Daytona Beach - a bust?

I have been to Daytona Beach once in my life, but I honestly don't remember it all. Now looking back on our little excursion, I might know why. Daytona Beach is probably the one place in Florida that I think I would be okay with not returning to later on.

I saw a Groupon (it was not from Groupon itself, but a similar site) for a 2 night hotel stay in Daytona Beach for $60 and it was right on the beach. Normally we always stay at a Hampton Inn or Hilton due to the cheap deals we can get through Omar's family. The funny thing is that I totally didn't think of getting a hotel through them, it later occurred to me. Well I thought, that is a good deal and it is right on the beach...why not?

I asked my parents if they wanted to join us and besides my mom mentioning that the place looked sort of dumpy. I thought, it looks pretty nice from the pictures and hey we are right on the beach it can't be that bad. I told her it would be an adventure. I later realized that the weekend we chose was the weekend of Omar's birthday so I figured we would celebrate that as well. I didn't even think well Omar is not a big beach fan nor would he want to go to Daytona since he goes there 2-3 times a week at least for work. Get the idea, that not much thinking was happening with this trip, right? This is me being spontaneous...not a good idea, I guess.

So off we went. Omar and I left the house about 11 AM and he had a 2 jobs to do in Daytona Beach before we went to the hotel. Daytona is really only about a 50 minute drive from our house, which was nice, but made me later realize that a day trip would have been sufficient. After his jobs, we puttered around over to the hotel stopping at a pawn shop that was having a tent sale just to browse.

We pulled up to the hotel and I was like, "oh my, my parents are going to flip!" We just laughed and laughed that we would be staying here. I read reviews the day before of the hotel and got mixed reviews, of course I didn't think to do this before purchasing the Groupon. I was in the moment when I bought, imagining what a great trip we would have. We checked in and payed our $7.50 in room taxes (that should give you an idea of what this place is like). It was definitely worth no more than $30/night. I asked the lady upon checking in if they had a lot of success with the Groupon and she said they had over 300 people buy it in the first day. I asked how much rooms normally go for and she said $79/$89 per night.

We walk into our room and just laughed. This place was supposed to/advertised that it has a kitchen with an oven, stove, fridge, etc. Yeah there was just a little closet space (not an actual closet) with a mini fridge and a microwave sitting on top of it. The bathroom did have bar soap but the shampoo was one of those free plastic samples you get in the mail sometimes. There was a tiny little table and it had a tablecloth over it that had stains on it. We pulled the table cloth up and the table was much nicer so we took the table cloth off.

I realized that the reason people stay at a place like this is because they have rooms that are for smokers and you can bring pets. I didn't even know that hotels would let smoking be allowed anymore. The day before we left this guy came down to the pool with his dog and asked how he would get back into the pool area with the locked gate. My mom and I told him that there is a pass code you need in order to get back in and they gave it to you at check in. We told him what it was. After about 20 minutes he came back up and couldn't open the gate and my mom had to open it for him. We heard him muttering as he walked by, "for $85 a night and I don't even get a pass code." We just laughed. We later found out that he actually got a deal online that was for $69/night. He said when he and his wife pulled up to the place that they both said "What a dump." they demanded to see the rooms before they stayed and that he walked into the room and told my mom, "Now these are NICE rooms, I mean real nice." It took my mom everything not to be like, "are you kidding?"

The whole weekend we made fun of the place. It kept us in good spirits. Some of the jokes were:
"only the best for Omar."
"What is that noise, a cow, a long fart, or....oh, wait that is the toilet flushing."

We did anything to avoid staying in the room. We talked about leaving the last night and going home to sleep in our own beds. My dad convinced us to stay so we could get another walk on the beach in the morning. He had been a walking maniac, he probably walked 4 hours the first day on the beach and I know that I did hour long walks both Saturday and Sunday mornings with him. My mom asked if we were going to end up leaving in the middle of the night and not tell them. If she hadn't said that we probably would have because of what happened next.

