The Red Wines...

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After having a few appetizers to absorb some of the wines, we moved onto the red wines.

#5 was a Shiraz (pronounced Shirah-rhymes with hurrah) by Fat Bastard. This bottle was $8.99 for a 750 ml size. One of the seven chose this as her favorite wine of the evening and took the rest of the bottle home to enjoy with her husband!
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This was the last bottle we tasted. This wasn't a favorite amongst the ladies but I liked it better than the Shiraz. It went well with the bacon wrapped filet mignon bites that we had after the tasting was over! For a 1.5L bottle, this Inglenook varietal was the least expensive of all the wines I chose for the wine tasting at $6.49.

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My First Wine Tasting event...

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The invitation...
(I also followed up with an e-mail to let the ladies know not to wear perfume/cologne or lipstick as it can affect the taste/smell for them or others around them.)
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The front walk up. KJ decorated the doors with grape clusters hanging for a grand entrance!
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A view of the island with the places set for tasting and rating.

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Another view. The tealight centerpiece was designed by KJ. He even thought of coloring the water to look like wine! How divine!!!

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The hors d'oeuvres table was set up with Yankee Candle hanging tart burners. The colors of the sunflowers blended well with the burgundy, green and gold serving platters. There were plenty of cheeses and crackers along with fruits and vegetables to have after tasting the white and blush wines. KJ was the chef and made sure the food was prepared hot and ready.

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Karl had a first day, too!!!

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Karl's first day as a Freshman at UCF. He started with 20 credits from his AP exams so he is technically in his second semester but still a freshman. And what a Fresh Man he is!!!
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His drive to school is much shorter than the time it takes to park once he is on campus!!! We live a mile from the school campus! Nice!!!
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KJ home from first day of school

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KJ came home from school very slowly. I think he was worn out. Back to the ole' grind!
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A quick pause for a picture! Wanting to just go inside and relax!

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Almost asleep just inside the front door!

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No, that's not MacCauley Caulkin in the pictures behind KJ!!! That's how KJ looked when he was in preschool so many years ago!!!

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First day of school for KJ...

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The first day at Hagerty High School for this freshman! He is now a Huskie!

He woke up at 6:30...a new start time! But, he likes getting home at 2:30 much better!
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His friend Jordan was dropped off at 6:45 so they could leave together for their first day. See how excited they are about school?!!!
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The proverbial first day of school picture.

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A new adventure, more independence, more responsibility! KJ's ready!!!

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Oh, what a night!

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Below is the evening Karl and Teagan had on August 13, 2007 to celebrate his 18th birthday. A gift compliments of mom and dad!
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Dinner before the show...malto bene!!!

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Okay, I gave Karl $ for dinner before the show, too. It had to be a complete night, right?!!! They ate at the restaurant where they had their first date almost one year ago. Mama Della's at the Portofino Bay Hotel across from City Walk Universal Studios. When they had their first date, it poured. So, if you look closely in Karl's right hand, you will see an umbrella!!!
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Just another captured moment!

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After dinner, a wonderful dessert came over along with singing of the Italian version of "Happy Birthday".

GRAZIE Mama Della!!!

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Okay, doesn't she look like everyone's grandma? They said she was just as nice as could be!

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One last picture taken just for me!!! Karl knows what I like!!! Grazie Karl!!!

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BLUE MAN GROUP

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For Karl's birthday, we gave him two tickets to see the BLUE MAN GROUP on August 13, 2007.
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They took a self-photo before the show started. (The bandana was made out of crepe paper and everyone wore one during the show.)
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After the show, you were able to get pictures with the BLUE MEN and they "autographed " your ticket by kissing it with their blue lips! (If you look closely, you can see Teagan's blue eye shadow and blue bracelet worn just for the occasion!)

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These guys did the percussion and guitars. They were flourescent so you could see them moving in the dark. Karl said he wants to be one now!!!

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Let the good times roll...

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or sail...

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For Karl's birthday, Teagan took him parasailing...it sure looks like they're having fun (when don't they?!!!)
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An extra long dip in the ocean for the birthday boy...

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When they were decelerating, the captain of the boat gave them a longer time to come back down, along with a toe-touching dip in the water...WOW!!!
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY KARL!!!

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WOW! What a difference a year makes....

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Karl's 17th birthday one year ago...
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Isn't life grand?!!!

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Lots of surprises for his birthday. T-shirts and socks from his favorite store, a $50 gift cert from there also, the gum he likes, 2 tickets to see the Blue Man Group on August 13th along with $ for a meal at the restaurant where he and Teagan had their first date (Momma Della's) and the big one...WCD passenger gift certificate. What a night! (Oh, BTW, Kent got his birthday present last night, too..... as the driver of the WCD cars!)
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He's Legally blonde....

