyed looking at all the memorabilia on the walls. After dinner it was on to the Casino. We split up and walked around the Casino to get a feel for the games and decide what we wanted to lose our money on first. We tried a few slots and then found the machines that Mommy likes to play, Poker. After awhile we decided to check out the tables. Mommy has always wanted to try blackjack but we were only able to find $10 tables. So after much hand wringing Mommy got the nerve to sit down and try it. After getting $70 in chips and playing a few hands she soon found out she was in way over her head. It took about 15 minutes to lose all that money but at least was able to get a few free beers in the process. Most expensive beers ever!
Well, it was back to the 25 cent poker machines and Mommy was determined to win back her money. Daddy was content to sit and watch and get free beer whenever the cocktail waitresses walked by. He was most concerned about tip money. After winning a couple of hands we placed a max bet and hit with four of a kind. Woo-Hoo next thing we knew we had $148.50 in quarters. Nowadays you don’t get the satisfaction of filling up your bucket with quarters you hit a button and a slip of paper comes out with what you won, just like an ATM machine. We cashed in and found Courtney and Andy and found out that they had also won something so we decided to get out while we were ahead. We stopped at the ice cream shop on the way out for overpriced ice cream to top off our night in Biloxi. We had a lot of fun and realized when we got back to the hotel it was only 9:30 and what do you know we watched the ball drop in bed and an hour early to boot!! A great way to start 2009…
On our way to Florida we always get excited when we pass the big water tower that looks like a giant butt. You would think it would be in Georgia but it is actually in South Carolina. The kids always giggle and Daddy and I always shake our heads at their juvenile humor but wonder what they were thinking when they built it, it does look like a giant peach colored butt! This year we got a picture for proof and decided it must be blogged about. Oh the things long car rides make you do…
Grandma and Pap-Pap stopped for a few days before heading over to their winter habitat in Myrtle Beach. Uncle Jim, Aunt Maureen, and the boys came over to help us celebrate. After the exchange Mom cooked a great dinner, and we all finished the Holidays with full bellies.
A few videos of opening gifts…
Mommy Opening Gifts
Grandma Opening Gifts
Uncle Jim Opening Gifts
Tallmonster Opening Gifts
Pap Pap Opening Gifts
Pap Pap Getting Ready to Open Gifts
Aunt Maureen Opening Gifts
Jonah Opening Gifts
Noah Opening Gifts II
Noah Opening Gifts
We headed out to see the Zoo Lights at The ZOO of Northwest Florida… We always thought it was the Gulf Breeze Zoo. The jmonsters got to ride in Uncle Andy’s new monster muddier. Smallmonster had to be lifted in, the truck set so high. They both got out with huge smiles on their faces and immediately thought Daddy needed a muddier. Even the parking attendant thought the truck was pretty cool.
We wondered around the front part of the zoo, were they had all kinds of Christmas lights shaped like different animals. We petted goats, cows, and even an ox. Everyone boarded the train which took you to the back part of 
the zoo, where they had animals free range. Daddy gracefully bowed out after he saw the room in the seats. it was worse than any airline he had been on, and there was no way he was going to fit.
We finished the tour off with a trip through the snake exhibit, where they had boas and anacondas, or what we like to call them big ‘ol snakes. The had snakes skins nailed to the walls, where Smallmonster said they where molting. These skins could easily cloth a small family with some pretty cool pairs of boots.
Off to Kentucky Fried Chicken for a late dinner, and to the house. Another great day at Grandma in Florida’s.
One of the advantages of living in NC, besides the lack of Winter weather, is we are closer to the folks down in Florida. We packed up the truck and headed and embarked on our ten hour journey further South. We left around 2:00pm Thursday and made it down around midnight, the night before.
Friday, Daddy had to work for a bit in the morning while Grandpa and Mommy prepared for the festivities later that evening. CG and the kids made it over and with a big cooler full of Hunch Punch. We snackied for most of the afternoon, and the Hunch Punch snuck up on a lot of us, so we had to take a break and have a couple cups of coffee before dinner.
