Bahamas, Part 3

Not too much to say today. It is raining a warm tropical rain right now. Gosh I love that! It was one of my favorite things in Benin too. It smells delicious. However, I decided to come inside to do a little work.

Cara is REALLY sunburned today. Pretty much everywhere, although she did manage to make her feet look like she was wearing socks. My theory, her feet were blocking the sun, so the tops of her feet stayed white. It's pretty funny, but at least she can wear shoes. She spent most of the morning in bed, with some occasional aloe rub-downs. I'm going to try and find some Sooth-a-caine for our little Dies. She did finally deign to leave the room for lunch, and once that happened, it didn't take Tony long to convince her to head to the casino. I decided to stay on the hotel side and get a little work done (gambling really isn't my favorite). So I sat poolside and did a little typing on my Pro-Cert portfolio before the rain came. After enjoying the rain for a little, I checked on my fav gamblers. They were still playing, of course. I left them there after telling them they needed to be back for dinner at 6 (I'm sure I'll be pulling them out screaming at 5:45) so we can go to dinner together. Anyway, I'm going to spend a little more time on my Pro-Cert and try to get two sections finished of the three, and then I think a rain-soaked dip is in my future! I'll upload some photos tonight when I'm back in my room with my camera cord. Hopefully, I can get a couple of our beautiful resort today, and the rain!

Bahamas, Part 2

Cara got the monster of all sunburns today. Let's just say she is reliving Tony's tropical vacation of last year. I'm not sure if she'll be able to walk tomorrow. She is pretty much burned anywhere possible, although her back isn't as bad as her front, so she SHOULD be able to sleep tonight. She found the energy to do a little gambling at the casino next door to our hotel (of course she and Tony chose a hotel with a casino attached)! Cara won about $40 as did I, and Tony cashed out when he hit $200.

We're going to check out downtown tomorrow. Hopefully I'll have some pictures to show you as well.

Bahamas, Part 1

It was a crazy trip getting to the Bahamas with Cara and Tony. It all started well enough. I finally got hold of mom after two hours of trying to call and make sure she was coming to get me. She, of course, was asleep. Luckily, Steve finally returned my call and we were off. And Blythe T. was off the hook too. She was my backup ride.

At the airport, I got checked in, but my ticket agent said she couldn't check me through all the way and that I would have to do it at the gate (I was changing airlines in Seattle). She did get my bags checked all the way through, but wasn't sure if my bags would make the exchange in time. My bags did in fact make the plane, but I didn't. My seats were given away at a half hour before the flight took off, while I was waiting in line to check into the flight, as a matter of fact. After the flight took off (it was of course overbooked by about twenty people.). I got to work out my situation with perhaps the nicest gate attendant I have ever met.

After 45 minutes of him trying every which way he could think of to get me to DC/Virginia Friday night to make my flight on Saturday to the Bahamas, he realized there was no way Delta could do it (Not Delta's fault, just so we're clear). So instead he redid my entire trip, and flew me to the Bahamas from Seattle on Saturday. He also arranged for a hotel and meal vouchers, as well as changing my return flights for me, so I could go from the Bahamas to Spokane. Not only that, but he was waiting for me on Saturday morning at my gate to make sure that everything was OK with my ticket. Seriously, the nicest guy, especially considering Friday had been the end of his shift. On Saturday, he also took care of rerouting my bags from Virginia so that I could have clothes in the Bahamas.

After waiting for my shuttle to the Red Lion for pretty close to two hours (or at least it felt that way in the cold of Seattle), I realized I was being an idiot and called aunt Sue, who came and rescued me from the airport. My original plan was to check into the hotel and then call the family. I didn't want anyone to have to get me to the airport at 5:30 in the morning. We had a fun evening of knitting with the girls at Mill Creek yarn. Pam dropped by too and told us about her weird shake and bake class. It seems worth a try as a workout, even though it's incredibly crazy sounding. We also tried to break into the guest room which was locked due to the door handle having been put on backwards. It didn't work, so I slept on the air mattress...

My trip to the airport and the Bahamas went pretty smoothly on Saturday. My super-awesome gate attendant even got me a seat in first class for the Seattle-Atlanta leg, and I had an exit row to myself on the way to Nassau. Could it have been any better!? Did I mention he was amazing? I made it to Nassau a few hours behind Cara and Tony. Once I made it through customs (surprisingly quickly), I headed to the Delta counter to get an ETA for my lost bag. I was ecstatic to learn that it was actually on the same flight as me. So, I collected my bags and headed to the hotel, where after a half-hour of calling Cara and Tony, they finally woke up and took me up to the room. Let the adventures begin!