Saturday night we went to bed and were awakened at 4:15 AM to loud pounding on our door. Omar opened the curtains right next to the bed and there were people yelling, are you guys okay, and this creepy guy staring into our window. They kept saying they heard strange noises and crying. They then went to the next door and did the same thing and the people next door started cussing and telling them to get outta there. Well I thought that was weird and wondered why they would do that. Omar just calmly responded, "Oh they probably thought someone was dead in one of these rooms and wanted to make sure that wasn't the case." Lets just say I could go back to sleep because then our neighbors who were so upset by the whole thing started smoking. The smoke was so strong it was coming through the walls and the adjoining door. It was a horrible night. I later thought, I wonder if they heard me? I had just finished a dream where I had been crying and Omar tells me that I cry really loud in my sleep and he usually wakes me up. He didn't notice it, but maybe the people heard it and came to check? So weird.

Yes, this hotel was not fun, but that isn't the main reason why Daytona was such a bust.

Rebekah's Baby Shower

My friend Rebekah from my last ward I was in is pregnant with her first baby and is due on November 1. Her ward threw her a baby shower, and I was fortunate enough to have been off on the day it was scheduled so I got to go. I also was able to help them decorate in the morning, There was a large turnout with over 30 people. Rebekah is so special, kind, thoughtful, and so giving. She was recently released as Relief Society President for many years and was always serving everybody cheerfully. She is going to be a great mom!

Larry King

In August I listened to Larry King's "My Remarkable Journey" Biography and Memoirs. If I were to have the option to read or listen to this book I would for sure choose listen. It was cool because Larry read it. When it would come to parts that other people close to him would be sharing their memories, they would speak. The way it was completed made me feel like they were sharing it for the first time, because it included laughs, and other pauses that was not just like reading a book.

I found this book very interesting. Larry King is not a young guy, and I knew he had a show called Larry King Live, but I have maybe watched 2 episodes of it before. Hearing how he grew up, what makes him tick, how he got to where he is was just amazing. I truly felt like there will not be another person like Larry King again. But then again, it made me feel like the way he sees people - he doesn't see them as famous or regular people - he sees people as all being amazing and that we can learn something from everybody. I truly felt that I would be interested to listen to some of his previous shows.

I was so shocked at how sexual he is. I mean really 8 wives? Not even the wives, so much was about women and how many he loved and made love with. I guess we are talking the 60's, but wow - he really is not an attractive guy - plus he smoked for so long. Gross. The thing that I still don't quite understand is what his current wife sees in him. Mainly I wonder because she is Mormon or LDS just like me and he is of no religion and does not believe in God. It honestly shocks me. I don't know how religious she is specifically, but still that would be so difficult - plus they are like 30 years in age difference. People think it is because of money - but she was a multi-millionaire on her own prior to the marriage.

I was surprised at how much history he shared, just his thoughts about the various presidents as he has known all of them. I by far not a history buff, and actually consider myself quite clueless in this arena, but it was very interesting. This was a quick 8-9 hours of my life in the car and I recommend it.

Labor Day Weekend 2011

After my high school reunion activity on Saturday afternoon, I spent the rest of the weekend with my family. We went to Downtown Disney in the evening, which was super busy. I had not been to Downtown Disney since I worked there prior to getting married (so 3.5 years). I don't think when I even worked there that I ever walked around so it had been many years since I had done so. Virgin is gone and they are now building a bowling alley. They got rid of the super overpriced McDonald's and now they have a chicken place that is like Pollo Tropical but is more South American style. We ate there for dinner. I got the salad which was quite delicious. I had a bite of my husbands chicken which was good, the beans and the sweet plantains were average. I went into Basin which still was the same with the exception that they have make your own candles now too. I saw Maribel who I worked with there.

After Downtown Disney we went and got ice cream at this really cool ice cream shop that used to be this bike store in Downtown Kissimmee. They make their ice cream with liquid nitrogen. You choose the toppings they add the milk and voila you have your own ice cream creation. Pretty sweet! I got the honey cinnamon - it was AmAZinG!!!!