Uncle Dan and Aunt Joyce came over for Christmas dinner made up of ham, and all of the fixings including CG’s world famous potato salad. We ate until we were ready to explode, and that was before dessert. After the feast we couldn’t control the Smallmonster any longer… It was time to open presents.
The carnage began with a bang with the boys getting cowboy guns, games, clothes, and the hit of the Season the Fusion Scooters. The boys were ripping it up, and Colby got a pretty cool bike slash scooter transformer. Mommy and Daddy made out pretty well too, with new dishes for the kitchen, (we were a bit low from thinning out for the big move), and linens for the table and bed.
The fun is just starting with an action packed weekend planned with Zoo Lights and a pizza party planned.
We headed out for our traditional Thanksgiving geocache with the Arachnuts, a great day to hike the trail around Lake Brandt.
We found 
Kaytee’s Cache and
Piedmont Trail CD exchange, our logs are below:
Cache Logs
November 25 by jmonsters (8 found)
Out with the Arachnuts on our traditional Thanksgiving cache. Beautiful day for a hike around the lake! TFTC!
November 25 by jmonsters (8 found)
Out with the Arachnuts on our traditional Thanksgiving cache. Found this one right after Kaytee’s Cache, beautiful day for a hike around the lake! TFTC!
Love being in NC so that you can venture outdoors in November!
The Floridian Gee’s packed up the van this morning and headed back home. We can’t believe how quiet the house is, and it is somewhat anti-climatic end to a long, holiday weekend.
We packed a lot of the van up the night before, but there was still at bit more to be tucked in this morning. After all of our trips to the store, and the rides home full of merchandise, we didn’t think there would be any way to get all of the “stuff” down South. Well, it fit and so did all of the people. We are still a little amazed.
Black Friday began with coffee and discussions as to whether there were any sales worth going out for. We eventually made it out to Home Depot and a few other stops but nothing where we had to bulldoze our way through.
We did make it to the Garden Ridge shopping destination that is the home of Chinese made goods. After an hour of shopping and 3 shopping carts full we made it home for Aunt Courtney’s delicious chili and vegging out. The Florida van was packed to the gills with all of us and the purchases. There was a lot of debate as to whether or not everything was going to make it back to Florida. The hit of the day was how Smallmonster kept us entertained with his penguins that rock out to the song "jump around".
We have a lot to be thankful for this year…
Our first Thanksgiving in the new house was celebrated with Grandma & Grandpa from Florida, Aunt Courtney, Shelby, Colby, and Zach. They rolled in late Wednesday night (technically Thursday) after stopping by Uncle Corky’s in Tennessee for a quick hello and the dropping off the traditional Thanksgiving D-O-G. We visited until close to two in the morning and the jmonster even awoke from their sleep after repeated promises from Mommy and Daddy that they would indeed wake them up when they arrived.
The next day came way too early and the fun officially began. After sleeping late and pouring over the "biggest newspaper or the year" checking out the Black Friday specials, we prepared for the gluttonous Thanksgiving dinner.
Mommy had cooked the turkey the day before so getting the goodies to the table wasn’t as hectic as usual. We enjoyed an early afternoon dinner so we could have time to digest so we could fill back up with dessert. Uncle Jim, Aunt Maureen and the boys came over later for dessert and coffee. The house was full and the jmonsters were having a ball with all of their cousins. It was a good start to what was promising to be a fun filled weekend…
The jmonsters enjoyed their first Halloween in the new house. The neighborhood was all decked out and most lights were on. What we weren’t used to were the loooonnnng driveways and big yards. In Auburn, the houses are so close together but here it is quite a hike between each house.
There is one house with a 300 yard long driveway but the jmonsters were determined when they saw the “ENTER” sign in chalk at the end. Along the way the homeowners had drawn spider and webs to encourage them. At the end was a huge spider in chalk so they were impressed and didn’t even notice how long they had walked. That was only the second house.
We started out at 6:45 and didn’t get back until 8 p.m. We even skipped a few of the houses at the beginning of the development. Smallmonster was complaining of tired legs (JFL) and even sat down at the end of a few driveways to rest. The jmonsters had quite a haul of candy and will be rotting their teeth for quite a while! (Daddy and Mommy will try to be good, even though Daddy sneaks the snickers!)
