Clue #3…
I just checked the pedometer…
So far…
The Girl and I have walked over 8 miles today…
Help!
Posts from the ‘Travel’ Category
Feb 24
Clue #2 …
Clue #2
We we went to The Girl Who Thinks She’s A Bird’s
most favorite museum in the whole world this morning…
The Dinosaur exhibit…
Was the best I’ve ever seen…
The museum also had this giant slice of a California Redwood Tree…
Pretty cool if you ask me…
We also paid a quick visit to Monkey Boy’s favorite stuffed Dodo Bird…
And… And…
Holy Crackers…..
I FOUND WALDO!!!!
I almost peed my pants!
Mavis’s Weekly Photo Update…NOT!
OMG! I started writing this post yesterday morning… and by the time I finally sat down last night (9 pm) to finish it… my day had evolved into something else…
The kids have the week off… Due to President’s week and all…
It’s 30 degrees outside…
And… It’s suppose to be like 30 degrees outside
ALL.WEEK.LONG.
This is Seattle people…not Minnesota…
30 Degrees for 5 days… is kind of a big deal…
Here’s part of a conversation I had with the HH on Sunday afternoon:
Topic: We need to re-bark the yard.
Mavis: Let’s order 15 yards of bark… now is the time to do it… the kids are on vacation… we need to whip the garden into shape… the kids are on vacation… we need to pull the weeds… the kids are on vacation… we need to spruce up the raspberry patch… the kids are on vacation… we need to burn the fallen branches… the kids are on vacation… we need to clean out the garage… did I mention: THE KIDS ARE ON VACATION????
The Handsome Husband: ARE YOU FREAKIN NUTS???
The kids are on vacation… and it’s 30 degrees out.
Mavis: Exactly… the kids are on vacation… FREE child labor…Perfect timing…
The Handsome Husband: Well… I have to work this week.
Mavis: What? But the kids are on vacation? I thought you were taking this week off?
The Handsome Husband: Shoveling bark and pulling weeds in freezing temps is not a vacation… I’m not taking time off to do that kinda crap…
******************
So then I suggested we take the kids snowboarding… and finally… after A LOT of complaining… he agreed… but said we could only go for one day.
**************
So…
On Monday morning…
The bark was delivered… and the kids start shoveling…
Tuesday morning… the kids are still shoveling bark…
About noon… The Girl Who Thinks She’s A Bird turns to me and says…
Are we going snowboarding this weekend?
Mavis: The boys said they don’t want to go…
The Girl: Well can we just go then… just the two of us?
Mavis: I don’t know… If just the two of us went I’d have to drive in the snow…
You know… it would cheaper for you and me to fly to XXXX than the four of us to go snowboarding for the day…
The Girl: CAN WE GO TO XXXX?
Mavis: I don’t know… Hey… let’s go see if we can get some last minute FREE tickets with our frequent flyer miles…
Mavis Again: Hey look! We can get 2 FREE tickets to XXXX…
The Girl: Can just the two of us go?
Mavis: Let’s call Dad…
***********************************************
I don’t know if the Handsome Husband was calling my bluff or just trying to get out of snowboarding…
But by the time you read this post…
The Girl Who Thinks She’s A Bird and I will be on an airplane…
Wooo Hooo… I just love a last minute vacation!
Be sure and come back for tomorrows post…
I smell a giveaway!
OOoo… and it’s a good one!
Home Again Home Again, Jiggity Jig
One of the best parts of going on vacation is coming home.
Especially when it’s to a mailbox stuffed full of FREE SAMPLES! And what an assortment if I DO SAY SO myself:
2 Magazines
Chex Mix
Crackerfulls (crackerfull of crap is what I say, but it was free)
Crest 3-D white strips (3 more of these babies and I’ll have a week supply)
Canker Sore cream
A razor (with a battery!)
Tampons
Pantyliners
Coupon for a FREE bottle of shampoo
2 Purex 3-in-1 detergent sheets
4 packs of Mayo (great for picnics)
Pink ear plugs (I think I’ll use these when the handsome husband snores)
And last but not least: a rebate check for $1.79
Yes, it’s good to be home again!
Where in the World is Mavis: Stupid Hotel Story
Because I’m an idiot…
This morning I accidentally rubbed Burt’s Bees toothpaste all over my face instead of Eucerin Lotion. Damn those tiny little free samples that ALL LOOK THE SAME!!!!!
And because I am a TOTAL IDIOT this morning at 6 am (because the handsome husband did not want to drink SUPER CRAPPY hotel coffee) I went down to the Starbucks to buy him a latte (and me a tea. Don’t worry it was FREE!).
And since I didn’t bring my hotel key or my cell phone for that matter, I knocked on the door. Then I knocked again. Then I started kicking the door, because OMG I just crawled out of bed, put sunglasses on and went to the lobby to get him a stinkin’ latte. The least he could do is open the frickin’ door. FINALLY the door opened and behind it was a 5 foot tall confused Indian woman in her pajamas whispering a meek “Yes?”
HOLE.LEE.CRAP. Wrong floor. I think I might have peed on myself.