March Madness begins!!!

Those who know us will find it no surprise that March Madness (the college b-ball tourney) rules the Longinotti household. Little else makes it onto our TV during tourney time. In fact one of my life goals is to go to a Final Four...no matter how far away I have to sit. So on the first day of the tournament, I thought I'd give a little shout out to my family and our Longinotti-Kynaston challenge. This year, Cara, Katie, Pooh Bear (brother Tony), Big Tony (dad), Patty (step mom), Laurie (mom), and I are battling it out over our CBS sports brackets, vying to be the coveted Bracket champions. Let the games begin, and may I kick all your butts!

Lent sucks

So usually when Lent rolls around I give up something frivolous that I don't really care about, or something that I was ready to do anyway like no soda or desserts...I have a lot of food sacrifices in my past. Some years I've even added something in (like I have time for more things), such as doing some volunteering or reading a book.

Well this year, I came up with something truly difficult for me in a stroke of inspiration...or idiocy depending on how you look at it. For 40 days, no SHOPPING. (Megan Prentice, I know you are gasping in horror right now). Let me tell you, I'm not a big shopper in the sense that I am going to the mall all the time or spending large amounts, but I do shop.

So my deal is that I couldn't buy anything for myself other then food and necessities. No clothes, no yarn, no music (surprisingly the hardest so far), or new books (tied for hardest). I knew that would be difficult, but I'm prepared for those. It's the stuff you aren't suspecting that has proven tougher. For instance today, I was at my gym getting ready to work out and ran into my friend Dan, the fitness manager there. He told me that they had gotten in a shipment of bugs (the fitness monitors they use on Biggest Loser). He had one left, and had thought I might like it as he knows how hard I've been working on my weight loss this year. I've actually been intrigued with that little gadget since I first saw them on BL, and of course said "Yes, I'll pick it up tomorrow!" Then my other self kicked in, and I remembered that I was a shopping blackout, and that the Bug definitely fit into my categories of not-allowed-to-buy. So I had to go back to Dan and decline the offer, at least until their next shipment came in and Lent was over.

Oh well, at least my soul is still in good shape...

WW update

Mom and I went to our weekly Weight Watchers meeting this morning (no Katie as she's off at Winter Ski Weekend with the Diocesan youth). It was a good day for me. I lost a little over 5 lbs. (I secretly think this is because I "gained" 2 pounds last week after eating at The Melting Pot). But still, it was exciting. I also hit my first 5% this week. It is a pretty big milestone for me. My next goal is 10%.

33rd birthday

Not as crazy as Megalina's but the birthday festivities were still fun. My day was started out with staff and students wishing me a happy birthday, and five renditions of the ever-lovely birthday song from each of my classes. After school, I was taken out to dinner (thanks Katie)! My friends Lisa (co-b-day celebrator: 2/28), Tara and Diane, and my sister Katie (mom was a no-show due to stomach flu) went to the ever fun and slightly pricey Melting Pot to ring in my newest year. We ordered fondue galore and enjoyed an evening without the men-folk. I couldn't have asked for a nicer way to celebrate the 27th.




After dinner, Katie, Tara and I headed back to the apartment for a video and present opening. Tara gave me some gloves (apparently there is more to come), and Katie, Cara and Tony got me a yarn winder and umbrella. (The picture is me winding my first ball of yarn with it). I couldn't have been happier. Cara, Tony, Dad, and Patty also sent me some lovely flowers. A little embarrassing to carry through the Freeman halls, by the way.


Mom, Katie and I went to breakfast after our Saturday morning weigh in. Shockingly, I only gained two pounds after our Melting Pot pig-out. Mom knitted me a beautiful pair of socks (Harry Potter Horcrux design). All in all, an amazing weekend of birthday fun!

Seattle Yarn Crawl blanket

It only took two years, but I finally got my blanket done. It was completed just in time to give to my friend Lindy's newborn son Caleb. I know there's some pink in it, but it really isn't girly, and Lindy and Nate didn't know what they were having! Anyway, here's the finished product. I'll post some pics with Caleb on it when I finally get over to visit them. By the way, learn to crochet before doing a blanket like this. It was ridiculous joining it without crocheting the squares together.