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and an adult!!! As of 8/7/07!!!!!

The day has come. Karl Adam Banks has to register for selective services, can buy his own lotto tickets, is now able to vote, can buy his own cigarettes or snuff, can sign his own waivers (already signed his first one) , can get married in any of the United States, can buy pornographic material, and can purchase and/or possess a firearm. (There's probably more that he can now do.)

That totally scares me. He is so not ready for going into the armed forces under the draft. Lotto tickets, well, within reason, that isn't something I would be concerned about except if he were to "go in" with others. His government class has prepared him for the next election and what it means. Heck, he probably knows more of what it means than I do! I'm not worried about the cigarette or snuff issues...he watched my brother suffer through his lung cancer treatments long enough. The waiver issue...hmmm...that's a tough one. He needs to take heed in knowing what all a waiver actually means. I think he is pretty level-headed about that one. Marriage! Hah!! He isn't ready and he knows it...but he is planning out the future and thinking about it. That is one thing he is taking very seriously...I can just tell. Porno....he's a guy...nuff said! I don't see him with a "real" gun...KJ, yes, but not Karl.

Still, I know he may be an adult by certain standards or definitions but is he ready to tackle the world without some parental guidance. No way! The world to an 18 year old in the 70s was very different. You could make it on your own with a full-time, minimum wage job while having a car (with insurance) and a decent apartment. In 2007, that's impossible. So, to college he will go, preparing for his future and knowing that, having one eye on the future at all times is necessary to be successful in this world. And that having parents around isn't so bad, after all.

He may have some priviledges that an adult receives but he still asks mom for $ for a haircut and to buy his favorite clothes. We still pay for his car insurance and health insurance as long as he is in college. The word "adult" is cliche. Maybe it's because to me, he will always be my "child".
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Reliving a summer moment...

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I found this quote and pictured a place that I remembered we went to on our CA PCH Tour 2007 which describes the meaning so appropriately. (Sequoia National Forest - Day 6) I wonder if Robert Louis Stevenson was here when he penned this...

Look Out!!! It's Joe Biker

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So, my brother decided that life's too short so why not enjoy it a little by doing something you like to do? And he did just that. He bought his first motorcycle. He said he hadn't ridden one for 35 years but it's like getting on a bike. You relearn quickly. He had no trouble as I followed him home from West Orlando on Hwy 50. The stop and go lights actually helped him with gear shifting and the starts and stops.
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YOU GO JOE!!!

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Happy Birthday, Mom!

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Today would have been my mother's 82nd birthday! I still miss her like it was yesterday.

R.I.P. Marjorie Frye Ketchmark
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Happy Birthday, Joe!

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Today, July 10th, is my brother's 57th birthday! He is looking great and feeling it, too...he's a lucky guy!!!
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We always come back for more...

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The tradition continues...
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This is one stop we will never forget to go to...

Clarence's for biscuits and gravy, et al, before our drive back to FL. We also go there during the trip sometimes but if we don't go any other time, we won't miss our farewell breakfast the day we go back home!

I have to go back and see how many pictures we have taken in front of Clarence's. And, more importantly, who was lucky enough to be in the pictures (meaning: were able to go to Grandma's and Grandpa's house!!!)

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A meal, fit for a queen...

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Well, I made the roast and used the home grown veggies. The cubed steak was skillet fried in canola oil with a coating of flour, salt and pepper. Then, I put the steaks (6 cubes) in the baking dish while I mixed two packs of onion soup mix with 2 cups of water and a can of cream of mushroom soup. Then I put all of that mixture in the skillet to mix with the drippings from the steak frying. Then, I poured the mixture in the baking dish with the cubed steaks and moved the steaks around to get gravy all over them. I then put a lid on the baking dish and put it in the oven at 375 for 2 hours. I actually had to lower the oven temp after an hour to 350 since it looked like it was really boiling.

The potatoes were all peeled and boiled and then whipped with an electric hand mixer. Kent does those because his turn out so creamy. Everyone loves them at the holidays!!!

The green beans were steamed in the steamer for 25 minutes and tasted great with a little salt and butter added.

The corn was boiled on the stove for 30 minutes. It was the bi-colored corn like Zellwood has this time of year.

Kent made biscuits using the Betty Crocker Buttermilk Biscuit mix from Sam's (Orlando stores don't seem to carry it so we get ours from Johnson City, TN). He has become very proficient at making biscuits and these were the best so far!

We opened a bottle of White Merlot (my favorite at the taste testing in California at the Sutter Home winery) and enjoyed a couple of glasses with dinner. A great combination!!!