Sunday I went with my parents to church and it was good to see all the old families I love. I have to share that Sister Strickland came up to me and expressed that she had been thinking of me recently and wondered how I am. Her daughter, Naomi, who I babysit for MANY years, is now expecting her second child. That is so crazy, she even beat me to getting married. So funny. She then went on to tell me how I was the most amazing babysitter. I asked if I could record her because so many people think I am not good with children. She was shocked that anyone would think that because I was so good with kids. Just had to share that for all of those out there who tell me I am bad with kids.

I went to Brother Barrietiero's class on family and marital relationships. It was an interesting class. The bulk of it was review, but he brought up some really interesting things that I just never had thought about before. Anger is the result of lack of control. Lack of control stems from our unmet expectations.

That early evening we had chicken a la king for dinner with salad and fruit trifle. So yummy, my request. Naomi Gunnels came over and we enjoyed catching up. We then played Mad Gab and Pit.

About 8 pm we headed back to St. Augustine and Lindsey came with us for the Labor Day.

Labor Day we woke up and went to eat at Waffle House. Omar then went home to do yard work and Lindsey and I went to the beach. If you are feeling bad for Omar, don't...he doesn't really care for the beach. There is this beach that Brooke Pratt and my sister Kelly found that is supposed to be so nice and empty. I told my friend Brianna about it and she found it and told us how to get there. I am still not sure if this is the beach or not, but we went...of all names it is called South Beach. It is quite the opposite of the Popular South Beach in Miami.

It is about 10 minute drive from Michler's Beach which is the closest beach to our house. We had to pass North Beach and then Middle Beach - very unique names, right? The beach is on a preserve so there are no buildings. It costs $3 to park, you just put the money in a little blue envelope and put a thing on your visor in the car. I don't know how they really know if you paid, but it is only $3 and it helps to keep up the beach. We go there at 10 AM and there were only 2 other cars there.

The walk to the beach is much shorter than the parking lot from Crescent Beach. You do cross A1A and the beach is right there. I was shocked at how empty it was. Lindsey and I just looked at each other because we had never been to a beach with only one other person on it. The waves were actually pretty big too. I was surprised people were not surfing there. Maybe the waves didn't last to long before breaking was why they don't surf there. I would say they are some of the bigger waves I have ever seen in Florida. It was a nice beach.

That night we had Brandon, Brianna, and Bryce come over for a BBQ. We had chicken drumsticks, potatoes, corn on the cob and they brought a Caesar salad. For desert we had root beer floats. The Hills are movie watchers and so we watched 2 movies together - Rio, and then I Am Number 4.

10 Year High School Reunion

THE DRAMA
My high school reunion was over Labor Day Weekend. There was quite a bit of drama regarding the planning of the event. Nowadays there aren't lists with contact information to reach out to all the class members, if there was most likely it would be so out of date it wouldn't matter. Everything was done by Facebook. If there was someone we knew who graduated with us that hadn't been invited we were to invite them. There were some people from our high school class that totally disagreed with how this was being handled and that everyone should receive invitations in the mail and it should be a formal event like a prom. A big debate ensued and it got pretty nasty on our Facebook page for the reunion. I didn't join in at all...and just thought how some people maybe haven't changed since high school.

FRIDAY NIGHT
I picked Omar up from the airport where he was getting back from a week long trip out there. He went smack dab into Hurricane Irene and was one of the last flights to get into New York. Omar was not excited about going to the reunion at all with me, but it was one of the deals that he had to go if he was to go to NY. We went to BJ's for the pizza buffet. When we got there, Jeremy Buxton was the only other one there. He was our Class President, I think all 4 years, and basically planned most of the reunion from being stationed all the way over in Hawaii, poor guy. It was about an hour before really anyone else came. We were expecting about 50-60 people and about 20 showed.

The OHS v. Ocoee football game was next. Omar never went to a game in high school which I think is plain crazy since he was ROTC and his brother also played. Omar was tired and so I took him to my parents house and I went to the game alone. I am glad I went alone because he would have been bored to death. I was able to visit with Mr. Carswell and Mrs. Ferguson. The school is completely different! It isn't quite finished yet, but I can just say "WOW" it is not the school that I went to. This actually looks like a school now - not a pit.