Where in the World is Mavis
If you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time you probably know a few things about me: #1. I’m thrifty. #2. I LOVE vacations. So when the handsome husband has to take a business trip, I’m all for tagging along if it’s possible. So far, this trip has been pretty amazing. Now I know what the Barefoot Contessa feels like when she walks into a tiny grocery store in the Hamptons. Needless to say, they do not accept coupons.
But the food? Delish. And the best part? We are here on business. Translation: LUNCH IS FREE!
I love taking tours. And so does the handsome husband.
And so do people from South Korea.
Have you ever been to a vineyard? This was my first time.
Would you look at that ivy. How cool would that be growing up the side of the house?
450 acres of grapes.
Strangely enough, I don’t drink wine.
But the handsome husband does. He’s Irish you know.
So it kinda makes up for the fact that I don’t drink.
The tour guide told us that these barrels behind us are French Oak and cost $1,000 each.
I think when I get home I’m going to plant me some French Oak trees in the backyard.
Hand carved corks.
Oak Barrel.
And the best part (as per the handsome husband): The wine tasting.
Here are my glasses.
Here are my glasses at the end of the tasting.
I prefer my grapes off the vine thank you very much.
Where in the world is Mavis today?
The House of Mondavi: The Rise and Fall of an American Wine Dynasty
Observations From Row 21 Seat B
I am currently sandwiched between a man and his very large quart sized bag of beef jerky who keeps shaking his leg as if he needs to use the lavatory and The Girl and her powered doughnuts.
The stewardess tried to sell me a breakfast skillet for $6. GROSS!
However I did score a free apple juice and .5oz bag of Cinnamon Bagels Chips & Pretzels. I think the family behind me is Greek or at least that’s what it sounds like. I think they must be speaking Greek because it kinda sounds like the movie My Sister’s Big Fat Greek Wedding back there. I just hope the Dad didn’t bring along a bottle of Windex.
I was the first person to use the toilet paper in the lavatory. I know this because there were two brand new rolls when I closed the bi-fold door. I had to resist stealing one of the rolls of toilet paper. Usually when we stay in a hotel I stuff the extra roll of toilet paper in my backpack and sometimes the Kleenex too. I don’t know why I do this. Maybe it’s because I have OCD or maybe it’s because I want to get caught by airport security and embarrass the handsome husband.
I think it’s the latter of the two. Yep. I’m one sick puppy. What can I say? I’m easily amused.
Where in the World Is Mavis? Keep guessing! Once you get the state right I will play the “hot and cold” game.
Clue #1: The state has TWO A’s in it.
If it’s Such a Small World Then Why Have I Been Sitting on this Airplane for Twelve Hours?
Guess Where Mavis Is Right Now?
Woooo Hoooo! Guess where I am? It has got to be on my top 5 all time places to be in the world!!!!
I’m at the Airport!
Yippee! That means I’m GOING SOMEWHERE!
I.LOVE.TO.TRAVEL.
I don’t even freak out when the plane is late or when we have a 5 hour lay over and they give us each a $10 meal voucher to spend on crappy airport food. Heck I don’t even care when the creepy underpaid airport security people want to frisk me or if Monkey Boy passes out due to a lack of breakfast because the handsome husband keeps telling him, “Just wait til we are thru security then we will get something to eat.” And then not only does the boy pass out but he throws up all over the floor too. Whooo Hooo. GOOD TIMES!
I’m at the airport…
I’m at the airport…
I can’t wait for the stewardess to offer me a snack pack for $3 when I get on the plane. I’ll decline it of course and take the free 7-up soda instead because I will have packed my OWN SNACK bag of preservative filled goodness.
Anybody want to guess where I’m going? (Sadly it’s not Virginia today) Come on, what are you waiting for?
Guess where I’m headed and if you are the first person to get it right, I’ll mail you something from there! To narrow down your guess I WILL tell you this:
It is within the Continental United States.
(Obviously, if you know where I am, you may not guess!)
Favorite Pictures From Our Trip To Europe
Scotland is beautiful. The pictures really don’t do it justice, but I have to share anyway. Even just a street in downtown Edinburgh, Scotland looks cool.
Here are the kids on the Western Ireland coastline.
Typical two lane road in Ireland. Yes, we did a little damage to the left side of the car!
Walking in Glen Coe, Scotland with a lollipop.
Urquhart Castle in Scotland. It was in The Water Horse movie. Really neat castle ruins.
The husband’s favorite pub.
Me and The Girl walking through a monster hedge in Edinburgh Botanical gardens
First words out of the husband’s mouth: “What the he-doublehockeysticks did you just buy? You gotta be kidding me! They sell watering cans at Target! That’s ridiculous.” Then he was quiet for about 15 minutes. Then a few bad words. Then he repeated the phrase above a few more times.
My response? “What’s the big deal…. it will fit in the backpack.” And it did! By the way, I had several compliments on my watering can as I got on the plane. The guy at the security machine said, “That’s a first. I’ve never had anyone bring a watering can on a plane before.”
If you are a husband, let this be a warning. If you allow your wife and children into a store unattended and stand outside for more than five minutes, know they are buying something. You can either, a: go in and see what they are up to
or b: suffer the consequences. In this case the consequence would be having to walk a 1/2 mile back to the hotel down a busy street with kids in kilts and crazy hats while having 95% of the people you walk by stare and or giggle or in the case of one lady, photograph you.
Scoop the poop or pay!!!