Successful meal, happy tummies, nice evening!
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The rarest of Kodak moments...

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Okay, this one is self explanatory...or is it?!!!!

I knew Kent was taking a nap after he drove the whole way to TN (after an all night, 9.5 hour drive), because I had peaked in to see him. What I didn't notice was that when I couldn't find KJ anywhere, he was sleeping on the bed with his dad! I had to get the camera, pronto for this rare photo op. AWWW, isn't that cute?!!!

A pure Kodak moment!
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Why KJ decided to lay down there..well, I guess the invitation of Grandma's soft, comfy bed was too hard to pass up!!! I don't know of anything more soothing and restful than that!
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Almost Heaven, Tennessee...

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Ah, yes, going to grandma and grandpa Bank's home always rewards us with a field of dreams....I mean greens!!! And white...potatoes, that is! Fresh from the garden, picked yesterday. Mmmmmm..ready for a cubed steak roast dinner tomorrow (Monday) night back in FL.
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The garden is abounding with the rewards of Grandpa's sowing. And we reaped abundantly!
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These speak for themselves. Grandma Banks taught Kimmy and I how to string the beans last year. And Kent and I didn't waste any time in getting them ready for tomorrow night's meal!

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Holy cow...or onions...these are humongous!!! They came from a neighbor across the road who has a garden as large as Grandpa Banks' but I didn't get to see it this time. I will have to go over there next time as it has been mentioned as a site to witness!

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I am so looking forward to dinner tomorrow. Never as good as Grandma Banks, but I'm learning!!! :o)
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The crack of dawn...

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Yes, that's when I got up this am. Today is Karl's college orientation (and mine as a UCF parent). It is two days long with the first day being 9 am until 9 pm. Now, I don't know about you but I really don't think that is necessary. But, be it as it is...I will be there with bells on. Especially after the Wolfgang Puck coffee pod that I just made from the last hotel we stayed at. I sure didn't have time to enjoy it there as we were on the go too fast but I'm enjoying it today! :O)
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Good news I like to hear....

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Now this is the kind of news I would like to see on tv...
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070627/ap_on_fe_st/odd_pickpocket_pummeled;_ylt=ApS4kgX1tBfAWBs7W20HoMR34T0D

Not all the bring you down stuff!
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The day after the last day of our vacation...

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So, here we are after the 5 hour flight to Chicago!!! It was 2 am when I took these pics. I tried to sleep but there were a couple of "visitors' scoping out the area and specifically our baggage!!! So, needless to say, I couldn't sleep at all. I kept watch and felt more safe not sleeping. We boarded the plane around 5:45 am and were finally on our way home...or were we?!!!
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After boarding the plane and having the cabin door shut, an employee came on the intercom to say that we would be delayed for 10 minutes or so with a technical difficulty. Then he came back to say that it would be a few minutes more, they were checking on something that happened to the plane (yeah, that makes me feel like getting this thing off the ground!!!) Then the flight attendant came on and said that it would be another 15 minutes as they had to write up a "report". A few minutes later, the captain came on and told us that there had been a mishap with the cabin door and the terminal walkway. It had "bent" the cabin door and they had to take measurements and decide whether or not the plane was fit to fly!!! AGH!!! Not what the passengers want to hear. But, it gets better...he went on to say that a plane is like a balloon with pressure and when you try to get it off the ground, any flaw in the balloon (a dent in the cabin door) can cause the balloon to explode!!! WTH...was he thinking? So, we nervously sat for about 5 more minutes and the first guy (who happened to work at the terminal) said that they measured everything and wrote up an incident report and we were free to go. Oh sure, free to go where?!!! He wasn't going to be on the plane!!! I never did get to see the actual dent because they have the door opened before you ever get off of the plane and it is positioned so that you can't see it. But, it was a nerve-racking take-off and landing for everyone on board. The guy on the other side in our row was really having problems. He had his head down towards his knees before we ever got off the ground and then he was walking, pacing and had to be asked to sit down....Note to self, once again, never miss your flight!!!!!
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What to do when you are waiting at an airport....

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Since we had to wait in line for close to an hour and then talked to the representative for half an hour, we left the United check-in around noon (our plane had left at 10:45 am). So, we took a shuttle to the International area of the airport where we were told there were more eating choices and shopping. Of course, we had McDonald's to eat and then after sitting for a while, decided to buy a deck of cards and make good use of the time. Our flight was to leave around 6 pm. (Notice the "International" passengers behind Kent.)
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We finally left the international terminal area at 3:30 and shuttled over to the United terminal to wait some more.... (note to self...don't ever miss your flight!)
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