New School not open yet

vs. old school

Me and Mr. Carswell - it might be the last time I see him, he retires this year and will be moving out of state. He even remembered my name!

Marc Horne (and g-friend), Christine Bradford, Sara and Matt Sparks

After the game everyone went to 3 Sisters Easy, which is a popular bar in downtown Kissimmee. It didn't exist when we were in high school, but really nothing did in Downtown Kissimmee at that time. I wasn't going to go originally, but realized there would be a lot of people wouldn't go to anything else but the bar. It was a much bigger crowd there. I ended up spending most of my time outside with Christine Bradford, Christina Watson (new last name now though), Alaina Mayes (new last name now), Marc Horne, Jared Stewart, Sarah Summers and Matt (who are married now). I was one of the first people to leave about midnight - everyone else left when it closed at 2 AM. I couldn't stay awake any longer.

BBQ
The next day was the bbq at Elks Lodge. There was a ton of food. The turnout was pretty decent, but it was mainly all the same people.I did get to talk with Christy Gay, Nicole Collabella, Mark Ferguson, and some others. There were people that I wish had come to the reunion that didn't, I'm not sure why, especially since they live locally. Too bad.

Jeremy Buxton and I

OUTCOME
All in all, I am glad I went to the reunion. It was interesting how many people asked me about my brother. He did graduate the year before me and we had a lot of mutual friends, but we never spent time with them together - they were always separate friends. I think Michael kept in touch with more people from high school than I did, especially since he went to school in-state. Most people thought I was living somewhere out West still. We probably won't have one for another 10 years, and hopefully next time it might be with another class too since most of my close friends from high school graduated before and after me.

Jaguars Game

My friend Tiffany Copeland got tickets to go to the Jags vs Rams game on Thursday September 1st. We paid $10/each, thank you USO, and we sat in the Honor Rows seats. I thought that was pretty funny. I have sat in Honor Rows seats before with Big Brothers Big Sisters. This time at least, we didn't have someone monitoring bathroom breaks and it was not nearly as crowded. We parked the car in the same lot we normally do, near the historical society by the ball field. It isn't but a 10 minute walk probably to get to the stadium, but the parking went up since last I went there. I remember it being more like $10 to park, it was $20 this time. Bummer. Especially surprising with it being a pre-season game. Tiffany is pregnant and I thought they would let her bring her BPA free water bottle empty into the stadium. We walked all the way there and they wouldn't let her so we walked back to the car and then back to the game again. We missed the opening but that's no big deal. It is interesting how I don't think I even watched half of the game. It was so not entertaining. football really never is for me anyhow. We had a good time talking.

July Books

This past month I read 2 more books. I don't know if audio books count as reading, but anyhow.

This was my first time reading a book by Dean Koontz. It wasn't that this was a bad book. I have read worse for sure, I at least got through the whole thing. But the book was very frustrating to me. Dean Koontz is SO descriptive, so much so that it would bore me. The plot was interesting and many aspects were very creative, it just took too long for any action. Lets just say that for 2 hours to pass in the book was over half the book! Really, do we need to be that descriptive? The unfortunate thing with audio book in this case is I couldn't scan to get to the stuff I cared about. I had to listen and listen and listen, because who knew when something important would happen. I don't think I will be picking up another Dean Koontz novel though.

After learning a little more about Bob Barker in Chuck Norris's autobiography I happened to come across Bob Barker's. He is one interesting guy. I of course watched him on the Price is Right, and enjoyed him. I did not realize that he was host of another show called Truth or Consequences. It was interesting hearing about those stories and make me want to go and watch a few shows. Something that really stands out to me about Bob is that he never did try to get laughs or fame by putting others down. Everything he did was about building others up and he would work to make them funny, not to be funny himself. I like that, I wish more comedians were that way. I never realized how involved he has been with animal rights, now the whole "help control the pet population, have your pets spayed and neutered" makes complete sense. Not only has he been involved with animal rights, I would deem to say that he has been central and a key player to all they have accomplished. It was a good book.